MODELING it's Monday, October 2nd 2017: Weekend Modeling Accomplishments

Somehow life and work got in the way a little bit, so what I did get done wasn't quite what I had planned to get done.

I went looking for a document that I had printed about LEDs, and realized I had more than one stack o' papers that were train related and needed sorting, if not filing. I'll pick up a couple of binders on the way home today; one for DCC and decoder manuals, and at least one more for landscaping and detailing. I also gathered up my sales receipts into one place, which will be easier to hide from my wife. LOL

I did find the LED document.

Sorting through the papers led me to start better organizing my online stuff. PDFs, photos, etc. This is still a work in progress.

Besides that, I did play around a little with the new lights for Weaver Junction. Details can be found over on that thread, along with a nifty "how to" video for the inexpensive Step-Down Power Converter(s) I'll be using.

 

visiting friends in the middle of a work trip this weekend was the boost needed to get productive. One of my N scale loco guru buddies helped me tune up my MTL SW1500 (striped from UP and repainted in KCS white). It runs way better then we started, but still needs serious clean up and break in.

While he was doing that, I began a repowering project. almost 20 years ago I painted a ConCor "sw1500" in the ICG gray and orange. It never ran well in DC, and I have been hesitant to do a DCC install for that reason.

Then along came the Bachman NW-2 with decoder installed. Trainworld was blowing them out a few months back for $59.95, so I pulled the trigger since they appeared to be the same size. Once everything was apart, it looked like this:



With absolutely no fiddling, the shell fits perfectly:



I had thoughts about stripping the more finely detailed Bachman frame and repainting it and the stair and hand rails, but it turns out the long hood is molded to the walkway and stairs. So I am slowly measuring and marking the Concor walkway/stair casting for modifications. More news once it happens.

 

A while back I was looking for a second F unit to help my lone F-7 pull a number of Northern Pacific passengers up the grades on my layout. Not a lot is available for the NP but did happen across a Srewart F-3 in the Lowey paint scheme. Put in a low ball starting bid and ended up winning it. Also put in a starting bid on the F-9 *(which I need like a hold in the head) and won it also. Total - $48.

Both units are lacking details and don't even have road numbers. The dark green on the F-3 was also way off. After some searching I found the proper NP colors from Tru Color. A winterization hatch was added as well as the stock twin horns removes and a Leslie 5 chime horn installed.Also, the side grills on the lowey paint scheme were painted the body color, not left in stainless steel like the freight units.




Lift rings were added to the nose and decals were applied. I was able to get a refresher course on my vocabulary with the decals. It was a lot easier doing this kind of work 25 years ago. After the decals were applied, the shell was put on the frame to see how the colors matched.

The F-3 is on the left, behind it is an Atheran Genisis F-7 with a Walthers coach painted in the Lowey paint scheme. The color match is pretty good. Now comes the fun of drilling holes to install the hand rails, grab irons and MU hoses.

 

A very fruitful trip, Saturday, to the Sun Youth model train expo. I came out of there with a good half-dozen buildings to fill some blank spaces on my layout-in-progress, and some kits of an elevated conveyor, piping, and a gantry crane. The first two can produce some interesting car loads. A couple more bags of lichen too.

There were many exhibitors and vendors over about three floors of the former school building, but I would say that the most impressive was The Girls' Railway (http://madchenbahn.com/), some young ladies who built their own layout, while learning how to use various tools (saws, drill press, etc.), construction techniques, and having a load of fun in the process. Those girls are good!

And I accomplished the impossible - I resisted buying any more locos or rolling stock... A supreme effort...

But I did succumb to buying some homemade chocolate from the Girls' Railway gang...

 

I managed to get my GP-9's clear flat coated. And, partially assembled. I still have to work out how to separate the lights. In other words, block the light from the upper signal light that bleeds to the lower headlight. I have a couple of ideas - just need to start trying stuff.

That's about all I get done.

Hope Y'all had a great weekend,
Wolf

 

Well I was supposed to work Sunday which meant what I planed on doing wasn’t going to get done but thanks to bus sized rocks everything changed. Sunday I got home late from work and after a refreshing 3 hours of sleep it was time to get things done. My son beat me to the train room. He had already installed a tunnel liner. I continued work on my carts (staging yard). I was able to finish running the feed wires and solder them in place. I also was able to paint the tops so they are now ready for ground foam and ballast. My son repaired two passenger cars for me as well and got them running again. Today is hope to finish the carts and move on to the next project. Still need to plant some trees on my planes fire and rescue section as well as wire my swing bridge.

 

After football all day Saturday, I spent yesterday getting 4 turnouts modified/wired and installed. Managed to put down 2 out of 5 approach tracks into Albemarle city. Given football for us occurs Thursday night, I intend to be in the train room all weekend this upcoming Sat/Sun. I "may" (or may not) be able to get the rest of the track put in during the week so this weekend I can focus on extending more mainline plywood this weekend.

Montanan... nice paint job. Clean as a pin... awesome!

 

Here is the finished product. Just waiting for it to dry.