The Little Rock Line

Allen H Dec 31, 2011

  1. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

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    Two more GP35's have joined the fleet: #312 and #316.

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    While there are only a few subtle differences between the two, they both were painted in the basic "Plain Jane" Maroon and Yellow scheme of the 60's with no lettering or logos on the long hoods.
    One more to go...


    Follow this link to the blog post for more pics and info:
    https://thelittlerockline.blogspot.com/2022/10/rock-island-gp35s-312-316.html
     
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  2. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Looks great! I love how you are modeling the slight differences in the GP35 fleet, rather than a cookie cutter look like BN's early-80s SD40-2 fleet...
     
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  3. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thank you Hemi!
    I've always had a hard time deciding which scheme to settle on, so I figured since I had enough units on hand, why not paint a variety of them.
    Which only adds to the Rag Tag look I enjoy about the Rock.

    It's kind of amazing all the little differences there are. I doubt I would have noticed this if I hadn't been scouring the net looking for specifics for the scheme that the #312 is wearing?

    This may play against me when it comes time to work on the U25B and GP7 fleet??? :confused:
     
  4. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

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    I have cleared the tunnel.
    I put the finishing touches on the 7th and final Rock Island GP35.

    This one tested my abilities. When I was searching for images to use for my 35's I ran across this one decided I had to give it a try.
    The scheme was the hard part, it was the burned long hood. I always thought is was a cool thing model but never had the courage to try it.
    I sat down one night and started looking for videos and articles on how other do this. I found one that did a burn to an HO locomotive using enamel paints. He made it look so easy so I took a few notes and started in.

    Not having any enamel paint, I started with Artist oils, that didn't work, as the colors blended in a bland brown.
    Next I tried Artist Acrylics, those dried faster but wound of thick and lumpy, too thick for N scale.
    Then I found some Vallejo Stone Gray and used that to paint the primer in the area of then burn, before it paint was thoroughly dry (tacky) I started to apply my new favorite medium: Pan Pastels.
    I started with a dark rust and worked my way lighter. Using the proto photo, I copied it the best I could, while not perfect, I'm happy with the end results.

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    Follow this link to see the rest of the images and info on this model.

    https://thelittlerockline.blogspot.com/2022/10/rock-island-gp35-330-final-gp35.html

    What's next you ask? More locos?
    No I think I've had enough fun at the bench for awhile, I think I hear some track work in the town El Dorado calling my name.
     
  5. freddy_fo

    freddy_fo TrainBoard Member

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    I say you nailed it. Fantastic work!
     
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  6. DeaconKC

    DeaconKC TrainBoard Member

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    If you didn't have those prototype photos, folks would say you went overboard on the weathering on your units. Well done sir.
     
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  7. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks Freddy!
    Oh, BTW I added the LED like I did on my U33B's using the Bondic, I was able to stick the LEDs right to the factory glazing with the same results. That was a great tip!


    Thank you sir!
    I hesitated to post those images since they were not mine, I'm not claiming them, used them for reference only.
    The bottom one was a preview of an original slide that was on eBay.
     
  8. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Phenomenal! Absolutely thrashed, just like the prototype.
     
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  9. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

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    LOL, thank you Hemi! :)
    Hopefully mine will run better?
     
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2022
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  10. DeaconKC

    DeaconKC TrainBoard Member

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    Just tell your engines it's Halloween, just makeup!
     
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  11. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Wow. The Rock was a school for model RR weathering. (y)
     
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  12. Many Trains

    Many Trains TrainBoard Member

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    I love how you got the upside down K! Wow, at the end there, the Rock Island really did just patch it together any old way.
     
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  13. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    Absolutely spot on!! I can almost smell the diesel, the soot and the oil!! The oil in these has a unique aroma, that is just in my nose now! Thanks!!
     
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  14. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks badland!
    You're welcome!

    Thank you sir!
     
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  15. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member

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    That is some rock solid modeling there. Those GP 35s were on the ragged edge most of the time, and you've modeled them very well, good job sir.
     
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  16. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thank you for the Rock solid props Tom!
     
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  17. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

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    With my whirlwind of locomotives behind, I think I have had enough of the bench time for awhile?

    It's time to get back to the layout. My first target is El Dorado.

    When I first started working on El Dorado I had planned it to be a busy location that had a small four track yard, two A/D tracks and the longest siding on the layout. The plans were to have two locals work out of here for the entire layout One north and one south. This worked well and we had a lot of fun with it and kept the sessions fun full of operations.

    As I have mentioned before, time moves on things started to change. The sessions slowed and the crews dwindled and I decided to reduce my operations. With this a lot of changes have and are going to change. El Dorado is on the list and I have decided to start here. I am going to try to conform to and hold to the old motto "Less is More".

    A few years ago, when El Dorado was in its prime it was hopping place. Here's an image of what it use to be.

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    I decided that I want to go back to my original plans for the layout with it being nothing more than a backwoods branchline of sort. This means a lot less traffic and nothing more than a string of small towns with only a few industries being served by a local. So the yard had to go.

    After doing a little doodling I came up with this new look for El Dorado. Also as I have said in the past, I am not modeling the line exactly so I can make full use of my modelers license. It's not to scale, but it's close enough to get started with.

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    I'm hoping to get the feeling of a small town with a two lane blacktop running down the middle of town, with a few industries to work, and the tracks passing through the edge of town.
    Over the last few days I've ripped up the majority of the tracks and have reduced it to the mainline, passing siding and the two A/D tracks, both of which will be removed in time.

    I've got the industries pretty much decided on and their locations, but I need to get a feeling of their size before I can really get down to laying the tracks. One of them; The Dr. Pepper Dist will be fairly large and will be made up of several building kits that have been added on to the original building over time. The Depot will remain, but will be an actual kit this time. For the Maytag warehouse, I'm thinking about using the DPM Wood Furniture kit and for the mill, well it's built and ready to install once I find a location for it.

    Tonight I figured I'd better make sure the depot would fit the same location where the stand in has been sitting. So I dug out the Walthers Clarkesville depot and set the foundation in place, and it fits. So the tracks won't have to move and the bend in the tracks will stay.

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    I started thinking about the Maytag building and where it would sit along the backdrop. Well that got me thinking about the backdrop. I should really get it done first? That means I'll need to get it prepped and ready to paint so it look like this when I'm done.

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    So I cleared things off and got a clean slate to work with.

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    The first task will be to remove the panhead screws I used to hold the backdrop in place originally and replace them with some #6 x 5/8" countersink screws, then patch them with spackling and repaint.
     
  18. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

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    After getting the pan head screws removed, filling in the seam, countersinking the new screws and spackling over them, I was able to recoat the backdrop with a fresh coat of sky blue this afternoon. Then I got the distant hills painted on tonight.

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    Once this all dries and I get a little time, I'll start painting on the foliage of the closer hills using these craft paints like I did before.

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  19. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Quite a change! As I understand the above story line, just one local serving. So does it become an out one day, back the next type of operation?
     
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  20. DeaconKC

    DeaconKC TrainBoard Member

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    Fascinating looking back at what you are doing. And I like how you have used simplicity to achieve really good looking backgrounds already.
     
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