Weekend Update - 20 May 2007

[John]

Its Sunday again.

I spent the day over at Brunswick Md yesterday. There is a fund raiser for the Brunswick RR Museum going on, and BANTRAK has a small setup in the Rescue Squad garage. I thought I would stop by and lend some moral support. I did find a hole in the wall Italian place with some pretty good Cheese Steaks (Gino's its not) ..

During the last week, I have been working on the scenery base for the area on my layout that consists of The Narrows, Tygart Junction, and a coal mine. Here are some shots of the progress to date. Lots of work to do yet.

This is by far my most favorite spot on the layout .. This is The Narrows

[img width= height=]http://lh4.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBJqtylvaI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/JSRS2C-_g5Y/s800/IMG_1565.jpg[/img]

A coal train coming down from the upper level .. crossing bridge #1

[img width= height=]http://lh5.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBJh9ylvZI/AAAAAAAAA7I/NbdGI-ak8y4/s400/IMG_1568.jpg[/img]

The head end just after the long girder bridge

[img width= height=]http://lh3.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBIndylvNI/AAAAAAAAA5o/xhJXpAQG0no/s400/IMG_1569.jpg[/img]

Here is the head end passing the mine

[img width= height=]http://lh6.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBIxNylvPI/AAAAAAAAA54/SPdV4tXs550/s400/IMG_1571.jpg[/img]

The head end crossing the bridge over the river .. obviously still under construction

[img width= height=]http://lh5.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBI19ylvQI/AAAAAAAAA6A/w1KCmgPxdtI/s400/IMG_1572.jpg[/img]

Crossing the diamond

[img width= height=]http://lh5.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBI69ylvRI/AAAAAAAAA6I/iDTBk6qwsQw/s400/IMG_1573.jpg[/img]

Just east of the diamond

[img width= height=]http://lh3.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBJBdylvSI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/4wU9bRfs3kg/s400/IMG_1575.jpg[/img]
[img width= height=]http://lh4.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBJFtylvTI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/jhOfMtzIiM8/s400/IMG_1576.jpg[/img]

This set of photos was staged on the B&O on the lower level

[img width= height=]http://lh4.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBJJtylvUI/AAAAAAAAA6g/CZBxuitO5us/s400/IMG_1578.jpg[/img]

[img width= height=]http://lh3.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBJMdylvVI/AAAAAAAAA6o/vPEwtsp2AG0/s400/IMG_1579.jpg[/img]

Crossing from #2 to #1 track .. these are #7 turnouts .. will most likely replace with #10s some day

[img width= height=]http://lh5.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBJS9ylvWI/AAAAAAAAA6w/LrrYPxRF_jk/s400/IMG_1580.jpg[/img]

This area, still under construction, will be a double track bridge over the river, one track curves right to the upper level (the diamond). I will probably go with a stone viaduct. The track curving left continues the lower level to the east.

[img width= height=]http://lh5.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBMn9ylvbI/AAAAAAAAA7c/Wk07mvgLFrE/s400/IMG_1581.jpg[/img]

This is the other side of the bridge, just west of the junction where the lower and upper levels split.

[img width= height=]http://lh6.google.com/image/acsxfan1/RlBJaNylvXI/AAAAAAAAA64/boODwu5Ig_g/s400/IMG_1582.jpg[/img]

[John]

A composite of the junction area ..

[Chris333]

Guess there was a good reason to tear out the old after all. 

[atsf_arizona]

SNFF 2007 05 18

A run-by, N scale Santa Fe E6s 12L, 12A, 15A, and a Santa Fe passenger train:













I know, I know, three weeks in a row on the same set of N scale Santa Fe E6s. 
Please forgive my obsession with the rarity of these elegant machines - this
will be the last E6 post for a while.  Maybe this will whet our collective
appetite for the Precision Craft Models sound-equipped E6s someday:





Have a good week, all.

[tokenbrit]

Added some FVM 36" wheels to 3 of my Kato Coalporters to compare against the originals:


Now I've got to decide if it's worth ~$75 to do the rest... I know the FVMs look better (& I know I've got some weathering to do ) but I'm not 100% sure that it's enough of a difference to be worth a loco, or 4-5 freight cars :-\

Or 15 beers in a bar / 25 beers at home ;D

[bobcat]

I'd go with the beers, then you wouldn't notice the difference. ;D

John, That new section looks great, nice job.

[engineshop]

...
Now I've got to decide if it's worth ~$75 to do the rest... I know the FVMs look better (& I know I've got some weathering to do ) but I'm not 100% sure that it's enough of a difference to be worth a loco, or 4-5 freight cars :-\
...

I actually not sure which ones are the FVM. I would invest in a bottle of rust color before replacing the wheels.

[3rdrail]

Added some FVM 36" wheels to 3 of my Kato Coalporters to compare against the originals:

Now I've got to decide if it's worth ~$75 to do the rest... I know the FVMs look better (& I know I've got some weathering to do ) but I'm not 100% sure that it's enough of a difference to be worth a loco, or 4-5 freight cars :-\

Or 15 beers in a bar / 25 beers at home ;D

I'd go with the loco or 4-5 freight cars. The 15 beers in a bar would just increase your chances of getting charged with DUI while those at home would simply increase your water and sewer bills. 

[tom mann]

The kato wheelsets look pretty good to begin with.  I would spend the money on the wheels and just use the on Atlas cars instead. ;D

[Iain]

Finally got the boat in the water for the summer.  WOOT!  Also started my blast furnaces, spent a fair amout of this afternoon turning ovens and the two furnaces proper.  I love having access to expensive machinery rather than having to spend big bucks.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I made some BIG layout progress this weekend: I started carving the styrofoam for the "lake".

I've got some pics but I'm not thrilled with them. I'll post them later I suppose.

[engineshop]

I finished the major building part of my crane by gluing all the big pieces together.



For more pictures, go to the scratchbuilding section of this forum.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Here are the 110% crappy photos:





Picture a viaduct made of the chooch tunnel portals here:



And picture a lake in the big pink area here:

[wm3798]

This weekend, I got a ceiling fan hung in the kitchen, and re-routed the power to the garage via an underground cable so I could take down the old 14 gauge wire with the crumbling insulation down that was hanging in the air for umpteen years.

When I came back inside, I found that Mr. Peabody had stopped by with his WayBack Machine...
 


The date was set to April, 1954.  One of the last Consolidations on the line was pulling a cut of freshly painted hoppers in the new speed lettering scheme.

I pulled out my trusty Rolly-Flex, and fired a shot as she crossed the Potomac.

Lee

[TrainCat2]

Gots lots of brass projects completed.

Yard Tower


Hey Gregg, here is the double track tankcar loading platform


Here is some more progress on the double track PRR Whitford Parker truss bridge



Here is the center section plus post 3 & 4 on the left side.