Weekend Photo Fun, The Easter Edition 2016.

["JaBear"]

gmpullman

I see what the Bear's up to... Why not make room for four more axles?

Gee Ed there are actual plans available for that car so to scratchbuild one would be like cheating, and where’s the challenge???  Besides they are available (?) in brass RTR. (Actually the challenge would be those 4 axle PRR Commonwealth trucks; the only ones, I can't find after a quick search, are a discontinued line ex Bowser).

http://prr.railfan.net/documents/pdf/drawings/DepressedCenterFlatCarClassFD2_600mono.pdf

http://prr.railfan.net/freight/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=FD2.gif&fr=cl

Dave, I’ve had the idea to build this car for a while. One of the few dimensions I’ve found is that the wheels were 36” diameter, I hoped Athearn #ATH90407 Buckeye trucks with 36” metal wheels, would fit the bill but had to order them in from the US, sight unseen, I did have another use for them if not. When they finally arrived I made up this test car to see if they were suitable, and for me, they are. I might start a separate thread when the build gets underway, until then I’ve decided to “finish” the car ferry.

RDG Casey, I enjoyed your video, the weather looked a little bleak but nothing like a steam locomotive to get the blood flowing. One thing, it looks strange to my Antipodean eyes but how unusual is the wooden fence at 3.00? Looks an interesting detail to model.

Cheers, the Bear.

[Anonymous]

Happy Easter Holidays!

Bus services have commenced on my little Swiss narrow gauge layout with the arrival of a model of a typical Swiss PTT bus as a gift from a Swiss friend of mine.

It´s a highly detailed diecast model made in Switzerland, which in no way could have afforded to buy. I love it.

The layout has seen some progress with the curved backdrop now having been installed.

It´s time I get started on those tiny details which make or break the atmosphere of a layout!

[cowman]

snjroy

What do you think, a bank maybe?

Nice looking building.

Bank isn't a bad choice, but it could be a local service club, Elks, Moose, Eagles, Masonic Lodge, American Legion or VFW.  Repurposed buildings have a lot of different things inside from the original purpose it was designed for.

Have fun,

Richard

[RDG Casey]

Alantrains

RDG Casey, that Smokey CNJ I-5 is the best smoke I've seen added to a model, right amount, size and direction, just perfect! Cheers Alan

 

Thank you Alan! There is a lot of source material on the internet for smoke.

Also some extra for this week, an unexpected day off today lead catching Easter Bunny trains.

[Alantrains]

RDG Casey, that Smokey CNJ I-5 is the best smoke I've seen added to a model, right amount, size and direction, just perfect! Cheers Alan

[hon30critter]

Bear:

Neat project!

I'm guessing there will be four trucks, each with three axles? Will you make the trucks or use ready made? I can see that keeping the whole assembly low enough to the rails will be a bit of a challenge.

I'm looking forward to your progress. Your previous scratch builds have been superb.

All the best.

Dave

[snjroy]

Hi folks. My contribution this week is a building I finished for the local club. It still needs a flag: I'm waiting instructions from the club's president to see what it should be. It's meant to be a police station according to the kit, but there is no appetite for that at the club. What do you think, a bank maybe?

 

Simon

[gmpullman]

I see what the Bear's up to...

Why not make room for four more axles?

Looks like a FUN project 

Regards, Ed

["JaBear"]

mlehman

Alright, Bear is off to the workbench!

Not quite yet; making the most of the drawing board while it’s still out.

Cheers, the Bear.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Rick, Bear, and Mike L ... Thanks for commenting about my photo. 

Tony .... Your did a great job weathering the hoppers.

Mike L ... More great stuff from you.

Jimmy ... Your hopper project is looking good.

Guy .... THB box car looks good.

Rick .... Nice work detailing and painting the RI box car and the ICG covered hopper. 

[jecorbett]

mlehman

Alright, Bear is off to the workbench!

 

Tony73

Mike- Thank you! Also< I noticed you use the LED lights on your ceiling. I am curious as to how many to get good lighting. I am considering a similar sort of thing soon..

 

 

Tony,

You're welcome.

With the LED light strips, it's hard to say without knowing the specific type of lighting and the distance from layout to ceiling. Not to worry. First put up a single string through the scene. If that's not enough, keep adding. They are directional, so  you want to aim the sring as bets you can at what needs lighted. The electricty savings more than make up for the cost, IIRC they pay for themselves in less than 2 years, a darn good return. Bets of all, they run cool, so you wan't be fighting the heat you used to have to put up with to see better.

 

Another LED option are flood lights. I use ones with 1050 lumens and place them every four feet. That seems to give me good light with no dark spots. As with the strip lights, they are expensive to begin with but will save in the long run. I used to use fluorescent shop light but as my layout grew, it got to the point where I was overloading the circuit. The LEDs solved that problem.  I still have parts of the layout lit by fluorescents but as those bulbs burnout, I'll replace them with LEDs.

[dti406]

Good morning from cloudy and cool Northeast Ohio, may get some snow today.

Bear, nice to see you get a break from work and getting some modeling done!

Casey, love your steam loco conversions, not many people doing that kind of work anymore.

Mike, more nice pictures and you have got the lighting down to a science.

Garry, like the Q's early SD's but prefer the red, white and gray paint scheme.

Tony, Super coal facility, makes for having those unit trains of coal possible.

Jimmy, can't wait to see the finished product, I know how long it takes to do conversions, painting and decaling.

Guy, one of my favorite cars, just got some TH&B decals from Aberdeen Car Shops to do a few of those cars.

Here is what I managed to finish this week!

Intermaountain Railway 40' PS1 Boxcar Kit with the 8' PS Door, Replaced the plastic sill steps with A-line Sill Steps, painted with Scalecoat II Boxcar Red and lettered with Mask Island Decals.

Atlas ACF 3560CF Covered Hopper Kit, removed the cast on Roofwalk, stiffening rib (ICG cars did not have it), and walkover platforms.  Replaced the roofwalk with a Plano etched metal roofwalk and also the walkover platforms. Painted the car with Scalecoat II MofW Gray and lettered with Daniel Kohlbergs ICG Decals.

Thanks for looking!

Rick Jesionowski

[mlehman]

Alright, Bear is off to the workbench!

Tony73

Mike- Thank you! Also< I noticed you use the LED lights on your ceiling. I am curious as to how many to get good lighting. I am considering a similar sort of thing soon..

Tony,

You're welcome.

With the LED light strips, it's hard to say without knowing the specific type of lighting and the distance from layout to ceiling. Not to worry. First put up a single string through the scene. If that's not enough, keep adding. They are directional, so  you want to aim the sring as bets you can at what needs lighted. The electricty savings more than make up for the cost, IIRC they pay for themselves in less than 2 years, a darn good return. Bets of all, they run cool, so you wan't be fighting the heat you used to have to put up with to see better.

[Tony73]

Mike- Thank you!  Also< I noticed you use the LED lights on your ceiling. I am curious as to how many to get good lighting. I am considering a similar sort of thing soon..

Jimmy- It is a chore switching that plant..lol. Once the train arrives, the power cuts off and runs back down the branch. the switchers then run the cars through and eventually are joined back with the locomotives for the run North. 

And to evryone- Looks great so far this week.. love the photos.  Thanks for sharing!

[Guy Papillon]

Thank you Bear for launching the thread once again. Yesterday afternoon when I was cleaning the paint room, my girlfriend told me over the phone that she would be forty minutes late. This gave me the time to grab a car kit on the top of the pile. I added metal wheels, Kadees #148, weights and washers over the trucks. And voilà, a new car on the roster.

 

Thirty minutes of plain fun.

[Jimmy_Braum]

Mike, excellent work, as usual.

Tony, how do you switch out that mine with that many cars? lol

Yeah, here's my project for this week.  It mike make the DRGW fans cry, but I butchered up a hopper for the Wheeling

All the work on the extended sides is styrene.  I still need to add more grab irons and do the other side.  Oh, and weather it of course- it's supposed to be rusty.

["JaBear"]

Heartland Division CB&Q

4-8-4 or what ?

Gidday Garry, yes it is a 4-8-4.

Good to see all the really Good Stuff everyone, will hopefully comment further later, but I’m off to see if I can actually achieve some model railroading!!!!!!

Cheers, the Bear.

[mlehman]

RDG Casey, Holy Smoke!

Garry, Looks like business is good, very good.

Tony, Love the gritty look of your scenes, definitely evokes Coal Country.

So hurrying and grabbed a few more pics to share, Finished up ballasting new track projects on the main layout room in Silverton and this new spur in Eureka.

For now, it's a team track, but the Mine and Mill Workers Co-op Store will soon have a building under construction.

Most have never seen the hill behind Silverton, but here it is as I prepare to bond down ballast on the tracks immediately in front the big town flat.

Ah! Everything back in place. Moving the freight house back opened up lots of room towards the front, allowing for an enlarged Goble's Lumber and Bldg Supply and a team track next to it.

A bonus was being able to park the Rio Grande Motor Ways semi at the freight house.

 

 

[Tony73]

One of 4 coal operations on my layout. This one can get fairly busy.

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Bear ... Thanks for starting the thread. I can't tell what type of locomotive you posted. 4-8-4 or what ?

Mike L .... Your scenes look great and show a lot of actvity. Nice!

Casey ... That is a beautiful locomotive in an outstanding photo.

---

Below, an SD7 is delivering an air silde covered hopper to the bakery. 

Note: .... A covered hopper is not a rabbit wearing a hat !  

 

[RDG Casey]

Smokey CNJ I-5.

[mlehman]

Bear,

Easter holiday greetings to to you. Got a bunch of pics still to sort through, but for now will do with a visiting Loon Lake Lumber Shay that my buddy, Bob, brought over for a DC test run. I isolated the end of the layout aroound Crater Lake and turned Bob lose with DC and it was quite the good runner.

Also moved the freight house to a better spot while adding some track.

More pics later, it's a long weekend, BTW, got your message finally, my password got messed earlier today, but I'm back now, will reply soon.

["JaBear"]

Gidday All, well it’s a warm very wet start to the Easter Weekend. I have got some hobby time in finally but it was with the drawing pencils, so once again from the show archives, Ka 941 (1:34 scale) ready to depart with the Easter Express.

Looking forward to the really Good Stuff,

Have a Great One ffolkes,

Cheers, the Bear.