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+--- Thread: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge (/showthread.php?tid=9623)
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 03-08-2026
Back to the Acme....
Still working the cashier stands. Not trying to be too literal since it would take a really good pair of eyes to see the detail inside the building. It would be nice to find some cash registers in HO scale, but these things (more cardstock creations) will do, I think. I'm starting to think about how to support the roof (posts most likely) and add some lighting.
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - Charlie B - 03-08-2026
Todd, those will look amazing inside that building.
Charlie
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - hillyard999 - 03-09-2026
Todd,
you keep amazing me with this build.
these will be great1
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 03-14-2026
Thanks fellas. Planted the checkout stands and made a little office for the front corner of the store. Time to work on the ceiling and post supports next. Posts are probably going to be polystyrene and I'll have to cut a bunch of them and ideally they would be cut nice and square, so I probably need to build some sort of jig.
Here's a look with the interior loosely inserted into the exterior.
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 03-15-2026
Building interior posts. Thought I had some smaller square tubular polystyrene. Alas, what I had was too beefy. What I really wanted was some round stock, but all I had was either the wrong size or was brass. Got to thinking what else I had that wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg to get... Dug into my old boxes or unwanteds and started thinking about parts sprues from plastic models... Found some from a bridge kit that was perfect (aside from the occasional jutting of a parts holder that I'll sand off after cutting to the right length).
Then to cut them, I built a jig out of a small piece of leftover drawer that already had a deep slot cut in it. Got my mitre box out with my smallest kerf mitre saw I had and cut a perpendicular groove to slide my track saw through, but that groove was too wide for the track saw. Cut a narrower slot (the one on the right in the picture below) the same way with a very thin cutoff saw and now I'm in business. Measured for the height of all of my posts and friction fit a piece of oak at the proper distance and I now have a jig for shearing off the posts repeatably and getting a square cut to boot.
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 05-22-2026
Raining a good bit this weekend and I'm back from a trip to Texas to see the son and his family... Got up at 2:30 AM to catch a flight back... took a nap and a walk with the dog and went down to my room in the basement to start thinking about the gorge again. Spring has sprung fully, but when it rains, I'm inside.
More delays on the Acme. My inkjet printer took a dump. Won't power up anymore, but I think I can use the wife's upstairs which is a pain. I'm also about out of good Insta-Cure+ gap filling CA, so I ordered some more off evil bay. I don't plan to work on that project until I get the new glue.
Ran some trains and started looking at my own personal "deadline" - a couple of locomotives with issues. 6751 is my ex-PC C628 that I've had for a good while. Stewart model. It's got a heat issue that melted the shell, and (probably not coincidentally, a DCC issue). The melting started at least a year ago, but wasn't too bad and I was considering spackling and sanding the first depression in the sidewall, but the recent new warping of the top of the shell is just not operable.
Time to decide what to do with this beast, and the options are fairly large. When running, it's a champ, so I'm going to keep the chassis. This was one of my first weathering projects and I am very fond of this shell and the weathering job that appropriately captures the look of the early years of Conrail, but like I said, it's literally TOAST. Cab's still good (aside from a missing set of horns and a mounting frame) and I'm missing some front handrails. The chassis would fit any of the Stewart/Bowser 3-axle Century models (C628, C630 and C636), so I went on the Bowser website and started looking for replacement shells, all of which can be had for $15 each. However, there are two versions of the C636 shell that they are currently having a fire sale on ($7 and $2)! The $2 version is (I believe) the version without dynamic brakes, but the PC never bought those, so if I want a C636, I think I'll have to pass on the $2 part. The C636 also rode on hi-ad trucks, so I'd need to buy those - a full set of gear towers with the hi-ad trucks would run me $50, so no C626 for me! I did have a PC C630 once, and I liked the look of it, but ended up selling it because I had a Reading version and this C628.
If I want to model CR assets (628 and 630's), I'd have my choice of LVRR, PC and RR color schemes, and I could do either the Cornell red or Snowbird LV schemes and paintouts or the black dip PC version in the 628. The 630 would either be a non-Bee Line RR (almost all of the bee line units rode on hi-ad trucks) or the black dip PC unit. The Snowbird scheme has always been one that I've wanted to try (inspired by Charlie's White Elephants), and if I wanted to model either of the LV versions, that would mean buying decals and probably some paint. I already have a brutally weathered green and yellow Reading C630, so I feel like if I do model another C630, I think I'd be inclined to go with a PC version, maybe still in Penn Central logos.
Before pulling the trigger on this project, I'm just going to have to look at a bunch of pictures for inspiration. The other options also include foreign power, although I don't know if Conrail would have intentionally leased another big Alco (probably not). I can also lie in wait and hope that a finished shell or a defunct unit pops up on ebay for a good price. In the meantime, I can get to work figuring out the DCC decoder issue and see what caused all of the heat at the top of the shell.
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 05-22-2026
Did a little puttering around looking for potential shells to model.... Found this one (CR patchout) that I thought was pretty cool. I do have the yellow striping, but don't have an exact match for the white chevrons on the nose....
cr6726onlndossett.jpg (1006×654)
Also tore open the body and found the source of the heat - looks like a solid state resistor did a bit of thermal runaway...
I also reset the decoder and revived the unit's address and got it to run. Looks like the resistor probably controls the class lights and the number board lighting. Other than that, everything seems functional. I will be running the unit for a while tomorrow to see if the resistor heats up again.
I'll keep my eye peeled for a used board or a defunct unit that I could use the board out of. Bowser doesn't currently sell the circuit board.
I also found out that MLW put out C630M and M630 versions that were leased by early Conrail through CN...
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 05-23-2026
Digging, digging, digging...
The Bowser parts website is extensive... I spent a couple of hours in it last night and this morning and found that there are some prebuilt/painted Executive Line shells ready to go and for sale.... No Conrail-specific roadnames, but they do offer a couple of British Columbia Railroad M630's that have beautiful details and they are pre-wired for lighting (with their new circuit boards of course, not my old Stewart card, which may be a problem regarding fit). But, for $45? That's probably a deal I can't pass up. Can't find any evidence that Conrail leased any BCR stuff, but as I did say yesterday, they did deal with CN and CP a lot. Who's to say that a BCR unit didn't end up helping out at some point? There are also some similar PGE units, but the BCR would have swallowed them up by 1976, and by 1984? They'd be CP units.
If I do decide to go this route, I also found some Hi Ad truck covers on Bowser's website. Gotta find out whether they are fully compatible with my Stewart gearbox frames....
Anyway, here's a link to Page 33 of the Diesel parts list that includes these units and some beautiful RS3 shells (mostly on page 32) for the the same price... https://bowserorders.com/product-category/ho-bowser-parts-diesel-loco/page/33/
I see more cash flying out of my wallet....
I did run my chassis this morning at full speed for about an hour and no scorching heat was noted where the resistor was previously fried. I'll do it again with the old shell on with a piece of tape over the new "vents" to see if there's any buildup.
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 05-23-2026
More digging....
I don't believe the Hi Ad sideframes aren't going to work on my C628 trucks... The old Alco trimount trucks were assymetrical - the middle axle was closer to the front axle than the rear. The Hi Ad trucks were evenly spaced and the sideframes have holes in them to accept the ends of the wheelsets. So, if I do pull the trigger on the BCR M630 shell, I either have to buy all new trucks ($50 more), or end up with something that's not prototypical. I guess I could always buy the trucks later if it really bothered me. I still haven't placed and order yet, but it's fun kicking these ideas around.
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 05-26-2026
Framed the new project locomotive to my wife and kids as a possible "Father's Day gift" - they were all in...
Not only did I purchase the BCR shell, but new fuel tank sides, new railings for another of my C628's, the Hi Ad trucks all from Bowser, a new 4-function decoder (the Lenz unit had an issue with the FOF circuit) and an Executive Line version 1 motherboard I'm buying used from evil bay at a good price (hopefully I won't get what I paid for). Aside from the metal frame, the couplers and the motor, we're talking about a complete gut job... No one will be able to recognize anything on the exterior that isn't a replacement, and what once was a Penn Central C628 is going to be a BCR M630 with a ton more detailing. I'll be documenting the build as I go...
There's a video of sound version of one of these here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JrHplCAk74
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 05-26-2026
Before parts arrive, I thought I'd get some prep work out of the way. Removed the screws that hold the circuit board down - the whole board is getting replaced with a new circuit card that is much smaller and will be secured over the motor. There are connectors on the new board for track voltage, motor leads and a bigger connector with 5 or 6 pins for the lights. The front and rear end of the locomotive will get their own lighting board that runs wires to the big lighting connector.
I cut a piece of bread board and drilled out two holes large enough to slide over the pins at the top of each side of the motor mount. I'll figure out how to secure the circuit board to the bread board later.
I also removed the fuel tank from the bottom of the frame (4 screws) and removed both sides of the tank since I'll be getting the new M630 tank profiles (right and left) from Bowser. I could remove the trucks and gear towers, but I think I'll wait until I get the replacements to make sure they are completely compatible with the frame.
Now we wait for packages to arrive.
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - hillyard999 - 05-27-2026
TMO,
This is turning into quite a project.
I am impressed with your skills and more importantly, your gumption to fix this.
Looking forward to more as things develop....
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 05-27-2026
Go big or go home!
Certainly could have been a whole lot simpler if I'd just purchased a replacement for the melted hood. I've had a hankering for a Bowser Executive Line locomotive for quite a while, but the price tags scared me away when I could buy an old Stewart and dress her up. The $45 prefinished shell was too good to pass up, and if all of the lighting is already installed and functional, it's hard not to try to implement. You push one domino and it snowballs. Looks like most or all of the components should be arriving on or before this weekend - if it's raining again I'll be digging in.
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 05-31-2026
Speaking of going bigger....
While I had placed an order with Bowser (it pays to get as much stuff at one time to combine shipping), I figured I'd address the missing handrails on my Cornell Red LV C628 - picked up a set and primed them with my airbrush and set them off to dry. I also had this unit apart to troubleshoot a couple of decoders, so I figured.... while I had her apart, and since I saw a couple of 3-axle wipers for the Tri Mount trucks as I was rummaging through my loco parts, I could replace the wipers. Nice easy job, right?
Speaking of easy jobs, the BCR retrofit has encountered a snag.... that one's still on the bench until I do some consulting with Bowser. More on that later.
Back to the LV unit... A few years ago, Bowser had realized that the old Stewart wipers only picked up the voltage on 2 of the three axles in each truck - the wiper just connected the closer two of the three axles. Their new Executive Line of C628, C630 and C626 used wipers that were in contact Bowser put out a kit which included the 3-axle wiper and the plastic sideframes for the Tri-mount trucks if you wanted to upgrade your Stewart. I figured there was no sense in getting the whole kit if I could just pick up the wipers (yeah, sometimes I'm pretty cheap), and I bought (I think) enough to cover 2 locomotives. Those many years ago I opened up one of my locomotives and attempted to install the wipers but ran into fit issues. I must have figured out how to make it work, but I didn't recall what I did today when I went to replace the wipers on the LV unit.
The 3-axle wipers are definitely NOT made for the Stewart plastic sideframes. Without the fix I propose or without using new Bowser sideframes, the 3-axle wipers won't work. There are two major interference points (circled in blue in the picture below) where the plastic has to be removed to allow the wiper to ride correctly against the sideframe and is the only way the whole truck assembly will snap together and be functional. Picture shows the old 2-axle wiper, the new 3-axle version ($3 each), and the inside of the sideframe of the Tri-mount truck.
I did my modifications with a sharp knife, but a file could also certainly work. You just have to remove enough plastic to allow the brass wiper to rest near the inside face of the sideframe. The trucks themselves have to be taken apart carefully to retain the plastic gear arrangement - it's a nightmare if the things open up. Here's a shot of the completed truck with the two new wipers. Good project for a Sunday afternoon after spending the morning with a shovel and edger on my 400-ft road frontage.
RE: Rainbows in the Lehigh Valley Gorge - TMo - 06-04-2026
Ah, yes, the BCR M630.... turning into quite a project. Here's a look at the shell I received. Schnazzy!
What I thought would be easy and turnkey? Nah.
I previously showed my breadboard platform for holding up the "new" Executive Line version 1 circuit board. Before tightening the circuit board down to the breadboard I decided to test fit the board. Guess what? It's not narrow enough to slide up into the shell of the M630... There was some extra room on the edge of the board on each long side, so I took the board over to my sanding belt and removed what I could... still functional and now fits into the shell. Hurdle #1 hurdled.
Then there were the "prefab" trucks I'd purchased. Thinking they would be plug and play, I added a micro JST connector to the tails going to the track wipers, plugged them into the circuit board, and put the clips onto the top of the gear towers to secure them. Put another micro connector on the motor leads and plugged them in, plugged in the decoder and placed the chassis on the rails for the first time.... Noticed that one of the trucks refused to sit flat on the rails - 2 out of 3 axle contact and that truck would not track through a curve. Hurdle #2...
Contacted Bowser, who suggested that maybe the bottom plate of the truck wasn't seated well. Pulled the sideframes off of the trucks and examined the fit and function of the truck without the sideframes - road the track well and I was able to move all of the wheels by turning the worm gear with no resistance. Then I examined the sideframes after taking off the wipers. Turns out one of the wipers was warped (you can probably tell in the photo below that the axle hole on the left is substantially higher than the other two:
Fortunately, brass is quite malleable, and I was able to unwarp the wiper. Stuck it back on the sideframe and rebuilt the truck. Wah... lah... runs on the track without derailing.
Before I dug into the lighting options, I thought I'd just try sliding the shell onto the chassis.... and discovered some what we call at work..... FEATURES! (Hurdle #3....)
The old Stewart air tank arrangement was accomplished by sliding the air tanks into slots above the fuel tank and that could be done after the shell was on. Not so much with the new design - those tanks are part of the shell and the old Stewart chassis has cast metal right where those tanks are.
I'm going to have to remove some of the metal chassis to allow the shell to close tight to the chassis. I'm going to have to get the Dremel out...
Put that aside for the time being and figured I'd attach the new sideframes to the fuel tank... That should be simple! All of the old C628 and C630 sideframes slipped right in the housing... No glue needed, takes 10 seconds. Not so much with these newly designed ones - although they slide in, they are probably 1/16" longer than the old ones. Hurdle #4! I ended up cutting through an end slot on the back end of the housing and gluing the sideframes on the housing. They are currently drying before I screw the tank back on the chassis.
In summary, nothing easy! Challenges a-plenty!