Weekend Update 2019/09/08

[davefoxx]

My other project this weekend was to work on my new HO scale Athearn GP38-2 decorated for another North Carolina short line, the Durham & Southern.  I replaced the Tsunami decoder with an ESU V5.0 Loksound decoder and the the lousy Athearn incandescent bulbs with warm-white LEDs.  Sergent Engineering couplers are installed, and this Geep has been programmed to run with the ProtoThrottle. 



More on the Seaboard Central 3.0 thread in the Layout Engineering Forum.

DFF

[SP-Wolf]

Corrected my Kato F3's -- Corrected the factory road number and added few details
(These are from the late '80's)




Thanks,
Wolf

[arbomambo]

planning the 500 module plus National T-TRAK Layout for Gateway 2020, updating the T-TRAK.org website, and tweaking the updated proposed T-TRAK Standards document for approval has been taken up a large portion of my designated hobby time, but I've made a little time to finish this project - detailing this ATSF 217 LABC consist. I had already started 217C as an excercise, so now want to bring the remaining motors up to that level. Still much to do, but 217L is close to being able to accurize and detail the pilot (for 1957), and all are ready for their Plano photo-etched horizontal grills. I have two more LABC freight sets in the wings -  a 260-class with no stainless grills, and the third class with FARR grills, larger fuel tanks, vertical grills, and larger DB fans.

[altohorn25]

I added a DZ-123 decoder to this Pecos River Brass 3450 class AT&SF Hudson.  I still need to weather it.

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[mighalpern]

wolf:
love those shots, they look great.  I have a few older Kato F3's,  did you just apply the correct number boards on top of the existing or did you do something else.  eventually i will need to re number mine,  cant imaging working with those small small decals 
thanks
miguel

[SP-Wolf]

wolf:
love those shots, they look great.  I have a few older Kato F3's,  did you just apply the correct number boards on top of the existing or did you do something else.  eventually i will need to re number mine,  cant imaging working with those small small decals 
thanks
miguel

Hi Miguel,

Thank you, very much!!

For the numbers on the rear panels -- I removed the original numbers then applied new numbers. For the number boards, I removed the numbers I had previously applied - then reapplied the new correct numbers. A little weathering to blend everything.

Thanks again,
Wolf

[wm3798]

Installed the skyboard/scene divider to provide the view block for the staging tracks, and started cutting some foam.



Checked the clearance for those times when the cat poles will appear...



And otherwise got myself feeling pretty good about the potential for this thing.



My conundrum now is, do I proceed with the c80 track so I can keep on having fun with the retro equipment I've accumulated, and place an order for the several turnouts I'll need, or use the mountain of c55 I have at my fingertips and have all the track laid tomorrow...

I might need an intervention of some sort...

Lee

[dem34]

Maybe spit the difference, keep the track furthest from the layout edge C80 for the vintage stuff.

[Kentuckian]

Completed the last structure on the Thurmond T-trak module, the post office. This building was formerly the local lunch counter that locals referred to as the “dog wagon.” I hope to post more in the Challenge thread later. The front was from the commercial print, the rest of the building is from scratch. I think I almost did some structure modeling!

[robert3985]

planning the 500 module plus National T-TRAK Layout for Gateway 2020, updating the T-TRAK.org website, and tweaking the updated proposed T-TRAK Standards document for approval has been taken up a large portion of my designated hobby time, but I've made a little time to finish this project - detailing this ATSF 217 LABC consist. I had already started 217C as an excercise, so now want to bring the remaining motors up to that level. Still much to do, but 217L is close to being able to accurize and detail the pilot (for 1957), and all are ready for their Plano photo-etched horizontal grills. I have two more LABC freight sets in the wings -  a 260-class with no stainless grills, and the third class with FARR grills, larger fuel tanks, vertical grills, and larger DB fans.

SWEET!!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[mark dance]

I am very late to the party this week due to decompressing from VanRail (see separate thread)

In addition to getting the layout ready, I spruced up a Walthers sanding tower with some photo etched railings, scratched a short companion tower, painted them both and added mood lighting.  They still need to be based and flip down platforms added.







thx for looking!

md

[rickb773]

I still have at least 2 switches that will probably need to be replaced.

Most of my turnouts are Peco Electrofrog but I used left over Peco Insulfrogs when I added the staging yards. Two of them puzzled me because I had power in the closure rails up to the frog but not beyond the frog. I looked at another Insulfrog and saw they carried power beyond the plastic frog via 2 wires under the ties.

Before tearing out the yard leads I figured I would try to go old school. I pounded the areas before and after the frog with a hammer and a piece of wood (cushion). Now they work great.

Just goes to show you that you can fix anything if you have a big enough hammer.

[CRL]

Just goes to show you that you can fix anything if you have a big enough hammer.

Yep... and if that doesn’t work you have a head start on the demolition. 

[johnb]

Most of my turnouts are Peco Electrofrog but I used left over Peco Insulfrogs when I added the staging yards. Two of them puzzled me because I had power in the closure rails up to the frog but not beyond the frog. I looked at another Insulfrog and saw they carried power beyond the plastic frog via 2 wires under the ties.

Before tearing out the yard leads I figured I would try to go old school. I pounded the areas before and after the frog with a hammer and a piece of wood (cushion). Now they work great.

Just goes to show you that you can fix anything if you have a big enough hammer.

that is not a hammer, it is a Scottish fix all

[nkalanaga]

If you don't have a hammer it is almost as easy to just run two more feeders.