Weekend Update 9/15/19

[Albert in N]

   rickb773, thanks for sharing your early N scale.  I recall my first N scale purchase in 1969.  It was an Atlas freight set powered by a Rivarossi "made in Italy" E-8 with only one truck powered.  I still have the original Atlas power pack, but have long since relied upon dual control MRCs (Tech series).  Like you, I owned some Atlas and MRC "made in Yugoslavia" diesels and MiniTrix "made in Germany" steam and diesel locomotives.  N scale got me through high stress jobs since I could relax in the evenings at home.  I remember the early Yugoslavian motors heating and burning out with the smell of ozone.  However, MiniTrix and Arnold Rapido locomotive motors just kept working.  Sometimes, I run one just for memories of youth.   Sure, my newer N scale is much more realistic and runs much more smoothly, but I fondly remember the old days.

[BCRail_FSJ]

Two RS-3s are now largely complete using Briggs bodyshell conversion parts and various other detail parts.   I'm not sure I have the patience or eyesight to individually apply hand crafted grab irons and I am still on the fence about installing the correct BCR pilots but overall I am very happy with how they look.   







Nice to see the fleet now standing at four units (although none have decoders installed and all are still in grey primer).



Andy

[MichaelWinicki]

[jpwisc]

It was a good weekend for me to research my prototype.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[BCR 570]

Two RS-3s are now largely complete

Well done Andy - good start on your motive power fleet.

Tim

[John]

After 15 years, I finally put the last 16 pieces of ceiling tile in place

[davefoxx]

After 15 years, I finally put the last 16 pieces of ceiling tile in place

That's an average of 1.067 ceiling tiles per year.  Not bad. 

DFF

[davefoxx]

On the subject of time . . . I ballast at a glacial pace.  Ugh.  This small stretch of track was this morning's project.  I've got at least two hours in and only about three lineal feet of track completed. 



DFF

[C855B]

Three feet every morning, then. That works well with three trees every night. 

[davefoxx]

Three feet every morning, then. That works well with three trees every night. 

I'd probably shoot myself, if I had to ballast three feet of track per day.   

DFF

[dem34]

I'd probably shoot myself, if I had to ballast three feet of track per day.   

DFF

I found that Ballasting is a lot easier if you dont really think about it while doing it. Half my layout was done carefully brushing off loose pieces, manually laying beads of it down with a spoon, carefully applying powders with an applicator and that took 6hrs and was about 4ft of N scale track.

The other half I bought a lighter tone of ballast, shook it with a measured mix of ground chalk, applied it with an el cheapo ballast spreader while listening to a podcast and just tapped the whole thing with an oversized screwdriver when done. Took 2hrs including sidings and I felt its a much better result.

[Dave V]

I enjoy ballasting.  Call me crazy...  In fact it was a challenge for me to "ballast" the RGS using dirty, cinder, and weed, because after doing the nicely groomed Pennsy mainline on my last layout, I was wanting to be too neat.  I use several soft brushes to clear the tie tops and rail webs.  Then I soak the snot out of it with straight 70% isopropyl alcohol.  Then I soak it with diluted glue after a few minutes to let the alcohol really penetrate the whole ballast shoulder.  Usually doing it that keeps any ballast from floating.  I did the entire Rico yard in a few short hours...that's 7 tracks and about 9' of length.

[shark_jj]

Had the group over for our 5th and 6th operating sessions over the last two weeks.  After trying switch lists, and card cards, I have migrated to the tab system used by Mark Dance and the guys love it.  So do I, no more car cards and switch lists lying on the layout knocking cars over. 

This photo show the CP Transfer heading East through Ethansburg while a Grand Trunk Southern coal train sits in the hole. 



Fredrick (CN5529) is acting as the Clarion East Yardmaster while his friend Terry waits for his coal train to appear.



The daily CN Turbo makes it way down the grade above Nathansville.



I've posted some more pictures in my layout thread

[PiperguyUMD]

I've been bitten by the Freemo-N bug! Since we moved into out new home a little over a year ago, I've been trying to figure out the best way to accomplish my modeling goals. We do not have space for a large permanent layout, and to boot, the idea of trying to complete a large layout to meet my own expectations stresses me out. The garage has become my domain, but also has to function as a wood shop, landscaping headquarters, and automotive service center. Knowing that this space would need to be multifunctional, it became increasingly apparent that a modular method was going to be the best approach. Once I realized that this was a way to break down a potentially large layout into 48"x18" chunks, the course was set. I came up with a cabinet to store modules, then designed modules that fit the storage space I have, hence the 90 degree curves that are only 12" wide at the endplate. The first two modules prove the concept, but have also made me realize that my precision is going to have to be dialed up if I want to have this function the way I want to!







I know the standard isn't meant to create loops, but since it will be just me most of the time, I would like to be able to railfan the layout.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I went to a BBQ with @Philip H and gave a pair of slide presentations.

Here are a few slides from the one:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]