Sunday Photo Fun 2-18-07

[highrailjon]

 jefelectric, I was curious if the metal catenary system interfered with the TMCC signal at all.

[Wes Whitmore]

It's not a photo, but since I had my other photos of the new layout here, I thought I would post this design.  It allows for 042 curves as well as 031 curves.  One of the passing areas on the 031 will have the train station.

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/weswhitmore/photo/294928804244043151/0

Let me know what you think of the two, and what you would change!  If you just want to email to keep this a photo posting, thats fine with me.

Thanks,
Wes

[jefelectric]

I recently accquired the MTH SD-70ACe EMD and NS diesels, both powered and non-powered. Also got the CP Rail SD-90 as well.....I will work on getting some pics for next week's Sunday Fun.

Chris, Where have you been?  Stop by the coffee pot now and then.

[jefelectric]

jefelectric - I'm still looking for the Von Trapp children in your backdrop...

Maybe I should have used European prototype catenary!

[jefelectric]

 jefelectric, That cantenary set-up is a work of art!!!! Are you running conventional transformer only or will TMCC work with it as well? Jon

Thanks for the comment.  I am running TMCC & DCS.  The catenary is for looks only at present.  May energize it at some point.  It is elecrically continous and I have spaced feeder poles at intervals along the line.

[Wes Whitmore]

Thanks Buckeye.  I hope you had a nice birthday. 

I got most of my ideas from you layout, as well as some shelf layouts on this site and on the web.   I'm very excited to finish my benchwork and start working with the foam.  It should look pretty good after I get all the finishing touches on it.

Thanks,
Wes

 

[Buckeye Riveter]

 A 2" foam board will go on the bench, and then a nice facia board will cover the outer edges.  Wes

Give Wes 

I think we should change the name of these posts to:  Sunday Photo Education.   Every week I see a new idea or technique that advances our hobby.  

As the Hotbox Reefer Car crewman says:  GREAT Job, Guys!!!

[Wes Whitmore]

They should hold the weight for you. 

I needed room to store the kid's toys under in that room.  I went to the container store and got some baskets and shelving to store under it.

Wes

[Anonymous]

Wes,
Looks very sturdy indeed!  Thanks for the info.  I probably won't mount the layout to the walls in the new house, but those brackets have tons of potential for the garage storage area!!!

Brent

[Wes Whitmore]

Thanks Brent!

I got them at Home Depot in the shelving isle.  They are the biggest brackets I could find.  13" x 20", and are made by Stanley.  Under $7 each.  I spray painted them with ace metalic paint.  I used 3  3.5" 5/16" lag screws every other stud.

The benchwork is made of 3/4" baltic birch strips ripped to 2" wide.  A 2" foam board will go one the bench, and then a nice facia board will cover the outer edges.  My initial section seems very rigid, and should work really well for what I've got planned.

Wes

[Anonymous]

Wes,
Looks good!  Where did you get those massive brackets?

Brent

[Wes Whitmore]

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/weswhitmore/photo/294928804240483334/0

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/weswhitmore/photo/294928804240465005/1

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/weswhitmore/photo/294928804240482619/2

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/weswhitmore/photo/294928804240447005/3

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/weswhitmore/photo/294928804240446943/4

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/weswhitmore/photo/294928804240446915/5

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/weswhitmore/photo/294928804240446858/6

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/weswhitmore/photo/294928804240473020/7

 

Some Benchwork I started on yesterday.  The bulk will be 2' deep, with two 3' deep sections for the turnarounds.  I used 3/4" x 2" baltic birch plywood strips.  2" foam will go on top of this benchwork, and then a facia board will go around all of the exterior edges where I will mount my turnout switches. 

Sorry for the links, but I haven't been able to get yahoo to allow me to link to pictures, even with the notepad fix.

Thanks,

Wes

[FJ and G]

2.4 V-powered train and field mice

Here’s video of my “field” train critter, powered by 2 AA batteries (each 1.2 V).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut-6tM-siI8

The critter is made from a Lionel RS-3 engine and nose and the roof is a beer can corrugated. The cab is made from a telephone electrical distribution block. It runs a bit fast so I may need to repower it  with a 1.2 V single AA. Or, hook up my couplers and have it tow a long train.

The engine is 7/8n18, based on prototype photos but freelanced, running on O gauge track (32mm), code 148 rails. There’s solid ice at the other end of the 30-foot long trestle that the critter cannot plow through. The concrete trestle to the left of the track is the base for an oil pipeline that will connect to a refinery. Obviously, much work needs doing on that project.


Here’s other stuff working on in 7/8n2 (45mm track):

Passenger trucks (needs springs installed and a few other detailings).



coach (36” long)



roof above coupolas. For this, I cut 1/32” wood on my tablesaw. The blade didn’t go high enough to cover the entire roof so another section will be added once the wood glue dries.




BB the beagle digs for field mice as I slide down the ice towards her. As she digs in one hole, the mouse exits another hole. The mouse has about a dozen escape holes and this keeps BB occupied. Here’s the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPFgkvv6gNg
Then, she heads back to the ranch for a rest on the leather couch.

[traindaddy1]

CHRIS: Beautiful work!

[Anonymous]

This boxcar was the first boxcar my father purchased for me.  It was custom made by a fellow in State College, PA in 1987.

That is some fine looking rolling stock at the bottom of the post!!

SK

Go State! 

Scott,
Figured you would like those! 

My father graduated from PSU in 1973, sister in 1994, me 1996, and I have at least 5 cousins that have graduated from Ol' State...

That boxcar is very dear to me.  I had it out at Christmas a few years ago and a friend offered my $150.00 for it... told him you could give me $150,000,000.00 and it still wouldn't sell.  My Mother's cousin had one and I had asked him where he got it, he told me, and I looked at my Dad and told him I wanted one for Christmas... It was the biggest surprise I've ever gotten on Christmas!

Brent

[Anonymous]

Well better late than never!  Took some pics of the latest cars... and ones I found while packing up...

The latest: Left to Right: MTH - NYC Flatcar with 1949 Cadillac Coupe Deville, MTH - Shell Tankcar, Lionel - B&O Hopper Car with Coal Load (from rtraincollector).

Close ups:

Ones I mentioned a few weeks ago: Left to Right: Williams - Patapsco & Back Rivers Gondola with barrels, MTH - C&O Woodsided Hopper with Coal Load, MTH - Western Maryland Single Door Boxcar

Close ups:

And for my PSU Friends:

Weaver - PSU Hopper Car

Weaver - Navy PSU Boxcar

Custom made 1982, 1986 PSU National Champions Boxcar

This boxcar was the first boxcar my father purchased for me.  It was custom made by a fellow in State College, PA in 1987.

That is some fine looking rolling stock at the bottom of the post!!

SK

Go State! 

[philo426]

Nice benchwork Bird!:Looks like a pool table!

[Anonymous]

Well better late than never!  Took some pics of the latest cars... and ones I found while packing up...

The latest: Left to Right: MTH - NYC Flatcar with 1949 Cadillac Coupe Deville, MTH - Shell Tankcar, Lionel - B&O Hopper Car with Coal Load (from rtraincollector).

Close ups:

Ones I mentioned a few weeks ago: Left to Right: Williams - Patapsco & Back Rivers Gondola with barrels, MTH - C&O Woodsided Hopper with Coal Load, MTH - Western Maryland Single Door Boxcar

Close ups:

And for my PSU Friends:

Weaver - PSU Hopper Car

Weaver - Navy PSU Boxcar

Custom made 1982, 1986 PSU National Champions Boxcar

This boxcar was the first boxcar my father purchased for me.  It was custom made by a fellow in State College, PA in 1987.

[Anonymous]

Well I'm a bit late for Sunday Photo Fun... but very nice pics everyone!  I wanted to post some of the new cars but due to house hunting I'm a bit delayed... and the wife had me doing prep work on our house... just about finished!

Anyone interest in a 4 br, 2.5 ba, .46 acre lot, 1 car garage, house in New Windsor, MD?  Has a nice large deck that I just stained last year... LOL!

Brent

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Jeffelectric,

The canary is fantastic!!!  Very impressed!

Jim 

[johnandjulie13]

Great Pics!

Regards,

John O

[laz 57]

Thanks GIZ, for kudos on town, still have to populate with some pretty women.

FIFEDOG, have a bunch of WWII GIZ and want to make a diarama of US vs Nazi's.  Can't go into Civil War, hate GRITS.

FRANK 53 you really hit a home run with that front better then ones you can buy.

JELECTRIC, as always GREAT job on the "Cat" system.

Great job on the trees.

Everyone I missed GREAT JOB.

laz57

[Anonymous]

I recently accquired the MTH SD-70ACe EMD and NS diesels, both powered and non-powered. Also got the CP Rail SD-90 as well.....I will work on getting some pics for next week's Sunday Fun.

[fifedog]

jefelectric - I'm still looking for the Von Trapp children in your backdrop...

[fifedog]

laz 57 - kinda reminds me of the center of Gettysburg.  Now you have a reason to start collecting Civil War soldiers!

[Frank53]

Frank53,

I'd be interested to know where you got your building flats.

George

of the ones shown here, only one is a regular front - which I repainted and made into something else - this is from Walthers:

The large factrory is Ameritowne building fronts made into one large flat and the most recent building shown is scratchbuilt.

[highrailjon]

 jefelectric, That cantenary set-up is a work of art!!!! Are you running conventional transformer only or will TMCC work with it as well? Jon

[jefelectric]

Great pics everyone.  That switchback layout is great.

Laz, Nice town square.  My son has one of those split window Vets, in pieces, that he bought from a guy who took it apart and then lost interest in putting it back together.  He will definatley get it back together.  It may take a while as he is a perfectiionist.

I finally finished the catenary on the double track section.  A few pictures.

 

 

 

 

Now I just have about 24 feet of single track to do and then the main line will be finished and I can run the electrics with the pantographs UP!

[highrailjon]

LOL, pbjwilson!!! I'm out numbered!!! I surrender!!!