Weekend Update 11/20/16

[peteski]

Finished the VIA Rail F40PH2D tonight.

And with the lighting package, including the third HID head light.



Craig

Edit: aaaaaaand the number board decal is peeling. What is it with me and number boards?

That model of a strange variant of this loco came out great!  Now after it was painted it doesn't  look as ugly as it did unpainted.  One thing that bugs me is the light shining into he cab.  That to me looks like something out an '80s Bachmann model.  Put a light-block in that baby!

[craigolio1]

Thanks everyone.

I like the snappy paint on these locos too.

It had a light block but I had to remove the bottom of it to allow for the wires and resistors. It bugs me too. The next step would be to remove the Kato LED and relocate one right to the head light. I already have to deal with wires for the HID light so it's no big deal.

This loco actually no longer belongs to me. The new owner didn't object to the light but my pride is at stake here. I may let it go on my own model but to send it off to someone else I want it to be perfect. I also want to fix the light bleed around the number boards. Speaking of which if i relocate the head light then I need to light the number boards separately.

Maybe I can put a light block in but higher up.

Hmmmmmmm. 

Craig

[chicken45]

There was another documented Lee sighting today in Locust Point.

[wazzou]

Maybe I can put a light block in but higher up.

Hmmmmmmm. 

Craig

Just spitballing, but has anyone tried to use clay to run the wires through but not allowing the light through?

[craigolio1]

I was thinking of putting a piece of electrical tape in as a lock. Back and flexible. But clay is a great idea too!

[LIRR]

An RS11 collects a stray car from Harold Yard......


.....and leaves town with it and a few caboose as the property is being abandoned....

[tehachapifan]

Great stuff! LOVE the VIA unit!

The impending FVM release inspired me to resurrect an old phase I GP60 kitbash started 9 years ago  , using a Lifelike DRGW GP60 as a starting point. This is going to be an SP unit (#9601) and this week I added the cab roof details and the headlight casting in the nose (the short hood was taken from an Atlas SD60 shell and the headlight notch was created with a file)....





The dynamic brake blister was heavily modified to better represent the angles and curves of the phase I units. The side grids were taken from I believe an Atlas GP40 shell (it's been a while!)....



Access door added on Engineer's side...



Fireman's side....

[peteski]

Thanks everyone.

I like the snappy paint on these locos too.

It had a light block but I had to remove the bottom of it to allow for the wires and resistors. It bugs me too. The next step would be to remove the Kato LED and relocate one right to the head light. I already have to deal with wires for the HID light so it's no big deal.

This loco actually no longer belongs to me. The new owner didn't object to the light but my pride is at stake here. I may let it go on my own model but to send it off to someone else I want it to be perfect. I also want to fix the light bleed around the number boards. Speaking of which if i relocate the head light then I need to light the number boards separately.

Maybe I can put a light block in but higher up.

Hmmmmmmm. 

Craig

I'm glad I mentioned the light bleed.   
If you relocate the headlight LED, why not still use piece of the original light conduit?  Just shorten it but leave enough inside the roof so some of the light will get reflected to the number boards when you place the small SMD LED in the back of the trimmed light conduit. Number boards shouldn't be very brightly lit anyway.

For light block I would use some 0.010" black styrene, or just flood the light conduit/LED area with some epoxy, then paint it white first (for reflectivity), then cover it with silver or black paint (multiple coats) until no light gets out.  If you do use black styrene then you s=can still seal any gaps with epoxy ant then paint the epoxy areas with paint to block the light.

As far as the peeling number board decals go, did you apply them to bare plastic or was it painted first?  If now, I would have painted the plastic (with a coat of white paint so it stays translucent, or even just clear lacquer. Decals seem to stick better to painted surfaces. Use plenty of decal setting solution, then when dry I would also  apply some glosscote over the decal.  That way the decals should never peel or curl up.

[skytop35]

One of my Trainfest purchases was a Centralia Car Shops 4-4-2 Sleeper to add to my City of Los Angeles train. The gray roof and underbody were way off compared to my other cars so I masked off the cars side and did a repaint to get a better match. Of course I couldn't stop there so I changed the name to "Imperial Sands" and cut away the skirting between the trucks. I also ended up bending new grab irons from finer nickel silver wire. She's now ready to join my COLA consist!

[Santa Fe Guy]

One of my Trainfest purchases was a Centralia Car Shops 4-4-2 Sleeper to add to my City of Los Angeles train. The gray roof and underbody were way off compared to my other cars so I masked off the cars side and did a repaint to get a better match. Of course I couldn't stop there so I changed the name to "Imperial Sands" and cut away the skirting between the trucks. I also ended up bending new grab irons from finer nickel silver wire. She's now ready to join my COLA consist!

Great work as usual Bill and great pic also.
Rod.

[BCR 570]

I have made a good start on preparing the flex track for my Pine River bridge.  I began by assembling a short test section:




A little bit of work each evening resulted in all three sections of track assembled by the end of the week:




Meanwhile, the main line turnouts and control panels are working well and the layout is being prepared for two Open Houses including hte Railway Modellers Meet Superintendent's Tour on Sunday and the North Shore Modellers on Wednesday.


Tim

[BCR 570]

Craig:

You have made good progress in completing some models of late - the CP Rail GPs last week and the VIA unit this week are difficult schemes to paint and decal.  I always enjoy seeing Canadian prototype modelling of this quality in N Scale - well done.

Re light in the cab - David Mackinnon has installed light blocks in some of units, but we have also installed an LED for a cab light which is a separate function.  These are dialled down considerably so as not to be too intense.  Some were also doped light green to match the interior wall colour of the cabs in BCR units.  I have been pleased with the results, althugh attaining hte correct intensity is a challenge.


Tim

[bbussey]

I've done as much work on the layout as I can start and finish before the McGrattan Memorial train arrives, so I resumed work on the EP-3. I tested the DCC version of the rapid prototype brass chassis for the first time today. The only change needed is to mill new channels for the power and motor wires further away from the center, because currently they are too close to the front flywheel for my liking. But I'm pleased with the operation and will proceed with the full detail on the end platforms and wiring the light feeds to springs on the corners that will transfer power to the roof lights before moving to the body.

[wazzou]

@BCR 570
Tim -
The guardrails should go to the outsides of those little nubs on the ties so that they are between the spike heads and the nubs.

[Dave V]

@BCR 570
Tim -
The guardrails should go to the outsides of those little nubs on the ties so that they are between the spike heads and the nubs.

Here's an example of what he means: