Living the dream.
Hello again everyone. Last week the edition of Weekend Photo Fun was a bit light, but all the pictures that were shared were still great. I am hoping this week will be a heavy edition.
This week my share is a discovered old photograph that my little sister sent me.
I am going to declare that this is the oldest known photograph of any STRATTON AND GILLETTE equipment. I have some pictures of SGRR #4 which is the first piece of SGRR equipment, but they are newer photographs because I still have that model.
I no longer have either one of these models.
If you click the image you will get a larger (by a little bit) view.
These are from when I was in High School and the STRATTON AND GILLETTE was being modeled in N scale. It was an Appalachian Coal Hauler back in those days.
The locomotive is a little siderod three axle diesel. For such a tiny thing I remember that it ran pretty good. I added the air tank to the roof and it was probably made from a dowel rod.
The "Railway Business Office" was a modified Bachmann old timer. I soldered together the deck railing from copper wire. For some reason I thought it needed side freight doors right next to the end steps. I wanted the car to look like it had air conditioning so I removed the celestory from the roof. I made the air conditioning duct from a piece of dowel rod. I remember using Bondo Spot Filler to blend the dowel to the roofline. This model rode on Kadee (this was pre-Micro-Trains) 6 wheel passenger car trucks. I added some equipment to the underframe.
Back then, beige and tuscan were the dominent colors on the SGRR. This would hold true for decades.
Ah, the memories of all the fun I had with that layout back in my teenage years.
I don't know where the picture was taken. That is not my layout. I would guess this was on one of the early club layouts from Scale Rails of Southwest Florida. Maybe it was at one of our train shows.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone else's fun photographs this weekend. This thread should always be the best one of the week.
-Kevin
Thanks for the great sendoff for the last WPF in October, Kevin. You sure have lots of memories in that photo!
Last week I did some DCC decoder and speaker improvements on some locos. Not many folks are interested in that stuff here. This week I finally got a few freight cars and one locomotive in the beginning stages of weathering:
Weathered_Stock by Edmund, on Flickr
I bought this Paasche Talon about three years ago! 'Bout time I got the cobwebs off the thing!
Paasche_Talon by Edmund, on Flickr
90% of my airbrushing is with the model H and sometimes the VLB. Actually I tried out one of the Amazon $25 jobs and it really IS a pretty capable brush. Nice to have options.
Knockoff_airbrush by Edmund, on Flickr
I made this turntable stand some years ago. It allows me to get the spray up under the side sills. It is also wired so I can set the throttle at a slow speed and get nice, even coverage of running gear and driving wheels.
P5a_weather-stand by Edmund, on Flickr
A dash of CRC 6-26 keeps the wheels slipping and reduces paint cleanup. A hefty coupler anchor holds the loco in place while the wheels turn.
P5a_weather by Edmund, on Flickr
P5a_stand by Edmund, on Flickr
Looking forward to more contributions on this cold and rainy (for many of us) weekend !
Cheers, Ed
Nice kickoff Kevin. Oh, how I wish I had ANY pictures of old layouts or equipment. But what you said about your sister giving you a photo reminded me of something. More on that later.
Ed, that elevated painting table with power rails is great! I see one of those in my future.
Speaking of side rod diesels, I was already going to post this, it came in the mail today. I saw it on Ebay and was intrigued by none other than it's side rods. The buy it now price was cheap enough, so I snapped it up.
The description said it runs. It does, and better than I might have thought. It's sporadic operation is due to poor contact, but when hooked up to alligator clips it runs smoothly, and even way better when some neo magnets were stuck on the sides ot the old magnet. I'll put a new one in it, later on.
There's no mention of brand whatsoever, but it looks old Mantua-ish. The drive is solidly built. It looks Sn3, more than HO. Like AHM Bowkers, ya know? Here posing with my all time fave Matchbox car...
If anyone knows what it is, I'd appreciate being clued in! For now, it goes safely in a box to wait it's turn while I make progress on scenery. Speaking of which...
The crew is hard at it working on the dock where chips get loaded on ships.
I planked the retaining wall and painted it to look like it's heavily creosoted. After the dock is planked, Ill add angle bracing, and gray it up some with washes.
In the meantime, these 16 and 8 foot long planks will be added board by board. The outer edges of the chip pile will get blended in seamlessly after the dock is done and asphalt lot painted.
These planks were cut on a friend's fine tooth table saw from a super tight grain 2x4 I found years ago and put away for this purpose. This dock will eat up most of my supply, but I still have plenty 2x4 left. Looking at the top picture, you can see that they only have 355 feet to go! but in that first 80 I got it down to a system that will move it along rapidly enough. That NWSL Chopper is indispensible!
Back to that picture from your sister: I asked MY sister if she had any pix of our house we lived in from '67 to '70, Myrtle Point Oregon. This is it.
So, going by this picture, both our memories (pleasant) and google map pictures, I wanna put a model of it on my layout. Here's a to-scale sketch of it so far.
You asked for a heavier participation this week. I just was kinda out of the loop the last couple. Maybe more to come too, as I'm really on the RR this week. Dan
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Kevin, i love those old N scale photos. That air tank is huge!
Ed, that Amazon airbrush is just like the one that I bought a month or so ago. I've only used it a couple times and it seems to work pretty well.
Dan, I like the side rod action! The dock is coming along nicely.
Bear, the boat on the flat car looks amazing. Nice job!
My contribution for the week...First up is a Tichy flat that I removed the fishbelly underframe and used styrene and some Grandt Line parts to give it a different look. I used an American Model Builders lumber load and Kadee trucks.
When I heard that Boulder Valley Models was closing up shop and his On30 stuff was going away, I was able to get a 2 pack of his short flat cars. I made a mold so I can pop out as many as I want, and this car was made with my first casting. I built the water tank out of styrene and the car is weathered using the PBL scratch brush kit. The Kadee truck is equipped with HO scale 36" wheelsets and Mount Blue On30 brake beams.
Here it is with a Mount Blue shorty boxcar mounted on a Kadee Logging truck that I installed 36" wheelsets and a Mount Blue On30 brake beam.
And for the heck of it, a picture of the mold...
This is a project that I had a lot of fun with. I'll build more based on this short flat for my display case train!
Chuck - Modeling in HO scale and anything narrow gauge
If the YouTube insert doesn't play, here's the video link
https://youtu.be/aNK6qr-U6YU
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
Good Morning from cloudy, cool and rainy Northeast Ohio!
Kevin, Nice picture but I never could get into N Scale, and when I had to repair them at the hobby shop it was a real pain.
Ed, weathering is something I never got into and never will, nice work you are doing.
Dan, Side rods on diesels are neat, and you dock is coming along nicely.
Bear, the boat on the flat car looks good, now where is the car ferry!
TW, nice looking models, appreciate those who do the unexpected with models.
This weeks completed work!
Eastern Car Works Airslide covered hopper kit, added the airline under the side sill and lines from the air reservoir to the ABD valve. Car was painted with Scalecoat II MOW Gray paint and lettered with Oddballs decals. ART purchased 50 airslides in 1963 and I wonder if it was because the Wabash was going to be absorbed by the N&W in late 64, as of 1973 there were only 10 left in LOAX paint and the others probably went to the MP or N&W.
Branchline trains 50' Plug Door car, painted with Scalecoat IiI Boxcar Red paint and lettered with Herald King Decals. This group of cars were from the ACL and were in assigned service to various customers with different load securing devices.
Finished a couple of more 40' trailers using the old Athearn bluebox kit, for the DT&I trailer I removed the gusset at the landing gear and the grabs and inspection doors on the nose to somewhat model a Lufkin Trailer. Painted with Scalecoat II Reefer White and lettered with Highball Graphics decals. Trailers were acquired in the late 80's to go with the Railblazer service between Detroit and Cincinnati.
The Andersons trailer was one I used to see delivering products from the now defunct Andersons General Store to its satellite stores in Toledo and Columbus. Painted with my mixture for the Andersons covered hoppers and lettered with Herald King and Microscale decals.
This is an old McKeen ACF 50' Boxcar kit, I substitued wire grabs for the plastic ones in the kit, new end ladders from my scrabox, walkover platform from Plano, End of Car Cushioning from Moloco and wire brake rodding. I wanted to show the in progress of doing one of the kit conversions I usually just show the finished product so modelers can see some of the work involved.
Thanks for looking!
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Finally installed my new Custom Built HO Scale Cantilever Signal Bridges on the layout. These will be controlled by the dispatcher during operating sessions, and have relays on each signal if the turnout is thrown against the signal...
Now to install the new panels to control them...
Neal
Thanks for the nice feedback on my photos
I forgot to mention that the track stand can be removed from the turntable platform. I simply have it stuck on there for the loco and car weathering session. This allows me 360° access without touching the model. The raised platform will allow me to place structures or smaller bit on it and also allow rotating the piece.
My first batch of PRR X30a box cars arrived yesterday. Another batch to weather in the near future.
PRR_X31A-shadow by Edmund, on Flickr
Rapido has their development and manufacturing process fine tuned these days!
PRR_X31A-end by Edmund, on Flickr
PRR_X31A by Edmund, on Flickr
I have asked Tichy to look into making "Trust Plate" decals using their raised letter process that they do on their locomotive builders plate sets. Sure would be nice to fill in that empty outline there.
Here's a before and after shot of that bright yellow AC&Y car:
ACY_3454_PS1 by Edmund, on Flickr
Even the runningboard is molded in a translucent, yellow plastic. The dusty coating of soot tones that down a bit:
ACY_XM_PS1 by Edmund, on Flickr
I like the way a little dirt and grime brings out details on the trucks, too:
SL-SF_XM by Edmund, on Flickr
On to more great photos
It's been a while since I put up any pictures. I decided to increase the operations on my Pacific East Coast Railway (Yes it's in Australia). I cut away some farmland and made a quarry. Still some work to go, but I need to keep the railway running so a maintenance train ran to clean the tracks.Still some work to go.
Alan Jones in Sunny Queensland (Oz)
Kevin, Thanks for starting the WPF, always nice to reminisce with a rediscovered old photo.
Dan, Like the looks of your staggered dock planking and retaining wall, going the extra mile really adds interest.
Ya' fooled me Bear, at first glance I thought both your pics were prototype.
Chuck, Those are some eye appealing models you've built, I especially like the short flatcar and load, nice weathering too.
Jimmy, Movie wouldn't open for me.
Rick, I've a soft spot for Airslides, and your EC model is neat.
Neal, Wow, room for lots of mainline action. Three levels?
I agree Ed, a little dirt and grime adds a lot of character and age.
Alan, Nice thing about a quarry is hopper cars.
Missing Garry's post and pics, hope he's doing well.
Thanks to all the contributors and viewers. Have a Happy Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, regards, Peter
Good afternoon all.
Kevin - Neat little adjustments to those models. It's nice to find (or be gifted) older photo's to remember times gone by.
Ed - Nice job on the weathering. I also have a amazon "knock-off" as well as the harbor freight knock off, and both do a pretty good job. My main airbrush is a Iwata Neo though. I really like your turntable having powered rails! That was a very genius idea!
Dan (Southgate2) - Neat little switcher, but that dock! Individual planks! WOW!
Bear - Very well done ship shipping model.
Chuck (trwroute) - Nice little home job cars.
Rick J - Nicely done models. You finish out more completed models that look better in a week than I can in a month of Sundays!
Neal - Very nice signals!
My contribution to the weekend - I recently cam across a NOS Con-Cor (Who buys these anymore?) old time passenger car kit, decorated for a nearby tourist line, the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad. I simply could not resist the purchase.
OC&T 65 HO Scale Project 1 by Richard W, on Flickr
I have added Intermountain metal wheel sets, and body mounted Kadee couplers to it.
OC&T 65 HO Project 2 by Richard W, on Flickr
Next I need to glue the truss rods into position, then she will need some little people inside.
Not a bad little model for under $10!
Layout room has one section repainted, another wall primed. (No pics of that though... They would be boring.)
Let's get back to better modelling pictures than mine!
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Wow, we have some great contributions in Weekend Photo Fun this week!
Ed: Your boxcar weathering sure looks like it was worth the effort. Your fleet looks a lot more realistic now. I am very impressed with that large painting turntable. Mine is just a lazy susan with a 2 by 2 glued to it. Sorry it is so cold and rainy for you. The weather here has been perfect for the last two days.
Dan: I wish I had ANY pictures of my dream house layout, or my HO switching layout. I am thankful for the pictures that I do have. That siderod diesel is a gem that is filled with character. I have no idea what it is, but I like it. Your work on the doc is looking great. I can't believe you cut all that lumber from a 2 by 4. When I took the drywall down in my house I found a couple clear tight grain studs, but I did not think to save them.
Bear: Your boat load looks incredibly realistic. Again, another photo added to my idea file for "someday" projects. It is wonderful.
Chuck: Yes, that air tank is way too big. I used whatever materials I could scrounge up in the garage! Your lumber load looks great. The truss rod conversion on the Tichy Flat Car is very well executed. Those On30 cars are tiny, but full of charm.
Jimmy: Thank you for sharing the video. I think your highway overpass scene is going to look very good when all the scenery is completed.
Rick: More great freight cars! That SCL car is terrific. That large "SCL" was kind of "off" looking on the real cars, and it looks like Herald King got it right. Something about the slant never looked right to my eye, but I have seen other models that did not capture the right look. A+ job. I love the in-progress pictures you share from time to time.
Neal: The signal bridges sure do look good. Nice work.
Ed: The decorating on the X31-As sure looks great. Mine will be lettered for the ATLANTIC CENTRAL when I can finally assemble and paint them.
Alan: Thank you for stopping by and sharing some great pictures of your quarry project. I hope you fell welcomed and will return many times.
Peter: Love the skeleton musicians and dancers.
Ricky: OH NO! I have decals for the OIL CREEK AND TITUSVILLE! I thought it was a ficticious railroad. Your passenger car looks very good. Nice purchase.
… and there are useful photos on the interweb that give overall views as to the shape.
dti406 now where is the car ferry!
HO-VeloNeal, Wow, room for lots of mainline action. Three levels? Thanks to all the contributors and viewers. Have a Happy Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, regards, Peter
Peter, this is a 2 level, 2 track main line with 2 tracks coming up from staging. There's an elevated subway line that is not connected to the railroad. More for show right now..
Alan - Nice quarry scene in the making.
Kevin - Real. Here's a link to their website - https://www.octrr.org/
Their main boarding station is right next to the Caboose Motel - where guests stay in, as the name implies, a old railroad caboose.
They also have the only remaining operational RPO left.
However, if the decals are for freight cars, that they do not own equipment for... Only locomotives and passenger cars. While they do handle freight car switching along their line, they don't own any freight cars any longer.
ricktrains4824Kevin - Real. Here's a link to their website
Thanks for the link Ricky.
Me and my ignorance... we have a Titusville here in Florida, and I just assumed the decals were made by a modeler from that area.
Now I know better.
Kevin - I actually found the model listed by a seller from Florida - They listed it as a fantasy scheme car. So your not alone in that!
ricktrains4824 I actually found the model listed by a seller from Florida - They listed it as a fantasy scheme car. So your not alone in that!
Yep, our ignorance runs deep down here in Florida! I will never be lonely in that!
Superb and 'purty' work from y'all gents. I are sorta speachless!
My contributions are a pair of Front Range boxcars. The first is, of course, one of my Wishram boxcars with decals by Don Manlick, and the second was completed with Herald King's nice decal line. I miss those guys and Champ to boot!!
Don; Prez, CEO or whatever of the Wishram, Oregon and Western RR
Hi Everyone,
Some really nice stuff shown this weekend in WPF. I haven't contributed anything for about the last 2 months (busy at new job) but I did recently finish a N scale (Blair Line kit) radio transmitter tower.
The kit is actually a old time TV tower but I wanted the tower to instead pay homage to 94.7/KMET, a Los Angeles FM rock (AOR) radio station that I listed to alot when I was attending high school/college years ago. The radio station itself is no more, as "the Mighty MET" signed off for good on February 14, 1987.
I plan to install this on a hill located in the background of a future layout. The tower is about 8 inches tall so I would have a hard time fitting this under the glass top of my current coffee table layout.
Jeff B
ricktrains4824 Alan - Nice quarry scene in the making. Kevin - Real. Here's a link to their website - https://www.octrr.org/ Their main boarding station is right next to the Caboose Motel - where guests stay in, as the name implies, a old railroad caboose. They also have the only remaining operational RPO left. However, if the decals are for freight cars, that they do not own equipment for... Only locomotives and passenger cars. While they do handle freight car switching along their line, they don't own any freight cars any longer.
is that rpo just a stationary post office or do they have an actual RPO mail contract and deliver mail to towns on the route?shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
I'm late, but I'm here! Here's the latest progress on my layout:
https://youtu.be/C39RBSPyxqE
Here's a video from my live steam club, the Adirondack Live Steamers, that I also uploaded this weekend.
https://youtu.be/bdUmNvmzMjs
Enjoy, hope everyone had a great Halloween weekend.
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
Thanks again to all that have made this another great edition of Weekend Photo Fun.
Don: I like your custom boxcar. The blue color and slanted slogan remind me of Allen McClelland's VIRGINIAN AND OHIO. Is that intentional?
Jeff: Your radio tower look great. I have a small etched metal model of a tower I was considering adding to a billboard to advertise a radio station. After seeing your model, I believe I will need to do it.
Harrison: Thanks for stopping by. I was surprised to see a steam locomotive on your layout.
I will see you all next week.
NVSRR ricktrains4824 They also have the only remaining operational RPO left. is that rpo just a stationary post office or do they have an actual RPO mail contract and deliver mail to towns on the route?shane
ricktrains4824 They also have the only remaining operational RPO left.