WPF: 9/12-9/14

[tstage]

I've been busy the past few weeks rewiring my layout.  Although the mainline is technically finished, a few things have to wait until I tack down the track to the roadbed.

Here's a couple of shots of some preliminary roadwork I did a few days ago.  The road is 1/16" thick cork sheeting:

Click picture(s) to enlarge

The cork is manufactured by Contact so it already has the advesive on the back: Just cut to size, peel, and press into place.  It cuts very easily with either a sharp #11 X-acto blade or a pair of scissors.

After the road is tacked down, I'll fill in the voids of the cork with thin layers of vinyl spackle; lightly sanding (and vacuuming) between layers when dry.  Once the road is smooth and the voids filled, it will be painted Grimy Black and weathered.

Along with wiring and roadwork, I've also been working on trackwork.  Here's a picture of a superelevated section along my mainline:

Click picture to enlarge

Although you really can't see it very well, the superelevation is achieved using increasing/decreasing thicknesses of dimensional styrene (1 x 8 and 2 x 8, to be specific) underneath the outer rail tie so that the track leans inward slightly.  The plus to the styrene is that it adheres really well to the plastic ties with Liquid adhesive.

I'm hoping to finish laying down my mainline trackwork this weekend.  I'm using DAP Latex caulk to tack the track in place.  I've been really pleased with the results so far.  It has worked very well on my roadbed.

Tom

[Robby P.]

Tom I like the look of it.  I also like the idea of the road.  Peel and stick.  Very nice!!!

Heres my latest car.  Its a little tanker, which still has alittle blue left.

 

[C&O Fan]

I spent the morning covering the layout with plastic bags

almost done

Hope Hurricane Ike goes the other way !

  

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

This last week has been a busy one for me. I had several projects to work on. The first of these was get a Bachmann GP40 body onto an Athearn GP60 frame. While the frame required very little modification the Bachmann body needed quite a bit of surgery. For some reason known only to them, Bachmann had the couplers mounted to the body instead of the frame. The mounting pads for these couplers had to be carefully removed. The mounting tabs that the screws that held the body to the frame also had to be removed. After all this was done it was a simple matter to spread the sides of the body slightly so that it would hold onto the frame through tension. First photo shows how it looked after the body was fitted, second photo shows the unit after painting and light weathering.

 

The next project was to rebuild some old Bachmann hoppers. These were made for Talgo trucks with truck mounted couplers. I installed new trucks and added body mounted Kadee #5 couplers.

 

The easiest project was rebuilding an old Mehano caboose. All I had was the caboose body with a useless frame. I pitched the frame (it's now buried under a bunch of plaster) and installed an Athearn frame and a pair of roller bearing trucks with nickel-silver wheels and body mounted Kadee couplers.

After assembly

And after a run through the paint shop.

 

There were also two gondolas to rebuild. These received Talgo trucks with Kadee couplers.

 

And lastly, pouring the plaster for the new section. It'll look much better when the scenery goes in.

 

That's it for this week.

[wm3798]

How about a run down of some locomotives I've modified to better represent Western Maryland's practices...

GP-9 40 was the first chopnose geep I did.  It rides a Life Like GP-20 drive, and borrows a GP-20 windshield (to get the wiper detail.)

GP-7 23 was the second chopnose geep I attempted.  It rides on a Life Like GP-20 drive that's modified for DCC, and a nose mounted headlight. 

I modified the pilot and walkways of this Bachmann Spectrum Consolidation to better represent a WM H-7b.  I removed the ladders and cow catcher, and added the tie rods, air reservoir under the smoke box, and the plow pilot, as well as a working MT coupler.

I now stable a half dozen RS-3's, all but one are from the earlier Atlas/Kato run, one is the recent Atlas Classic release.  I've added corner mounted number boards and spark arrestor stack extensions to all of them now, and am adding sun shades and new horns as they become available.

On 193, I added the high short hood by combining parts from a second shell.  The WM's "hammer heads" were equipped with dynamic brakes and steam generators, requiring the extra space.

My SD35 fleet has been modified with the addition of plows, sunshades, and the flange oiler cabinet behind the cab on the fireman's side.  I used a battery box from a spare shell turned on it's side to represent the flange oiler.

GP-9 25 is my latest chopnose, on which I used an etched brass cab face I had made to get the dual windshield.  25, (later Chessie 6400) was the first GP9 chopped by the Hagerstown shop, and was the only one to receive the dual windshields.  Other add ons include sunshades and a 5 chime horn.

I enjoy doing these modifications.  They usually don't take long, and the results are always satisfying.

Lee

[lvanhen]

Tom, is that a 4x8?  Good, I'm not alone in this size!!

After the road is tacked down, I'll fill in the voids of the cork with thin layers of vinyl spackle; sanding between layers when dry.  Once the road is smooth and the voids filled, it will be painted Grimy Black and weathered.

PLEASE DON'T SAND IT!!!!  After it dries, use a moist sponge to smooth it over - sanding spackle is guaranteed to make a mess anywhere it is done - and on a layout!!!!

Looks like a great start!

[CSX_road_slug]

http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Roster_Shots_022.jpg

http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/GP723.jpg

http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Web_761.jpg

http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Geepers_006.jpg

http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Hammer_Time_009.jpg

http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/SD35_7434.JPG

http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/Brass_036.jpg

...   I enjoy doing these modifications.  They usually don't take long, and the results are always satisfying.

Lee, that's quite a fleet of WM locos you're amassing!  I especially like the hammerhead. 

[Grampys Trains]

Hi all: Tom, your layout is looking good, Robby, great job on that tank car, Jeffrey, you've really been busy, Lee, you've got quite a stable of locos there, and Terry and all the people in the path of the hurricane, my thoughts and prayers are with all of you. Here's some shots of Pennsylvania wild life.

Black bears.

White tail deer.

Raccoons, doing what they do best, scattering garbage.

A large copperhead heading for cover.

 

[Blue Flamer]

C&O Fan.

Don't forget to pull ALL your electric plugs from the sockets. It also may be a good idea to shut off the MAIN switch for the house in the main Hydro (Electric) panel when the winds from IKE start to pick up. It may mean that you will have to reset all those stupid flashing timers, but if you don't do it and you get hit with a power surge you will probably still have to reset the flashing lights. The only difference is, you probably will have to replace all your blown out electronic equipment BEFORE you do the resets.

Good luck to all of you who may be in the path or fringes of IKE.

Blue Flamer. 

[howmus]

Nice start to the weekend folks!  C & O Fan and all of you in harm's way, hope you make it through the storm with no damage!

Grampy I have several of the same detail figures on my layout.  One question, what are the deer and the snake?  I have not been able to acquire them and need some.  After all the Southern tier of NY and the Northern Tier of PA look a lot the same.   When I taught in Wavery, NY years ago, we had a kid who brought in his new pet snake that he had caught up in the Wavery Glen to school.  Turned out to be a baby Cooperhead............  Very tame and friendly.... he was set loose out in the country!

Ken L. wrote, "Lee, that's quite a fleet of WM locos you're amassing!  I especially like the hammerhead."  The RS-3 Hammerhead is my favoite diseasal.  I get to play with this one though: Lehigh Valley #211

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Great stuff so far, and it is still daytime on Friday.

Lee's lcomotives and Robby's tank car look very real. Grampy's wildlife adds a lot to a nice layout. Jeff's paint shop has been very productive.

Terry showed how to cover a layout if a hurricane is approaching. I hope terry will be safe himself.   

[jacon12]

In this shot I've tried to represent just how large even the smaller prototype locomotives are.

click on image to enlarge

Jarrell

[jacon12]

Hi Grampy,

As usual I love your photos.  I'm really interested in the long grass at the top of the 'copperhead' shot.  What is that 'cause it looks great.

 

 

[Grampys Trains]

Hi Ray: I thought you might get a kick out of those shots.  The deer are WS. The copperhead is actually one of those curly leaves you have to pick off of super tree armatures, painted brown. Jarrell, another great photo from you, this week. That is Silflor, from Scenic Express sampler pack.

[tstage]

Tom, is that a 4x8?  Good, I'm not alone in this size!!

After the road is tacked down, I'll fill in the voids of the cork with thin layers of vinyl spackle; sanding between layers when dry.  Once the road is smooth and the voids filled, it will be painted Grimy Black and weathered.

PLEASE DON'T SAND IT!!!!  After it dries, use a moist sponge to smooth it over - sanding spackle is guaranteed to make a mess anywhere it is done - and on a layout!!!!

Looks like a great start!

Lou,

Yes, it's a 4 x 8.   My next one will most likely be an around-the-wall.  Being my first, it's still been a fun and learning process (journey).

Warning heeded.  I should have noted "lightly sanding between layers when dry".  (It's more of a "rub" than a sand.)  The sponge recommendation is a good one though.

Tom

[Blue Flamer]

 Sorry for this duplicate. When I was  origionally trying to put this in earlier this A.M., I kept getting  a none matching quotes indicator error and it would not post, (or so I thought). Obviously it did post.

B.F. 

C&O Fan.

Before you get the full force of IKE, do yourself a favour and make sure that you:

1)    Pull all plugs from the electric outlets.

or better yet:

2)    Turn off all power to the house at the main service panel. 

It is better to just have to reset all those flashing clocks and lights if nothing happens than to have to replace all your electronic apparatus if you don't and something does happen and then have to reset them all anyway.

Good luck to all you folk in the path or fringes of IKE.

Blue Flamer. 

[MAbruce]

My progress this week - although it may seem like it's in reverse:

 

I started with this:

Same area last week (bridge removed):

Same are now - Demolition complete:

Now it's time to rebuild.  I plan to replace the bridge with 3 Micro Engineering bridge spans so it will look a bit like this bridge:

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2005111422422914322.jpg

 

[twhite]

Still on the mend, though I'm 'hobbling' around okay without the cane.  Plan on going in tomorrow and working on the long (3-week) neglected Yuba River Sub tomorrow--which means some SERIOUS track-cleaning, etc. 

Delved into the file today, thought I'd show my three big brass Akane Yellowstones in the same shot.  If I triple-headed them, I could pull the neighborhood to a totally different location, LOL! 

And Grampys:  I couldn't help this, after seeing that herd of bears in your terrific shots--my own 'mom and kids' on Yuba Pass.  Evidently the one curious little cub is climbing up that Ponderosa to get a view of the trains about 300 feet above him, LOL!   Who says that wildlife doesn't like trains? 

Tom

[howmus]

I have been replacing all the gross looking over sized Caboose Hobbies ground throws with tortoises and will be placing scale Details West throws with targets later.  Here is one of the mounted torti:



It has a remote throw on it that was made from some leftover material from the commercial remote mounts.  I used a piece code 100 rail to connect the tortoise to the throw lever attached to the switch points.



I have installed a dozen machines in the last couple of weeks 10 of them in the yard.  Here they are with all the wiring and DPDT Toggles attached.





The last photo shows the completed fascia board with the DPDT Toggles in place.  There is one more toggle to be mounted on that board, but I am fresh out of tortoise machine for the moment.  I need 3 more to complete the area.

[RRTrainman]

Finally got things together heres a few fresh shots

[Grampys Trains]

Thanks Tom: I'm very happy to read that your recuperation is coming along well. Here's to a speedy recovery. I'll always have a fondness for steam engines. I still have my pre-war Lionel 0-6-0 that I set up at Christmas. Since I'll turn 64 tomorrow, I'm old enough to remember steam. When I was a kid, the Columbia-Reading branch passed about a mile from my home. We'd ride our bikes to a road overpass and watch the train pass under us. I only ever saw the top of it. And, there is still nothing like the sound of a steam whistle! Today, I was working on my only steam engine, a NYC Hudson, that my wife gave me for Christmas, when they first came out. It actually made it around the layout a few times, and only found 1 spot that it didn't like. I love your bear scene, very realistic.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I did some ballast work yesterday in the new area on my layout.

[wsdimenna]

Just as NS restored some F-7s for the management team, they have also restored an aging switch tower and incorporated it as part of a rural passenger station.

[jacon12]

 Great exposure on this night shot, well done!  Is that one of the Athearn units?  How well does it run?

Jarrell

 

Just as NS restored some F-7s for the management team, they have also restored an aging switch tower and incorporated it as part of a rural passenger station.

[wsdimenna]

Jarell,

thank you 

this is O scale engine 1/48 from MTH. Model in 1/48 here.  The engine runs very well. Allows for fewer scences but good detail. Stlll a lot of details left, people, telephone poles, and kitbashed pedestrian bridge to ("the other side of tracks") the town that will go just to left.

Bill D 

[Jumijo]

Here is a cardstock building project. This is a model of a grain elevator located a few miles from our lake house in New Hampshire. I made a few modifications, and omitted the adjoining building entirely because of space limitations. Still need to add figures, landscaping, and other details.

 


Here is the real structure.

Jess Red Horse should be very familiar with this structure.

Jim

[super cheif n]

just a few moments ago i built this from a bachman kit

 

[cheese3]

Awesome pics by everyone this weekend! I hate to ruin it with my pics... Well i got the itch and had to break out the HO. there is even talk between my parents and I about finishing the basement and building an HO layout. Mom is thrilled about it, dad not so much! Mainly because it wouldn't be a lionel layout. But i told him when i move out after im done at school feel free to build it, but you cant have my prewar lol.  I have an old varney ?-6-0 i think it was a 4-6-0 and i am trying to rebuild it. I got it running just need to find some parts for it. But i would like to know if i am correct in thinking its a 4-6-0.

?-6-0

mantua 0-4-0

Small Coal Drag

 

 

[Packers#1]

just a few moments ago i built this from a bachman kit

 

I've got one. Right now it's in the first stage of being covered in ivy to make it looked abandoned. Here's an old pic of it in use as a yard office:

[Tjsingle]

Not many people have seen my newest project.

A N11 conrail transfer caboose

tjsingle