Workshop Wednesday

Discussion in 'General' started by yardmaster, Nov 15, 2017.

  1. Hahahahhaaaa thanks Bob. My real interview will be in the October episode. It was a great time like usual. We had a blast. It was nice to be back. Saw Keith there. Curt Baker, Brad and Ray like usual. Can’t wait for the next trip.
     
  2. gstout

    gstout Member Frisco.org Supporter

    . . . and what is he grinning about?

    GS
     
  3. rjthomas909

    rjthomas909 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I was really looking forward to seeing you all. I made it up from Texas to the Sedalia/Marshall MO area, but was stuck working on my brother's house that he is in the process of selling. Maybe next year for the NMRA National. I hope there are some good pictures available, and I look forward to your interview.

    -Bob T.
     
  4. I took photos but less than usual. I will get them on computer and share a few.
     
  5. rjthomas909

    rjthomas909 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Wednesday and Kathy reminded me it was workshop day. Out to the garage for a look at current projects....

    Been breaking in the new rolling workbench with a proper mess:

    Workbench-sm.JPG

    Several lingering car projects in the works with new decals coming in. I added some of the final details to this Wichita Northwestern Mather boxcar (Proto 2000).

    WNW-sm-1.JPG

    These are nice kits with a good deal of detail. You can see some of the wire details were added with bronze wire, so need to be touched up with paint. I also need to straighten the decal lettering a bit, but just about ready for weathering.

    I had a few items come in (other than decals), including this stuff from Berkshire Valley Models. The wood sidewalks will be used for the businesses in Weir City, and the wagon will be used to recreate an image that I have from a historic postcard.

    BV-accessories-sm.JPG

    I also corresponded with Bill Brillinger today regarding decals for FRISCO billboard herald boxcars. I will post as I have proofs.

    Take care All,

    -Bob T.
     
  6. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    Nice boxcar but your track is what really catches my eye. Perfect realism for the era in my opinion. That farm wagon kit is perfect for your scenes.
     
  7. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Looking good Steve, Robert and all.
    Steve. How did the meet go?
    I don't remember how many decades ago I built these old Roundhouse kits. I rebuilt them the first time ( I think) for BNSF in the mid 1990's. Now that I am back dating to an earlier time, (as I really dont care for modern RRing anymore, read PSR) I didn't want to repaint, and hey the QA&P needed a couple Company sand service cars. No offense implied, but this is why not being tied down and drowning in hand wringing prototype accuracy works (for me), I was able to get that old ALPS printer going and after a week had decals made for a couple cars. Here are a couple cars just finished, with a clear coat over the new decals. Of the modern QA&P cars I have done, I regret not putting that lofty Transcontinental Cut Off, slogan, should have been applied to all, if practical, or space available to do so. Oh well.
    Thanks for stopping by.
    DSCN3721.JPG
    DSCN3723.JPG
    DSCN3725.JPG
     
  8. Coonskin

    Coonskin Member

    Good stuff, all of you.

    From the FWIW Dept...

    Today's railroading (prototype):

    Similar sounds and sensations track side compared to years ago. Terrible situations inside (railroading). Disgusting visuals. (Graffiti, monotonous sameness of equipment, etc.)

    Today's railroading (modeling):

    See above comment about visuals. Add: Mind-numbingly boring operationally on a model RR. Nigh impossible to realistically reflect (huge power, looooong trains), but at least you don't have to model line side industries! (There aren't any!) :ROFLMAO:


    Tom:

    Backdating? What time are you backdating to?


    Personal observation: For every decade I went back (to a point), the more I gained. As you march backwards, there is a "happy place" that can be found that gives you the most of what you really want and you end up settling there.

    My backdating de-evolution(s) ended up the mid-1960s for my dieseling (1964, to be precise), and the 1880s for my 19th century itch.

    Andre
     
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  9. Ozarktraveler

    Ozarktraveler Member

    I was there Saturday for a spell, with my better half. Didn't take many pictures this time.

    Met and talked with Michael Kelly.

    I did pick up air brushing supplies including quick disconnects for my airbrushes and a hose with proper connectors to work with a larger compressor and the quick disconnects. (Remember my learning curve with the fast drying paints.)

    Also, ordered some additional Microengineering turnouts.
     
  10. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Thanks Andre,
    My back dating is designed to keep anything BNSF off the MRR, so mid 1990's SD70/75, GP60's are OK. Like you say modern RRing is so boring, (by design). RR's are among the largest most visible stealth industries of our time. My RRing career was highlighted by Spartan cab EMD's. I know they were dirty, loud, hot, cold and the whole cab, as well as your ear drums vibrated when the the hoghead pulled the whistle and the throttle. And its just me, but that was railroading, the smells, sounds and vibrations were railroading. Cabooses were long gone on thru traffic by my time. But we still used them on locals that I worked on as a trainman. The bonus was it was an SL-SF caboose with a good stove, wrong color but it was still cool to me. I even had a griddle plate in it, that we cooked grilled ham and cheese sandwiches on when we were waiting on some cars to be pulled or other delays. Heck at a bulk plant we switched, the guys in the plant office would come out and eat a grilled treat once in a while; they loved it, and we had a good time too. That was the old head conductor Fred's caboose, he had paper towel racks in a couple spots, we kept it clean, and if you had muddy shoes, you cleaned them off as best you could before you entered Fred's house. It had square wheels under it tho, and BNSF would not put a decent set of wheels under it, so man it banged its way around, but I rode it and sat in the cupola every time I could, now it's been gone for years, the doors welded closed, if its even around anymore it is a shoving platform, can't even get out of the cold, nothing was as warm as that stove on a very cold winter day, warmed you to the bone, especially if Fred had a sandwich on the griddle.
     
  11. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    Love it when you share those railroading memories. I can almost imagine being there.
     
  12. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    You were with me Jim.. You, my friends and family were with me all the time even at 0300 sitting in a siding LOL.
     
  13. Coonskin

    Coonskin Member

    Tom:

    I understand. I, too, am very thankful for the type of railroading I was able to be around and be a part of over the years.

    My years as a working railroader have drawn to a close. I only have my memories, now. But boy, I sure have some great ones.

    Andre
     
  14. geep07

    geep07 Member

    Tom,
    During my younger days, I always wanted to be an engineer.
    Why I did not pursue that dream I still keep scratching my head .
    Listening to yours and Andre's tales of the Big Boys train I cannot come to grips with myself sometimes on what I missed out on.
    I keep saying to my other train buddies my age, we where born too late. Missed out on steam and early diesels and when railroading was railroading.
     
  15. Craig, funny we never ran into each other this time. It was busy though. Funny I did not take many pictures either. Oh well. We did go over to John Peluso's house to see his incredible layout. I took more pictures there than show. I will get some posted here of both.

    Tom, the sand cars look great. Love to read any of your old war stories too.

    John, I’m like you I always thought that seemed like the life. But like any job it probably looks better from the outside. Ha
     
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  16. rjthomas909

    rjthomas909 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Wednesday Again,

    Been watching the Redbirds womp the Royals and Pirates. Wain-O with an 88-pitch, 2-hit shutout tonight at almost 40 years old. Whoop!!

    While doing so, working on a few car projects. First a couple of Accurail adds:

    This CGW 36-ft boxcar with the "Corn Belt Route" logo was a good companion to the WNW car from last week with the "Wheat Belt Route" herald.

    CGW-Accurail-sm.JPG

    Also, I have several undecorated 40-ft single-sheath Accurail cars from a batch that Tim Moran traded me a while back. I am always looking for interesting decals, and found this set from K4 for the Duluth, Missabe and Northern. The decal set is made for a 33XX series car, which has steel ends. I looked in and old ORER and found a previous car number that would be more plausible, but probably not prototypical. Oh well.

    DMnN-Accurail-sm.JPG

    I have decals and cars for another one or two of these, let me know if you would like to have one (pre-1930).

    Now, I shared in another thread that I had some decals made for StL&SF RR cars with the Frisco System herald, and there is a similar set for the C&EI. I am looking to build something like this:

    3543.jpg

    Sorry, I don't recall who posted this in the pre-1920 boxcar thread, but thanks.

    The decals look like this:
    [​IMG]

    I have 20 sets, so let me know if you are interested in some. I also have 10 of the C&EI version.

    Two approaches being tried here to make a truss-rod boxcar. One is to use a resin car (under construction):

    Resin-Car-sm.JPG

    The other is a technique recommended by Eric Hansmann, which is to alter the bottom of a 36-ft Accurail car and add queen posts, etc. Some Tichy queen posts came in today, and I have been trying to replicate the technique. It would be nice to create a 3D-printed insert for the underframe with the cross-beams and queen posts that would just go in the slots and take the existing brake equipment.

    Accurail-truss-rod-early-sm.JPG

    I need to find a guru to help with this one. Note that I also trimmed off the grab irons and will add wire ones to make a nicer model (in theory). Probably going to take a few tries.

    To help with hole drillin', I got this little beast from ebay:

    mini-drill-sm.JPG

    These are great for small holes, such as grab irons. Variable speed and will hold a #77 (maybe smaller) drill bit. Fun, fun, fun..........


    Hope all are well!

    Take Care,

    -Bob T.
     
  17. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Re "Waino" - the former General Manager of the Atlanta Braves has a condo in our building. Very nice guy. I've kidded him a couple of times about the trade of Waino to our Cardinals. He said he regretted the trade and still does, but the players he received in the trade (J D Drew and ??? I think) played a big role in the Braves winning the NL pennant that season. Fair trade I guess, but having Waino on the team ever since has been a real pleasure.
    K
     
  18. rjthomas909

    rjthomas909 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Happy Workshop Day All,

    Getting close on this 1906 ACF boxcar, built from an Accurail 36ft base. Decals are from Precision Design Co. (William Brillinger). I plan to use this one as a prototype, and then make a few of these and the C&EI version for the FRISCO SYSTEM.

    Frisco-ACF-1906.JPG

    Still need to get the decals to lay down a bit and maybe straighten that length one. It looks like the dot after my "F" got folded up, and I did not realize until this photo. I also have some Tahoe Models archbar trucks coming in that will replace the ones in the this photo.

    Take Care All,

    -Bob T.
     
  19. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    Looks perfectly at home! Excellent job as usual. The underside looks just as realistically modeled as the rest of it. Always a place in my heart for this era.
     
  20. rjthomas909

    rjthomas909 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    ... with Tahoe Models Trucks and "F." fixed....

    Frisco-ACF-1906-sm2.JPG
     
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