Weekend Update 3/8/26

[up1950s]

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https://restoreoregon.org/2025-demuro-award-winner-historic-brooklyn-railroad-roundhouse-turntable/

https://www.railwaygazette.com/traction-and-rolling-stock/fart-orders-new-trains/58177.article

https://www.etsy.com/listing/944182133/funny-model-railway-mug-train-lover-gift?ls=s&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=model+railway+joke&ref=sr_gallery-1-36&sts=1&content_source=4b3d8292-0cb8-47bc-ada9-72912603a452%253ALTf2f203a362b5ad0f4388989a0f16e158911787fd&organic_search_click=1&logging_key=4b3d8292-0cb8-47bc-ada9-72912603a452%3ALTf2f203a362b5ad0f4388989a0f16e158911787fd

https://medium.com/ironkeel/commuting-on-the-fart-express-3204ffa767cb

https://www.flickr.com/photos/124446949@N06/35355870243

https://www.martynbane.co.uk/modernsteam/ldp/argentina/arg.htm

ANYBODY WELD THIS WAY ? COULD HELP WITH BRACKETRY ON LAYOUT

[chessie system fan]

I finished this a few minutes ago.

[ednadolski]

Well, it looks like I am going to have to re-think my basement space allocation plans for a layout....

(BTW... now I know why it is called speed cloth...)



Ed

[basementcalling]

Well, it looks like I am going to have to re-think my basement space allocation plans for a layout....

(BTW... now I know why it is called speed cloth...)



Ed

Those are strange looking tunnel portals, and awkwardly placed, for a water level layout. 

[Lackawannae8]

Got around to continue the first of  three E44 shells after stripping off the ugly PRR paint job they had. Taught myself how to make my own handrails from phosphor bronze since I have zero interest in learning 3d printing. Decals tonight and touch up paint and pans. Fun project

[arx nakanishi]

Let me share with you another cut from my N-scale Cisco, Utah diorama: the overall.

I've introduced every structure along the US 50 within Cisco Townsite from east to west. My diorama measures about 12 feet long and 3 feet wide, and is divided into four sections. However, the space is limited to two of the four, considering the wrap-around tracks. Thus, the length of a train is limited to about 40 fifty-footers.





I used two LED floodlights to take photos and movies. I also used a full-color tape light to arrange the daytime, dusk, and night.



Next time, I'll introduce the freight equipment I kitbashed and painted, which appeared in the previous pics/movies.
Thanks for watching.

[NorthWestGN]

I worked on refining my fading process, still some other techniques to add before this one is done…




Brent

[ATSF_Ron]

@NorthWestGN great job on the fading. Looks very uniform throughout. Can you share a bit of your method? I’ve tried lightening by cutting the original color with white or just using a very thinned white or beige, but it doesn’t come out like this!

ATSF_Ron

[davefoxx]

“I gotcha!  I gotcha!”  After an extensive search, I finally found an original Norfolk Southern Ry. caboose in the correct light gray scheme for the late-1960s to the early-‘70s. It was a tough find, because this Atlas caboose was released in April of 2015 and is almost eleven years old.  You ever feel like you got lucky and found the last one on the planet?



More on The Carolina Sandhills Lines thread in the Layout Engineering forum.

DFF

[mu26aeh]

“I gotcha!  I gotcha!”  After an extensive search, I finally found an original Norfolk Southern Ry. caboose in the correct light gray scheme for the late-1960s to the early-‘70s. It was a tough find, because this Atlas caboose was released in April of 2015 and is almost eleven years old.  You ever feel like you got lucky and found the last one on the planet?



More on The Carolina Sandhills Lines thread in the Layout Engineering forum.

DFF

I felt that way with Atlas 17,600 tank cars for Univar and HOKX.  Now I have a dozen of them 

[chuck geiger]

Spring cleaning today and rearranging for optimum negative space on The Las Piedras RR. Also dragged the NS Danville Secondary out into the sun for some shots.

[ATSF_Ron]

These arrived yesterday!  I'm stoked!  The painted models looked great in person at the train show I attended last weekend, but holding these up close and in person I was extremely pleased with the detail on them.




What's funny is how I found Jordan's company (Folsom Loco Works).  I was going down an SP rabbit hole looking for info/drawings on the "whaleback" style tenders put behind some of SP's MK class mikados.  I thought maybe I could scratch build something that would pass for one of these.  I have two of the BLI SP heavy USRA mikes that have been "close enough" for a while.  Once I saw these, I knew I had to have them.
Loco shell is next...






This next week my semi-retired work schedule is light, so these will be prepped and painted post haste.  If there are any SP fans out there in need of these (or some of the many varieties of Vandy tenders he offers), you need to look him up and support his business.  This was a great find.  I'll post pics when they are painted and lettered.

ATSF_Ron

[NorthWestGN]

@NorthWestGN great job on the fading. Looks very uniform throughout. Can you share a bit of your method? I’ve tried lightening by cutting the original color with white or just using a very thinned white or beige, but it doesn’t come out like this!

ATSF_Ron

Hey Ron,

This was an all Tamiya mix of about 65% XF-86 Flat clear, about 10% XF-2 Flat white and the balance their XF20 thinner airbrushed in about 4 light coats with a little hair dryer action in between.  This one also got a wash of Vallejo Wash FX for Dark vehicles but most was removed with a brush and Q-tip before fully drying, leaving very little behind.

This was an earlier test shot over an ancient MT high gloss BN boxcar carcass without the grey wash…

Nice prints you just posted of the SP Whaleback tender and Mikado boiler, are they designed to fit over the BLI mechanism?

Brent

[ATSF_Ron]

Brent, thanks for sharing your weathering method.  As for the 3D prints, yes, they are designed to fit over the light or heavy USRA BLI mikes.  3D printing has done great things for this hobby!

[Dave V]

Spring cleaning today and rearranging for optimum negative space on The Las Piedras RR. Also dragged the NS Danville Secondary out into the sun for some shots.

Chuck, that road is insane. Love it!