Weekly Photo Fun - April 3rd-April 10th, 2015

[Green_Elite_Cab]

I've begun decaling my GP40P. Right now, the main complication is that the yellow stripe decals keep breaking apart. Clearly, I need to get some liquid decal film or something to hold them together. I'm hoping I won't need to buy a whole new sheet!

4105's end stripes are challenging since they are "60 degrees" relative to the deck, a stripe pattern apparently not available as is in 6" yellow decal stripes. The stripes are also challenging in that they don't want to lay down "around the corners".

If I was less crazy, I probably should have settled on 4104, it seemed to lack end striping in the Conrail era. That would have been too easy though, and the stripes add to the appearance!



The Tropicana Orange Juice train passes eastbound on Track 2 as a Metroliner zooms west on Track 4



An overhead view. Though inconspicuous, the brass material for the catenary poles is laying against track 4, and I have sketched in the locations of the major scenery items. Rest assured, there WILL be wire up by the end of this month!

The only complication will be the Hand Place overpass, which bisects the module just off-center (visible as Cris-crossed lines next to the ends of the second and third Metroliner). Here the catenary profile will need to be "adjusted" to pass underneath. I'm hoping to install a "brass skeleton" at this location, which will support the catenary ridigly (the catenary on the prototpye is also mounted onto the sides of the overpass). It won't look pretty, but I can eventually build the overpass around it.

I plan to use brass angle and sheets to build the bridge so that it is sturdy, but leave enough space to affix styrene to the bridge and "stone abutments" to the ends.