Code 25 flat wire test

[Dave V]

Hey Tom,

What are you using for ground cover?  Both the ballast and the dirt look a lot like what I'm trying to do on the Colorado Midland.  Especially the dirt.

Oh, yeah, the track looks sexy too!

[tom mann]

FYI, @bambuko posted this some time ago:

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@Dave Vollmer I made the ballast myself using a variety of products and a mortar and pestle.  I used AIM Grimy Black chalk, Highball Dirt, and WS ballast (grey walnut shells).  I mixed them to get a certain color based on Bing images of LA industrial areas, and used the mortar and pestle to grind them to a size that I could use for Z scale (a side effect is to actually to look better in close up photos in N scale).  I also used Highball cinders and different variations of my mix for variety.  The Dirt is from the crawlspace underneath Gary's dad's house (the south side, collected in spring).  It is a great clay-like product.

BTW, if you don't add in some chalk (and brush on some afterwards), you get what I used to call caviar ballast when viewed up close.

[Dave V]

Excellent, thanks Tom!

I have a good source of local dirt here too.  I need to get some before the snow returns!

I assume you sift, bake, and run a magnet over it before you use it?  I did that once...  The dirt around the coal trestle on the JD is from the crawl space under my North Carolina house.

[davefoxx]

It looks so natural because the proportions seem right.  Put some code 80 in that picture for comparison.  That would be interesting.

That would be a hoot.  Here's what Code 40 looks like as compared to Code 80, so you can imagine Code 25 at less than one-third the height of Code 80!



DFF

[Scottl]

Wow, that really is amazing, and code 40 is only half.  Code 25 is nearly 75% smaller than code 80.

[peteski]

FYI, @bambuko posted this some time ago:

The PRR rail reference to the various code rails in that photo - is that in Z or N scale?  The Marklin rail included in there makes me think it is based on Z scale.

[chicken45]

The PRR rail reference to the various code rails in that photo - is that in Z or N scale?  The Marklin rail included in there makes me think it is based on Z scale.

Yeah...I'm not a guy who knows a lot of things, but I do recall atlas C55 being almost spot on in terms of size for PRR mainline.

[chicken45]

Tell us about those wheels, @tom mann !

[Chris333]

Code 55 is the same in N as it is in Z     .055" tall

[Mark5]

FYI, @bambuko posted this some time ago:

I don't think this chart is correct ...

More on this when I get a chance.

Mark

[peteski]

Code 55 is the same in N as it is in Z     .055" tall

My question as about the reference to the real rail. Is PRR 155 lb. rail equivalence to code 36 rail done in N or Z scale?

[tom mann]

Tell us about those wheels, @tom mann !

They are NWSL fine scale.  Before FVM, they were the only realistic-looking metal wheelset.  I don't think you can get them anymore. 

[dnhouston]

very realistic

[PGE_Modeller]

My question as about the reference to the real rail. Is PRR 155 lb. rail equivalence to code 36 rail done in N or Z scale?

Peteski,

I believe you are correct: those PRR code equivalents are for Z scale.  Based on height only, in N scale, PRR 155 lb rail (8" high) would be Code 50.  115 lb rail (6 5/8") scales out at Code 41; 110 lb rail (6 1/4") scales out to Code 39; 100 lb rail (6") scales out to Code 37; 90 lb (5 5/8") scales out to Code 35; 80 lb (5") becomes Code 31; and 60 lb (4 1/4") becomes Code 26.  The NMRA has dimensional tables for Codes 32 and 25 but, to the best of my knowledge, neither of these sizes has been made commercially.

Cheers,

[chicken45]

They are NWSL fine scale.  Before FVM, they were the only realistic-looking metal wheelset.  I don't think you can get them anymore.

I meant the weathering, silly! Was it a dry spray of rust to get that texture?