This first photo is my Hawker-Siddeley caboose mentioned above: Here are a couple of views of my RDC's: All traffic signs visible in these shots are made by myself with my dry transfer making system. Here are a couple of trucks approacing a crossing: and finally, a Mayflower van on hilly terrain:
CN4008 I realy like the caboose. Both Pte St-Charle and Hawker-Siddeley. Who makes them? Are they costly$$$$ ? Your layout looks great.
The Pte St Charles cabooses were made by V-H models (Van Hobbies). I got these about 20 years ago but I still see them occasionally in hobby shops that deal in brass. They run about $250+ these days. I don't recall who made the Hawker-Siddeley caboose. I got it even before the Pte St Charles cabooses. I would imagine they are about the same price if you can locate one. Athabasca Scale models currently offers a Pte St Charles kit in brass but their website is down. Here's a hobby shop that has them though: http://cvrco.com/A339-Athabasca.htm Sylvan makes one in resin but their website says it is currently unavailable (but lots of Canadian hobby shops have them in stock): http://www.isp.on.ca/sylvan/ho-scaleproducts.htm
I make my dry transfers with a system called Chromatec. It involves making a photographic negative (graphic arts type) and then exposing specially prepared transfer film through it. It's quite a labour-intensive (and expensive) process. However, I can make transfers of any image I can make a negative for. Most of my locos and a lot of my CN cars are lettered with transfers I made myself. . .as well as most of my signs on structures.
Brass? Wow! No wonder they look so good. Kinda out-of-my-league $$$. I never used/dealt with Resin before, so I'm not sure if I should give it a try. Please feel free to post more pics. I have bookmark this page for future reference
Could you post a close up of the chop-nose RS18 please. It looks great and very realistically weathered. Was it converted from an RS11?
I don't have any chop-nose RS18. My only low-nose Alcos are the C424's and C630's. Which picture are you referring to?
The more pics I see of this layout, the more impressed I become. I'm not at all put off by the "stuff laying around"- that's just part of the layout construction process, and it's good to show some pics of the unfinished areas. Not too may model railroads are really finished. I'm not a big CN fan, but I like what you've done on your layout. I'm also impressed with that handlaid track- I did that on my very first HO model railroad (I "wussed out" and used ready-made turnouts). To me, building your own turnouts is definitely an art.
Basically, I handlaid my track and turnouts to save money. I was able to build each turnout for a couple of dollars as opposed to paying twenty or so for each ready-made one. That saved a few pennies considering there are about 40 turnouts across the system! Stay tuned for more photos.
CN4008 My heart rate just went up a notch. Very nice looking layout. I have a weak spot for CN F7's. In my book that is one of the finest diesels and diesel paint jobs ever. I just looked at the pictures and didn't read the text on the posts so this may seem like a repeat question, but are you modelling mid seventies era? I noticed the engine types and the fact that you have passenger service. Thanks for sharing.
Sorry - of course it is not chop-nosed - must be too much red wine This is the picture, also another RS18 in black, did you convert from RS11? (I see the DW&P RS18 looks more like an Alco, with notches in the hood corners.)
Depending on which locos I'm running at the time, I model some time from the 70's or 80's. I'm not completely faithful when it comes to chronology. In my world, VIA never came into being, hence, CN still runs passenger trains. It' sort of paying homage to my late father who was a CN conductor in passenger service back in the 70's. The passenger train and RDCs are modelled after his trains.
Sorry - of course it is not chop-nosed - must be too much red wine This is the picture, also another RS18 in black, did you convert from RS11? (I see the DW&P RS18 looks more like an Alco, with notches in the hood corners.) </font>[/QUOTE]The RS18 between the two F7A's is an Atlas/Kato RS11/18 (whichever they made) as is the DW&P unit. The CN units had their corners filled to represent Canadian MLW units but the DW&P unit was left in the US Alco style.
OK, MLW, here are some C630 shots. Notice these units all ride on the correct Dofasco trucks: This is a Stewart Models (now Bowser) C630. This is also a Stewart Models C630. These next two are Tiger Valley Alco /MLW C630's. It appears to me that the cab sits a little too high on these models. and finally, this is a resin kit of a CN wood boxcar. It is either the Sylvan kit or Kaslo shops kit. (I have some of both)