Weekend update - February 10, 2008.

[3rdrail]

Anyone have anything they accomplished that they wish to share? Photos are always appreciated.

[biker_ray_pa]

Actually got a good bit done this week, after several MONTHS of total inactivity.

I started the transition between my hills and the photo backdrop which will be along the next section of benchwork...



Started building the screening plant for my limestone mine facility. The gray parts are scabbed out of a Glacier Gravel kit, the rest is scratched....


And test-fitted it to the rest of my mostly-scratchbuilt limestone mine...


This week I want to get the doors, stairways, etc installed, then get back to work on the loader roof and bridge.

[John]

I spent some time redoing a grade ... bringing it from 2.0 to 1.67% ... over 150 inches of run ..

[atsf_arizona]

SNFF 2008 02 10

OK, here's a funky set of shots.

I added some lights and re-arranged my office, hence the N scale
4'x 4' Santa Fe Peavine Line modules needed to be dis-assembled
and re-assembled.

Here's the re-assembly process:

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

When it's all back together, the office looks like this:

9. 

10.

Basically, the above layout is:

- A railfan layout for me to run my models on
- A basic switching puzzle is included in the town

More on this layout can be seen at:

http://home.comcast.net/~j.sing/Peavine_Layout_Overview.html

Have a good week, all.

[up1950s]

Two more Shay's are assigned to The Beaver



Finally found a use for my Micro Mill ... RDC frames need to be milled thinner for the LIRR powered MP75 project . First time I used it . I will get better , but it is much easier , no filings in my hair , and nicer finish than the Dremel . I will need it for the CC/Kato SW1001 frames as well .

[wm3798]

Got a couple more decoders installed...

An old-school RS-11 for Bob Bufkin,


A Reading switcher, also for Bob, and the coup de gras,


Another Nickel Plate switcher for Seusscaboose (Eric).  I was able to squeeze the weight back into the cab, and I was also successful at rigging a light into the rear headlight!  It was an experiment that actually worked, thanks to the new DZ125.

I've got another switcher to do for Bob, if I can get my hands on some more grain of rice bulbs of the right voltage, I may try it again...

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Mmmm... Reading switchers...

[RDG_Rich]

Mmmm... Reading switchers...

Double Mmmm.....

[diezmon]

I just worked on tweaking my thumbnailer program.   Here's how things are looking so far.

I'm going to start storing all my media files on Amazon's S3 servers, and needed something to build thumbnails of all the d*mn pics I have




[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Iain]

Still under construction, work halted until trucks can be had. For the Great Dismal Swamp RR; I need a whole bunch of them, all of which will be equipped with working link and pin couplers.

I also stuffed a decoder into my repowered H10-44, the one I repowered with a LL SW1200 mechanism.

[Ian MacMillan]

I've had a bit of time this last week to spike down in the rail in the town of Blair and Mountainview. Following shots are of a pair of GP38-2's switching the 2 industries in Blair.

Switching out Northern Tool & Machine. Spur in foreground left is to White Mountain Oil. Foreground right is the main line that is abandoned in 4 car lengths, so it is used as a switching lead.

[wm3798]

Those 38's look a tad too spiffy for local service, better send them to the weathering chamber of horrors...

Lee

[Norm P]

Except for decals and a little touch-up painting/weathering, my first attempt at putting a kit together is finished--the Walthers ADM grain elevator. I put the dust collectors on the wrong side of the building but I'm not going to lose sleep over it.  I learned some valuable lessons, like not going overboard next time with the weathering and "1000 shades of rust" as Tom Mann would say.  I also learned that Walthers has some parts that are warped or just don't fit right without some filing and bending.  Hopefully my next structure will go together smoother and look a little more realistic as I pick up on the nuances of detailing and weathering.


This week I'll strip the hinges and knobs off the door I found for my layout, and the track should arrive Friday or so as my birthday present if my wife places the order tomorrow.  After that I'll settle on a track plan, probably one I pirate off the internet since I'm not sure I can design my own yet, then start laying track next weekend.

[qantaqa]

I was fortunate enough to operate Sat on the Pilchuck division of the BNSF (check out jan/feb of Nscale)...  there's an N scale layout that has regular operating sessions...

Made the decision to switch to DCC, too...  as I sit here looking at the fistful of cat5 hanging off the corner of my layout (block power feeds), 3 homemade throttles, and a panel with more toggles than the early IBMs...

broke/cracked some ribs snowboarding wednesday, so moving a little slow this week.

 Cheers y'all

[chuck geiger]

Norm, good work, I found the silos look better, if they are airbrushed then wiped with a cloth with alcohol. It simulated streaks. Most of the elevators are not really rusty, they are more dirty and grimy in places near the top and bottom. I am working on my stairways and railings this week. I wiped off the Sophisicated Finshes rust, it is just too much for this type of structure.