Weekend Update - February 4, 2007, Anyone?

[wm3798]

I installed the Walthers turntable this weekend.  Aside from an odd control box, it's a sweet model.  I still have to finish properly weathering it, and installing the bridge details.  The programming function is very easy to work with, and the operation is very smooth.

I changed the configuration of the ET over what was previously advertised.


Now it's at the end.

Well, I guess I have to congratulate Peyton Manning et al.  I suppose it's time for my fond memories of the Baltimore Colts to fade into the mists of the past.  Now those colors and that once glorious horseshoe will just be the emblem of some other team...

Lee

[MEC_FAN]

Lee, that turntable is sweet, if they made a 90' or 100' I'd have one but it's just to big for my space. I bought a CMR 105' and have to put it together and hack a hole in the bench for it one of these days. Not sure what  I'm going to do for a drive unit. About the time I get it done Walthers will announce a 90 Footer, Doah!!!
Got my Fast Tracks # 12 turnout fixture kit a couple of weeks ago. Built the fifth one today and hope to install tomorrow. Have three lefthands installed so far and seem to work well. They are a little challenging to build but get easier as you go. Needed curved turnouts for the yard at Searsport!!

[3rdrail]

I went to Atlanta on Friday to attend the World's Greatest Hobby show at the Cobb Galleria Center yesterday. After the tornadoes in Central Florida hitting just up the road from my daughter's place on Thursday night, I was so concerned about their situation and called. As a result, I forgot my camera, but didn't see anything really worth photographing, anyhow.

Atlas did not bring the C420 test shot to the show, but chatted with Rob Pisani. He said Atlas has been surprised at the popularity of some lesser roadnames like Long Island, and not just in the area served by that line.

The Walthers rep said that emails to product development are paid attention to, so guys, lets start bombarding them with requests for the USRA 0-6-0 and the Alco S1, both of which were done in the Proto 2000 or 1000 series in HO. After all, they're doing the RS2 and have done many others in N like the DL109 and the Berkshires.

John at Athearn showed me the shells for the FP45's and F45's. Notice I used the plural, as the shells will be road specific! By that I don't mean paint, but the castings themselves. Asked about a rerun of the ex-MDC Mogul, and I got a "Gee I forgot, we're announcing a new run this month, on the 16th!"  Three Moguls (Atlas, Athearn, Model Power), and not a single ten-wheeler, go figure.

I mentioned my conversation with Bachmann in the thread about the H16-44. Ohh, but a look at those SR&RL Forneys helps me understand why Verne Niner switched scales. Bachmann claims they still want to make the Decapod and Ten-Wheeler in N, but cannot find a motor small enough - at a price they are willing to pay for it. At least they admit that is the holdup.

The Kato rep admitted that the rerun of the Mikado in the Anniversary scheme was really done because Kato had run out of spare parts, so looks like it may be time to start ordering tender trucks, etc. The NW2 looks real nice, with needlepoint axle current collection. the handrails are very fine. I was told they would probably do all the HO roads, but sequentially. Guess if your road comes out in a month you've got a case of the "shorts", you're SOL unless it turns up on eBay.

Precision Craft admitted that insufficient orders have been received for the M1's to guarantee success, but they are aware that everyone is holding off ordering because of delays. I was told "next year, probably". I left before I made a smartmouthed remark.

All I managed to buy was one book, the Lima Locomotive history by Eric Hirsimaki, and one freight car, a Red Caboose L&NE ARA boxcar. The laugh is I bought the car from Trains by Johnson, the closest decent hobby shop to me, in Pensacola.

[engineshop]

I did a quick test plattform for my container crane project.

[John]

I spent Saturday sick. I picked up some bad food at Panera Bread .. and spent most of Saturday testing the plumbing ..

Went to the Timonium show on Sunday. Met Traincat2 ... it was a pleasure ..  his stuff is really sweet .. there are some real neat things coming in N and HO ..

I left the show with only 3 rock molds as purchases .. $18 and out the door .. a real record for me ..

[atsf_arizona]

3rdrail, thx for the update on the F45s and FP45s.

Here's my photo for the week.  Thanks to Randgust, for his inspiration.  Randy, here
is your Santa Fe Peavine Line accomodation passenger train #42 / #47, Ash Fork - Phoenix, Ariz.
They were nicknamed the  "Hassayampa Chief" (although Santa Fe never gave these particular
trains any formal name) - they ran along the Hassayampa River in south-central Arizona
on their way up and down the Peavine Line.  These trains supplied Santa Fe passengers
a connection from Phoenix to the transcontinental Santa Fe Passenger trains such as the
Chief, the Grand Canyon, and after June 1954, the San Francisco Chief.  All three of these
trains passed through Ash Fork somewhere between 10pm and 1am every night.

Here is #42/ #47 as the they might have appeared circa June 1954:



Here is where that part of Arizona and the Peavine Line is, see the route labeled
in blue:  " Santa Fe, Prescott, and Phoenix " in the following graphic:



I'm sorry, I can't remember the web site where I found this graphic - since this
is just a Weekly Photo Fun, I'll post.  However, if the author sees this and wishes me to
either give credit or pull the graphic, just email me and I'll be happy to do so.

You can see more about this particular 200 mile long branch line of the
Santa Fe, still in heavy operation by BNSF, at the following railfan's web site:

http://www.geocities.com/~aeromoe/Peavine.html

The railfan who built the above web site did a great job, and I post
it here as well also just in the spirit of sharing on SNFF.

I hope you enjoy this little trip down memory lane on a little known but
rather important branch of the Santa Fe and BNSF.

Have a good week, all.

[bsoplinger]

The Walthers rep said that emails to product development are paid attention to, so guys, lets start bombarding them with requests for the USRA 0-6-0 and the Alco S1, both of which were done in the Proto 2000 or 1000 series in HO. After all, they're doing the RS2 and have done many others in N like the DL109 and the Berkshires.

While you're writing them, remember to ask for the Greyhound bus they're having Classic Metal Works, ie Mini-Metals doing for them in HO to get done in N also. Along with the bus terminal kit.  :

Coulda sworn I mentioned that the FP45's were road specific when I remarked on the from the Springfield show. If I didn't my bad  :-\

[wes_sutton]

After spending the best part of the week on the road, it was good to get home and finally get a proper look at my belated Christmas presents form Hattons in the UK.

First up is the latest Dapol steam locomotive, and Ivatt 2-6-2T. This is a great little model - the detail is especially good, and up there and close to some of its more expensive European cousins. Out of the the box its feisty and speeds off with the slightest touch of the controller - maybe it just needs running in or I need a new controller as the one I have must be close to 30 years old! That being said, it runs very quietly and smoothly. Hattons price is approx US$120 air postage paid.







Secondly we have the Graham Farish (aka Bachmann) BR Mk1 Pullman cars which ran on the UK East Coast route. Again the detail and painting and printing are top notch and at US$24 postage paid per car, these are something of a bargain if you are into UK N gauge. You gotta wonder why Bachmann can't transfer over some of the Farish technology to some of their US outline stuff?







Cheers, Wes

 

[pnolan48]

This was shot at 85mm on a DSLR. I built parts of the creamery from N-Scale Architects backwards--it turned out OK! The tall tree above the smoke stack hides a seam in the backdrop.

[Iain]

Wes, that UK stuff has my mouth watering.  Maybe I can get one whole passenger train.


No railroad related modeling for me, I spent all weekend working on a pair of lifeboats for a model of the CSS Fredricksburg.  They both have to be completely finished by Thursday.  After that, they will be on display with the ironclad model down at the USS North Carolina battleship museum in Wilmington.  I am going all out on them.  They have lapstrake planking, which is harder to do but makes a better looking boat, in my opinion.

[Ian MacMillan]

John, arn't those FastTracks templates cool? I have a set of the HO 6,8 and 10s for the new layout for code 70 and 55.

Not much for me. Finished up all the framing with the help of my friend Matt, and ran all the electrical. 5 dedicated circuits for the layout. Drywall will be going up, mudded and primed in the next few weeks.

I did catch one of the new Amoskeag Northern exMP  MP15's crossing the Swift River just north of Mountainview on train PN-1.



Also got the new decals in the mail that Jim from Highball Decals did for me. Here is the art drawing of them. I may change the base loco color though to a tad bit darker BM blue.  They are also for sale if anyone wants some for interchange, $5.

[MEC_FAN]

Ian, I really like the red or is that maroon. You could do red and blue!!! And yes the fixtures are cool.

[Ian MacMillan]

John, its more of a burgundy color, same as the Hobo RR. But after painting up several line drawings in different colors and showing them to people, the blue was the winner.

[Atlanticflier]

Also got the new decals in the mail that Jim from Highball Decals did for me. Here is the art drawing of them. I may change the base loco color though to a tad bit darker BM blue.  They are also for sale if anyone wants some for interchange, $5."

Nice design Ian. Are you going to custom make that blue color? , or find a suitable factory color ? ....and what king of roster will the Amoskeag Northern have. Nice web  site , btw.

Steven

[Ian MacMillan]

The blue color will be between B&M blue and CR Blue. I will need to custom mix it.

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