I am of that conclusion also. The 3 cars that are coming are of the same blue. I am working on a open air roofed obs car that will either follow the diner or the loco and may paint that in sky blue with a sky gray roof. Busy carving up an 34 foot Overton car into the open air obs.
Well work has started on the open air obs car while I await the Japan order arrival with the coaches. Took a surplus 34 foot Overton and removed some windows and framing. I had a surplus Bandai car under frame so I could do a new under frame without the end platforms. That is too the front right. Today I hope to get the roof sectioned to get rid of the overhang. 100_1257-1 by John Moore posted Aug 21, 2021 at 9:19 AM
Well made some progress on the open air obs car. Building my own seating benches for it. The loco has had some more paint applied. 100_1260-4 by John Moore posted Aug 21, 2021 at 6:50 PM
Well got the couplers mounted and the Bandai underframe with Kato trucks installed on the open air obs car. Also installed about ten occupants in the car. Was able to fairly match the dark blue paint on the lower part of the car to the diner paint by mixing some Vallejo paints by mixing some dark blue with a few drops of black. Now awaiting the delivery of some decals and stripes. This loco and two cars are sitting on a single 9 inch section of unitrack. This illustrates how compact my trains are and the structures. The five car train plus loco will only use less than 18 inches of track. 100_1262-1 by John Moore posted Aug 22, 2021 at 11:34 AM The rest of the rod type tank engines a total of six loco and soon the be seven with the arrival of Thomas in about a week. 100_1263-1 by John Moore posted Aug 22, 2021 at 12:01 PM The rest of the tank engines are all geared consisting of four Shays and 3 Class A Climaxs. All are oil fired and enable me to do without a roundhouse and a turntable.
Well except for some red stripes I am done. Found some decals hidden away. I may not use the red stripes or then again I may, it is up in the air right now. My Tomix Thomas is making it's way here now along with the rest of the cars for this loco. 100_1264-2 by John Moore posted Aug 22, 2021 at 5:37 PM
Well I got a pleasant surprise and two days early. My Tomix Thomas has arrived along with the car kit for the other tank engine and the Kato trucks for them. 100_1265-1 by John Moore posted Aug 24, 2021 at 12:11 PM 100_1266-2 by John Moore posted Aug 24, 2021 at 12:11 PM The box in the back contains all the kit parts for three Bandai cars and my Kato trucks for them are to the far right.
Thanks. Not thinking of coming over to the dark side are you? The Tomix Thomas has already done ten laps around the mainline flawlessly. Now have to figure how to get the shell off so I can replace couplers.
No 'dark side' for me...LOL. I am very happy right where I am. I got the layout I always envisioned and the trains I always wanted. I may replace some worn out locomotives from time to time but they wont have smiley faces on the front of them.
Well after a senior nap I busied myself with putting Kato couplers with MU hoses and steam lines on Thomas and each coach. 100_1267-3 by John Moore posted Aug 24, 2021 at 3:48 PM Then when replacing the bottom plate on Thomas I lost one of three screws. After an exhaustive search nothing was found then I remembered that parts boxes. When all my early steam was dying or dead I had dismantled the locos and saved all the various screws and usable parts. Found what I needed and all is well. Now the fun begins as I start assembly of my Bandai kit containing three cars. First up is to convert all the Kato trucks to Kato couplers from the crapidos they are equipped with. 100_1269-4 by John Moore posted Aug 24, 2021 at 3:48 PM
Well first order of business was the replacement of rapidos with Kato couplers with hoses. 100_1270-5 by John Moore posted Aug 24, 2021 at 7:01 PM And the complete train, loco with engine and five cars, and only about 15 and a half inches long. Since I have a diner for the blue train I am thinking about giving the diner a gray roof. Now waiting on decals. 100_1271-6 by John Moore posted Aug 24, 2021 at 7:01 PM
Well I have the roofs close to matching color and I may this evening put some road names on. Realized I was out of white stripes so some are on order. 100_1272-1 by John Moore posted Aug 25, 2021 at 2:26 PM
Well sitting around inside because it is already 90 Deg. F. with 76% humidity outside I decided to expand the Tomix Thomas train by a few cars giving Thomas a mixed train. Also at a point where I am waiting on decals. So Thomas is getting a baggage car, box car, and caboose. The black caboose is part of a two unit set from Kato and the 2 axle black box is also from Kato. The baggage is another Overton that has had the end platforms removed and the roof sectioned. Will most likely convert this car to a 2 axle car using an underframe from a car I converted to a power car that was part of the Kato pocket line set. I have two power cars with the Pocket Line set allowing me to expand the consist. 100_1274-1 by John Moore posted Aug 26, 2021 at 9:42 AM
Well success at the expense of flying disappearing parts. I was going to paint the car but I have it lettered for an RPO so it stays yellow. So the car is now two axle. 100_1275-2 by John Moore posted Aug 26, 2021 at 12:22 PM Somebody makes two axle underframes in N scale but I am not up to searching a 100 plus pages of stuff. I know they are for British style equipment. So I just may be tempted to try and make my own.
Well successful in my conversion of the RPO/Baggage car and now waiting on a face from Shapeways. Also got the small Kato 2 axle box repainted and it is also waiting on a face. And then I was successful in converting two trimmed down to 28 foot under frames to single axle. They will get new bodies from styrene and be used to haul firewood. 100_1276-1 by John Moore posted Aug 27, 2021 at 11:37 AM
Well I am running low on building materials but I will not order any. Various handicaps are bringing my modeling endeavors to an end slowly and I do not want a bunch of stuff to have to dispose of when it all comes to a close. So when I went to look for material for the pulpwood cars I came up short until I found my artist board. So measured and cut two pieces out of my small remaining piece of art board that are becoming the deck for the two cars.The sections were sprayed with Tamiya flat spray to seal on both sides then painted black. This was to prevent warping. Next two pieces of styrene strip were glued together making a letter L shape and these were cut and ACC'd to the sides. Once this is dry I will do any trimming that is needed and work on the solid ends. The sides are going to come from some ship's railing from a shapeways kit that was to thick to use. 100_1278-2 by John Moore posted Aug 27, 2021 at 4:56 PM
