Bob, windshield washer fluid? That's a new one for me, I have never heard of using that. What is the effect?
Chad: The windshield washer fluid ages the plastic model paint. It's like applying isopropyl alcohol on rolling stock to dull the paint finish.. Blue windshield washer fluid does the same but the alcohol content is much less and the effect will be less dramatic... Try it when you start to weather your freight cars....or use it on a cheap car first.. Stay cool and run steam...
I made significant progress on the CMR 135' turntable kit over the weekend. I soldered the wiring to the wheel assembly on three of the four wheel units. I hope to receive the fourth wheel assembly this week. You must tap the wheel thru the axle on each wheel assembly. I used the wire that CMR had in the kit to solder two wheel assemblies together electrically. The joint in the middle will lead to one of the rails and the other will go to the opposite rail. I only have one axle support on each assembly. When I'm ready to anchor the completed assembly I'll attach both axle supports that are missing. I airbrushed the turntable pit an aged concrete. When that had dried, I made a wash of windshield washer solution, mud, earth and dust and sprayed a thin wash on the turntable. I also handpainted all 120 rail ties a Polly Scale Rail Tie brown. All the edgeds of the ties had to be painted as well. I used a 18/0 very fine sable brush to paint the edges of the ties. This took considerable time to do. Then I made a wash of engine power black and windshield washer solution (blue). I then sprayed this wash on the pit to create an old effect. When all these washes had dried, I used some very fine gravel and spread that on the bottom of the pit and cemented it in place with a mixture of Elmers glue, and alcohol. I used an eye dropper to apply the cement to the gravel in the base of the pit. I also weathered the bridge of the turntable. I used the thin wash of windshield washer solution (blue) with mud, earth and dust and lightly air brushed the bridge to create a dulling and weathered effect on the paint. When these washes dried I detailed the exterior ribs and the gridge girders with burnt umber and burnt sienna to simulate a well rusted structure. I also added the detailed heavy paper walkwalks to the evergreen strip supports that I added to the bridge deck. I still have more to finish on the turntable. The wheel assemblies have to be shimmed and cemented in place after the final wiring to both rails is completed. The arch of the bridge deck has to be added as well as the handrails. The center shaft assembly also has to be cemented in place. The control cab has to be built as well.. When the wheel assemblies are shimmed to the proper height there will be enough clearance to compensate for the fine gravel I added to the pit base. This has been a great kit to build as long as you proceed slowly and follow directions. I highly recommend this kit if you are interested in building a quality turntable for your layout. The CMR turntable kit also comes in a 105' length as well. Stay cool and run steam....
Loco1999: Thanks .... it's almost finished , but there is still more to build and some wiring and deatiling to do... This CMR 135' turntable kit is a great kit to build and is very challenging.... Stay cool and run steam....
Thanks, Bob! As I'm sure I'll spend more time fiddling with my Walthers kitbash than you've reported so far, I'm going to seriously consider this kit.
Last night I added the wheel assembies to the underside of the turntable. The wheels turn easily because of some bearings in the design. I used a shim to raise the bridge to accomodate the Unitrack that I'll be using from the pit to the roundhouse stalls. I also wired the wheel assemblies to the bridge rails: I painted the walkways on either side of the bridge a railroad tie brown. I will probably weather the bridge deck walkways once I have added the handrails, arch and arch supports. Last night I airbrushed the gravel I added to the pit floor a grimy black to simulate cinders in the pit. This morning the new "cinder" base in the turntable pit was dry and I checked the bridge and wheel assemblies to make sure they were resting on the guide rail throughout the 360 degree circle. Everything checked out nicely... Here is a closeup of the left and right wheel assemblies : The center shaft assembly will be glued into position after the arch; arch braces and handrails are added the the bridge deck. Here is a photo of the center shaft assembly. This will attached to the motor which will drive the turntable. I will add a stationary decoder to the motor so I can use the Lenz LH 100 handheld to control the turntable's movement. Below is a diagram in the instructions that show the relationship of the center shaft assembly to the bridge deck of the turntable: might even try to connect the shaft of the center shaft assembly via a PVC sprinkler pipe to the center of the Atlas turntable so I can use the Atlas turntable's 15 degree indexing. I have cold cure acrylic that was used for denture/partial denture repairs and might use that to fill the space in the PVC sprinkler piping. The next step in the CMR turntable kit construction is to add the arch, arch bracing and handrails. So far I estimate that I've worked about 13 hours on the kit which includes the painting and detailing. Stay cool and run steam....
Loco1999: Thanks..... I thought I'd take some closeups of the wheel assemblies and their relationship to the guide rail in the turntable pit floor.... The wheel assemblies were a bit tricky to get in the correct position as I shimmed the wheel assemblies to raise the bridge deck to take into account the Unitrack that will run to the roundhouse stalls.. Normally there are notches that these assemblies fit into under each end of the bridge. Stay cool and run steam......
PSG, Thanks again! This looks promising. I believe I cannot use an indexing scheme, as my tracks leading to the roundhouses are probably not at exactly 7.5 degrees. Some might be 7.55 degrees; others 7.43 degrees (or whatever). Maybe an indexer can surmount my in-precision, as I believe the indexers are based on motor revolutions? Or do you think that the vertical precision is such that I can use my very slow speed motor, and just align them by eye?
Last night I mounted the stock arch that came with the CMR kit and really wasn't happy the way it looked. I was at my LHS this morning and he happened to have a cast Diamond Scale N scale arch on his remnants shelf. That was just what I was looking for and quickly made the purchase for $4.99.. Diamond Scale wanted $18.99 plus $5.00 S&H. I'm glad I waited ... I assemblied the arch for the CMR turntable and cemented it to the walkway of the deck. I gave the bridge an initial coat of grimy black paint and will touch it up with a second coat and add burnt umber and burnt sienna to make it look aged and rusty... Here are several photo's of the arch in position. I have to bend it slightly to a more upright position.. Still to be done is the handrailing on the bridge deck; the control cab and some additional weathering of the walkways and arch.. I want to give my thanks to UP_Phill who gave me the info on the cast arch from Diamond Scale for my turntable project.. Stay cool and run steam........
Pete: I would eyeball it..... or use the five fingered motor which is probably more precise.... Stay cool and run steam....
Okay.... I added the control cab, handrails and I did some final weathering of the deck arch; the deck girders; the cab control; the handrails; the walkways and the wheel assemblies and connecting power wires. I used burnt umber and burnt sienna to give me the rust effect. The bridge deck was given a wash of dust, mud , earth and windshield washer fluid (blue). 70% windshield washer fluid and 30% of the three earth tones of dust , mud and earth. The pit was weathered with a mix of 70% windshield washer fluid and 30% steam power black. The pit floor was weathered with steam power black and very fine gravel was used to simulate cinders. The ties in the guide rail on the pit floor was weathered with railroad tie brown and the windshield washer fluid and dust earth and mud as noted above. The walkways were weathered with some railtie brown, reefer white and dull aluminum. I mixed small amounts of the reefer white and dull aluminum together. The arch was mainly weathered with grimy black and burnt umber. The light bulbs were painted silver. The handrails were weathered with grimy black, burnt umber and burnt sienna at the base of the handrails and the bridge deck.. There are more pictures in the next post... Stay cool and run steam.....
I took some photo's of several loco's. I will post first the photo's of ATSF # 1790 2-8-8-2 ; which is a familar name to me: There are some more pictures to follow. I hope this subject was of interest to you. I enjoyed posting the progress of this kit to completion and your many comments along the way. Stay cool and run steam on a turntable.. [ 29. October 2004, 03:09: Message edited by: Powersteamguy1790 ]
That steamer looks right at home on that turntable - love the weathering job! Nicely done, sir! Regards, -Mike
Mike: Thanks.... I appreciate your comments and feedback.... I enjoyed putting this kit together.. Stay cool and run steam.... [ 30. October 2004, 17:17: Message edited by: Powersteamguy1790 ]
