Parts and Kits In Progress

Sorry no photo, but here tis -

A little pile of parts from Tichy which I will be using to complete a few kits - wire grabs for cabeese (down the road), wire grabs and door hardware for a box car upgrade (on the bench) and stirrup steps for a flat car I found that came without one and lost one along the way.

Current kit - an Ulrich "Cars of the Roaring Twenties" Frisco Sawtooth box car I am building as part of the Railroad Line 'KISS' challenge.

On-hold kit - an old Single Sheated box car upgrade project, stalled for parts (now arrived!).

Once the sawtooth is done, I'll get back to the SS car, then who knows.  That oughta see me through the end of March, easily, especially with Easter coming so soon this year.

Galen

Building a backdrop flat building...

I'm putting together a backdrop flat structure that will be 48" long. It's wall sections from Walthers Modular Large Walls with Steel sash windows. Once together I'll mount it to foamcore then use double stick tape to stay on the walls. One huge industry...Still need a name for it...

Neal

Found them

Projects that is. I'm a bit embarassed by the mess. I did find my two projects I was/am working on.

Installing an N scale NCE decoder in a modified Plymouth CR-4 Tyco switcher.

Then on the second bench I discovered my TT scale scratch build. A No.4 lefthand turnout, plus the wooden jig for soldering the pointy part of the frog.

I wonder what other projects will appear if I start cleaning up? I may find some tools I lost.

Bernd

Was...

...on my workbench, installed by now. Finer handrails set for the Atlas Tainman NRE Genset. Not a five minutes job though. 

Wires

I ran a buss wire from my layout to the bench so I can play with decoders and such. I put an LED across the wires to remind me when the system is on.

The breadboard holds the current version of the mixer I'm designing.

pqe

Hundreds

And hundreds of tiny LEDs... Not sure I can see some of them.

Plug 'em in and...

Dear Greg,

If you can't see some of them, either the dim-ones are bad,
or you've not turned them on...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

new Building a backdrop flat

how about M. Bessler, or Dewey Cheatum & Howe, Miracle Window Company if you like your windows its a Miracle.

Old project almost done

I am scratch building a model based on Sparta Bulk Systems on the NYS&W, I started this about six years ago and has been sitting on the layout unfinished. Sparta Bulk Systems transfers sugar from hoppers into bulk tractor trailers for delivery. When I decided to build this I contacted the NYS&W and asked if they could send me some photos. They were great and sent me photos of all sides. Using some known dimensions of things in the photos I estimated the measurements. I reconfigured the position of the truck bays in relation to the two hopper unloading bays to fit the area I was locating it in. Instead of the fabric covered areas on the ends of the hopper bays I built metal covers. I added a metal office also in place of the office trailer they use. I could not figure out a way to make the fabric covers. I also made custom decals for some Herpa bulk trailer trucks for it also.

I have been posting the

I have been posting the progress on my transfer building for months so here are update photos. Also a Masonite backdrop   ​ sonite backdrop

An apartment for the backdrop

Structures go together pretty quick when they only have one or two sides.  I've been working on perfecting my brick colors.  For me, the trick to painting buildings is to do it in layers and get the color of each layer right.  And the best way to determine a brick color is to open one up and match the inside.

This is a modified DPM townhouse.

Bump

I see  there a few people who haven't seen that the March "Workbench" has been started!

Bernd

Not exactly on the workbench

I'm creating an ag products complex on my layout. Still working on the placement of the structures so it is plausible

 . 

Scratch building freight cars

Working on my NMRA Rolling Stock AP Certificate. I'm following the Lone Star Region's online clinic on building a flatcar. I'm making two 56' flatcars and two gondolas. These will be for my Splitrock Mining Company MOW fleet. 

Thomas Gasior

​ 

Workbench blues...

... Aritst oils and a tiny touch of weathering powder...

@Barry

I like the color variation you are getting on the bricks. That is often missed.

One thing I do after driving down a few alleys is to use a fine tip black magic marker on a few bricks. They are the ones that got burnt in the kennel. Also a lot of bricks will bleach out a white coating of some sort. I found a gel pen at Michaels that I use for that.

Jack

Yummy Apples

I'm growing an old apple tree... but the birds keep eating the good apples!
(You might need to zoom in to see the bird?)

I'm actually filming the process of making this exact apple tree and plan to post a tutorial video on YouTube.
The video should come with a warning though, "NOT a fast and easy tree!!!".

I see so many people want great looking trees that are cheap to make and can be made in a minute or less, unfortunately detailed trees like the one in the photo don't come cheap... unless you make them yourself and they take a while to make! But in the end I think the effort is worth the result.

@ BoulderCreek

I found the bird! And without zooming in! Do I get a prize? 

Congrats, Luke, on the "MRH Staff Pick" award! It is very well deserved!

Not sure that I found the bird....

but I'm pretty sure I found the pope in the pizza. Or was that Waldo?

@Jack

I have some of those pens here that I inherited.  I had already tried them but they weren't very opaque.  I may go out and buy some new ones and try again.

One thing I notice is that the brick tends to get washed out in photos.  The wall is much more varied than it looks.

Ladder Track and a Mountain

Nice work everyone!  There is so much great modeling represented here each month, I'm amazed!

I'm moving on to basic land forms this month (to use up some supplies) and laying the track in Nicholas Yard.

My bench

My work bench is loaded with projects.. but my current 'main' project is adding lighting around the layout..

Great Posts

Got some great posts going here. Keep it up.

I found the bird too. Also didn't need to zoom in. I did afterwards. Nice little touch, that bird.

Bernd

More than A Shake-n-Bake

Picked up this E&B Valley Erie covered hopper at a swap meet 2 weeks back - was stickered for $5.00...offered $3.00 and the guy told me to just take it...he knows I'm an Erie modeler...but on the premise that I get it built and not just let it sit on a shelf.  So, here's living up to my end of the bargain...hopefully in less time than the slogan on the box!

Jeff EL Marion 2nd Sub 1964