The Ballast Cleaning Train Thread

[Roger Holmes]

My old office at the courthouse was on one side of the NS mainline in Springfield, IL and our parking lot was on the other.  I was the only employee who didn't curse when a train cut us off from the parking lot for a few minutes.

Returning from lunch one day I heard a very loud clatter and saw a cloud of dust coming down the track--  my first encounter with a ballast cleaning train.  The up close sound was deafening and we had to step back from the dust but it was a fascinating experience.

I am really enjoying watching you recreate a ballast train.  Great work!

[fcnrwy23]

November 7th, 2016

Well I couldn't wait to get home tonight to put this puppy together...
The assembly went pretty well, but I had some electrical issues to fix...

Than, it was a run downstairs to the FCN, to see the results..   

It runs very well, with a lot less of the teething pains than the RG train had.   Though it is a smaller train.



I still need to add the rest of the detail parts.. Painting the Water tank, building a Port-A-Potty, decaling and installing the JIB crane, etc....)

Jerry G.

[eric220]

Very nice ballast cleaner! Now if it would actually drop ballast... 

[fcnrwy23]

Very nice ballast cleaner! Now if it would actually drop ballast... 

1st !!!
It has to Pick It Up!! OR Dig it UP!!  

Jerry G.

[Philip H]

Jerry,
That is some serious HAWTNESS right there!  Well done sir.

[jmarley76]

Well done, sir! 

[fcnrwy23]

Philip H,  jmarely76,

Thank YOU!!

Doing this kind of stuff, sure makes this Hobby FUN!!!    for Me..

I always thought that N-Scale is just the right size.   Not TOO big and Not TOO small..

Jerry G.

[fcnrwy23]

January 1st, 2017

This a update on the GGX BC train and a mention of a "2nd" train set.

With the Holidays finally winding down.   I will be able to return to working on my GGX' BC train.  The train in it's present condition is pretty well done.  But, I did plan on upgrading the electronics, by replacing the "2-function" decoder with a "4-function" one, so I could add a "Working" flash beacon  to the front of the train.
The little time that I have had to work on anything, has been to build a 2nd BCT.

This second train, will NOT be painted in GGX Orange.  But, has been painted into CP Rail's "Action Yellow".
This train was "Commissioned' by a gentleman, that I have known for some years now.  He is with a modeler group out of Niagara, Ontario.
He has purchased some of my previously produced MoW.   (Ballast Regulator and Tie Cranes).
     Since, CP Rail never owned such a piece of equipment.  I have taken "modeler's license" in the color and detailing of this model.   I am using CP Rail's last Vans (caboose) as the basis for the colors and markings.





I am still in the process of painting the train.  But, have reassembled it enough to get photos. So, I could sent them and get some input from it's future owner.
I really like making these "FooBies" since, the real challenge is in making them appear as prototypical as possible.  When someone needs to ask, "Did So-an-So road have those?".  I KNOW I did my job!!

P.S.  I DONT think the "PAC-Man" logo will fit. 

Jerry G.

[PeyRil]

JUST WOW!!!

These are AMAZING! You've done a great job!  Following both this build and the grinding train build has been very interesting. I'd love to do one of these ballast cleaners myself. I've done a couple small projects like this but they weren't near to your level of detail or size. Did you develop a "set of blueprints" for these, or are they just all in your head? If you did, would you be interested in selling or sharing them with others? They are just such cool projects!

[fcnrwy23]

JUST WOW!!!

These are AMAZING! You've done a great job!  Following both this build and the grinding train build has been very interesting. I'd love to do one of these ballast cleaners myself. I've done a couple small projects like this but they weren't near to your level of detail or size. Did you develop a "set of blueprints" for these, or are they just all in your head? If you did, would you be interested in selling or sharing them with others? They are just such cool projects!

Thank You for the comments.    The "Blueprints" are mostly in the head, as you say, to a point.   I did find excellent photos of said machines on some of the Prototype Railroad photography sites.   I than printed-out some of these photos (draft mode) and using elements in the photos, like freight car trucks, doors, etc. (for example your average 100-ton freight car truck has 5 1/2 foot wheel centers).  I used this to find the photo's "Scale".   With that I then got a general layout of the placement of parts and sections.  I don't get down to exact dimensions, because most of time that is impossible.  I kind of follow the "three-foot" rule.
After the general dimensions are known, it is just a matter of just finding the right pieces and shapes from my styrene stock.  That will allow me to make reasonable facsimile of the required part or section.
All of my equipment are NOT exact copies of the prototype pieces.   Just things "close enough".

My first BCT took about four months of work off and on.  I did NOT record the data of parts used.  This 2nd BCT has taken about a month and a half.   Though, this time I recorded my time and material.

It has taken:
 
Man-hours  =  40+
Styrene parts = 202 (stock shapes and sheet stock)  equaling about $5.00 of styrene.
Car parts = (2) Atlas 50 foot Flatcar bodies, (1) Deluxe Innovations 40 foot Standard Container, (1) Section of Brass tube stock .
Locomotives = (1) complete Atlas BXX-7 engine, (1) Partial Atlas BXX-7 shell.
Decoders = (2) DZ-123s
LEDs = (4) PICO-sized, 3-volts units
Paint = (9) different Colors.
Decals = pieces from 4 sets, plus pieces of my own making.

Quite a task,  BUT FOR ME that is what this hobby is ALL About!   

I can supply the data, I have Four pages (110 lines) of parts listed.   You would have to use photos to place these parts in the right spots.


Jerry

[Cajonpassfan]

Wow is right! Very creative and beautifully implemented.
You really ought to do an article on it for one of the national magazines to show off what's possible in N scale.
Well done Jerry!
Otto K.

[BCR751]

I just love that model !  It's so neat when you get an idea for a project and you can build it with no paper plans.  Well done, Jerry.  By the way, you can purchase ready-made Porta-Potties.  I think I've seen them on Shapeways and somewhere else I can't remember at the moment.  Might save a bit of time.

Doug

[fcnrwy23]

Wow is right! Very creative and beautifully implemented.
You really ought to do an article on it for one of the national magazines to show off what's possible in N scale.
Well done Jerry!
Otto K.

I have considered an article, as I was assembling this 2nd train.   But, the amount of pages required would look pretty much like a "novel" 
To, how many parts to divide this novel into, would be up to said editor.  Probably help sell a lot of extra issues..  

When I do get this train finished, I will gather up all of my material.   Maybe, doing a article will also help do one (article) that I should have done years ago!!   On my "FCN"!   

Jerry G.

[Philip H]

I have considered an article, as I was assembling this 2nd train.   But, the amount of pages required would look pretty much like a "novel" 
To, how many parts to divide this novel into, would be up to said editor.  Probably help sell a lot of extra issues..  

When I do get this train finished, I will gather up all of my material.   Maybe, doing a article will also help do one (article) that I should have done years ago!!   On my "FCN"!   

Jerry G.

Jerry,
If you have a lot of good high quality photos you might consider doing an article for Model Railroad Hobbyist. Being online they do t worry about page counts so much, and most of their build articles have dozens of photos with quality captions.

[mu26aeh]

Jerry,
If you have a lot of good high quality photos you might consider doing an article for Model Railroad Hobbyist. Being online they do t worry about page counts so much, and most of their build articles have dozens of photos with quality captions.

And they are almost, not quite, begging for N scale related articles.