Weekend Update 5/5/19

[up1950s]

https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/ss:20864648

[Mark W]

Got some new things en route.   


https://i.imgur.com/sDayLlU.jpg

[Dave V]

[pdx1955]

Finished my first T-Trak module representing the NP in central Washington:

 

[hegstad1]

I have another fantastic model made by Gregg Scott of GHQ to share.  It is a bridge based on one between Bonner and Missoula Montana on the Northern Pacific.  I was humbled by his offer to have me include it on my layout.  I can say that I painted it and will hand lay the ties and rail.  I look forward to showing more pictures in the future with it in its place.

[CRL]

That’s a nice adaptation model of the actual bridge.

On closer examination, it looks like he might have kit bashed some of the major components. The original isn’t skewed as much as the model, but the overall nature of the original is very well recreated even if it not a pure copy.

Very nicely done.

[Bob]

That bridge is a thing of beauty!  Really impressive.

[Cajonpassfan]

I love that Russia Iron jacket Dave, stunning! My favorite shade of blue...
While not exactly modeling, I did a bit of "research" today and took my brave wife on a hike through Crowder Canyon, the original short way through Cajon Pass, and later (1861?) the route of John Brown's toll road up the Pass (see pics).
Scenery is still impressive, but clearly not suitable for a standard gauge railroad; even the 1885 "long way around" took 3% grades to the Summit. Another lovely day in SoCal😎
Otto K. [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[rickb773]

There are two "periods" when I am thrilled, feeling the artistic "soaring possibilities" in model railroading construction:
     1) When you first lay track on wooden benchwork (I get delirious at the smell of freshly cut and recently drilled wood). You can envision the beautiful possibilities laying just down the road and around the construction bend.
     2) After you have covered the cardboard webbing of the first scenery mock-ups.

Final scenery, although satisfying, never seems to quite measure up to the unlimited possibilities immediately after the above steps.




I still have to decide whether to permanently cover 2/3 of the access hatch.


Glassboro Junction


The last 3' of track to complete the mainline. Bridge will go in after the Sculptamold.

Anyway after coming down from my Pepsi high, I should get to see this week if my Sculptamold stash is still usable and get in the first pass ground covering. Wish me luck!

[narrowminded]

Got back from my Texas MC trip and am largely caught up on my home front springtime duties.  

Painted the Code 40 Nn3 test track but no ballast yet.  It's both a test of the track itself as well as a test track for locos and rolling stock.  Most of those will be four wheel and intended to handle tight radius turns so the board is made with 2 1/2" (64mm) and 3 1/2" (89mm) radius turns.   I used Model Masters acrylics in the airbrush, Field Drab on the rails and RR Tie Brown on the ties.  I masked the foam base, painted the rails first but didn't mask the rails when painting the ties, just shot from directly overhead.  Seems good so far but in some spots I got more Tie Brown on the rail sides than I intended.

I'm really liking the rail and tie look in general and happy with how the Rokuhan switch adapters worked.  It also looks like the Rokuhan switches may not look so gawd awful clubby when finally painted and ballasted.   There's more to do but I'm liking it this far.  And the gauging came out EXCELLENT!  For the most part it's right on the target of .260"/ .262" (6.65mm) and within a few thousandths when a small excursion does exist.  It's ALL well within the NMRA spec of .257" to .270", coming nowhere near needing that generous tolerance and without using any gauges while laying the track, letting the designed in tie plate guides do their job.  I'm very happy with that.

The one item that proved to be most useful was the rail bending tool I made.  I expected it would be handy but after using it on this first trial of the whole system, I don't think I would want to do this without the tool.  It will be indispensable for this work.  There are no rail joiners.  Individual rail pieces have feeders soldered to the rail bottoms and dropped down between ties.  The switches have shortened rail joiners slid on to the rail with feeders soldered to them for electrical connection.  They are slid entirely on to the switch rail and aren't used as joiners connecting to the adjacent track so that the switch can be removed without disturbing the fixed track.

The under board wiring needs to be completed as well as ballasting and the board base but this is the progress so far.  Even though it's only a test track I will likely put down at least some scenic materials so it's not so completely ugly to look at (like my test tracks this far).  It will still be some time until I'm finished with it due to time availability. 

Some pics,  Nn3 Code 40:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

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And the referenced rail bending tool.

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And finally, a link to the rail bending video in case somebody missed it.  https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=46808.msg614318#msg614318

[BCR 570]

Another week, another six cars decaled.  These are very old Kaslo Shops resin kits for the CP and PGE 62'-9" stake cars built by National Steel Car.  (They were the second kit to be produced by Jeff back when he was just starting out with kits.)  I have decaled three in the Pacific Great Eastern schemes and three in the early BCR scheme:






This is a very busy weekend for many of us here in British Columbia.  Tomorrow I am presenting a clinic and hosting an operating session as part of the Railway Modellers Meet of B.C., and on Sunday I am attending the Victoria Train Show on Vancouver Island.  I am looking forward to receiving some new kits from Briggs Models and some log loads from Details N Scale.  Lots to show next week . . .

Tim

[nkalanaga]

Two fork trucks for one flatcar:  I wonder if they did it that way to keep from having to drive the fork truck on the ties?  Most of those are designed for smooth surfaces, although I don't think the ones at our plant would like muddy gravel either.

On a newer car one could pull it using the tow loops many cars have.  Pulling on the coupler, one could possibly pull the entire car off the track.

[thomasjmdavis]

Not much modeling per se this week, but I did make one of these:


In testing phase, but have succeeded in re-programming loco decoder address, reading CVs, turning headlights on and off and controlling speeds forward and reverse.
Now I need more decoders and need to lay more track.

[up1950s]

There are two "periods" when I am thrilled, feeling the artistic "soaring possibilities" in model railroading construction:
     1) When you first lay track on wooden benchwork (I get delirious at the smell of freshly cut and recently drilled wood). You can envision the beautiful possibilities laying just down the road and around the construction bend.
     2) After you have covered the cardboard webbing of the first scenery mock-ups.

Final scenery, although satisfying, never seems to quite measure up to the unlimited possibilities immediately after the above steps.



I still have to decide whether to permanently cover 2/3 of the access hatch.

Devils Tower on vertically mounted drawer guides would hide some of the loop , let you stand all the way up in the center ... maybe Ed will share some of his quaff which you could statically affix to a skull cap and you can be the eruption for photo ops . When you need hands on you could just slide up the cone .

[up1950s]

(Attachment Link)

And finally, a link to the rail bending video in case somebody missed it.  https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=46808.msg614318#msg614318

What a cool tool . I bet you are thinking of different rollers for other things like tubes . Or run the rail in 90 degrees and make roller coaster parts .