WPF 5/25-5/28

[jacon12]

A Norfolk Southern SD 70m2 leads a train past the coal mine.

 

[MisterBeasley]

My last activity of the long weekend is to scan through all the pictures and smile.  Thanks for all the contributions.

I built this background flat from the spare parts in the box of a Walthers Centennial Mills background building kit.

For those not familiar with genetics, drosophila melanogaster is the common fruit fly.

[Oakhurst Railroad Engineer]

Doing some holiday running on the Oakhurst Railroad.  Shown is a meet at the Deadwood siding ...

[hon30critter]

Chad, regarding polarity, if I am using magnet wire I have a combination spool from Ngineering that has both red and green wires. If I am using a larger guage wire like #30 I use a paint pen to mark one lead.

Dave

[hon30critter]

Chad!

Thank you for your compliments. Much appreciated.

As far as fitting a circuit board into a vehicle, I don't think it is always necessary to do that. I want to illuminate flashing turn signals on a few vehicles so I have ordered two different devices to experiment with.

The first is simple red flashing 5 mm LEDs. Hopefully I will be able to fit them inside the bodies of a couple of cars or trucks. I don't want to do too many because I feel the effect could be very easily overdone.

The second is a flashing circuit from Ngineering which can drive up to 6 LEDs which will likely be mounted below the layout:

http://www.ngineering.com/lighting%20effects%20for%20vehicles.htm

This circuit is very small but may still be too big to mount inside an HO vehicle so I will simply mount it below the layout and run appropriate sized wiring to it. I will use the Ngineering circuit to illuminate the signals on a Canadian Pacific Mack B transport truck and trailer with a yellow LED feeding the signal light on the top of the front fender via fiberoptic cable, and two red LEDs on the cab and trailer signal lights which will be 0603 SMDs. The circuit actually has capacity for two such arrangements. I plan on using the second half for an Athearn  Flxible Clipper bus which I just scored on eBay.

The downside to putting all of this wiring into HO vehicles is that there will have to be a hole in the layout below each vehicle big enough to allow the wiring and resistors to fit through. Instead of hard wiring each vehicle to a fixed location I will install connectors which will allow the vehicle to be moved from one site to another. If I size the holes to fit manhole covers, I will be able to remove a vehicle without leaving a big hole in the road.

I can't imagine what the wiring will look like below my layout! I just hope I can see it through the smoke!!

Dave

[Lake]

I must say, Mark, that is a mighty fine looking SD9-3.

[ChadLRyan]

Dave,
I don't think that at all!
I think what you are doing is great!
I want to try a Police car, but can't fit the boards in it, so it is becoming  'another' diorama..
I enjoy your work & appreciate you sharing!

Hey, Which leads are positive? I never code them when I solder, but put a curl, kink, or Z bend in them for my positive, when I hit them with the tester!

I actually did play with electronics & LED's this weekend, shortened the leads on this EOT for my Road Railer!  Saw another video that had one mounted on there, so I made up an EOT stuffer plug for my last trailer!

[hon30critter]

Last minute WPF post!

OK I know you people are getting tired of seeing my vehicle lighting pics but you can't get rid of me that easily!

Here is the latest project in progress. It is the Woodland Scenics 'Lubeners Loading' scenario with the wires in place for head lights, tail lights and dome and trunk lights.

Now I just have to figure the mess out!

I will post pictures when things are lit.

Dave

[ChadLRyan]

MarkDeimling<

NICE!!!!

[markdeimling]

Heres my SD9-3  that I almost done with. Just waiting on some parts for the frame.

 

 

[superbe]

[quote user="tomkat-13"]

 

Lookin good but need more signs (lol)

[Geared Steam]

[cudaken]

[tomkat-13]

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 

[hon30critter]

Corey

$12.00 is not a steal?!? You aren't paying Canadian prices!

I just purchased an Athearn Flxible Clipper for a little under $21.00 Cdn including shipping. That is not a steal but it would seem to be a fair price when compared to the other listings on eBay for similar items.  I am looking forward to adding it to my collection, and if possible, illuminating the headlights, tail lights and running lights. Fiber optics are my friends!

Dave

[ChadLRyan]

 Had fun making a set of RoadRailer trailers & customizing the red CouplerMate unit.

The black one is stock, & the red one was a kit that did not have the mesh walkway grab iron system, that is a Plano Accessory kit that uses Photo etch & plastic stock. It also includes a brilliant drill template that is bent & placed on the unit to make pilot & placement holes for the new parts.  The result is a much closer to scale looking unit, even though I painted it red to highlight it.
I added Kaydee 33" wheels, a 153 Scale Coupler & Angle$1****$2airhose, & two side 17" Drop Grabs using the drill template.  Someday, I may add the truck mounted airhoses & the Locking Bar like in the video.

These are fun & interesting quick project kits to assemble.
 
There are videos about the real ones, search for Tracks Ahead Road Railer. This is a good one;
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozqY3Ze4sAU"  

Question: Would these have FREDS/EOT box on them? I was thinking of modifying a Ring Engineering unit for a neat effect on my Amtrak set!

[Geared Steam]

cudaken

  Ken

Nor only for a spin, I engineered !

Great place to visit, I stayed until I couldn't walk anymore, and the camera batteries died.

 

 

[mlehman]

TBat55,

Glad to help!

AMM has a winner here. There's been next to nothing ever available to build trams with. Several European companies have rather pricey ski lifts and gondolas, but they just don't serve very well in portraying something so typical of Colorado and other Western prototypes.

I think there is some consideration being given at AMM to releasing a different tower to supplement what's available now.

If you have any questions, drop me a PM or we can start a separate thread on how I built my tram, discuss plans to build more trams, etc. There are a lot of little tricks and tips that I can offer to save time and trouble.

[Scarpia]

Been crankin' away at turnouts for the last two sections of my layouts.

believe it or not, there are only four rail joiners in there - and that's only because I mis-measured and cut connecting rail too short!

[secondhandmodeler]

Dave, thanks for the compliment.

Last year I visited the Minnesota transportation museum which owns a small fleet of old buses.  I really liked the styling and thought I should have one for my layout.  Well, hobby lobby is selling out all of there Classic Metal Works so I picked one up for $12.  Not exactly a steal, but it was cheaper than ordering one online and paying for shipping.

[TBat55]

Mike Lehman:  you made my day with your tram posting! 

I've been looking for one for years (gave up on scratchbuilding one).

Silver King mine kit:

 

[ChadLRyan]

Tis the Season, over here, in Iowa!

[mlehman]

I spent some time lately building the Haymarket Tram. It's a purely mythical, but quite typical San Juan mining installation located at Animas Forks on my layout. To accompany their release of the Iowa-Tiger Tram House kit, Anvil Mountain Models recently released tram tower and ore bucket kits, so I ordered up a tower and 4 pairs of ore buckets when I decided to build a slightly different tram house to fit my location better right now.

http://www.anvilmountainmodels.com/Iowa-tiger-transfer.html

Here is the completed tower:

A closeup of the ore bucket passing over the tower:

For the associated tram and ore houses, I kitbashed 3 Grandt Line Silverton Ore Chute kits. I used the bins and cribbing, plus some Evergreen board and batten,etc to build the ore house. The upper story of the tram house was built from the pieces that form the enclosure that goes above the ore bin in the Grandt kit.

Here's looking down at the tram house from up on the mountain:

#456 picking up a loaded car:

A look at the backside of the complex from across the canyon:

There is still more detailing to do, but I really like how all this came together. My tram actually serves my Sunnyside Mill at Eureka, too, when it goes out of sight up the mountain, sort of as loads in/empties out arrangement, although my tram isn't animated.

[cudaken]

 Great shoot Geared Steam! Did they let you take it for a spin?

 

 Ken

[hon30critter]

Hi Cory!

OK darn it! Now I have to spend some more money! That bus looks so great on your layout that I can no longer resist! Now I will have to break down and buy one, or two!!

Great layout pic by the way.

Thanks for the inspiration, or should I say excuse!

Dave

[ChadLRyan]

Here is an older night scene, added figures, interior lighting & a ported tail light.

[dti406]

Nice start to the weekend guys!

Well, here is this weeks batch of finished freight cars!



This is a Branchline Models #1000A 50' Boxcar Kit assembled to replicate the Lot 883-B Boxcars assigned to the Peoria and Eastern by the NYC.  Painted the body Century Green and the roof and ends black.  Lettered using the NYC Herald from Microscale Set #74 and the rest of the lettering was supplied by Mark Vaughn.  The Comet slogan was applied to a number of Peoria and Eastern Boxcars.



This is an Atlas 3500CF ACF Covered Hopper Kit, painted with Floquil Primer and lettered with Champ Decals.



This is an Atlas 23,500 Gallon Tank Car Kit, Painted with Floquil Black and lettered with a Highball Graphics Decal.

Thanks for looking!

Rick J

[Geared Steam]

cudaken

 

 I love Big Boys  Ken

Me too