Weekend Update 6/9/24

[up1950s]

https://www.trains.com/ctr/photos-videos/photo-of-the-day/branchline-oddity/

https://punchmagazine.com/garden-railway/

http://web.talgoamerica.com/services-north-america

https://www.acwr.com/economic-development/rail-maps

https://nmtccoalition.org/project/stadler-rail/

https://www.alleghenyfront.org/u-s-steel-debuts-an-all-electric-locomotive-a-first-in-north-america/

https://www.night-trains.com/north-america

https://transportgeography.org/contents/chapter5/rail-transportation-pipelines/intermodal-rail-north-america/

[Dave V]

The Rocky Mountain Railroad Club chartered another excursion over the Rio Grande Southern today using freshly-shopped #20 as power and a few leased D&RGW former Chili Line coaches. Here the excursion is seen Ridgway-bound from Rico on Bridge 57-B--the Lower Gallagher Trestle--near the headwaters of the Dolores River. She's about to meet Extra 452 West headed to Rico with 6 cars at Lizard Head Pass.

The RMRC operated several excursions like this from 1947 to 1951; these and other excursions (like the July 1947 Nolan Black excursion) resulted in lots of memorable photos but also some additional operating challenges for the RGS. I had to do a saw-by at Lizard Head after this photo since Extra 452 was longer than the passing siding.

[bbussey]

Work continues on the EP4 units. The 36AWG connectors have been added to complete the mechanisms. The connectors are needed so that the bodies can be removed fully in the future if necessary. The circuit was tested with pink LEDs that were on hand so as to not waste a pair of warm white SMLEDs.

[peteski]

Pretty in pink! 

[flight2000]

Slow, but steady progress on the layout. 

Spent some time making Super Trees for the layout this week and then tackled both areas under/around the bridges and a new gravel parking lot for the local market.  Still a lot of work on the river, but good progress. 

I also finally laid the last pieces of track for the refinery.  Three tracks total, two for load out and another siding for storage.  Total car capacity is 10, not huge, but not small either.

Cheers,
Brian

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[Mike Madonna]

Work continues on the EP4 units. The 36AWG connectors have been added to complete the mechanisms. The connectors are needed so that the bodies can be removed fully in the future if necessary. The circuit was tested with pink LEDs that were on hand so as to not waste a pair of warm white SMLEDs.

Those connectors come in handy. Did they come with blue wires or did you add? The TCS connectors I used came in black & white. Bethlehem is right around the corner, our days are numbered 

[bbussey]

Those connectors come in handy. Did they come with blue wires or did you add? The TCS connectors I used came in black & white. Bethlehem is right around the corner, our days are numbered 

Blue and black wires.  I got them through Ali Express.  Posted lead time is two weeks but they came much faster than that.
36AWG Micro-Connectors


Yeah, running out of time.  The two mechanisms are complete and tested, just gotta get the one body finished for the convention.  Decals for the 1954 Dulmaine scheme being applied tomorrow, hopefully finalized/sealed Sunday.  Then the SMLEDs, side screens and pantographs early next week.  The milled windows still need tweaking, and I have to cut the headlight lenses using brass tubing of the correct inner-diameter with the edge filed razor sharp and mounted in the drill chuck.  And finally the windshield wipers after the windows are installed.  Still ten days including two weekends left.

[spookshow]

Thanks to Peteski's invaluable assistance I was finally able to get my highways populated with lit vehicles -





My main stumbling block was the fact that I had a number of Trainworx semis that I wanted to put into play, but wasn't getting anywhere vis'a'vis the lighting thereof. Fortunately for me, it was Peteski to my rescue once again! 



Thanks bro, you're the best! 

-Mark

[chuck geiger]

We all love crossbucks - New podcast.

[nscaler711]

Just turned a AZL GP7 w/ DB to one without over the week, or at least what was my weekend.
I was using one brand of ATSF blue which was a match to AZLs blue but it kept clogging my airbrush, so I switched to TruColor ATSF Blue, and it's a little too dark now. I'm kind of hoping to blend it in after I do some weathering.
Granted this was some scratch styrene and I pulled the Exhaust from the old DB blister. 
Also made a little diorama to display a locomotive.
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[Lemosteam]

Updated the swingset to have lateral supports to the side based on some online pics.



Built a see-saw for the kiddies too. Just basswood strip stock with wire tee handles and a bent pivot bar and painted it Testors yella’:



Calling these done.



Here they are with the swingset on the layout:



Also, I chopped up a Monroe Models scrap pile to fit into the scrap barge. The last space in the barge (left end) will be in action with a smashed car from Rasputen hanging from a magnet on the crane above the barge.

[Bendtracker1]

I got the clouds redone by the farm scene this afternoon.
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=23915.msg798668#msg798668

[nscaler711]

@Lemosteam
I hope those aren't N scale... if so, you are insane.
I love it, keep it up! 

[peteski]

Thanks to Peteski's invaluable assistance I was finally able to get my highways populated with lit vehicles -

My main stumbling block was the fact that I had a number of Trainworx semis that I wanted to put into play, but wasn't getting anywhere vis'a'vis the lighting thereof. Fortunately for me, it was Peteski to my rescue once again! 


Thanks bro, you're the best! 

-Mark

My pleasure Mark.  You N scale replica of the village of Hope keeps getting better and better!  It's is an honor to be small part of your (over 2-decade old and still going strong) labor of love.

I took in-progress photos fo the lighting progress and will eventually post a write-up here, hopefully in not too distant future.

[bnsfdash8]

Not a ton of work done on the NP W-3 lately, but I did put it all back together to see how everything looks. I think it's time to bend some wire.

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