Weekend Update 11/10/13

[up1950s]

[peteski]

That looks like a photo of a model on someone's well-detailed layout!

[up1950s]

That looks like a photo of a model on someone's well-detailed layout!

That's because Mother Nature hasn't Tom Mann'ed it enough yet . It resides in that Goldie Locks zone twixt ( freshly shopped / factory air ) and ( naturally weathered / Tom Mann'ed ). Most of modelers models are minimalisticly weathered .

[160pennsy]

Working on my T-TRAK modules in preparation for the Nov 9th-10th NRV Show at the Raleigh, NC state fairgrounds. See more photos https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31139.msg344264;topicseen#msg34426

[Guilford Guy]

Finally got around to decalling a couple cars I've been working on over college.

[mandealco]

Hi
Not much time lately but have managed a couple of things in recent weeks.  Several of the projects that have lingered on my bench for way too long. 

When the Life-Like C-424s first came out I quickly made a couple for the M&E.  Both had cab interiors, well, a seat and control stand.  Both these are back on my bench awaiting rebuild with Atlas cabs and hood parts. 

Here's the cab for one of them, sitting on a Briggs C-425 hood, with an open cab door.  The door is from the old LL C-424 cab, and is a little too large for the Atlas doorway (not noticed till I looked at the photo).

With the open door, I now need to do a cab floor, seats and other details. Both side windows will also be open.

In an effort to solve the Dofasco truck problem I bought an Atlas C40-8.  The Briggs ones look good, but I suck at building them.  MbE are just a stick on frame, which isn't bad, but doesn't align axles with journals.  So, I've looked at another compromise, the Atlas C40-8 trucks, which fit the C-630 chassis and can be altered to look like a stretched MLW truck.  We'll see how they look after I rework them.  Here's how they look now.

I've put the same chassis under my HR-616, just to see if it'll fit, and yes it did. I built this about 10 years ago and threw a Spectrum C40-8 chassis under it.  The Atlas chassis, looks much better and also performs better.  Once the trucks are altered to look more like the Dofasco ones, it'll improve the looks even more.  I also plan to graft a Briggs M-420 wide nose cab on it to improve it further.  That may take another 10 years at this rate.

If you've ever wondered what a C40-8 would look like on Tri-mount trucks, and who hasn't, wonder no more.

Cheers
Steve

[unittrain]

I'm raising my modules so that the tracks are at eye level and also going to give casting anchoring cement for my abutments a try. I also have scratchbuilt several deck plate bridges now that I have found a method that works good and that is to use ACAD to draw up the bridge  and print it out to scale and have the stiffener lines extend past the web plate for a guide in assembly I then cut the web from .02" ABS sheet and then attach 1/16" abs angle for the horizontal stiffeners (only on the inner non visible side of the web plate) I then attach 3/64" abs angle for all the stiffener angles and then use 1/64" x 1/8" brass strip as cap plates which straighten out the warped web (warpage due to the plastic weld cement). I then cut .01 x .06" styrene strip and weld the strips in between the stiffeners to represent the second horizontal stiffener angle leg, after that the 2 webs are joined with panel bracing It sounds like a lot but these go together quick I can build a full bridge in a couple hours and they look really good. Next is the hard part Archer rivet decals. But this is one of my favorite areas of the hobby the bridge building and it shows as my layout has like 14 spans

[Scottl]

Pictures, or it never happened!   

[unittrain]

Pictures, or it never happened!   

I now my only camera (other than my cell phone) is an older JVC video camera (not VHS! but nearly that old ) and I cant find a driver compatible with Windows 7 for it tried their site ect and no dice. I tried posting my cell phone pictures and got a message saying I need a card for it so I guess I'll have to do that or just buy a digital camera which would be no problem if I didn't spend all my Train money on new releases I got way to much rolling stock as it is.

[davefoxx]

Steve,

Is that how that unit's cab door was hinged?  I thought they always hinged on the outside (cab corner).

DFF

[kelticsylk]

Did a little more work on the passenger sharks. I'm reworking the second one. Didn't like the way it came out. Also working on a B unit. They're not perfect by a long shot, but they kinda resemble the real thing...


Also started mocking up Horseshoe Curve...


Kittanning Point is nowhere near the right shape, same with the slopes on each side. It also has to be higher. The masonite will be painted to look like an overcast gray kinda sky.

I had to laugh at myself this morning. Went to throw away some used tinfoil and stopped myself thinking "I need this to make the rock faces on the mountains". Next I'll be saving real rocks 

[davefoxx]

Also started mocking up Horseshoe Curve...


Kittanning Point is nowhere near the right shape, same with the slopes on each side. It also has to be higher. The masonite will be painted to look like an overcast gray kinda sky.

Frank,

I'm not so sure that I would be concerned with the height as much as the slope.  Figuring that most people will be focusing in on the trains, it isn't as important to get the overall height right as it is the slope.  In other words, space looks tight for you, so the higher you go with the mountains, the more vertical your cliffs need to be.  If they are completely vertical for the height you're talking, I don't think that you will capture the look and feel of Horseshoe Curve.  I would recommend cutting back the height and focusing on getting the slope correct.  That's the risk of modeling a highly recognizable area, like Tehachapi and the loop.  You have to get it right.

DFF

[Puddington]

Steve: That is some fine MLW love there ! As an "Alco"-holic I suddenly feel the need to run a lash up of dirty, noisy, smokin hunks-o-iron!

[spookshow]

I finished up some more varnish this week. Many thanks to Ted Freeman (teditor) for creating the decals (and sending them all the way from Australia no less). Now my second favorite Aussie (after Angus Young, natch) 





So, I guess all I need now is a 4-4-2 to pull them around 

Cheers,
-Mark

[PAL_Houston]

That looks like a photo of a model on someone's well-detailed layout!

...except for the people figures, which would be the most realistically-detail figures ever!