Freelance 2014-2 - Printable Version

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Re: Freelance 2014-2 - faraway - 07-31-2014

Hallo Al, welcome and thanks for posting. The wall lettering is older than the later added modern windows. That wall is a beauty.


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - Painkiller - 08-03-2014

Looking good to me. It is nice to follow your thread here! Thumbs up!


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - jonte - 08-05-2014

Loved the pic of the Boston brick building, however, just wanted to say that the ghost writing is not as good as yours Reinhard Thumbsup

jonte


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - faraway - 08-08-2014

I could not resist and got me this Athearn RTR SW1500 for my layout.
Looks like a perfect match but it isn't. CSL was and still is (under a new name) an exclusive iron industry service Sad Anyhow the CSL SW1500 can be used from the early 1970s until today. The paint scheme never changed. Just add yellow reflectors and ditch light for a contemporary model.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Chicago_and_Indiana_Harbor_Railway

I found a few photos (http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=395417&nseq=7) of a string of covered hoppers pulled CSL engines. May be they did occasional serve some other industry but I assume the hoppers contain some additives used for steel cooking.
[Image: IMG_3548_zpsfe8f4850.jpg]


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - torikoos - 08-09-2014

faraway Wrote:May be they did occasional serve some other industry but I assume the hoppers contain some additives used for steel cooking.
[Image: IMG_3548_zpsfe8f4850.jpg]


That additive sounds like GERN flux to me 35 Icon_lol


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - Brakie - 08-09-2014

Reinhard,As beautiful as that SW1500 is what matter? Icon_lol I'm within a angry mule's kick from buying one and it will be switching boxcars.

I did some nosing around and found this tidbit on UP's web page.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.uprr.com/customers/shortline/lines/sci.shtml">http://www.uprr.com/customers/shortline/lines/sci.shtml</a><!-- m -->


Apparently they serve other customers as well.


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - faraway - 08-09-2014

The postman rang the bell again today....
[Image: IMG_3550_zps18b869fa.jpg]

A little story
Athearn released the CSX GP15T in YN3 paint scheme about a year ago when my layout was SoCal oriented. I was rational and did not buy one even I loved the engine so much. The engines was sold out fast and offers at ebay vanished when I moved from SoCal to the east coast earlier this year. Some month ago one was presented here at Big Blue. I had tears in my eyes but none were available and I had my new layout was in the 1970 - 1980 time frame. Way out of CSX YN3 engines and I was still rational. About two weeks ago I found one by accidentally in the US ebay at a reasonable price.
I love it to be irrational. I will not bother you with any further photos of an obviously misplaced model on my layout but I will run it ones in a while and have big smile in my face 357


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - torikoos - 08-09-2014

Every now and then, you just have to ignore everything and do what makes YOU happy! :-)

Besides, there's always paint stripping and re-painting options? Wink

Or just move your era , keep the locale , something for Freelance 2014-3 or 2015-1?

Koos


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - Rscott417 - 08-11-2014

faraway Wrote:Some month ago one was presented here at Big Blue.
I believe that was mine, I just sold it on eBay 2 days ago.


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - faraway - 08-11-2014

Some variety at the windows. The beautiful white wood traffic sign poles are replaced by the standard gray steel version.
[Image: IMG_3553_zps4f0dde16.jpg]

@Scott, yes, I think it was your that made me even more hungry
@Koos, no way. the beautiful blue paint scheme must stay


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - Rscott417 - 08-11-2014

Reainhard quick question about the GP15, well two I guess. Do the ditch lights work if so, can you switch on one end separately from the other end or do both sets illuminate with one function? The model I had had working ditch lights but both ends would turn on together no matter the direction, they were either both on or both off. That's one reason I sold it, probably a semi easy fix but really stay away from wiring.


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - faraway - 08-11-2014

Rscott417 Wrote:Reainhard quick question about the GP15, well two I guess. Do the ditch lights work if so, can you switch on one end separately from the other end or do both sets illuminate with one function? The model I had had working ditch lights but both ends would turn on together no matter the direction, they were either both on or both off. That's one reason I sold it, probably a semi easy fix but really stay away from wiring.
All lights can be controlled separately if the wiring is changed. Athearn delivers the DC model with a simplified wiring that does not utilize the capabilities of an added DCC decoder.
The PCB supplies standard connectors for
- front and rear lights at the centers of the ends of the PCB (the outside connectors are connected to the rails)
wired to F0/forward (white) and F0/reverse (yellow)
- two more lights at the side of the PCB opposite to the motor connectors
wired to F1 (green) and F2 (brown)
All four connectors supply voltage controlled signal (1.5 Volt) for Athern bulbs (to low for simple bulb/LED exchange).

Looks like that is some kind of an Athern standard PCB at this times. All my SW1000, SW1500 and MP15AC are basically the some.

Athearn wired front light to F0/forward, front ditch light to F1 and rear light and rear ditch light to F0/rear. That is not very logical and should be changed as defined above.
If you use the 8 Pin socket (as most Europeans do) the green wire must soldered to the F1 solder point and the brown wire to the F2 solder point on the PCB. I assume the US common used 9 PIN connector supports F1 and F2 without soldering?

I configure all my DCC decoders (Zimo MX630) for UT4 throttle use as follows
F1 = front light
F4 = rear light
F0 = ditch light depending on the direction
I prefer that setup to control front and rear manually while switching but have the ditch lights only at the active front side.

I am afraid there was no reason to sell the engine due to the Athearn default wiring. It can be changed easy. May be you should have posted your problem here. You would have received help from Sweden to New Zealand all around the world.

ps. I use F2 and F3 for bell and horn if sound is installed. That is my "home standard" since years :-)
pps. My decoder does NOT have sufficient outputs to permit individual control of the ditch lights for left and right side. I am using on eastern engines the western standard of solid ditch lights.
ppps. Yes, Athearn delivered the model with one single dead bulb (rear light). I love it Curse


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - faraway - 08-13-2014

Detailing the yard of the small center business
[Image: IMG_3562_zps527dcf32.jpg]
[Image: IMG_3561_zpsb66b91d6.jpg]


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - torikoos - 08-14-2014

I love the litter etc again Reinhard.

A great way to make use of a bit of small space. :-)

Koos


Re: Freelance 2014-2 - faraway - 08-14-2014

Details like power poles, traffic signs and hydrants can be added day over day and there are still thousand other details to be added

[Image: IMG_3564_zps0a01e200.jpg]
[Image: IMG_3563_zpsc86f9615.jpg]

I am close to an important checkpoint when I start detailing the ground cover around the buildings. They will not be removable anymore and I loose the ability to detail them on my work desk. I try to postpone that step as long as possible.
There will be lots of weed, junk and dirt on the ground. A warehouse district in the 1970s and 1980s might be still in operation to justify rail car service (West Bottoms had it's last BN SW1500 run in 1995) but it was definitely at the end of the lifecycle.

A question:
Is there in the South East an area similar to the West Bottoms in KC MO?. I could not find anything that may have looked similar. e.g. the warehouse district of Atlanta, GA looks very different and is no match at all.
It would be a perfect scenario to run the ancestors of NS and CSX on my layout too.