Weekend Update 10/21/12

[davefoxx]

I started working on my timber trestle this week.  I formed the bridge track to its curve, which is allowing me to build the bridge upside down on the bench.  Here's where it stands at the moment.  I have one end of the trestle finished and need to build the timber structure on the other end.  I did take the ME plate girder bridge apart and skewed the girders.  I will need to fabricate the ironwork that frames the girders together, since I cut the ME bridge up.  The plan is to have at least half of the abutments buried in the scenery.





DFF

EDIT: I pulled a late-nighter and, with the exception of some details and paint, the trestle is finished!  Can't wait to try to fit it into its space on the layout.  But first, it's off to the paint shop with the abutments.

[mark dance]

The Voice of Experience says:
I strongly suggest NeoLube for the trip pins (after you cut them down a bit, because, really, why need all that trip?).
Stains them just fine while helping the couplers work, instead of taking the risk that the paint wicks up into them and gums 'em up.
Just sayin'.

Great suggestion. I normally just cut off the pins so that will be the first step anyways.
md

[Lucas in Alaska]

Ike, I do know Jerry VanThomme. I work Saturdays so I haven't been on his layout in a couple of years. I do not know Pete.

Chuck, I'm in Eagle River. I've always been an armchair modeler but my kids and I are looking to do a layout like Mr. Fujiwara but will change it up a little and make it an oval with staging behind the backdrop. I model the CB&Q.

Zox, I have 40+ photos of that bridge. I took good measurements of all the concrete pillars and marked down distances but the bad thing is I lost the paper I took all my notes on. I hope it's in the stack I still have to search through. 

I also took some good photos of the old Sohigro building 1/4 mile south of the junction. The crown jewel of that trip was I got to go into and photograph the elevator in Donovan IL one week before it was torn down. I delivered corn there when I was a teenager I was told that I would have been one of the last people to deliver grain in that elevator before it was abandon. The blessing was the tour of the top and learning how it all worked.

I do have basic plans for the elevator in Donovan.

[delamaize]

Not much train time anymore these days, although I did get to make a return to the Olympia Model Railroad Clinic group, after an almost 3 year hiatus. it was really nice to catch up with some long lost freinds, see some incredible On30 critters, HO logging scratchbuild, and show off some of my work.

Also, I'm looking at track plans again, right now I'm kinda leaning towards a highly modified version of the old "Kwik & EZ" plan from the old "N Scale Primer." I'm planning on modifying it to allow smal opperations, Also, I am going build it on 2, 20"x80" (around those dimentions) HCD, and try to change it up so I can set it up as a roundy-round, or a point to point, and will allow expantion later. I'll draw up my idea later, and put it up here for you guys to pick apart.

[kelticsylk]

Hit a milestone today. All the roadbed has been cut and I started to mock up the grade...

I'm putting more info in Layout Engineering.

Regards,
Frank Musick

[nkalanaga]

Lucas:  So much for the idea that a prototype bridge should be consistent.  That one looks like it was built by a modeler who wanted one of everything...

[Ike the BN Freak]

Ike, I do know Jerry VanThomme. I work Saturdays so I haven't been on his layout in a couple of years. I do not know Pete.

Pete is a regular at Jerry's. So you've probably met up with him before.

I've only been to it once, he started it just as we were leaving Alaska.  I saw it while on a TDY to Alaska for a Cope Thunder.

[u18b]

Here is something I've needed to complete for a while

U36C running for CSX.

[jereising]

Continuing the journey of Mitch Legg's GDRMCo SD70s (Painted by Brian Kuhn) on the Sub we see the locos crossing a farm road:



And just North of Fill:



Approaching CP Bealville:



Approaching CP Bridge:



The locos have reached their next destination where they will be hard at work a bit north (and south) of here.  I plan to continue this tour next week...

[Leggy]

Loving the photos Jim 

[davefoxx]

Here is something I've needed to complete for a while

U36C running for CSX.

Me likey.  Now build me one.   

[chuck geiger]

Lucas, love the idea that MC started working with his children. His daughter can build
Fast Track turnouts. I remember when my son who is 31 now was 5 and we lived
in Dallas. We were building a family layout. He would say #5' daddy. Dropping
Kadee's in blue box Athearn rolling stock. I had my grandson going for a while
in California with the last layout, but they moved. CB&Q rocks.

Maybe we can get the ASSHATS here in Alaska rolling on something, we can
all work on.

[chuck geiger]

DFF - Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetttttttttttttttt

[Philip H]

Here is something I've needed to complete for a while

U36C running for CSX.

When you finish Dave's I'll take one as well.

[Scottl]

Dave, that is nice bridge, it is going to look super on your layout.  The wood colour looks good to me.