Weekend Update 8/14/16

[tom mann]

Yes, the trucks and wheels are a let down in 1:29. They could be so awesome but instead look like toys designed for mall's train garden. Kadee since has produced their own truck and wheel, but they still suffer from a pizza cutter look. Oh and they're $74/pair!

[Missaberoad]

Yes, you keep admitting that the 1:29 truck's springs are fine and I'm the one who keep saying that they are not. 

Visually the Exactrail truck  is closer to the 1:29 truck than the real truck in your photo (going by the shape of the sideframes).  But either way, the 1:29 truck's springs use thin wire and have 9 turns with lots of daylight showing between the turns. The Exactrail truck depicts much heavier springs with 5 turns and your prototype truck also shows heavier springs with 6 turns. Even if the springs in that 1:29 truck were against a dark background, they would still not look right to me.

By fine i mean thin not acceptable perhaps there is a little bit lost in translation.

I said the dark background would improve the look. Not remove all sins, the 1:29 scale truck has alot of issues in the sideframe alone.

[Iain]

A new acquisition for the Colorado Midland:



Weathered with chalks and acrylic washes.

Dat ridehight, doe!

Also built a D&RGW-style coal shed from a Wolf Models kit.

That coal gon looks fantastic.  Who made it?

[Dave V]

That coal gon looks fantastic.  Who made it?

It's a Fine N Scale resin kit.  I had custom decals made.

[Iain]

It's a Fine N Scale resin kit.  I had custom decals made.

You did a good job.

[Dave V]

You did a good job.

Thanks!  Assembling the kit was a comedy of errors.  It's very fragile.  The coal load helps keep the side panels on!   

[JMaurer1]

Here in California (specifically Sacramento) they have installed roundabouts...usually in areas where they want to drive the traffic away. They are mostly referred to as 'accidents' (as in there is an accident at the roundabout on X and Y st)

[GimpLizard]

In our city they're replacing several stop-lights with roundabouts...

They did that all over Wisconsin, a few years ago. Yer gonna HATE it. 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I don't know. I don't mind them.

Yes, they take some getting used to, but I'm glad I have fewer red lights to sit at.

[w neal]

Not N scale per se...

A little rail archaeology on the way home from the St. Louis RPM...



Then...














Now...

[up1950s]

This last shot must be the other side , where the grass is greener .

[pedro]

Awesome... I find it remarkable that most of the utility poles appear to be exactly the same, except for the absence of the catenary. Bridge could use a spot of paint, though!

[DeltaBravo]

Sometimes, things just work out for the better.  My boss approached me earlier this week about swapping routes with him, as he would not be able to fit enough product on his truck since his truck is smaller than mine.  My last stop was only minutes from Choo Choo Nuts in Lancaster.  I stopped by just before a storm blew in, I walked in and started looking around.  They noticed me looking at N scale and said "Are you an N scaler ?  We just got a sizeable collection in the other day.  Most of it is here on the back shelf. "  I said thanks, looks like I'm in trouble.  I walked out with this.  $6.00 each for hoppers, $8.00 for boxcar and NS hopper.

20160812_200044[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Nice find, the trucks & couplers alone are worth $5 a pair

[DeltaBravo]

I made three custom hoppers. The lettering is a rub-on decal system I have been experimenting with. I used powders and dull coat for the weathering. The loads are custom, I cut wood and shaped it with a sander than I painted the top gloss black and added real coal.The loads are removeable.

[Philip H]

@w neal - what is the heavy electric painted for? Must have had some wiring challenges what with using two trolley poles and all.

@DeltaBravo  - I'd say that system is working for you. Any chance we could get a write-up somewhere?