I just picked up an Undec. Proto Alco S-1 NIB. I'm going to tackle my 1st HO custom paint project. I'm going to paint it into WP.
My Athearn Gears Work The Athearn SD40 axle gears work fine on my P2K GP9s. Are those the gears you are speaking about?
I've got 2 SD10s on the bench right now. MILW 550 SD10 Build | Agawam Southern Railway I'm also painting a GN GP30 in intermediate for a fellow member on another forum. (top priority, should finish it up this weekend) The build queue in the probable order they'll hit the bench: 2xGP30s F7A/B SET (may do them before the GP35s not sure yet)4xGP35s 5xFP45s Have dreams of a couple more bay window cabooses too.
Right now I have a consignment brass Rio Grande L-95 2-8-8-2 from Key imports that I just got from Caboose Hobbies. It arrived with a paint job that looks as if it were applied from about 3 inches with a spray can of Krylon black house paint, LOL! It runs like a little Swiss watch, but as you can see from the photos, I have to strip and repaint it. I've done this before--Jasco paint stripper works very well and is non-acidic so it doesn't attack the solder. However, to do this the area has to be really WELL ventilated, and we're right in the middle of a series of big Pineapple Express storms whalloping California, which means NO VENTILATED GARAGE. The storms are supposed to be over sometime next Sunday, so hopefully I'll be able to start work on it then. Until then, here she is. She's a little cutie, but as you can see, the paint is going to have to come off in LAYERS! Just praying for a day of clear weather, I am! Tom
I wish I had a workbench... Good to see everyone else is working hard and has some nice projects on the go.
flagman That's my desk, prepared for another flagman. And for those with old eyes :angel: a close up picture You see magnet wire at an old relais, a PC board throw bar, the SMD 1500 Ohm resistor next to the SMD LED, a pine vise with 0,3 mm drill and the required H0 Preiser man. Wolfgang
Train Show Purchase I purchased this at the local train show. (15 US$) It is a green MKT tank car. The first thing my friend said was that MKT had no green tank cars. Rats! Well, this was one of a set of twelve custom painted cars. I thought it might take a little work, but it was something I would not have to paint. Here is what I learned. I am new at H0 scale and don't always know what to look for when I purchase these cars. The car had yellow safety appliances...the ladder and safety rail. I thought this was too gaudy so I painted them green. Coupler pockets were not tight so I added a screw to hold the no. 5's in place. No safety placards. I knew that, so I am replacing them. Nice metal wheels and Kadee no. 5 couplers. But... three of the four axles are 36 inch and one is 33 inch wheels. Have to change those; plastic are temporary. I did have two extra Kadee 33 inchers. Screws that held the tank in place were stripped. I had to ream the threads out and reseat a styrene tube to seat threads for the three screws. This was a real surprise and a challenge for me. The decals had not been clear coated. That is to be done later tonight. Here is where I am right now. I did add the "Company Fuel Oil Only" decal along the side to give it some authenticity as I found a picture of a green MKT tank car with this restriction. Pretty much weathering left to do along with a sealer. I learn something every day. I think this is an Athearn Blue Box. I also found that the original paint scheme was just covered with paint. The car had not been stripped.
Curious as to why? The Kato shells are far superior, seems kind of odd to me. Just wondering. Not knocking the process.
Although these are DCC projects, waiting on the bench are two Bowser/Stewart VO-1000 locos for the Tsunami light board decoders that will be here in two days. One Spectrum 44 ton, waiting for a LokSound Micro decoder. My second 44 ton sound project. Rich
Here is the final product. Taking the gloss shine away was a big improvement. I do like the car even though not prototypical.
NO workbench, I'm in the middle of AETC territory, so it's not likely I can have much of it with me anyway - all those chemicals, sharp objects and peculiar shaped objects, not to mention the machining tools, that would give more than one person the wrong impression around here!!! Once I get out of here...[hmmm, 8, 12 months????] I'm looking at 6 months before I can do something, I think. Sigh!!! but it is much better than the previous situation, where I knew I was not going to have secure dedicated space no matter what. Next time, there will be a secure future to my dwellings!
Right now nothing Im moveing the layout table to the Hobby room and going to start laying track I need to start building my cars.
Whats on my work bench?? The first thing is cleaning the bench so that I can find it!!!!!!!!! Then recoupling approx 50 older Tyco and Life like cars by installing body mounted couplers and removing the truck mounted coulpers. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT!!! But I am also working on Xtrack cad and designing the new layout. Pics to follow in the layout forum. Layout will be 5x10 with 22deg min curves.
Who is Front Range? Who is/are Front Range models. I don't think I have heard of them before? Thanks.
I just finished a mock-up of a non-rail warehouse false front. The warehouse will represent "newer" prefab construction. This is a shot of the west end.
I will not be doing any thing for a couple weeks I got a real bad spranged ankle today when a tree fell on me I was just luckey that is all that happend so my layout is on hold few a couple weeks.
