This one had actually been painted black before I stripped it. I usually prep the engineering plastic by spraying it with my Badger "Grit Blaster" using backing soda. This gives the surface a dull finish that provides some "tooth" for the paint to adhere better.
I now have the image of that truck saying "You went through all that trouble and now someone wants to undo all of that?" Ultimately, I currently have someone else who is already checking if they have a spare sideframe and I would like to take a shot with the 1021/22's since I highly doubt that anyone will want to do the reverse of what I did if I decide to unload the F7A shell.
Just finished installing one of the new TCS DCC decoders that was intended for the Micro-Trains SW1500 in one of my old Life Like SW8's. It came out real good, I made a step by step post on my DCC blog about it. http://n-scale-dcc.blogspot.com/2016/01/tcs-mt1500-in-life-like-sw8.html
I finished the shed and added the postal drop box and a 55 gallon trash bin to the General Store...Now, I'll fill in some gravel, add some static grasses, and see what type of 'clutter' I can add to this scene.
Been working on mounting all these sets of M&R etched sides I have accumulated. A Chair Smoker in the foreground and a 3000 series Chair car behind it.
Not on the work bench anymore - but, it sure was. (Finished this past weekend) My SP sand house - ready to service Thanks, Wolf
Russell! how can 'one' acquire your cast roofs and/or steam ejector rooftop details?...did you shorten your NT car at all for Roberto's sides? Bruce
Bruce, I have been using old Rivarossi cars for cores as I have a boat load of them. Yes, I have to shorten them and cut out all the molded in interiors and underbody detail before adding new ones. I am not sure about selling roofs as I did use Rivarossi parts to make the master. I don't know if there would be an issue about copy rights and all. The roof hatches are all my work so those are not a problem.
I'm using MT coaches as my donor cars now...instead of going to the pain of shortening them 2mm, I'm simply separating the vestibule doors from the brass side; the remaining panel fits perfectly between the vestibule doors on the MT car.... I guess I just need to add ducting to one of the roofs, then learn how to cast the new roof. I'd be happy to work a payment deal for castings of your rooftop steam ejector details (and any underbody equipment for the air conditioning) I know Santa Fe had a few different types of rooftop placements and underbody placements of these items...but don't know enough, yet, to know the differences Bruce
On my work bench is a broken magnification lamp, which stopped everything until I can make a new base.
I will Message you about a deal. As for placement, it sometimes varied within a class so I go by photos whenever I can. Underbody detain is just a guess in some cases for things that don't show from the side. Water tanks, air tanks, battery boxes and AC equipment can usually be figured out. The book Coach, Smoker & Chair Car Genealogy by John B. McCall has a lot of good photos for reference.
I guess these things are always ON our work benches. Last year I got fed up with the fluorescent bulb / starting mechanism on my bench magnification lamp so I converted it to LED using some of the same small 48 LED panels that I have been using to light the layout. Here is a LINK to the blog post I made on how I did this. The result was that I'm getting more done and having a better time doing it.
I'm all repaired now. Mine is an oldie, which came with incandescent bulb. I switched it to CFL nearly 15 years ago. Am planning on an LED bulb before too much longer.
I've got an LED in my desk lamp. It is rated at less for brightness, but is actually much better. I like the whiter hue as well. The CFL has more a yellowy glow and despite the propaganda, has an obvious warm up period to fully illuminate. Dunno how many brands we have tried, they all do. They all seem to vary as to how much they really put out, regardless of what the box lists.
performing a tedious task (albeit rewarding when done)...prepping and painting lots of sundry detail parts-plastic and metal castings. Some of these metal castings were almost 'throw aways' from Woodland Scenics, but, with a little filing, sanding, and prepping, will come in pretty handy (I especially like the pallets... I also took the opportunity to bring the remaining two modules that comprise the Grain elevator scene and clicked them together while I'm in the detail and clutter mode. This shows how the 2' General Store module fits in with the remaining two...
adding some details only shows me how much more these scenes will need.... and a view down the line, past the grain elevators, shows an area around the loading dock that is screaming for detail/clutter!
