Weekend Update 8/25/19

[up1950s]

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/j3jsp/this_is_what_happens_when_a_train_does_a_burnout/

[Kentuckian]

Current state of T-trak module. Just lacking one building, the “dog wagon” on the right. That is just the facade in the photo. More in the Challenge thread.

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[BCR 570]

Further progress on a trio of boxcar projects . . .

A test print of 8' double sliding doors for BCIT 800069:




Extending door tracks and moving left hand door posts for change to 8' doors, and filling in holes in roof for the two ex-BAR boxcars:




Adding bottom side sill reinforcements and gusset plates either side of doors for the two ex-SOO boxcars:




As you have read, many of the layouts here in the Vancouver area are gearing up for Vanrail 2019 with shakedown op sessions.  After a month of inactivity on the layout, I am hosting a session tonight which can be considered a warm-up for Vanrail.


Tim

[John]

Current state of T-trak module. Just lacking one building, the “dog wagon” on the right. That is just the facade in the photo. More in the Challenge thread.

(Attachment Link)

I love this module .. the effect is awesome ..  a lot of my layout is low relief buildings .. since the much of it is only 12 inches wide .. thanks for sharing

[Kentuckian]

Thanks for the encouragement, and you’re welcome.

[johnb]

Current state of T-trak module. Just lacking one building, the “dog wagon” on the right. That is just the facade in the photo. More in the Challenge thread.

(Attachment Link)

You aught to look at this site for more building options...

https://interurbanmodels.blogspot.com/search/label/Main%20Street

https://www.facebook.com/339443573285923/posts/407033289860284/?sfnsn=mo

[mark dance]

As Tim mentioned, around here we're gearing up for the big invitational OPs event: VanRail!  This year I am hosting sessions only on Friday and Sunday.  I just don't have it in me any more to host 3 back to back to back sessions.

With two weeks to go I am trying to knock down lots of little projects while getting the layout ready.

1) Finished Shields



2) Finished the Nelson Yard Retaining wall for behind the Diesel Shop







3) Finished Farron









4) Received 5 C Liners newly equipped with "Stay Alive" caps on top of their ESU sound decoders.  And what a difference those caps make!  The layout hasn't been run or had its track cleaned in nearly 4 months but you can't tell...the locos perform beautifully

and finally 5) laid in a separate dedicated 120V line to the layout lights (which can draw up to about 12A!).  This additional line will give me a bit of margin as it is no longer shared with the DCC and turnout control power supplies. (sorry: no pics! )

Have a great weekend!

md

[jereising]

The first twelve (of twenty) Briggs Models coil car kits are out of the paint shop and awaiting decalling and finishing touches.



I would have finished the lot by now except for trying to paint the first four with a rattle can - ended up having to strip them.  Resurrected the 'ol Badger and got the correct color of Model Flex, and Bob's your uncle.

Finishing building the last of them currently, maybe begin decalling next week...

[carlso]

I have been working on a project to be placed on the club layout. This is scratch built stockyard and I have finished all of the pens, added aluminum light poles with LED lights, made a shed for equipment and have an office/scalehouse for out front. I have sound module for cattle and pigs that will be added along with speakers. Dirt and pooh next. Enjoying build ! !

Thanks for looking,
Carl

[Jim Starbuck]

Here’s an in-progress shot of my Milwaukee MP15AC project.
There are still details to add: horn, e-bell, MU hoses and cut levers but it’s getting close to finished.
This is a Skytop Models hood shell to make the AC conversion with scratchbuilt porch modifications.
It has a Loksound 73100 decoder installed. I’m quite happy with the way it runs and sounds.

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[BCR 570]

Mark:  Good progress on the layout; can just imagine the smoke emanating from the chimneys at Farron . . .

Jim:  Nice to see another new Briggs Models kit making its debut . . .


I hosted Op Session 15 last night which was a warm-up for Vanrail 2019 in September.  I was interested in testing several components of layout and equipment, including:
- testing my two CVP radio throttles after being sent down to Texas for new rotary encoders and firmware upgrade; they worked very well
- trialling a new Fast Clock system with Arduino-based repeaters created by friend Victor Gilbert; also worked well
- testing the Wi Throttler server in JMRI after getting it back up and functioning again; worked well
- testing my first installations of the FT couplers; more on those in the dedicated thread
- observing locomotive and track performance after a thorough cleaning of wheels and track; great results!
- second shot at the summer operating scheme with a Dawson Creek yard job


Various locomotives await their call to duty at the shop tracks in Chetwynd:




In designing and building the layout I was always concerned about the necessity to stack one yard on top of the other, but with carefully located control panels and a wireless throttle for the Dawson Creek operator, it has simply not been an issue.  Here Michael gets to work on the Dawson Creek yard job, while Nick works the yard job in Chetwynd below:




Philippe experiments with the recently fitted  FT couplers while operating the work train:




Extra 804 East observes the slow order listed in Block Bulletin No. 15 as it passes occupied work equipment at Sundance:




With Nick and Philippe working in Chetwynd and Michael working in Dawson Creek, that made for three operators on this side of the layout.  With sufficient floor space and two wireless throttles, this actually worked:




With the arrival of the switcher from Chetwynd, and the yard job having already pulled all the industries, there were a lot of cars in the yard!




In designing and building the layout I did not think that it would be able to handle the number of cars and the length of trains it has.  On the upper deck, a record 21 car train heads west after departing Dawson Creek:




Now to re-stage for Vanrail . .

Tim

[C855B]

More 3D printer fun with the Kelso Depot. Craig @CRudeME (and his Uncle Gary) dropped by the GC&W today, with samples of 3D printing from his Photon clone:



The 6-over-1 windows are the first outputs from a CAD file I prepared last week as a fitment test. They fit great, they look great... 28 more to go! I am very pleased the very fine muntins rendered as well as they did; it's nice when something works on the first pass. With this proof-of-concept out of the way, I need to get crackin' on drawing the other windows, and doors.

And just for fun:



It's not to any scale per se, just arbitrarily reduced to see what was possible.

[learmoia]

More 3D printer fun with the Kelso Depot. Craig @CRudeME (and his Uncle Gary) dropped by the GC&W today, with samples of 3D printing from his Photon clone:



The 6-over-1 windows are the first outputs from a CAD file I prepared last week as a fitment test. They fit great, they look great... 28 more to go! I am very pleased the very fine muntins rendered as well as they did; it's nice when something works on the first pass. With this proof-of-concept out of the way, I need to get crackin' on drawing the other windows, and doors.

And just for fun:



It's not to any scale per se, just arbitrarily reduced to see what was possible.

The ghosting between the windows on the 2nd floor is odd.. and what's with the gap on the center gable above the 2nd floor?.. is that just a part seam?

It would take a long time to scratch build something that looks that good.

And the T? Scale version looks just as good .

~Ian

[tehachapifan]

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/j3jsp/this_is_what_happens_when_a_train_does_a_burnout/

….when one of you loco's in 3 or 4 unit consist missed the last DCC command to stop.

[C855B]

The ghosting between the windows on the 2nd floor is odd.. and what's with the gap on the center gable above the 2nd floor?.. is that just a part seam?

It would take a long time to scratch build something that looks that good.

And the T? Scale version looks just as good .

Not being intimate with the process, just knowing generally about FDM, the ghosting, to me, is a fact of life. With the windows proven plus making some headway on matching the terra cotta tile color, this week I'll spray a bit of Tamiya surfacer on the core and see if a little sanding can help with the ghosting. Yes, that's a seam, the roof and core had to be executed separately. Fingers crossed, hopefully between the surfacer and a little bit of Squadron putty I can get a passable joint there and the corresponding seams on the ends. The joint in back is hidden under the eaves.

In the meanwhile Robyn has been using historic photos as references for the several cottonwoods shading the depot during UP's tenure. They vanished within months of UP closing the station. Cottonwood trees require LOTS of water, and UP shut down the well when they left.