Living the dream.
Hello everyone, and welcome to a new weekend!
This week my share is something interesting.
I met a fellow at a convention 30 years ago, found out he had a private roadname, and gave him my address for a decal swap.
A few weeks later, I received a fully decorated freight car for his Chucklehead And Ticklefoot railroad. He included a note that he did not want a set of Stratton And Gillette decals because he modeled in HO, and the N scale decals would be too small.
-Photograph by Kevin Parson
Sorry for the old grainy picture.
I do not have the freight car anymore, sadly.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone's photographs this weekend. This thread can always be counted on to be the best of the week.
-Kevin
Thanks for setting up a fresh, second week of April WPF, Kevin.
That's an interesting history on your 30 year old car!
Sometimes you never know when or where an inspiring idea will come from. For me it was just a few days ago while scanning an old 8 x 10 glossy Erie publicity photo of a coal loader and colliery.
Erie_Publicity_Anthracite-Coal by Edmund, on Flickr
While looking over the details it struck me that it really resembled the Walthers New River mine on my layout.
Coalwood_night2 by Edmund, on Flickr
Well, being an old millwright by trade I've always had a fascination with cables and sheaves and any moving machinery. Anyone who has seen the wonderful movie October Sky will appreciate the huge wheels and pulleys shown when the mine lift descends to the depths.
I decided that I had to model something similar to the headframe machinery shown in that Erie photo. Where to find the girders and tower? There's a few European models out there but they didn't quite have the look I was seeking, plus I really didn't need any more buildings like those.
Then it dawned on me that my head house shaft was staring right at me in the form of the travelling gantry crane that sat by the Huletts on the ore dock. As much as I liked seeing the huge structure there it didn't really belong next to the Huletts but behind them.
Get out the Zona saw:
Travelling Crane by Edmund, on Flickr
After a little shuffling I found room for a machinery house where the hoisting drums would be and the bridge crane became the tower. Some Tichy sheaves at the top will make a nice detail. Note how two of the legs from the crane make perfect angle braces.
Colliery_tryout by Edmund, on Flickr
More platforms, stairways and cables, plus lighting will be in order.
Colliery_tryout2 by Edmund, on Flickr
Looking forward to seeing what the rest of you good folks have been up to!
Cheers, Ed
Kevin. Thanks for starting this weeks WPF. An interesting story. Amazing how things turn out.
Ed Love the colliery. I would have liked to have a colliery on my layout, but space is not available
Myself. Had our youngest grandson visit for a few days.
We just ran trains.
A Leeds Central to Dewsbury Market Place DMU arriving Leeds Sovereign Street Station.
IMG_2641 by David Harrison, on Flickr
Grandson wanted to run containers to Sovereign Street.
IMG_2642 by David Harrison, on Flickr
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Good morning from mostly sunny and cool Northeast Ohio!
Kevin, thanks for starting us out, I would not like to post some of my 30 year old models as they are not as good as what I do now. Still a nice looking car.
Ed, Colliery looks great, same here on space will see how my track plan comes together for the space I have.
David, It is always good to run trains especially with the young ones.
With all the bowling stuff going on and my wife in Pasadena for a week, did not get anything completed but did get some time to work on things.
First up, completed the Exactrail 4427CF PS Covered Hopper kit and it is ready for painting. Roofwalk will go on after everything is painted and lettered.
Next, I received my Tangent 4500CF GATC Covered Hopper kit, here is what is in the box.
Part of the underframe is installed still have one bay to go.
All the underbody detail is installed, since I had a different kit than the instructions I had to contact Tangent and they sent we a couple of drawings on what I had to do with the brake rigging as one kit had truck mounted brakes and they other did not. Another fun task was fishing the brake rigging through the discharge bays.
Next moving to the B end of the car for all the brake gear and piping.
My Rapido 35' and 40' Trailers arrived last week, can't wait to run the 35' trailers on 40' flats behind my NKP Berkshires.
And finally, another old picture from the Strongsville Club Layout. Pennsy N1s 2-10-2 with a string of coal cars.
Have a great weekend!
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!
for fridya night. my prize. a D16sb 4-4-0. brass. something in the gears is binding. have to figure that out. but it has been rewired for dcc even has the chips onboard. 2001 two chip sound system. wanted one for years and finally got one. got my 2-10-0 as well. I am eager to dig into all the brass engines hopefully tomorrow.
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
Thank you to everyone that has contributed so far.
Ed: Fantastic work on the mine head. That was very creatinve repurposing of another model. It looks great.
David: Thank you for the great pictures of your layout. I love the colorful wagons with the arched lettering.
Rick: Amazing work on the covered hopper car kits. I would not have done all that work on the brake rigging, but just faked it. You are incredible. It is noce to hear that ExactRail helped you out with the issue. The Rapido trailers sure are pretty models.
Shane: Great looking 4-4-0. It appears to be a very modern version of this wheel arrangement. I hope you get it running well.
Let's all keep the good stuff and helpful responses coming. I am looking forward to it all.
Kevin, Thanks for opening the WPF. Your boxcar story parallels Tony Koester's 'Trains of Thought' column in the May issue of MRR; modeling something just for the fun of it, while knowing that another modeler will enjoy the finished model on their layout. A wonderful part of our great hobby.
David, Always enjoy your pics and sentiments. Time spent 'just' running trains with children is so precious, young imaginations sparked and smiles all around.
Thanks to all the contributors and viewers. Have a good weekend and a Happy Easter. Regards, Peter
Just a quick note from Texas -- can't type well on my phone or get photos.
Right after I started my layout, I got a neat Stratton & Gillette N Scale boxcar in the mail from Kevin.
His encouragement by sending me that car was so important to me in continuing the layout.
It was great! Thanks Kevin!
York1 John
HO-VeloThanks for opening the WPF. Your boxcar story parallels Tony Koester's 'Trains of Thought' column in the May issue of MRR; modeling something just for the fun of it, while knowing that another modeler will enjoy the finished model on their layout. A wonderful part of our great hobby.
Tony has a STRATTON AND GILLETTE boxcar.
I keep looking in Model Railroader hoping it will show up in a photo one day on his layout.
Still hoping...