Weekend Update 2/10/19

[SP-Wolf]

A visitor to the coast line --- A pair of ATSF GP-7's making a detour.




Thanks,
Wolf

[Tom L]

I found this on EBay cheap, a Peoria and Eastern Athearn 50 foot boxcar. I sanded down the bottom sill to match a prototype photo of a similar car, replaced the McHenry couplers with Accumates and replaced the trucks with BLMA trucks/wheels. I made bolster bushings out of brass tube for the trucks so they fit the Athearn mounting posts.

I'm a sucker for slogan boxcars, so what could be better than "Quicker Via Peoria" hooking up with "The Peoria Gateway"?

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Tom L
Wellington Co

[davefoxx]

I patched this L&N GP40-2.

First, I soaked some tissue paper with Micro Sol (as pictured below) and let that soak on the L&N lettering for about ten minutes.  Then, with some elbow grease, I scrubbed the lettering off with a Q-Tip and more Micro Sol:



Now, she's a proper Seaboard System GP40-2:



DFF

[Virginia Atlantic]

I've been working on installing a road overpass and surrounding scenery on this curve. Got ground cover and ballast down this week.



Caleb.

Ovation Headstock Sighting.

[coldriver]

Ovation Headstock Sighting.

Glen Campbell alert!

[Mark W]

First day at the Lawrence train show was great! 

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[Cajonpassfan]

After getting a dose of inspiration over on the DCC thread, I finished-up installing an ESU LokSound decoder in an Arnold SW-1 switcher this week. I went a step further by installing three SMD capacitors, which are sandwiched between the chassis and speaker enclosure. Wire grab irons and weathering finished it off.

That's just too cool!
I don't suppose you have any pics of the innards showing how you squeezed the caps in?
Otto

[bbussey]

Some EP-3 progress, after a long hiatus.  For the first time, the model has some visual heft and mass to it.  Still a ways to go but I finally can see the finish line.

[Lemosteam]

In the late 30's the PRR tried this per prototype and found that the extra weight of the full tender forced one less passenger car for revenue, so they dropped the idea shortly thereafter.



I had been wanting to do this for a very long time.  I married a BLI Long Distance 210P75 PRR class tender to a Bachmann K4.  Tried to put a 13 x 18 Soberton speaker in with the BLI Paragon2 decoder and found out in another thread the Paragon2 has a 50Ohm amp  .  So to make the wiring easier, I just pulled the Paragon 2 electronics and put the Bachmann Economi in with the Soberton.  I think it sounds really nice, see video below.



Fit up with custom drawbar. i like how close the tender is:


Another view:


Repainted the boiler with my own mix of DGLE:


Here's the video.  SPF's please forgive the wrong whistle, I was anxious to see how she ran:
 

[John]

Model Railroaders Trainfest 2018 report showcased a track inspection car for $35.  It comes with a level, and a magnifier .. It looks like a very nice product .  Well, some things are still within my ability to model -- and I am not going to spend that kind of money for a piece of plexi and a couple of MT trucks ..  I still need to get a small level, and a cheap magnifier, but here it is ..

http://mrr.trains.com/news-reviews/new-products/2018/11/trainfest-2018-show-report




And bubble levels ..

https://www.amazon.com/Circular-Measuring-Instruments-Phonograph-Turntable/dp/B07KMX8C5C/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1549797152&sr=8-24&keywords=small+bubble+level

[Chris333]

Model Railroaders Trainfest 2018 report showcased a track inspection car for $35.  It comes with a level, and a magnifier .. It looks like a very nice product .  Well, some things are still within my ability to model -- and I am not going to spend that kind of money for a piece of plexi and a couple of MT trucks ..  I still need to get a small level, and a cheap magnifier, but here it is ..

http://mrr.trains.com/news-reviews/new-products/2018/11/trainfest-2018-show-report




And bubble levels ..

https://www.amazon.com/Circular-Measuring-Instruments-Phonograph-Turntable/dp/B07KMX8C5C/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1549797152&sr=8-24&keywords=small+bubble+level

Sell then for $32 bucks on ebay 

[John]

Sell then for $32 bucks on ebay 

L@@K -- Rare -- Custom made

Seriously though .. Plexi was about $1 -- the MT Trucks are $6 MSRP, and the MT 1025's are $5 MSRP ..   so about $12 for parts if you buy it all @ MSRP .. and about 30 minutes of modeling time ..  the commercial product looks very nice and is probably laser cut .. mine was scrided with an Xacto knife and snapped .. I used the bolsters from an old Life Like 90 ton coal car, cut down to proper height .. and some expoxy .. but for what I want to use it for, its perfect

[Caleb Austin]

Ovation Headstock Sighting.

Ha, good eye! Accompanied by Martin and Fender companions hiding behind the trees.

Caleb.

[Philip H]

This week the workbench was given over to the 9 year old daughter to produce some miniature barrel cacti for her project on the Sonora Desert. The bodies are air dry clay and the spines are 20lb test monofilament.

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[arbomambo]

finishing the ATSF Brownhoist derrick and boom car (lettering is a 'foobie' since ATSF didn't own cranes exactly like these)
I'll probably add a little more data lettering to the boom car.




I also added some detail on a couple of T-TRAK locos, even though I try to keep these detail free for show running. I felt I had to place these in the 1995-96 era that I wanted for these. This required adding the AC units and antenna planes/antennas, at the very least. I also moved the horn, on the FP45, to the rear. I'll cover the beacon and original horn openings with styrene blanking plates. I still need to move the Dash 8 headlights to the low hood, blank the upper openings, paint the trucks on both, and add the sinclair antennas...