Workshop Wednesday

Thanks Ethan. I'll look for a BN/BNSF source for those.

 

Well, It looks like I will have to update the Brush Creek diorama.....(probably not).



This is an interesting channel if you are from the SE Kansas area.

-Bob T.

 

Looks like they're keeping the original deck and adding new supports? I may have to run over and get some pictures at some point.

 

Hey All,

I have worked a bit on my "Wichita & Northwestern" fantasy/alternate history scheme for a few covered hoppers. I'll work something up for a boxcar next and then on to a GP-15. Here is what we are converging upon:





Take Care All,

-Bob T.

 

Hey All,

Happy Wednesday. After a week in Albuquerque, I am back at the workbench evenings this week. I am working up a few Wichita & Northwestern hopper cars for friends and also painted up an Accurail boxcar for a concept there. I picked a yellow that I thought close to "Shocker" yellow for the Wichita State University fans. It is a "Tan Yellow" from Vallejo, thinned and shot through an airbrush, and a "Gunship Gray 2" roof from a Tamiya rattle can. I am waiting on a 1980s lettered car to use as an example for the detailed stencils. If you have a close-up of a late 1980s boxcar, it would be appreciated to have photo for reference. Feedback is welcomed. Need to get back to my Frisco modeling....





Have a good one All,

-Bob T.

 

I'm working on painting/decaling my first engine in umpteen (literally) years. Having to dust off some very old skill sets!

Anyway, working on an RS-1 for the KC&G. I want some of the early switchers and the RS-1's to have been delivered in a black scheme that was common at the time (mid-late 1940s). Alco offered a variety of black schemes on their products, so I'm going with one that is very reminiscent of the Alco scheme used on the KCS RS-1's.

After a paint issue, as well as a poor choice of pinstripe size for the hood, I now have the hood in paint again. A couple pics:






This time around, the hood will get a 2" pinstripe just below the number boards.

The paint on the hood is curing as I type.

Very much looking forward to seeing a new PAINTED KC&G engine. It will be the first one since 1995 or earlier!

 

Trying some focus stacking techniques with Helicon Focus on the Brush Creek diorama. A westbound on the Parsons Sub....



-Bob T.

 

Magnificent .. Right down to the "rust" from the bolt heads on the bridge!

 

THAT is some serious modeling, right there! Excellent work and excellent pic, Bob!

Sheesh... such results as that can make a putz modeler like me feel like tossing in the towel and switching to collecting used horseshoes.



erdnA

 

Thanks guys! The photo is a stack of 10 images (8-second exposures), taken with a Canon EOS Rebel T7i. I used a remote to activate the shutter to keep the camera (on a tripod) still. You basically take a series of photos, each with a deeper focus depth in the scene, set manually. The processing was done with Helicon Focus 8.2.2 software, using the "depth map" method/option. I think I payed something like $50 for a year license for that Helicon Focus software. It is super easy to use. I used Gimp Software (free) to blur the seam in the backdrop which appears as a light-dark transition above the trees, but no other touchups. I will next try some lighting adjustments to give the appearance of a more sunny day. The area around the wheels and drivers of the locomotive is a bit dark in this one.

This photo is a great example of how many friends I have made through this hobby. There is stuff from Tom and Jim in this photo, a trestle built with plans from those on this site, and many recommendations for modeling methods. Many thanks to all.

-Bob T.

 

One more....

 

Happy Summer All,

Hey, it is Wednesday and I am actually home. Progress this past weekend included finishing up several "Wichita & Northwestern" cars for my freelance/fantasy modular layout sections effort. Hope you all had a good week in Frisco Land.



-Bob T.

 

That's a great way to get depth of field in a macro environment! Ain't computers wonderful?

 

Hey All,

I spent a good part of the past month on the road, but back home this week. Over the Father's Day weekend, I worked on new storage for the Crawford & Cherokee layout. In the process, I decided to put some time in on this section, which was among the first that I built and put scenery on...the Brush Creek trestle near Weir City. The trestle needs a bit of weathering...a project for next weekend.

I had never put water in the creek, and decided to make it a Sunday project. I used the Golden Gloss Acrylic Medium (GAC 500) to add water...


After a day, it dries pretty clear....



I went back with another coat and caught the spots that I missed, and gave it a bit more depth....



In this photo, you can see some power that I bought from Midwest Model Railroad (on sale). A Rock Island GP-18 with very little lettering or heralds. I'll patch this out for the Wichita & Northwestern project (free-mo modules), and add a rotary beacon, patch out the class lights, and have a 1980s short line refugee. Keith has also added sound to a GP-15 that will be the other loco for the project. I hoped to have it for a photo today, but the USPS decided to take the box on a tour of Alabama for some reason.

Above, you can see one of the new example boxcars for the W&NW that I have made....



(photographed before adding water to the creek). The plug door car was my original concept. The middle 40-ft car is from an Athearn RTR model, and the right car is an other Accurail car, same as the plug-door car, but just a different door. I am going to get some decals for boxcar red versions, but this allowed me to size the decals to a point that I liked.

I also modeled with my wallet a couple of covered hoppers for the W&NW. One is a Kansas-Pacific Tangent hopper from Home Shops (Freelance roads). I thought the "Wheat Fleet" car fits well on the "Wheat Belt Route of the W&NW". The KCS car is an ExactRail model (now owned by ScaleTrains). Pretty nice.



That's it for now. Have a good one, All,

-Bob T.

 

Follow Up....Looks like it survived @klrwhizkid. I'll post a video with sound sometime over the weekend. Happy Independence Day All.



-Bob T.

 

Wow, that creek looks amazing Bob.

I really like the little fleet you're assembling for this sideshow project. Have you thought about doing a patch job on the KCS hopper?