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Post by mlehman on Oct 12, 2014 6:32:16 GMT -8
Hope everyone's week was productive and fun. OldMuley asked about structure lighting in another thread. Here's an example that use standard LEDs inside the structure, plus some LEDs-on-a-garland that you can find easily this time of year for the dock lighting. And in the daytime, where the icing dock framework also provides a canopy for the loading dock at Thompson's. I also extended the dock so that it can serve 4 cars... Besides the new smoke stack for Silverton Light & Power, I also scratched up a small creamery down past the stockyard. Up in Animas Forks, the railroad erected an overhead crane at the Gold Prince mill. I found some Walthers fencing, so used it around the coal dealer and enginehouse to provide a nicely defined entrance into Silverton.
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Post by dti406 on Oct 12, 2014 6:55:25 GMT -8
I managed to finish a few cars this week. Intermountain 10,000 Gal Tank Car Kit, painted with Floquil Platinum Mist and Scalecoat II Black Paints, then lettered with Champ Decals. The Birmingham Southern railroad acquired 100 PS1 Boxcars, 50 with Superior Doors and 50 with PS Doors. I found the Superior Doors in my scrapbox and used them on an Intermountain PS1 kit, painted with Scalecoat II Boxcar Red and lettered with Champ Decals. This is an IMWX 1937 AAR Boxcar Kit, painted with Scalecoat II Boxcar Red and lettered with Champ Decals. Champ's diagram shows the TC Herald on the car, but corresponding with a TC modeler he told me the Herald was only used on their hopper cars and not the boxcar. So although I like the TC herald, I had to leave it off the boxcar. Both boxcars had their plastic sill steps replaced with A-Line metal Sill Steps. Thanks for looking! Rick J
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mako
New Member
Posts: 16
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Post by mako on Oct 12, 2014 7:54:22 GMT -8
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Post by kcjones on Oct 12, 2014 9:17:29 GMT -8
What a wild week for ALCOs. Bet the guys back in the board room at ALCO in the 60's never thought that their locomotives would cause such a ruckus. If they had this much publicity back then, they would still be in business. Well here we go.... A brand new IC ALCO C636 rolls through Hot Springs AR on its way to an AP&L power plant. The unit showed up on an IC unit coal train from southern Illinois. I'm sure it felt right at home with AV's 20 other C636's. When hearing about the crews complaining about having to climb up into such a "high" cab, the CMO of IC remarked "You could be riding up in the cab of a U50 or one of those short wheelbase EMD's and getting your brains beat out". Sorry....I couldn't resist. You all have a great week. Go MSU dawgs!!!!! JL Vancouver WA
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Post by kcjones on Oct 12, 2014 13:49:49 GMT -8
Mako, I loved the way you weathered that Mobil Oil tank car. It looks just like the hundreds of tank cars I use to see around Houston TX all the time. The combination of sun bleaching and the salt air from the Gulf could do major damage to a car. Most black tank cars rarely stay black.
JL Vancouver WA
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Post by markfj on Oct 12, 2014 14:52:34 GMT -8
Hello Group, Great start so far, let’s see if we can keep it going! My contribution this week is a small detailing project that I think adds a lot to IMRC 3 bay covered hoppers. The kits and RTR models all come with Youngstown discharge gate, which is only correct for certain roads. This Soo Line car should have Miner gates, so I tried my hand a fabricating them. This project took a little time only because I need to make some cutting jigs for the purpose of mass producing the parts (I have a lot of cars that need Miner gates). Miner has drawings available for download if you want to see how the prototype looks, but only consider the dimensions as a reference since the model and parts used are obviously not 100% in scale. I’m happy with the results and the fact that my paint choice does not match the carbody. These gates get replaced often so it’s typical to see them in different colors. Enjoy, Mark
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Post by onequiknova on Oct 12, 2014 15:24:50 GMT -8
Nice stuff guys. Love the fade on that tank car. How'd you do it?
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Post by catt on Oct 12, 2014 17:18:48 GMT -8
Thought I might try my hand at some freight car abuse this afternoon.
Neither car is quite finished but I;m happy with them.
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Post by rockisland652 on Oct 13, 2014 9:03:05 GMT -8
The annual RPM Naperville meet took place last week. Lots of clinics on everything such as: PFE wood reefers, analyzing traffic patters to plan for operations, and even how to build a simple and small, yet detailed and operationally correct prototype layout. On Friday, I joined a small group who ventured north to visit Bob Perrin's extreme prototype layout based on the IC in 1966. Mr. Perrin's layout faithfully models the DuQuoin to Carbondale line of the IC and uses remarkably little selective compression. Despite the size of the overall layout, the detail that went into the track is astonishing. Track is laid as to where the prototype had track, sidings and all, plus these sidings are beat up code 55 that look the part. Bob was kind enough to allow us to see his layout even as he was on the verge of an operating session. This would be no big deal on a mere mortal's layout, but Bob's layout has more staging track than most of us have track, and staging a layout of this size is an exacting and monumental task. Where the line begins, looking south at DuQuoin. Carbondale, as it was in 1966. The layout sports aisles conducive to rigorous operating sessions. No elbowing past each other here. You know I like diamonds, so here is a crossing with our demonstration freight rolling by. Controlling it all were various operator stations all located by the corresponding place on the layout. In a candid shot, Bob shows Chet French an exact model of a depot custom made for his IC. Many thanks to Bob Perrin, this fine layout's owner for letting us see what can be accomplished with true prototype modeling and a crew of help - this is no one man show. Also, thanks to Jim Singer, who explained many of the features of the layout as well as how hundreds of renumbered and weathered freight cars were completed and installed on the layout. Also thanks to Ted Richardson, who operated the demonstration train for us, and made some of my photography possible.
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Post by mlehman on Oct 13, 2014 9:26:13 GMT -8
Tom, Thanks for the pics. Bob layout sounds like an amazing place. I'll definitely not miss it if it shows up on the layout tour offerings in the future. I'll have to ask one of our division members, Terry, if he's heard about this. Terry is a retired IC towerman, serving here in C-U, then up in the Chicago area before hanging up his keyring. I'm sure he'd be fascinated, may have already heard or seen it knowing how he's plugged into that IC grapevine.
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Post by rockisland652 on Oct 13, 2014 12:18:43 GMT -8
Mr. Perrin's layout is amazing. I would call it inspirational. Miles between towns. Look at the track on the right. That is some real country runnin' there. I mentioned the staging. Here is one of two staging yards built one on on top of the other. They access the main line with a five track helix. Both the staging and the helix were notoriously camera shy. There was so much to see. I believe that is Mike Moore checking out a staging yard (I think it is for staging passenger trains) while the demonstration coal train rumbles by him in an undulating scene taken directly from the prototype. Bob showed us a photo that depicted the actual scene and it is reproduced faithfully on his layout. Look at the way the train dips and rises. Outstanding. Small town America, depicted on Bob's layout. It is a great LDE... A little further down, we see the light rail in the siding. I could have spent more hours trying to do this layout justice in photos. It's scope makes that task difficult, but the scenes are all there, waiting to be photographed...and operated. Enjoy.
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Post by mlehman on Oct 13, 2014 17:07:14 GMT -8
Tom, Yes, very interesting, wonderful to operate I'm sure. I also notice something that shows Mr. Perrin and I are of one mind on wiring -- wire nuts! I've tried to get discussions started about using wirenuts several times over the years (not here that I recall) and there's been an amazing lack of interest. There is nothing easier, cheaper, more flexible, and easy to inspect than wire nuts. Yes, for a few things more specialized connectors are called for. But for most ordinary layout wiring, wire nuts work amazingly well.
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Post by gmpullman on Oct 13, 2014 21:37:23 GMT -8
Mike, I'm in complete agreement with you on the wire nuts. Bet I got a thousand (or more) on my layout. As you pointed out there are some places where you need a fork terminal or special connector but the majority of my connections are wire nuts. I don't use the traditional power buss following the track route either. In most cases the track loops back on itself anyway. I use a method more akin to a spider web where the power buss goes out to a central area of that district, usually where the greatest concentration of trackage is, and the wiring radiates out from that point like the "web". With plenty of slack in the main buss I can add a "sub buss" anywhere I want and attach feeders to that... all tied together with the proper sized wire nut. (Ideal is a good brand.)
I reason that if they are approved by the National Electric Code for household 230 and 115 wiring stuffed into wall boxes, they should be OK for our layouts.
Like you said, this isn't the time OR the thread to bring up wiring in but I thought I'd just give my 2¢ in agreement with you... Ed
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Post by markfj on Oct 14, 2014 8:16:16 GMT -8
Seeing those layout photos has me sold on implementing a multi-level trackplan in my “dream” layout design. All too often it seems like people put their levels too close together and that obscures visibility of the lower level. Even if the lower level is “just” staging, I think you would still want a decent view of the farthest track. Looks like spacing on the scenic portions has been kept to well over a foot and a half! The third photo showing the long isle really conveys the size of the layout room. It’s no wonder he can limit his compression, that space is huge! What’s the power distribution like? Seems like a layout that size would require special power considerations beyond your typical household 110 AC service. I know some have had a separate service run from their homes utility box just for the layout room. On the topic of wire connections: MR seems to favor those insulation displacement “suitcase” connectors, but I don’t see those being as easy to remove when servicing or replacing wiring. However, I’m always concern that screw-on or crimp type wire nuts are a potential for poor connection, shorts, or just high resistance in the power grid.
Thanks, Mark
PS: Maybe we should start a new thread on that layout or just electrical issues in general. Heck, we've got a thread with 15 pages (and still going) on the Bowser C636, so you know we all love to talk here!
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Post by wmcbride on Oct 14, 2014 9:43:52 GMT -8
That is a mega layout!
What minimum clearances do folks use for staging track like this? Derailments and trouble always occur as far from the aisle as possible.
Years ago I built an 12-foot-long staging yard on drawer rollers per an article in Model Railroader. It worked but one had to be careful and pull it out and push it in slowly or cars would fall over. It worked Ok but for me was engineering and construction overkill. Then I moved and it was no more.
Bill McBride
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Post by stevef45 on Oct 15, 2014 21:53:47 GMT -8
Finished my "ICH" mural on an athearn automax autorack. Not really liking how the white came out. I may sand down the white and go over it again with a brush. Next time i work on a whole side piece of grafitti im goin to use airbrush and paint brush.
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Post by riogrande on Oct 23, 2014 16:39:20 GMT -8
Mike, consider yourself vindicated regarding wire nuts. Does he have beer nuts too? Just kidding.
I'd like to know also what the clearance is over the tracks in staging too. It looks similar to mine but maybe a little more. Of course that basement looks enormous!
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Post by mlehman on Oct 23, 2014 22:56:25 GMT -8
Does he have beer nuts? He might, we make them in Illinois, too I've been pleasantly surprised in the response to the wire nuts poll, with it holding at 17 to 10 in favor in recent days. There must be a whole lot more of us than I even thought.
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Post by riogrande on Oct 24, 2014 11:37:25 GMT -8
No info on the clearance over the staging tracks?
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Post by mlehman on Oct 24, 2014 11:58:41 GMT -8
Jim, Estimating from the lumber sizes, etc, I'd say between 7" and 10" in the shots I could see. I think it's generally more than 7" considering the number of tracks to reach across. It may also be he's worked things out so there is more clearance over the staging yard throats and less over the yard tracks themselves, which would help.
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