Weekend Update 12/18/22

[up1950s]

https://www.koppersrs.com/

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https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-08-10/california-bullet-train-bridge-snafu

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/tennessee/cincinnati-southern-new-river-railroad-bridge-tn/

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Railroad_yards_in_Kearney%2C_New_Jersey.jpg

https://www.kgw.com/video/traffic/interstate-5-bridge-plan-includes-new-light-rail/283-6ce241f8-651f-41a8-b1d0-933ba52324e4

https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/2022/05/interstate-bridge-planners-advance-new-design-with-2-more-lanes-light-rail-to-vancouver.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Bridge#/media/File:InterstateBridge.jpg

https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/06/06/done-railway-museum-greater-cincinnati-maintains-80-trains-magnificently-large-stunning-look/?D10c=1&D_4_6_10cALL=1&D_10_20cALL=1&A10c=1

https://www.reddit.com/r/modeltrains/comments/qsqrqf/i_got_something_a_little_unusual_today_in_the_mail/

http://southern.railfan.net/flat/cars/loads/dodx/dodx.html

https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-swing-nose-frog-in-railroad-nomenclature-and-what-does-this-animal-do

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[Kentuckian]

I’ve been cleaning my workbench of products that have hung around way too long. Starting small and working my way up to completing some DCC installs. First, a simple vehicle project, updating a John Deere Model D to the 1950’s with rubber tires:



Also, a couple of decal projects: a V&O hopper that started life as a BLI dimi data hopper:



K4 decals made the V&O an easy project. Last a Bluford Shops hopper that I stripped, painted, and decaled:



Small things but we have to start somewhere.

[bbussey]

Printed the center column for the Shaw’s Cove swing bridge. Getting closer to painting the cove basin.

[dem34]

Was told that in order for the club corners to be used, they absolutely needed scenery. So they got the fields treatment, and made some travel clamps to make life a little easier.

[MK]

Al, can you post some close-up pictures of the white clamps and how they work?

[Jesse6669]

Did a test print of a 1:300 switchstand.  Yep, I know the indication is backwards for the picture--that's a bit of test track and the installation on the WP&Y layout is actually reverse of that.  The turnout is fixed so it won't need to be operable, but I'm going to try making a version with a head that rotates.
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I also set up the Christmas tree.  My girlfriend was interested in having a train around it this year (of course I was happy to oblige!).  I was going to do an HO loop with some EZ-Track but she didn't think HO was big enough, so I picked up an older K-Line O-27 trainset, the "Reading Coal Hauler".  The old K-Line sets are a decent value if you can find them, this was about $130--New/In Box. 

Something just wasn't right about that MP15.. oh yep, the paint scheme omitted to top green band.  Good think I'm handy with an airbrush.. 

Before:
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After
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Happy Holidays everyone!

[samusi01]

Needed a forklift.

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[dem34]

Al, can you post some close-up pictures of the white clamps and how they work?

3D printed on my Prusa. Bolts are loosened then the module is placed onto 4 of them, once on the bolts are tightened to the lowest chuck setting. Repeated for the top. Really just so I can keep all 4 in my front passenger seat and eventually put 4 straight doubles in the back bench. Going to throw the Files onto thingiverse when I get home later. Just needs 1 1/4” x 2.5” bolts + washer, nut additional.

[pdx1955]

Been working  on coloring rather massive scenery  at least for me (it's over my head and I'm very tall) being  used  to  N scale. Need to complete  this so I can get back to the Produce Row modules  underneath. Still need to add all of the dirts and grasses before moving onto trees and shrubs.

[Erik W]

I finally received my 3D printed N scale D&RGW "Fowler Clone" single sheathed boxcar.  Since the material is a frosty clear color, I sprayed it with a light coat of gray primer so I could get a good look at it.  I used Mr Surfacer 1000 thinned 50/50 with Mr Color Leveling Thinner.  This makes for an outstanding primer by the way.  Highly recommended.

The boxcar is about what I had expected.  The layering look that comes with 3D printed objects actually enhances the wood board look of the siding since the boards run the same direction as the printing layering.  The doors though, with their vertical boards, will need some careful sanding as the printing lines run perpendicular to the board direction.  My plan is to sand as smooth as possible the metal side bracing, and generally try to minimize the layering look where possible.  This includes on the cylindrical under body details. 

If you look closely at the molded on grab irons you can see they're actually narrower under what would be the grab iron itself on the real thing.  Impressive.  As of now then, my plan will be to only scrape off the roof walk grabs to replace with wire.  The molded grabs/ladders on the body, I'll make stand out with a combination of a pin wash and dry brushing when weathering the car.  All in all, this kit is something I can work with.

I included the pencil pic just as a reminder of the car's actual size when judging the 3D printing quality.   













Erik

[MK]

3D printed on my Prusa. Bolts are loosened then the module is placed onto 4 of them, once on the bolts are tightened to the lowest chuck setting. Repeated for the top. Really just so I can keep all 4 in my front passenger seat and eventually put 4 straight doubles in the back bench. Going to throw the Files onto thingiverse when I get home later. Just needs 1 1/4” x 2.5” bolts + washer, nut additional.

Thanks Al.  So do they holds enough grip force to hold the two modules together?  In other words, once tightened, can I lift the top module alone and the bottom one comes for the ride?  Or are they just separators?

[dem34]

With it clamped, I can move it around by grabbing the top module without any slippage.  And no loosening after getting it home going Jamesburg -> Piscataway -> Pt.Pleasant going over a few rough railroad crossings in the process.

That said I still carry them by grasping underneath two of the clamps

Also, now there is a link to download for anyone who wants to try it.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5721870

[Cajonpassfan]

I finally received my 3D printed N scale D&RGW "Fowler Clone" single sheathed boxcar.  Since the material is a frosty clear color, I sprayed it with a light coat of gray primer so I could get a good look at it.  I used Mr Surfacer 1000 thinned 50/50 with Mr Color Leveling Thinner.  This makes for an outstanding primer by the way.  Highly recommended.

The boxcar is about what I had expected.  The layering look that comes with 3D printed objects actually enhances the wood board look of the siding since the boards run the same direction as the printing layering.  The doors though, with their vertical boards, will need some careful sanding as the printing lines run perpendicular to the board direction.  My plan is to sand as smooth as possible the metal side bracing, and generally try to minimize the layering look where possible.  This includes on the cylindrical under body details. 

If you look closely at the molded on grab irons you can see they're actually narrower under what would be the grab iron itself on the real thing.  Impressive.  As of now then, my plan will be to only scrape off the roof walk grabs to replace with wire.  The molded grabs/ladders on the body, I'll make stand out with a combination of a pin wash and dry brushing when weathering the car.  All in all, this kit is something I can work with.

I included the pencil pic just as a reminder of the car's actual size when judging the 3D printing quality.   

...
Erik

Erik, I'd be very interested in how this model comes out when done. These clones, and original Fowlers, are some of the more iconic but missing cars on our transition era rosters, and they went everywhere...
Forgive me if I missed this earlier, but did you do the 3D design yourself?
Watching closely,
Otto

[John]

Over on facebook Freemo - one of the members created a dress up kit for the N scale Digitrax Signal Masks .. I used a few of his parts and added some of my own to see if I put some lipstick on this SMBK pig ..

I think this will pass the 3 foot test .. for now

[Dayliner]

Somehow I found time this week to finish the wiring board that will go under the east end of Lake Cowichan.  All the singlets and frog juicers have been connected to their respective busses, and the board has been reinstalled--I hope permanently!  The track bus is still to be fastened to the board as I want a little flexibility when I connect the track feeder wires.  Once that is done, the heat shrink will be slid into place and, well, heated and shrunk.

The track bus is connected at the right end of the board; the aux bus is temporarily connected to the track bus at the left end so I can check the wiring as I go before connecting the aux bus to the power source.  You can see the lights on the frog juicers are properly illuminated and there are no shorts in the system--so far, so good!

The good news is that this is the last wiring pic I will post for a while.  The next step is to install the track on this section, drop and connect the feeders, then install the servos.