They caught my eyes as those subjects bring back my college memories though I'm not licensed like you. Go ME!
My FEF-3... replaced the decoder, and it's getting new paint before I install SMD LEDs for the headlight, MARS light, and backup light:
Currently negotiating with the, 'Bureau of Land Management' aka 'My Wife' for the development of a mobile workbench that would be used on the kitchen table and stored under the layout. I'm open to suggestions on a design for said workbench thought at the moment I'm thinking just a piece of 2" 2'X4' foam. Most of the work will be car repair and model construction.
I would be inclined to build it as a shallow tray of 3/4 plywood with felt on the back to protect the table and gain points with the BLM with maybe 1x4s on the back and sides. This will allow you to attach a small modelers vice and provide a surface to do work on. No problem with paint or glue dissolving it or a screwdriver or hammer ruining it. I’d cut slots into the top of the sides (like a serving tray) to make it easier to carry to and from the layout without clearing off projects in progress. If you use power tools a small power strip attached to the back might be convenient. Charlie Vlk
Thank you Charlie. I just happen to have a small piece of plywood that would be perfect. Bonus, the BLM has read your suggestion and approves!
This RDC is wired up and waiting for a loksound decoder to get in. Re-used a rapido easy-peasy lighting board that had a malfunctioning reed switch for interior lighting. Cutout the switching circuitry and battery holder then added a resistor and will wire it directly to the decoder.
Finally got the right LEDs today (NANOs) . Assembled 8 yard lights for Lucky Penny Yard. Have 2 more I have to work on still.
I needed to make a little over 30 turnouts before starting to lay track on the layout. I finished 4 more over the last couple days and have all the pieces made to solder up the last four that I need before going on to the next step. I think that will be making a test fixture I can put the turnouts in fairly quickly. Then add some short sections of tracks to them so I can run a loco and a couple cars back and forth to make sure they work well before actually using them on the layout. Still need to add ties to about 25 of them so that is going to take time also. Sumner
Just finished principal construction and moving to lighting. Not much to tell, it’s a Faller kit distributed my Kato, molded in 4 colors and I thought it looked good as it was so I left it be.
Ok so I got the track laid down on my modules tonight. The modules with the brown top were done a while ago, the light topped ones are the ones I’m working on now. You can see the future home of the station. I just need to raise the station up a bit to put the platform closer to the tracks as well as high enough to allow the people to get off the train without a step ladder.
A few weeks back I was searching for some spare parts to replace pieces that I'd lost from a set of deluxe innovation roadrailers that I already had. I found someone selling what I needed plus a couple of aged and yellowed unpainted trailers as part of the set for a decent price so I purchased the lot. The trailers, besides needing some cleaning and painting were in good condition and I couldn't bear to relegate to the spare parts bin so I purchased some decals and proceeded to clean and paint them. Still need to get the red markers that run along the bottom of the trailers but mostly done at this point.
Had to finish the lighting and interior painting on the last couple of cars in the daylight consist. It really does make the lighting more effective and realistic. Plus it’s fun to know that it is in there. Way more fun than painting people.
I finally tackled this long term project I suspended some months ago, that is a VRs passenger car from FS Italia. This one is a Y type coach, and was transformed in 1980 into a support car for the giant Edk1000 crane that stationed in Milan! I used an old Lima passenger car, and I modified it accordingly with all the pictures I have of this prototype. Here it is! Matt
