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Some rolling stock projects moved off the table. First up was a pair of MTL auto boxcars deco'd for Pennsy. The ride height is fairly good on these models and the offset bolster hole trucks have close to correct alignment, so minimal work included swapping in Trainworx ASF A-3 trucks with FVM wheels to match the prototype and body-mounted #1016 couplers.I noticed after the fact that the roofwalks need to be changed. One is "wood" and the other is "metal." I have to check the prototype to see what is appropriate, and then swap in either FVM laser-cut wood roofwalks or one of the etched steel roofwalks.My last project completed was one that's been in the works for a couple of years, and for whatever reason I hadn't finished it off until now. It's a Trainman 50' boxcar with the most clunky details updated.New Universal brakewheel, etched stirrups, etched roofwalk and wire roof grabs. Old roofwalk holes were filled and shaped to match the stamped roof pattern. The cutout for coupler swing in the ends was filled with styrene and shaped to match the stamped end pattern. The inside of the floor was modified to push the car up to a better ride height. Body was masked so that the existing graphics were protected while the modified areas were painted. Body-mounted couplers and metal wheels to finish. Now it fits in with the higher-end models. My paint shade was slightly off from the Atlas paint, but when I eventually weather the car it will be unnoticeable.
Renovated a DPM building to make it a nice 1960s era haberdashery.Also been working on laying out the blocks on the Canton, Highlandtown and Fell's Point.Lee
Does anyone make a 50T ASF A-3? I suspect that you meant BLMA here rather than Trainworx , as I don't see any A-3 trucks for sale, or even any cars that should have 50T trucks of any kind, on the Trainworx web site. I know BLMA makes an A-3, but it's a 70T, and you've mentioned using them in the past. Are the 70T trucks indistinguishable (in N-scale) from 50T?
No, I meant Trainworx. The truck side frames are the same as those used for the BLMA trucks. But because Trainworx cars were designed to use MTL trucks, the bolster beam parameters of their trucks match the MTL design. So they are good for the handful of MTL models that ride at the correct height and that compensate properly for the bolster hole offset. I'm sure there is a difference between the 50 ton and 70 ton design, but I don't know how noticeable it is.
I looked around for Trainworx trucks like Nickleplate did. Is the only way to get them by buying a Trainworx car and swapping? The Trainworx site didn't make it too easy to find which cars used their own truck. Most listed MTL trucks and couplers.
I finished weathering and ballasting the track inside tunnel 9, then built the tunnel liner, crudely attached the as-of-yet unpainted tunnel portals, and put up a temporary view block under the loop just to try to get a better sense of how the scene will look once base scenery is down. I'm really happy with how I think it's going to look!