Weekend Update 1/3/21

[up1950s]

https://mountainrailwv.com/tour/rail-heritage-weekend/

[Dave V]

I weathered a vehicle for the first time ever.  This is a Classic Metal Wheel Works 1941 Chevy flatbed.  The Colorado high country weather and frame-bending mountain roads are hard on vehicles!



This is a kitbash of an RGS type II (former C&S) stock car.  I’m combining the floor and roof from an old E&B Valley D&RGW 5500-series stock car and a Grandt Line C&S type III steel underframe stock car.  The prototype is RGS 7303, so she'll have cast steel trucks.



Built a new structure for Placerville too...



RGS 42 rounds Windy Point with a short passenger train including combine 259, the RGS' real-world kitbash of a former coach.



It’s another “stinky” movement on the Rio Grande Southern as Extra 455 East approaches Lizard Head Pass at Gallagher on Bridge 57B with a full train of sheep from Rico.  Happy New Year everyone!

[coldriver]

Finished up my Forest Service Scanlon Work Center scene on the Oregon Joint Line.  The scratchbuilt main building is based on a depression era structure built by the CCC for the Forest Service in Grants Pass, OR.  Vehicles are mostly from Rasputen and Shapeways prints with custom decals from Circus City. 

[SAH]

While backdrop and valence work continues, I painted track and a deep clean led to the first train from end to end.  A good couple of weeks.  More in the AC&Y L.E. section.

[davefoxx]

Wrapping up bridge construction, and the road on the far side is also installed.  A test photo background of my model trees has been temporarily placed at the backdrop, and the road between the bridge and the town on this side of the bridge has been fit into place:



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

DFF

[BCRail_FSJ]

Largely finished the two RS-18s with completion of weathering on both units. 





610 will need custom map herald decals for the cab sides as I have nothing small enough in my decal stash.   Replacing the ancient mechanisms with something better will likely need to be done also because the only way they run smoothly at present (under DC power) is being hardwired together as a permanent multiple unit.

Completion of this project brings the Fort St John subdivision roster to four.   The RS-18s now join the two RS-3s completed in 2019.

[BCR 570]

Great work here so far; what a good start to 2021 for Weekend Update.

Dave:  The truck looks terrific and your photographs are always well done.
Coldriver:  Great scene.  I have a BC Hydro utility yard to model at Chetwynd.
Andy:  The RS-18s are looking good.  Are you planning to change the fuel tanks?

This past week was spent working on my Climax.  I got the vertical grab irons formed and installed on the cab, and completed all of the modifications and additions to the tender tank.  (The original Image Replicas tank is shown on the right; I had to cut out an open section at the front, add some beams on top, form and install the vertical grab irons, and add the top railing:






I am not satisfied with the Image Replicas frame for my build.  It is too long overall, too wide at the front and the boiler supports are too low, all of which makes the smaller boiler I am installing look lost.  Add in all the other detail differences and I have decided to try and build my own.  I can correct the length, width and detail differences which should further enhance the prototypical appearance of the model.


I also took some time on Thursday to run the last trains of 2020.  Some time ago I acquired one of the Atlas track cleaning cars and it is now converted for DCC.  RS-18 607, currently the oldest active unit in the fleet, took the car for its first operational run over the Dawson Creek Subdivision.  The car weighs a fair bit but 607 was up to the task, seen here passing through Groundbirch en route to Dawson Creek:




As I have been working on the Donkey and Climax for the museum train, I thought it would be fun to take the museum train coaches for a spin.  Here we see C-425 804 and C-420 632 passing through Progress with their passenger extra comprising the power car CHEAKAMUS RIVER and display coaches SKEENA RIVER, KOOTENAY RIVER, and COWICHAN RIVER:




The display flatcars with the Donkey and Climax typically travelled ahead of the boxcar.


A Happy New Year to all,

Tim

[Chris333]

I have a few sets of 25 ton Climax drawings if you need them.

[BCR 570]

I have a few sets of 25 ton Climax drawings if you need them.

Thank you very much - I do have some 25-Ton drawings which someone provided for me some years ago (possibly Randy G.).  The challenge with this locomotive is that it was found in the woods many years after being abandoned, and was rebuilt twice prior to its appearance on the museum train, so there are many non-standard Climax aspects to its appearance, most notably the substitution of archbar trucks for the missing Climax trucks.

As the Image Replicas and Showcase Miniatures kits are representative of 25-Ton engines, most of the parts are just too large for a 23-Ton unit.  This one is also much older hence the smaller boiler and wood cab.  I think I will have a fairly decent model based on my field measurements and photographs, the 3D parts I have sourced, and my scratchbuilt frame if it pans out.

The biggest challenge with this project is that it is shorter than my thumb . . . .


Thanks again,

Tim

[RockGp40]

I ran at my buddy @Gileng4 's layout this past week. Although he's modeling modern day CSX primarily, he has added an interchange with a TBD short line and visiting power is welcome. The layout he's building is the MR&T in Model Railroader. Although we railroad together for real, we still like to play trains. The layout's still a work in progress, but he has scenic'd more areas and 95% of the track work is down and functional. Here are a couple scenes:

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His Conrail power is pulling a large manifest by.

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My Rock GP38-2 "Texas" is holding the siding coming off of the short line's trackage waiting for the manifest to pass by.

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My Rock power laying over at the CSX engine facilities.

[Lemosteam]

Picked up from @Mark5  an undecorated MT D78 Diner kit, pAinted and decayed it for my second HW PRR D78 diner car.

Below is the comparison. I was more trying a new color, left, Model Master burnt sienna, as opposed to trying to match the MT car, right. I am really liking the Model master color. Glad I bought a case of 12.

More excellent decals from @Teditor commissioned by @CodyO.

[peteski]

Picked up from @Mark5  an undecorated MT D78 Diner kit, pAinted and decayed it for my second HW PRR D78 diner car.

Where is @DKS ?  That statement is worthy a banner image!   
Yes, I know, it was an autocorrect thingie. Still wicked funny!

Nice decaling job John!

[thomasjmdavis]

I decided to take a break from trains and try something different.  So I am working on a diesel "switcher" that floats.  Sylvan kit for a Great Lakes tugboat.  Progress as of a half hour ago- sub assemblies are not glued in position- working on position and painting before final assembly.

[John]

(Attachment Link)
My Rock power laying over at the CSX engine facilities.

How's it running?

[Lemosteam]

Where is @DKS ?  That statement is worthy a banner image!   
Yes, I know, it was an autocorrect thingie. Still wicked funny!

Nice decaling job John!

Ahahaha, I’ll leave it for him.  Right up there with “Piling the door grapes”...