GEC's Layout Progress

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Well, its been just over 4 months, And I've managed to pull in a lot of new things, but I haven't managed to do much more work on any projects.

NJ DOT related stuff

I haven't progressed on my Arrow III kits

My Arrow IIs still haven't arrived.

Still sitting on the Arrow I, taking longer than I expected to get the molding material.

I did aquire a few new models though, including three ACF 44 Seat coaches, 2 in Great Northern "Big Sky" blue, and one Undec (not sure if i'm going to paint it NJ DOT or Burlington Northern).

These will be part of my Jersey Builder train, along with the ACF "empire Builder" 60 seat coach I had. The ACF cars only made a small part of NJ DOT's "Jersey builder" cars (six 44 seat ACF coaches, four 60 Seat ACF coaches). Most were Pullman Standard 48 seat coaches. These will require Brass-Car-Sides kits to do. I'll hopefully order a handful of these to assemble on a rainy day.

And of course, the Duff Challenge GP40PH-2 isn't getting anywhere fast. Even if I had the time, school has me to burned out to put time into it right now, which is annoying. I really want one of these!

Amtrak Projects-

I haven't rebuilt or painted any of the undec equipment I have, even though i do have the decals for it.

Its a little bit upsettting-

two different HEP car projects half finished:

--The one ex-Army kitchen car kit I have is rare, and the short baggage car is desireable as well as the HEP car variant. I'm waiting for another kit to show up.

--The old UP coach HEP car is going to need some slightly annoying work to do right, and so it sits until I have a free day.

--The PRR Twin diners actually need more work than I thought (some windows were made smaller later), at least i can see pair 8801-8802 don't require the full width diaphragm, which was turning into an expensive part.

--the Observation/Tavern car is still untouched. I might be able to steal an extra door from the baggage car/core kits I have, since it looks like nobody stocks passenger car doors anymore. I have the diaphram for it though, so maybe thats enough to get started on the housing. Don't know when I'll have the chance to though. This one will need some windows filled to be perfect, but its undec so thats alright.

-- Looks like the Metroliners got delayed until late July. That kinda sucks, mostly because It looks like my orders for things will start stacking up around them, and they are expensive! They will be cool though, and they are necessary for a 1970s Northeast Corridor (one departs Washington DC every top of the hour, and one departs New York every bottom of the hour. See the yellow lines in the schedule graph).

--I started scratchbuilding a "Le Pub" car sides from thing plastic sheet with the intention of making my own car-side for a car type nobody sells. Its been a little tricky. I've also been playing around with actually making a 3d model of the car sides and submitting them to "Shapeways", where they could 3D print the sides for me.

Scratch building it is frustrating, but probably faster.

Conrail projects

Started on some of tom's freightliner trucks

Picked up a Reading Company GP30 to be patched for Conrail. Unfortuneately, I ran out of CR patch decals, since this would have been an easy project otherwise.

I also got a few new Conrail boxcars, including a Blue Evans X72 car.

I got my Conrail GG1 back from MTH, but haven't tried it out. Its looking better than when I sent it back though, at least its a little straightened out.

I have the NW2, GP7 and PRR GP9 that I haven't yet figured what to do with.

---The Kato NW2 I'll probably repaint into CNJ, as it physically matches its prototype. Most of the "blue" NW2s with that body type had weird cabs or other odd details that prevent me from simply changing the number and keeping the full Conrail blue paint scheme.

---The Kato GP7 doesn't really seem to match any of the Conrail ones precisely enough for me to just renumber it.

---It also looks like most of the PRR GP9s on Conrail were retired or rebuilt, and it doesn't look like the PRR GP9 will be a good candidate for a patch even in the 1978-79 time frame (not without repainting the entire engine anyway).

Catenary Updates

I ended up transplanting my catenary towers onto a 1'x4' mini module as a demonstration piece, and I wired up the second track.

unfortuneately, this means my layout is devoid of catenary right now (its already a wreck though, since I haven't run it in a long time because of school). I'm wondering if its even worth putting back on my layout, which is depressing, but it might be better to put the effort in on projects that will go somewhere.

General projects and updates-

Unfortuneately, on my last day of show seasons at my club, my train got rear ended accidentally by a Lionel Veranda turbine in a tunnel. A good chunk of my trains fell to the floor and were heavily damaged. I'm not sure If I have all the parts, and many of these cars (just over 1/4 of my "period" matching cars) will probably need a lot of work to get them back to normal, if at all possible.

I managed to also acquire a Walthers Trainline NJ Transit F40PH, and a pair of NJ Transit Comet II coaches.

I also ended up with a new Roadway Truck, which is nice.

I also ordered a bunch of Reading Company "Green" car kits from IHP. These are Reading Company's "analog" to the MP54. A small Reading Company module has always been an interest. Who knows when these will actually show up though, since I still haven't gotten my Arrow II kits.

Speaking of MP54s, I had planned on picking up two of the Penn Central Concor units. My bet is that those, the Metroliners and the Reading Cars I ordered will all come out at the same time and bankrupt me!

I also have two Funaro & Camerlengo MP54s in "purgatory", half finished. One of these days!

My E6 atlantic will probably have to sit a while longer, its low on the priority list.

CRAZY INSANE PLAN OF DOOM Input appreciated

I may or may not cut my layout apart. Personally, I'm tired of being "squished" into a 4x8, but I don't want to abandon all the work I've done.

My plan is to cut the layout into two 2x8 "modules". I will remove the curves all together, and make brand new "curve" modules that have larger curves that work better with my passenger equipment.

This will allow me to make a larger yard (by extending and adding to my "yard side" module, and will let me extend the track lead on my industrial park so that i could possibly use "normal" road switchers on the track.

I might add or remove some of the mainline tracks as is practical. Obviously, some of the structures would have to changem but it might make things interesting once again.