Wolfcreek Update-JUN2010

DragonFyreGT Jun 3, 2010

  1. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    So my May projects didn't get done. Why? Procrastination you say? Normally yes, except that Going to the playoffs and the Stanley Cup to watch the Chicago Blackhawks isn't Procrastination. So what am I bringing to the table this month? A lot.

    Detail Parts for the FA/FB and Horns for the U25B, Detail/Replacement Parts for the Stainz/Tender, Sound for the FA-1, 4 Custom Run BN GP40's and the 4 Custom Run Great Northern 2-Bay Hoppers (I have to place the order, hoping I'll get all 4 but we shall see), and Kadees for the u25B mostly because I need to have a front coupler with the snowplow. I'll do my caboose antenna's too. The GP40's won't get detail parts until the U25B is finished. 5406 is my second rostered locomotive and she's waited long enough for upgrades. Her list is as follows:

    Firecracker antenna
    Santa Fe Snowplow (Rear)
    A/C Detail Part
    Leslie M3 Horns
    Speed Recorder Cable (x1)
    Brake Chains
    MU Boxes (Front and Rear)
    Brake Hoses (Front and Rear)

    Now 2022 atm only requires 2 parts, but her booster comes with:
    Speed Recorder Cable x3 (FA x1 and FB x2)
    Brake Chains
    Ditch Lights
    Single Chime Horn (FB-1 As per CN/CP Photos)
    Headlight Housing; Dual Horizontal (SP&S Prototype)
    Grab Irons (Roof Mounted-Cab Front/Rear & Booster Front/Rear)
    Brake Hoses x4

    Finally The Cabeese:
    Firecracker Antenna's Painted PollyScale Santa Fe Silver

    The Stainz isn't going to have every part at the start but we're going to start with:
    Barrel Type Head Lanter (Stainz & Tender)
    Stainz & Tender Hook/Loop Couplers (LGB Part)
    Toolbox (Tender)
    Backhead Tool Tray (Stainz)
    Open Coal Bunker (Stainz; Repair Part from Original German Stainz)
    Hollow Smoke Stack (Stainz; Repair Part from Original German Stainz)

    These are my open detail projects that must take place first. Other projects have forced Phase 4 to take a backseat. First off Landscapers are going to take care of the backyard and make it presentable and are going to build a layout of my specifications (the foundation anyways) with the drain ditches. Sump Pump pipe goes underground and exits out into the sewer in the back of the yard, and new WINDOWS! Yes new windows. Energy Efficient windows. You have no idea how much I love the thought of not losing a/c out the flippin doors and windows now.

    I had a slight camera problem. My eclipse slipped off her axle jack and crushed it. Well, the rear screen. I have to take pictures with the viewfinder now. But I'll keep you posted with progress shots on the above mentioned Projects.

    Sunday is the Local Train Show. The last one before the County Fair. This year we'll be having a road rally. I'm going to win, I hope. Been fine tuning my car for it. But back on track here. I am going to be returning with track and a few buildings (I hope) to finish the indoor layout. I want that finished before the project expands. To those who saw the cover story on Garden Railways this month (my subscription is back) and saw the overview shot, That's what mine will be like, a small but long and functional layout. A Short line that has BN Unit trains crossing over.

    The author talks about the experiences that formed his layout. I thought about that too. Did I ever live in the pacific northwest? No. But I did live in Burlington Northern's Closing days. I remember my jolly green giants. To me Burlington Northern's power was Stephens Pass, Marias Pass, and the Powder River Basin. All those Unit trains ran screaming into Chicago's Hub. Those trains ran through my small town. Every one of them. Coal, Intermodal, Locals, Regionals. I saw the raw power BN had. From GP40's, SD40/5's all the way to SD70's. Recreating that, takes me back, makes me feel like I was 7 sitting at the station to watch. I miss those days. I miss my BN E9's. I regret taking that short era for granted. But I can recreate it. And that, my friends, is the goal of the Wolfcreek & Iron Mountain.

    I talked too much. Sorry. Anyways. Post Show updates on Sunday.
     
  2. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    Great News and Bad News. Sort of bad news. My track was at the show! But the seller was MIA. So I laid my order down for the GP40's and the 2-Bay Coal Hoppers. Should come out under a thousand dollars. Aristocraft made 2 road numbers under the GP40's on their own besides RLD's Custom Run. There was a snafu with RLD/Aristo. This doesn't mean that Aristo is mass producing them. They screwed up with 2 extra numbers that wasn't part of the order. Does this mean RLD is not longer the "Sole Supplier"? Nope. They still are of BN Green. You cannot actually hold Aristo's screw up against them. At least I don't believe so.

    But anyways. Detail parts for the U25B will begin in July. Since there is no train show I'll use July to finish up the loose ends of my project. And as soon as the Custom Runs show up, I'll photograph them and put a few videos up of their run. The transformer is on hold aswell until later this year. Why? I'm upgrading the electrical in the house and I'm waiting for the house to have 200AMP's installed. Then the transformer.

    One final note that isn't G-Scale related.... I lost my F7 Pilot Plow in HO one day and never found it. I found a new one today and bought it. More info will be over in the HO Scale section under my thread "Rebuilding an Athearn F7".

    A lot of phase 4 got mangled. Blackhawks games. Hey I had to. My XBox 360 died in march and I needed to replace it. Unexpected Expense. I accidently sat on my PlayStation Portable's screen and crushed it, another unexpected expense. My Favorite Band's Record Label turned 20 and released a 3 disc special edition album commemorating it. My g/f and I both love the label so one purchase there. And finally, Halo Reach Legendary Edition Pre-Order. I've never ordered a super deluxe edition video game and did that this one time. All that killed my phase 4 upgrades. But all is not lost. As soon as the house is done, I'm investing my money in Utility company stocks. This group I'm working with basically mails you a check every month for your investments, like an "Allowance" every month. While my main job will be to pay the bills, this extra "check" will be my G-Scale fund, as the rest of my money is being tied up in a retirement investment fund. So keep staying tuned!

    Also I discovered 2 additional 100 Ton Coal Hopper road numbers. that's 8 total for BN. Keeping my eyes peeled. So until the units show up or I have other updates. Til August since there's no show in July.
     
  3. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    Hey! I had a new project Idea I just had to share with the USA Trains buffs of the threads. Turns out 2 of the modern tank cars just got added to my roster. Here's the deal: When I take some money and ship my heavyweight's off to Shawmat to have my roofs "Molded like a streamliner" for my MOW Project, I'm going to bite the bullet, and spend a little extra to have 2 tank cars painted like Burlington Northern Fuel Tenders and decaled "BNFT-4" and "BNFT-5". They will run spliced in between my GP40's (requiring the Train Engineer Revolution System, unless I run an MU Cable underneath the Tank car) and the future SD45's.

    My desire to run a setup that replicates BN is growing. I have money invested in places so that it will grow aswell as a retirement fund. So It's helping allieviate money woes for the moment. Stay tuned because my GP40's and their coal hoppers are coming! I called the local hobby shop and they got them. RLD Hobbies CUSTOM RUNS are being sent via UPS Ground mail. in a week or so they'll be here and I can pick them up and have some videos ready :)

    Til the new motive power arrives~
     
  4. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    I see you finally got a couple of USA Trains rolling stock. The tank car idea is neat and I would love to see them done up as fuel tenders. I myself can't wait til the USA TRains 42ft tank car hits the hobby stores along with the 2 bay ACF covered hopper.
     
  5. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    I'm also using USA Trains Intermodal and Auto Carriers (the new ones) Aswell. That's what my GP40's are going to haul too. And since I'm overstacking the projects again, one GP40 will be repainted in one of BN's early pre-merger schemes (This GP40 was the first to wear Cascade green, with a hockey stick stripe and said Burlington under the cab, later the Northern was added) and one of the future SD45's is going to have a high nose modification, again work for Shawmut that will be done at once.

    But I wanted to use an aristocraft tank car for the fuel tender since they can take a 4 foot radius, but then decided for outdoor use I should go with USA Trains modern version and make it look more prototypical for my big bombers.
     
  6. phantom

    phantom TrainBoard Member

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    So many projects so little time. More power to you! You know I found when I had the money to buy the things I needed for the project, I did not have the time. Then when I had the time, I did not have the money. HHHmmmmm…… “ It’s a government conspiracy! “ Ya I know the only thing conspiring against me is my wallet!
     
  7. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    I found a way around that, I've got everything on a schedule. Anything Shawmut needs to modify gets done at once, and that comes after the layout goes outdoors because i have no room indoors to run an SD45 so I don't want a locomotive sitting around collecting dust. The Baseplate kit for my station is coming this weekend. (I had to make another emergency purchase, my Rock Band 2 Guitar controller broke so I had to get a new one), But everything is going according to plans. Each locomotive getting modded in a group, phase 4 breaks down:

    Phase 4.1
    Phase 4.2
    Phase 4.3
    Phase 4.4

    I've decided that I can break it down that way and allow the house/yard to get worked on. I'm tired of stacking projects that don't get finished, so this way, they will. The U25B is july's project since there's no train show.
     
  8. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    Another project. I know what you're all thinking... "Again?!" Don't worry, this one is going to be completed on time. As in Wednesday. Mostly. I ordered a pair of Standing pay Phones, 1980s style for my station. Off on the side of it, there's a small awning that I'm going to fit 2 payphones on opposite ends, with a pair of Vending machines in the center. The Wolfcreek Station Project will step forward. Next I Ordered an LGB German Stainz Repair part. From Who? Well lets just say they invented the "Train Babe" T-Shirts. You'll know who now. They have to order my Open Coal Bunker part (The German Stainz with the closed rear end) from Germany and will have it here in a bulk order in about 4 weeks.

    The reason for the open coal bunker on a US "Stainz" is very simple really. Yes my Stainz has a coal tender. But inside they use the normal Stainz interior and the small engine coal bunker shows coal sitting inside the cab. So I thought "Why not replace the coal lid with the open coal bunker and show that the 0-4-0 pair can carry extra coal?" So that part is on order and might take some time. However it is the first step forward in finishing several projects.

    The Piko Baseplate set that I need for the Station and the Luggage Depot is at a hobby shop up in Itasca, IL. But I'm trying to find it online for less. Not looking good, but that's another part this month I'm going to get for the station. Other upgrades on the station project are, but not limited to:
    -Wired station Lamps
    -Wired Covered Platform Lamps
    -Wired Luggage Shack Lamps
    -Vending Machines (Pepsi/7UP; Not a coke fan :p)
    -Luggage Carts
    -Preiser US Style Station Figures
    -New Station Signs "WOLFCREEK STATION" with a BN Herald on it.
    -Green Painted Trim (Maybe.)
    -Piko Station Clock (Hangs on the side of the Building)
    -Either Model Power O or G-Scale Fencing OR G-Scale Sized Chain Link Fencing (Westmont, IL Style)
    -Secondary Baseplates painted to resemble sidewalks and parking spaces.

    The station is the flagship of Wolfcreek. And I really want to work some upgrades into it. Every project in this thread listed is going to be completed this year. Even the detail parts. Doors and windows picked up so that goes in later this week. Then it's a family reunion in wisconsin, which (Don't misunderstand this) I tend to busy myself and avoid the family because my relatives are like....well Special is a good word to use. So that will give me time to finish up as well.

    Update to the GP40's and the Coal Hoppers: They are on the way. 8 Road Numbers, 4 ea set are in stock. Next week, they should be here. I can't wait to have some fun with them :)

    As soon as I begin the electrical panel and power line upgrade, we'll go into a proper bridgewerks transformer and Train Engineer Revolution System. But no point in dropping funds on that until I have at least a 200 Amp line running into the house and a breaker system that can handle it. I've got enough problems with circuits overloading as-is.

    And finally my jungle of a yard. I met a man at the local train show whose an Out of work landscaper. His wife is 8 months pregnant and he needs the job really bad, so I hired him to help me clear out the backyard and front yard of weeds and brush. I can finally get to my backyard _AND_ help someone at the same time who needs it. A Win-Win situation.

    As soon as the phone booths are installed, I'll update this thread with photos (Assuming the camera works).
     
  9. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    Wolfcreek Station Update

    Station Update: My order for the phone booths hasn't cleared processing because of the part from germany requiring my bank to contact their bank to contact the german bank. I ordered a Sega Genesis part from France, so I'm familiar with the delay. In the meantime I found a local dealer in Chicago with my baseplate sets and they informed me that they don't sell outside of eBay. That's cool. They don't do local pickup, even though I work in the city. So I purchased them. They did tell me that they would ship USPS Priority Mail as soon as the payment cleared, which since I just ordered them will be tomorrow morning. They should be here friday, monday at the latest if they ship right away, although being in chicago, maybe sooner.

    This means If they show up on friday, I'll be attaching them immediately. It looks like the station will only fit on this set of baseplates, so I may need to order a second set for my Luggage depot. But again, one bridge at a time. I wish I could give photographs like I promised, but nothing much I can do til the actually show up on my doorstep *sigh*.

    Just keep your eyes posted for the time being. I'll make sure the photographs when everything shows up gets posted in my G-Scale album.

    UPDATE: I tracked down my USA Trains Air Hoses online. Their F-3 Style, not the PA Style, but I don't think that will matter. I wanted MU Cables on the FA/FB and I only ordered 1 set for the FA and part of the FB. They should be here next week.

    UPDATE 2: I was contacted by the seller of my phone booths and stainz part. Because they are a small order, rather then bulk fed ex shipping, he's going to send them via USPS in a flat rate box and refund me the difference in shipping. I rather like that they took the time to contact me about that and try to save me money rather then just take what I paid for.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 16, 2010
  10. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    Update on the baseplates. They are shipping TODAY. The Auction said "We ship the next business day following clearing of payment." My bank showed the payment clearing and them waiting 3 days to ship. So next week. Same for my station details and the MU Hoses for my FA-1.

    Sorry this isn't going to schedule and I keep leaving you all hanging.
     
  11. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    BASEPLATES HERE! I was out of town when they showed up. A Bottle of piko cement was included. Pictures later today. I just got back in like 15 minutes ago; 4:50 AM Central. Sleep first, building, then pictures (IF the camera works).
     
  12. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    One of the many aspects of Garden Railroading that one learns early on is things change. Plans don't always work out. I've gone through 3 different Station designs and we're going to do it again. First off, I need a second and third baseplate set. Second, I am posting pictures when the glue dries. But I'm going to wait til my Phone booths show up first. I had to weight the station awning to get it to lock down, and even then most of the station doesn't glue down, but I'm going to do detail work to hide that.

    So what's changing? The LGB Baseplates. I'm going to clean the yellow stripes off them. Now I'm removing them because I looked and... well nothing looked right to me. It made this small town's station look like Union Station in Chicago. We didn't want that. So I will be modeling Wolfcreek Station after Westmont, Illinois. I will take the ramps off the waiting platform and then slide the platform up. When my next baseplate kit comes, anything left over will be placed in front of it, uncovered. The Yard office will be moved with the baseplate set over to the Engine Yard. On the uncovered baseplate addition, I will be adding a proper Switch Tower. In the middle of the tracks, I will have rod Irons that will be drilled and pushed into the dirt (Outside) and glued (Inside). They will be Chainlink fencing. The actual Iron Rod Fencing will be Pola's and it will be used on the station and luggage depots. I will still use the walkway ladder but will try to mount Aristocraft's Signals on it, which requires me to disassemble and frankenstein their switch tower. To hide the wires I will be using Styrene tubes that will be painted to match the walkway. The walkway will connect the station to the waiting platform that I will have on the outside of the second line. Each line will use Piko's crossing section to connect across the ballasted tracks. Yes "Ballast" and I will pick up real pebble ballast to use. I am also picking up some dwarf signals, ala CB&Q Commuter Lines that will be in the station.

    The ramps with the kit was used in place of each door on the rear of the station. What I will do is put "Grass" and a raised "Rail" like a staircase in between to make it look real. Mailboxes will be added out "front" of the station as will a clock from Pola. I am adding plastic recycling bins in Green out front too which will cover the poorly built model and the section that won't glue to the station. On the side of the station near the track will be a dumpster. Station lanterns, etc. This is the current Phase 4.1; Wolfcreek Station.

    I'll post a new post with the photos after my phone booths get here. We have massive power grid failures here so I'm updating on my blackberry. My camera battery didn't get charged because of it. The other day storms tore down Chicago-land area Com Ed's power grids, crews are still working around the clock to fix this. So until my power gets restored, no chance of early pics.

    Til a couple days this week when my Phone Booths and Custom Runs come in~
     
  13. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    DragonFyreGT, Sounds like you have your hands full. The main basis of any project is setting a goal and you have done that, so be patient and it will all come together one piece at a time.
     
  14. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    Especially when the standard modeling cement didn't glue down right, I'm going to hot glue this thing to the baseplates. Once all the detail parts come in, final assembly will happen. This way I can do it all at once. I have the final outcome picture in my mind, it's just a matter of tinkering with the entire layout so it works. When I go outside, the switch will be placed further in on the layout. This way I won't have a switch on a curve, which will also be a wide turnout switch. I have my LGB #3 Radius switch so it's being stored right now. Hopefully the wide turnout switch will allow the layout to correctly meet on my station platform. This A) Leaves room for a 2 track mainline, and B) means that I can ballast the second line so I won't need anymore platforms on the outside track. I never realized how a simple baseplate kit would turn a simple upgrade into a massive overhaul. But the end result will be perfect.
     
  15. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    Okay it's time for this thread to end. I went to the eBay dealer's (who I bought my plate kit from) web site and they are closed and will not process orders til July 13th. So that means I will not have the plates I need unless I go to another hobby shop and pay about 9 bucks more. It's a decision I have to ponder over. I know I promised pictures, but here's what I'll do:

    Assuming the camera works, I'll photograph the station being hot glued (yes hot glue the bane of the original buildings but because it doesn't sit level on the plates, I don't get a choice) onto the base plates and will try to provide a photo or video log of the layout reconfigure.

    When the station Phone Booths come in and they will be here before July, I will go ahead and photograph and log them being installed as well.

    As for the last 2 Base Plate Kits... After I crunch some numbers, I will update this thread if and only if I go pay the extra 9 bucks for the second set. If I need a third set (And I think I do) I will wait til the eBay dealer/shop opens back up in July.

    I believe it was either Phantom or DMiller who told me that "If you don't have the money you have the time, and if you have the money you don't have the time." Well I have the money and the time, but I don't have the products when I need them :pmad: But here's hoping I can get 4.1 and 4.2 done together next month.
     

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