Here's another photo of the idler/reach gondola: Looks much better now that it's the correct length (or at least close). It's basically ready for paint. The only things missing are the signs on the sides (will make them from styrene or clear plastic) that will say "PW&NJ Shrub Terminal" (where the prototype says "Bush Terminal Railroad"). Otherwise, I made some good progress on the boxcab project today (thanks in part to the little guy being up sooooo early again). Thanks to some high-quality, dimensionally accurate interlocking construction supplies, I was able to quickly fabricate some tools to assist me: And thanks to such finely crafted tools, I was able to get the boxcab to this point: After a little weight was added it was able to pull six cars through the tight-radius curve without trouble. A week ago this was a caboose!
While this is not on my work bench , it would classify as A work bench! I have almost finished the Unitrack Ballasting. Mike
Here's a BLMA PS-4000 covered hopper that I am currently weathering. It has a long way to go before being called done.
Right now I have several projects going.....first redoing an Athearn FP45 to 5941, the last FP45 to pull a passenger train on the valley division. Then a Santa Fe C30-7....using a first run model, as I am really disappointed in the latest run. Several freight cars there also getting wheels switched out to metal ones.
re-motoring an old Rivavossi Well I am not at the level of most of you folks posting here, but I'll share anyway. Been having some fun recently trying to get some old locos running from my first experience with N scale as a teenager, back in the 1970s. A couple of weeks ago I was able to get my old Minitrix F9 running again - the motor had started slipping against one of the gears on the driveshaft, but I was able to get it running again by simply press-tightening the gear. Taking apart the mechanism of the old Minitrix F9 allowed me to appreciate how well designed that mechanism was, and that loco is back to its old self now, including crawling at slow speeds unlike any other loco I have seen from the early 1970s. This weekend I was able to complete another project by replacing the motor in an old Rivarossi-built C-Liner, thanks to the kindness of trainboarder John Moore for providing the motor to me. I had originally intended to put the motor in a similar Rivarossi(Atlas) E8, but I noticed the C-Liner pickup truck had the 2 extra pickup, giving it 8 vs. the E-8 six wheel pickup, and I knew that would make a difference. My son told me he really wanted to have another Santa Fe diesel running (the C-Liner), so that clinched the decision.
Thnxs Mike... As you may reacall...I am designing a NEW T.H.E.R.R Layout and am seriously thinking of using unitrack. If the stars align right the new layout will be "U" shaped or hopefully even "G" shaped. I plan on the benchwork all being 36" wide. My concern was for the amount of track I will be able to squeeze in the 2 small yards I have planned. I see by yours that what I have planned will work great in the allotted space...and not be squeezing out any scenery/buildings I also have planned. I have to say...your ballasting is convincing me even more that unitrack is a viable solution to my bad track laying habits...LOL .
If you do 36" it would be better if you could get all the way around it. 36 is a bit of a reach but can be done. Mike
yea...I am 6'6" tall...got quite a reach. Current layout is 36" HCD's and is fine...even in the back corners .
Glad the motor was put to good use. Beats laying in my motor drawer for years and your Son is happy. Did have my doubts when it would get there as it left here in the teeth of the storm.
Got any more of those, John? I've had my Atlas/Rivarossi E-8 since I was a kid and I burnt up the motor back in the late 70s. My son wants to find a way to remotor it, one way or another, though I think we might have to find another motor that I can squeeze in there.
Unfortunately my last one is being held as a spare in case I end up frying the replacement motor in the 2-6-8-0. Should be a number of smaller replacement can motors out there with a single shaft that are probably better than the original anyhow.
