Yes this took 8 set of Passenger F-unit Striping decals to get the parabold on the left side, 2 E-F stripe sets, 8 F-45 sets for the Big Santa Fe, 2 sets of the Alco PA/B sets for the number boards and 2 New York Central Silver Streamlined sets for the "Express Car" Tru-Color Silver and Scale Cote II for the Santa Fe Red and Testors Clear Gloss. This was a very expensive set of cars to put together as far as paint and decals go.
I've been working on the Southern Pacific ferries Solano and Contra Costa in both N and Z since January or so. These were 423' and 433' long respectively, and 117' wide--the largest (not longest) wooden hulls ships ever. Got a few stacks to straighten up with the guys wire, some retouching, and then details and the railings and stairways.
They were used primarily for passenger trains. The entire train, with engine, was loaded in segments. There were four tracks. Given about 1600 feet of track, that's engine plus up to 17 cars. I believe most trains were 9 or ten cars. The loco would usually occupy one of the center tracks, centered lengthwise. Then the other tracks would be filled. There were two helper engines at either end to break apart the trains and shove them onto the ferry. The whole operation--from arrival at one end to departure at the other, took less than 30 minutes. Or so I've read. I haven't found loading rules, as I did with the Santa Fe ferries, which were quite specific about which cars were loaded where, and in what order, but I think the SP would have followed similar rules. These were monsters, so I think even loading was less a concern. I've seen one photo with the engine on an outer track. I recall these monsters displaced about 4000 tons empty, or maybe even more. With independently powered paddlewheels, they were very maneuverable, even able to spin on their center axis. And, man, they lasted a long time for a wooden ship in salt water.
Precios little modeling time for the month of May... did manage to pull out the PAs and get a teenie bit more done (renumbering and adding the cab roof numberboards to the remaining cab units.) Thanks for looking, Bruce
Only thing prettier than a Warbonnet PA is five of them side by side! Bruce, what did you end up using for the top mounted number housing? Best, Otto K.
Otto, I was fortunate enough to acquire two more packages of the Sunrise Enterprises (3 per pkg) housings...giving me a surplus (again, I'm hoping to be able to one for the casting of resin versions-I really need to get off my duff and attempt this) ~Bruce
Great work on the Santa Fe PA's! Agreed, the loss of Sunrise and JNJ to name a few is making it harder and harder to enjoy the detail aspects of the hobby. Fortunately for this project, BLMA had everything I needed. A pair of former PC, Conrail GP38's in the short lived Chicago Central Scheme. Hopping to button these up this week.
Just buttoned this up finally only to realize I had done the number boards upside down. Not too much of a pain.
I've been working on these two 2-8-0's. I replaced the cabs with some Bachmann spares and built oil tanks for the tenders to modernize them a little
Nice work. Have that look of the early steamers working off the miles in their later years in branchline service before the diseasels take over.