Well the long Labor day weekend is over. The unofficial end of summer is now here. How did you do? Did you get a lot done? My progress was impeded the most by last weekends visit from Irene. As stated earlier, the garage that held all my RC airplanes and airplane tools and items, flooded. That meant I had to move all the RC stuff from the garage to the spare room that housed the layout. I spent most of the weekend cleaning, moving the layout from the spare room to the dinning room area and moving said RC stuff into spare room. Not done, long from it. I need to get it done by this weekend as I have some items in the shop that need get done. I was able to get a lot of research done and learned some things about the Northern line plus finalize some things that will allow me to start work on Potter Place NH on the back side of the layout as well as run trains so all was not lost. So, how about you? How did you do this weekend? Pictures, as always help.
Sorry that Irene flooded your garage, Jim. And all of this leftover rain from Lee can't be helping. Stay safe everyone. As for accomplishments this weekend? Added the grabs to the idler/reach gondola. Just needs a little straightening here and there (though the prototype had rather bent-up grabs anyway). Added the eye bolts to the "cement blocks" used for weight. Headlight assemblies came in for the 59-tonner so they've been installed. Adjusted the front and rear platforms (they were a little crooked before). Added some styrene under the roof to bring it up just a little (looks a lot more like the prototype this way). "De-riveted" parts of the sides of the boxcab (since it's being made from a caboose shell, it's got more rivets than are needed, so I'm carefully scraping off the extras) Removed the caboose hand rails on the boxcab (the curved ones molded into the plastic, again by carefully scraping them off) Headlight assemblies also came for the boxcab and I've started modifying them to fit (removed the hoods and started filing them down so they don't stick out too far) Next step for the 59-tonner is roof details, including a pair of exhaust mufflers with feed pipes (I'll be using a large paper clip with a piece of red plastic pipe from a can of dust off). The idler/reach gondola is basically done. I even tested it on my 5.5" radius test curve and it worked perfectly. And next up for the boxcab is also roof details, as well as finishing up the other two cab-end windows. The idler and switcher in the photo above are sitting on a piece of test track that I set up this weekend for testing my equipment on a 5.5" radius curve. All but one of my locomotives works on this curve, and quite well I must add! Only the RSD-15 wouldn't make it (which is what I expected). The Kato F3, Kato GP50, Atlas GP40, Bachmann PCC Trolley, and even the Bachmann Plymouth switcher could handle it with ease! (and before anyone says anything, yes, I know that a 5.5" curve is not preferred) Here's a little video showing how it works: http://dev.checkertaxistand.com/phot...a/5.5-inch.avi So those, plus the box cab and 59-tonner (and the SW8 my drummer is sending me) will all work on my layout. Woot! (And, I got to see my trains move under their own power, so double-WOOT!)
Managed to finish my PC SD40 #6095, one of three SD40's with the Red P in the PC. Made a number of additions and changes to the unit as follows, added lift rings, Control Box, Sinclair Antenna, Speed Recorder and MU cables. Also due to the control box on the engineers side, I filled in the grab holes and drilled new ones for the grabs on the fireman side. Rick
Most of my modeling wasn't terribly photogenic yet, but I did get the sidewalks and front steps in for the diner. And, as promised, I cleaned up the paint job on the striping a little bit: Other than that, I started the Merchants Row II kit. This is a Walthers building, the one with the turret on one corner. It's made to represent 3 separate store fronts joined into one block, so I've been painting it as 3 distinct looks, at least on the front. That's a lot of taping and masking, using rattle-can sprays. It's brick, so after painting I've been applying mortar with an acrylic wash. The next step will be the tedious window trim.
I did get the new layout started. My daughter and I went and got a HCD and some pink foam. We also made a trip to the LHS together and picked up some supplies. We had to order a couple of things that were not on hand. I leave Friday for a business trip and will be at Ft. Lewis, WA for two weeks. That should give our ordered stuff a chance to come in. Here is Macey painting the pink foam with oops paint that we picked up at Home Depot.
Looking good everyone! I spent yesterday building onto the last bit of my layout workbench. No photos yet. It's good to be closer to train running time! I like seeing people using small radius. I tested my locos on 7" radius at one point but settled for 9" for my N scale layout. Since you have 5.5 that makes my 9" radius a large radius curve.
I received my Central Valley Switch Kits and Tie strips on Friday. On Saturday I ordered ME weathered Code 83, Code 70 and Code 55 rail. I also ordered a couple sets of National B-1 trucks for my Monon 40' Boxcars. I assembled an Bowser 50' PRR Flatcar, Bowser B&O 3-bay Offset side hopper and a C&BT Shops 40' New Haven Boxcar. My lighting is almost complete with the installation of four more 13" flourescent cabinet light fixtures. Probably going to the local hardware store for foam insulation board and lauan sheet tonight if it finally stops raining for a little while.
I had a 6 day Labor Day weekend, so I really tried to get things done. I have a tendency to look for things to do on weekends, but have a hard time actually getting them done. I got started on a few things that will keep me motivated for the next time I'm home. I'm a truck driver, and I'm usually home on weekends, but a lot of the weekends when I'm home I spend my time catching up on rest. The yard photo is an LDE of Gang Mills, NY yard. My dad built this many years ago. I am now just getting into the planning for an extended engine facility. I am using modelers license to fill the real estate that was available on the tabletop. I have a lot of locos and I wanted a place to display them. The control panel pushbuttons will connect to Digitrax DS64s to throw the Peco switch motors under the existing turnouts. Next weekend I hope to be able to install some more fascia. I have been able to get my edges straight and my holes and screws pretty well aligned. I also hope to learn a little about wiring pushbuttons and LEDs. Thanks to all of the posts throughout the past years that have given me the motivation to start doing some of these projects that I am now beginning to tackle.
I made it up to my Delhi NY home with no problems. Lots of flood damage along the way. Unbelievble amounts of pink and blue foam from homes destroyed in the flooding laying around in the woods where the water put it. It'll be there forever. I didn't bring my N-Trak modules home, but I did add working signals to another T-Trak module that will be in a club show Saturday at the Newburgh Mall at Newburgh NY.
Glad you you got your modules ok, the flooding may only get worse here as rain continues now since Sunday and no relief in sight. Wish we could send this rain to Texas where they need it. Good work everybody! Tune in tomorrow for the Friday plans thread.
