Weekend Update 11/17/19

[SAH]

The General Tire plant is taking shape.  More details in the AC&Y L. E. thread.

[nkalanaga]

MK:  I hadn't noticed the metal joiner, and was thinking the entire piece was plastic.  Your idea should work, though.

Peteski:  No, it would be a little hard to put the metal joiner in with a chunk of plastic in the middle.  It could be done, but the filler would have to be attached on the outside, and would leave a noticeable lump there.  Given all of that, and that handling short pieces of rail is still a pain, I'd probably go with a piece of styrene strip.  Evergreen makes 0.08 inch wide strips, which should match code 80 rail, so get a piece the right thickness for a tight fit in the joiner, and stick it in.  Easier to cut than rail, and if it is a little too long, easier to trim.

[Mark W]

If the gap isn't a problem for trains crossing it, electrically, why not print the gap-filling rail as part of the joiner?  No need to cut, or fiddle with, a little piece of metal.

A standard Kato metal joiner is installed into the extended joiner Mark printed. There is not way to print the piece of plastic rail to protrude through the metal joiner.  Come to think of it, Kato joiners are very deep. I don't think they can hold a 3mm piece of rail securely - it will fall into the metal joiner.

I think what nkalanaga was trying to say is to bypass using the metal rail joiner altogether.  Instead, add to the 3D print, a small 3mm "rail" to bridge the gap.  Yes, there will be no electrical conductivity but we're assuming that it wouldn't be a problem as each rail will have a feed somewhere down the line.  There'll be no bumpty-bump as the train goes by.

https://i.imgur.com/6rZ8g8R.jpg


The head profile on Kato rail is huge, and helps prevent the rail from falling into the deep joiner.  Worst case, a dab of solder would do the trick too.
And there will certainly be uses where an insulated 3mm joiner would work just as well, or even be preferred.  I'll make both versions.


https://i.imgur.com/0mAV4Zc.jpg

[peteski]

The head profile on Kato rail is huge, and helps prevent the rail from falling into the deep joiner.  Worst case, a dab of solder would do the trick too.
And there will certainly be uses where an insulated 3mm joiner would work just as well, or even be preferred.  I'll make both versions.


https://i.imgur.com/0mAV4Zc.jpg

I forgot the odd shape of Atlas/Kato C80 rail.  The web is more like a groove, just wide and deep enough for the joiner to slip in.  Perfect!

[altohorn25]

The other A unit is drying in the paint booth currently.  I still need to re-install the window glass, but it's getting close now.

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[altohorn25]

[mmagliaro]

Here's project I've worked on for months... and finally got around to posting. 
I wanted some of these skeleton style logging cars for my layout, and although GHQ does make a kit for these, I had two goals:

1. I really wanted a real wood deck with see-thru spaces between the boards
2. I wanted to try out the idea of making a jig that would let me produce more than one

I didn't insanely insist on doing these 100% from scratch (like my last project...), so I did use commercial parts for some of the brake rigging pieces and parts of the GHQ kit for the log bunks.

I won't be showing any detailed step-by-step on this one, as it has gone in for publication at a magazine.

The prototype:


I machined this jig from a drawing I made, and then built the car frames by soldering 1.5 x 1.0mm L channel brass sections together.


Here's a finished frame.  I added MT trucks with Fox Valley wheels and Z couplers.  The body bolsters are harvested out of old freight cars.
Scale 2" x 8" lumber (Northeastern Scale Lumber) cut and glued to the deck, using a .010" styrene strip to keep the spacing even.


The finished car.  Decals are pieced together from here, there, and everyhere in by decals bin to get the prototype markings.


And now... my reason for making the jig... THREE finished cars.


Happy times on the layout

[wm3798]

Beautiful work, as ever, Max.

[Missaberoad]

Jaw dropping!

Can we hear about the logs?

[rray]

Those are super sweet log cars! I need some in Z now!

[bnsfdash8]

More 3D printing fun this week.

I had kitbashed Norfolk Southern's "Buena Vista" theater car from a Concor coach and some styrene sides, but I really was never pleased with it. After a couple evenings in CAD and waiting for it all to print ,I'm much happier with the results over my kitbashed one.

[Teditor]

As I seemed to have limited success in my ability to post a photo re; the Z Scale ZeNkeville II layout, I figured I may as well start showcasing some of our N Scale layouts.

The photo shows Union Pacific Big Boy 4006 on a coal drag on Byers Junction, our main N Scale layout.

If a real Big Boy ever came to Australia, the country would probably sink due to the weight of the loco.

Ted (Teditor) Freeman
From The Land Down Under

[Tom L]

Finally got going on a Skytop Models resin castings of a Milwaukee Road express boxcar. Shown here with a “normal” 50 foot boxcar. I had no confidence that I would be able to not break off the cast stirrups, so I made my own from wire. I bought a FVM boxcar for parts, the DF yellow stripe version, but it’s such a nice car that I didn’t have the heart to trash the shell for a few details parts. So I made the brake wheel platform and roof walk end supports from wire and left over metal walkway pieces. I guess I’ll look for a cheap FVM model on the Bay later, for another underframe. The walkway is from Gold Medal Models. I’m using a GMM brake wheel, but won’t install it until after two painted. It will get True Scale couplers as well.

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Wanted to take a photo before I painted it in case I ruin it. It’s kind of a involved paint scheme with four colors and I’m no expert at painting.

Thanks to @skytop35

Tom L
Wellington CO

[diezmon]

Damn, @diezmon, that is one looooooooooong caboose.  What in the world was that built from or its purpose for being so big?

DFF

It's a great northern custom caboose/baggage built for some small branch lines in Minnesota.  I've always wanted to build one

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1886848

[diezmon]

Got my raking done, and silver applied