Hi guys.
I had school off, so I spent the day working at the LHS. Made some good money, and so I decided to spend it rather than save it for once.
I bought a CP C-424, and it looks great! Runs smooth, and Atlas did good getting the CP specific details right. They actually made a model with the rebuilt a road-switcher ends! So all I need to do to it is change a few changes, to make it ready for 1985.
I'll need to add ditch lights, add a hood mounted bell, change the radiators behind the cab for the ones rebuilt in the 80's, add some Kadee #5's, and a decoder, with sound eventually...
Here's the model I got:
http://www.atlasrr.com/Images/HOLocomotives/hoc4245/1107/10000223_TQ.jpg
And this is what I need to make it look like:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=27086&nseq=40
Should be a fun project, and I'm really happy I got it. I really like the C424's, and it fits my 1985-present era. According to most photos, the C424's came to an end and limped over to the deadline in 1997, the very last in August 1998:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1170355
I've also been playing around with my airbrush for the last week, and I'm happy with it. Every evening, I get a bit better. I'm getting pretty confident I can start painting some "real" models now!
That's it for now guys!
Alex
Alex, looks like a great model. Those Atlases are sweet little honeys, aren't they? I LOVE my 4 and hopefully gonna add a 5th to the family in about a week when my birthday comes, lol, a U23B. Looks like it'll be a fun little project to do too, I'm sure your airbrush will come in handy
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
The airbrush will be handy indeed! That was the one thing that was preventing me from starting a layout, because I figured it would be so handy to weather, paint track, buildings, details, models, etc...
Now I need to sell my MRC DCC system, and get a Digitrax one, since I already have the Digitrax throttles for the club, I figure I might as well go Digitrax too. I don't see the point of having another system at home, that I'll need to buy more throttles for...
Sounds cool Alex, good reasoning.
So, like I said, I've started another diorama, this time a single track mainline that passes a fall forest and has a small country road crossing at the far end. Here's the crossing:
took this before I ballasted:
Also picked up some woodland scenics fall foliage last weekend to experiment w/:
Also picked up this Atlas Trainman Atlantic & Western ACF 50' 6" boxcar:
Railfan AlexHi guys. I had school off, so I spent the day working at the LHS. Made some good money, and so I decided to spend it rather than save it for once. I bought a CP C-424, and it looks great! Runs smooth, and Atlas did good getting the CP specific details right. They actually made a model with the rebuilt a road-switcher ends! So all I need to do to it is change a few changes, to make it ready for 1985. I'll need to add ditch lights, add a hood mounted bell, change the radiators behind the cab for the ones rebuilt in the 80's, add some Kadee #5's, and a decoder, with sound eventually... Here's the model I got: http://www.atlasrr.com/Images/HOLocomotives/hoc4245/1107/10000223_TQ.jpg And this is what I need to make it look like: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=27086&nseq=40 Should be a fun project, and I'm really happy I got it. I really like the C424's, and it fits my 1985-present era. According to most photos, the C424's came to an end and limped over to the deadline in 1997, the very last in August 1998: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1170355 I've also been playing around with my airbrush for the last week, and I'm happy with it. Every evening, I get a bit better. I'm getting pretty confident I can start painting some "real" models now! That's it for now guys!
I'd use a pencil eraser or tiny square of fine grit sand paper, to remove/fade parts of the lettering. A very light "dusting" of black wouldn't hurt. I haven't done much modeling today, but I did use the Marklin Track to plot the LVRC layout... Also Jordan, I think NYSW's F45 is still in service...
Thanks for the imput guys. I'll have to give these a try.
I've gathered up and tested a few weathering methods, such as the airbrush (w/acrylic paints), drybrushing (w/acrylic and artist's oil paints), dry chalks, washes with paint/chalks, and using the commercial product called Rustall.
All are pretty good, but I really can't wait to get something done with the airbrush! There is so much precision, and it is relatively easy with a bit of practice. I like how you have so much control over the paint, and that you can apply the smallest amount prettymuch where ever you like. And the paint drys almost instantly to the touch, so after you look at what you have done, you can keep on going!
Alex that will be a nice project! I like those little projects that don't take much time, but turn out nice. Unlike my SDL39, which may take a year or two. I can't wait to start my SDM project and the SD40C projects, both simpler projects.
Sawyer can't wait to see more progress.
Alex, I hope that NYSW F45 is still in service, I just haven't seen many pictures of her lately.
I might as well post this. This is my new WC boxcar. I’m impressed with the detail on the RTR level now. I have a few older RTR boxcars, and they are nothing like this one.
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/JR7582 My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wcfan/
I am very happy with the RTR quality as well. I have 3 hoppers, and they look amazing!
Alex... I love that C424... I thought about having a couple of those be my startup power, as CPRail is pretty close to my railroad's Western terminus in WRJ, just a couple hundred miles South of Montreal.
So Sawyer, you're planning freight push-pull operations? Are you planning on having the engine on the opposite end of the train than the caboose? You'd have to use radio signals to control the train, because freightcars don't have MU cables except for a couple spacer cars and such. That would mean installing radio relays every couple hundred feet in every tunnel along the route, and probably in tight areas as well.
Or are you thinking the caboose connected to the locomotive? That wouldn't be too hard, although that leaves the question of where the crew sits in the caboose. The cupola is the most obvious choice, but you'd have to rebuild the interior of the car to add a control room in the cupola (which isn't a room, the crew basically climbs up a ladder to a high shelf where they sit).
Also, you could just run the loco long-hood first, that would be easier, and those flared radiators would look great! Just think of the SOU SD45s and later, the NS C40-8s and all those...
That's what my backstory is for the railroad plow I converted from a flatcar and caboose body for my railroad. Since the plow will be operating from one end of the railroad to the other in New England snow storms, the crew can't spend the whole time in an unheated shack on the plow controlling the locomotives by radioing back the engineer in the locomotive cab. The plow will need a locomotive equipped with HEP to power the lights and heat, but that's why they use SDP35 #1402, which had it's old steam generator replaced by an HEP unit. That unit is used on the buisness train as well as in regular freight service. The 6 axle trucks are a bonus when pushing heavy snow...
TrainManTy So Sawyer, you're planning freight push-pull operations? Are you planning on having the engine on the opposite end of the train than the caboose? You'd have to use radio signals to control the train, because freightcars don't have MU cables except for a couple spacer cars and such. That would mean installing radio relays every couple hundred feet in every tunnel along the route, and probably in tight areas as well. Or are you thinking the caboose connected to the locomotive? That wouldn't be too hard, although that leaves the question of where the crew sits in the caboose. The cupola is the most obvious choice, but you'd have to rebuild the interior of the car to add a control room in the cupola (which isn't a room, the crew basically climbs up a ladder to a high shelf where they sit). Also, you could just run the loco long-hood first, that would be easier, and those flared radiators would look great! Just think of the SOU SD45s and later, the NS C40-8s and all those...
How I'm gonna do it is put the caboose behind the locomotive, because while the locomotive will be at the hend end of the train always, it will have the cab facing the front of train when it comes back through. The locomotives won't turn after each run, so instead of having the crew have to look all the way down the long hood, they can transfer to the caboose, which is m.u.ed to the SD70ACe's controls, so they can control it from the cupola while having a clear view of the rail line. and this is South Carolina and Georgia, no tunnels, lol. We'll follow unit #1 on it's first two trains, a through frieght in the morning from augusta to Aiken, and a throught frieght from Aiken back to Augusta at noon. When it is timne for the train, the unit will be coupled to the train, w/ the caboose between the engine and first car, and pull out, w/ the crew riding in the cab of the loco. When it gets to Aiken, it cuts from the train w/ the caboose still coupled to it, and goes to servicing. When its second train is ready, it runs ouyt, and since it hasn't been turned, the caboose is facing toward Augusta at the head end in front of the loco, w/ the loco between it and the cars. The crew rides in the caboose, w/ the engineer in the cupola controling the train and the rest of the crew riding in the loco. There's one crewman riding in the loco to monitore it though. Any more questions about it? I think I explained it, but if you're still confused, I'll show it to you using my GP35 in pictures.
And now for some progress. Here's how far I've gotten w/ the forest:
Here's the forest by the road:
This is looking at what I've gotten done so far:
Fingerlakes Railway has a couple Shoving Platforms they use when switching Solvay Paperboard. The loco's are Remote Control Units. I suppose if you have a shoving platform... A bay window caboose, or modified caboose(MP had a bunch, and now one is in use on MBTA, still in MP paint), on the opposite end of the train as the loco should work well. Put a couple of guys in lawn chairs on the caboose platform to control the loco. You can also just have the loco on the other Dead in Tow. P&W's NR2 uses a locomotive on each end, but the one on the rear isn't providing power, just going along for the ride...
When in doubt, refer to FGLK!
Got any more pics of those things GG? The caboose is really just to give the crew a better vantage point than where they would be in the SD70ACe's cab running long hood forward.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=202624&nseq=9
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=194245&nseq=11
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=193520&nseq=12
Thanks. that looks like it would be fun to build in N scale.
all right. I think I can scrounge up some stuff to build one on a 50' reefer frame, lol.
You could also do what the WC did, and turn a standard cupola into a Remote control car. WC did this so operators could operate the locomotives outside of the cab, and throw switches, ect. The cabooses where mounted with horns and lights also.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=75937
Or just a flatcar:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1390916
WCfan You could also do what the WC did, and turn a standard cupola into a Remote control car. WC did this so operators could operate the locomotives outside of the cab, and throw switches, ect. The cabooses where mounted with horns and lights also. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=75937
Exactly what I'm going to do, but still have windows, because the main reason the crew goes to the caboose is more visibility.
Well, for the most part, my mainline diorama is finished. I do need to add some F-150s to the road when I can afford them and the forest will get bigger when I get more foliage, but it is at least presentable. here's some random shots:
Yes, those are my jeans
Here's the whole photobucket album:
http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/hh55/Packers_1/mainline%20diorama/
Is anybody going to watch that show "Extreme trains" on the History channel.
So, the locomotive that I ordered finally came yesterday, but now I cant have it till christmas
My Model Railroad: Tri State RailMy Photos on Flickr: FlickrMy Videos on Youtube: YoutubeMy Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives
ns3010 So, the locomotive that I ordered finally came yesterday, but now I cant have it till christmas
I know how that feels. I had to wait 2 weeksbefore I could use my P2K SD45s I got for my B-day.
I'm still waiting on some stuff from various places. Hopefully it'll be here by tuesday night. I talked to the MYC modeler at the MR club and he said he's intrested in 3 of the units I got off of ebay (that haven't showed up yet). I found out that he has a sound and motor decoder and I figured that I could trade off one of those engines to get it. If my pakages come in by tuesday, I can put the motor and box speaker I got for my SD9 put in, then go to the MR club to trade off one of those engines for the decoder, then install it. (which shouldn't be to hard, I can just use those rubber boots to attach the wires to the decoder)
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
Heres some pics of my layout:
Sorry for the bad pictures!
ns3010 Heres some pics of my layout: Sorry for the bad pictures!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32546205@N08/3036581748/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32546205@N08/3036579422/
Don't know what happened...
I see you are using one of the project railroads. They are great little layouts for small spaces!
Railfan Alex ns3010 Heres some pics of my layout: Sorry for the bad pictures! http://www.flickr.com/photos/32546205@N08/3036581748/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/32546205@N08/3036579422/ Don't know what happened... I see you are using one of the project railroads. They are great little layouts for small spaces!
Yeah, not quite sure what happened w/ the pics...
I dont get a lot of room so my layout is in the corner of the basement
Madison Central, right? I got one of those Dream-Plan-Build DVDs as a trial thing, they said you can keep it, so I kept it. Didn't sign up though.
Packers#1 Madison Central, right? I got one of those Dream-Plan-Build DVDs as a trial thing, they said you can keep it, so I kept it. Didn't sign up though.
Yep. Same basic plan, just with some minor changes to make it more personal.
Well I got my 6 P2K engines today. They all run fine, and were in good shape. Little bit of glue makes them like new. One needs the pilot from an older P2K unit from the brown box (aka pre-cracked axle) era. I also got my speaker for my SD9. Hopefully the pakage from walthers comes tommorow, then I just have to put it in my SD9, and trade off one of the NYC P2K units to get the sound/motor decoder