MODELING It's Monday, February 3rd, 2025: Weekend Modeling Accomplishments

Jim Wiggin Feb 3, 2025

  1. Jim Wiggin

    Jim Wiggin Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Welcome back everyone. I hope you all had a great weekend and got a lot accomplished. Let's get started.

    Saturday: I slept in until about 7:30. I got ready for the day with coffee and shuffled up to my workshop. I gathered my new Atlas GP, SoundTraxx decoder and TCS keep alive and set out to work. Once I removed the dummy board from the Atlas engine, I saw the plug was not compatible. I called my not so local hobby shop to see if he had a Next 18 adapter from SoundTraxx. No luck so there was no sense in going up like originally planned. I turned my attention on the ESU equipped Atlas GP38-2 and disassembled the trucks so I could clean the wheel treads as well as the contacts. I then took the wife out for a nice dinner and relaxed for the rest of the night.

    Sunday: Another day to catch up on sleep and coffee. This time I assembled a train of N scale cars for industries on the Granite State Industrial. B&M #200 was the power today and seeing that it was back in its B&M blue and not in its bicentennial trim, it told me we were in the early 1980s before GTI. Switching the layout and servicing each industry took me over an hour. No issues with track work and the sound never cut out once on the locomotive. Now to set this locomotive up for the Proto Throttle.
    [​IMG]
    Here is the first day of operations, February 2nd, 2025. #200 pulls two empties from Central paper as well as one empty covered hopper from Sweetheart Plastics and is ready to head north to Manchester yard.

    [​IMG]
    The next project was this Bowser caboose I painted up a few years ago. All of the rolling stock and locomotives on the GSI will be custom painted and or super detailed. To further the scale aspects of this, Micro Trains Super Scale knuckle couplers will be used. B&M buggy #452 was the first to receive this update. Some models are easy like this one. The MT scale couplers come with a box very similar to a #1015 and can be body mounted with a screw. That was the case here and it was a simple process.

    [​IMG]
    The other task I started this weekend was getting ready for NTrak season. All of my NTrak cars are not as detailed as the ones for GSI so the Atlas Master, Athearn Genesis and super detailed cars I painted stay at home. I convert all my NTrak cars to NMRA weight standards as well as body mount Micro Trains Couplers. Some conversions on Athearn and Atlas cars are easier. The 50-foot box car above is based on the old MDC tooling although the molds for the body have been given a serious upgrade. The chassis however still has the metal molded draft box and it will not allow a drop in MT coupler. I cut the box off, filed the bottom smooth, drilled and tapped for a MT screw and was done. The coupler is at the right height, now I just need to add weight to NMRA standards. I also need to order a bunch more #1015s. After that I enjoyed a nice meal with the wife and noticed that this weekend had simply evaporated.

    So how about you? What did you accomplish this first weekend of February? Let us know. We'll assemble again on Friday the 7th to start the process all over again. Until then, have a good week, stay safe, maintain healthiness and as always...

    High Greens!
     
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  2. Kitbash

    Kitbash TrainBoard Supporter

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    Good morning all. Had a good weekend here. It went as I thought. Spent time finishing up some things in the bedroom and bathroom as the contractor will finish this week sometime and we’ll be moving back to our room from one of the spare bedrooms.

    On the modeling front, I wound up working on some spare space I have at the staging yard. I cleaned off “stuff” that was just hanging out there and recaptured that space for 4 more tracks. The plan is to use 2 of the tracks for car/caboose/maintenance tracks and the other 2 tracks will get an “Ice” facility. Also decaled 2 cars out of about 8 I have ready for decaling. These will now need to be weathered. Yesterday I spent a decent amount of time cleaning up the layout room from the mess created by putting the 2nd level framing for the coal mine. Need to start thinking about the plywood there. While I was cleaning, I had several trains running. The Sunday mail-train also made an appearance.

    Have a good week all!

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  3. Dogwood

    Dogwood TrainBoard Member

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    Another busy model building weekend is something to be proud of. The Fraser and the little creek is flooded. The long river side has the right trees. The first canoes are already on the way. Designing the water flow is my next task.
    20250203_135929_copy_1280x960.jpg 20250203_135940_copy_1280x960.jpg 20250203_140004_copy_1280x960.jpg 20250203_140107_copy_1280x960.jpg 20250203_140212_copy_1280x960.jpg 20250203_140243_copy_1280x960.jpg 20250203_140252_copy_1280x960.jpg
     
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  4. SP-Wolf

    SP-Wolf TrainBoard Supporter

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    Good mornin and happy Monday to Y'all

    Hope Y'all had a great and productive weekend.

    I had a good weekend and kind of productive.

    For the Model 40 project: - I have the frame cut out and and I started modifying the cab. That's about it.

    Y'all have a great week,
    Wolf
     
  5. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    Happy Monday all. I was travelling last week so never got to post the weekend plans on Friday. Got home around mid day Saturday and most of the rest of the day was just spent catching up on things at home and trying to get all the normal errands done that needed to be done.
    Sunday I did manage to get a bit done. First off was coffee and to assemble and post the Railfan Photos of the Week. Then, got some work done on the creek scene on the layout. Replaces wheels on a couple of freight cars, did some organizing, damaged a freight car load in the process so it went to the freshly cleaned work bench, had a few train plates that I had finished putting up so go those done, and the wife finally approved a spot for my crossbucks so got them put up. Considering how worn out I was from my trip, I am surprised I accomplished that much.

    Hope you all have a great week!
     
  6. nscalestation

    nscalestation TrainBoard Supporter

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    Had a peaceful and enjoyable weekend here. The rain did not amount to as much as we need, but it was wet outside all weekend. After completing the daily quota of household chores, I was able to spend time in the train room.

    Progress on the building:

    2024TBLP29.jpg
    2024TBLP30.jpg


    And completed the grade crossing scene.

    2024TBLP31.jpg

    Posted updates to the winter layout party thread and added a few more items to the N Scale database.
     
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2025
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  7. Philip H

    Philip H TrainBoard Member

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    No trains this weekend as our Scout Troop was camping at Camp Shelby. Saturday AM had us visiting the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum onsite followed by a 10 mile hike as part
    Of Hiking Merit Badge. Once home on Sunday it was clean up weekly chores and then hitting the sack
     
  8. dti406

    dti406 TrainBoard Member

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    Had a somewhat good weekend managed to get the first color on an ART reefer before going bowling where we at least split the points as nobody on our team bowled well all three games.

    Saturday went to the club where I picked up my 3 86’ hi cubes and ran them in an auto parts train. Never made it to the basement for any modeling after I got home.

    Sunday did the laundry and made a run to Costco but I managed to get the horn that I received Saturday mounted on my RS2. Also masked the sides of the ART reefer so I can paint the ends and the roof a second color.

    Rick Jesionowski
     
  9. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Had a couple of good hours on Oxenholme station ( Clas 88s,68s and 90s on Freightrians) and then Battle of Britain class 4-6-2 34067 'Tangmere' on the winter Cumbrian Mountain Express

    [​IMG]

    The went a couple of miles down the hill to Kendal for the first big model railway show of the year. Caught up with loads of mates I haven't seen since last year, Stocked up on Solder wire.

    And yesterday spent a full day carrying on with the control panel for Tapton

    Kev
     
  10. gmorider

    gmorider TrainBoard Member

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    Sharp looking B&M loco and caboose. (y) (Glad to have our leader back.) Gotta' love the Sunday mail train. ;) I'm liking that Fraser. :cool:Frame cut out and cab modification sounds very productive. (y) Creek scene work. Water features are beginning to abound! :) That blue building is striking. Also, the crossing. (y) Sack time is so important. :cool: Yep. Reefer got two colors. ;) That's a "honkin'" big steamer! :eek: Around here, did not get much done due to massive Groundhog Day celebrations. ;) Mostly working on parts for the next boxcar(s). ATSF should be well started this week and maybe done. Have a great week. :D
     
  11. Hoss

    Hoss TrainBoard Member

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    @Dogwood - I hope I can develop those scenery skills someday. Very nice work.
     
  12. Pastor John

    Pastor John TrainBoard Member

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    A very busy weekend.

    Friday started with our monthly trip to the Cleveland Clinic for follow-up appointments after my wife's transplant. By early afternoon, we were done and headed over to Cleveland's Chinatown to celebrate Chinese New Year and have lunch at Li Wah (our favorite) and a little grocery shopping at the Asian market. On the way home we stopped at a big Tack and "Horse stuff" shop in Streetsboro, then a brief stop at home before I headed out to the Sebring Model Railroad Club to get the bookkeeping done for the month before Sunday's club business meeting. Once home we had dinner and I did a little homework.

    Saturday started by taking the dog for a walk and then a quick trip to the bank to deposit this month's club dues and a stop at a grocery that had a good sale on Pepsi products where I bought eight cases of pop for the train club. Shortly after lunch, we we met our new foster (adopt) dog, Axel, a ten year old Rottweiler whose Mom recently passed and whose daughter (the Mom, not the dog) could not keep him. The meet and greet between Axel and our dogs went very well, so he is now getting used to us, our house, animals, routines, etc. The rest of the day was spent getting to know each other.

    [​IMG]
    Meet Axel

    Sunday, was my usual early start with a busy morning at church since we were trying an experiment of having Scout Sunday and communion on the same day. It went very well, and attendance was excellent, but, not surprisingly, ran a little long. After church was a quick lunch and then out the the train club for our monthly business meeting. Our meeting was longer than usual with discussions about two of our recently deceased club members, voting in a new member, meeting several new club applicants, discussion of some potential new bylaw changes, and a proposal to build a handicap ramp in the spring. These last two were received favorably and will be revisited next month with more details. After the meeting, I remained at the club writing receipts for many members who were paying dues and getting reimbursements. After that, I came home, had dinner, and wrote several more pages of my paper to turn in before Monday's class.

    And that wrapped up my weekend.

    I hope you all have a great week.
     
  13. Tompm

    Tompm TrainBoard Supporter

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    It has been a rough week. Early in the week we had our heater replaced and have been dealing with a bunch of teething issues with it. We also had a section of leaking pipe replaced. Of course now that we a fully functional heater it is getting warmer. Just to make thing even more fun, I have come with cold and have been running a low grade temperature since Wednesday. Today is the best I have felt in a week. Between the heater work and my illness, I did not get any Christmas decorations in from the outside as I had planned.

    Also, on Saturday we traveled to the Bridesburg section of Philadelphia to a cat café where we adopted two kittens. As strange as this may sound as a family, we needed a day with a bunch of cats and kittens to lift our spirits. Traveling to the café was somewhat problematic since it was located about half a mile from the plane crash site. We had to deal with extra traffic from the road closures and I suspect ghouls driving to see the scene. I was able to take another route home that avoided the area.

    Since the layout is in the basement with the heater replacement, I did not get much model railroading done. I was able to run some trains on Saturday and Sunday.
     
  14. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    Wow... there are some really good modelers in here! All of us dream of being that good one day.

    On my end, I finished installing lighting in the big warehouse/industry I started last weekend. Nice and bright, but not too much, as I noticed once it was dark and I could see it in context.

    I also - finally - solved the entire stalling problem of my MDC 2-6-0 kit engine on both main line turnout frogs. I did get the initial problem that was also stalling diesels (unpowered points!) some time ago, but the Mogul was insisting on stalling on only one of the two #6 turnouts on my main line.

    It turned out (pun semi-intended) that the front tender truck skewed clockwise at the point where it exited the first turnout's points, in such a way that none of the power pickup wheels touched a rail, leaving only the rear tender truck as power pickup. The weird part is that it never made that typical derailed sound as it went around. After testing various hypotheses, I came to the conclusion that the engine was ever so slightly lifting the front of the tender so that the truck would go askew at the very tip of the points...

    Solution: ream out slightly the drawbar's holes so the screws were slightly loose, and change out the short self-tapping #2 flat head screws with #2-56 x 1/4" Philips head ones. Now the drawbar only pulls the tender, and exerts no more lifting force on it.

    Lots of coffee, head-scratching and a few "what the heck?" exclamations punctuated the weekend's adventure.

    My idea of sleeping in is 4:30. Sometimes 5:00. Then I feel guilty about wasting the best part of the day...:ROFLMAO:
     
  15. jhn_plsn

    jhn_plsn TrainBoard Supporter

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    I built a few turnouts and worked out the Colton Diamonds and station area with paper templates. I think I can move ahead on it. I was hoping to have a ATSF yard transfer sourced from the diamonds, but it would require an angle in the scene that I wouldn't care for. I think I will simply use that leg of the connector as an interchange track to create additional car movements. I'm a bit disappointed as I was hoping for a couple bluebonnets on the road from time to time.
     
  16. rye

    rye TrainBoard Member

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    I put together a couple new downtown buildings, just trying to figure out where they will fit and where the sidewalks and parking will be going, but I think I've settled on this, with a parking area out front and a little outdoor dog park/cafe in between.

    20250203_200401.jpg

    Also worked on my little 1/76 scale RC cars, trying to swap in a slower motor for better slow-speed control on the layout. The connections are so tiny I think I'm going to need to buy a magnifying glass and a new soldering iron that's not going to fry the board.

    20250203_170319.jpg 20250203_171347.jpg
     
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  17. Mark St Clair

    Mark St Clair TrainBoard Member

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    Things went very well for the weekend. On Friday we received approval for at least part of our proposed building plan. That sent us down a planning rabbit hole, postponing by work on the steam dome.

    Saturday: Started the day with a win on the soccer pitch. Then the necessary bacon and eggs. Did a few domestic chores. Finally had a few minutes to work on the dome.
    steam dome 2 centering.JPG
    My big challenge was cutting the concave curve to fit the boiler. I decided to use a rotary table to move the dome stock in an arc over the bit. The first picture is aligning the stock, rotary table and spindle using the pin I made for the purpose.
    steam dome 2 curve cut.JPG
    Making the cut.
    steam dome 2 curve.JPG
    The curve I wanted. And the end of Saturday's time.

    Sunday: Groundhog Day! We actually don't have any groundhogs in the area. Only six weeks till spring in any case. After a nice walk with my wife, I had a bit more time for the project.
    steam dome 2 profile cut.JPG
    Cutting the outline form.
    steam dome 2 filing contour.JPG
    Getting the final shape with a file.
    Final domes on boiler 5.JPG
    Much better. I've got the proportions I want. I did cut the stack down slightly and reshaped it a bit with a file, but nothing very exciting there.

    Finished the day sharing a beef roast with my wife and son to celebrate Groundhog Day.

    Next up, the final boiler.

    Stay safe,
     
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  18. in2tech

    in2tech TrainBoard Member

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    Finally got my new NCE Illuminators hooked up and controlling my Just Plug lights from the NCE Power Cab. I like it a lot :) It's a mess, but they all work. A little bit more to learn about these and programming CV's, etc... One day they will make it to the layout, one day :) Tell you what I am impressed by the tiny arse Goose Neck lamp, but man what a PITA with the tiny wires. Even with magnifying glasses. It's on my crappy warehouse building on the right front. Lights are one of my favorite parts of the hobby, ( not installing them ) with the Just Plug system.



    IMG_3901.jpg
     
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  19. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    Oh, definitely.

    The pin spacing on the IC near rhe ANT connection is 0.050", 1.27 mm. And it goes down from there. The largest SM passives are likely 0805 (0.080" x 0.050") or 0603 (0.060" x 0.030"), or even smaller, like 0402 :eek:.

    Any kind of rework is going to need at least a temperature-controlled soldering station, a very small chisel tip, plenty of flux, desoldering braid, and solder that's no thicker than my mustache hair. At this scale, even with the right tools, it's easy to ruin a board with this density of components.

    I do this for a living, and I still have to have take care! But it's fun and very Zen, like building an intricate model kit.
     
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  20. logging loco

    logging loco TrainBoard Supporter

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    Very nice! We adopted our Allie in August. Yesterday my wife was showing me pictures of another young ACD at a local rescue. I don't know if we have the energy for two cattle dogs!

    Friday at 0330hrs I was awakened by a cattle dog licking my foot. I did not get back to sleep.

    I totally agree. Some of the photos here on TB
    amaze me.

    I hope no livestock were injured when the cattle car slid down the embankment on Dogwoods layout.

    Mark, thanks for posting more photos of your locomotive project. I was wondering how you would cut the radius at the bottom of the dome.

    Saturday my wife's friend came for a visit and delivered vSeeBoxes, installed and programed them and gave us a crash course in using them.
    Afterwards my wife and I had a dinner date then went for ice cream.
    I did not spend any time on the railroad.

    Sunday I watched a bunch of the 1978 season of PBS All Creatures Great and Small then did a little putzing around in the train room. I decided that instead of modifying my little control panel I would make an extension cord and relocate the panel.

    20250204_102443.jpg

    Originally the HCD sat above a cabinet and had a short leg supporting the control panel. Now the layout bridges between two set of stacking shelves. There is nothing but floor under the panel. I need this space open to access a window and the back of the layout.

    The control panel plugs into the layout with 50 pin Amp type C (?) connectors. Fortunately I had a few extra connectors with sort cable sections already seated in the connectors.

    20250204_111001.jpg
    Monday I started stripping, ringing out and labeling all the conductors. I found this very relaxing and worked until almost 2:00am.

    Now all that is left is soldering and testing.
     
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