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Post by sd40dash2 on Jun 26, 2022 5:32:12 GMT -8
This Branchline Berwick car kit appears to be from the late-1990s/early-2000s with an old-school orange discount hobby shop price tag: "Regular price $14.98 OUR PRICE $13.50." Kit is very well designed and includes separate roof, metal wheels and separate metal grabs. Body style and mid-1990s era CP Rail paint and lettering appear to be prototypically accurate. Undecided if I will build or enjoy owning as-is.
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djh4d
Full Member
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Post by djh4d on Jun 26, 2022 7:45:48 GMT -8
Hi all, we've been busy on the Southern Transcon. Bench work for the coal yard was started and is currently completed past the power station. We're doing enough of this line so a coal train can pull past the coal plant and shove back in the yard. However, this move shouldn't be required. So far, track and cork has been glued down. Hopefully, we'll have this 100% done and be able to use it in the next running session.
Bench work for the 2nd and 3rd level has started. On the right is Curtis Hill and is climbing at a 1.5% grade. The only flat spot is the crossovers.
Bench work continues at NR Junction. You can see how close it is to the staging yard track, but it will clear a double stack with a little room to spare. Past this, it opens up to Emporia yard.
Thanks for looking, -Dave
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Post by TBird1958 on Jun 26, 2022 8:51:15 GMT -8
A couple of shots of an Atlas/Branchline RBL, added a few bits here and there.   Next in the pipe..  |
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Post by wp8thsub on Jun 26, 2022 11:06:00 GMT -8
 DSC04306 by wp8thsub, on Flickr I turned an Athearn Roundhouse GP35 into a more acceptable stand-in. It came with the correct WP number board housing on the cab, along with the five chime horn, but no other separate detail save for grab irons. I carved off the stock backup light on the long hood, replacing with a WP barrel light, and added the remaining details everywhere else. It's still a rehashed RPP shell but was fun to do. |
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Post by tom on Jun 26, 2022 14:43:23 GMT -8
A couple of months ago I showed photos of my Lehigh Valley PS-1 boxcar that were rebuilt by USRE. Lehigh Valley also had some of their ACF boxcars rebuilt so I recently completed that version too. Car started with a Branchline boxcar with an 7-foot door. I added new sidesills, lowered the corner ladders and some other mods (including Tangent 50-ton trucks). I painted it and then added K4 LV decals.  As part of the rebuild many of them received new roof end panels:  |
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Post by packer on Jun 26, 2022 16:51:15 GMT -8
Finished up this bulkhead. Got some inspiration from prototype photos (although I need to come up with a better photo setup:   Looking back, painting on the reweigh patches might not have been the greatest idea. maybe do that by decals next go around. Also went to a trainshow. Couldn't find any of the three detail parts I was looking for, but found some cars including a stripped Atlas ACF cylindrical hopper that will serve as a base for one of the MP ones. Rob, That's neat to know that Athearn got the cab headlight on the WP units right. You're tempting me to want to do one. |
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Post by simulatortrain on Jun 26, 2022 18:45:15 GMT -8
Couple gondolas I decaled this week:   |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2022 9:06:33 GMT -8
Adam--
That Reading GHf gondola: how did you do that one? Is it a cut and splice or a brass model?
Clearly the rib spacing seems to indicate that it is not a cut and spliced Athearn, and the side profile does not match the Athearn Santa Fe prototype 65' gon, but instead appears to be correct for the actual Reading GHf car?
John
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Post by grabirons on Jun 27, 2022 10:21:15 GMT -8
This Branchline Berwick car kit appears to be from the late-1990s/early-2000s with an old-school orange discount hobby shop price tag: "Regular price $14.98 OUR PRICE $13.50." Kit is very well designed and includes separate roof, metal wheels and separate metal grabs. Body style and mid-1990s era CP Rail paint and lettering appear to be prototypically accurate. Undecided if I will build or enjoy owning as-is.
Such a tease sd40dash2! Those holes are just begging to be filled with Grabirons, stirrup steps and other interesting detail parts! |
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Post by dti406 on Jun 27, 2022 10:47:40 GMT -8
Sorry, was a little late to the thread this week again. I built some easy kits this last week! Another Bowser 1958CF ACF Covered Hopper kit, painted with Scalecoat II Black paint and lettered with Highball Graphics decals. This car adds to the fleet for either cement from the Dundee MI cement plant or sand from the Yuma, MI sand pit. _IMG_0103.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) Bowser PRR X31 Boxcar kit, painted with Scalecoat II Hunter Green and Black Paints then lettered with Prime Mover Decals. The Hoboken Shore was formed in 1954 from the Hoboken Manufacturers Railroad that served the docks and industries in Hobken, they had more yard track mileage than mainline mileage. The railroad was in financial trouble and in 1971 they took advantage of the new IPD rules by purchasing 50 old boxcars from the PC to send out for revenue, these cars did not last long as they were approaching 50 years of age in 1974. And as they lost the IPD revenue and lack of business the railroad folded in 1978. _IMG_0102.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) Rapido Ann Arbor FA-2's with a general freight led by some of my fleet of Covered Hoppers in the sand service out of Yuma, MI headed for the Ford Engine Casting Plant in Brookpark, OH. _IMG_1111.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) Thanks for looking! Rick Jesionowski |
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Post by simulatortrain on Jun 27, 2022 11:30:45 GMT -8
Adam-- That Reading GHf gondola: how did you do that one? Is it a cut and splice or a brass model? Clearly the rib spacing seems to indicate that it is not a cut and spliced Athearn, and the side profile does not match the Athearn Santa Fe prototype 65' gon, but instead appears to be correct for the actual Reading GHf car? John John, Because of the trucks being wider than the carbody, I have always found this prototype very ugly! Nevertheless, I had been looking into a cut and splice using Athearn 50' gons, because I've always wanted to make something presentable out of those. In the meantime, though, I located a PSC brass Bethlehem gondola for not much more than a Tangent car, so that's what this is. It seems to be correct for a GHf aside from the extra outermost ribs where the grabs attach and a steel floor (should be wood, I will correct this next.) Perhaps I'll still do the kitbash for a similar WM car- theirs had fixed ends. Built in 1929, I'm very impressed that they kept them in service with an early 70s rebuild for another decade! |
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Post by valenciajim on Jun 27, 2022 11:54:37 GMT -8
Rick--good to see you back. I hope that your recuperation is going well. All the best!
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Post by fr8kar on Jun 27, 2022 12:33:42 GMT -8
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Post by tom on Jun 27, 2022 12:46:47 GMT -8
Couple gondolas I decaled this week: The N&W gondola looks great! Scratchbuilding is still a viable option....especially for welded prototypes! |
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Post by grahamline on Jun 27, 2022 13:14:00 GMT -8
This Branchline Berwick car kit appears to be from the late-1990s/early-2000s with an old-school orange discount hobby shop price tag: "Regular price $14.98 OUR PRICE $13.50." Kit is very well designed and includes separate roof, metal wheels and separate metal grabs. Body style and mid-1990s era CP Rail paint and lettering appear to be prototypically accurate. Undecided if I will build or enjoy owning as-is. Such a tease sd40dash2! Those holes are just begging to be filled with Grabirons, stirrup steps and other interesting detail parts! Some of my first-run Berwicks arrived with very flimsy hard styrene grab irons. After building one that way, I got out the brass wire and bent grabs for the other. The brass ones survived, many of the plastic grabs have not. |
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Post by ln1263 on Jun 27, 2022 13:57:29 GMT -8
My compliments on both of those gondolas Adam! I would love to have models of both of those cars myself. Maybe i can someday soon once i get past this upcoming right wrist and arm surgery. Thanks for your inspiring work!
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Post by simulatortrain on Jun 27, 2022 14:24:43 GMT -8
Thank you guys! I really enjoy scratchbuilding now and again, but maybe I can learn to enjoy actually finishing the things after they're assembled!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2022 16:04:25 GMT -8
The gons especially are outstanding. Thought it might be the PSC/Bethlehem gon. I had one once and painted it for DRGW...had I known it was so close to Reading class GHf, I might have kept it.
John
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Post by kentuckysouthernrwy on Jun 27, 2022 16:34:04 GMT -8
Rick--good to see you back. I hope that your recuperation is going well. All the best! Mega dittos… Sure is a long tongue on the grain pup! I can imagine pulling around to pass thinking it’s a separate truck. Don’t see rigs like that here in Michigan. Pup trailers all have short hitches like your doubles. |
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Post by fr8kar on Jun 27, 2022 17:41:22 GMT -8
Rick--good to see you back. I hope that your recuperation is going well. All the best! Mega dittos… Sure is a long tongue on the grain pup! I can imagine pulling around to pass thinking it’s a separate truck. Don’t see rigs like that here in Michigan. Pup trailers all have short hitches like your doubles. I think it has to do with weight on bridges maybe? Those grain pups typically have a long tongue. These semi-trailer/pup combos are common in the Dakotas which is how I came to model them (many summers hanging around the grain elevators there). I found the prototype for this one for sale on an auction site. There were loads of high-resolution photos and measurements posted so it made the drawing process very easy. The converter dollies used with the pup vans in my photos are just Athearn parts. At some point I'll draw and print some Fruehauf versions of those. |
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Post by cemr5396 on Jun 27, 2022 22:04:48 GMT -8
I think it has to do with weight on bridges maybe? Those grain pups typically have a long tongue. These semi-trailer/pup combos are common in the Dakotas which is how I came to model them (many summers hanging around the grain elevators there). I found the prototype for this one for sale on an auction site. There were loads of high-resolution photos and measurements posted so it made the drawing process very easy. The converter dollies used with the pup vans in my photos are just Athearn parts. At some point I'll draw and print some Fruehauf versions of those. Not sure about bridges specifically, but the yes, the basic idea is to spread the weight out more. North of the border, rigs like that model are often referred to as 'A-trains' and are pretty much universally hated by anyone unfortunate enough to have to drive one. The reason being, they don't handle particularly well on the highway (especially when it is windy), and are nearly impossible to back up in due to the fact it pivots in three seperate locations. Here in Canada the 'Super B' articulated (ish?) trailer is the rig of choice, they have more internal volume, can carry more weight without increasing axle loading, and handle like a dream in comparison to an A-train - provided they are loaded with proper weight distribution. It is essentially two trailers nose to tail, with the trailing trailer attached to a fifth wheel on the rear of the leading trailer. The two halves can be seperated and used independently if needed.  They are relatively rare in the USA, because for some reason most of your DOT agencies think they are too heavy for your roads. Indeed, most Super Bs which make an appearance south of the border are Canadian drivers with cross border traffic, often with below capacity loads to keep the authorities happy. I would love to see an HO model of one of these trailers as they are an everyday sight here, but I am not getting my hopes up. |
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Post by fr8kar on Jun 28, 2022 1:04:43 GMT -8
I would love to see an HO model of one of these trailers as they are an everyday sight here, but I am not getting my hopes up.    I used a couple Walthers containers for the bodies of this B-train along with various other bits from the junk box. It wouldn't be difficult to design and 3D print something like this with all the parts I've got in my CAD library now. |
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Post by cemr5396 on Jun 28, 2022 4:36:44 GMT -8
wow, nice kitbashing on those trailers Ryan!
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Post by cp6027 on Jun 28, 2022 19:32:20 GMT -8
That's a very cool 8-axle B-train model! The tridem axle has yet to gain much traction on approval for interstate trucking in the US, but is used intrastate in some jurisdictions.
Unfortunately for those of us who enjoy Canadian prairie branchlines and small wooden country grain elevators, the arrival of the "8-axle B" in the 1990s really tipped the economic scales in favor of longer-distance trucking to larger concrete inland terminal elevators, leading many marginal grain-dependent branchlines to finally be abandoned. Fortunately I've got the layout to recapture earlier times!
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Post by slowfreight on Jun 28, 2022 21:28:53 GMT -8
That's a very cool 8-axle B-train model! The tridem axle has yet to gain much traction on approval for interstate trucking in the US, but is used intrastate in some jurisdictions. FHWA regs limit all interstate route to 80k GVWR unless a given state had a higher weight limit than 80k that was grandfathered (i.e., Michigan at 164k GVWR). States can approve new routes above 80k if they are non-interstate roads (state/county/city routes), such as overweight haul routes for containers into ports. Thus, you won't see anything new "gain traction" unless federal regulations change. |
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Post by ncrc5315 on Jun 29, 2022 15:50:15 GMT -8
That's a very cool 8-axle B-train model! The tridem axle has yet to gain much traction on approval for interstate trucking in the US, but is used intrastate in some jurisdictions. FHWA regs limit all interstate route to 80k GVWR unless a given state had a higher weight limit than 80k that was grandfathered (i.e., Michigan at 164k GVWR). States can approve new routes above 80k if they are non-interstate roads (state/county/city routes), such as overweight haul routes for containers into ports. Thus, you won't see anything new "gain traction" unless federal regulations change. Everything has gotten bigger in farming, except for the trucks. |
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Post by TBird1958 on Jun 29, 2022 15:59:49 GMT -8
I would love to see an HO model of one of these trailers as they are an everyday sight here, but I am not getting my hopes up. I used a couple Walthers containers for the bodies of this B-train along with various other bits from the junk box. It wouldn't be difficult to design and 3D print something like this with all the parts I've got in my CAD library now. Nice! Ryan, what are using to make the tarps? |
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Post by fr8kar on Jun 29, 2022 17:49:47 GMT -8
Those were facial tissues with diluted white glue dropped onto them until they were soaked. Once they dried I removed them and spray painted them. Finally I trimmed them to fit and attached them to the bodies. They don't look bad but I'd like to be able to stretch them tighter without tearing the material.
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