Weekend Update 3/10/24

[up1950s]

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KkStB_Class_310.webm

https://www.verywellmind.com/siderodromophobia-2671877

https://railphoto-art.org/

https://www.facebook.com/100064622416551/videos/344966269611499?__so__=permalink

https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97487-emd-turns-100

https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2019/09/the-day-they-hung-murderous-mary.html

https://www.dynamicticketsolutions.com/rmne/index-responsive.cfm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=_mgyZk-ZLXI

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https://www.facebook.com/supercarblondie/videos/100-year-old-snow-blower-train/1798381803831602/

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https://www.railwayage.com/mw/report-va-tech-researchers-harness-energy-from-moving-trains-into-usable-electricity/

https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-railway-and-vs-railroad/

https://www.railswest.com/history/californiabeginnings.html

[randgust]

If you think CF7's are ugly, go find those eclipse glasses to shield yourself....

Well, following my multiple posts on Atlas GP7's, I did have a successful DC (not DCC) build of my own kit on the new chassis, along with four custom builds done or in-flight.

So, as a salute to this project that started, wow, back in 1988, here's my "CF7 Festival" on my layout, probably the last great meet of these units for the foreseeable future, as if 'it don't fit it may be time to quit' and I'm out of brass etchings - the $$$ part.

So, from back to front:

ATSF 2470, scratchbuilt on Roco Atlas GP7 hood, now on Classic chassis - and featured in April 1990 RMC.  This unit was a test unit master that failed for JnJ resin casting, long story.
ATSF 2614, scratchbuild on Roco Atlas GP7 hood, now on Classic chassis - also in RMC.   This was my first attempt at diesel scratchbuilding with styrene in 1988
ATSF 2471 (mine) done from my kit, on 2006 chassis;
ATSF 2615 (mine) done from my kit, on 2006 chassis; (round roof)
ATSF 2471 (custom) done from my kit on 2006 chassis, just done
A&E (ALY) 303 (mine) done from my kit on new 2023 chassis, just done (blue one)
TXR 103 (custom) done from my kit on 2006 chassis, just done

And there are 2 more customs on the bench still in pieces unpainted, later...  wanted them to make the Festival shoot but I need to ship customs tomorrow!



Link:  http://www.randgust.com/2024%20CF7%20Festival.jpg

[bbussey]

I forgot to post this last week. I 3D-printed an engine frame for an eventual EF4 Virginian electric, and decided to see if it actually would run. It is as light as a feather so it won’t pull a load, but it can pull itself. A great way to test before sending the digital model off for casting or machining.

[Mike Madonna]

Bryan,

Wow, very interesting approach!

[lock4244]

If you think CF7's are ugly, go find those eclipse glasses to shield yourself....

Well, following my multiple posts on Atlas GP7's, I did have a successful DC (not DCC) build of my own kit on the new chassis, along with four custom builds done or in-flight.

So, as a salute to this project that started, wow, back in 1988, here's my "CF7 Festival" on my layout, probably the last great meet of these units for the foreseeable future, as if 'it don't fit it may be time to quit' and I'm out of brass etchings - the $$$ part.

So, from back to front:

ATSF 2470, scratchbuilt on Roco Atlas GP7 hood, now on Classic chassis - and featured in April 1990 RMC.  This unit was a test unit master that failed for JnJ resin casting, long story.
ATSF 2614, scratchbuild on Roco Atlas GP7 hood, now on Classic chassis - also in RMC.   This was my first attempt at diesel scratchbuilding with styrene in 1988
ATSF 2471 (mine) done from my kit, on 2006 chassis;
ATSF 2615 (mine) done from my kit, on 2006 chassis; (round roof)
ATSF 2471 (custom) done from my kit on 2006 chassis, just done
A&E (ALY) 303 (mine) done from my kit on new 2023 chassis, just done (blue one)
TXR 103 (custom) done from my kit on 2006 chassis, just done

And there are 2 more customs on the bench still in pieces unpainted, later...  wanted them to make the Festival shoot but I need to ship customs tomorrow!



Link:  http://www.randgust.com/2024%20CF7%20Festival.jpg

The ALY CF7 is very hot.

[mandealco]

After 28 years of no layout, I’ve started my latest version of my Morristown & Erie.

I’m not a great woodworker, so wanted to do a shelf style layout, along the lines of Tim’s amazing Dawson Creek Sub.  After trying to obtain a similar shelving system and failing dismally, I took an alternative route and bought some modular garage type shelving.  Apart from the obvious and slightly annoying disadvantage, it has some great benefits.  I don’t need to buy any wood materials, just foam.  There is a heap of storage on the bottom two levels and the very top level will be a valance for lighting and hanging drop curtains from, after all, it’s in our garage.  The other 2 levels are for train operation.  There’re ready-made supports for backdrops and easy under shelf space for wiring and lighting.

In the photos, you can see part of the shelving, in all there’ll be 10 of varying depth and length, all the same height.  The modular shelving solution won’t work for every layout, but it’ll work for me.

The high nose C-628 is a little out of place on the M&E.  As a friend pointed out, right place, wrong Century!  The Geep in the third photo is crossing NJ Route 10 in Whippany on the part of the layout I built on our dining table last year while Laura was away for 3 months.  It’s now on one of the shelves.  I have the correct crossing gantries now, thanks to a guy that does top shelf (actually third shelf) 3D printing.


Have a great weekend.
Cheers
Steve

[nkalanaga]

Bryan:  I can remember when that was the big use for 3D printing - then called Rapid Prototyping.  Print a model, see if it works, then use the design for conventional manufacturing methods.  And it really wasn't that long ago!

[Sumner]

    First print of the roof over the south part of the building partially failed while printing. The second one ….


 
  … (above) came out fine. Next step was to print a new roof for the green chain shed that now goes in higher and intersects the roof shown above where the 'V' is.

    After adding more supports to the sides of the …..



    …. green chain roof it also printed fine.



    Designed and printed the siding to go on the end truss in each section. If this doesn't work well I'll join these prints in Fusion 360 to the end trusses and reprint them.

    Working on about the last area of the sawmill complex that I want to finish now. I'm modeling Hull-Oakes on this also. They have a lift (added later) on the side of the mill pond. Logs are pushed over to it with a small boat. The lift takes the log up to a track. It rolls onto the track and the chain there moves the log to and through the de-barker building where the bark is removed and then onto the mill to be cut.



    Above is my first attempt at the log lift and track. There are two sections above but there will be probably 5 sections in total. The vertical chain tracks move a log from the mill pond up to the track that then takes the log to the de-barker and then on to the mill. I printed this to see how the design will look printed. Sometimes what looks good in Fusion 360 doesn't print that well I need to make a few changes but overall I'm satisfied. Chain parts are about as small as possible and still printable.

    To be continued............

    A link to this whole build ( HERE ).

Sumner

[bnsfdash8]

I didn't do much with the MS-4 this week like I had planned other than get the speaker glued into its enclosure and seal everything up. I'm really happy with how the Soberton speaker sounds, but I should really invest in one of those test tracks with rollers.

[altohorn25]

[shark_jj]

After last weeks posting I resurrected my Grand Trunk Southern thread in the Layout Section and did a number of posts on installing new staging yards.  This week,  I'll put up a number of posts on re-doing the town of Gavinsport including adding a coal dump.  Here we see two Grand Trunk Southern RS3's leading the Nathansville local past the coal dump in Gavinsport. 

[Dave V]

[Angus Shops]

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I’m a big fan of your passenger train work and admire the work you do to create consist of trains other than those done by Kato or other manufacturers (not that there’s anything wrong with the sets; I just appreciate the effort).

I haven’t had the heart to apply any weathering to my passenger cars - in my world CP was very diligent in washing their equipment (and they actually were pretty good about keeping their cars clean). However CP cars, except the build built cars, all had black roofs and it strikes me that those grey roofs are just too clean…

[altohorn25]

I’m a big fan of your passenger train work and admire the work you do to create consist of trains other than those done by Kato or other manufacturers (not that there’s anything wrong with the sets; I just appreciate the effort).

I haven’t had the heart to apply any weathering to my passenger cars - in my world CP was very diligent in washing their equipment (and they actually were pretty good about keeping their cars clean). However CP cars, except the build built cars, all had black roofs and it strikes me that those grey roofs are just too clean…

There actually is a slight bit of weathering on the roofs of these cars (railroad tie brown - Modelflex)....it's just not easy to see in the video because of the lighting.  If you look specifically at the dining car, you might be able to see it a bit better in the video.

You are correct of course; these nice grey roofs didn't stay that way for long, especially when running through tunnels in the steam era. 

[wm3798]

Nice work happening this week.  Allow me to tone it down a bit.

I'm continuing to work on my TTrak flavored yard shelf, extended from the Hi Rail Hollow Core Door via two wyes, upper and lower.


Tonight I carved out enough space for a modest engine terminal.
The turntable is long enough to handle my fleet of Rivarossi Mike's and Pacific's, and one F unit at a time.

The engine house you may recognize as the old Pola Foundry kit.  I had modified it back in the late 80s for my original Laurel Valley layout, but it has lingered in Structure Limbo since about 1991.  The small footprint makes it a perfect shelter for a couple of locomotives.

The stub tracks can accommodate a switcher or two.

I believe the turntable is a vintage Pola or Faller model.  I picked it up in a lot purchase at N Scale Weekend last year.  I plan to motorized it some kind of way.  I have a couple of geared motors floating around so I'm sure something can be cobbled together.
I've also started affixing the approach and yard tracks on the lower level, and the beginnings of a control panel are starting to emerge from the mist.



Onward and upward in the tar pits of N scale.

Speaking of dinosaurs, I popped in to Main Line today to engage in a modest swap meet with Adam, and received this diamond in the rough...



An Arnold Rapido GP9.  It was in a million pieces... he offered it to me for the hand rails (See my inquiry on the Trading Post) but it was mostly complete, save for the vital fuel tank weight, which holds the thing together so it can run.  After a short dumpster dive into my parts inventory, I was able to produce one, and after a shot of contact cleaner and some gear oil, it's now on the active Hi Rail roster... although it too needs some handrails.

The quest continues..

Lee