Hello and Happy Weekend to all my Model Railroader forum friends.
My WPF contribution this week is about the April Fools joke article in the new copy of Model Railroader. If you do not want to see it... STOP READING NOW.
My share is the original photograph I made to accompany the April Fool article that I submitted. The Kalmbach Media graphics art crew edited the photograph to better meet what they needed, more on that later. I put a lot of work into that picture, and this weekend I am going to share what went into creating it.
This is the photograph as it was submitted:
The story involves my ficticious need to bridge a gap in front of a door into the layout room.
I used the right side of my layout test segment to "play the part" of my layout in the photograph.
The layout test segment had been built in my garage. Unfortunately, it could not be posed in front of the door that goes into the house from the garage because the wall corner was on the worng side of the door. Also, it was too large to fit into the house.
The picture needed to be taken indoors, so the layout test segment was cut down to a small piece that I could bring inside.
A fair amount of repair was needed after cutting it down to only 20 inches wide, but it was completed in just a couple of days
The small section of the layout was positioned in front of the door that goes from the dining room to the spare bedroom. This was not the ideal location to use, but with all the remodel work going on, it was the only possible photo-shoot location that had a door.
I added the cabinet above the layout to make it appear more built-in, but it did not show up in the final print.
To represent the nitrogen particle beam I made two pieces of plexiglass that were spray painted on the back side with different colorful splotches.
The bridge beams were held in gauge by clamps spaced by gaming tiles. The assembly was supported on a 2 by 4 stand.
I orginally made the bridge 24 inches long, but it was too flimsy, and there was too much of a chance that a locomotive might fall to the floor.
Then I needed a cast of characters for my scene. It was a no-brainer to use my beloved Athearn Trainmaster as the star. I looked through my collection of freight cars and decided to use the boxcars inspired by Star Trek The Original Series and Rick & Morty Vindicators 3. A normal SGRR PS1 boxcar was the third unit in the consist.
With everything set up, I took the first test picture of the train leaving the layout and moving onto the particle beam.
Even being shortened, the plexiglass bridge was too flimsy to support the entire locomotive. One truck had to stay on the layout section.
The image was shot with the aperture set to f22, ISO to 100, and a 4 second shutter opening. The scene was lit by a single soft-box photo flood with a 2,000 watt natural daylight bulb. The light source was 72 inches from the scene directly behind the camera.
The erratic lighting effect on the particle beam was created by shining a very bright single-light LED flashlight onto the plexiglass. The flashlight was moved around during the exposure in different patterns to try to get an effect that looked good.
I took over 200 pictures trying to get one that was great. Digital cameras are awesome. Back in the Fuji-Film days I would never make 1/10 of that many shots of a single scene.
Somtimes the light would hit the locomotive or come off the plexiglass and hit the door. Both of these made the shot no good. Only about 1 out of every 15 attempts looked kind-of good.
After I submitted the article to the Model Railroader editorial staff, I was contacted and said they needed the picture to be a little different for publication. They wanted the whole locomotive and one boxcar in the partical beam, and they wanted to see more of the layout.
Unfortunately there were problems with this request. I already knew I could not make the bridge any longer due to stability issues, and the layout had been cut up and hauled to the landfill. Plus, pretty much every bit of the layout that had remained was in the picture already.
Also, there was no layout on the other side of the bridge, just a solid wall.
Fortunately their graphic arts department was able to modify the orginal image and make it suitable for the format and space available in the magazine.
That is my share for the week, sorry it was so long. I am hoping for another glorious edition of Weekend Photo Fun.
Please share anything model railroad related with us this weekend. I am hoping for all kinds of good projects, works in progress, layout photos, or anything else.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Nice work Kevin
Thanks Kevin for starting WPF. Lovely pictures. Congratulations in order.
My contribution is a LMS Stanier Class 5 locomotive (commonly called 'Black 5') in the process of being built. On a test run. Lining to do next before adding the final bits.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Beautiful work .
Sadly Ive nothing this week so far. I've only been focused on printing out a turntable pit. Perhaps I'll photograph that.
(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).
Kevin- Thats some good work! I love the partical beam idea and the boxcar modeled after rick and morty. Circus City Decals makes a "Pickle Rick" Thats the same size as a hopper, Best part, It's SOO! Very nice pictures. I always am a bit envious of nice cameras. They always bring out all the detail, Like in your rock wall. Every detail stands out. Maybe one day! The Iphone will have to do for now.
David- Nice Black5! Can't wait to see it built!
This week I got some work done on the new spur and got most of the creek done. Next I need to make supports for the bridge legs.
Also found this smoking deal on this athearn Genesis GP15. Couldn't resist. Didnt run when It got here but the wheels were black. Cleaned them up a bit and now it runs like new! Was hoping to share the Scale Trains rivet counter BN SD40-2 this week but when I opened the package, there was a NS C44-9W! Mine was sent to the guy who bought the NS unit and visa versa. Oh well it happens, Ill just have to wait a bit longer.
Hope Everyone had a good week, now lets get this weekend started!
Good morning from sunny and cold Northeast Ohio!
Kevin, thanks for starting us out, nice photography work.
David, good looking engine and photograph.
I did manage to finish another couple of cars this week, along with updating 15 hopper cars I got off of E-bay with Kadee Couplers and new IMRC Wheelsets to conform with the clubs requirements.
Atlas USRA Rebuilt Boxcar Kit, painted with Scalecoat II Boxcar Red and lettered with Tichy Decals. Car was in general service and I needed a few Lackawanna cars as until 1960 Lackawanna was NKP's partner to get to New York City.
Tichy Panel Sided Hopper with Extension, car was painted with Scalecoat II Silver and Reading Green paints and lettered with kit supplied decals. This is the eighth car I have built as I want to replicate the trains of these cars that used to go past my house in Toledo.
Last week I took my Rapido Ann Arbor FA-2's to the club along with my recently completed covered hoppers.
Thanks for looking!
Rick Jesionowski
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!
I started a new project this week, turning an AHM model of the ACF's Flexi-Flo covered hopper, from a toy to a model.
I was surprised at the details of the car, as I looked it over wearing my opti-visor, before I started cutting, grinding and filling.
Heres the model, out of the box:
Progress made so far: every thing stripped, removed and plastic running board holes filled in, grain hatches removed, some extra brake lines added, and it's now ready for installing the kit I got from Plano, to start the rebuild.
Here's the Plano kit:
http://www.planomodelproducts.com/photos/10930.jpg
I will also add 100 ton trucks with 36" wheel sets, and body mounted couplers.
I'm doing 3 of these cars.
More pictures to come.
Mike.
My You Tube
Kevin- Don't listen to the people who said your joke wasn't good. It was a tiny bit more obvious, but it was the best I've seen in a long time. Really enjoyable read and photo. You seriouly had me for the first third. One question though, how did you get in contact with the MR editors? All my emails get returned saying address not found.
I haven't got anything tangable this week, but I did work on my future track plan a bit more. This is what I'm planning on building first.
The plan is below, measuring 1.5 x 11 feet.
South of (below) this section the two tracks will become either the staging yard or another section of the layout. North (around the corner) will be the Plattsburgh yard. Does this plan look like a good start?
The full post/discussion can be found here:
https://northcountrytrains.wordpress.com/2021/03/02/simplifying-the-layout-plan-start-small/
Enjoy the weekend folks and I'd better get back to work.
Harrison
Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.
Modeling the D&H in 1978.
Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"
My YouTube
SeeYou190
Kevin that is some fantastic work! But please tell me that there's a set of decals I can purchase to make my own Trek-themed freightcars...
I've been chugging along with detailing and modifying a Broadway Limited Blueline 2-8-2. Most of the heavy detail work is complete on the pilot and footboards. I had an issue with the front LED not responding to my on/off commands and it just glows no matter what so I may need to do a decoder reset or swap function wires.
The Backshops - A blog dedicated to modeling projects
Great stuff Kevin!!!!!! Always perfect!David nice looking Black 5, although a bit strange to a US guy.Ringo, that’s fixin to be a very good looking river and bridge.Rick, slick looking cars, great decaling.Mike, nice looking Flexi-Flow, too modern for my layout.I made the casting molds for my four new Shapeways figures that will be onboard my kitbashed lounge car.I made sure they fit the parlor chairs. I got the parlor chairs from Palace Car. GMPULLMAN (Ed) gave me the info on the chairs. I really like the interiors on Ed’s passenger cars.More next WPFMel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Kevin, congratulations on the article in MRR and thanks for explaining how you did it, I found it fascinating. How they did the Mutara Nebula in Star Trek II was a good read as well.
We gave my son an I-Phone 12 for Christmas and I got his I-Phone 8 as a hand me down. So I was messing around with the camera and took these.
One advantage of using a phone over the Nikon is it fits into places the Nikon can't. Next, I think I will see what the video quality will be like.
Keep up with the good stuff, it's always enjoyable.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Kevin, that's a really neat article and explanation on how you did the display. It was a fun thing to read in the magazine.
David, that's going to be a nice-looking locomotive when you're finished. Your backdrop sure blends in well with your layout.
Ringo, that pickle is about the most realistic looking graffiti I've seen for a layout.
Rick, the covered hopper cars look right at home on the club's layout.
Mike, that looks like an interesting project. Be sure to let us see the finished product.
Harrison, I don't know enough about layout setups to comment with any authority, but it looks good to me.
Micktropolis, the 2-8-2 is looking good so far. Hope to see pictures of the finished product.
Mel, as always, your work on passenger car interiors and figures is amazing. You continue to inspire me.
Brent, your roundhouse and lighting is very nice. Good work!
I don't have any new pictures. I'm still working on the arduino crossing lights. I am now working on a Nano board, which is smaller than the Uno. I'm still waiting for the correct USB cord that will connect witht the Nano. I also have to figure out how to power it and connect it on the layout. I'm learning.
My pictures go back to the beginning layout about 2½ years ago. The dry river bed is still on the layout, but I'm already thinking of ripping this out and putting in a staging yard. At my age, there's so much to do and so little time left to do it.
The dry river partially finished:
The dry river mostly finished:
York1 John
Great stuff as always everyone.
John that river scene looks great.
Brent, isn't it amazing what you can do with a phone these days.
Mick, interested in seeing the project as it moves along. Looks like a great start.
Mel, I can't remember, have you done a tutorial on castings before?
Kevin, Just got my copy today but loved to see how it was created.
Here are a few shots from various parts of the layout.
Scott Sonntag
Lakeshore Sub Mel, I can't remember, have you done a tutorial on castings before? Scott Sonntag
Scott, I had intended to make a how too on this batch but ran into a problem with this one.Her hand broke off in the first mold. This is my fix.
I did get a pretty good top mold after the fix, my resin was too old so I’m waiting on a new batch before I will know if the fix worked for sure. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
We are off to another great start this weekend. Thank you to everyone that has made a contribution so far.
Energizer: Thank you for the comment on my post this week.
David: That is a beefy and powerful looking 4-6-0 that you are building. I'll bet it will be very nice when it is finished.
Ringo: Pickle Rick! I will definitely have a Pickle Rick train car at some point. The obvious would be a private car for Rick's Pickles, but I would like to work Jaguar into the theme somehow. Also, make the slogan from "That Morty, is why you don't go to therapy." Best final episode line ever.
Thank you for complimenting the rock wall. That was built to test/practice my ability to join rock castings with sculptoamold. I am happy with how it turned out. Now I need to duplicate it on the real layout.
Congratulations on the successful diesel locomotive repair.
Jimmy: Thank you for dropping by. I hope your turntable project is going well, and I look forward to seeing pictures when you can.
Rick: Great job on that Tichy USRA rebuild boxcar kit. I have built a few of them, but always seem to have trouble getting the ends to fit flush to the carbody sides. It looks like you used the sill steps that came with the kit. They always looked small and fragile to me. Did you just glue them to the sill, or are the reenforced somehow?
Also, what did you use for the grab irons on the left? Those look like Kadee grabs. I have a drilling jig from Yarmouth for installing these, but have not had a chance to use it yet.
Mike: Some of the old AHM freight cars have a good amount of detail on them. I have a couple I stashed away for projects. It looks like you are doing a really good job to make it stand out.
Harrison: I only listen to the bad comments if they offer constructive advice for improvement. I have modeled a quasi-whimsical private roadname for 35 years, so I have become quite used to people telling me that I am going about my model railroading in the wrong way.
I have been trying to get an article in MR for years, and I have been in contact with the editorial staff over quite some time, but not very frequently.
Steven Otte's email address is on the web page for making submissions to trackside photos.
Your track plan looks good to me, but I am terrible at track planning, so that probably does not count for very much.
Micktropolis: Your rebuild project on the mikado is quite a job. I have been fiddling with an Oriental Powerhouse mikado for about three years. It is painted now and ready for reassembly, but it (along with all my other train stuff) is currently packed away.
Mel: The work that you put into your passenger car interiors and figures to populate them is over-the-top, as always. Amazing.
Brent: The old phone made some nice pictures of your roundhouse.
John: Thank you for sharing pictures of your layout again this weekend. The start-to-finish pictures of your dry riverbed are interesting. It looks like such a great project, and it turned out perfect.
Scott: Thank you for sharing pictures of your layout and modeling work. I love the Ramsey Journal building. That model, the Atlas station, and Ma's Place all bring back childhood memories for me. I have included them on all my HO scale layouts.
Mel: Nice sculpting work on the lady's hand. I cannot believe how good you are at this stuff.
Kevin, Thanks for opening the WPF with some nice 'imagineering', has me looking extra forward to my MRR April issue delivery.
FGE's early 80s rebuilt plug door insulated boxcars were deemed to be 'as good as gold' and 'as solid as a new car'.
Thanks to all the contributors and viewers, have a good weekend, regards, Peter
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Scott: Thank you for sharing pictures of your layout and modeling work. I love the Ramsey Journal building. That model, the Atlas station, and Ma's Place all bring back childhood memories for me. I have included them on all my HO scale layouts. Mel: Nice sculpting work on the lady's hand. I cannot believe how good you are at this stuff.
Thanks Kevin. This iteration of the Ramsey building is from a 45 year old Tyco version of the kit. I had a couple of them, so the building doubled in size. I also have Ma's Place as a farmhouse. All of these kits from back when I had a 4X8 sheet of plywood on my parent's basement floor
JaBear
Bear-Box1 by Edmund, on Flickr
Great Stuff this weekend, folks!
I've been messing with micro-miniature LEDs and some signal parts this weekend.
Building the signal bridge is the easy part—
LED_Signal-head-1 by Edmund, on Flickr
I forget where I got these signal heads. They originally had bi-color LEDs but the colors weren't great and there was no yellow aspect.
LED_Signal-head-2 by Edmund, on Flickr
On the right is the mast and heads with the old LEDs removed. I used a few blobs of Hypo cement for a lens which worked out great.
LED_tri-color-1 by Edmund, on Flickr
What I'm installing in place are these tri-color LEDs from Evan designs. The colors are ideal for signals, especially the "true signal green" which looks perfect.
LED_tri-color by Edmund, on Flickr
That thing is tiny. I bought these years ago and I don't know if they are still making them? §
LED_Signal-head by Edmund, on Flickr
Fun Stuff!
Cheers, Ed
§ Yes, they are (and a little less than what I paid five years ago)
https://evandesigns.com/collections/hobby-leds/products/signal-led-red-yellow-green
I didn't do much railroad work this weekend, but I was going through some old photos and found a picture my my layout when I was younger.
Kevin - Thanks for a great start to WPF. Congrats on getting recognized by MRR. A great deal of work!
David - A fine looking steam loco.
Ringo - Love the "Pickle Rick" hopper.
Rick - Great looking cars as always!
Mike - Your hopper looks to be a fun project. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.
Harrison - Around the walls layout or just an extension?
micktropolis - Obviously a work in progress. What is the proto-type?
Mel - Your skills never fail to amaze! Great looking figures.
BATMAN - Good looking roundhouse and photos.
John - Your dry riverbed looks good to me. Nice job.
Scott - Love the fall scene and the passenger train.
Peter - Interesting box car.
Bear - Good One!
Ed - A rival to the Bear. Good for you! Good work on the signal bridge and lights. Too complex for me.
hgodling - I have a few photos like yours of my early layout. Is tha a Howard Johnsons or the School house?
A couple of my home-made light standards can be seen in this photo as a UP Excursion train passes in the background. I'm beginning to think the light poles are too tall. They are a bear to wire into the lighting buss so I'll wait awhile before I changed them.
Keep the photos and ideas coming guys. Thanks to you WPF is always the best thread of the week.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/
Kevin/SeeYou190, thanks for the start of WPF and the excellent pics showing the modeling and work creating the April Fools photo effects. The Star Wars and Rick and Morty cars are top notch.
David, that Stanier Black 5 looks like it'll be excellent when finished. Looking forward to seeing more pics. I also like seeing the UP layout in progress.
That BN GP15 looks great. Amazing what some TLC will do. Nice catch on the Pickle Rick covered hopper.
Rick, digging the DL&W boxcar and those Ann Arbor covered hoppers. The decaling work appears spot on.
Mike, looking forward to seeing you rehab that old Flexi-Flow hopper.
Harrison, looks like a fun layout section.
Micktropolis, I'm liking that UP 2-8-2. I think there was an article like 2-decades ago on modeling a UP 2-8-2 from the Athearn USRA Mikado model.
Mel, digging the passenger car interiors coming to life. Adding figures always adds so much life to any model.
Brent, nice round house photos! Glad that iPhone got to you.
Lakeshore Sub, dig the variety of C&NW power. Those yellow E6s (I think) look sharp.
HO-Velo: Nice work on that FGE reefer! Nice subtle weathering effects.
Ed/GM Pullman, nice work on the signals!
Hgodling, I like the older layout pic! I think I had one of those Bachmann school house buildings on my first pike or two long ago as well.
Allan/BRVRR, digging the trains and city scene on the curve. Always liked those UP gray and yellow streamlined cars.
I almost completed one of my General American/Evans 50' Damage Free "Shipper's Delight" Boxcars earlier tonight after the parts I needed arrived in the mail yesterday. I'd have worked on it last night but I didn't get home from work until earlier today.
The above is where I'd removed details from the Bettendorf trucks in the kit and replaced with Twin Star Models Crysler/Symington Gould FR-5 truck castings. It's like a shock absorber strut to supplement the springs used.
The end details. The cars had cushioned underframes so I had the coupler box jut out a bit more than usual. The kit cut levers are super fragile so I bent my own from .015" wire. The shape was an easy one without a lot of bending.
The completed car sitting in my car and loco cradle.
Alvie
It's Sunday night and I'm tired, so I'm calling it a day. I won't mention everyone, but thanks to all for your photos and comments. I'm not exaggerating when I say you guys give me a lot of inspiration and encouragement to keep working at this hobby. Thanks!
Peter: Great picture of the Solid Gold freight car.
Bear: Good stuff as always, thanks for another laugh.
Scott: Thank you for posting the full view of your modified Ramsey Journal building.
Ed: Uh-oh, two jokesters in WPF. Good one. Those green LEDs do look good. Nice work on the signal.
Hgodling: That is a wonderful photograph of an old layout. It reminds me so much of my early layouts pre-SGRR.
Allan: Nice picture of the UP excursion train. I don't see anything wrong with the lamps, but that coiuld be because of the viewing angle of the photograph.
Alvie: Thanks for the kind words on my whimsically-inspired freight cars. I have a lot of fun with things like that. Your work on those freight car trucks is amazing. That is a lot of work for such a small detail. Great job! The finished product sure looks worth it.
Sorry if I missed everyone. If I did, it was not intentional.
Everyone have a great week... see you all next weekend.
Got to admit to you Kevin. I'm a bit proud of you and got to tell you, You had me going for a while, While I was reading your article in MR.
Playing golf with NASA guys for Pete's sake. I've always been a bit gullible and that was kind-a-fun as I was again, after not being for years.
I liked your original mock-up.
Well, I have nothing to post at WPF this week. Except for my layout was removed and put inverted sideways in the living room while I finished up my cabinetry bench work.
It weighs about eight pounds now. And since I've been eating that cookie dough ice cream, I do too!
I don't like the aerial view. I'm in the process of making two removable mountain tunnels on the right and left rear so it doesn't look toy like.
I always enjoy this thread guys. Don't think for a minute that I did not check out what you guys are doing this week.
I always look here every week whether I make an appearance or not.
Keep up the great work gentleman
TF
Track fiddlerI don't like the aerial view.
I can help sort that out!!
No, no, no Bear! You missed the bridges! All you did was scatter some debris on the tracks! TF will recover in no time!
TF:
FWIIW, I think that your track plan looks great! You have done a whole lot in a small space. It has both continuous running and switching opportunities. What more could you ask for?!?
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Thanks Dave
That means a lot to me from you. After all, you are the Rotisserie Guy.
After you did all that, sometimes I wonder what Green Machine would taste like with a dash of GT. Or maybe even a little bit of Burlington Hiawatha turned over those coals and later put in a bun
Kidding Dave, You the Man and thanks for the compliment.
And Bear, blow it up, I'll build another one. At least I removed the bridges and replace them with some Temps.
I know what the Bear is capable of around here and I ain't taking any chances.
SeeYou190 Rick: Great job on that Tichy USRA rebuild boxcar kit. I have built a few of them, but always seem to have trouble getting the ends to fit flush to the carbody sides. It looks like you used the sill steps that came with the kit. They always looked small and fragile to me. Did you just glue them to the sill, or are the reenforced somehow? Also, what did you use for the grab irons on the left? Those look like Kadee grabs. I have a drilling jig from Yarmouth for installing these, but have not had a chance to use it yet. -Kevin
Kevin, looks like you did not read my post correctly, that is one of the 7 versions of the ATLAS USRA car kits that are available inRTR decorated cars or undecorated kits. According to some of the experts they are not quite correct but okay for my uses. The cars have cast detail for the mounting hardware on the side grabs and the modeler has to glue wire grabs into the predrilled holes in the car sides, they are nicely detailed cars if not entirely correct. Also you were probably confused as I used Tichy Decals to finish the car.
Thanks to all who commented on my cars and pictures, it is greatly appreciated. Also a lot of great work by all those who contributed to this weekends efforts. Sorry for not commenting sooner but I was involved all weekend with the Cleveland City bowling championships.