Workshop Wednesday

The message would be best and I will try to put it on line, if not can mail it to you

 

Thanks Keith. Excellent suggestion. I'll add a porch!

 

I really like the idea you have cooking there Bob.

I can't tell from first glance, are you able to reuse any of your existing modules from the garage layout? What do you plan to do with the modules that don't fit in the out building?

 

Ethan,

First, thanks for not making fun of the size of my shed.

I think this is a year long project just to get to the point that I am putting down track. If I find a home, I’ll gift it to someone with interest and space. If not, I’ll keep a few sections as dioramas and scavenge the rest for turnouts and switch machines, etc.

-Bob T.

 

Bear in mind that outward opening doors typically put the hinges at risk for illegal entry. With most hinges, it only takes a long shank screwdriver and a small tack hammer and you can remove the pins and gain entry.

 

They do make security door hinges. The pin is not exposed to be tampered with.

 

Thanks guys. An excellent point. I'll look for some anti-tamper options, and maybe other blocking approaches. I think I'll make a new thread for this project and discussion.....

-Bob T.

 

I didn't think about this with my building. I'll have to go look at my hinges tomorrow.

 

Working on some weathering projects....





Hope you have a great weekend all.

-Bob T.

 

Nice!

 

Outstanding!
Both in modeling and photography.

 

I went back and cleaned off the water surface.

 

Good eye on noticing the lifter on the steam stack. I've seen those in pics, too. Not common, but a neat spotting feature.

Nice work on the Geep!

 

@gjslsffan , that is 1000% fantastic. What was the starting point for the GP-7? Was it the Athearn model?

-Bob T.

 

There's a thread on Trainboard that pertains to usages for old, worn out rolling stock (and, in this case, locomotives). Someone posted one of the attached photos. I was absolutely intrigued by the bizarre contraption in the photos. After quite a bit of research, here's what it is:

Ludlow & Southern Railroad #2. It is a former 4-6-0 from NYC or something like that. The L&S was a mining shortline in the Mojave Desert that connected with the AT&SF hauling copper ore. The mine was named the Baghdad Chase Mine and was just outside of the California ghost town Stedman. The connection with the AT&SF was on their east-west mainline at Ludlow. Ludlow is a few track miles east of Barstow. The run from the mine to the mainline was only about 7 miles.

In the 1930's, Engine # 2 was declared unsafe due to the condition of the boiler. It would have cost too much to completely refurbish the boiler, so they mated a Holt tractor gasoline engine and drivetrain (maybe after a couple of bottles of whiskey...) to the former steam locomotive and kept it running...or maybe walking. It probably only managed 7 or 8 mph. The large tank on the back is the fuel tank.

My next HO project will be an attempt to build this thing. The first rendition of the real QA&P was the Acme Red River & Northern. One fictitious locomotive on my railroad is a ARR&N CF-7 that Tom Holley built. Since Acme is the site of a large drywall plant (what we call sheetrock here in TX), the ARR&N would have hauled gypsum to the factory. That's my rationalization for doing this.

I've already researched chain drives. The smallest delrin chain I can find has a pitch (length of one link) of .0227--roughly 11 scale inches. That's too big, so I will probably have to use a traditional HO steam locomotive drive and have the sprockets, large flywheels, etc., just for looks.

Any ideas are enthusiastically welcome!!! My plan is to start with a run down PFM / United USRA 4-6-2. They are good, solid locomotives that run well and are cheap. A good running plastic locomotive would work as well. If someone has an old steam locomotive laying around they want to sell me cheap, I'm open to just about anything. It doesn't even need the boiler--just the assembled chassis and mechanism. It would look better if the lead truck had spoked wheels like the prototype photos. I might be able to find those someplace.

Again--any ideas are heartily welcome. Since this is basically nuts, any comments will also be well received.