TrainManTySawyer: Whether all the buildings were similar would depend on a few things.The infrastructure before your shortline took over - if there was already a yard there they would probably keep whatever buildings were in good shape and worked well and replace the rest with modern steel structures (the Pikestuff structures) If there was no yard there, then all the buildings would be the same.When each one was built. A railroad in the 60s might build a brick structure, then in the 80s build a steel structure, all in the same yard.Just some things to think about. If it was me, I'd go with all steel unless I really wanted an older structure from an older era. Just my
Sawyer: Whether all the buildings were similar would depend on a few things.
Just some things to think about. If it was me, I'd go with all steel unless I really wanted an older structure from an older era. Just my
EDIT: Great consist Jordan, those two schemes look greatr together
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Grrr, i just realized my Arrow III EMUs and Silverliner II EMUs have a different wheel base. Atleast the black beetle powered truck i picked up today at the "World's Greatest Hobby" tour had the right wheel base for the Arrow III, now i just need a decoder and decals.
Modeling Conrail, Amtrak and NJ DOT under the wires in New Jersey, July 1979.
TMRP managed to slide to page 4! After being swamped with school, holidays, and other things in life, I picked up my 15x60" diorama and have made some good progress.
And this second picture is my first attempt at ballasting. I think I'm getting the hang of it, kind of.
Alex
Actually, I did do the ballast first. It looks a bit messy since I still have to vaccuum off the loose stuff off.
Looks a whole heck of a lot better than MY first ballasting job! After a year, I still can't ballast that well... My current problem is that the stuff doesn't stay where I put it when I spray on the wet water and add glue...
Looks good. Probably better than my first ballasting job would be, but I've never done it before.
I Finally found what I need for my F40PH-2CAT. Here's the back of a standard F40PH, which is what my model looks like now. And here's the back of an F40PH-2CAT, NJTR 4113. Note the lack of a rear platform, to make room for the Caterpillar engine. When mine is done, it will hopefully look like that. However, the back is the opposite of the back on an F40PH, so it looks like I will have to scratchbuild it. I will also get a new fuel tank which is larger on the 4113 than on the rest of the units. I found a picture of a half of the back of the 4115, but it looks different, and I don't know what the rest looks like, so I'll make mine the 4113 and use an extra large fuel tank. Here's a pic of the 4113 in Port Morris, 5 mins away from me. Note the ditch lights and large fuel tank.
Maybe I'll actually get to something today, because for the last two days, we've had a lot of homework... The roads are a sheet of ice, so I have nothing to do today.
My Model Railroad: Tri State RailMy Photos on Flickr: FlickrMy Videos on Youtube: YoutubeMy Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives
TrainManTy Looks a whole heck of a lot better than MY first ballasting job! After a year, I still can't ballast that well... My current problem is that the stuff doesn't stay where I put it when I spray on the wet water and add glue...
The best way to do it is to not directly hit the ballast. once you have the ballast where you want it, use an eye dropper and slowly let your "wet water" flow out on either a tie or something else. the trick is to allow it to seep in without letting the water flow so much that it starts to wash the ballast away. capillary action will do most of the work. then add the glue in the same fashion, the wet water should prevent it from beading up the ballast.
This isn't so much a hard project as it is that no one has really gotten the supplies together to build one. I could probably get away with making one right now, but i'm lazy, lol. As long as you have a razor saw, and a junked F40, you should be able to graft on the last section. the hard part is the grills, but they can be done. just make sure you have a clean edge. cut off less than you have to, then come back with a sanding stick or a file. It will probably take about 2 hours to do, but it will fly, so go at it!
Eye dropper...oh yeah... I still use a spray bottle... That's probably most of the problem!
I caught a light power move on the WRS last night, but unfortunetely YouTube is being really slow uploading, so it could be a while till it's up...
Have you looked at the layout construction area of this site? It has a video and pdf file for ballasting. Love the diorama!!!
I got my package of 100 36 inch metal wheelsets in the other day. Didn't think I'd use all of them, but I did (13 covered hoppers, 1 flat, the rest to boxcars). I still need to get some 33 inch wheelsets for the rest of my fleet, and some more 36s since I have a few cars waiting on 36s (a Bowser 100-ton hopper in SP).
Athearn's release date on the F45 hasn't changed in a few weeks, so that's good news. I had my parents pre-order one in the hope that they would have been completed by Christmas. I'm hoping it gets done soon, so I can break it in and speed match it with my SD45s. (yeah, I have a list of stuff to speed match now)
Last night a friend of mine gave me a Red Caboose box car kit. It's a B&M XM-1, build date 1-30, with a WO date of 3-48 (dunno what WO means). Dunno if that would work for my era or Prototype. I also have a P2K SP Automoblie box car that I haven't put together yet since I think it is out of my era too. Anyone know if either of there cars could have possibly survived into the 70's?
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.
Last night, as I was driving home past the White River Southern Railroad's White River Junction yard, I spotted a something moving. I raced a head to New Poland, where I caught two shots of it. Then I headed to Dooley, NH, where I got a shot of it crossing Main Street.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ns1nenn1xoHope you enjoy!
Packer, The car you have is most likely wearing Boxcar red paint, with a square B&M Logo, or a Minuteman Logo. Its possible they ran them into the 70's, but they would most likely have received new McGinnis Black and Blue. Those cars were really low on the list of cars to keep by then, because Mickey G placed an order for 40 and 50 foot cars several times during his term. A lot of the 40ft cars survive, as they were sold to people for storage when the 50ft cars arrived.
Nice ballasting Wikious!
Ty, good vid. Sounds get better and better!
And WO might stand for Work Order???
GG, it's boxcar red with the minuteman logo. Thanks for the info regarding it. Guess if I decide to use and keep it (I'll probably end up trying to get rid of it, I want for 50 foot box cars, there weren't very many 40 box cars around at the time), it'd have to be weathered fairly heavily.
I figure that SP automobile box might be running around in the 70s, since some pictures from the early BN days do show cars like that. I'll probably get rid of the "Automobile" lettering on it, since Autoracks were around at the time. I have 2.5 Southern (one is for parts, that one is .5) ones just like it running around. So I'll probably put it together.
green_elite_cabTrainManTy Looks a whole heck of a lot better than MY first ballasting job! After a year, I still can't ballast that well... My current problem is that the stuff doesn't stay where I put it when I spray on the wet water and add glue... The best way to do it is to not directly hit the ballast. once you have the ballast where you want it, use an eye dropper and slowly let your "wet water" flow out on either a tie or something else. the trick is to allow it to seep in without letting the water flow so much that it starts to wash the ballast away. capillary action will do most of the work. then add the glue in the same fashion, the wet water should prevent it from beading up the ballast.
I actually used an Elmer's Glue bottle to apply it, just let the water flow out with a bit of pressure, it thoroughly soaked the ballast, and then I did the same with the glue. went really smooth.
I'm going to, for the heck of it, plan a double deck layout in an 11x12 room, with a small 4x6 closet for staging. It'll still be SC, but it'll be its own little shortline (probably the Aiken Southern, but I'll run it as an independent line from SBRail, and create another line to go from Aiken to Charleston).
This will basically be the plan I go off of if I ever get the room to build it, or a layout similar.
Didn't get to as much as I hoped to today, but it was more that anything I've done in the last week. I started cutting up my F40, but it's taking longer than expected. There was a suggestion about using a razor saw but two problems with that: I don't have a razor saw, and I don't want to completely butcher the shell. So I'm using a hobby knife to cut through the corners. The only reason it's hard is that my hand kinda doesn't fit in an HO shell, so holding it is awkward.
If I get time (still finishing my term paper for bio...) maybe I'll do some scenery around the lake or cut hills or something.
If I were you, I'd get a razor saw... I've used an ex-acto knife to cut loco shells (a dummy IHC Alco that was just scrapped loco details in the yard) before (I still don't have a razor saw) and it turned out really rough, and sort of butchered the shell. The whole idea of a razor saw is that it DOESN'T butcher the shell; it makes a nice clean cut.
If I was doing another kitbashing project, I'd definetely invest in a good razor saw. Especially if it was a locomotive.
TrainManTy If I were you, I'd get a razor saw... I've used an ex-acto knife to cut loco shells (a dummy IHC Alco that was just scrapped loco details in the yard) before (I still don't have a razor saw) and it turned out really rough, and sort of butchered the shell. The whole idea of a razor saw is that it DOESN'T butcher the shell; it makes a nice clean cut. If I was doing another kitbashing project, I'd definetely invest in a good razor saw. Especially if it was a locomotive.
Maybe you're right...
Would something cheap from Micro Mark or in the Walther's catalog or anything like that work?
And I need to find out if I can borrow a drill to make holes for the ditch lights. I've decided that they will go to the LED 3 outputs, since that's the and is the easiest place to connect them to. They'll just be constant and will come on with the front headlight and numberboards. That is, when I actually get a decoder for the thing...
I got a razor saw for some projects for a class I had. It ended up being really handy when I did that GP40WX* kitbash.
* the GP40-2WX is a fictional locomotive. I took abusted up LL GP38-2 and a busted up LL F40PH. Put the Cab and radiator fan section from the F40PH and put them on the GP38. Looks like a GP40X with F40PHs cab. I got the GP40-2 part from the fact it is a Gp38-2 with 3 radiator fans. the W comes from a wider cab, and the X comes from the radiator fan section (which kind of resembles an SP GP40Xs)
I'd recommend getting one.
Razor Saw on Micro Mark
I myself need a new one, as my blade is warped... Miter Boxes are also good investments.
After searching on the Walther's site, I found a razor saw/miter box combo for $11 and a scale ruler for $8, so maybe I'll ask if I can order it tomorrow.
I'm now going to measure for the second and final set of hills, and maybe cut the first couple layers.
I don't want to go back to school tomorrow... :(
Packers#1I actually used an Elmer's Glue bottle to apply it, just let the water flow out with a bit of pressure, it thoroughly soaked the ballast, and then I did the same with the glue. went really smooth. I'm going to, for the heck of it, plan a double deck layout in an 11x12 room, with a small 4x6 closet for staging. It'll still be SC, but it'll be its own little shortline (probably the Aiken Southern, but I'll run it as an independent line from SBRail, and create another line to go from Aiken to Charleston). This will basically be the plan I go off of if I ever get the room to build it, or a layout similar.
yeah, the trick is to let the stuff go on slow.
I'm also planning a double deck layout, except i actually intend to build it. I'm going to try and use steel benchwork. I saw an article on it in Model Railroader, and i'm sold on the idea. Essentially, its all modular, and i can bolt things together (which works out nicely because i'm a diesel mechanic, and i know my nuts and bolts!). I'm still working on the plan for the lower "level" (it will have two decks, the lowest being staging), but the upper deck will be a Northeast Corridor style loop of tracks. The way i see it, the NEC track plan is easy to build, and it would have to be built first, so it would be a simple thing to put together, and i could be running trains quickly.
The lower decks i'll have to do some more figuring. I'm a little concerned with the grades involved. I want my old layout to be able to mate up with the new one, but i want it to be able to get together at the industrial park, which i plan to be a little higher than the rest of the layout. I'm hoping that the grades won't be to much for a GP38 or something similar to pull a reasonable train. Unlike the upperdeck, which is going to have more focus on scenery, the lower deck is going for more operations, trying to emulate the busy Conrail Chemical Coast in New Jersey. I've got the space and a general idea figured, but i'd still feel more comfortable if i was able to see what it looked like. Maybe i'll build it with cardstock and toothpicks!
ns3010 After searching on the Walther's site, I found a razor saw/miter box combo for $11 and a scale ruler for $8, so maybe I'll ask if I can order it tomorrow. I'm now going to measure for the second and final set of hills, and maybe cut the first couple layers. I don't want to go back to school tomorrow... :(
Yeah, you're going to want those tools. Another good thing to have is a pinvise and a set of drill bits ranging from #53 (works for 2/56 style screws standard on models) to 80 (standard handrail-grabiron thickness), and everything in between. I'm assuming you want to keep the current end piece in good shape, but another option is to cut a series of holes next to eachother using a drill bit, then all you have to do is slice through each hole (which is much easier) and sand it down. Thats a good technique for removing things like grills and vents to replace them with brass ones.
For the ditch lights, a pinvise is a must.
Anyway, i'm going to take a good look at my F40PH model to see if i can't find a good way to put a F40PH-2CAT together.
I had though about getting nose lights into my GP30s, but as it turns out the high headlight would have to be a mars light, because of it's origins as a CB&Q unit. I went ahead and looked through my roster to see what else would need mars lights.
Turns out darned near everything would, and I'd have to get some kind of light casting for my Gp9s and SD9s since they had them where the normal nubmerboards were, so I would need at least 4 sets of these:
http://www.internettrains.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=IT&Product_Code=DTW-290
Then the fun part would be getting another LED in there, and having light the seperate light bracket. IMO too much work for the result, since BN plated over the mars light when they broke. Guess I'm rejecting reality and sustituting my own.
Packer * the GP40-2WX is a fictional locomotive. I took abusted up LL GP38-2 and a busted up LL F40PH. Put the Cab and radiator fan section from the F40PH and put them on the GP38. Looks like a GP40X with F40PHs cab. I got the GP40-2 part from the fact it is a Gp38-2 with 3 radiator fans. the W comes from a wider cab, and the X comes from the radiator fan section (which kind of resembles an SP GP40Xs)
Sounds like an MBTA GP40MC or a NJT GP40PH... Just need to remove the strange radiators and swap them with ones like an SD45...
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1323313
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dz6qUQeatEs
EDIT: Last night I filmed another video of the WRS... I found out that I keep losing my footage down there because the video camera gets too cold... Now you guys know why sometimes I don't get much done! It's just SO cold down there...
This time, I set up the scene (train 41T storming the 4% grades of the pass) while the video camera was upstairs. Then I brought it down, filmed one scene, and brought it back upstairs while I set up the next scene... This was a royal pain, but it ensured that the video camera would stay warm and functional...
Chasing WRS Train 41T out of Stude
Enjoy!
Hey Ty, what I do with my camera, is have an old hat around it, and more importantly the battery. It's the only way I can go out and shoot in the winter!
Hmmm... May have to try that!
My problem isn't the battery though, it's the tape which gets too cold. The camera detects moisture caused by the cold (warm to cold) and shuts off. Then it takes a reset and tape head reader cleaning to get the camera to work again... Your trick may work though! I'll try a test shot at some point once we have the head cleaner tape to reset the camera if it doesn't work.
Thanks!
Well I went insane again yesterday, and started throwing money away...again.
This time, I picked up Athearns latest release of the RS-3. Really nice model, and runs really smooth, hardly any noise.
And that was a problem of course! It was way too quiet, so I pickep a Tsunami Alco 244 for it, and I also got 3 speakers, so I can do both the GP9, and RS-3. I'll have one leftover for the C424, which I have a Tsunami Alco 251 on order for.
The two other speakers and baffles I bought are now good for bigger projects, like steam, or a cowl unit. I just could not get the 1" speaker in any of the locomotives, while still providing a large enough baffle. The solution, http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/678-810113.
I promise to let you know how these little projects turn out, maybe with photos!
My plan is to get 3 of the Athearn RS3's, Glad they work well!