Hi All,

It's been a while since I've posted here but i've not been idle. Aside from redesigning part of my layout , redoing the track work etc. I've also finally given in to my weakness and taken my first careful steps in owning steam locomotive models. The first commercial plastic one I've bought is a Bachmann Spectrum 4-8-2 light Mountain. While I've already learned these were released a few times, with some technical differences/improvements in each. I think I might have one from the first or second release, and the PCB in the original tender almost appears as a non DCC version, but it does have a plug. In any case, I've swapped the tender for a long Vanderbilt type with two 3 axle trucks to more accurately represent the way they would have looked in service with the SP prior to them receiving the skyline casings.

I still have work to do on the detailing to make it a little more SP. Yes I know I could have tried to get an Athearn Genesis, but part of the fun for me is kit bashing/detailing, and it being my first steamer, I decided to go careful with the expenses and buying a loco for 50 USD is a lot better than 200+ USD. I've already rewired the tender and replaced the original bulbs for warm white LED's, and installed a Loksound V4 decoder with speaker in the tender.

However, to make a long story short. The loco isn't the smoothest runner I've seen. This may be because the engine has been sat in a box for years (allegedly it was brand new, but discovered during a clearcut) and all grease has dried up. So the first thing I did is to open up the cover for the axles and removed old grease and re lubricated it. This hasn't really made an improvement and I'm getting the impression that the drive is binding a little bit. Not enough to stall it, but just enough to make it move in a somewhat jerking/ irregular fashion at low speeds. I've also checked pickup wipers are free and not jamming in the spokes etc..

So anyone with experience with these engines (DCC or DC), what have you done to improve running characteristics?

Many thanks for your further tips and tricks in taming this otherwise nice model.

Koos

Hello,

at the end of this month there will be the annual meeting of the Fremo Southwest Division and therefor was need for a D&RGW steam aera caboose. And to make things worse, i model Rio Grande in standard gauge, not in narrow gauge. Purchasing NG is no problem, a widespread choice of D&RGW NG cabooses in all formats, style and lettering. And there will be no modules with dual gauge, so there will be no possiblties to use a NG caboose behind SG locos an rolling stock: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/81569/rec/5">http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/si ... 1569/rec/5</a><!-- m -->
So Standard Gauge is a problem. Here in Germany was nothing to purchase in this orientation. So i purchased a secondhand D&RGW Walthers wood caboose in the States via ebay.












That was i got. The previous owner has done some modifications, as Intermountain wheelsets, new number and Royal Gorge herald and some other imorovements. I was satisfied with this deal.

But ...(censored) Walthers has done here with this model lettered for D&RGW?
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/51886/rec/41">http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/si ... 886/rec/41</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/file.php?1,file=7577,filename=cabooses-1191-1157-leadville.jpg">http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/file.php ... dville.jpg</a><!-- m -->
Tell me about why the Walters wood caboose was done as it is. :? The end platforms differ completely in nearly all details from the prototype.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/file.php?1,file=7576,filename=drgw-01157-leadville.jpg">http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/file.php ... dville.jpg</a><!-- m -->
And as this photo shows, these old wooden caboose made it into the Diesel aera.
For me it is a sort of challenge to get this caboose ready for the meeting.





First step for the word was demounting all parts. Here plastic profiles were put out and 1mm sheet was cut ready for new end platforms, also splices were scribed with rather butt cutter.





Second step was searching for suitable materials and make preliminary work.





Glueing "C"-shaped profiles under the body to make outer sills.





New platforms mounted by glueing.





End sills were glued onto. For lack of time i decided to use parts of the old underframe again. The wrong platform steps were removed.





Kadee coupler boxes were mounted too in this early stage to became fully integrated.
And a 3-point suspension was created. Left, washers were piled to get the right height. Right, on each side a pile of tiny plastic profiles and sheets were glued onto the traverse member. The air reservoir was monted by shimming a little downwards according to prototype photos. The AB brake will retained.



Cheers Lutz

Hi all,

First (almost) finished-project-post here with something i have completed recently. It is an ATSF GP35 which i re-numbered and weathered. Luckily i did not need to repaint/re-decal since the factory color and decals look fine to me and matched Microscale's decals which i had (and used for the renumbering).

Weathering was done using oils / enamels / salt weathering and my airbrush. I opted for a very weathered loco, based on some prototype photos of the 1960s and 1970s. I got another 3 Kato GP35 in line which most probably i ll weather less than this.

I still need to add mu hoses, cut levers, lift rings, kadee 158 couplers and change the number board to the correct one (1327).

I hope you like it, thank you very much in advance for your time / replies.
Yannis

Hi all,

My name is Yannis, new member here from Greece. I have been previously reading this forum and ,better late than never, decided to join the community!

I am modeling the ATSF in the mid to late sixties (1964 to 1967), on the Surfline in HO scale. I am currently building a 13' x 15' temporary layout (folded dogbone, stacked loops, operated point to point). I call it temporary and training layout since i realized that its better to start from scratch in a new permanent house without perpetuating past layout design mistakes. Therefore i left any aspirations of moving this layout aside (which fits this space nicely though), and decided to continue building it anyway for practice/training purposes. Having something else to look forward to which will encompass many of the things i have learned so far, i have already designed the permanent layout for the (when the time comes) next permanent house (point to point design with continuous run option if needed).

In addition to model railroads i am also building 1/48 U.S. aircraft models. Anyhow, glad to have become a member, and i am looking forward to learn and contribute from/to the community.

Yannis

Two day build.
I had this HSM Silver plume store kit.



Really nice old craftsman kit with mostly printed cardboard and wood parts. Moulded plastic windows and corbels.
The walls had to be cut from sheet wood.
Roof material is surgical tape.
Real glass in the windows (which needs to be cleaned...)






The smoke stack is made from a wood dowel.





Now some interior to make.

A pair of SD40-2's head up stone train WPCA-51X.

Bruce

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So, I was looking in my work room for a project box (which I still haven't found) and I noticed that among the "way too many" screwdrivers and hammers, I have 5 flashlights.

I was talking to my boss a few weeks ago and he said that he found another tape measure of his, from Harbor Freight, that makes 5 he has.

Anyone care to confess how many backup tools you have other than screwdrivers? (everyone has way too many screwdrivers)

I have 8 flashlights and 6 scissors scattered around the house.
........ or should that be: Strategically placed?

I heard from Deano yesterday evening, and am saddened to report that his father, Larry Engebretson, passed away yesterday.
I met Larry and Deano only once, at the Illinois Railway Museum, but both were instantly likeable, and I very much enjoyed the time spent with them. I had always hoped that the three of us would have an opportunity to get together again, but unfortunately, that will not occur.
My sympathies to Deano and to his mother and all of his extended family. Rest in peace, Larry.

Wayne

Atlas has a new line of 60-foot passenger cars coming in its N scale Trainman line:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.atlastrainman.com/NFreight/tmn60passenger.htm">http://www.atlastrainman.com/NFreight/t ... senger.htm</a><!-- m -->

The company notes that the cars are "Based upon C&NW and CNJ prototypes," but does not offer CNJ as one of the road names in the first run.

Afternoon everyone!

With my HO Scale Exhibition layout now mostly finished (except for about a million jobs on my to-do list, but what layout is ever finished, right?), the attention of myself and my co-conspirator Ford has turned toward our next project, and the first truly 'joint' layout - this time making use of all that O scale stuff I've been hoarding for a few years.

The working title of the layout is West Box Street (please someone help me think of something better!), as a nod toward my previous layout, as well as the trackplan, which is a modified version of Shortliner's Box Street plan.

The idea is yet again a heavily industrialised urban area somewhere in the South East of the USA. Georgia or Alabama, maybe? That's still to be decided on.

As a departure from my usual slapdash approach to layout construction, every aspect of this new layout is going to be planned from the ground up from the start. Ford insisted on it, and I don't blame him, going on my track record!

This will need to be bulletproof before the first piece of wood is cut.

A trackplan has been settled on, and thrown together in SCARM to check clearances. All track is going to be handbuilt, and will follow the "FUnitMad" approach of tracklaying for that added realism.

Here's the trackplan:







The intention for the layout is to have full lighting, sound, and animated features, and Ford has even been kicking around the idea of an automated (or not) Day/Night cycle to make exhibitions even more interesting.

Whilst the actual construction of the layout is looking to be a while off yet, we've both started working on various other aspects of the build - I've begun work on rolling stock and structure projects, and Ford has been working on the lighting and using Arduino to animate doors, roller shutters, etc.

Photos and videos will follow of progress as and when there's something worth showing.