HOn3 Rio Grande Southern First District 1938-1945

[Dave V]

Dave,

What sound decoder do you have in that steamer?  ESU now has the Full Throttle feature for steam locomotives.  When you back off the throttle, the locomotive will realistically become much quieter with just the rods clanking and little to no chuffs.  Nice!

DFF

All of my Blackstone locomotives have the factory-installed Tsunami decoders.  I'm putting a Tsunami 2 into my brass RGS 25, but I have no desire to monkey with the Blackstone steamers.  As awesome as that feature must sound, it's low on my priority list for now.  Thanks for the tip, though!

[Mike C]

 You can get the same effect in the stock decoders . I just put a value of 150 into the acceleration value CV and a value of 200 into the deceleration CV .  It also helps to turn off the BEMF  CV 112 = 0 I think .  With the decoder set up this way you can just turn the throttle to the top speed you want and it will slowly come up to that speed with the chuffs starting out louder and decreasing when it reaches top speed . Same thing in stopping , just cut the throttle and the chuffing volume decreases and the rod clank will be heard . ( volume of ckank should be adjusted down to less than 10 )  Now if you have grades, the loco will slow down and the exhaust will get louder going up hill and drop to bareley audible going down hill . Mick explains it all here....http://nmra2015.sbcrailway.ca/sites/default/files/clinics/Moignard_Get_the_Best_from_a_Tsunami_%28Portland%202015%29.pdf

[Santa Fe Guy]

Mike Thanks for the link that you added to Dave's page.
I am in the process of building my HOn3 layout and I want to use Decoder pro to adjust my Blackstone K27 and C19 locos. Lots of good advice here.
Rod.

[Dave V]

You can get the same effect in the stock decoders . I just put a value of 150 into the acceleration value CV and a value of 200 into the deceleration CV .  It also helps to turn off the BEMF  CV 112 = 0 I think .  With the decoder set up this way you can just turn the throttle to the top speed you want and it will slowly come up to that speed with the chuffs starting out louder and decreasing when it reaches top speed . Same thing in stopping , just cut the throttle and the chuffing volume decreases and the rod clank will be heard . ( volume of ckank should be adjusted down to less than 10 )  Now if you have grades, the loco will slow down and the exhaust will get louder going up hill and drop to bareley audible going down hill . Mick explains it all here....http://nmra2015.sbcrailway.ca/sites/default/files/clinics/Moignard_Get_the_Best_from_a_Tsunami_%28Portland%202015%29.pdf

Oh, man, thanks for the tip!  I totally missed this.  In fact I can do a system-wide decoder program and get all 5 engines at once.  I did know about the grade thing.  I wussed out and used a ruling grade of a whopping 0%.  I prefer to simulate the grades with tonnage restrictions.

[Dave V]

I also liked Huntrod's in your hood - 

Rick Huntrods goes to the same church I do.

[Dave V]

Well I just had a good old time adjusting the sounds on all my locomotives!  Now when they slow down, the chuffs grow quieter, the rod clank becomes loud, and the breaks squeal like a stuck pig...exactly how I imagine the real RGS locomotives sounded.  Now all I need is audio of the engineer and fireman complaining about the latest pay cut.

[chicken45]

Is this the soon to be famous Fisting Division?

[Dave V]

Long update here...

First, did a bunch of fascia work.  I'm using 1/8" Masonite:







Of course it'll need to be filled, sanded, and painted but it already helps the look by hiding the pink foam edge.

I also built a Main Street Heritage Models Soda Works kit that I converted into the Rico Ore Sampling Works:





And here's where it's going to go:



My two Erie Limited HOn3 brass cabeese. The one on the left just came in the mail from Japan on Wednesday so I painted and lettered it the same day. They’re beautiful models that come in a reddish-brown primer. I like to use a silver Sharpie to do the railings and grabs. You do need to add couplers but the trucks are free-rolling and sprung. I need to find some square cupola marker lamps and theoretically I should also add roofwalk extensions to the 0400...someday. I did add the faded 1930s lettering on the letterboard for 0400 per prototype.



Last but not least, I started the benchwork for Ridgway Yard...finally!

[Santa Fe Guy]

Lots of progress Dave. Coming along very nicely.
Rod.

[rodsup9000]

 I really like the progress you have done so far, Dave.
Waiting impatiently to see what the yard is going to look like.

[davefoxx]

Kudos on the work you've done.  I need to get on with the fascia on my layout, too.  But, getting sheets of hardboard home from the store and the dust created by cutting it always causes me to procrastinate.  Yours looks good.  Final color?  Black, like on the JD?

DFF

[Dave V]

Kudos on the work you've done.  I need to get on with the fascia on my layout, too.  But, getting sheets of hardboard home from the store and the dust created by cutting it always causes me to procrastinate.  Yours looks good.  Final color?  Black, like on the JD?

DFF

No.  That brownish color you see on the far right in the first picture.  I chose it to compliment the rest of the basement as it works very well with the wall color and the cabinetry at the bar.

[Cajonpassfan]

Long update here...

First, did a bunch of fascia work.  I'm using 1/8" Masonite:

Dave, great progress! I really admire your scenery work, and particularly the speed and focus with which you seem to get things done. I have a lot to learn from you there. And yes, fascias go a long way in framing the scenes and cleaning things up.
If I may make a suggestion though, I think the two inside corners where the fascias meet up top could really be improved by dropping the scenery a little bit along the edge; the current condition really emphasizes the corners. Clipping the fascia just a little there (or better yet, building out the corners by just a few inches) might frame the railroad much better, imho.
Looking forward to more progress,
Otto K.

[Dave V]

Dave, great progress! I really admire your scenery work, and particularly the speed and focus with which you seem to get things done. I have a lot to learn from you there. And yes, fascias go a long way in framing the scenes and cleaning things up.
If I may make a suggestion though, I think the two inside corners where the fascias meet up top could really be improved by dropping the scenery a little bit along the edge; the current condition really emphasizes the corners. Clipping the fascia just a little there (or better yet, building out the corners by just a few inches) might frame the railroad much better, imho.
Looking forward to more progress,
Otto K.

I appreciate the feedback but nah, I'm good.  The profile fits almost the exact terrain profile of Ophir there (give or take a few scale feet) and that's where it intersects the edge.  I also have no plans to build out the corners.  That was all done deliberately to emphasize the unevenness of the terrain.  I prefer it to look this way.

[Dave V]

Another productive week on the Rio Grande Southern.

More benchwork progress at Ridgway...and since this photo I painted the wood and laminated the first layer of foam.



I finally painted the emergency egress panel for the window.  Here it's propped in place but will eventually be attached with industrial-strength Velcro so it can be pulled out in an emergency.  I'm leaving a little window exposed to allow some natural light when I want it.



I was getting ready to scratchbuild the Placereville freight warehouse (the rusty structure to the right seen here): https://ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=50&_bqH=eJwzKUw3K68yLw1LcQypDK_KcQ_xrTA2ykzUrcq2MjI3sTI1MLAyNAACK894l2Bn24KcxOTUorLMnJxUNbBIvKOfi20JkB0a7BoU7.liGwpS7WzmmuWSUhGenZmsFu_oHGJbnJpYlJwBAIARIp8-&GI_ID=

When I saw this kit from Walthers (LOL, I know...all the cool stuff they do in HO!):



So boom, problem solved.  It's about an 80% solution but good enough for me:





Also in HO, Grandt Line makes a kit for the famous (among narrow gaugers, anyway) Ruben G. Gomez Store that stood trackside to the D&RGW at Pagosa Junction, Colorado.  I've always liked that structure:

https://ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/RD009-D-RGW-Gato-to-Monero/G00009ozYFFAoybk/I000037MJS005eSQ/C0000Vd2qoA2MbNU

Rather than transplant the Gomez store from Pagosa Junction to Rico, I built it per instruction but chose to name it after a real store and warehouse combo that stood in Rico.  Apparently Charles Engel was a big deal in Rico back in the day.