Living the dream.
Hello again to everyone.
There was recently a thread about interesting flat car loads made from non-model-railroad items. That brought me back to this project I started a few years ago.
While browsing around Colonial Photo And Hobby in Orlando, I found this nifty detail kit in the Gundam models section.
-Photograph by Kevin Parson
The kit included four telecoping rams that built up quite nicely. The longest of the rams was bout 35 scale feet long in HO.
I built a pair of custom frameworks from styrene strips to hold the rams for shipping. The frames fit onto a Red Caboose 42 foot flat car model.
The rams fit into everything perfectly, and I was well onto my way to an amazing flat car load that was quite unique.
I have a problem with my right arm. Sometimes it goes into painful cramps/spasms that I cannot control, and bad things happen. That is what happened to this load. I completely destroyed the frameworks when my arm went haywire, and this was very frustrating for me.
I still have the rams, and I have a few more Red Caboose flat car kits on hand.
This project might get a revisit in the future. It would be a great load to have running on the layout.
Sorry for a bit if a downer at the start.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone's photographs this weekend. This thread can always be counted on to be the best of the week.
-Kevin
Nice opener, Kevin. Cool load. And downers are a part of the hobby, and life. Why hide 'em? You did some amazing intricate work on the bracing. I'm sorry about the arm situation. Hopefully you'll get that all back together some day.
My progress is limited to making a tool. Three times! Got it right finally.
Note the holes in the corners of this gizmo...
This is a hole drilling guide for the hinges I plan to use on the doors to my roundhouse. I ordered some Grandt Line doors, but I do have one pair to serve as a template to make this thing.
The holes are spaced in exact location to keep the doors spaced for precise fit and square and consistant.
I'm going to use brass tube 1/16 OD for hinges that will be sufficient to handle the rigors of the clod who operates this layout.
Like these mocked up ones. The tube will be Super-soda-glued to the doors. An angled piece of music wire goes into the tube and 90's into the wood column. Thus the drilling jig.
Closer look at where the drill goes throught the tube in the guide. And the brass tube and it's 90 degree music wire pin.
Then, goofing around with the roundhouse on the bench, I realized I've never taken low angle interior shots of the structure. I took a few just to see how it might look. I think when back in place, with the windows finished and glazed, a few loco's in there, it has some photogenic potential.
Welp, that's my weeks 2 cents.
Lets see em! Dan
Hello Fellow Weekenders!
Thanks for setting things up, Kevin. I'm glad you're able to pull yourself through your frustrating times. Those are some neat looking rams.
Great demonstration of excellent modeling techniques, Dan. The template was an excellent idea. Your timber work is exceptional!
I got into the mood to fire up the airbrush and shoot a few pieces of rolling stock to get them into their preliminary weathering stage.
Weathering Cars-c by Edmund, on Flickr
I give them an overall dusting of DullCote then a few light passes of soot over their roof and upper superstructures then some mud and dust on the running gear and underpinnings:
Weathering Cars-b by Edmund, on Flickr
I go pretty lightly at first. It is easy to add more, not so good once there's too much.
Weathering Cars-a by Edmund, on Flickr
Overall I got 36 freight cars done and six passenger cars including those three PRR M-of-W cars.
A couple weenends back I showed an old Life-Like NYC E8 that I shot with some Penn-Central black gloss in anticipation of giving the engine the grimy, road-weary look that was so prevalent in the era. Tonight I managed to lay the decals down and give 'er a shot of DullCote:
Penn Central E8 4090_R by Edmund, on Flickr
Penn Central E8 4090_L by Edmund, on Flickr
I replaced the L-L intake grilles with some nice-looking Plano etched stainless ones:
PC_E8_Air Grille by Edmund, on Flickr
I had to get at least one decent shot out on the layout before finishing up with the glazing and further weathering:
Penn Central E8 4090 by Edmund, on Flickr
I forgot about blending in the coloring of the pilot, one more detail to work on
Let's see some more great contributions — we're off to an excellent start!
Cheers, Ed
Kevin. Thanks for starting this weeks WPF.
Amazing intricate work on the kit. Well done.
As for the arm situation? Just challenges in life to cope with. I know. I have a similar situation.
Dan. An interesting 'gizmo'. Love the roundhouse pictures.
Myself. I have previously mentioned that the grandchildren now want to run the diesels leaving me with the little steam locomotives. That being the case, I now want to run more generic rolling stock instead of the 'chunky' kiddies stuff.
New rolling stock has arrived.
Two All Third Class coaches for the Leeds to Wetherby service.
IMG_2547 by David Harrison, on Flickr
They go well with the already purchased All First Class one.
IMG_2548 by David Harrison, on Flickr
Also purchased was a six wheeled LNWR All Third carriage. That will join the already purchased All First 6 wheeler and a little repainted (long time ago) four wheeler.
IMG_2550 by David Harrison, on Flickr
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Good morning from cloudy and cold Northeast Ohio!
Kevin, thanks for starting us out, too bad about the destruction of you nicely done framework, I'm sure the replacement will work great.
Dan, nice work on the roundhouse and setting the doors, looks great.
Ed, I like weathering that is not done to the extreme, and yours looks good, also a nice looking E-Unit.
David, always great to acquire more Passenger Cars, those look nice, a lot more layout friendly than the 85' ones here in the States.
I got a little work done this week.
Another brass caboose got painted over the last couple of weeks, here is an Alco Models N5c Cabin Car, painted with Scalecoat PRR Freight Car Red and Black paints and then lettered with K4 and Champ Decals. These were built in 1942 and featured the streamlined cupola and these replaced worn out N6 wood cabooses.
Next a Front Range 50' DBL Door ACF Boxcar, this one utilized a 8' Plug and 6' Slider necessatating a 2' filler section to fill the door opening. The GN used 6' sliders on these cars so a normal grain door could be used when hauling grain, in the off season the wide door opening facilitated the loading of lumber from the Northwest.
Another view of my FP7's hauling the abbreviated "General" while waiting for the last 5 cars to arrive. Shown running on the Strongsville club layout.
Have a great weekend!
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!
Kevin, another great start to the WPF. I know you've had issues with your arm, but that load for the flatcar looks very good. Hopefully you can get that back together when you finish all the house work.
Dan, very neat jig for your roundhouse door work. Your interior photos show your great work.
Ed, 42 cars worked on?! You've been busy. They look great.
David, I've said before how nice it is for your grandchildren to come to your house and run trains. Long after you're gone, they are going to have great memories of their grandfather!
Rick, another week, another set of photos of your great work on rolling stock. Love the caboose.
I haven't gotten much done this week -- been under the weather. This radio tower was 3D printed. I painted it, and put in two lights run by arduino. The middle light stays is on steady, and the top light slowly blinks. The lights are actually red, but appear white in the photo. I wish it was taller, but it is enough for my small layout.
York1 John
As another idea for a flat car load... I have seen this model of a one-man midget submarine. I think it would look great rusted-up and placed on a flatcar.
The torpedoes might be a second load?
Where did I see midget subs? It was either Pearl Harbor or the DC Naval Yard.
edit, thought I was in the diner, sorry.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Kevin, Thanks for the WPF start-up, sorry to hear about the oops when building your interesting load.
Rick, Nice looking GN boxcar, and a bonus to learn about the type of freight hauled by cars with a slider/plug door combination.
John, Like your radio tower, also makes me think about Mel's layout and tower.
Thanks to all the contributors and viewers. Have a 'Super' weekend. Regards, Peter
"The townspeople paused in their work, turned in the street and stood up in their cars and looked on in astonishment as the mayor -- never before known to be a person of great courage but having now agreed to negotiate with the many-eyed giant on their behalf -- allowed himself to be lifted up in the monster's tree-trunk-sized fingers."
Thanks for starting the WPF, Kevin. Everyone's photos here are so inspiring. I don't have anything yet that approaches a scene that could stand proudly among all of your work -- I'm still working out how my town's streets will lie and moving tracks and buildings around. So the above is just a bit of nonsense I took to send to my brother as a lark.
-Matt
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
Working on the layout right now so I will check out the other photos when I can give them the time they deserve. At first glance I am looking forward to really checking them out.
Kevin, sorry about your arm! I have issues with hand shake sometimes and it sucks! I have thrown small parts across the room when the shakes start :(
My contribution:
I have changed from Woodland Scenics grass to Silfor and am happy with the results. In fairness to WS this was put down over some existing WS grass which certainly helped. Also I keep refining my technique which hopefully played into it also.
Old
New
- Bill Rutherford Lancaster, NH
Central Vermont Railroad
Great photos everyone!
This is from a freind who does amazing work with buildings and interieors. Modelled after the building in the photo in HO.
Fall 2021 Meeting by Silver San Juan Division, on Flickr
These are some excellent contributions, folks!
More superb modeling of rolling stock from Rick.
Your radio tower scene is great, John. Yes, I get in the "right" frame of mind and gather up as many cars that will fit on the small table I use for staging justy outside the paint booth. The process of applying the finish isn't so bad but cleaning all those wheels afterward can be a chore
I have some details and vehicles from Artitec, Kevin. As nice as they are the cost of them sure has jumped recently.
Nice to see the Gulliver scene there Matt! Very Clever.
I agree with your assessment of the static grass, Bill. The Woodland Scenics stuff is just OK. I also like the Noch grass, too. Your new application looks great.
Thanks for sharing those excellent interiors, EC Mills, Always an inspiration to see.
One of the contributors that I follow on Flickr recently posted this scene and I was immediately struck by how much it looks like a well-detailed M-R location:
Night Scene by Jerry Jordak, on Flickr
These details are fascinating to me. The elevated transformer pad. Are the three beams set in to the wall overhead intended to carry a chain fall for replacing the transformers?
Two different shades of brick, the bright colored mortar (a recent tuck-pointing job?) the chair, bench and what looks like one of those smoker's pots on the loading dock. Leaning pallets.
Notice the missing chunk of asphalt exposing the brick pavers underneath. A modeling detail I must now try to duplicate!
Actually, this looks like a scene right off Peter's (HO-Velo) layout!
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
gmpullman Are the three beams set in to the wall overhead intended to carry a chain fall for replacing the transformers? ... ...Actually, this looks like a scene right off Peter's (HO-Velo) layout!
Scary by Bear, on Flickr
Thank you to everyone that contributed.
Dan: Amazing work o the roundhouse model. Those interior shots are beautiful. The drilling jig fro the doors is certainly a good tool. I made a (full size) jig for drilling the soffit vents in my house, and it has been wonderful.
Ed: All that work weasthering more of your rolling stock fleet has sure paid off. They look great. This was absolutely worth the effort. That stainless grill on the E Unit looks fantastic.
David: Those coach models are charming.
Rick: I found the history of the Great Northern combination door boxcar very interesting. I don't remember if I said this before, but I really appreciate you sharing the prototype histories behind the models you share. This information always if worth the read. Thank you for including this.
John: I think ther transmitter tower is big enough to make an impressive scene. I think even in N scale a tower would need to be at least five feet tall to be "prototypical". That is too much.
Henry: Please stop by the Weekend Photo Fun thread anytime to join in.
Peter: That is a great picture of the red switcher.
Matt: Thank you for sharing a VERY fun photograph. Well done sir.
Bill: I think the new grass material is very effective and is looking quite good.
EC Mills: That is some great interior work. I have added interiors to a few buildings, but never anything like that.
Bear: Great "Toonification" of Matt's photograph.
gmpullmanI have some details and vehicles from Artitec, Kevin. As nice as they are the cost of them sure has jumped recently.
The cost of the Artitec miniature submarine is prohibitive for a scrap load that will just be rusted up. Maybe someday I will find one as an abandoned project and make the load. Or maybe a less expensive option will come up.
gmpullmanOne of the contributors that I follow on Flickr recently posted this scene and I was immediately struck by how much it looks like a well-detailed M-R location:
Ed, So much goodness going on in the Jerry Jordak photo, definitely a scene that draws the eye and begs to be deeply studied. Also, reminiscent of the late Michael Paul Smith's work. Ah, but to catch the coat tails of such talent, if even for a moment. 1967 - The Beginning of the Future | On a cool night in June… | Flickr
Thanks to all and have a 'Super Sunday'. Regards, Peter
Don't recall if I posted this one already.
This weekend I got some new passenger cars!