Weekend Update 7/21/13

[ChristianJDavis1]

Nice work everyone! This is the first time I have ever attempted to upload a photo, so here it goes.

This is an engine that I picked up from a friend on Friday for a whole $25, and is my second-ever brass locomotive in any scale. The only problem was that it was in a hundred pieces, and I still need pieces to put it back together again. Anyway, here it is; Sunset/Kumata Brass PRR H-24-66 "Trainmaster." I really have opened up the ultimate can-of-worms by buying brass...

[chicken45]

Nice work everyone! This is the first time I have ever attempted to upload a photo, so here it goes.

This is an engine that I picked up from a friend on Friday for a whole $25, and is my second-ever brass locomotive in any scale. The only problem was that it was in a hundred pieces, and I still need pieces to put it back together again. Anyway, here it is; Sunset/Kumata Brass PRR H-24-66 "Trainmaster." I really have opened up the ultimate can-of-worms by buying brass...

Nice! I love trainmasters. I don't have any brass locos, but I hear they can have problems or be sketchy at times.

Slightly off topic, when you folks do decals, do you gloss over decals before dull coating? Right now process is flat paint, gloss, decal, gloss, dull. Is that final gloss really necessary, am I insanely paranoid of silvering, or are the two mutually exclusive? 
And do yinz ever have hazing issues with Micro Sol and gloss finishes?

[wcfn100]

Went and saw this today.



Jason

[mu26aeh]

No pictures for me this weekend, though I did accomplish in laying track for the branch run to the coal mine, and completed the track so trains can run again.  Work on sidings is next, along with acquiring some more flex track so I can reconfigure my yard.

[eric220]

Went and saw this today.



Jason

My parents were on that train.  I am insanely jealous.

[C855B]

Went and saw this today.

844 and the 6936? They've been doing the diesel backup thing for a while, but it's nice to see somebody figured out that they can do it up with class.

Only the UP. Nice. I'm envious.

[wcfn100]

My parents were on that train.  I am insanely jealous.

We were going to ride it, but the logistics of getting back to Springs at a decent time after the one-way to Cheyenne just didn't work out.

Jason

[kelticsylk]

Max, I don't know the answers to your questions, but I took some pics. If you find something that improve on or "tweak," please speak up  The loco was built by Mike Spitzer.

Never noticed the "square" cylinders on the C55, probably too busy looking at the driver spacing 

Since they are covered by the running boards, they still look fine to me. I guess they could be rounded off at the top, but it might not be worth the effort (or potential damage to loco or mech).

[chicken45]

Never noticed the "square" cylinders on the C55, probably too busy looking at the driver spacing 

Since they are covered by the running boards, they still look fine to me. I guess they could be rounded off at the top, but it might not be worth the effort (or potential damage to loco or mech).

Agreed. It looks like they were shaved down for the Trix shell to fit. It's less noticeable in person. If I were I round them off, I'd also carve out the area of the running boards around the steam pipes.

[spookshow]

I like it!!

Thanks ST (and W Neal). Much appreciated!

Cheers,
-Mark

[chicken45]

For the SPFs:


I glossed the unpainted coal. Not so terrible. I also added the GHQ tender steps.

[Catt]

This is what happens when you walk away from your Z scale layout to work on the club N scale layout.

[timwatson]

I worked on making an enclosed ttrak module based on my "C" benchwork idea. Not sure how popular it will be since the whole ttrak world seems to be married to the front and back must be seen idea but we will see what my club thinks. It may flop but it was fun to build. It's like a big styrene structure (but wood/masonite).

[eric220]

This is what happens when you walk away from your Z scale layout to work on the club N scale layout.

D'OH!!!!

[dougnelson]

Hi Josh:

The tender looks great.  To answer your earlier question, wheels and some other lower hardware may have been painted black rather than DGLE, but with a minimum of weathering, there is virtually no difference between black and DGLE, so don't sweat it.

For the coal load, I would recommend painting on some glue (I use carpenter's glue) and sprinkle on either real coal particles, or crushed charcoal particles.

Here is my tender with real coal (bought at a train store):


And here is a hopper with crushed charcoal:

For the SPFs:


I glossed the unpainted coal. Not so terrible. I also added the GHQ tender steps.