Weekend Update 7/27/14

[davefoxx]

Limited hobby time this week, but I'm still roughing in streets and sidewalks on the Seaboard Central:



DFF

[rochsub]

The UPRR Geneva Subdivision has made it safely to Georgia.  While it will be sometime before the railroad is up and running again, I did get 3 of the 11 pieces up and together in the new basement.  The new basement is a bit larger than the one in Rochelle, but is only half finished.  So, once time is available I will first need to address finishing out the rest of the basement.  This time around the railroad will be a true point to point with a mainline run of about 200 ft compared to 160 ft for the layout in Rochelle.  I think I will be able to use 8 of the eleven pieces moved from Rochelle.  The new layout will include 3 of the 4 Rochelle sections, all of the Proviso Yard, Franklin Grove, most of Fulton and the Mississippi River bridge.  New areas will be Chicago-land trackage east and west of the Proviso Yard.  Also, the Global III intermodal facility will be new.  I'm looking forward to working on the new layout.  Should be a lot of fun.

[wcfn100]

Just caught this on the way to Denver.



Jason

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That roadless one reminds me of Irishtown Rd on the Amtrak Harrisburg Line after the road got cut, but before they removed the crossing equipment:

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The gates and everything still worked, but the road was gone.

It was pretty interesting to come upon at night too.

[Roger Holmes]

Finally got photos uploaded from the Operation Lifesaver trip my wife and I took 10 days ago.  The trip was to be from Jacksonville, IL to Hannibal, Mo.  We were really looking forward to crossing the Mississippi but the tracks were flooded (flood season was very late this year) so we only made it to Hulls, IL and we were bussed back to Jacksonville.

Boarding on the rear platform of a modernized observation.  All of the NS personnel lived on board for their month long trip out of Atlanta, GA.



The second car up was the Exhibit Car.  Had a small HO layout, a wall display of all of the HO heritage units, several big screen TV's and a train simulator.  The simulator graphics were great but it stayed on the minimum skill level.  I have operated the traveling simulator before and in addition to the usual bells and whistles (how often do you get to use that phrase in proper context) that one had dynamic braking.



Anyway, this is the simulator on the Operation Lifesaver train.

[jereising]

The UPRR Geneva Subdivision has made it safely to Georgia.

Way to go, Daryl!  Looking forward to the progress reports. 

Finishing the unfinished portion will pay dividends in the long run.

[unittrain]

continuing work on a 2' x 6' module section of my layout, basically I have the foam carved and grout dirt down, getting ready to add all the foliage and some other ground cover like ground up leaves, I just started some wire trees tonight using wire hangers for the core and 12 gauge wire rapped around that for branches, I have to say I like the way they look just cant do the whole layout with them , I will use pepper grass as filler trees. I need to prime the tree frames yet and then add the diluted white glue and saw dust then paint (was thinking on trying sanded natural grey grout for the bark but not sure how that would work), also got etching drawings done to send to PPD of a bridge that will cross my mainline on this module, still have to add a swamp and other things soon. Just need to post pics!! heres a pic of the era prototype and area this module depicts. http://thecrhs.org/image/view/5173/_original

[Purrs]

I have been setting up my 'master' loco with my Digitrax system in N scale. I've gleaned the internet of different ways to do this (there are some very strong opinions on this subject).
My layout is based on the iron operations in Western Australia and has 'live' loads. SLow speed is a neccasity for loading and rotary dumping. so far the results have been pleasing with coupling taking place without the car moving. It's time consuming, however it is rewarding. Interested to hear of anyone's thoughts.

[up1950s]

Geez Daryl 77 foot long wall , you could have a freight train drag race .

[BCRail_FSJ]

The bridge diorama continues to swallow vast quantities of Woodland Scenics fine leaf foliage and foliage clusters...and I haven't even made it past the approach span yet.

[bbussey]

Some rolling stock projects moved off the table.  First up was a pair of MTL auto boxcars deco'd for Pennsy.  The ride height is fairly good on these models and the offset bolster hole trucks have close to correct alignment, so minimal work included swapping in Trainworx ASF A-3 trucks with FVM wheels to match the prototype and body-mounted #1016 couplers.



I noticed after the fact that the roofwalks need to be changed.  One is "wood" and the other is "metal."  I have to check the prototype to see what is appropriate, and then swap in either FVM laser-cut wood roofwalks or one of the etched steel roofwalks.

My last project completed was one that's been in the works for a couple of years, and for whatever reason I hadn't finished it off until now.  It's a Trainman 50' boxcar with the most clunky details updated.





New Universal brakewheel, etched stirrups, etched roofwalk and wire roof grabs.  Old roofwalk holes were filled and shaped to match the stamped roof pattern.  The cutout for coupler swing in the ends was filled with styrene and shaped to match the stamped end pattern.  The inside of the floor was modified to push the car up to a better ride height.  Body was masked so that the existing graphics were protected while the modified areas were painted.  Body-mounted couplers and metal wheels to finish.  Now it fits in with the higher-end models.  My paint shade was slightly off from the Atlas paint, but when I eventually weather the car it will be unnoticeable.

[wcfn100]

Did manage to get some work on my tank car frame.



Doesn't look like much yet as most of the work has been taking the prototype plans down to something that can (hopefully) be done in N scale.

The plan for the frame is to RP basically what you see here and add brass overlays (walkway, bolster covers) and details.

Jason

[JanesCustomTrain]

I have been setting up my 'master' loco with my Digitrax system in N scale. I've gleaned the internet of different ways to do this (there are some very strong opinions on this subject).
My layout is based on the iron operations in Western Australia and has 'live' loads. SLow speed is a neccasity for loading and rotary dumping. so far the results have been pleasing with coupling taking place without the car moving. It's time consuming, however it is rewarding. Interested to hear of anyone's thoughts.

That sounds VERY interesting, can you show us some pictures ?

Jane

[nickelplate759]

... so minimal work included swapping in Trainworx ASF A-3 trucks with FVM wheels to match the prototype and body-mounted #1016 couplers.

Does anyone make a 50T ASF A-3?      I suspect that you meant BLMA here rather than Trainworx , as I don't see any A-3 trucks for sale, or even any cars that should have 50T trucks of any kind, on the Trainworx web site.   I know BLMA makes an A-3, but it's a 70T, and you've mentioned using them in the past.    Are the 70T trucks indistinguishable (in N-scale) from 50T?

[dick green]

The bridge diorama continues to swallow vast quantities of Woodland Scenics fine leaf foliage and foliage clusters...and I haven't even made it past the approach span yet.

It does take a lot. Dont know if your interested in doing your own foam but is is easy and cheap. Sehrwin williams "Awsome Olive" is a real good match for Light green. a little yellow craft paint makes it a little brighter and forest green makes it darker

Dick