Weekend Photo Fun 24 - 26 January 2014.

[GGOOLER]

just finished up laying the track for my third arrival/departure track. and decided to fill up all the a/d tracks. finally a place to do some switching.

 

later

g

[hornblower]

Went out to Covina, California this morning to get a view of UP Big Boy 4014 actually moving (not under its own power of course).  The UP has acquired the loco from the Pomona Fairplex and is moving it to their shops in Colton. The move required the loco to be moved west through Covina and over to a junction with a line that runs through Colton (to the east of the Fairplex).  The UP was kind enough to stop at the Covina Station for an hour to allow a small crowd to get a closer look at 4014.  The big boy loco was sandwiched between a nice and shiny EMD SD70ACe in Southern Pacific heritage paint scheme plus a fairly grimy EMD SD70M in standard UP colors.  I thought it kind of odd that the UP would not supply at least a clean loco for the marketing exposure the way BNSF does when the 3751 is run.  Those not knowing much about railroads might have thought the SP loco to be the focus of this event. Anyway, here are few pics.

You might notice that the loco is stripped down a bit (no boiler jacketing or valve gear) and a lot of temporary airlines are in place to facilitate the move.  However, they did think to connect the air horn so they could blow signals while under way.

[GP-9_Man11786]

Well, I finally started laying track tonight. After I got about 12 feet down, I took a trains set power pack and hooked it up to a set of feeders with some alligator clips. My Minitriz K4 became the first locomotive to turn a wheel on the layout.

[SooLine720]

mlehman

In the "cheap trick" category, I made some open loads of drywall, wood, whatever it is underneath the wrapper. They're a little crude, but work to fill open loads for now until I get back later with something more detailed. Basically, carefully cut a block of wood to fill the space needed. I used plain white paper on these ones, but have also downloaded and printed wraps off the internet. Folded onto the block and taped, I use some elastic 0.5mm line used by beaders pulled taut and tacked down with CA. Add Quote to your Post

I saw a flatcar with a load that looked just like that today! Same color, and same lines to hold it down.

[ChadLRyan]

Hey!
Happy New Year..
I have not checked in for a while..
But, I am trying to do a little modelling..
Did a little detail painting on this Ath Genesis SP GP9er..

I hope the new year is treating you all well, Take Care!  Chad

[slow-n-low]

well do to the shortage of turnouts in the world i have got no progress to show on my layout...so i figuredi would show you some shots of the Roberson museum layout in Binghamton NY i help maintain..

a fire downtwon

 

track leval viwe

 

Susquahanna PA and  starrucca house

[C&O Fan]

Must be Doodlebug Week

Finished adding a trailer coach using the trucks as extra pick ups to help prevent stalling and ran wires between the two

installed an ESU lok sound decoder in the main unit

 

Here's a short Video of it

I didnt realise the rear truck had derailed till after i viewed the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXMZ1jThPEk&feature=youtu.be

 

My other Project this week was installing a Tsunami in a Mantua i bought on Ebay

 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlNP_E_V1a8&feature=youtu.be

[rdgk1se3019]

Hi all,

 

Got my doodlebug finished a few days ago.....

 

 

 

[GP-9_Man11786]

Great work everybody!

I just fineshed turning this Model Power caboose into a somwhat respectable model:

I've also been working on my control panel:

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Everybody whp posted after me has outsanding photos. Great stuff. ... DJ. Thanks for the complemnt. Love the Alcos. 

[peahrens]

"Bad" weather here around San Antonio, 26F this morning and not above freezing until noon, which basically shuts things down in this neck of the woods.  The visiting "winter Texans" are probably wondering if it was worth the trip but it beats sub-zero. 

I love seeing everyone's work...most inspiring!! 

Awaiting the UPS truck late today bring background building kits, etc, this was a good week to take a layout break and build some cars kits.  Mine are very realistic in terms of weathering; i.e., if they rolled out of the shop yesterday.  Another goal for this year is to try some freight car weathering (after researching the forum, booklets, etc).  I think I might buy some decrepit victims at a train show and learn airbrushing and weathering on the poor things. 

Anyway, the four tank cars on the closer two tracks were built this week, a 8,000 gal Proto 2000 and three 10,000 gal Walthers (one in a red box, two in white / blue trim boxes).  The P2K took as much time as the other three combined.  Also built a Walthers hopper not pictured.

[G Paine]

I have also made some progress on my layout. This week, I got a start on the Greenvale Village area. I put down a plywood base, and added a slightly realigned road. Some houses are being test fitted, including the 2 ranch style houses I completed last week. The main line comes down the grade in the center of the picture, passing the propane dealer and printing plant. The lead to Dragon Products goes off to the right, and a passing track starts in the lower right corner. Now I need to go to the lumber yard to get some more plywood and 1x6 (for L girders).

I also started some facia in front of Dragon. Dragon is essentially complete, except for painting some plant roads, some touchup painting here & there, and a bit more scenery work

This is a view from Dragon Products looking over to the Greenvale Village area showing the main line grade, propane dealer, printing plant and the road to the village. I am still trying to decide what to do with the hole in the layout between the main line and the Dragon lead. IN the meantime, GP7 MEC 572 spots a covered hopper on the scale track.

[G Paine]

Last week I mentioned my many projects, and how they seem to be completed about the same time. Today, I have the tale of 3 hoppers...

It all started a few years ago with an Athearn BB B&O hopper I bought at a train show. WHen I got home, I discovered that I already had that hopper with the same number. I'm a bit OCD about duplicate numbers; scraping off part of the number and replacing with decal numbers would not work The decal color would looks too dense when compared to the Athearn pad printed numbers. I put the box on the shelf for later work; and re-found it a short time ago. I went to Microscale, and found a C&O decal set that would work for this hopper and my modeling timeframe. I stripped and re-painted the hopper, added decals and a bit of weathering:

As I was looking over the decal sheet, I noticed some decals that were cut to go around the ribs on a 55 ton hopper. I remembered that I had an undecorated Athearn BB composite hopper that I had in my 'to do' model box for a very long time. I pulled it out, checked against the decal sheet and got to work. I re-painted it and added decals. I did some heavy weathering, and added rust and grime with acrylic artists paint. The idea was this car is in need of a trip to the shops for repairs and replacing those wood sides with steel plate

As I was going through the box looking for the composite hopper, I found another hopper that I had forgotten about. This was a Stewart 70 ton hopper painted in NYC. I had bought it on impulse at the hopbby shop, then found the build date was too late for my early 50s modeling timeframe (more OCD) and NYC did not exist for my 1980 modeling - into the 'to do' box it went. Now years later, the C&O decal sheet called to it. I stripped, re-paineted, decalled and weathered it. I even found a coal load that fit with a few modifications

Now somewhere, I have a red Mantua (or maybe Tyco) hopper from a midwest RR and some left over decals. I wonder where I put that car???

[Curt Webb]

Awesome work everyone. Work continues on the layout extension. The plastering is complete and a dirt color painted on it. I have also glued rocks on before starting ground cover.

 

 

 

[JeremyB]

Nice pics guys

Grampy's trains : Just wondering if you got my pm?

[Grampys Trains]

Nice work from everyone, esp. Garry's, your scenes always look so realistic. A trio of Alcos crossing Hammer Creek. DJ.

[mbinsewi]

Looks like the session of WPF is off to a great start!  Nice work guys.  I finally got my signals lit up last night, and early this am.

 

Just in time, as GLC's modified dash 9 rolls out town with a manifest frieght.

 

Off to my FHS for more detail parts.

 

Mike.

[G Paine]

OOH, Bear 70F? At 0900 this morning on the Maine coast it is 8F and may make it to 15 if we are lucky. Enjoy the summer!

[mlehman]

Nice work there, Bear and Allan.

This was a week of non-photogenic work as I prepare for an operating session in early February. You can tell I'm caught up on major projects. Been building old rolling stock kits and adding handrails to those Walthers car that didn't have them installed...

I went through the motive power roster and sloooowed everything down to "Ponderous" speed. I'm working on some new ops things and eventually will try a fast clock. Right now, sequential ops work fine, but having a clock for incentive to get things done will help the flow. I've also spend some time fixed lights, couplers and other littel fiddly things. So my staging area is looking kind of full with trains ready to go.

In the "cheap trick" category, I made some open loads of drywall, wood, whatever it is underneath the wrapper. They're a little crude, but work to fill open loads for now until I get back later with something more detailed. Basically, carefully cut a block of wood to fill the space needed. I used plain white paper on these ones, but have also downloaded and printed wraps off the internet. Folded onto the block and taped, I use some elastic 0.5mm line used by beaders pulled taut and tacked down with CA.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Bear.... I like the ferry apron

Allan ... That is a good idea to buy cheap freight cars to upgrade and weather.

Mike L .... You posted while I was typing. I like your caboose very much. Nice work. 

In the photo, the town of Blackhawk continues to provide action for railfans. One of the Steel Mill Baldwin switchers moves a group of ore cars on the interchange track. A Burlington switcher has picked up loads of new steel in gondolas (some open and some covered).  An eastbound train has an F7 ABA set and a westbound train has a FT ABBA set. The steel loads will be added to the eastbound train before it departs. 

[BRVRR]

Thanks for starting things off Bear.

I've been doing a little tinkering this past week. Here is the result:

This little UP gondola is one of three that I purchased at a train show last weekend for $3.50 each. I lightly weathered it with Bragdon powders and installed Kadee couplers. Metal Wheels are next. The other two gondolas will receive the same treatment.

Keep the photos and ideas coming guys. You always make WPF the best thread of the week!

["JaBear"]

Gidday All, well its currrently 1953 hrs on a balmy 70 F Friday evening. Got some more work done on my ferry apron, now at the put it away til the final assembly stage.

Looking forward to the Really Good Stuff.

Have a Great One Folks

Cheers, the Bear.