WNFF 11-27-04

Here is the receiving dock for Slimp Oil Company on my layout. The dock is scratchbuilt from an article in N Scale Railroading. The silver tanks are a Plastruct kit. The grey vertical storage tanks on the left are PVC pipe couplings with GMM details and plastic fittings added. You can see the edge of the layout to the right. I build right up to the edge of this 0.5 inch x 2.0 inch strip that is attached to, and forms the edge of, the base of the layout. The layout is 50 (127 cm) inches high. When you look at the layout, you can lean your elbows on this and not damage the models or scenery.


I would like to take credit for this leaning strip idea, but credit goes to Bob Batson of the Texas Central RR in Lubbock Texas. For a really nice website showing a great layout see here:

http://members.cox.net/bobbatson/index.htm

Okay, enough of Bob Batson's trains! Let's see the new stuff from the group!!

[ 27. November 2004, 19:54: Message edited by: sapacif ]

 

Nice signs, Colonel. Adds a nice detail touch. My RR is short of those, I must admit. Good project for the weekend!

 

Here is a SP 4-8-2 Mountain winding it's way through mainline track on the JJJ&E:




Heliocopter view of a ATSF 2-8-0 making it's way up the long grades of the JJJ&E:



Heliocopter view of engineer and fireman ready to board a Southern 2-8-0:



A weathered UP Boxcar ready to be picked up:




A heavily weathered 2-8-2 Mikado waiting for construction crew to move:



Heliocopter view of two 2-8-0's winding their way through Boulder Canyon on the JJJ&E:




Stay cool and run steam....

 

Here's one from the old layout that I probably haven't posted on TB yet. There were three bridges--two singles and a double, across Bridges Gorge. The Cincy Express is on the inner track, on a model of the Big Warrior Bridge (Kalmbach has published these drawings a number of times). On the next track is a through freight headed by an FA1-FB1 consist. The bridge is loosely modeled on the Eads Bridge is St. Louis--the arch is the same, but I moved the deck down so it would be a through truss. In the background is a two-track bridge that is now a highway bridge on the new layout. Underneath, and perpetually stuck, is a barge being assisted by a Coast Guard Tug. The tug is hopelessly inaccurate--but it was my introduction to scratchbuilding ships--it was relatively easy, so I moved on, and learned about the real things.

 

This is an overall shot of Bridges Gorge, shortly before dismantling. The bridges withstood considerable mishandling over the time they were on this layout; the only thing I notice is some cross-braces missing. The water is mostly Photoshopped. This scene shows why I like N scale--the ability to create rather large scenes in a 3-4 foot stretch.

 

Pete:

I just love that overhead shot of the bridges. Those are great models! For those who might be interested, the life story of William Eads is a fascinating one. He was a significant engineer in the history of the USA.

Pete, have you ever seen this website:

http://home.att.net/~no5gonehome/wsb/html/view.cgi-photos.html-.html

Those bridges are good, too.

 

It's a little slow tonight in the USA. Too much Thanksgiving footie. USC and Notre Dame are playing right now. But on to the important stuff!!

Here is a view of Pioneer Flour looking east towards Lone Star Beer and downtown San Antonio. It is pretty much complete, but it needs all those little details of trash and people around that make it look "lived in!" Sort of like my house.


[ 28. November 2004, 15:06: Message edited by: sapacif ]

 

Pete-
Great shot. I got dizzy looking at it.

Flash-
How do you get into the space shown in picture you posted above?

 

Flash,

I have seen Michael Hetu's site for custum built bridges, which are exquisite from the pictures. I am in awe of them--here's someone who really knows his bridges. I've thought of commissioning one from him.

I don't know anyone who has one, so I can't speak from experience. I believe there used to rough estimates of prices on the site which, to me, were fairly inexpensive, especially the ones with working mechanisms. Again, I'm in awe of anyone who can pull off a large vertical lift bridge in N scale or Z scale.

I don't (and probably can't) work to those tolerances. My 2/3rds model of the Cape Cod Lift Bridge (notice he shows a Z scale model, as an N scale model would be quite overpowering) could be operative in the future. I pretty much thought out how to do the mechanism before I built it. But once it was on my work table, I just realized I couldn't pull it off in a reasonable amount of time.



I also took the liberty of double-tracking it, with appropriate heavier construction. I soon realized, with the double tracks, the bridge might never make it up even halfway before the next train came along. And I haven't had time to detail the top houses or add the side houses--no time.

I promulgated the ease--and boredom--of building long-span bridges for a few years. When I look at Hedu's work and my own, I guess I have to admit that it really isn't that easy unless you've been into it for a while. I built my first long-span bridge well over 30 years ago.

 

I don't understand. Do you mean the space between the silos and the main office building?

[ 28. November 2004, 15:07: Message edited by: sapacif ]

 

Great pics, guys! As for me, I'm still building the "benchwork" (i.e., shelves) for the new layout. THis weekend I completed a 10 ft stretch of 4' high shelves that will form the foundation for the mainline staging area. Nothing worthy of pictures yet, but I'll post as soon as there's something noteworthy...

 

Flash

Great looking oil dock and Pioneer Flour!

Paul

Great job with the signs and the rest of scenes look great too.

Bob

Great steam shots. The boxcar looks like it has seen better days.

Pete

Incredible bridges!

HemiAdda2d

Great looking car!

 

Here are my newest acquisitions: P2K Reading FA1 and FB1 posing along with my other set of P2K Lehigh & New England FA1 and FB1.

 

Tom:

Nice engines. I am a limited HO scaler and I reallyb like the P2K line. Best value in HO scale IMHO.

But, I still think your module there is the best I have seen in any scale. It is just right for those pictures that you take. Do you have some cudzoo vine on there somewhere? Really nice job.

 

Tom:

Great looking photo's of your new diesels. I really like that module.

It amplifies every photo you take...


Stay cool and run steam....

 

SNFF 11 28 04

Hi, all,

OK, I'm on a bit of a Fairbanks-Morse kick.

Here we see the sole set of Santa Fe Fairbanks-Morse Erie-builts
making a run past Glendale Junction:



Thx to Verne Niner for his article in the Nov/Dec 2002 N Scale Railroading
magazine on detailing these LifeLike locos.

I followed his article's clear instructions on how to close-couple the
units for better appearance, and that saved me a ton of time. His
article suggested and I used the Red Caboose 51060 or Red Caboose 51065 couplers, along with appropriate shims:



However, pls note if you would like to do the same coupler
installation, these couplers may be a bit hard to find.

I did find these couplers at one of my LHS (The Train Shop in Santa
Clara, CA) after we figured out to look under the Red Caboose label.
The coupler package was actually labeled "Precision Masters No. 1065
HOn3 or N" couplers, apparently, Precision Masters is the original
manufacturer, and then for a period of time these couplers were made
by Red Caboose.

I would imagine one would need to search for these at LHS's that
would still have it in their stock, as I just checked the Walthers
site (under part number 629-51060 or 629-51065) is out of stock and
I'm not sure if any more are going to be made, as Red Caboose no
longer lists these couplers in their catalog.

Here's a view from my desk at the current state of the little 4' x 4' layout, it's undergoing some refit, with
two new buildings and now it's on a platform:



The Walthers Geo. Printing building on the left is new, and still needs to be integrated into the scenery,
it's going to be decaled as 'Glendale Produce Co'. The icing station on the right is
also under (slow) construction), as Santa Fe Icing House No. 1.

Take care, all!

[ 28. November 2004, 21:34: Message edited by: atsf_arizona ]

 

Since the talk of the town this week seems to be Kato's California Zephyr (and since I don't have any photos of mine yet), I thought I'd post this shot of a member of Penninsula N Trak's Con-Cor model that was on display a few month ago in San Francisco:

 

Great Work Guys!

Sorry for the number of photos......

This is the farewell to my railroad.

















I will begin rebuilding with new track.

Thanks for the help.

Loco1999