Weekend Update 8/14/16

[jagged ben]

On my monitor, and my iPad, it looks like a Neopolitan Icecream bar, as if it has stripes. 
Right at the top of the bearing, it turns from rust to a thin almost whiteish stripe to an almost armor drab olive color.
Anyone else?

Yes, but as you can see somewhat more easily at the other end, the stripes correspond to changing angles on the face of the truck.  That's not a flat surface.  It's plausible to me that the overhung angle would weather differently.

What bothers me most are the wheel rims and flanges.

[Philip H]

This afternoon,  I finished painting the "Shapeways" concrete tie loads, I primed them last night.  And finished decaling the cars that I had already painted.



Close up of one of the cars..



Jerry G.

@fcnrwy23 do you have prototype photos? And whose flatcar did you start with - those look really good..

[muktown128]

Iowa and Wisconsin call them traffic circles.
No matter the name, they're a real blast to negotiate with a full size semi tractor and 53' trailer.

I grew up in New Jersey.  Plenty of traffic circles nearby in Wall Twp, Brick Twp, Lakehurst along state highways 34, 35 and 70.
I now live in Wisconsin and watched several roundabouts built in along state highway 83 between I-43 and I-94. 
I roundabouts in WI are smaller than the traffic circles in NJ.

Scott

[fcnrwy23]

@fcnrwy23 do you have prototype photos? And whose flatcar did you start with - those look really good..

I found some photos on some web Prototype Rail photo site.   RailroadPicturearchives.net.

The cars are Atlas 50' flatcars.  I purchased about a half dozen from Atlas Parts Dept.   I added my own decking, (.020 thick styrene "V-Groove" sheet stock) and then added the side rails of .060" "C-Channel" stock.   The loads are from Shapeways.   Which, I painted and then glued to the completed cars...

Jerry G.

[johnb]

Also built a D&RGW-style coal shed from a Wolf Models kit.

that looks good, never heard of Wolf Models

[peteski]

On my monitor, and my iPad, it looks like a Neopolitan Icecream bar, as if it has stripes. 
Right at the top of the bearing, it turns from rust to a thin almost whiteish stripe to an almost armor drab olive color.
Anyone else?

I see what you mean. That is the lighting. That part of the frame slants inwards - that slanted area has lighter color.   Combined with the more rusted top part and more dirty olive drab lower part you get that funky effect. But on my screen it doesn't jump out at me (I  only noticed it after you pointed it out).

[squirrelhunter]

Last week I de skirted an Kato Palm series 10-6, Palm Arch to be specific, to match this photo of it in Houston in 1978.

http://www.railpixs.com/amt2/Amt2750_LoneStar_Houston_Aug78.jpg

I used ModelFlex Amtrak Red applied with one of those little microfiber applicators.





I need to get a better setup for lighting photos...

[garethashenden]

No, the sheen,  color and texture all look great. It is theose wimpy springs which scream "model train!"  To me that in one of those small details which makes or breaks model's realism.  I also realize that if those springs were made from thicker wire (to make them  true to scale) they would be way too stiff for true sprung-suspension.  But is spring suspension really needed?  N scale models work just fine with stiff trucks.

It really depends on the standards you're using. If you've got model train flanges you'll probably be fine with rigid trucks, especially if the trucks can rock relative to the car. But, if you've got scale flanges springing makes a huge difference.

[Wutter]

I got a texture that I'm happy with on this 1:29 scale truck:

Do you think it has too much of a sheen?

The texture and sheen look good and the striping is a little bit weird, but I feel like that might be an angle thing because on the right side it looks like the face of the trucks bend inwards right at the bearing. The thing that bothers me the most is definitely the flanges and the front dish profile being so fat.

[Missaberoad]

The issue with the springs isn't as much the fineness of the springs themselves, its more the fact that a prototype truck would have 3 rows of springs filling in the space behind.

The springs are fine, but what stands out more is the open space behind them.

[nkalanaga]

If this is the same plant, many here might be able to grow their own:

"White Icicle Flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum 'White Icicle'
USDA Hardiness Zone: 6 - 8

Plant Description
Profusely adorned by hanging clusters of white flowers in early spring followed by blue-black berries in summer. Superb as a hedge or specimen. Wildlife attracted to the summer fruit. Deciduous.

Plant type: Shrub
Deciduous/evergreen: Deciduous
Growth rate: Moderate
Average landscape size: Upright, compact habit 8 ft. high, 6 ft. wide.
Special features: Attracts Birds, North American Native Selection, Ornamental Berries
Foliage color: Green
Blooms: Spring
Flower color: White
Design Ideas: Plant in woodland settings where it is at home with understory species. Superior filler under problem shade tree canopies in acidic soil. Fine for north side or sheltered coves in architecture for foundation planting. Large enough to make a fine background plant to break up long fence lines. Makes a fine focal point at edge of shade garden plantings. Beautiful up close viewed through sideyard windows in three seasons."

http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/2311/white-icicle-flowering-currant/

Never heard of Monrovia and don't know where they are, but a good nursery can probably get this, if it will grow in your area.

[Angus Shops]

I don't think Chuck's weed is "White Icicle Flowering Currant". This plant is a ornamental garden plant that I'm familiar with and the texture of its flower when dried is much coarser than what appears in Chuck's photos. I'm not going to be much help; I have no idea what his weed might be.
I have the same issue with a weed I've found that replicates coniferous trees really well; I have no idea what it's called and I've even asked a few local botanists I know. It grows on sand piles used as preload on local construction sites. Have look at my contribution to the McGrattan memorial train; I thinks it's pretty good. I'm going to put a real effort into finding its identity some day...
Geoff

[peteski]

The issue with the springs isn't as much the fineness of the springs themselves, its more the fact that a prototype truck would have 3 rows of springs filling in the space behind.

The springs are fine, but what stands out more is the open space behind them.

Here is a nice model  representation of a similar truck. The springs use thicker wire and have fewer coils.  This gives them the right look.
On  s truck the wheel faces are inaccurate and flanges are large, but it is the springs that caught first caught my eye.

[Missaberoad]

Here is a nice model  representation of a similar truck. The springs use thicker wire and have fewer coils.  This gives them the right look.
On  s truck the wheel faces are inaccurate and flanges are large, but it is the springs that caught first caught my eye.

I admitted the springs are fine, however the issue and the reason the exactrail example looks so much better is the light shining through where there should be more rows of springs.
Even if the springs on the 1:29 example were perfectly sized there would still be light shining through and it would still look "wrong"

And to make a proper comparison here's a photo of a prototype truck rather then relying on a model

http://tonysissons.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p204460493-3.jpg

As I admitted the truck springs on the 1:29 model are fine. I however think that filling the space behind them will improve the appearance considerably.

[peteski]

I admitted the springs are fine, however the issue and the reason the exactrail example looks so much better is the light shining through where there should be more rows of springs.
Even if the springs on the 1:29 example were perfectly sized there would still be light shining through and it would still look "wrong"

And to make a proper comparison here's a photo of a prototype truck rather then relying on a model

http://tonysissons.zenfolio.com/img/s/v-3/p204460493-3.jpg

As I admitted the truck springs on the 1:29 model are fine. I however think that filling the space behind them will improve the appearance considerably.

Yes, you keep admitting that the 1:29 truck's springs are fine and I'm the one who keep saying that they are not. 

Visually the Exactrail truck  is closer to the 1:29 truck than the real truck in your photo (going by the shape of the sideframes).  But either way, the 1:29 truck's springs use thin wire and have 9 turns with lots of daylight showing between the turns. The Exactrail truck depicts much heavier springs with 5 turns and your prototype truck also shows heavier springs with 6 turns. Even if the springs in that 1:29 truck were against a dark background, they would still not look right to me.