Weekend Update 1/26/20

[Ed Kapuscinski]

This is one of the best model railroad photos I've seen in a LONG time. Seriously. Well done.

[Lemosteam]

Got the LIRR IS substation superstructure and signal bridge painted and decided on the final location. Wires on the substation next.

[peteski]

. . .

Then this morning, I clicked on eBay, N scale trains, sort by newly listed items and quickly found this photo.  A New Haven baggage car with 3 coaches.  Exactly what I was looking for.  Starting bid $15 or make offer.  Sent an offer and it was quickly accepted.  Maybe I should have started lower


The layout had Standard Guage, Lionel, HO and N scale all packed on 2 4x8 sheets of plywood I believe.

Interesting. I have  never seen or known about these cars.  They look to be European prototype cars decorated for New Heaven.  Who is the manufacturer?  Do you have the original boxes too?

It is a nice feeling to find (and at a decent price) some models one remembers from their childhood.  about 20 years ago I found my first train set (made in West Germany in the '60s) on eBay, with sold by a person in Australia.  So that set made a trip from East Germany, through Australia, to USA!

[peteski]

I converted a Kato Dome car that had been lettered for Santa Fe to a Phase I Amtrak car. I think this dome was part of an early corrugated passenger car set that Kato had done; the cars were based on Burlington prototypes, so the Budd dome was not accurate for Santa Fe.

I stripped the Santa Fe markings and created my own Amtrak decals. I painted the white background and applied the stripes over the whole side, and then I very slowly cut out the window openings (a lot of fun!).

Thanks,
Bart

Those decals came out really nice!  The car looks great!

[craigolio1]

With it being a summer long weekend down here I went into a scenery rabbit hole and after lots of attempts came up with a very pleasing late summer hay field effect.  This is for fields where hay has been cut into rows to dry but not yet baled.   My reference photo was this example from Dawson Creek but you see this pattern on Google Earth images in late summer in many areas.   









It's all done with standard Woodland Scenics materials.... and not too hard, just lots of steps..   which I took care to write down

That looks amazing. Would you mind sharing how you did your dirt road? I have one I want to complete in the next couple of weeks.

Craig.

[Kentuckian]

One more quick vehicle project before moving on the other things:



This was modified by reversing the bed as @cfritschle shows on the N scale Vehicle Association website, and the wheels were replaced with Willmodels resin cast (not printed) wheels.

I’ve also been using Harbor Freight coupons and some Best Offers on eBay (thanks @peteski, your best offer stories have given me confidence to make some offers) to tool up. I’ve recently created a space in the unfinished part of the basement for “heavy” modeling.




Near to far: cheap HF table saw, vise, HF drill press, Menard’s disc sander, Micro-Mark tilt arbor table saw from eBay, barely noticeable HF modified mini chop saw, air brush compressor in cardboard box, and metal air brush booth made from MR plans years ago. I still want to add a shelf or two and install the booth ducting.

[peteski]

I’ve also been using Harbor Freight coupons and some Best Offers on eBay (thanks @peteski, your best offer stories have given me confidence to make some offers) to tool up. I’ve recently created a space in the unfinished part of the basement for “heavy” modeling.

Very good!  The truck looks good and the work area looks to have nice selection of power tools! 

[Lenny53]

Interesting. I have  never seen or known about these cars.  They look to be European prototype cars decorated for New Heaven.  Who is the manufacturer? 

That's what I was thinking, they look like they could Lima cars.

[mu26aeh]

Interesting. I have  never seen or known about these cars.  They look to be European prototype cars decorated for New Heaven.  Who is the manufacturer?  Do you have the original boxes too?

It is a nice feeling to find (and at a decent price) some models one remembers from their childhood.  about 20 years ago I found my first train set (made in West Germany in the '60s) on eBay, with sold by a person in Australia.  So that set made a trip from East Germany, through Australia, to USA!

I believe they are of Lima or Trix decent.  I'll know for sure in a couple days.  Don't think they can with the boxes.

[squirrelhunter]

That looks amazing. Would you mind sharing how you did your dirt road? I have one I want to complete in the next couple of weeks.

Craig.

I'm with caraigolio1, I've done/got to do some dirt and caliche roads and yours look spectacular

[keeper]

I believe they are of Lima or Trix decent.  I'll know for sure in a couple days.  Don't think they can with the boxes.

These are definitely from Lima.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/lima-scale-haven-diesel-engine-430-1840903251

Thomas

[Point353]

Those European prototype passengers cars decorated for New Haven were definitely made by Lima.
They were the first N scale trains I had ever seen.
A local Macy's department store had them set up as an operating display in the toy section.
The trains were being sold under the AHM brand name as a set with a loco and 2 or 3 cars and included a figure-eight of track and a battery-powered speed controller.   

[keeper]

Yes, they are shortened prototype passenger cars.

[BCRail_FSJ]

That looks amazing. Would you mind sharing how you did your dirt road? I have one I want to complete in the next couple of weeks.

Craig.

Gravel roads are just done using 2 types of sanded tile grout.   The base layer in a beige colour,  followed by a light grey top coat.  The ruts and tire wear effects are rubbed in using the handle end of a small paint brush.   I do this before sealing with scenic cement, but you could also do it after ...    It exposes the beige base layer for a nice tire track effect.   

[160pennsy]

One of my weekend projects was this Nn3 Mack AC Railbus Shapeways kit. Details can be found at the below thread

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=48828.0