Weekend Update 7/14/13

[VonRyan]

+1

[MichaelWinicki]

Nearing the end of the "wiring the poles" thing...

[pjm20]

Goodness gracious that is freakin' awesome! This is what I want to capture, albeit turned 180 degrees. I congratulate you on this piece of Pennsy art.

[basementcalling]

Ya'll got it goin on. Nice work everyone.

My weekend to date has been consumed with ust 5 pieces of wood. Who knew bench work would get so complicated? Everything is ultra braced below as this spot will also have a 2 level swing gate out of the shot to the right to give utility access.  Hoping to be able to lay some foam and start some track laying so I can get something running.



I had to cut and trim several times to get everything to line up as planned. My wallet enjoyed being able to use the various scrap pieces to jigsaw things into place. Birch plywood is more fun to work with than to purchase.

I also decided this area needs to have the lower deck track installed before the upper deck goes down permanently above it. A couple spots have tracks deep in the scene so access to align and "eye test" things might be restricted judging from the noggin knocks I took with the upper shelf clamped in place for a test.

In the more benchwork does a man good category, I also finished bracing the first loop on the layout. This one will be totally hidden and may well wind up with a dispatcher's desk sitting inside this space. Finally got the grade consistent. My test turned out to be a strip of the Woodland Scenics 2% incline. The loop needs a 2% grade, so flip the incline piece over, and if it was sitting level, the grade was on target.



Hope to have more to show after I pick my jaw off the floor at some of the shots others have posted. N scale is definitely a modeler's scale now.

[seusscaboose]

Did some Op's in the afternoon at John's (Ran the "Upper Level Local")


then jetted back home and hosted some Op's myself


an A$$hat Doubleheader

EP

[davefoxx]

I enjoyed the a$$hat double-header, too.  Thanks for hosting, John and seusscaboose!

During a swap-o-rama, John gave me the shell for a Life-Like L&N GP38-2, which I plopped onto an Atlas GP38 frame.  It mates well with my Seaboard System GP38-2.  Thanks, John. 


Also, thanks to RockGp40, who also gave me a Micro Trains 50' Seaboard Airline car.  I already have swapped out the pizza cutters for Fox Valley wheelsets and body mounted some MT couplers.

I look forward to the next ops session.

DFF

[spookshow]

I recently discovered that one of the UP's excursion trains ran through Hope, MN back in 2002 (and thus decided that I needed to model it) -



I was fortunate enough to find a document laying out the exact consist of said train -



Here's my "so far" version -























Doing the fifth coach ("Sunshine Special") is just a matter of tracking down another Kato car. As for the rest? Yikes...

Cheers,
-Mark

[mandealco]

Hi
Managed a little more time on my C-630M.  I used some Briggs air filters to replace the standard central air intakes.  The concept was good, but the execution was a little rough.  Learning as I progress, so the other side will be better.

Another, and somewhat easier improvement for the Atlas Alcos is to add a full width radiator with a see through cat walk.  Using parts from 2 Atlas radiators, cut to fit as one continuous radiator, as shown in these photos.  A section of almost any etched cat walk will make a huge difference when added.

What the finished model should look like, with or without Laura on the front.


Cheers
Steve

[rochsub]

Very near completion now on the Bealville ranch.  I plan to rebuild the board fence by the barn with narrower boards...and I need to guy and string wire on the power poles.  But for the present, adding the lighting to the buildings will have to do.

Very nice Jim.  I especially like the dusk setting.  Looks cool.

Daryl

[Smike]

WIN Absolutly gorgeous.


Now if we could see this with a pair of SD70's in black to match the 53' trucks going over the Rt 322 bridge in the back drop

Okay Ed - This one's for you.  With steel reinforcing.

[keystonecrossings]

Goodness gracious that is freakin' awesome! This is what I want to capture, albeit turned 180 degrees. I congratulate you on this piece of Pennsy art.

This the right angle? 1954 (pre-bracing, and before the "new" 11/15 was built)

[VonRyan]

 

My oh my...
All this Pennsy hotness is overloading my senses.
Makes my poor little NW2 insignificant in comparison.



-Cody F.

[pjm20]

This the right angle? 1954 (pre-bracing, and before the "new" 11/15 was built)

That's what I'm talkin bout! Your Sherman's Creek Bridge module is my inspiration for my own I plan to put in my once I have a house layout. I also hope to see some N Scale Rockville Bridge arches after that poll a few weeks ago. 

[basementcalling]

Good smallmouth fishing right there at the mouth of Sherman Creek.

[btsnyder27]

I enjoyed the a$$hat double-header, too.  Thanks for hosting, John and seusscaboose!
....
I look forward to the next ops session.

DFF

+1 on that Dave, much appreciated to be involved with that doubleheader with some highly talented people.  I hope that one day my skills will come close to those of whom I associate with here.  I also second the fruits of N-scale exchanged during the swap-o-rama.