Alright posters, It's time for our favorite thread. As some of you saw, I finished up the roundhouse I built for my club- 18 stalls and a machine shop in the back. There's a full thread on the first page here for more photos of it, but for to wet your whistle-
I also did some scenery work at the club to- this was until recently just exposed blue foam-
Finally, I got some work done on my freelanced MP15 unit
Hope to see the good stuff again this week.
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Jimmy, as I said on your thread about the roundhouse build, that is truly impressive. Roundhouses are one of my favourite structures. I am envious because I only have space for three stalls as the plan sits now. I am sorely tempted to ditch my Atlas roundhouse with the 15 degree angles between stalls and pick up a Walthers unit with 10 degrees between stalls to see if I can fit in another stall or two.
Bear:
Your club pictures are always interesting. Its neat to see how locomotives developed 'down under'.
I have finally kicked my own butt and started something which will require a little creativity. I have been sitting on a Roundhouse 3 in 1 kit for a Galloping Goose for a while so I thought I would dive in. Here is what it is intended to look like:
Here is what I have done so far (which isn't much):
I have the freight box assembled and ready for grab irons and stirrups (red piece). I will make the grabs. The stirrups will be Detail Associates.
I'm not following the instructions for the motor hood. You can see the top of the hood which is tapered. The plan called for a straight hood which didn't appeal to me. I'm going to make a proper grill. The plan calls for a simple flat styrene front on the cowling with no details but I figure I can do much better than that. I have already tried to make one out of brass angle but I couldn't get the curves small enough. Styrene will be fine. Just to prove that you should never throw anything out, I have a radiator core from a model I built in the late 60s ( and subsequently destroyed - don't ask why - I haven't a clue - may have had something to do with firecrackers!). It is 1/24th but I can cut a proper sized piece out of it.
The passenger section is supposed to be made out of a boxcab body which you can see in the picture (black). I'm really reluctant to chop the body up because the actual boxcabs are so rare now. I'm thinking of scratching the passenger compartment and saving the boxcab shell for a future project. I might buy a derelect old timer passenger car and sacrifice it to the critter gods.
The Goose will be powered by an older NWSL Stanton drive which you can see on the right.
It will be DCC with sound of course. Loksound is finally about to release their Galloping Goose sound file. It was supposed to be out this February. They have 3 days left!
I'll keep you posted as work progresses but be patient please. The decals for the McKeen Motor Car are actually in the mail and should be here in the next day or two (after six months I can hardly believe it!). They get done first!
Sorry to blither on.
All the best everybody! Let's see some more great stuff.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I made some progress with the bridge & chapel scene over the last few days. Painting both models was a real PITA and my wife learned a few new choice words from me in the process. But now that they are (almost) done, I am quite happy with the result!
Before:
... and after:
Looks great Ulrich!
Jimmy,
That's a honking big structure. Does it come apart in pieces or did you build it in place?
Bear,
Fascinating diesels, kinda inspirational really.
Dave,
Those were neat kits, but I wanted them powered as you're doing and that was way ahead of my skill set back then.
Ulrich,
The layout's not very big, but your pics really seem expansive.
Two big projects this week. Neither is finished, but both are far enough along to show off what's been going on. First is a project to redo the faces on my control panels. They just sorta grew as I needed them. Fortunately, I left the panels so they could be changed out and it was time. This should help my operators a bunch. Here's just one example that shows roughly what a mess the old one was and the cleaned up look of the new.
The Outlaw Mine has been coming along. About 6 hours worth of gluing all those battens on really helps it stand out. Still lots more detailing and LED lighting to come soon.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Yes, i built it to be modular, so I can move it need be. Taken me close to a year.
The goose project looks interesting, especially since I've only messed around with motors once.
The Swiss locos look good, and so does the scenery.
The mine looks good as well.
Good morning from cold and snowy Northeast Ohio!
Jimmy, an impressive roundhouse!
Bear, Again a nice looking locomotive, at least it looks like a locomotive compared to some of the non-USA stuff.
Dave, I remember selling those things at the hobby shop, MDC had a lot of neat ideas, sorry they all went away. I also did not know anyone who powered one of those kits.
Ulrich, Beautiful Scene, but where are the wires?
Mike, Nice looking mine, a lot of work done since the mockup of last week.
Managed to finish a couple of new cars this week:
Athearn PS 2893CF Covered Hopper Kit, a real PITA to build with the lack of instructions. Painted with Floquil C&NW Green and lettered with Oddballs Decals to represent a car that was repainted in 1978.
Exactrail Evans 4780CF Covered Hopper Kit, Instructions much better than Athearns exploded drawing, actually took less time to build even though it has more parts. Painted with Floquil BN Green and lettered with Oddballs Decals.
Thanks for looking!
Rick J
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Jimmy ... I like the roundhouse.
Bear ... The NZ locos are very interesting.
Dave ... the goose project looks like a fun one.
Mike L ... Your mine is progressing very well.
Ulrich ... You have made a lot of progreswith your new Swiss layout.
Rick .... The hoppers look great. By now, you can have a very long freight train.
Below is a view of my fictional city of Blackhawk.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
dti406Ulrich, Beautiful Scene, but where are the wires?
Coming, but they will be one of the last things to install on the layout.
This week I finished the Campbell covered bridge that I redesigned for HOn30 on the Boothbay Railway Village layout.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
A few from the yard..
Tony
EK Sub in HO Scale
Rick,
I've never been much of a C&NW fan, but I sure like the shade of green they used -- and that's a lot of it
Heartland Division CB&QMike L ... Your mine is progressing very well.
Thanks, Garry.
I like how you have the bus meeting the train, the way it should be.
George,
That bridge came out wonderful. Does the roof come off so people can see all the neat work inside you showed us previously?
mlehmanDoes the roof come off so people can see all the neat work inside you showed us previously?
I decided to glue the roof on; it will be installed about 2-1/2 feet from the edge of the layout back near the backdrop, so it will not be that acessible for close views.
Mike:
The Outlaw Mine is coming along very nicely! The battons really add depth to the structure.
Well I'm working on planning the new layout after moving. I got a basement in the new house! It will be 2 levels modeling the beer line going from Downtown Denver to Golden, Colorado. The lower level represents the eastern half of the line with landmarks such as the Burnham Shops and North Yard as well as the Conoco refinery in Commerce City. The upper level will represent the western end of the line. The big industry will be the Coors brewery, which will take up the majority of the center peninsula.
Colorado Front Range Railroad: http://www.coloradofrontrangerr.com/
Tony,
Nice pics and to WPF!
Renegade1c,
Looks like a plan to keep you busy for awhile. I can't fault your choice of prototype locations.
hon30critter Mike: The Outlaw Mine is coming along very nicely! The battons really add depth to the structure. Dave
Thanks! I use scale 2"x2" (Northeastern at the moment) stock and cut to length. I use tweezers to drag them through some Titebond III glue. I then apply them freehand. A little natural variantion in spacing is OK, even enhances this method over store-bought sheet goods. It is a little tedious, but the results are worth it.
I got some corrugated roofing on this evening and did some prep work for wiring LEDs, which are next.
A little closer looks underneath where the supply dock will be.
Looks kinda regal in this view.
Jimmy, Thanks for the WPF start-up. Along with being a bang-up job your roundhouse is a commendable exercise in perseverance.
Put the finishing touches on the Palace yesterday evening.
Regards, Peter
I needed a downtown passenger station for the passenger trains that did not come in and out of Dearborn Station in Chicago. Given the space available for a second downtown passenger station, I could not use the Walthers Cornerstone Union Station. Too wide and too low, it would be dwarfed by the nearby Dearborn Station.
I could find nothing else suitable for my needs. So, I chose the Bachmann Savings & Loan with it pillared first floor. The S&L building was tall enough, but simply not wide enough. It lacked the grand look needed to complement Dearborn Station. Hey, why not kitbash two together. So, I did.
The Bachman S&L has four large first floor windows, two on each side of a large pair of doors. But, that was hardly enough for the expected passenger traffic, so I turned the window on each side of the door into additional doors, giving three doors per kit, six in total. Perfect!
Since Dearborn Station is on Polk Street, I could have called this second passenger station, Polk Street Station except for the fact that Dearborn Station was sometimes referred to as Polk Street Station. So, I have decided to call it Polk Street Terminal.
Rich
Alton Junction
Peter,
Nice work finishing that great structure!
Rich,
That's a creative adaptation and works as is.
Got me thinking about how it could seem an even bigger deal in the same footprint. Did you considering hacking a center entrance between the sets of doors? That would add to the impression lots of people go through it every day, because you could have something like 10 doors, or maybe 8, plus one of those circular doors that rotates for mass numbers in the middle. A canopy over the entrances would further enhance that effect and could also help in disguising the bash joints, etc. That may be a tough mod, though, given it would be halfway in each of the donor kits. Just a thought, because what you have is a thought provoking reimigination of those kits.
Custom decals finally arrived this week so the (ex) US Army 0-6-0 is now ready for service on the New Hope and Ivyland. The project was completed with the help of friends that currently working on getting this engine running.
And the video of it in action! Some regular tourist passenger runs and a freight run. Also some "modern" stuff I don't run all that much.
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/60361449@N02/
Anthracite Modeler - YouTube
You are then non-prototypical? Kind of like a lot of us but more so?
Very good work and you are only 22! I started at 7 but by 13 had graduated to a tie and spike at a time. Now at the yound age of 63 I actually have a permanent place 13 x 15. I have not done the weathering yet but things are in their place. Cudos go out to you.
Is that sandpaper on the roof or what did you use?
mlehman Rich, That's a creative adaptation and works as is. Got me thinking about how it could seem an even bigger deal in the same footprint. Did you considering hacking a center entrance between the sets of doors? That would add to the impression lots of people go through it every day, because you could have something like 10 doors, or maybe 8, plus one of those circular doors that rotates for mass numbers in the middle. A canopy over the entrances would further enhance that effect and could also help in disguising the bash joints, etc. That may be a tough mod, though, given it would be halfway in each of the donor kits. Just a thought, because what you have is a thought provoking reimigination of those kits.
Being my scrach built repair shop is on the isle, skylited the shops roof to view the interior, lead into track and the roofs window panes will be done this week.
jwar41:
Great job on the shop! Love the interior detail!! It definitely needs to be seen.
Great looking roof!
If I can ask, whose corrugated sheeting did you use and how did you attach it?
Thanks
As always, many, many great projects and photos being shared! (Ben... Since the forum software always puts new comments at the end of the thread, it would be helpful if you named whose work you are talking about. That way we don't have to guess....)
I have started the new area at Kanadaqua that will be next to where the Girder Bridge sits. This will be an industrial siding eventually. What exactly it will serve will depend if what I want to put there will fit....
You can see the girder bridge a bit better in this shot...
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!