Weekend Update 10/27/19

[wm3798]

One last project for the weekend...


Coal loads!  I did them the old fashioned way...  sanded some balsa to shape, painted it black, and rolled it in some black grit.



Turned out nominally well, I think.

Retro loads for retro cars!!
Lee

[MK]

Define "black grit".  You mean grout?  Or just plain dirt?

[davefoxx]

Try black sand from the craft store.  It adds a nice glisten to the pieces of coal- just like the real thing



DFF

[peteski]

Try black sand from the craft store.  It adds a nice glisten to the pieces of coal- just like the real thing

DFF

There is also a sand-like black material road crews sprinkle over the sticky crack sealer after the seal the cracks in asphalt.  That stuff looks just like scaled-down coal (it also glistens). I was told it was called "black beauty", but I'm not sure if that is the real name.  I wonder if the black sand from craft stores is the same stuff?

[johnb]

[DKS]

There is also a sand-like black material road crews sprinkle over the sticky crack sealer after the seal the cracks in asphalt.  That stuff looks just like scaled-down coal (it also glistens). I was told it was called "black beauty", but I'm not sure if that is the real name.  I wonder if the black sand from craft stores is the same stuff?

Black Beauty is also sold as a substitute for sand in locomotives. We use it at the Pine Creek RR.

[Steveruger45]

We used Black beauty in the marine industry as a shot blasting media for cleaning paint and rust off of ships hulls.
You can get at Amazon and other places.
BLACK BEAUTY Abrasive Blast Media Fine Abrasive 20/40 Mesh Size for use in Sandblast Cabinet - 10 LBS https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010VLIF90/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_7-mUDbCY0K1QV

[Chris333]

Don't know if it's Black Beauty or not, but I used this to take my VW down to bare metal:
https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/concrete-cement-masonry/bagged-concrete-cement-mortar/black-blast-blasting-sand-50-lb/1891331/p-1444445322601.htm

[delamaize]

It's been a while since I have been able to do anything that is worth showing off, With my work schedule, and life in general, Pretty much all my hobbies have been basically cut back to only a few hours every once in a while. I am still here, and I am still lurking in the shadows, Just not really active. I feel really bad about the whole thing, because Not only have I had to kinda take a back seat here, where I felt that I was very active. But I am also in a N-trak club, and I have not been able to attend hardly any shows, or events this year. To add insult to injury, At the beginning of the year, I was working a different shift, and all the shows we were planning on attending, all fell on my day off blocks, and I was excited. Then right before Show season started, I got changed to a different shift, and literally every show now fell during my work tour. I feel really bad about it, because not only do I feel I'm not pulling my weight and not able to help like I would like to, But I'm missing a lot of shows that I really like, and in some cases, I'm missing the last time for some of those shows, for instance, the Mt Cheam Lions club will not able to do the Chilliwack BC show anymore. This year was the last show, and I missed it. Given this was one of my favorite shows, I am very disappointed. Life really does get in the way of what you want to do.

As for progress on stuff, My N-Trak Module now has the sculptimold down, and the roadway sub structure down, and I am happy with the overall shape. I need to sand the roadway areas down, and get them as flat as possible, as I am using Noch Asphalt roadways, and parking lots. I still have to finish the station, but I have been inching away at it. All that is left is windows, doors, and frames, Chimney, small details, Like gutters, and such, and painting. The other 2 structures are pretty much finished, other than interiors, and paint.

Other projects, I decodered another GP9 the other day, so now all of my GP7/9 are decodered now, One problem is this unit is a UP unit, and the Road number is 205, I also have a GP7TT that is Milwaukee, which is also 205. So now I have to figure out which unit I want to give an odd address, or renumber. Alternatively, I have considered trading out the UP and MILW shells for NP, If I can find people that want to trade, or find shells at a show lately, When I am able to go to shows.

I think I have established why my Athearn Challenger has such poor pulling power. To me, it looks like the traction tires are too narrow to make good contact with the rails, and are too thin, which is not letting enough of the weight ride on the traction tire drivers. I have a plan to cut the groove for the traction tires wider, and find thicker tires. This will give me more of a traction patch, I look at it the same way as if you have a car that you added a bunch of power to, More power = more tire on the ground. I am hesitant to start the work, because Athearn has said that their is no replacement drivers for the NP challengers available, and I don't want to accidentally destroy the originals, and render the loco useless.

I'll try to update projects in the weekend updates as I can.

Thanks for putting up with my garbage guys.

[peteski]

It's been a while since I have been able to do anything that is worth showing off, With my work schedule, and life in general, Pretty much all my hobbies have been basically cut back to only a few hours every once in a while. I am still here, and I am still lurking in the shadows, Just not really active. I feel really bad about the whole thing, because Not only have I had to kinda take a back seat here, where I felt that I was very active.
. . .

I think I have established why my Athearn Challenger has such poor pulling power. To me, it looks like the traction tires are too narrow to make good contact with the rails, and are too thin, which is not letting enough of the weight ride on the traction tire drivers. I have a plan to cut the groove for the traction tires wider, and find thicker tires. This will give me more of a traction patch, I look at it the same way as if you have a car that you added a bunch of power to, More power = more tire on the ground. I am hesitant to start the work, because Athearn has said that their is no replacement drivers for the NP challengers available, and I don't want to accidentally destroy the originals, and render the loco useless.

Don't feel bad Mike - life often takes priority over hobbies.  Besides, hobby is something you should be enjoying (even if it is infrequently), and not feel bad about not spending too much time on hobbies or online forums.

Getting to the Challenger, it has 4 factory-installed traction tires.  You feel that they are too narrow? You mean the factory turned groove and the tire is too narrow? If the narrow tire is located close to the flange then that is the area where the wheel contacts the rail, so they are probably fine as they are.  Before cutting wider groves in the drivers and finding fatter tires, I would first try to shim the traction tire driver bearings, to get the driver to sit lower than the other drivers (thus putting more weight on it.  Not much is needed. The shim can just be a strip of typing paper (around 0.003").  Or maybe couple of thicknesses of paper.  This type of modification has been successfully used in other steam locos.

Or maybe the traction tires are too loose, and are simply slipping inside the groove, instead of providing traction?  I don't know how many workarounds have you tried, but would make sense to exhaust all the other options before cutting new grooves in the irreplaceable drivers.

[MK]

Sorry to hear that about your job situation Mike.  Could you take vacation days for those shows that you really really want to go to?  Maybe not every single one.  At least that keeps the fire burning.

I know it sounds crazy to take a vacation day for a train show but if it makes you happy and that's what you want to do, then it's worth it.

Hang in there.  The situation isn't permanent.

[Cajonpassfan]

Don't feel bad Mike - life often takes priority over hobbies. ...

Getting to the Challenger, it has 4 factory-installed traction tires.  You feel that they are too narrow? You mean the factory turned groove and the tire is too narrow? ...

Or maybe the traction tires are too loose, and are simply slipping inside the groove, instead of providing traction?  I don't know how many workarounds have you tried, but would make sense to exhaust all the other options before cutting new grooves in the irreplaceable drivers.

This has been my issue with them, and I have several. The tire stretches way out and slips. Frustrating that a locomotive that large (and that pricey) get outpulled by a Mikado...
Replacing the tires is a pain, requires valve gear disassembly, and the (expensive) Athearn replacement tires have the same problem. I ended up cutting about 3/32’s of an inch out and gluing the remainder in using Goo. It’s a fix, but I don’t know how permanent it is...time will tell.
Otto K.

[OldEastRR]

The house is on three levels, each separated by a flight of stairs. It's also fairly small, with ~850 sq. ft. of living space.

850 sq ft? Where does the big layout fit?

[DKS]

850 sq ft? Where does the big layout fit?

In the layout room (a.k.a. the studio), highlighted in yellow:

[DKS]

This has been my issue with them, and I have several. The tire stretches way out and slips. Frustrating that a locomotive that large (and that pricey) get outpulled by a Mikado...
Replacing the tires is a pain, requires valve gear disassembly, and the (expensive) Athearn replacement tires have the same problem. I ended up cutting about 3/32’s of an inch out and gluing the remainder in using Goo. It’s a fix, but I don’t know how permanent it is...time will tell.
Otto K.

Would removing the traction tires altogether and replacing them with Frog Snot be an alternative solution to the problem?