Hi Tom: Thank you very much for your reply. Which effects are you in asking about in particular? All: Notice an anomaly on the #300?
Them fans get replaced with what ever will bolt in place LOL. Really enjoy all the added parts and some in Primer or what ever color the host carrier was . I can see air brush weathering. But do you use chalks? I am wondering about the trucks in particular. I still enjoy those Geeps I got from you years ago, and have tried to weather similarly on occasion. I made some trucks grimy, but painted the journal boxes glossy Black like the traction motors had been replaced. It was not popular with a couple guys LOL, tried to explain why it was done but guess they never had seen or noticed same.
Fans: Good eye, Tom! Airbrush: Right you are, I use an airbrush to apply some of the effects, such as subtle fading of the paint. The particular fading I'm talking about is done at the base coat level. In the case of the KC&G, I shoot the custom mixed "Gulf Coast Gray" light gray first, then mask off for the scheme, and come back with the basic blue mix I use for KC&G "Mountain Mist Blue". I then cut the "Mountain Mist Blue" with some white, and then shoot that in random width vertical streaks on the hood and corners of the cab to simulate a basic fading. Toward the end of the weathering, the airbrush is also used to apply what I call "roof grunge" (roughly a 50/50 mix of Floquil Rust and Roof Brown) as well as using the airbrush to apply Floquil Engine Black (to represent fresh soot on the stacks and immediately around the stacks) and a touch of Weathered Black for the older soot around the edges of the Engine Black soot. I also use the airbrush to mist on some dust and such at the truck/tank/pilot areas and so forth. I also use "roof grunge" over a flat black painted truck IF the truck is to have been on the road for a spell. More airbrush passes = More grunge. I use the airbrush quite a bit. It doesn't take long for a truck to get a coating of "grunge". (Not to be confused with RUST.) Chalks: I use chalks to get the eroded paint look. To get that effect, I use the straight-from-the-stick light gray chalk and make a mark on an area, then use my fingers to smear this vertically or smooth it into a patch with my finger tip. I will also use "shaved" chalk (chalk stick scraped with the edge of a razor knife) and apply that with various densities and sizes of small brushes for other subtle effects. I also use the chalks to get rust in the corners where the hood meets the walkway... but I use this effect very sparingly. (Example: GP7 #412 has some rust in an area that was unique to the GP7/9 series: The toilet was notorious for leakage, and the chemicals ate at the hood and walkway. This is right up on the short walkway in front of the Engineer's front window.) For the rust runs where the paint has chipped/etc, I use tube acrylics. Can't remember the exact color offhand, but it looks like older rust. Using a small piece of wire, I'll dip the tip of the wire in a glub of the acrylic, then dab it on (how much depending on how large/small I want the rust patch), then quickly draw a clean paint brush straight down through the dab of acrylic. The result will look like a rust patch that has streaks coming from it. You can see such an effect here and there on the #300. After I'm satisfied with the overall weathering, I seal the chalks with a very light overspray of Testors Dull Coat from a rattle can. I spray some of the Dull Coat from the rattle can into a small paper cup, and then pour same into my airbrush bottle. I then use the airbrush to apply the Dull Coat. (This gives much finer control as opposed to trying to apply it using the rattle can.) Once all the above (and I've merely touched some of the high points, again, specific questions and I may be able to explain), I then dry brush using flat white (either acrylic or Testors Flat White in the bottle) to pop out the detail on the trucks and other items. Given the very poor lighting I had on the KC&G layout, I had to use a heavier dry brushing of the white to help see details in the poor lighting. I will need to mute the dry brushing some on the KC&G engines on the better lighting of my future layout. I'll post a pic an "overpass" picture of KC&G GP7 #412 in the next post, for I can't seem to edit a post if it includes pictures.
Here's an "overpass" shot of the 412. Note the rust at the crease of the short hood doors and the walkway in front of the Engineer's front window? That's the chalk effect I mentioned above. Oh, and the rust w/white streaks on the side sill: That's rust colored chalk w/white streaks in it to represent a the corrosion/rusting due to a leaking battery... another item a GP7/9 was noted for.
Update! As you can see from the above, I have been rethinking my previous decision to not include my proto-lanced KC&G line as one of the KC roads on my upcoming new and expanded "KC Lines: West Bottoms" HO scale layout. Well, I'm now 100% sure the KC&G is going to be incorporated into the layout's theme. In fact, I'm NOW thinking that the KC&G might become the primary road of the layout, and the rest of the KC roads would become "supporting cast". Doing this would accomplish several things for me, among them: * Give me a bit more latitude in reality, that is, I would be more mentally comfortable with "my" version of the West Bottoms instead of seeing its inaccuracies and letting said inaccuracies bug me. * Give me more latitude in the modeling. One of the appealing aspects of proto-lancing is that its creator (in this case ME) controls what is modeled, how its modeled, et al! Among the elements this aspect brings to the table is that 12th St. Yard can now become the KC&G's West Bottoms "industrial yard" and a place for the other KC area roads to set-out/pick-up cars to/from the KC&G for West Bottoms KC&G-served industries. The KC&G's main KC yard, "Riverfront Yard" is "off layout", and thus not a concern. * Will give my layout its own unique identity: It will be the ONLY KC&G layout "out there" in the modeling world, and even if another KC&G exists, the concept, theme, paint schemes, etc, will NOT be like mine. I like that idea, too. In view of the above, I've spent a bit of time over the past evening or so tweaking the written "history" to incorporate some desired changes, as well as back date the scope of the history time line. (The history ends in the early 1960s now instead of 1970 as it was originally.) For some odd reason, I enjoy creating plausible "history" (plausible to me, that is) for a proto-lanced concept. In all, I'm pretty excited about this change to my layout's concept. OH... almost forgot... was digging around in the two closets that store model stuff. In so doing, I unearthed some boxed away undec engines I had long forgotten I had!! (The unfinished KC&G stuff was packed away nearly 15-17 years ago.) In fact, some of the engines are already well underway to becoming a KC&G unit! I'm talking Stewart/Kato stuff, Life Like P2K GP7's... some neat finds! Almost like Christmas time and getting $400-$500 worth of undecorated engines! All fer now!
Here is the 1971 KCT Rules and Regulations. Note - pages 28, 29, 30, and 31 are blank and there fore not scanned. View attachment Kansas City Terminal 1971 rules and regulations.pdf
Andre, just to satisfy my own curiosity, where in the KC area is the KC&G Riverfront Yard located? It's not pertinent to your modeling efforts, unless represented by staging, I reckon. Nevertheless, I'd find it interesting to know where it'd be located. While it's rather like comparing apples-to-sledgehammers, I've often thought of modeling a smaller, Frisco-only, passenger depot in the vicinity of old Union Terminal so that I could visibly model Frisco passenger action without the logistical challenges of trying to plausibly model KC Union Station. Best Regards,
Hi Chris! In my "mind" I see Riverfront Yard east of the "Gooseneck" between the ASB and Paseo bridges. About where the huge original KCS (KCP&G) depot was located. (The depot you may be referring to as the old Union Depot.) IF I had the space, it would be cool to model Riverfront Yard... but no way. ANY sure 'nuf yard is HUGE. I haven't decided whether the KC&G leaves KC headed east, then turning south/southeast... or west, then turning south/southeast. Heading east puts the bulk of the main line traffic "off layout"... heading west means EVERY KC&G train "should" pass through my layout. That's a tall order to try to reflect a traffic "imaginary" traffic pattern that's on par with the KCS of the same time frame. You'd think I would have thought all this through back when I conceived the KC&G... but I was modeling the Ozark Sub. KC and the tracks there I didn't apply myself to trying to plausibly fit it among the prototype KC scene. Thanks for your question!
I'm pretty pumped... so thought I'd catch you all up on what's been going on. First: It appears the KC&G is here to stay. I'm getting VERY comfortable with the idea of the KC&G being my primary emphasis and the other KC roads as "supporting cast". There's only two roads that might cause the KC&G engines to temporarily go to a supporting cast role for a spell and replaced with one of the two roads that I think I would also enjoy running as I switch the yard and industries: The Frisco and the KCT. Second: In researching the lines of KC in order to better understand what state things were at by the early 1960s, I discovered that, typically, the first switcher units to arrive on a railroad's property were usually in a BLACK scheme of some type. Off the top of the head: Mop, UP, Rock Island, Wabash, KCS, ATSF, KCT, MILW, ??, all originally received switch engines in basic black. (No Zebra's on the ATSF until later!) It wasn't until after being in service a while that some began to be repainted into more colorful schemes, the UP standing out as one of the most striking changes, or "hazzard" striping added and so forth. I am going to emulate this with the future KC&G switch engines. In other words, they were originally delivered in a black scheme, and early in the 1950s, some were repainted into a form of the "Gulf Coast Blue" and "Mountain Mist Gray" scheme. This will give my KC&G roster more depth and will be more appropriate with the way things actually happened when the diesel switchers started arriving on the railroads. Third: Coming to this "originally black" realization, I also decided to have a very FIRST diesel that was purchased so the KC&G could try the diesel waters. This happened in the late 1930s and only ONE unit was purchased: An ALCo HH660. I've already purchased an Atlas "Gold" Undecorated DCC/Sound ALCo HH660 to fill this role. (Ships Monday.) The KC&G's only HH660 was originally numbered "D-10", but will only be the #10 by the early 60s. It will still be wearing its original black w/white stripes scheme, and will still be working where it was originally assigned: The West Bottoms. Fun! Fourth: Also inquiring as to whether the online dealer has a pair of Atlas "Gold" Undecorated DCC/Sound RS-1's in stock. If so, a pair will be purchased to become KC&G transfer units for moving tonnage between the KC&G's small 12th St. Yard and their main Riverfront Yard, as well as transfers to/from the other KC lines. Also included in the inquiry is whether he has the Atlas "Gold" DCC/Sound Undecorated GP7's and ALCo S-2's in stock. If so, I hope to obtain a pair of each type! (S-2's to become KC&G, the GP7's to become either the both KC&G, or one KC&G and one Frisco.) Lastly: I sit down at the workbench and did some modeling! Can't believe it. Even though I had to purchase new stuff at HobbyTown USA at Ft. Smith (some Solvaset for now and glue and dullcoat for later), here's what I done did: Took the bone-stock BLI KCS NW2 #1222 in the "as delivered" scheme and, using the KCS decals I received this week, brought it up to the early 60s by adding the missing shield heralds on the cab sides, the white striping on the foot board edges, and extending the side sill white stripe to the inside of the step wells. Still to go: Paint most of the handrails white, but that will wait until after I've masked off the windows, given it a coat of dull coat, then weather it, then follow up with more dull coat to seal the chalks/etc. THEN after all the handling/disassembling is over, paint the needed handrails white. Oh, and I also need to paint the stacks silver before the weathering begins. Here's a BEFORE pic... And here's an AFTER pic... "Having just set out a cut of cars for the KC&G at their small West Bottoms 12th St. Yard, Engineer 'Slick" Hodgens checks over his idling NW2 before climbing back onboard with the other crew members and heading out for the KCS Knoche Yard." That's all fer now!! an AFTER pic...
Sounds like you're about to move ahead full throttle. I look forward to seeing the progress. I'm not seeing the photos.
In just that last post, or can't see pics in any of the posts in this thread? I've been inserting the pictures "inline" among the dialogue. However, once that's done and I "preview" the post, , I receive some type of "line error" notification during the preview. Plus, once pics are inserted thusly, I can no longer edit the post once submitted. ??? Hm. When I get back tonight from the rules class I've got to attend, I'll try deleting the pictures from being inline and go with attachments and see what happens. However, I much prefer to place the pictures "inline" among the dialogue to illustrate a the post progresses. I suspect this software is glitchy about some things, inline pics being one of them.
Sorry to hear of your issues with editing and pictures Andre, but, glad to I am not the only one having the same problems. Rules! I hate Rules!! We dont need no more stinking rules!!
Okay, the software let me add the two pics in my post above as attachements. Can 'ya see'em now Jim? Tom: Yeah, there's definitely some glitches at work in the forum software. Like I said, photos "Inline": No can edit text.
Wakey, wakey! Time for a LOOOONG overdue update. Reason for it being so long? Simple: I was "distracted" with other things! (One major distraction has been that I've been vacillating back and forth about whether to model link n' pin steam in Colorado or diesels in KC in my recently built out building!) More on that in a bit... but let's get on with the update. First up: I intend to talk to the RRB (Railroad Retirement Board) next week during our laid-back vacation the wife and I are taking. I will be setting up my first retirement check for June of 2018. Yup, that's a life changer: Retirement. And the life changing nature of it as already started. For you see, as my retirement nears, I have come to a very sobering conclusion: I need to poop or get off the pot. Within the model railroad realm of which I am currently discussing, this essentially means the recognition that "steam" has always been something I wanted to do "one of these days" and over the decades I have dreamed, schemed, and spent money toward that over and over again, only to never have the nerve to make the switch, and thus I would stick with diesels. Unfortunately, I am coming to realize that I have been moved (kicking and screaming) into the Editors Office of my life in a major way, and not necessarily of my own choosing. That is, in regards to my life, I'm going to have to decide what I need to leave in, what to leave out, what to simplify... all that jazz. Bottom line is: I am NOT going to have the remaining years needed to do ALL the things I intended to do (or contemplated) over the past decades. Thus, I am coming to accept that having a fanciful steam layout (either as a primary or secondary layout) is NOT going to happen. Simply put, I don't have enough years left to learn all the skills I would need in order to have a steam layout the way I would WANT it to look. So, as a matter of necessity, I am going with what I have the skills to do NOW: Model using diesels. Besides, I'll get to run trains far faster that way. This decision has been reached rather recently as it dawned on me that in a few short months I will be able to take whatever time I want to get a layout underway. That so, the magnitude of the work that loomed ahead when envisioning a link n' pin era steam layout in the out building was overwhelming, and NOT exciting. Diesels are "do-able" for me, steam, not so. Thus, I had to make a decision. So that's what I've done: Made a decision. My decision: Diesels in KC, circa early 1960's. (Besides, I have V scale for my link n' pin outlet!) And frankly, now that I've made that decision, I'm looking forward to tackling a layout, for I'm comfortable that I have the skills needed to get a diesel theme up to "accptable" levels. Not so steam: I would have to spend many hours getting rolling stock modified, painted/decaled, etc, many hours getting engines to run smoothly (or built/kitbashed from kits), and all that doing so entails, to say nothing of what I would have to learn for the layout itself, such as the need to learn how to paint acceptable back drops, learn how to model Colorado-type scenery, on and on. No way. So, it appears diesels in KC it is. As for my steam acquisitions: I need to start making the effort to start the needed sell-offs and re-allocate the funds toward the diesel layout. All fer now! Andre
Sounds good Andre, I still keep enough stuff to operate a time warp type of steam train here, just keep it in a carrying case till the urge strikes. Early 1960's is a great time for modeling, so much equipment available. I am a few years away from making that call to the RRB, but I am so happy for you. I dont know about the A&M, but the outfit I work for is just getting worse every week it seems, too many litigators, bean counters, and not enough railroaders running the outfit. And all the cameras wow. But I aint whinning!!
It’s about time this thread was revived. Amazing how time flys! My grandpa retired as a school superintendent at age 65 but when he was in his late 80’s (he died at 89) he said to me, “if I had known I would live this long I would’ve worked longer”.
Andre I congratulate you on reaching the age for retirement and I hope you have a long and happy and BUSY retirement. During the 9 years I have been retired I have found that the key to staying happy in retirement is staying busy. My enjoyment of retirement has really increased since my wife also retired. It took me a number of years for me to begin to enjoy retirement as the State of Delaware forced me into retirement at age 56 because I am disabled. Apparently the Democratic politicians in control in Delaware don't belive in wheelchair bound judges. My wife and I are in the process of moving into our dream house that we built on Keel Mountain in Gurley, Alabama on land that we bought 32 years ago. Next spring I will build a 25' by 50' building for the O scale layout that I have been planning and buying items for, for the last 7 or 8 years. Once again I wish you a wonderful retirement. Robert
Thanks all. The thought of retirement is exciting (time to do other things than work all the time) but also a bit scary (reduced income!). Anyway, I hope to be sharing some more thoughts, pictures, and/or musings every now and then through this resurrected thread.
