Weekend Update - 6/22/2008

[Day One]

I had a rare weekend off and was able to spend some time working on trains.

I added decoders and programmed these 3 units and then set them around the layout for an hour plus for some break in time. I'll speed match them soon.



Actually, I've been working on loco's quite a bit lately. All 15 of these now have decoders and are programmed to run right. I need to spend some more time speed matching tho. Not really looking forward to this. I'd like to find an automated way of doing it. If anyone knows of a way to do it let me know. I'd like to be able to use all my loco's together in MU or helper duty and I think running similar speeds will help eliminate derailments.


The GN SD45 decoder was finished recently as well. It's not a typical hardwire either. It's got a Loksound Micro wedged inside and a functioning rooftop beacon. I'll be stripping the shell and repainting it and 3 more for MRL soon.

You may notice in the first pic that the MRL units are hauling a 2-8-4 Tender. The thing came out of the box and barely rolls. I've been trying to see if it will loosen up by dragging it around for a few hours but it's still very tight. It will not roll down any grades and  shoving it with your fingers quickly it comes to a stop in a few inches. Anyone have experience with this?

[up1950s]

These MP-75's are in the 1964 Worlds Fair scheme . All 6 are powered with Kato RDC drives . These shells are not the newer MP-54 , MP-70 , and SW-1001 shells that are much smoother . The decals gotten through IMW are thin and the best I've used to date . I tried to paint the inside edges of the windows black to hide the divider to wind up the the rectangles you see here , but that ruined the paint job , and they all then took a 1 1/2 gainer into a 160 scale pool filled with 90% booze of sorts . I wound up just removing the window dividers and leaving the black in the bottle . Next are 5 MP-72 dummys in a different scheme from about the same era . I don't like doing passenger cars , because all the imperfections of my work is magnified . But thats life . I tried .







Here is the real deal

[3rdrail]

Long time no post...and not much work done in the train department.

I did come closer to completion on my Spectrum/ Standard bash Reading I-10. I still need to work the tender some more, get the headlight to work, and add/ remove some odds and ends. The major achievement was cleaning off the bench, and getting this thing to do circles (well) on the track!

Where did you get the small "Reading" for the tender??  I'm going to remotor my Bachmann I10sa and the NorthEast Decals "Reading" is far too large.

[Ali Kenneth]

Started fitting FVM wheels to all my Deluxe NS Woodchip hoppers and was dismayed to find that they have Atlas Trucks, not the Micro-Trains as indicated by the box. Of course I did not have enough spare wheels to fit them all (0.553 axle length seems to work well) but one was done and looks good!

Now if only I could get some Southern ones to go with them......

Alasdair

I sent the query about the trucks to Deluxe and got a very quick reply from Dave Ferrari who states that it is a throwback to a previous manager putting Micro-Trains on the labels even after they started using accumates. Fair enough I say as they do look good when the correct FVM wheels are added.

Alasdair

[DKS]

Where did you get the small "Reading" for the tender??  I'm going to remotor my Bachmann I10sa and the NorthEast Decals "Reading" is far too large.

Not sure if this is helpful at all, but... Although CDS Lettering Ltd. is a "fallen flag," you can still get Reading dry transfers from whoever might have leftover stock. I got set #N-718(a), for Alco switchers, to use on a Z scale GP7. The lettering measures ~9 N scale feet long. In set #N-717(a), for diesel roadswitchers, it measures about 11'-6" long.

[TrainCat2]

I want the chlorine car as well , maybe 2 . Do you have any idea when these will be purchasable .

Gregg & Richie,
I will have 25 car kits with me. I am expecting the undercarriage castings to be sent overnight to the Galt House so I finish packaging them up. I will also have the SP C-40-3 Cupola caboose and the DRGW Nn3 Stockcar kits there also.

[RDG_Rich]

Where did you get the small "Reading" for the tender??  I'm going to remotor my Bachmann I10sa and the NorthEast Decals "Reading" is far too large.

Not sure if this is helpful at all, but... Although CDS Lettering Ltd. is a "fallen flag," you can still get Reading dry transfers from whoever might have leftover stock.

I used Microscale's Green Scheme Diesel set. I did the decals prior to getting my CDS sets. I am contemplating redoing them with the CDS decals.

[diezmon]

I mostly did yard work, but was able to get a start on my rockwork for the trestle cut.



Updated another engine to DCC.



Had my first crash



Then, we had a big event in our house.  The first of its kind 

[up1950s]

I want the chlorine car as well , maybe 2 . Do you have any idea when these will be purchasable .

Gregg & Richie,
I will have 25 car kits with me. I am expecting the undercarriage castings to be sent overnight to the Galt House so I finish packaging them up. I will also have the SP C-40-3 Cupola caboose and the DRGW Nn3 Stockcar kits there also.

Unfortunately my body will not be where you and those gems are  . I will have to wait till these are listed on the net .

[Kisatchie]

I bought an N scale ruler. I'm thinking about doing some N scale scratchbuilding. As an added bonus, I can measure the cars I put up for sale every now and then. ???

[James Costello]

Last weekend started with this sitting on the workbench:



And since then, an entry in the Intermodal Contest was finalised.  ;D