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Early WPF! 3-6 May

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Early WPF! 3-6 May
Posted by selector on Thursday, May 3, 2007 2:20 PM

In view of an impending "off" weekend, I thought I would start the ball rolling so that we have some photos.  I wish I had something better, but this is it for this time.  Get those photos in, folks!

NYC local does a courtesy stop to defer to a PRR coal drag struggling up a 2.7% grade.

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Posted by Dave Vollmer on Thursday, May 3, 2007 2:26 PM
Ahh...  The Central "bowing" to the Pennsy.  All is right with the world!

Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.

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Posted by selector on Thursday, May 3, 2007 2:56 PM
Wink [;)]  Next week, though, the roles will be reversed.  Hee, hee.
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Posted by sfrailfan on Thursday, May 3, 2007 3:43 PM
If you can tell which railroad each of those locos belonged to from that angle.... YOU MIGHT BE A MODEL RAILROADER!!!
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Posted by tstage on Thursday, May 3, 2007 3:53 PM

Crandell,

Have you had any problems with derailments at the curved turnout transition - either going up or coming down the hill?  Did you have to "bend" or bow the track downward at all to make it work?

Tom 

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by selector on Thursday, May 3, 2007 4:25 PM

Yes, Tom, I certainly did have some derailments.  But I was forced to alter the turnout for that location.  It took some bending, some re-soldering and moving of rails a smidgeon, and so on.

 It takes a deep breath, a leveraging surface, and slow, steady pressure to get even a slight depression on one route.  Then, you may have to tweak the frog rails...oy, what a headache.  Even worse, these are Fast Tracks turnouts that are meant to be rigidly soldered rails to PCB ties that do not want to bend.  So, I simply cut the longer ties that run under the frog rails about an inch past the V.  On another, on the other side of the layout, I had to bend the approach rails to the points slightly so that the straight #8 would conform, on the diverging route, to the descending curve.  That meant, necessarily, that I also had to bend the diverging frog rails at their tips, where the turnout-proper ends, so that the curve's integrity was kept.  If you look closely at the through route in my photo, you can see the problem when you have to meet a curve right away...an abrupt transition.  Fortunately for me and my plan, it is a mine spur, and going is meant to be slow...whew!

If you ask me, don't do it.  Alter the plan and/or move the turnout to where it can be on a planar surface, including about 3" of approach track at each route.  WS curved #7.5's are great if they meet your criteria, and I recently ripped out one and replaced it with a curved #8 which was even better for my radius at that location.  They're nice turnouts, work well, and I recommend them...the insulfrog ones are what I use.

It can be done, but it isn't much fun.  Getting my turnouts to work well was the single biggest headache for me in my entire layout experience.  The Fast Tracks turnouts are A-1, but they make jigs for every configuration except for bi-grade routes.  Fudging, as I stated, is a trial.

-Crandell

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Posted by tstage on Thursday, May 3, 2007 4:36 PM

Crandell,

I was wondering as much.  Even so, the overall effect and look of the two lines merging into one is fantastic.  Ya' dun good, bud. Smile [:)]Thumbs Up [tup]

Tom 

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by RRCanuck on Thursday, May 3, 2007 9:34 PM

Very nice pic Crandell. Being far from my layout as you know, I don't have much to offer.  I found a pic of the container area that was on my laptop and figured I'd send it in.  After this one, I'm out of pics to contribute until September  : (  I acknowlege (and apologize to the purists) that the sky is fudged.  Cheers

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 3, 2007 9:47 PM

The J1 does not struggle. =)

Very good pic!

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Posted by NeO6874 on Thursday, May 3, 2007 9:56 PM

 sfrailfan wrote:
If you can tell which railroad each of those locos belonged to from that angle.... YOU MIGHT BE A MODEL RAILROADER!!!

 

The NYC H-10 (maybe?) is on the  left, PRR J-1 on the right.

-Dan

Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site

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Posted by Hudson on Thursday, May 3, 2007 10:16 PM

H-6 and a J-1.........

 

NYC has style, but H-6 isn't typical NYC........

 

:)

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Posted by GMTRacing on Thursday, May 3, 2007 10:25 PM

No layout work this week. Did get some parts here for the museum 1:1 DL-701 restoration project.

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Posted by selector on Thursday, May 3, 2007 11:46 PM

Tom, thanks for your compliment...it means a lot.

RRCanuck, you are saving the finer shots for the last if I am to judge by this one.  What an astounding image!  The sky "distance" seems to be spot-on, and the model is superbly rendered in great natural light and in excellent depth of field.  Okay, now I have another example for inspiration.

GMTRacing, that's quite a weekend modeling project you got there! Shock [:O]  Does the wife know you have all this stuff under canvas in the back 40?

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Posted by tstage on Friday, May 4, 2007 12:02 AM

 NeO6874 wrote:
The NYC H-10 (maybe?) is on the  left, PRR J-1 on the right.

  • NYC USRA H-6 (Trix)
  • PRR J-1 (BLI?)

The only H-10 Mikes you'll find are in brass.  Athearn, BLI, and Trix all modeled the USRA H-6.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by mikelhh on Friday, May 4, 2007 12:23 AM

 We love you, Marilyn.Kisses [:X]

 

    Mike 

Modelling the UK in 00, and New England - MEC, B&M, D&H and Guilford - in H0

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Posted by ShadowNix on Friday, May 4, 2007 12:33 AM
 selector wrote:

Yes, Tom, I certainly did have some derailments.  But I was forced to alter the turnout for that location.  It took some bending, some re-soldering and moving of rails a smidgeon, and so on.

 It takes a deep breath, a leveraging surface, and slow, steady pressure to get even a slight depression on one route.  Then, you may have to tweak the frog rails...oy, what a headache.  Even worse, these are Fast Tracks turnouts that are meant to be rigidly soldered rails to PCB ties that do not want to bend.  So, I simply cut the longer ties that run under the frog rails about an inch past the V.  On another, on the other side of the layout, I had to bend the approach rails to the points slightly so that the straight #8 would conform, on the diverging route, to the descending curve.  That meant, necessarily, that I also had to bend the diverging frog rails at their tips, where the turnout-proper ends, so that the curve's integrity was kept.  If you look closely at the through route in my photo, you can see the problem when you have to meet a curve right away...an abrupt transition.  Fortunately for me and my plan, it is a mine spur, and going is meant to be slow...whew!

If you ask me, don't do it.  Alter the plan and/or move the turnout to where it can be on a planar surface, including about 3" of approach track at each route.  WS curved #7.5's are great if they meet your criteria, and I recently ripped out one and replaced it with a curved #8 which was even better for my radius at that location.  They're nice turnouts, work well, and I recommend them...the insulfrog ones are what I use.

It can be done, but it isn't much fun.  Getting my turnouts to work well was the single biggest headache for me in my entire layout experience.  The Fast Tracks turnouts are A-1, but they make jigs for every configuration except for bi-grade routes.  Fudging, as I stated, is a trial.

-Crandell

Sign - Ditto [#ditto]  Seriously, don't put a curved turnout on an incline/decline... I did it as well and MAN....a LOT of troubleshooting to get it to work right (I also have 2 grades...one for each route...ugh..) Did I mention the curve is superelevated as well.... not so smart... really, do avoid this...

Brian

P.S.  LOVE the shot selector!!!

"That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger!"
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Posted by NeO6874 on Friday, May 4, 2007 2:11 PM
 tstage wrote:

 NeO6874 wrote:
The NYC H-10 (maybe?) is on the  left, PRR J-1 on the right.

  • NYC USRA H-6 (Trix)
  • PRR J-1 (BLI?)

The only H-10 Mikes you'll find are in brass.  Athearn, BLI, and Trix all modeled the USRA H-6.

Tom

 

At least I had the right class of locomotives. That has to count for partial credit, right?  Maybe?

Finals are killing me, and they haven't even STARTED yet! I just have to keep telling myself that I'm finished Thursday before lunchtime... then free of school for the next few months..

-Dan

Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site

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Posted by GAPPLEG on Friday, May 4, 2007 2:42 PM

     For the lack of something better, Haven't taken any new shots lately: An overview of my industrial area. The fence lying on the road has since been put up.

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Posted by Pruitt on Friday, May 4, 2007 3:03 PM
 mikelhh wrote:
We love you, Marilyn.Kisses [:X]

 

    Mike 

What a great little scene, Mike!

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Posted by Pruitt on Friday, May 4, 2007 4:25 PM

Here's a couple of shots of my under-construction coaling tower:

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Posted by WCfan on Friday, May 4, 2007 4:29 PM
 RRCanuck wrote:

Very nice pic Crandell. Being far from my layout as you know, I don't have much to offer.  I found a pic of the container area that was on my laptop and figured I'd send it in.  After this one, I'm out of pics to contribute until September  : (  I acknowlege (and apologize to the purists) that the sky is fudged.  Cheers

That's looks amazing! Did you use photo shop for the backdrop?

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Posted by gear-jammer on Friday, May 4, 2007 4:35 PM
 GAPPLEG wrote:

     For the lack of something better, Haven't taken any new shots lately: An overview of my industrial area. The fence lying on the road has since been put up.

Looks like the driver of the red Kenworth had his hands full backing in with the empty flat bed across the street.  I would have made him move (give me 40 acres and all that stuff).

 Truck Driver 

Larry 





Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.

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Posted by skir4d on Friday, May 4, 2007 5:37 PM

Larry;

Was it the flatbed that made it so difficult or the lady standing on the corner?

Jack W

Tonopah and Palisade Railroad
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Posted by NeO6874 on Friday, May 4, 2007 6:06 PM
 Brunton wrote:

Here's a couple of shots of my under-construction coaling tower:

 

Looks good Mark.   And here I thought it was going to be a twisted heap of plastic and string from the descriptions you were giving about it in your other thread.

 

Here's a pic of my B'mann (standard line) NYC Niagara.  It's nothing much, but it's the only thing I haven't posted... (Man, I wish I had some sweeping curves or something to properly display this, and a few of the passenger cars, on)

 

 

-Dan

Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Friday, May 4, 2007 6:57 PM
 mikelhh wrote:

 We love you, Marilyn.Kisses [:X]

 

    Mike 

Where'd you get that dog?  I NEED that dog. My son keep bugging me for a wolf for the layout and no one makes one.

I agree with Mark. nice scene.

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

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Posted by RRCanuck on Friday, May 4, 2007 7:30 PM

WCfan

Yup, photoshop it is.  When I post layout pics I always try to "fess up", as it were, if I dropped a sky in digitally. 

My walls are just blue at the moment, and that can make the pic a tad boring.  I know that adding a sky in this way is not everyone's cup of tea, but it's my personal preference, at least until I get around to painting some clouds.  It just makes the pic a bit more appealing, with fewer background distractions. And for me, it's fun, which is the purpose of this post. As long as I'm up front about it and don't digitally enhance the layout itself, then I think I can fairly say that I'm not misrepresenting my work.  Alas, my modest skills being as they are, sometimes the sky is the best part of the pic!

Cheers.

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Posted by mikelhh on Friday, May 4, 2007 7:34 PM

 Thanks Mark and Spacemouse.  The dog is OO scale, made by Dapol [as are all those figures] but should work well as a wolf .  It's included in the Dapol kit of passengers #DA CO8  I THINK!!!- you'd have to buy the whole lot - about 24 figures from memory.

   Failing that, if you really want a dog and have any problems locating one let me know - my local store might still have some kits. I could purchase the kit and mail a dog to you. That would save you buying the whole kit just for the dog. I need more pedestrians and passengers anyway.

 Here he is as a hungry fox about to raid the bins. 

 

 Cheers 

 Mike  

Modelling the UK in 00, and New England - MEC, B&M, D&H and Guilford - in H0

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Posted by gear-jammer on Friday, May 4, 2007 7:39 PM

Jack W.

10-4 on both.

Larry

Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.

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Posted by ShadowNix on Saturday, May 5, 2007 12:50 AM

Love the scene with the fox...very nice!  I will take pics and post after the down time ...finally installed my 34" bridge... yikes!  2 months of work finally done!

Brian

"That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger!"
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Posted by twcenterprises on Saturday, May 5, 2007 4:16 AM
 gear-jammer wrote:
 GAPPLEG wrote:

     For the lack of something better, Haven't taken any new shots lately: An overview of my industrial area. The fence lying on the road has since been put up.

Looks like the driver of the red Kenworth had his hands full backing in with the empty flat bed across the street.  I would have made him move (give me 40 acres and all that stuff).

 Truck Driver 

Larry

Oh come on, he's driving a day cab, with a short (by today's standards) 40' wagon.  If he can't back it in, we're gonna send him back to remedial driving school. Now, if the fence had been in front of his truck..........

Brad 

EMD - Every Model Different

ALCO - Always Leaking Coolant and Oil

CSX - Coal Spilling eXperts

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