Weekend Update 11/28/21

[up1950s]

>>>> This company , BLI , was chosen and created for todays header aprox 24 hours before I got their eMail announcing the new N scale smoking Big Boy run . <<<<

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Broadway+Limited+Imports/@29.2956777,-81.118852,17.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x88e6dcd9404c8909:0xf4783c08b28f7a48!8m2!3d29.2955841!4d-81.1181051

https://www.broadway-limited.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway_Limited_Imports

https://www.google.com/search?sa=X&hl=en&q=Bob+Grubba&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LUz9U3yC7MNSlW4gIxjczKcspTtNSzk630k0qLM_NSi4vhjPj8gtSixJLM_DyrtPzSvJTUokWsXE75SQruRaVJSYk7WBkBBtwkSVIAAAA&ved=2ahUKEwi79K__mqb0AhVcRDABHVLCBQEQmxMoAXoECDEQAw&biw=1879&bih=893&dpr=1

https://www.google.com/search?q=Bob+Grubba&hl=en&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LUz9U3yC7MNSlW4gIxjczKcspTtNSzk630k0qLM_NSi4vhjPj8gtSixJLM_DyrtPzSvJTUokWsXE75SQruRaVJSYk7WBkBBtwkSVIAAAA&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj7pPerm6b0AhVGQzABHVjCAE4Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1879&bih=893&dpr=1

https://www.broadway-limited.com/about-us.aspx

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https://www.facebook.com/BroadwayLimited/

[altohorn25]

I got a bunch of my SP Overnight cars weathered over the past few weeks (I have more coming that I purchased off Ebay).

I got an A-B-B-A set of Kato F3's in the Black Widow paint job detailed, weathered, and equipped with Digitrax decoders as well.

A work in progress, but it's coming along.  With the all black cars, I can date the train anytime from 1945-1956.  The cars were converted to the silver paint job starting in 1956.

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[Dave V]

Received my author’s copy of the 2021 HOn3 Annual from White River Productions today. Cover shot plus an article.

[bbussey]

Finished a Mack AC Bulldog tractor for the circus consist. I see I have some minor touch-up to do.

[Philip H]

Received my author’s copy of the 2021 HOn3 Annual from White River Productions today. Cover shot plus an article.

Congrats @Dave V

[jjb62556]

Congrats on the Cover and story!!

[Erik W]

I completed the decking on my HOn3 D&RGW Jordan Spreader OU.  Adding the deck planks was pretty straight forward.  As you can see, the forward section of planking are a scale 2'3" longer than those at the rear.  The deck structure is just set on there for the photo op.  Next step will be beginning to add a whole lot of white metal castings to this beast.







Erik

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The FP10 is about 95% done at this point.

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Grabs added and painted. Several of the OEM grabs were lost over the years so I used the ones I had as a pattern to bend new ones.

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The etched FARR grill was cut to length and glue in after I did basic weathering to the air intake area. This will be weathered further when the rest of the model is weathered.

Not 100% happy with the numbers and decal strips over the HEP generater. This was a major problem area during painting and I needed to sharpen up the area with purple decal stock. It worked but it left a bit of a "welding seam". I hope that this will disappear when hit with dullcote.

The front access ladder is inset like the prototype, but interferes with truck movement. This will need to be moved.

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Engineer's side required less modifications. I do need to clean up the rear a bit and need to figure out what to do with the marker lights which are just holes at the moment.

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The front received the most attention. New nose grabs were bent with a jig I used from the PD hopper kit. Number boards are from ShellScale and were a pretty good match for the MBTA type face used.

So what is left?
Air horns - which are some sort of odd 4 or 5 chime deal. I may grab one from a Kato SDP40F. A few cab vents need to be added as well as the rear marker light details. That front ladder needs to be moved out to enable truck swivel. Then heavy weathering all around and headlight and cab glass I stalled. Finally I'll need to find a way to model the rock screens on the windshields.


This model will run a consist of two Osgood Bradley cars, a single Comet II coach and two de-motored RDCs to model a North Station train at tail end of the first generation equipment on the MBTA - around 1991.

[peteski]

That FP10 looks the ballz!  I would love to build one of those someday.

Bryan:  I've been silently following your circus train construction and I'm very impressed, especially seeing CAD and 3D printing being utilized.  My friend Roland Kelley model red and blue train consists, but using conventional scratchbuilding and kitbashing techniques, his is not quite as accurate as yours.

[GaryHinshaw]

I finally finished upgrading the first three cars in my grain fleet: a set in IM Trinity 5161 covered hoppers:





Upgrades include: switching to 100T trucks and lowering the ride height; body mounting the couplers with 3d-printed pockets and LEZ couplers; adding a crosswalk (integral with the coupler pocket); replacing the goofy inset stirrups with 3d-printed replacements; painting the roof walk supports in the body colour; and finishing off with some basic weathering. 

Here's a comparison to an as-shipped car:



and a view of one end, with the exposure saturated to show detail:



Link to the 3d parts: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/fi2AkLyyuvg

[peteski]

Dude!  Those cars (including the track and ballast) look like prototype cars!  At least to my eyes. I can't believe this is N scale!

[bbussey]

That FP10 looks the ballz!  I would love to build one of those someday.

Bryan:  I've been silently following your circus train construction and I'm very impressed, especially seeing CAD and 3D printing being utilized.  My friend Roland Kelley model red and blue train consists, but using conventional scratchbuilding and kitbashing techniques, his is not quite as accurate as yours.

Thanks Pete.  The Bulldog is actually a combination of old-school and new-school.  I bought an as-built Bulldog flatbed truck off Shapeways and kitbashed it into the tractor as it appeared in the 1950s.  Lots of careful sawing, filing and sanding.  The frame was shortened four feet, and the spoke wheels, flatbed and side lanterns were removed.  The wheels, headlights, windshield, front bumper and rear hitch are new additions to the original model.

[ednadolski]

Upgrades include: switching to 100T trucks and lowering the ride height; body mounting the couplers with 3d-printed pockets and LEZ couplers; adding a crosswalk (integral with the coupler pocket); replacing the goofy inset stirrups with 3d-printed replacements; painting the roof walk supports in the body colour; and finishing off with some basic weathering. 

Looks really great, Gary!   Any chance I could hit you up for the .pwmo file(s)?

One question, the BLMA trucks are the only thing to lower the car?  Just asking, cuz the 4th pic looks like the centerline of the LEZ is slightly lower than that of the factory coupler.

Ed

[Cajonpassfan]

Gary, those hoppers are truly outstanding!
Otto

[nkalanaga]

daniel_leavitt2000:  Do you know why they put the road number on  the roof?  I've seen that on containers, tank cars, and a few other cars, to make loading and unloading spotting easier, but not on a locomotive.