Weekend Update 2020/09/06

[nkalanaga]

Kentuckian:  We've lived outside Grayson since the summer of 1978.  The town seems to have changed a LOT since I-64 was built, and US 60 was rerouted.  It's changed a lot more since we moved back here.  Where was the Gulf station? 

[jpwisc]

I finished decaling 10 737s for a friend. Now I will get back to work on the White Pine.
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[daniel_leavitt2000]

The Keystone Details designed etched PD hopper frets came in this week and I have been working on a few.

I ran into a few issues. My plastic etch parts bending jig wasn't up to the task of such thin cross sections. So the pilot model you see here is a bit deformed.

I also found out all those lovely etched handrails and grabs are just too fine to work with. I couldn't bend them and place them at all. So I went with .008" bronze wire. John anticipated this and included a bending jig with the fret. But this required opening up the holes on the end cages.

The pneumatic plumbing is still simplified, but the inlet line and drop hangars really do help the look.

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I feel the kit is too complex for sale, but it was still money well spent. I learned a lot about the process and can now run a fleet of my favorite car that looks as goos at the Atlas Presureaid Centerflow or the Trainworx PD3000.

As for future projects, any interest in Morton style roofwalks for existing models?

Eventually, I would love to do a Briggs style multimedia kit for the ACF Flexi Flo hopper.

[DKS]

DKS, now that is spectacular. every new build just ups the ante
superior work, well done! kudos!


sincerely
Gary

Thank you! I appreciate that. It's been a long time coming for this one.

[0303fxm]

Great work, Mark W!!

The driver must be Dennis Hopper..

Ryoichi

[wm3798]

That would be Dennis Weaver...

[craigolio1]

The Keystone Details designed etched PD hopper frets came in this week and I have been working on a few.

I ran into a few issues. My plastic etch parts bending jig wasn't up to the task of such thin cross sections. So the pilot model you see here is a bit deformed.

I also found out all those lovely etched handrails and grabs are just too fine to work with. I couldn't bend them and place them at all. So I went with .008" bronze wire. John anticipated this and included a bending jig with the fret. But this required opening up the holes on the end cages.

The pneumatic plumbing is still simplified, but the inlet line and drop hangars really do help the look.

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I feel the kit is too complex for sale, but it was still money well spent. I learned a lot about the process and can now run a fleet of my favorite car that looks as goos at the Atlas Presureaid Centerflow or the Trainworx PD3000.

As for future projects, any interest in Morton style roofwalks for existing models?

Eventually, I would love to do a Briggs style multimedia kit for the ACF Flexi Flo hopper.

What a fantastic upgrade. Looks really good

[Lemosteam]

@daniel_leavitt2000 ,

Don’t be too dejected. This is the first try on a kit you’ve just looked at for the first time! I can’t wait to try my hand at one.

If I can do it, many folks could!

[Jim Starbuck]

I don’t remember if I posted photos of the TR2 set I built a while back. Here they are.

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They were built on Lifelike chassis with stock motors. The A unit has always run beautifully but the B had an annoying growl in reverse so I finally fixed it.
It’s now repowered with a coreless motor and has a Loksound v5 micro decoder and 2 25v 220uF capacitors installed.

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There are more details here:  https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=50425.msg679689#msg679689

[BCR 570]

Daniel:  That is quite the upgrade kit!


Further progress on the Van Iron chip cars this weekend - cut levers:




and air hoses:




Looks like I should be able to conclude assembly this week except for trucks and wheels (not yet on hand).

Tim

[tehachapifan]

Great work, Mark W!!

The driver must be Dennis Hopper..

Ryoichi

That would be Dennis Weaver...

I now find myself picturing Dennis Hopper in that role. Probably would've been great but Weaver was perfect for the role.

To this day, Duel remains one of my favorite movies.

[ednadolski]

The Keystone Details designed etched PD hopper frets came in this week and I have been working on a few.

Fantastic work!   And what a dramatic difference compared to the original - turning a toy/junker into a masterful work!   Well done!

I feel the kit is too complex for sale.

Ain't no such thing.... 

Seriously tho - would you ever consider doing something like an IM Trinity 5161?

Ed

[altohorn25]

I took a video of some of my Santa Fe passenger trains running on my layout:

-Train 17 - Westbound Super Chief - 1937 edition - Oriental Limited brass E1's and cars
-Train 17 - Westbound Super Chief - 1938 edition - Life-Like E6's (posing as E3's) and Oriental Limited brass cars
-Train 19 - Westbound Chief - 1950 edition - Heavily modified Con-Cor 4-6-4 and a combination of Micro Trains, Kato, and JNJ metal sides on American Limited core kits
-Train 21 - Westbound El Capitan - 1954 edition - Kato F7's and a combination of Kato, Pecos River Brass, JNJ metal sides on American Limited core kits, Bachmann full dome (re-lettered), Union Station Products sides on American Limited core kit, and Con-Cor chair cars and observation cars.

[altohorn25]

Pullman Standard chair car #2901. Lot #6731 built in 1947; one of 51 identical cars built for the El Capitan. This car survived to the Amtrak takeover and became Amtrak #4507. JNJ metal sides on an American Limited core kit. Microscale decals.

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[IAIS513]

Scrap coming off the grinder...