HO Scale - What's On Your Workbench?

RDGbuff56 Nov 17, 2009

  1. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

    888
    4,509
    42
    Almost a complete teardown and a thorough cleaning for my Varney Docksider.[​IMG]

    Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk
     
    fordy744, gmorider, Moose2013 and 2 others like this.
  2. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

    3,527
    2,337
    81
    I was going to build a pair of #8 turnouts this weekend but discovered I didn’t have any more ME rail left!

    [​IMG]


    So I repaired a pair of bad order hoppers and upgraded an ancient Globe/Athearn 50’ Gondola. There’s never a bad day at the workbench!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    gjslsffan, fordy744 and gmorider like this.
  3. dti406

    dti406 TrainBoard Member

    1,389
    11,336
    56
    Did manage to complete the underframe detailing on the Arrowhead Models PRR H39 Hopper car kit, it will hit the paint shop this week and hopefully be done by next week.

    [​IMG]

    Rick Jesionowski
     
    rch, fordy744, gmorider and 1 other person like this.
  4. DHGUY1984

    DHGUY1984 TrainBoard Member

    33
    43
    5
    I am considering upgrading my freight and passenger car fleets from the original horn -hook style couplers to kadee #5 knuckle couplers. Also would like to install metal wheels on the passenger cars. however I'm open to suggestions if someone knows of any better options.
     
    Doorgunnerjgs likes this.
  5. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

    2,626
    5,747
    69
    Those KD couplers are hard to beat. Depending on what your trying to retrofit they may have options to better help you.
    I have found them to be very good at working with you. I called them visited for a bit and bought in bulk, got a price break too.
    Metal wheels are a different deal, as I don't care for KD metal wheels.
     
  6. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

    888
    4,509
    42
    I have been using the KD metal wheels because that's what my Local Hobby Shop carries. But, since I'm thinking of buying in bulk to convert a batch of cars to run on our club layout, I gotta ask. What brand/manufacturer you do prefer? And, if it's a different answer, who makes acceptably good wheels that are reasonably priced/cheaper?
     
  7. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

    2,626
    5,747
    69
    Well,
    This is kinda like (which paint is best) type thing.
    The best metal wheels I have used were Reboxx, they have/had different lengths of axles that really worked good for me, and rolled like a dream, but you can't hardly buy them anymore. KD wheels, Athearn, Proto use metal wheels with plastic axles, that work good until they get dirt and crude on the axle ends and roll just like the hand brake was applied.
    Tangent makes good wheels and trucks maybe a bit pricey but they are good. Intermountain makes good wheels, although they can fit a bit sloppy in some trucks, and they are available in bulk (100) per package. Here is why I don't buy bulk.
    The ends of the metal axles are sharp, enough to draw blood if you squeeze to hard from the factory, but when they bounce around in a bag from factory to your work bench, the ends get braded and bent, they still roll good and may be good for ever. Bear in mind, if every thing is where it's supposed to be, just the very ends of the axle is touching the truck bearing, and if the axle is bent well, you might get the woobly wabblies. This is why I buy them in the package, I think there are enough axle sets to do 3 cars in a package. I don't allow any locos or rolling stock on the MRR that don't have metal wheels, or KD metal couplers.
    Of course you mileage may vary.
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2021
    Pastor John likes this.
  8. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

    888
    4,509
    42
    "IF"?

    I'm not sure I know that abbreviation.

    Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk
     
  9. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

    2,626
    5,747
    69
    Miserable, stinkin spell corrector. I did this from my phone. Sorry about that, It should have read KD :) I have corrected.
     
    Pastor John likes this.
  10. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

    888
    4,509
    42
    Well that makes much more sense. Thank you.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T377A using Tapatalk
     
    gjslsffan likes this.
  11. GP30

    GP30 TrainBoard Member

    3,527
    2,337
    81
    This car was an Accurail offering as a Georgia & Florida RR car. This was was repainted weeks ago and now getting decals this morning. KY&N 1996 is a 40’ outside braced wood box car with steel ends and under frame. Now in captive service, this car usually ends up busy hauling feed and corn in the peak harvest season in Eastern OH and Western PA.

    Custom decals from Highball Graphics, data from Champs decals.

    [​IMG]


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    gmorider, rch, fordy744 and 3 others like this.
  12. dti406

    dti406 TrainBoard Member

    1,389
    11,336
    56
    [​IMG]

    Intermountain PS 60' Boxcar kit, completed this week, will hit the paint shop this weekend and be decaled during the week.

    Rick Jesionowski
     
    gmorider, rch, fordy744 and 2 others like this.
  13. rch

    rch TrainBoard Member

    349
    825
    32
    This is the project that won't die. I originally built this model in the 90s using an Athearn U33B drive, a Rail Power Products shell, a Smokey Valley high short hood and a Hi-Tech cab.

    [​IMG]


    When this photo was taken I had replaced the handrails with some from an Atlas B23-7, but everything else is still the way I built it: oversized Overland bell, ugly RPP exhaust, incorrect horns, yuck.

    The Rail Power shell was nothing to write home about, but until the Atlas B23-7 came out your only other option was Bachmann and those were not great. I considered building a proper Dash 7 from one in the early 2000s but I never could get past the trucks. Here's as far as I got cutting up an Atlas C30-7 shell into a B23-7 using the Bachmann sill and drive:

    [​IMG]


    Enter the Atlas B23-7 model. Finally there's a very good model of the GE Dash 7 B series that runs like a Swiss watch. After thinking of all the holes to fill in my roster with Atlas B23-7 and B30-7 models my first thought was the BN B30-7AB and B30-7A1B models. Smokey Valley made the "cab" section for these as well as the short hood, so they should fit the Atlas shell, right?

    Of course not. Atlas and Rail Power had two wildly different opinions on the roof profile of the Dash 7 B series so there is no way to make the SV parts fit the Atlas shell. But they're still good for the RPP shell, so... the old RPP shell lived to fight another day. And that's how it came to be stripped of its Southern paint, lose its cab and wear green and black paint. I wish I had a photo of it in this state, but you're not missing much.

    Eventually I came to the conclusion that I would never be happy with the Rail Power B30-7AB or B30-7A1B kitbashes so I 3D printed a new shell and frame:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    That meant the old Rail Power project was sidelined again. A wave of nostalgia hit and into the Super Clean went the shell. I knew the model wouldn't be perfect - it might not even be very good - but I've had it so long why not fix it up and keep it around? Here it is with a new lease on life to be built (again) as a Southern B23-7. I reused the Atlas handrails, then added an Atlas cab and exhaust (I'm so glad Atlas makes parts available!):

    [​IMG]


    Here it is in paint, and I've cut off the pilots and replaced them with some leftover from kitbashing Atlas sill parts:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    But that radiator is still so ugly. I couldn't take it anymore so I used an old radiator part from a C30-7 shell and cut it in. Not a perfect fit, but it does look better.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]


    And here it is next to an Atlas B23-7:

    [​IMG]


    Yesterday I did something about those Smokey Valley sideframes. They've been replaced with Atlas FB-2 sideframes adapted to Athearn blue box trucks. They managed to sneak in the corner of this photo, which shows another project that's been on my workbench:

    [​IMG]


    Factory painted Atlas Pines trailers with new wheels/tires, landing gear, 3D printed ThermoKing RMU reefer units and lengthened A-line fuel tanks.

    [​IMG]


    Seen here with their original wheels and landing gear next to a Walthers Stoughton kitbash (A-line tank, wheels/tires, Automodelle reefer and Microscale decals) in the middle:

    [​IMG]


    The new landing gear and lengthened tanks:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2021
    gjslsffan, fordy744, GP30 and 5 others like this.
  14. dti406

    dti406 TrainBoard Member

    1,389
    11,336
    56
    [​IMG]

    An Athearn FMC 60' Boxcar kit almost 100% complete, will head to the paint shop and decaling this week.

    Rick Jesionowski
     
    fordy744, RailMix, gmorider and 2 others like this.
  15. wvgca

    wvgca TrainBoard Member

    499
    305
    21
    got an old shay pretty much as i the photo ... haven't even checked to see if any parts are missing ... not sure if it's a 'now' project or if it should be left for a cold winter night ?
     

    Attached Files:

    RailMix and dalebaker like this.
  16. dti406

    dti406 TrainBoard Member

    1,389
    11,336
    56
    [​IMG]

    A new kit I have never built before, an Intermountain 1958CF ACF Covered hopper, here I have installed the underframe along with the brake gear on the B end of the car, still have a lot of pieces to install on this puppy.

    Rick Jesionowski
     
  17. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

    888
    4,509
    42
    Started with a toy flatcar that was being thrown away at the club, in an attempt to reuse the truck mounted couplers, I tried to convert it to Kadee #4's but after much frustration, that wasn't going to work (and I hope I never need to use #4's again). Switched to#5's. That worked, but took so long that it hardly seemed worthwhile compared to just switching to body mounted couplers.

    Then added metal wheelesets, added weight, and stuck on one of the cardstock containers that I made last week (and where the weight was added) with double sided duct tape.

    The fleet grows...[​IMG]

    Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk
     
    dti406, RailMix, Moose2013 and 2 others like this.
  18. dti406

    dti406 TrainBoard Member

    1,389
    11,336
    56
    [​IMG]



    [​IMG]

    Did some more work on the IMRC 1958CF Covered Hopper kit, including adding all the grabs, a retainer valve and airline and some of the underbody details, need to add the brake rigging on the underside of the car.

    Rick Jesionowski
     
    fordy744, dalebaker, gmorider and 2 others like this.
  19. gmorider

    gmorider TrainBoard Member

    2,093
    6,282
    65
    That's what I'm talkin' about! (y):cool:
     
  20. rch

    rch TrainBoard Member

    349
    825
    32
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I still need to add some details like mirrors and glass, but this rig is coming together. I used a 3D printed cab from Willmodels on Shapeways along with the chassis and interior from an Athearn Ford C. The trailer is an Athearn Fruehauf Z van with an A-line reefer and fuel tank installed.
     
    gjslsffan, fordy744, dti406 and 2 others like this.

Share This Page