Follow

Following

Recycled track

Track!

I'm using some old Code 100 track for my layout.  I doubt that you could do some of the same techniques with Code 83 or smaller, this old stuff is fragile enough!

-Fuzzy
DM Rail Group/Park Circle

RailPro Decoder Install - My First!

Recently got a RailPro system and did my first decoder install (of any kind)! I started with a "DCC Ready" Athearn Southern Pacific GP40X. I had to cut down the weight over the rear truck so as to allow the iPhone 4 speaker to fit. I also cut a trench/slot in the side of that same weight for the motor's power pick-up wire from the rear truck. It originally went through the center of the weight which required you to disconnect the wire from the PC board if you wanted to removed the weight. This mod will allow the weight to be removed in the future without having to disconnect the power pick-up wire from the PC board.  After that it was at simple matter of soldering the wires to the speaker and then routing/taping the wires in place.

Sears Catalogue House

I've had the Bachmann Spectrum Sears Catalog House kit for some time, but only recently started it.  I thought that having an empty house would not be the best thing, so rather than detail the inside, I'd apply window treatments.  My wife has lots of small scrap fabric that has no use.  The curtains are a bit large, but with the house completed they won't be visible, except through the window glass, as in the foreground.

It was a challenge, folding and ironing, then applying the curtains, but she, at least politely, liked the effort. 

GP39E

For my next project on the workbench, I'm "rebuilding" a P2K GP30 into a GP39E.  In the late 80's and early 90's, BN rebuilt a bunch of GP30s and GP35s to GP39 standards.  There were three rebuilders: VMV rebuilds are GP39V's, Morrison Knudsen rebuilds are GP39M's, and EMD rebuilds are GP39E's.  For the most part, the rebuilds retained most of the original body features so the main spotting feature was the new number series.

The EMDs are the most interesting as they typically replaced the fans and also removed the 36" fan.  They were also late to the game and by the time they got going, only high-hood GP30's were readily available on the used market.  As a result, those ones had the nose, cab, and electrical cabinet section replaced with modern boxy dash-2 components.

My goal with this is to retain as much of the factory paint as possible, but it's been tricky trying to get a good match with the current Model Flex BN green.  I only need to touch up the nose and rear where I blanked out the class lights and nose headlight. When done, this one is going to be 2754.

Craig

New on my layout this month

Hi Guys

While not necessarily on my work bench now, I have built 2 bridges across a 2 foot gorge on my S gauge layout. It has been a long time coming from the beginning of foam blocks to where it is now. I still have more landscaping to do but it's coming along.

Renumber/weather cars

Renumbering and weathering Accurail 40ft MEC PS1 boxcars

Trees

Finished up a few trees and started few more. 
 

Not on the bench but under the benchwork ...

Didn't as first realize this was ongoing by the month.  Hello February and please excuse the double post.

My 46" high switching layout on wheels expanded to add a runaround track, a yard for staging and car storage and an engine servicing facility to add interest and storage for my extra engines.  The time had come to do the wiring on the track power drop leads (which I really hadn't needed for reliable DCC at this point) and wiring the turnouts into my push button diode based route control system.  I was NOT looking forward to doing this.  I had two choices.  The ends and the whole yard section are designed to be removed so I could do it that way or I could work overhead at an awkward height.  In the past I used a mechanics stool for low height work but this would be directly overhead.  Thinking about using the mechanics stool or a "tall" creeper I remembered the old office chair I hadn't disposed of yet.  The backrest that no longer returned to the upright position went from being a problem to an asset.  The work area is still overhead but now I have a recliner work stool with height adjustment.  With the addition of the small cart, also on wheels, I can now do all the work comfortably.  A work light clamped on the cart pointed upward provides a mobile light source that travels with me.

Getting my new tool dialed in

This weekend I'm dialing in my new Creality Ender-3 v2. It's a 3D printer using the FDM method using filament. Here it is busy printing an XYZ calibration cube:

The result of printing the XYZ calibration cube:

Currently using all the default settings in the printer and in the Cura 4.8.0 "slicer". I think I dialed it in correctly for a first ever 3D print?

Downtown Deco

First time working with Downtown Deco/hydrocal.....

Terry

Fuel Track

This spot has been waiting for "finishing touches" for over twenty years. Finally getting around to making progress!

I wanted to get the background scenery in place first so I wasn't reaching over the foreground details and breaking things.

I even managed to fit a working semaphore in there. I made some low-level flood lights for the fuel track in addition to the goose-neck lights. Still lots of further details to add. Most of what you see here is temporarily placed just to get a "feel" for what goes where.

It took me a while to get the right mix of pre-EPA oily muck on the ground. Still a little more finishing to do there. The concrete shed is a former compressor house. It needs to be "distressed" further.

Thank you, Ed

Starting a kit

San Juan Car Company 30’ NG boxcar. 
 

Arrowhead Ale

Built the Walthers background kit.

I’m trying to get an MDC Shay

I’m trying to get an MDC Shay that I’ve had for years running again. 

X58

 I kept the weathering light as this car is only  4 years old.

What’s on my workbench?

I started work on the Gantlet track for Rainbow Bridge on the White Lion Railways Jungle Subdivision.  This line is located in the jungles of Africa, far from the railways United States Headquarters 

/sites/model-railroad-hobbyist.com/files/users/Greenstarfiles/AF1D00C5-F007-4808-A359-5A4C0AEEA348.jpeg

I also started work on a pair of functioning derails, and am working on a railway gun build

my fleet is in 1/87th scale

Though it's often seen as

Though it's often seen as "gantlet" it's actually "gauntlet", as in "running the/a gauntlet", a torture method in which a captured foe is made to run between two ranks of (usually) less-than-lethally armed captors. The vigor of the attack on the captive could vary inversely by the respect the captors had for them as a foe.

Thanks

Yeah, I’ve seen it used as both, so I may use them interchangeably 

I see a lot of interesting projects already as well

More storage...

Added some storage to the spray booth area today, all sorted in its place, and within reach as I work...

Jas...

BigBat

Hi all,

Work continues in making  BigBat (a BIG BATtery-electric locomotive in 1/43 scale narrow-gauge for underground coal haulage at Corrimal Colliery from a 1/87 Bachmann 45-ton locomotive.

From above, things don't look too bad

From side-on, BigBat's driver will need to duck when travelling "underground". 

The BigBat build saga continues at  https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/corrimal-colliery-and-its-incline-a-different-slant-on-rails-12206968 

switches, lots of switches

I have ventured into the hand made switch area of the hobby.  3 #6 and a #10 curved switch done thus far, more to come now that I have a resupply of rails.  

I’m a bridge man myself

Love those bridges, nice work.  Currently building a double track swing bridge myself from CV components.

Gantlet

Sorry but "Gantlet" is indeed a correct term for the track arrangement.

Also it seems "gantlet" was the original preferred term for your usage, although widespread (mis?)use of "gauntlet" made that the most common alternative use as much as 200+ years ago.

A "gauntlet" is actually an armoured glove...