Weekend update - June 24, 2007

[3rdrail]

Time to report in if y'all have any items of interest as to what you've done on your model railroads last week, or any interesting rail photos you've taken (there have been some posted already!)

After a hiatus subsequent to my return from the PRRT&HS annual meeting, finally got back to work on my railroad stuff. Finally documented the "quick and dirty" method I used to provide a "parking space" for my tethered throttle. I used this for a Controlmaster 20, but it should work with any tethered throttle.

First, go to your favorite hardware emporium and buy:


Then, add the 3M hook to the back of the throttle as shown:


Now, add an eye to the benchwork alongside each socket for the throttle cord:

Finally, here's the throttle "parked" by a socket. Cheap and effective, no?

[wm3798]

Very clever, Mr. Bond...

Here's my achievement du jour...
The WM operated most of its territory by Time Table and Train Order. I have 3 TO offices on the layout so far, so I'll need to make a few more of these.



The prototypes varied a bit in construction, but many followed the configuration shown here.  The main column was typically a piece of rail, bent at an angle at the bottom, with another piece welded on to form an inverted 'V' to stabilize it at the base.

The angled brackets held a loop of string which was wrapped around a paper train order. The top bracket was for the engineer, the bottom was snagged by the conductor on the caboose.



I used some c55 rail, a bit of plastruct ladder (which appears a bit too bulky, to my eye) a Miniatronics N scale lamp and shade, and some brass wire to build this. One leg extends all the way below the scenery, and the other is short to secure it to the scenery and keep it from rotating. The little platform is a bit of plastic walkboard. I think I'll get some better looking ladders before I do another one...

The lamp is a Miniatronics 1.5v grain of sand bulb with a shade.  They are great.  They come in a package of 5 for about $10, but they look fantastic.  If you plan to wire them into a standard accessory outlet, you'll need to put a resistor on them, just as you would for an LED.  I'm not sure of the value of the resistor, but it was blue...



The finished product... I should note that it's important to position the brackets so your N scale crew members have an easy reach!

Lee

[OTSG]

On my workbench @ 85% done

A MicroAce Mallet 0-6-6-0 converted to a 2-6-6-0.

I still have some little details to do.

I think I need to remove some weathering- the rust & mud shows up a lot more in photos. and that red seems to glow too much in photos as well. probably due to the flash.

Still to do:

-Bell needs to be painted

-Handrails for the front pilot.

-Decide which tender to use. vandy tender is missing the rails, I don't like the red on the vandy tender.

-add # to cab sides.

-rework some of the weathering. blacken the wheels and siderods and probably more I'm forgetting.

I might also strip & repaint the shell as there are now a 2-3 coats on it due to color combo experimenting.

and seriously, the red and other weathering colors are NOT that intense in person.

For the red I used a color named "red iron oxide".

[John]

Built some benchwork.

[img width= height=]http://lh6.google.com/image/acsxfan1/Rn7JUbBec-I/AAAAAAAABX0/pOdhd8oj-Iw/s400/IMG_1931.jpg[/img]

[img width= height=]http://lh4.google.com/image/acsxfan1/Rn7JW7Bec_I/AAAAAAAABX8/wp7Z7qeD384/s400/IMG_1932.jpg[/img]

[img width= height=]http://lh3.google.com/image/acsxfan1/Rn7JarBedAI/AAAAAAAABYE/x6ZDnghp9B4/s400/IMG_1933.jpg[/img]

[wcfn100]

Reworked a Precision Masters reefer this week.



Also started on a Arnold tanker after seeing Skibbe's posting in the "Trading Post"



Jason

[wm3798]

Built some benchwork.

[img width= height=]http://lh6.google.com/image/acsxfan1/Rn7JUbBec-I/AAAAAAAABX0/pOdhd8oj-Iw/s400/IMG_1931.jpg[/img]

[img width= height=]http://lh4.google.com/image/acsxfan1/Rn7JW7Bec_I/AAAAAAAABX8/wp7Z7qeD384/s400/IMG_1932.jpg[/img]

[img width= height=]http://lh3.google.com/image/acsxfan1/Rn7JarBedAI/AAAAAAAABYE/x6ZDnghp9B4/s400/IMG_1933.jpg[/img]

I feel a helix coming on...
Lee

[Zox]

I finished up my stop-block control circuit for the NCM Project (http://horailroad.com/ncm/) last night:



I'm sure it's a trivial project for someone with a clue, but solder is not my friend.

Here's what it looks like when it's all dressed up and ready to party:

[atsf_arizona]

SNFF 2007 06 22

Was able to score a good deal on a couple of Micro-Trains brown Trailer Train flatcars:







Of course, now that means I have to go on another research journey, find out what trailers
are the right era, and go in search of filling out the a late 1960s piggyback
Santa Fe Trailer Train........  The Micro-Trains 89' flats were last made in early-mid 1990s, so
it's a journey to find them.   Seems the white Santa Fe trailer in the shot probably
too late era as well.....Guess that is the joy of this hobby... research.... and patience 

[wm3798]

I'm deeply envious of your TTX cars...  I wish I could find some Pepsi ones so I can repaint them... >

Lee

[bsoplinger]

Not sure if this counts or not, but ...

I actually started to work on the 2x4 layout picture someone here was nice enough to post of their layout (but of course, I've forgotten who). This layout is done using nothing but Tomix sectional track. There is one 140mm radius trolley curve (in the S curve upper-middle left) and quite a few of the 160mm radius ones. It'd be interesting to see if any 6 wheel power could negotiate this squeezed layout.

Now I'm debating if I should redo it to use minimum 9.75 radius curves and allow it to extend beyond the 2 x 4 size.

[wm3798]

That would be Gregg "Third Rail"'s layout.  It's a cool track plan for a small space.

As Kraftwerk would say... Minimum Maximum...
Lee

[3rdrail]

Hey, that's my 2 ft. by 4 ft. layout!! ;D ;D The curves go down to approximately 7 inch radius, as it was mainly done with flextrack. Most of that trackage is 40 years old this year!

Plenty of photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/Gregg.Mahlkov/LayoutPhotosMineOthers

[wcfn100]

To compensate for the summertime slow down, I'll add a late second entry.

A LL FA slowly becoming an EMD engined RI unit.







 
Jason

[amato1969]

Jason, looks great!  Where did you get the large numberboards?

  Frank

[justTRAINcRaZy]

Our club worked a show near Charlotte on Saturday. (Click pics for larger version)