GEC's Layout Progress - Printable Version

GEC's Layout Progress - Printable Version

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Re: GEC's Layout Progress - Green_Elite_Cab - 10-12-2010

I just got a bunch of Arrow III married pair kits.

Well, i went to the Northeast Prototype Meet, and i displayed some of my work. unfortunately, the catenary tower i had on display got busted up when i was packing, but thank god for brass, its an easy solder job. I picked up a lot of free stuff, and got a few decals as well from one cool guy. I also picked up a book on styrene modeling.

the display

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My E44As on Andy Rubbo's Lane Tower module.

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Cool pictures from my train club

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Re: GEC's Layout Progress - ocalicreek - 10-13-2010

Lookin good! I like to see those former VGN units soldiering on!

Galen

Re: GEC's Layout Progress - Ralph - 10-13-2010

Wow! Great photos! You had a nifty display there! Did you get a lot of questions or comments? Your E44A's look great om that beautifully done module! How about more pics from your train club? The layout looks terrific!
Ralph

Re: GEC's Layout Progress - ac_catenary - 10-14-2010

Unfortunately I missed the Meet.
Your E44 units look awesome on Rubbo's Module.. Did you meet up with Andy Rubbo ?

Re: GEC's Layout Progress - SurlyKnuckle - 10-14-2010

Those Juice Jacks are sweet! I was never a big NEC fan, until I started working on a portion of the line. It's really fascinating. One of the old head engineer's I work with used to run on the NEC back in the PC and Conrail days, and I've gotated him into telling stories about GG-1s and E44s on occasion, lol!

Again, exellent work. The signal bridge on your freind's module is impressive, particularly the cage around the lower signal. Just like the real deal. Thumbsup

Re: GEC's Layout Progress - Green_Elite_Cab - 10-14-2010

ocalicreek Wrote:Lookin good! I like to see those former VGN units soldiering on!

Galen

Absolutely. They are so cheap on some sites, that i'm considering buying another pair. I'll probably go for some Penn Central units and patch them.

Ralph Wrote:Wow! Great photos! You had a nifty display there! Did you get a lot of questions or comments?

Thanks! Yeah, I did actually. I was the only "Young" guy there, and some of them apparently saw me as the new face of the hobby, lol.

The top comments i got were:

"Its good to see young people in the hobby"
"I wish they made an E44 in plastic"
"Are those E33s brass too?" (they're bachmann spectrum, lol).

There were alot of people coming in and snapping photos and more than a few people came and talked to me. Thats how i eventually met with Andy Rubbo, because people told him I had an electric display going.

Quote:How about more pics from your train club? The layout looks terrific!
Ralph

I have some older pictures, but the layout has since become a mess, we're doing the final work over because show season starts soon,and everything needs to be working (clean track, finished projects where possible, working trains) by the weekend after thanksgiving. There is a good chance i'll put a video together of the club then. In fact, i think i made a video for them last year, but only posted it on facebook for the club's facebook group page. I'll try to dig it out and post it on Youtube.

ac_catenary Wrote:Unfortunately I missed the Meet.
Your E44 units look awesome on Rubbo's Module.. Did you meet up with Andy Rubbo ?

Thanks! Yeah, i did. I hope i didn't seem to crazy, i was kind of excited. He definitely gave me some useful tips, as far as the catenary and tinkering with electric models go. He was there only for a short time. He set up for an hour, than packed up and left. Very interesting people, and his module attracted even more of the "E&T" people, so there was a lot of stories and things to learn in that respect.

It would be awesome if we could get more juice in next year. I'm thinking of making a module myself, but with Reading Catenary, just to mix things up a little.

SurlyKnuckle Wrote:Those Juice Jacks are sweet! I was never a big NEC fan, until I started working on a portion of the line. It's really fascinating. One of the old head engineer's I work with used to run on the NEC back in the PC and Conrail days, and I've gotated him into telling stories about GG-1s and E44s on occasion, lol!

Again, exellent work. The signal bridge on your freind's module is impressive, particularly the cage around the lower signal. Just like the real deal.

Yeah, its interesting stuff. Even though its all still a railroad, electric operations have their own flavor to it and you don't get the same feel from straight diesels (at least in my opinion).

Andy Rubbo's work is incredible. The tower is actually lit with a lit display board (but i couldn't get a good photo). all the signals supposedly worked as well, but he didn't run anything on it (my models sat without power). And of course, it all works, even the wire.

Re: GEC's Layout Progress - Gary S - 10-15-2010

Those E44s look great on Andy's module. Nice photos!

Re: GEC's Layout Progress - OBJack - 10-16-2010

Thanks for the photos.
I agree with Gary, and I reckon the grayish coloring of that first photo on Andys module makes it better than just a pic, sorta makes the scene look all powerful, with a brute force.

219

Re: GEC's Layout Progress - Green_Elite_Cab - 10-25-2010

Oh jeeze, more models! (gonna have to add another Philly post to my Roster Blog).

I picked up a pair of Silverliner III EMUs a few days ago off the internet (minus the trucks). the whole pair cost only $35 and shipping. They were mostly intact, though there was some damage that will be easy to fix and some holes drilled in the wrong spot (i'll just fill it with styrene rod).

The only MAJOR issue is one of the frames was WAY to long. It will be tricky to fix that one, but i hope i can splice it together right. Photos soon!

for now, here are the prototype i want to model-

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Re: GEC's Layout Progress - Green_Elite_Cab - 10-27-2010

The new silverliner III i have on borrowed GSI trucks from an Arrow III kit. I'm probably going to have to strip off the paint on it, and I'll have to fill in the holes on the cab end (only the pantograph end would have the steps that these holes were meant for). It looks like i'll also need to rebuild the window frames on the cab ends somehow.

The other Silverliner III is in rougher condition, needing a new insulator, and the floor/frame needs to be rebuilt to fit the shell. The kits are otherwise pretty simple, i wish i got them new. They come with a complete detailed frame, frame, an interior, a "patch" for the motor opening (for dummy cars), and provisions for couplers and pantograph attachment. the kits initially came with plastic pans, though it looks like the person i bought it from included at least two good Metroliner metal pantographs, and two more junky ones.

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Re: GEC's Layout Progress - Gary S - 10-27-2010

I'm not much on passenger stuff, but I gotta admit you are doing some very cool work! Those new kits look to be some nice fixer-uppers. Keep up the good work!

Re: GEC's Layout Progress - Green_Elite_Cab - 10-27-2010

Gary S Wrote:I'm not much on passenger stuff, but I gotta admit you are doing some very cool work! Those new kits look to be some nice fixer-uppers. Keep up the good work!

Absolutely! these kits were $165 new a piece not to many years ago, and because they were IHP's Earliest offerings, they had their own problems (the frame length issue couldn't be the fault of the previous owner).

To be honest, the only reason I even have grown so much on these MUs are because they are so ubiquitous. I really wish i could find (let alone afford) more GG1s in Conrail paint to run triple-headed like i see in the old photographs pulling some epic freight train (right now, only my rectifiers fill in that role). Electric freight is my primary fascination, as it has died off here in this country.

However, as one person put it to me, "You wouldn't have to wait long to see a PRR MU traveling in either direction at anytime you were track-side of a PRR electrified line, often both at the same time." Unless i modeled something like the Columbia & Port Deposit branch, or some other smaller pennsy freight lines, the MP54s, Silverliners, or Arrows were the most frequent sights under wire. No one could accurately claim to model famous routes like the Northeast Corridor without a few of these trains.

Just to show how far my MU fleet has grown (trust me, even I'M SHOCKED at this), this is just what i have right now. There is a good chance I'll get 3 more pairs of Arrow IIIs EMUs (those light gray kits lined up on the right), and i'm definitely going to invest in more Silverliner IVs (the Reading unit from early, but in both Reading and Penn Central). The only cars missing from this shot are a pair of MP54 kits by Funaro and Camerlengo (though you can see one in the broadside shot of the Silverliner III on my highway bridge).

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Also, I finally bought one piece of highway equipment that has been missing for quite some time, an NJ transit bus to match the railroad. Gotta love the NJtransit.com product placement.

[Image: 102810silverlineriiiemu.jpg]

Re: GEC's Layout Progress - Green_Elite_Cab - 11-02-2010

Interesting news

I rebuilt a bachman F40PH into an F40PH-2 like that on New Jersey transit in the early part of the 1980s. the only major difference is the lack of dynamic break parts. Pictures will be forthcoming.

COOL NEWS

I now have the other three sets of Arrow III married pairs, bringing my fleet to 15 Arrow IIIs (7 pairs and one single). I can now start building my epic MU fleet.

COOLER NEWS

I may be able to add the GP40FH-2 back to my "active" roster soon. I made a casting for the side, but cast shell came out so good, that rather than chop it up, i'm just going to fix it's flaws and start from there. I've already preparted the nose for a cannon cab and nose section, and now i just need to fix up the steps and a few bubbles.

I already sanded or dremeled off imperfections, and once i'm satisfied, i'm going to clear off the roof, and then drill out the fans and vents, replacing them with Cannon fans and etched metal parts. It will look really cool when its done.

I plan to do this unit, its one of the last on NJ transit-

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[Image: pictures%5C51403%5CDSCF4568.JPG]

Re: GEC's Layout Progress - Green_Elite_Cab - 11-03-2010

Forgot to mention i also resolved most issues on the Second Silverliner III. I'm thinking of borrowing the powered truck from my single Arrow III and putting it into the Silverliner IIIs, if i can get them painted up and detailed. they would be neat to run at show time.

Re: GEC's Layout Progress - Gary S - 11-03-2010

I was in New Jersey 2 years ago and rode the NJ Transit system into New York several times. Cool to see those trains again.