After a lull in my work I finally got back to the 2-6-8-0 conversion. Went to test it and ending up spending about four hours setting some electrical issues right. Finally found I had reversed some wires. Put it on the test track again and put together a 6 car consist with a total on one pound of lead from my weight box. The weight includes the cars. Elevated the board to a 4% grade and just spinning drivers. Dropped it back in % increments and at a 1% grade it took the load up the track. A shot of the six car consist and the weights. And yes some are 45 cal. lead bullets others 44 cal. round ball. Now I can finally install the bell and do some weathering. I'll have to figure out the math later for how many cars that would equal unless somebody figures it out first. Another problem with steam is that anytime you mess with the mech, on a major level, and I did, you are going to have to rebreak it all in again.
I just finished some new Chehalis Western models. I am planning on selling these at the Boeing show in a couple of weeks.
Well I finally got the digital camera and while I was at it, I just finished setting up my workbench. Taking a break form track work etc to do what I need to get done. In this case, it is a decoder install-a-thon. In this case I am just installing a couple, all of the ones in the back of the table need to have the advance d programming and speed matching done. I need to setup the speed matching track using the Bachrus/JMRI system. More photos to follow now I know how to do it.
Made some progress on my NSVA Build-A-Truck model: I built a sand box out or strip styrene and brass parts. The box fits snugly into the dump bed. I painted the model to match Mass DPW/DOT orange and black used from the 1950's into the 1990's I always thought it was a sharp scheme and its a shame they moved to Safety Yellow. The plow blade was a real pain in the ass. I tried bending strip brass and failed. I then got special bending pliers, but the bends were not consistant. I tried styrene but that ended infailure as well. I finally started chopping up tube styrene and got this as a result. The blade is a bit too thick for my tastes but its the best I can do.
Testing the blade on the plow yoke. The blade will be in the raised position when complete. I really wish I could have done a tapered blade, but this is the best I can do.
I should be laying track but those kitbashing/scratchbuilding urges have gone unfulfilled for too long. The Maintenance Of Way Department has been hollering for some cars for a while now. Those undecorated boxcar kits sitting on my shelf didn't stand a chance. Car #1 is a former PGE 4100 series boxcar. Modifications to the roof of the Micro-Trains single door boxcar kit include filling of the original running board mounting holes, a new half length etched metal running board (Plano #240), a central hatch, and vents at each end cut from .050" stainless tubing: Car #2 is a former PGE 4000 series boxcar. The holes in the roof of the Intermountain Modified AAR boxcar kit were enlarged slightly and filled with .080" styrene rod and sanded smooth: Car #3 is a former GN grain boxcar. Starting with an Intermountain 1937 AAR boxcar kit, the roof treatment was identical to car #2: Car #4 is a former CNJ boxcar, but the modifications were so extensive that I have decided to try and scratchbuild the car using a few Intermountain parts. I replcated the floor of the Intermountain boxcar in styrene and drilled holes for the Intermountain boxcar underframe and Micro-Trains couplers. Here is the styrene floor pictured next to an Intermountain boxcar shell for comparison: My attention now turns to the end modifications. Tim
Kato 23-401 pylon kit (eletrical transmission towers). First tower took almost 6 frustrating hours !! Two angles meeting about 2/3 up...trying to hold em...glue em...and get em to stay that way ! Second tower took about 45 minutes. I remember something my High School Geometry Teacher (Mrs. Thomas) once told me. "George...sometimes I think the only reason you are in school is to chase footballs and girls...and not necessarily in that order !!" Anyways...Mrs Thomas...heres to you...may you rest in peace. I remember something you said about 2 oppossing angles meeting..yada..yada..blah..blah...blah. Well it came back to me ! The second tower...I gently bent each leg of the tower out just a little ( at the first cross member). I test fitted them...perfect. Grabbed the glue and in no time the tower was assembled. Gently bend each arm towards each other...as the arms have to meet and be glued. Be careful with that really short top one...It will want to break when bending if you arent careful. A drop of glue on each tip...and clamp on a pair of forcepts...let dry...and move on to the next arm. 45 minutes total !! The last tower...27 minutes start to finish !!! :tb-cool: 3 down...only 9 more to go...whew !! :tb-tongue: * Dang..look at that shelf...I need to dust in here once in awhile...lol *
I had the same problem with the towers. I finally used blue painters tape to hold in place while the glue was drying.
N Scale - What's on your work bench I am completing my coke plant and have a Plastruct water tower on the workbench. This will feed water to the quenching tower. This will complete the coke plant except for scenicing,
Well the output for this weekend was catching up with my decaling which had been behind a bit. The whole works got lettered for the Turtle Creek Central. Two wood burners, two 44 tonners, and three cabbeese of which one is a Kato shell left over from a tender pick-up project and two scratchbuilt. Also added window glazing to the two scratched cabbeese. After all Fall is here and a nip is in the air.
Right now I am doing body work on Bachmann F9s, new pilots and rear ladders. Yes I am aware that these things may not be worth the effort, but I have a soft spot for them as the green one was my first N scale locomotive. I plan on repainting it this winter but have not decided on a scheme. This one belongs to me Nephew: Here is the finished Amtrak product:
How'd you rebuild the pilots? The Bachmann F9 was one of my first locomotives, too and now I've painted it up for my son, but I've got a broken front pilot, too.
The Bachmann F-9 was my first locomotive too. F units are still my favorite diesel...and I always am tempted to change my layout to something that would run a Santa Fe Red Warbonnet....
I drew the shape onto sheet styrene and cut it out. Then I pre-formed the curve into the styrene as much as possible and glued one side on. Once that had dried I curved the new pilot around and glued the second side on. The finishing touches were done with files, etc. I might be able to trace out my pilot template, scan it in as a .jpg and post it here, you would have to resize it to the correct dimensions though. As I mentioned earlier, they need a bit of fit and finish to get just right but the overall shape ends up being very close to the original Bachmann, maybe even a little tougher. Use a sheet styrene that is roughly the same thickness as the locomotive shell. Finally, use CA glue but be warned that you will need to hold the pieces together for a while because the plastic Bachmann used does not like to bond to styrene in my experience. Hope this works out for you! I did the same thing to a Life Like "F7" I bought with a broken pilot a few years ago. You cant really see in this photo (bad lighting) but I built up a new pilot, filled the second headlight, added a nose number board, removed the steam generator, and removed the F9 grills that were incorrectly (for an F7) in front of the forward porthole. I ended up painting it for B&M (the road I model) because I didnt have any better B&M F units at the time:
Just setting up my work bench so far 2 sets of kato stack cars and a Kato 9-44cw to start working on.
