Weekend Photo Fun 9-28-2007 Thru 9-30-2007

[Wisconsin Railfan]

 

You were shown a great deal of compassion by other forum members who took it upon themselves to help you out and improve your photo equipment. 

 

Speaking of which, Jeff, how is the 64meg card I sent you?  If I find the 128meg card, I will send that out too. 

[jktrains]

Guys - this is starting to get ugly.  May I suggest you continue this disagreement out of this topic and in Private Messages (or email)?

Not a problem for me. This is going to be my last post in these weekend photo threads. No matter how good any of my photos are, somebody always has to lambast the smallest negative item. I've had enough of it.

Jeff,

 You were shown a great deal of compassion by other forum members who took it upon themselves to help you out and improve your photo equipment.  No one is lambasting your pictures.  Get over it. 

The comments, and I was not the first, had to do with the installation of the decoder and the missteps being shown.  Go back and re-read Mark's comments.  I think he was right on track.

[jktrains]

Jeff

Outstanding job !!! gives me an idea for some of my locos.

JIM

Jim,

Please pardon my thick headedness, but could you explain what you meant by "Outstanding Job"?  'Cause I don't get what you're referring to.

jktrains

[XG01X]

I will admit there was always something about those SOO bandits that caught my eye

[Driline]

Jeff

Outstanding job !!! gives me an idea for some of my locos.

JIM

If Jeffery's attempts at creative modeling have piqued your interest, then perhaps I could wet your appetite with a few of my own avant garde modeling techniques.

My latest venture..... "Weathering Engines with Crayola Crayons".

[oleirish]

Jeff

Outstanding job !!! gives me an idea for some of my locos.

JIM

[CMSTPP]

Driline- All of my models are HO... well I hope they all are.. But, I have always had a spot for the Milwaukee Road... Infact, that's all I model.. and alittle nit of the Northern Pacific.. but outside of that, it's the Milwaukee. Right at the moment I have about 23 Milwaukee Road units. Mostly consisting of U boats and electrics.

This shot is of two of the three electrics I own. I don't have my steeple cab in the photo. But the Little Joe and Bipolar are there. The U30C sits next to them.

These are the other locomotives that currently run on the layout.. You will notice the od balls at the end. Two BN locos.. One a B30-7 with sound and the other a U33C. Both for outstanding prices. The UP C30-7 I also picked up for a really good price. I have not included the Milwaukee road F9s A-B-A set from Athearn Genesis. I also have two E units. One is an E8, the other an E6. I have not included my DL109s or my Erie Builts... So there are a few locos not included. If I count them, I have a little over thirty locos.

Happy railroading

James

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Jeff - not to add fuel to the fire or anything, but you stated a couple of pages ago that you traded for the GP with your neighbors son?!  I have never gotten involved in anything like this, but I have to agree with others.  I normally look past your posts but you are really starting to get to me...

I'm the one who bought the GP50 for him, four months ago for $22. He decided the other day that he liked my MDC RS3 SP Black widow and we traded.

[cf-7]

Jeff - not to add fuel to the fire or anything, but you stated a couple of pages ago that you traded for the GP with your neighbors son?!  I have never gotten involved in anything like this, but I have to agree with others.  I normally look past your posts but you are really starting to get to me...

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Guys - this is starting to get ugly.  May I suggest you continue this disagreement out of this topic and in Private Messages (or email)?

Not a problem for me. This is going to be my last post in these weekend photo threads. No matter how good any of my photos are, somebody always has to lambast the smallest negative item. I've had enough of it.

Regarding the "I can't get parts with money I don't have" response.  It starting to get old.  Save it up. Over the last few weeks I've seen posts from you about burning out a motor by letting it sit on DCC, about making a retaining wall mold and plaster castings etc.  You stated that the motor was a surplus from changing out a motor. fine, but to intentionally burn it out, says there is some excess.  Making latex molds is not a cheap process.  Sure it is cheaper than buying 20 other the same thing, but the point being that you have/had the money to buy the mold making material.  Lets, consider the loco/decoder install at hand.  You said it was a temporary install with a cheap bachmann decoder.  Where did the surplus decoder come from?  You said you can replace the dynamic brake housing when you install a better decoder, which is true.  So how much is the new brake housing?  Also consider that based on your previous posts, the nearest hobby shop is a long way away, so you either have to drive there (in your gas guzzling, by your own admission, car) to pick it up, or pay postage to have it shipped.  Sure you could combine additional purchases to spread out that expense, but nonetheless, the cost of the new part is still there.  All this from someone who continually says how little disposalable funds he has.  In short it doesn't always add up.

My physical condition is quite bad. I'm disabled and for much of the year I can't work. My income at this point in time is $353 a month. Try paying all the bills and getting the groceries on that. It doesn't leave me much for gas and luxuries. In another month or two I'll be getting about twice that amount, then I'll be able to get most of what I need. With that extra money, a drive to Alexandria once a month to pick up items isn't difficult. Right now it's out of the question. The latex rubber I used for the mold I made has been sitting on the shelf here for three years, I had to add some water to it to soften it up. The plaster has been here for almost a year. I have over a dozen old Athearn and MDC motors on hand in the junk box, scavenged from junked locos 0over the last twenty-odd years. I also have a spare brake housing for the GP50. It was given to me when the loco was bought at a deep discount. The Bachmann decoder was salvaged from an old Bachmann GP40 that I bought a couple of years ago. The motor in it burned out and it didn't need the decoder any longer. If I could afford to buy another car, I would. Used car prices here are very high. A dependable six year old car costs around $6,000, average minimum.

Now do you see where I'm coming from?

[Anonymous]

Great pics everyone

James

Great weathering and pics of Milw, keep them coming please.

 

I have to agree with Mark, Some of the things posted are an example of how NOT to do things, Those "How to's are not exactly an example most of the serious modelers want to have representing them, and are uncomfortable with the display of a hacked loco shell and taped up decoder. Yes, what you do with your stuff, like burning up loco motors on DCC, is your business, but when you post it in a public forum, it is then open to public scrutiny, like it or not.

 

 

 

[MAbruce]

Guys - this is starting to get ugly.  May I suggest you continue this disagreement out of this topic and in Private Messages (or email)?

[jktrains]

Jeff - Listen to DonZ.  You've now taken a perfectly good shell/loco and ruined it.  Cannon fans would have been a good solution and improved the appearance of the loco. You solution has done the opposite.  You might as well have just drilled a bunch of holes in the roof and sides.

Everyone else - don't listen to Jeff!  This is NOT what you should do to your loco if heat is an issue.

Look, it's my equipment and I'll do with it as I please. You don't want me chopping on it, then buy it. I'm not going to waste time wishing for detail parts that I can't get with money I don't have. Some like to dress their locos up, others, such as myself, take a more utilitarian approach. The only visible damage is to the dynamic brake housing, which is easily replaceable. And yes, the cheap Bachmann decoders run hot and will burn up if the heat is not vented away. I can easily replace the brake housing once I get a cooler running decoder. I cannot however fix a bunch of holes in the body. I am not an idiot so quit trying to make me look like one with your remarks. I didn't tell anybody that my approach to the heat problem I was having is the one they should use, I simply said it's the one that I used in this case. If they want to do the same, that's up to them, not you. You have no right to tell me what I can and can't do with my equipment. You don't like what I'm doing to it? That's fine. I know what I'm doing, that's why the only visible area that's damaged is a small easily replaceable part.

Jeff,

I'll agree with you on one thing - it's you're equipment and you can do what you want with it.  If you want to mutilate it with a Dremel - go ahead; if you want to paint with a 1" wide brush, obscure all the details and use paper decals - fine go ahead.  If you want to run it off the end of the track and onto the floor, fine go ahead.

But your approach is to present things as if they are a viable, reasonable solution as to how to do things or solve a problem.  Add to the equation the fact that your post count is very high so that unknowing readers could easily conclude that you must know a great deal and should therefore follow your example.  I have a problem when someone presents a method to do something, anything, that is contrary to acceptable modeling practices or common sense.  People come here for advice and information.  To present things the way you have is wrong and it needs to be pointed out that it is not the way things should be done.

Regarding trying to make you look like an idiot.  Unfortunately my friend, your own comments and pictures do a far better job than I could ever do.  Someone who would install a decoder using masking tape, take a dremel and remove pieces of a model to solve a heat problem, all while saying it was a temporary install, and then posts pictures of it is doing more than I can do.

Regarding the "I can't get parts with money I don't have" response.  It starting to get old.  Save it up. Over the last few weeks I've seen posts from you about burning out a motor by letting it sit on DCC, about making a retaining wall mold and plaster castings etc.  You stated that the motor was a surplus from changing out a motor. fine, but to intentionally burn it out, says there is some excess.  Making latex molds is not a cheap process.  Sure it is cheaper than buying 20 other the same thing, but the point being that you have/had the money to buy the mold making material.  Lets, consider the loco/decoder install at hand.  You said it was a temporary install with a cheap bachmann decoder.  Where did the surplus decoder come from?  You said you can replace the dynamic brake housing when you install a better decoder, which is true.  So how much is the new brake housing?  Also consider that based on your previous posts, the nearest hobby shop is a long way away, so you either have to drive there (in your gas guzzling, by your own admission, car) to pick it up, or pay postage to have it shipped.  Sure you could combine additional purchases to spread out that expense, but nonetheless, the cost of the new part is still there.  All this from someone who continually says how little disposalable funds he has.  In short it doesn't always add up.

Again, yea, I have no right to tell you want to do with your equipment, but if I see somone posting bad advice I have an right to say that the advice is bad and tell others not to follow it.  Also, re-read my comments.  I didn't tell you what to do or not do.  I did agreed with DonZ's suggestion about using Cannon parts.  I did tell everyone else not to do what you've done.

[Driline]

Well, it seems that things are looking good here. I am enjoying looking over the last few pics here..

Anyway, I have been busy weathering up my locomotives.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/cmstpp/rail/Model%20RR/random080.jpg

U25B #5058 gets the treatment. This is nowhere compared to how the real thing looked and believe me, I will not be going there. I just need to finish the trucks and then it will be dine. Just enough to give the idea.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/cmstpp/rail/Model%20RR/random078.jpg

U28B #132 also gets the treatments. This locomotive looks pretty good. Actually looks like it has been working and rightfully so. These locomotives deal with some pretty serious grades and heavy trains.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a276/cmstpp/rail/Model%20RR/random079.jpgThis is my new GP40. I picked this one up for my B-day a couple of days ago. I am going to give it some treatment but not as much. It's a "newer" locomotive in the Milwaukee Roads eyes.

Sorry if the pics are a little blurry. I took them tonight and was a getting a little tired.

Happy railroading

James

James those are some great looking locomotives you have there. I've always had a soft spot for the Milwaukee Road Orange and Black scheme. I used to watch the trains run here locally until they stopped in 1978? (Eastern Iowa, Western Illinois area). Here's a pic of my unit. Is that N scale or HO you are using?

And here's the real deal, albeit a GP38-2 instead of an SD40, but what the heck....

[Mark R.]

Jeff - Allow me to offer a little constructive critism. You, my friend, are you own worst enemy. Take a moment before you post your pictures and ask yourself - "would folks really like to see this ?"  Sure, your method of creating an "exhaust" for your heating problem probably does help somewhat, but you admit yourself it wasn't the best approach. Same goes for your masking tape installation. Instead of posting pictures of everything you do, hold off until the project is done properly and worthy of sharing, otherwise it's nothing more than an invitation to comments like you've been getting.

Remember as well how much trouble you had taking pictures with your $10 special. We understand your financial situation and that everyone likes to share their work here and we accepted your poor quality pics for what they were. The problem wasn't the bad pictures - everyone is entitled to participate - but even the high quality posters don't post every picture they take. The endless strings of bad pics were just an invitation to critism for a while there.

I won't post any pics unless the project is complete and worthy of sharing. Take a good look at what you're about to post and judge your own reaction on what others might think .... don't like the negative comments ? - don't provide reason for them.

Mark. 

[cf-7]

That's what I like about this thread every week; there is something for everyone.  Always great photos and also a little humor too.  Great stuff!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Jeff - Listen to DonZ.  You've now taken a perfectly good shell/loco and ruined it.  Cannon fans would have been a good solution and improved the appearance of the loco. You solution has done the opposite.  You might as well have just drilled a bunch of holes in the roof and sides.

Everyone else - don't listen to Jeff!  This is NOT what you should do to your loco if heat is an issue.

Look, it's my equipment and I'll do with it as I please. You don't want me chopping on it, then buy it. I'm not going to waste time wishing for detail parts that I can't get with money I don't have. Some like to dress their locos up, others, such as myself, take a more utilitarian approach. The only visible damage is to the dynamic brake housing, which is easily replaceable. And yes, the cheap Bachmann decoders run hot and will burn up if the heat is not vented away. I can easily replace the brake housing once I get a cooler running decoder. I cannot however fix a bunch of holes in the body. I am not an idiot so quit trying to make me look like one with your remarks. I didn't tell anybody that my approach to the heat problem I was having is the one they should use, I simply said it's the one that I used in this case. If they want to do the same, that's up to them, not you. You have no right to tell me what I can and can't do with my equipment. You don't like what I'm doing to it? That's fine. I know what I'm doing, that's why the only visible area that's damaged is a small easily replaceable part.

[spectratone]

Wouldn,t upswept Zoomies work better than downswept headers? And a large scoop instead of velocity stacks? I think We,re almost there. I like the chrome.

Naw - THIS oughta make her breathe better !!! ....

Mark.

[jktrains]

I devised a way to get rid of the heat developed by the motor and decoder. I took the dynamic brake housing off the shell and used my Dremel tool to open up the top of the shell. I then cut the grills out of the sides of the dynamic brake housing. Now the top of the shell doesn't heat up after the loco has been running for a while.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q186/forum-1/P1010001-4.jpg[/IMG]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q186/forum-1/P1010002-2.jpg[/IMG]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q186/forum-1/P1010005-2.jpg[/IMG]

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q186/forum-1/P1010003-4.jpg[/IMG]

Jeff - Listen to DonZ.  You've now taken a perfectly good shell/loco and ruined it.  Cannon fans would have been a good solution and improved the appearance of the loco. You solution has done the opposite.  You might as well have just drilled a bunch of holes in the roof and sides.

Everyone else - don't listen to Jeff!  This is NOT what you should do to your loco if heat is an issue.

There should not be that much heat being generated from either the loco or the decoder.  If there is, then your done something wrong.  If it is from a resistor used for lights, then you've used the wrong watt resistor.  If the motor gets that hot then there is probably something binding or rubbing.  Decoders are designed to handle a certain load and generate a minimum of heat.  It should never be enough to melt plastic or require surgery to a shell to dissipate it.

 

[Southwest Chief]

I was really busy this weekend working on my Santa Fe #3482 dorm kitbash:

For more information see this thread (page 3 has more photos of this kitbash):

3482 Kitbash

[UP2CSX]

Mark,

Now that's funny. Kind of a drag racing SD45. Jeff, if you need to do something like this again, use your Dremel tool to drill a series of holes in the fan grilles and then use an exacto knoife to open them up. You'll get more cooling and it won't even be noticeable if you do it right.

[CMSTPP]

Well, it seems that things are looking good here. I am enjoying looking over the last few pics here..

Anyway, I have been busy weathering up my locomotives.

U25B #5058 gets the treatment. This is nowhere compared to how the real thing looked and believe me, I will not be going there. I just need to finish the trucks and then it will be dine. Just enough to give the idea.

U28B #132 also gets the treatments. This locomotive looks pretty good. Actually looks like it has been working and rightfully so. These locomotives deal with some pretty serious grades and heavy trains.

This is my new GP40. I picked this one up for my B-day a couple of days ago. I am going to give it some treatment but not as much. It's a "newer" locomotive in the Milwaukee Roads eyes.

Sorry if the pics are a little blurry. I took them tonight and was a getting a little tired.

Happy railroading

James

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Sheesh, why didn't I think of that.

[Mark R.]

Naw - THIS oughta make her breathe better !!! ....

Mark.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I can't use what I don't have.

[Don Z]

I devised a way to get rid of the heat developed by the motor and decoder. I took the dynamic brake housing off the shell and used my Dremel tool to open up the top of the shell. I then cut the grills out of the sides of the dynamic brake housing. Now the top of the shell doesn't heat up after the loco has been running for a while.

Wouldn't it look much better if you cut out the dynamic brake fan and replaced it with a Cannon & Co. fan ( http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/191-1851 ) with the see through grid that would allow the heat to rise out of the hood instead of ripping a hole in the side of the hood?

Don Z.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I devised a way to get rid of the heat developed by the motor and decoder. I took the dynamic brake housing off the shell and used my Dremel tool to open up the top of the shell. I then cut the grills out of the sides of the dynamic brake housing. Now the top of the shell doesn't heat up after the loco has been running for a while.

 

[Anonymous]

Lookin' good!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Now it's redone.