Weekend Update 5/22/16

[Philip H]

@fcnrwy23 those look pretty good for their age. I'd say the rescue unit looks the best - imho the pump bodies on the other ones are too short relative to the cab - though I am sure with fire apparatus that Ed's Law applies more often then not.

[chicken45]

Beautiful sunny day out at Bean Mountain. 
Just a few small areas left to cover with ground foam, then trees, the river, ballast and then we're done!










Yeah @Mark W  that's amazing work. Looks even better in the sun!

[chicken45]

I am back from the PRRT&HS Annual Meeting in Camp Hill, PA.
It was a great time! I met some Railwire lurkers in the PenN Scalers NTRAK layout room...I didn't catch their names, but they were great people. If you're out there reading this, I hope to see you in Altoona this August and I'll learn your names this time!

Got to spend some time photographing some models on @dougnelson's terrific Sherman Creek Bridge. Doug also did a great presentation on Sunnyside Yard.

@Lemosteam's B8a got lost.



My K4s running light!


And finally, the PRR 1:160 SPF Contingent!
Myself, Claus, Doug, and Angela.

[eric220]

I thought I recognized that Sherman's Creek diorama.

[R L Smith]

No modeling for me recently, but went to the Everett Railroad today to ride behind the former Bath & Hammondsport # 11. The weather was rather snarky, but did contribute some, um, "atmosphere" to the pix:











Why this is significat to me, is because the B&H lives on in my basement.  I have a Bachmann 2-6-0 that switches these industries:



Hopefully I can add a couple more shots later on, and if I can ever figure out how to upload a video from my phone, I captured the sounds as well as the sights to share...

RLS

[carlso]

Josh,

the weathering on your K4 is outstanding, just the right touch.

Carl

[nkalanaga]

Mark:  Nearly all of my talus is natural stone, and I was fortunate to be able to get a bunch of it from the area I model.  That, mixed with AR&M rocks, looks much better than WS, or the old standby, crushed plaster rocks.  Plus, it will never fade, and if a piece gets knocked loose, the hole is still the right color.  Many of my talus piles are solid, as weight wasn't an issue, and with plenty of glue, they'll survive almost anything, very handy around bridge piers and other structures..  On the other hand, matching the plaster rocks to the talus took some experimenting, and drilling a hole in one is almost impossible!

[Mark W]

Mark,

the layout is looking real nice and the trains appears to be running quite well also. Would you be willing to express your opinion of the z scale locos as to how they would compare to any n scale brand ? Just curious.

Carl

By N Scale standard's the American Z Line ACe is identical to Fox Valley Models, without the user applied grab irons and stuff (which is fair, being about 3/4th the size).  Even then, operational they match FVM exactly.  They're geared down and can really crawl!  Even has a drop-in decoder option!   The only weakness is a very dim lights (and yes, the ditch lights are operational!).  I'm hoping that the TCS decoder will fix that though. 


Here is the AZL ACe up next to a Kato ACe.  Notice how the AZL has the edge on more detailing (painted handrails, fuel valves, just as much decaling)!  The photo blurs a lot of the shell details on the Z Scale ACe, but aside from being a different prototype cab design, the molding and lettering is all there and just as crisp as the Kato.



It ships with truck mounted couplers, but includes two inserts to easily make it body mounted.  The inserts require you cut off the coupler box on the trucks, however a third truck is also included, presumably to keep a truck mounted coupler option should you need it.   There's a bit of trade off in going body mount; cutting the coupler off the truck allows it to swivel way further and negotiate super sharp curves (front truck on each unit below is swiveled hard over), but then of course the coupler itself will swing way out. 



If anyone is toying with the idea of a Z scale addition, the AZL ACe is definitely a good buy!  As of now, zgauge.com has just one BNSF left, probably the last one from anywhere of this release!  ZScaleMonster and MBK are sold out, though there are a few UP units left, and a bit of CSX still.   Sounds like there may be more BNSF in the coming months, while they phase through the heritage units.  KCS is also coming soon. 

[carlso]

Thank you Mark, very nice write up.

Carl

[rochsub]

Laying down some basic scenery.







Daryl

[chicken45]

Josh,

the weathering on your K4 is outstanding, just the right touch.

Carl

Thanks @carlso ! There will be a complete write up on it in the upcoming 2016 NTRAK Steam Annual.

[Lemosteam]

Thanks @carlso ! There will be a complete write up on it in the upcoming 2016 NTRAK Steam Annual.