The woodchip bin is a wood construction bin that will be supported over the rails adjacent to the planer/edger. About three days into working on this cutting all the bracing needed. Next step will be to fabricated the supports and the conveyor system from the building to the hopper. Also intend to fabricate a couple of cyclone blowers for both the mill and the planer building. Also shown is the entrance to the slash burner with it's rollup door. I have a few small metal Fordson tractor models that just need to have a front bucket fabricated for one for clean out duties.
This is my workbench: a portable fold-up layout. Thanks to MC Fujiwara (thread: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?134868-Summer-Shunting-Shelf-Project) for the inspiration.
The City of Los Angeles Dome-Lounge-Observation didn't last long as built. They were rebuilt for mid-train Dome-Lounge service and I modified a spare Kato car to reflect these changes.
Here is Attebery grain in Saginaw, TX I've been working on scratchbuilding for a while. It is nearly complete now abd I'll post an updated pic soon Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
Is that weathering on the silos? Thanks. I need to do that to mine and haven't decided exactly how to do it.
Yes it is. I thought it came out a little too stark so I've since toned it down a little. I should finish this thing this weekend and I'll post some updated photos. Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
work started on soo line sd40b #6450. kind of a special unit as it has the dynamic brakes on the high short hood, not the usual position. also handrails are a bit different than on other b-units.
Yeah, Bill, how do you not leave any surgery marks? Did you repaint both cars? Nice work! Regards, Otto K.
Thanks guys. Funny you should ask that. This car really came out well and it's hard to tell where the holes were filled. Place some tape over the exterior of the hole you want to fill and apply 5 minute epoxy from the inside. Remove tape and if any small voids are left, apply super glue with a toothpick and hit with accelerator. Use fine sanding stix to get a smooth finish. Prime and paint. I only partially repainted the car I modified. I was able to match the paint almost perfectly. Even though I'm not a fan of the yellow that Kato used. I'm currently writing an article to show the conversion.
WP 'outside brace caboose ambles along..Underframe..DONE...40' boxcar underframe, 2'added. Cupola 40 piece cupola, just needs roof grabs. Body...DONE. Not sure if I'm gonig to put glass in the windows or screens, /they had both. Leaning towards screens................ Oh, and Russel. Really like your building..but your WORKAREA....As many different parts and tools you jave going every-witch-away..It's STILL not half as muddled as MINE!!!!!!
I've though of doing this loco when it belonged to BN. However, one day I'd like to do all 3 of the BN SD40-2Bs. Just all 3 of them are different. Typical BN and can't do anything the same twice.
Sandro that sd40 was a formewr BN unit and there are pics over on bn photo archives and or rr-fallenflags.org when it was a bn unit hope this helps some
Continuing with the woodchip bin for rail loading. Added the side supports for the cyclone blower tower which is attached on one side to bin. Found it was much easier to apply paint to some areas prior to applying bracing to the support structure. Next is to the parts boxes for suitable parts to fabricate a cyclone blower and the basic piping for the chips. All my chip cars are of an early era and are either converted older wood 40ft boxcars with the roof removed, or gondolas with extended sides and are at approximately 15 ft high on the rails. Additional clearance has been added for steamers to pass under and the total clearance from railtop to bottom of chip delivery trough will be at 21 ft.
Cobbled together two cyclone blowers out of a wood barrel sanded down to remove bands, a spark arrestor casting and two different sized loco drivers for the top. Drilled out and ready for piping. One goes on the platform on the chip bin the other on the roof of the edger/planer building.
I had started this Life Like GP38-2 six years ago when I lived in Northern Illinois. Life got in the way and I had all but forgotten it. Yesterday I started the decal process: Nothing fancy this time as far as details go, I wanted this as a T-Trak and N-Trak runner. When it's done, it will be a #700 series GP38-2, the newer Geeps in Iowa Interstate railroads fleet which the Life Like matches nicely.
Jim: Is the stripe a decal or did you paint that? Microscale? In any case, it really looks good. Thanks.
Thank you Flash. The stripe is a decal and a real pain to get nice and even over the hinges and doors. The side sill yellow stripe however is painted as that was easier for me. Yup, Microscale decals, #60-551.
Installed metal roof, cyclone blower and part of ductwork/piping. Also installed 2nd cyclone blower on roof of edger/planer building. Next is to raise supports higher for ductwork. Supports are from the Walthers sawmill kit which was cut down to give the edger/planer building. Then paint touch-up time and weathering with chip dust.
