Looks great as always Bob. At least it seems like you make some progress every week. I finished my ES44ac in QA&p paint and tried to take some outdoor pics. None very good but even though the sun was out it was cold and very windy. Which moved all the trees too much to be able to photostack images. So you get what you get here. HA
Besides my U25s I am repainting, I wanted to knock out some other paint only projects. This one is almost done. It is a Walthers GP35 that they had on sale for $29 with DCC a couple years ago. It was 726. I renumbered it 729 because it the archives here there are several 729 pics and she got pretty rough toward the end. My favorite pic had a cardboard sunshade I tried to replicate here. I think I have more in detail parts than the engine to start with.
Last thing I promise! I tried to recreate the tint on modern power. Not perfect. But in real life it gets the effect at least I think?
Well, yesterday was the day from Hell. I had mentioned 3804 went through the paint shop. I was reassembling it and couldn't find the gearbox. I had spent most of the day before looking high and low in the shop with no luck. So yesterday, I bit the bullet and scrounged around in my junk gearboxes and found a PFM from a Santa Fe 2-8-0. Pulled the geared driver and got the one driver off the axle, got the gear off and put the PFM gear on it, requartered the driver and it is now back together along with a different motor since the alignment of the original motor didn't get along with the new gearbox. I had an old Soundtraxx Tsunami 1 with a small speaker in the tender now and maybe today I can get everything tuned up and together. I didn't put lights in this one, so the wiring was simple. 3 wires from engine to tender. Still need to letter. Wonder what will go wrong now. I have three basket cases I bought to finish up and paint also. A 4300, a MP 4-6-2 and a PFM Japanese NP 4-6-0, which is now painted and waiting reassembly and lettering. They will go back out on the for sale market. Also have a NIB PFM Russian to sell. Still virgin, in United wrapping. Non can motor version.
The weather was bad this weekend and we're supposed stay inside anyway, so I've been building freight cars lately. Shake the box kits, Accurail kits, some more difficult ones. I built one of these Proto 2000 tank cars and, boy, was it tough: I only broke one part, but I predict that's just the beginning. The steps and the brakestaff will get broken sooner rather than later, and next will be the handrail... Maybe I'll try a Tichy tankcar next.
I've also been putting together some plastic and white metal detail kits I've accumulated: The transformer will be a flat car load.
Well, its not Wednesday but I took some pictures of 3804 today to see what I need to touch up, etc, before it goes to the weathering shop. Decoder decided to misbehave, so I programmed another old Tsunami I took out of something else and programmed it and will install tomorrow. I notice on big boo-boo and let's see if any of you pick up on it.
Front coupler is fine, needs to be lowered a skosh. Number plate is 3804. I didn't notice it until I stared at the pictures. The damned coonskin is too high. That's why I usually take pictures as I go along, but didn't do it on this one. I might fix it someday. Age isn't doing me any favors.
Hows about the colored wires under the smoke box? If a guy squared them a bit, painted flat black, it adds realism. LOL.
The wires will be dealt with when I get the decoder issue dealt with and reinstalled. The will end up as "hoses" and the back of the motor will be painted black and a crew put in the cab.
Yep - I set Joe's Frisco Power pic of 3804 along side the pic of your 3804. You do have the coonskin a smidge too high, but not by much! Perhaps only a half-smidge too high! I wouldn't worry about it. Your model looks terrific. Seem to recall one of the 1500's had its coonskin bracket and headlight a bit off kilter. The Frisco didn't worry about it. Which number was that? K
Yep, SLSF 1506. That's the one. A smidge too high! Nice pic. Not sure what time of day that is. Westbound. What train would that likely be? 1940's. Long train. Meteor? TS? Bluebonnet? Will? K
Painted my white metal detail kits: Apparently I put the transformer together wrong Built more freight cars. Started some Accurail SS cars, but replaced the fishbellies with some channel: Got a couple more to do, then brake rigging. I'm going to put KC brakes on some of them.