Weekend Update 2/3/13

[Erik W]

Well, after quiet a period of inactivity on the layout, I started cleaning track and got my first train running in 3 years!  It felt damn good!  These photos are old, but they should jog your memories about what I'm doing.     The layout needs a lot of cleaning and tweaking, but at this point I'm up for it.











Erik

[Dave V]

Hey, welcome back, Eric!  Great to see the Rio Grande is still running!

[wazzou]

Great news Eric.  I always admired your layout.

[FEC Railway]

First time posting on here in awhile - finished the paint on some projects:
Florida West Coast GP18s x2

Three Atlanta & St Andrews Bay GP38s


finally got a break from work to do it!  Next week maybe the SD40-2s behind em' will be done...

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Some Great Old-Time Groundhog Day Goodness showed up on the shelf layout:





Cases included the slim stacks as well, which I'll probably swap in.
Running-wise, it seems that a wee bit o' weight in the tender and cab will help with the electrical conductivity.
Very excited to play around with them more!

Speaking of the 1800's:
Go Niners 

[chicken45]

I beleive on the former Atlas forum, a D3 was stated, and when I did my own research, a D3 is pretty dead one. The base though could be used from D1 through around a D11 or D12; there are plenty of bashing opportunities.

A D3, eh?
Doesn't look half bad!

[Sokramiketes]

Two reading comprehension dunce caps awarded to Dave and Bryan for calling Erik "Eric" when it's right there for you to copy from the signature. 

We need a new dunce smily for this rash of egregiousness.

[wazzou]

Two reading comprehension dunce caps awarded to Dave and Bryan for calling Erik "Eric" when it's right there for you to copy from the signature. 

We need a new dunce smily for this rash of egregiousness.

I figured his signature was a typo. 

[Puddington]

No love for Panther Hobbies. I be leave you got that BLMA car from me.

Nice work on the weathering.

You are right Jeff; I completely forgot I dropped by Panther and got this from you..... I was so focused on the MBE parts I gobbled up that day.... 1000 "oops's" jeff; middle age and a wicked cold have gotten the best of my brain !

[pjm20]

Link?

-Cody F.

http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?148424-Atlas-4-4-0
So the undec version has both stacks, I guess I can use them to build some different DXX!

[rogergperkins]

@Erik W. et. al., These photos remind me of The Sogn Valley Railroad, a fictional line in southern MN; BOK will remember it, too.
Your photos show a layout with what I will call a minimalist use of structures separated by excellent scenery.

The subject layout was featured in an article written by Gene Sutter in one of the model railroad magazines after the death of the man who built the layout.
I was always impressed by this approach when I saw selected dioramas from the layout at MN trains shows back in the 1980's.  The layout was build
totally different from my own approach of what now seems way to many structures and not enough intervening scenery. 
CONGRATUATIONS, ERIK W.!

[central.vermont]

Finishing up on a custom job for a friend of mine. Still needs the grabs and handrails painted also need too modify the front pilot for a plow. Number boards are already done just not in yet. Then it will get a dull coat finish and maybe some light weathering just not sure on t hat yet.

Jon

[mecgp7]

Very nice. Always liked that paint scheme.

[davefoxx]

I started construction of this highway bridge, using a Rix Products N scale Modern 150' Highway Overpass kit.  I skewed the girders and piers to fit my space.  As you can see, I have a bit of landscaping to do to blend the bridge foundation into the hillsides.  That's not a problem with some lightweight joint compound, though.  Then will come paint and weathering.



I'm also working on a Walthers 10-6 sleeper car that I am converting into a Seaboard Coast Line car.  I have a Pennsy sleeper in the correct paint scheme for the SCL (stainless with black roof) and was able to strip the lettering easily.  However, the existing letterboards are not long enough nor tall enough.     So, I carefully sanded down some of the thickness of the original boards to allow me to glue some longer and taller letterboards over top.  My new SCL decals arrived yesterday in the mail, so, hopefully, I'll have some pics in the near future.  A test shot of Testor's Silver Metallic paint in a spray bomb seems to match the model's existing "stainless steel" look very well (I'm not repainting the entire car; only the new letterboards).

DFF

[Ian MacMillan]

I began working on another mill on the east end of the layout. I will be adding a prefab metal add on which will have an abandoned siding to it. Built the end walls of the prefab today and tacked em on to the building to get set the angles. Still lots to do on this such as modify the walls to meet the grade, etc.