Weekend Update 7/3/22

[TiogaTracks]

It’s beginning to look like more than a circle!  The revised track plan, with many changes to make curves smoother, looks ready to build.  More in my Layout Engineering thread.

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-Steven

[mplsjct]

Finished a custom handrail job of two Life-Like Alco C624's ……



Link:  http://www.randgust.com/C624SPS30501.jpg

Very nice!

[BCR 570]

Concurrent with finishing my Van iron chip cars, I have applied some upgrades to my two HSC cars from the 9766-9825 series.  These models have been in service on my layout for several years and the opportunity was taken to upgrade them with the correct Atlas National C-1 trucks and some brass air hoses:










Tim

[davefoxx]

Happy 246^th Independence Day!



As you can see, I figured out what to do with the narrow space between the tracks and the aisle that has been haunting me for almost five years.  I decided to model a teeny corner of a golf hole that parallels the former Seaboard Air Line mainline in Southern Pines, North Carolina.  Welcome to the No. 2 hole of the Southern Pines Golf Club, a 490-yard, Par 5.

More on The Carolina Sandhills Lines thread in the Layout Engineering Forum.

DFF

[amato1969]

Cool use of that trackside space @davefoxx .   Just don't be long on your approach shot into that green!

  Frank

[davefoxx]

Cool use of that trackside space @davefoxx .   Just don't be long on your approach shot into that green!

  Frank

Yeah, you’d put it over the road and into Allen’s yard.  That’s where we keep all of the snakes. 

DFF

[packers#1]

Thanks to the day off, I was able to get a few hours to weather some freight cars. It’s been a while, and back then I was only using Brandon Powders. For these, I started with an alcohol/India ink was and artist oils, then built on top of that with the powders. Overall I like the effects I was able to achieve, although I think they’re all a bit over weathered. The good news? If there’s one thing I’ve learned about railroading while working at a company that gets plastic pellets: there’s a HUGE variety in the amount of weathering these cars get. As long as I can tone it down on the next few I’ll be fine.

First up is this WLPX hopper. The large rust streak over the reporting marks is a bit wider than I wanted, but overall I like the depth of texture I was able to get. The big splotch of color over the black and white graffiti is to hide a bit of pooling from the wash; lesson learned on working that. I really like the small rust streaks at the other end. The flip side of it is overall good, I tried to go a bit lighter. I like the rust splotches but really could have done a better job of being lighter at the far end.





This DOWX car has one great side, and one that got away from me. These powders seem to stick much better than they used to (probably from age), so the build up gets away from me way quicker than it used to. The first side is probably my most successful so far. The big splotch on the other side is what I described above, it got away from me. I’m going to get a set of decal paper in a different color than what the car has right now and put a large patch over it to simulate the shop painting over some less than tasteful graffiti, which I’ve seen several cars have.





Finally, I’ve got this FBOX. The other side is a disaster so it’ll be a one side only car, but overall, I’m feeling ok with this. Again, a little over weathered, and I certainly need to practice black washes more, but it’s passable for now.

[John]

Spent the weekend up around the Cleveland area .. took a train ride .. had seats up in the dome car ..







 lots of wild life .. and a relaxing rocking train ride behind some PAs

[TiogaTracks]

The weathering looks great Sawyer!  I feel you on over-weathering, it’s way too easy to do.  But, it looks way better than a whole fleet of un-weathered cars.

I completed rough grading for the re-laid front yard “Wellsboro Junction” loop.  It’s now egg-shaped to accommodate transition curves.  I claimed some more lawn to make space for more gravel, then raised the entire loop about an inch.  More in the WAG Layout thread.

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-Steven

[Jesse6669]

The right side of this car looks spot-on for those "mildewy" grain hoppers I see all the time but it would cover the whole car.   Was this just the india ink wash on this section?
Jesse

[bbunge]

Finished up a batch of six 3D printed (Thingiverse) hoppers to take me up to 35 cars total.  This time there were 23 steps per car from first print to final car.  In the past, I have used ground up coal from a piece I picked up at Strasburg RR, this time I used coal from the East Broad Top yard at Mt Union, PA.  They are different types of coal, so look different once in the car. 



Bob

[ednadolski]

First up is this WLPX hopper. The large rust streak over the reporting marks is a bit wider than I wanted, but overall I like the depth of texture I was able to get. The big splotch of color over the black and white graffiti is to hide a bit of pooling from the wash; lesson learned on working that. I really like the small rust streaks at the other end. The flip side of it is overall good, I tried to go a bit lighter. I like the rust splotches but really could have done a better job of being lighter at the far end.

Oils are pretty forgiving.   You might be able to refine these by applying some solvent over them with a flat brush, then after it activates you can remove some of the excess paint with a clean brush or makeup sponge.  You can 'shape' or 'sharpen' the streaks by working at them from either side with a clean/damp flat brush, try to keep them as straight/vertical as you can, and remember they generally get thinner as they get lower.  Working it in several passes gives more control.  (f you've already sealed w/Dullcote then some Micro-Sol can remove the Dullcote -- might take a bit of time for it to work).

Ed

[packers#1]

The right side of this car looks spot-on for those "mildewy" grain hoppers I see all the time but it would cover the whole car.   Was this just the india ink wash on this section?
Jesse

I added in some dark grey powder as well to darken it up. These are plastics hoppers, not grain, but overall still gets them grimy.

Oils are pretty forgiving.   You might be able to refine these by applying some solvent over them with a flat brush, then after it activates you can remove some of the excess paint with a clean brush or makeup sponge.  You can 'shape' or 'sharpen' the streaks by working at them from either side with a clean/damp flat brush, try to keep them as straight/vertical as you can, and remember they generally get thinner as they get lower.  Working it in several passes gives more control.  (f you've already sealed w/Dullcote then some Micro-Sol can remove the Dullcote -- might take a bit of time for it to work).

Ed

Yep they’re already sealed and also have powder over the oil. I’m not displeased with it, it’s just a bit wider than the proto picture I was working from.