Howdy All. Wednesday again, and a few projects underway. For the new layout section, I have been working on rough cutting and staining (with black shoe dye in IPA) lumber for the ~60-ft trestle that will cross Lightning Creek. You can almost smell the creosote. Currently, the trestle is a block of pink foam (painted black). Operational, but not so prototypical. Also a few new 190x era freight cars under construction in various degrees of completion. A 34ft and a 36ft Bitter Creek Model kits, and a Westerfield coal gondola (resin kit). I realized yesterday that I don't have trucks for all of these, and need to order some more Tahoe archbar truck sets. For the mine run from Cherokee, we will need a locomotive with a light on the tender, as there is no way to turn it out on the branch line. This Proto (Life Like?) model pulls a reasonable 10 car string of hoppers, has sound, but for some reason--no lights. Probably burned out the incandescent bulbs with the new decoder. Any recommendations for an LED solution here? Needs to be fairly small with the resistor. Help would be very much appreciated. Take Care All, -Bob T.
Andre (The KC&G: Mainline To The Gulf) is featured in this month's MRH. See online for free: https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/mrh-website-this-month-mainline-to-the-gulf-12383008?pid=1332888198 https://online.fliphtml5.com/buups/hvno/index.html#p=25 Enjoy, -Bob T.
Something inside of me saying "Merrimac Caverns" or "Walnut Bowls" on one of those rooftops in Frisco Heartland.
I like it! I always liked “James Gang Hideout. “ The only problem is I need a little generic for future photos.
I saw that by accident! I received my email notification that the June issue was ready for viewing. I wanted to see/read Joe's Siskiyou article... browsing the issue I saw that pic in the table of contents: Surprise! Of course, later in the issue is the link to my massive KC&G "The Great Thread Of Drivel". I wonder if I'm going to the next Ken Patterson???? If so, I need to get some better 8x10 glossies of my ruggedly handsome face so I can sell signed copies. Steve: Thanks! Bob T. is far more deserving of space in MRH than any pictures of my "Plywood Pacific" version of the KC&G. Perhaps "one of these days" I'll actually have a square foot of layout that has some genuine, sure 'nuf, scenery in place?. We can but hope?? Of course, if'n I do, then I'm sure I'll crow about it with "Ain't I Sumpthin?" posts, complete with pictures from all different angles of the lone grass tuft. erdnA
That's a pretty good diorama. You do excellent work. Also . . . that must be some dangerous dog, judging from the weight of that chain. GS
My recommendation would be an 0402 SMD Warm White LED. Buy some with leads attached. Use with a 1K ohm 1/8th watt resistor.
Running a bit late this week after a work trip out of town... Making progress on the Bitter Creek Models boxcar kits (34-ft and 36-ft versions), and a Westerfield Frisco coal gondola (resin kit). For the gondola, I am lucky to have an example built by @Jim James . I am going to need at least 6 to 8 of these (or similar) gondolas for a 190x operating session. Gonna take some time, as these have lots of under-car details and grab irons to install. I hope to get these three to the priming stage by the end of the weekend. Still need a few grab irons and coupler boxes installed (among other things). I am also building "Dill's Market" from AMB for a mine camp scene near the Lightning Creek Mine (new area). Slowly, the pieces are coming together for the wood trestle over lightning creek. A bit off from prototype diagrams, but trying to accommodate a bit of a curve through the trestle. I will try to get the deck done for this one over the long weekend. I also grabbed this refrigerator car off of eBay, thinking that it would be a good model for the late '20s. Could not resist a car with a Springfield Mo herald. It has a rebuilt date of 1931 on it, so maybe a bit of a stretch. Not sure how much they changed as part of rebuild. Take care all and have a Happy 4th of July! -Bob T.
This is where this project started, you may need to scroll down to find the KRL drop deck post. http://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/workshop-wednesday.10880/page-147 Anyways here it is a little further along. There was a challenge to weathering this car as all sides, trucks the wheels all needed to be weathered all around as the span bolster made the trucks so visible, it took me 2 days to get this much done. Below are a few different views. Below; Getting that brake pipe hose to wrap around under the truck ends was quite challenge on its own. I didn't put those FRA yellow reflective stripes on it as that dates it a bit to narrow for me. Now to load it and get it into service, I don't know, I might make the load removable to run it MT, it fairly heavy with all the voids filled with lead shot. I hope everyone had a great 4 of July weekend, if you celebrate such things. And as always thanks for stopping by and taking a look.
(Looking at all that piping, articulation, etc, etc) I tip my hat to you, Oh Great One. What are you using for ballast? Were you going for the "chat" look of the Frisco? Andre
Thanks Andre! All that piping was a challenge, took me a couple evening and a few adult beverages. That chatt or as I was corrected chert, came from one of Keith Robinson's contacts It's real lime stone, the best ballast for a MRR I have ever used.