Ready for weathering

Finished decoder install on this older Proto2000 GP-30.  Replaced plastic couplers with Kadees.  Moved horns from the center of the roof to the side and filled the former mounting hole.  Added a sunshades, speed recorder, bell, firecracker antenna, and some lift rings.  Painted handrails yellow. Ready for weathering.

_{Edit:  image re-uploaded}

I love the brow on a GP30.

I love the brow on a GP30. They are a favorite of mine not only for looks but for the fact that CPR only had 2 and I can own a complete roster of something!

Barry's Picture

Barry, I'm not seeing the picture, just a little black box with an "x" in it. If I right click on the x and click properties is shows it's linked to a data base. Anybody else not seeing the picture?

Bernd

Fine on my end maybe if it

Fine on my end maybe if it gets reposted:

EDIT: image removed

(Looks good love the sand hoses)

Can you see this version (not mine but it is definitely a great engine)

I can see TrainMasters, but

I can see TrainMasters, but not Barrys original

Jack

I can see it

I can see barry's GP30.

the problem may be that it was pasted directly into the post (inline image) instead of being uploaded to the server (linked image) first.

A Module

The benchwork for my new module was finished last night after a minor correction by the builder.  So, next up is the electrical system, most of which I have ready for install.  Then flip it over and paint the lowest surfaces before starting to install stuff.

A few projects underway

I've got a few things underway:

Putting extra weight in my Rapido coaches to (hopefully) improve their ability to stay on the track.  A tad light and having the weight in the roof was not the best idea imho.  A bunch of lead shot in the aisleway should help things along.

 The underframe on several of my baggage cars is badly warped.  Trying to get the underframe seated properly to allow the car to run well.  In discussions with Rapido it sounds like the end screw holes may have stripped in the body shell so the answer will be gluing the underframe to the car.

 Renumbering this locomotive to let me operate it.  I have three 4769 so still undecided what number this unit will end up being.

 Long term project is the HBM&S line car.  New photos have allowed more details to emerge, but I need to replace the end railings with soldered brass to survive handling.  The previous plastic ones didn't do well.

Not really on the workbench but am slowly installing the yard tracks and switches along with Blue Point switch machines in the smelter yard.  Gotta give the trains somewhere to run to.  

Marc Simpson

VIA baggage car warp

Can you cement some lengths of styrene along the car floor, turning the frame into an L-girder to keep it rigid?  The idea of gluing the floor to the body sounds like it may come back to bite you if you ever want to get inside it.

.

 Hi Marc

I have/had the same issue with those cars. What I did to improve the reliability: Change the couplers to KD. Make sure nothing rubs against the trucks underneath (cut away detail if you must) Add weight over the trucks (I use small nuts and glue them in place) Agreed: The weight in the roof is highly debatable. For your warp floor I read on another forum that people have put them in hot water and then let them sit with weight on it on the work bench.

Cheers

Underframe

Barry, I don't any issue with gluing the underframe as access to the interior is through the roof which is removable.  The design of the car has the underframe seated directly to the car with the coupler box screws attaching the underframe to the car body so I think putting anything in there will mess up the car height.  I'll try and take a shot of the car in question to show this.  Gluing should keep the underframe straight and hopefully cure some of this car's ills.  I have 5 of the baggage cars and several have this issue.  Bigger issue with all the Rapido passenger cars is they are way too light.  

I have also converted everything to KD 158 or similar as my layout standard.  No plastic couplers and no plastic wheels is standard.  On my Rapido cars I have found having a medium length shank coupler on one end and a long shank coupler on the other end on all cars helps the big issue of the diaphrams catching on each other rounding curves.  The cars still look reasonable and actually will operate with minimal issues.

Marc Simpson

I wonder...

what will happen to all these finely-molded parts as the plastic ages.  I hate the thought of all my handrails and brake lines curling up like Cheese Strings over the years.

Now that I see how the Rapido cars are assembled, yeah, I'd probably glue the snot out them too.

Leveling the grade ...

Working on getting the sub grade leveled up on one of the module expansion sections I made last week.  I ran out of 2 inch foam and had to laminate two 1 inch thick layers together.  It still ended up about 1/8 inch thin, so I cut some foam shims on the table saw and got them all glued down and sanded. 

Next up - getting the endplates aligned with the mating pins on the existing module sections!  I have an idea of how to make it work, but we'll have to wait and see how that turns out ...

FUN WITH ANCIENT OLD LABELLE and AMBROID KITS

Latest project just finishing up - got 2 old Ambroid Canadian reefer kits. What to do with these white elephants?

I remembered back in the 70's that the Valley and Siletz had some really neat old sidebraced boxcars where the roofs had been removed and they had been relegate to wood chip service.

Since my own North Oregon Railroad started hauling wood chips early in the 50's and needed a cheap way to do it - they took these reefers and removed the roofs.

First car is completed and just needs paint and lettering. i could do worse.

Lon Wall

On the Rapido thing

These are all of the first generation (basically the first product Rapido produced).  From my experience, the newer cars are better (I still have 5 or 6 of the original baggage and coach cars), but admittedly, I don't have any layout to actually "run" them on to say for sure - they are most photographed and they look great.  

Image - I see it now

I can see the image now that it's linked to the Barry's gallery.

I see that there's lots of modeling activity. Great.

Bernd

scenery

Added more vegetation and finishing touches to the scenery.

Last photo

Bill,

What did you uuse for the dark material between the ties in the last photo. Thanks.

Charles

A little spray, a little shake (but no bake)...

...and concrete it becomes.  Decided to give the talcum powder technique a try as outlined by Trevor Marshall in one of his "S" gage road show diorama videos.  The victim here is the basic Walthers Heritage Furniture backdrop kit.  No frills, no changes, just built as is,grey primed then painted, talc powdered and weathered.  Signage and roof details are still to come but that's for another day at the bench when I get ambitious for that.  As opposed to Trevor's advice to get the non scented type of talc,I elected to just say "what the heck" and bought the cheap Wal-Mart brand with menthol. (I don't have a regular barber, so I just couldn't see myself waltzing into a local shop and ask to buy talcum...I'd probably make his/ her Facebook page as "some weirdo came into the shop today and...")  If nothing else, it made the workshop smell good for a few days.  And, It did eventually dissipate so it's all good.  I think it turned out great and it really adds some depth and "heft" to the shiny, flat plastic.  Have definitely added this to the arsenal for realistic modeling. Thanks Trevor ( and the guy he got it from...) Try it. It's easy and one of those "can't screw up" methods that everybody loves!

Jeff EL Marion 2nd Sub 1964

Dang Jeff!

That seriously looks good. Nice weathering too.....chalks?

Track dirt

Charles-

In between the tracks, I used un-sanded grout which is really fine consistency (almost like flour)and packs tightly.  The color is called "Summer Wheat" but I also added some darker brown chalks into the mix as well.  Since that picture, I've added grease and oil drippings along the middle of the track and a fuel spill too.  That's made from a thin line of black chalk blended in with mineral spirits and a little bit of gloss brown enamel paint.

Playing in the Dirt!

Bill: Everything about your pictures just screams excellence.  The grungy track is fantastic. Thanks for sharing the "recipe".  

Jeff EL 1964

Dang back at ya!

Thanks Rick.  It's appreciated.  No chalks,  Oils. Gave the entire structure an ink wash prior to the oils being dry brushed. Winton raw and burnt umber for the grime and M. Graham & Co. translucent orange iron oxide for the rusty spots.   The boxcars were primarily powders though with a bit of oils, but that's another subject all together! 

Jeff El 1964

BN/NP Alcos

My local hobby shop bought a cache of yellowbox Atlas ALCOs that were part of an unclaimed storage unit. All were brand new, in the box. They were selling for a very good price. I picked up several, including one BN and one NP RS11. I painted the pilots black on the BN unit, painted the handrails and weathered it with Bragdon chalks, added flasher beacons, LED headlights MU hoses and all-weather engineers window to both engines. They recieved NCE DASR decoders. Still to come:  engine numbers in the number boards. These are the Kato-made units and run like a dream. Not bad for models that are 30 years old!

Mike