Gidday All, well I thought I had got the computer/camera interface sorted but it seems to be somewhat spasmodic.
Still the magnolia out the back is in bloom and we haven’t need the fire for the past six nights and I’ve got all the railings on the rail deck completed, as long as I don’t manage to drop the pliers on to one of the join areas again [banghead][banghead], and have started on the railing on the superstructures. Hoorah!! I think I’m definitely at the 90% finished, 90% to go stage.
Looking forward to the really Good Stuff, Have a Great One ffolkes,[:D]
Cheers, the Bear,
I love the “90% done - 90% to go…” phrase! Many times have I assessed an ongoing project that I thought was coming along great only to realize how much more work was required to finish the thing!
Updates on the McKeen motor car:
Roof details installed:
Interior painted and lights installed. I used 30.1K resistors to get the LEDs to just glow:
Here is the interior light tree:
I am using a basic Digitrax non-sound decoder until Loksound releases their Galloping Goose sound decoder. The decoder and the wiring fit nicely out of sight between the tanks and stairwells etc. I don’t plan on turning the motor car upside down to show my handiwork:
I’m getting close to painting the exterior of the shell. I have figured out that masking the interior won’t be nearly as difficult as I had imagined.[:D][Y]
In the next week or two I should have a finished motor car to show off.
With the 2 IHC engines done, I did a line up of the 4 roads I have represented so far. Left to right: Lehigh and New England, Central Railroad of New jersey, Lehigh Valley and Reading.
Bear, I thought you would have the apron and approaches all done by now!!![:-^]
Dave, beautiful work on the McKeen car, a lot of patience has gone into building that car, it should look great.
Jimmy, practice does make perfect, with all the cars I have painted and decalled, you find out what works and what doesn’t.
Casey, Steam Kit-Bashing is an art, one I don’t think I could do - Great Work!!!
I managed to finish a couple of cars this week.
To further add to my NKP fleet of cars here is a Front Range 50’ ACF Combination Door Boxcar, Extended Coupler Pockets and A-line Sill Steps added. Painted with Scalecoat II Boxcar Red, Floquil Platinum Mist and lettered with Microscale Decals.
Con-Cor 60’ Greenville Box Car, removed the rivits as I was making the Thrall version with Welded Seams, Extended Coupler Pockets and A-Line Sill Steps added. Painted with Scalecoat II Boxcar Red and Floquil Platinum Mist Paints, then lettered with Mask Island Decals. Car is in Auto Parts Service for Ford.
In keeping with the NKP theme, a pair of Athearn GP9’s entering the siding with a mixed freight.
Bear … 90% 90% … I like that too. … Your car ferry will be a masterpiece.
Dave… Your McKeen motor car will also be a masterpiece. I enjoy your progress reports.
Jimmy … Another Nice Hopper !
Rick … The NKP and RI box cars look great. I like the NKP GP9’s.
Not much model railroading here lately, but I did weather my scratch built rural grain elevator. … It will be in the back of the layout, and so I did not include many details. … Now I am scratch building a trackside shed that will be placed next to it.
Wow, great stuff from everyone and good to see Bear back in the game with fresh pics[:D]
After 4 ops sessions in 13 days, it was good to get back to modeling. The biggest crew showed up for my turn to host the Illinois Terminal Division monthly meeting and we finally had a chance to run the full passenger schedule last Saturday. It went really well. We ran roughly an hour to hour and a half behind much of the time due to a slow start, but the running times all seemed to work well on the 6:1 ratio fast clock. It looks like the first Thursday and second Wednesday will be the monthly days for ops here, so if you’re in the area and want to participate, send me a PM and I’ll get you connected.
The first pic is a result of a suggestion by Rick Schroeder. You may remember him from the his letter and pics in the recent MR issue about the Velcro-enabled layout skirts on his Danville & Western. Rick noted that a little more guidance for new operators would help in locating what switch or knob controls what turnout. So I came up with the idea of turnout register numbers. Basically, it’s a small layout appliance that resembles a hand throw’s target, numbered sequentially from 0 to 9. I’ll do a write up this weekend in more detail, but this is what this unobtrusive solution looks like.
I’ve had an extra left-hand turnout suitting around for a few weeks and fianlly deceided where it was needed most, adding a second lead into the complex where Webber Wholesale is located. They’re a major source of food and other sundries for towns and camps along the line.
With things angled as they are, there will even be enough space to lengthen the rail dock side to hold 5 cars. Now Goble’s can get more regular shipments of lumber and coal, plus that track can also be used with dock plates to
I’m enjoying you elevator build. The weathering looks great also. Your philisophy on adding just enough detail for where the viewing distance can appreciate it is one I also often follow. It can save a lot of time, too, no sense in building things that can’t be seen unless it’s taken off the layout - unless you plan on taking it a contest or RPM session.
Thanks for the kind comments.
The “90% finished, 90% to go “phrase was much used when I was involved in overhauling ag aircraft. After dismantling, paint stripping, then overhauling by repairs or replacement the individual components, the owners would get quite excited when the wings, engine and empennage went back together, not withstanding that there still was the various control runs to fit, rig, electrics, hydraulics, fuel, avionics systems, etc, to connect and functionally check, hence the “90% to go”. The Chief Engineer would always leave the propeller off till the last possible moment because as soon as it was fitted, the owners expected the aeroplane to run.
I’ll just repeat myself again Dave but that is fine work.
Practise makes perfect??? I’m pleased it works for you Jimmy; I just need to keep practising. [sigh]That hopper looks good. RDG Casey, when I look at the
Thanks everyone for the comments on the McKeen car.
Jimmy - excellent job on the hopper. I know what you mean by “getting it right the 6th time…” Once I have done something a few times I wonder why was that so hard to do the first time round?
RDG Casey - Nice lineup. Very few modelers can claim that they actually built their own fleet of locomotives.
Rick J - Your work is always excellent.
Garry - Beautiful scratchbuild, and the weathering is very well done.
Grampy - Every photo of your railroad is impressive.
Bear, Thanks for the WPF roll-out. Good to see you’re back into the handrail wrestling contest, but of course your perseverance will soon be rewarded with sweet victory.
First car to roll thru my completed harbor scene and onto the carfloat is a nicely weathered AD&N boxcar compliments of forum member Bryan B. Thanks again Bryan.
Thanks to all and have a good weekend, regards, Peter
Geared Steam … Thanks for sharing the impressive work at the NG show.
Peter … Your harbor scene is outstanding.
Allan … I definately like the short passenger train… Thanks for the remark about my grain elevator.
Rick … Thanks for commenting about the grain elevator.
Johnathan … I like the Z guage lyaout.
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Below is more work in progress… I built a simple shed from material in my scrap box. I placed it along with the grain elevator on the part of my layout which is under construction. As you can see, much work remains. … I’ll not be able to do anything to the layout in the next two weeks because of other stuff.
