Weekend Update 7/14/13

[brokemoto]

Well met, Eric! You got me thinking. Let me ask this about builders photos. I've seen a few of them that don't always "match up." 

I thought painting the handrails was a standard Pennsy practice, though. But I've seen derricks with yellow stirrups and some without.

The locomotive was not always one-hundred per-cent complete when the builder would cause the "builder's photograph" to be taken.  I suspect that some of this had to do with money.  If ALCo, Electro-Motive, Baldwin or whoever called a photographer, I would expect that they would wait until they had a number of subjects for him to photograph.  Possibly, the order would go down for the Company Man to have the photographer shoot anything that was close to ninety per cent complete, or better, as well as completed units.

I have seen more than one builder's photograph that showed incomplete paint, missing details such as horns, stacks, windows, doors, bells and hoses/lines.

In some cases, the purchaser did specify that the builder deliver the locomotive minus paint and construction details, as the railroad  preferred that its shop forces add those items.  More than one railroad had its own ideas about stacks, bells and horns.  More than one railroad installed the steam generators on passenger road switchers after delivery.  It is possible that the railroad got such a good deal on this or that steam generator that it was cheaper to have their shop forces install it than to have it included with the locomotive.  Another possibility is that as the transition progressed, the railroads found that their steam shop forces had more idle time, and that this was a task with which they would have had some familiarity.

Much of this is speculation.  Perhaps someone who is more informed can enlighten us.

[Catt]

Those look great Johnathan!

Thanks Michael,I also did my Z scale Showcase trucks.Does not look perfect but looks a heck of a lot better than no windows at all.

[eric220]

Much of this is speculation.  Perhaps someone who is more informed can enlighten us.

Quite. The photographic evidence presented to date indicates that some time between a builder's photo taken in 1941 and a working photo taken in 1966, the rails and steps were painted yellow.

[mark dance]

It has been a busy two weeks between work and summer stuff...though not as much on the railway as I would like.

I made up two shortened girder bridges from kits.  A deck girder and a through girder bridge for the Troup Junction scene.  Here they are propped in place.



I still have 5 small trestles to build but their design is done and the stripwood stained.

I also finished nearly all the parts for the Train order semaphores and have them 75% assembled including the nano-LEDs to light the aspects.  I just need to turn and groove the 2 mm pulleys and make the blades up then string and crimp the Nitinol actuator wire. I have been testing as I go and so far so good.



I have learned some interesting things with this build like how to solder magnet wire to LEDs that are one quarter the size of a grain or rice and how to program and use a water jet cutter.  (Question: what's better than a water jet cutter in your basement? Answer: one in your friend's basement 6 blocks away!)

I took advantage of a sale at Home Depot and bought and installed a 12,000 BTU air conditioner for the train room.  With 8 bodies and the lights on in the layout room during an operating session things do get a might warm...especially when operating the Kaslo branch which is up near the ceiling.  This is in spite of the 150 CFM extraction fan I put in.  I ran the ductwork and tested the AC yesterday and it seems to keep the room between 75-80F but we shall see when there is a full complement of operators.  The first real test will be in the op session in late August.

And here is what really kept me busy in my spare time the last two weeks...the kid's backyard playhouse complete with obligatory trapdoor!

. by mark dance, on Flickr

Now I am off with the family on vacation. I am packing some more octagonal tank and wayside structure kits to build so hopefully I will have something railroady to show for the excursions!

Have a great weekend!

md

[nstars]

Quite. The photographic evidence presented to date indicates that some time between a builder's photo taken in 1941 and a working photo taken in 1966, the rails and steps were painted yellow.

In Milwaukee at the NSE convention I had a discussion with someone exactly about this subject (and more specific the Kato NW2). I was disappointed that Kato doesn't paint the handrails like for instance Atlas. He said that in the earlier diesel years handrails were not painted. So the Kato model is correct for that timeframe. Painting the handrails was done when the railroads became more safety oriented. I don't remember exactly but I think he said this happened somewhere during the 50's. So it would depend on the timeframe you model. However, I do think that painting the handrails will improve the appearance of the model as it would add some color accents.

Marc

[towl1996]

I would start here: http://bit.ly/18eKojb
 

Here's a link from that site about the PRR NW2 road numbers, https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=16099.0. which I forgot all about and notice Thirdrail was on it, as usual. Gone, but not forgotten.

[VonRyan]

Having just read that NW2 3909 was renumbered in 1942 to 5912, I won't be painting handrails, but I'm still debating whether or not to cut the stacks down to match the photo that Eric posted.
I'm also picking over my rolling stock fleet to root out some un-needed items to sell off, plus what else from my fleet that I want to dullcote.



-Cody F.

[jsoflo]

It has been a busy two weeks between work and summer stuff...though not as much on the railway as I would like.

And here is what really kept me busy in my spare time the last two weeks...the kid's backyard playhouse complete with obligatory trapdoor!

. by mark dance, on Flickr

Now I am off with the family on vacation. I am packing some more octagonal tank and wayside structure kits to build so hopefully I will have something railroady to show for the excursions!

Have a great weekend!

md

WOW. I want to live in that playhouse! Nice work!!!

[superturbine]

Here is one for the S.P. fans....
A combination of mine and Greg's (GHQ) castings, SP 2-10-2 F class/ Deck of course. The engine still has more detail work needed.


Not a valid youtube URL I also received this casting in hopes that my brass 2-10-2 frame would be a success..... Unfortunately due to shrinkage rates it requires as much work as adding a urethane drive box.

Jason Smith
Tomball Locomotive Works

[jereising]

Very near completion now on the Bealville ranch.  I plan to rebuild the board fence by the barn with narrower boards...and I need to guy and string wire on the power poles.  But for the present, adding the lighting to the buildings will have to do.

[mmagliaro]

Here is one for the S.P. fans....
A combination of mine and Greg's castings, SP 2-10-2 F class/ Deck of course. The engine still has more detail work needed.

 I also received this casting in hopes that my brass 2-10-2 frame would be a success..... Unfortunately due to shrinkage rates it requires as much work as adding a urethane drive box.

Jason Smith
Tomball Locomotive Works

Great, Jason!  I really like the mottled weathering on the smokebox.   Is that a tender from a Kato/Con-Cor S-2?

[superturbine]

Thanks Maximus!

No the tender is a C-160 tender that I cast and the trucks are all power pick up from the Bachman long vandy tender.

[dougnelson]

Okay Ed - This one's for you.  With steel reinforcing.

[VonRyan]

Okay Ed - This one's for you.  With steel reinforcing.

Now that's some PRR Hotness!!! 



-Cody F.

[Dave V]

Okay Ed - This one's for you.  With steel reinforcing.