Here's a project that I had just completed in the past week; Tsunami 2 sound in an O scale Overland Models Fairbanks-Morse H12-44 and an H10-44. The H12-44 was already custom painted before the installation of a TSU-4400 4 amp decoder, Current Keeper and a Tang Band T1-1925s speaker. I cleaned paint out of the headlight reflectors, polished with Brasso and then drilled a 3mm hole in the center of the reflector. I exposed just the rounded tip of a 3mm Warm White LED and then filled the reflector with 4 layers of Aleene's Clear Gel Tack Glue to make a lens. The decoder, Current Keeper (under the speaker) and the speaker were mounted on a piece of polystyrene supported on aluminum stand-offs above the drive train. Braking Function was set up to provide prototypical operation with the Tsunami 2 decoder. The Digital Dynamic Exhaust on T-2 decoders automatically notch up and down based on throttle changes and actual load on the locomotive; i.e. when you first crack the throttle, the prime mover notches up, but will notch back once the locomotive is rolling. If you apply a load at any given speed, the prime mover will notch up with no change in speed. Remove the load and it will notch down. The H10-44 was labeled Frisco #272, but is to be custom painted in the ATSF scheme (#100) as well (what a waste!). Its installation was the same. Note my Walthers HO Frisco H10-44 in the last picture for size comparison. The Tang Band speakers have an active driver, a specially tuned passage in the chamber and a passive radiator that enhance the bass response. The overall installation and sound created a very positive emotional response from the owner.
Keith that’s pretty neat stuff. I have never seen that FM in O scale. Your install looks better than factory like usual.
That's a great looking swamp, I am thinking I will do that on my second bridge, I like it so well. I might have missed, but what type stuff are you pouring? And what are you using for the "Ugly" green muck?
Thanks as always Bill. You get the credit here. Your water turned out so well I wanted some too. I used the Woodland Scenics deep pour murky water. I found it on sale at Hobby Lobby for $7 !!! I painted the foam a tan color. Then added a layer of sifted dirt from the yard. After that I added dirt I took from work. It is used in the bio-swales in parking lots. It is a very dark color. It’s as dark as mulch but fine like dirt. I just gradually added it to the edges to have a little color depth to make it look like it was getting deeper. Before I poured the water I added the weeds, stumps and some coarse ground foam. I poured over all of it. I poured one layer. Waited a couple days then poured a second layer over it. As the “water” was curing I sprinkled fine ground foam around the border and stumps. It gradually soaked up the resin. Then as it was very near cured a few hours later I sprinkled a little more fine foam on top. Up close it has a pretty convincing depth. I wanted even a little swampier look. More mud than water. But in the end I was happy with it. If you want any of the black dirt I used I have a few acres of it at work. A coffe can full I can sneak out. HA Glad you liked the insulators too, that was purely a blind pig finding an acorn. Dumb luck that looked ok in pictures. I still want to add lines but need to find the right material to do it. Thanks again, Steve
All: Great pics and work. I always look forward to this thread. Keith: Yer makin' great progress. Keep it up and you'll leave your apprentice modeler status behind in no time. Andre
Wednesday again! Spent Saturday getting the exhaust routed for my small paint booth, so not much layout progress. Managed today (day off for President Bush National Day of Mourning) to start painting some track and get some scenery base down. A submission for Workshop Day, MoPac Interchange module for the Crawford and Cherokee (v2): Tried some track weathering after painting. Maybe a bit too rusty, but will try to knock it down a bit.... Thoughts? -Bob T.
Bob, the rust looks great, I've seen many rail lines that way, light traffic causes that. Less traffic means that the engines and wheels don't drop much oil. Branch lines don't have "working" curve oilers. Rust over time comes down and on to the tie plates and ties. Many times the tie gang, will see rust under the ties that are cut out. If you are modeling a branch line with light tonnage, your on target. If you paint some of the "new" ties black. The old ones "white-ish" knock a little off the wood part of the tie, it will look great.
This week I am finishing up another project for my buddy in Toledo. A Walthers GP35. Man are they ever nice looking up close. The proto: The model not done but close here: The roof was faded with light blue acrylics:
I'll burn some more bandwidth here for one last one. Not a current project but you guys might get a chuckle seeing this. I took a couple pics tonight of my very first scratchbuild attempt. I was 6 or 7 years old and thought I could scratch build a Rio Grande HOn3 gondola. I assembled it with old Walthers GOO. I was so positive it would end up on the cover of Narrow Gauge Gazette!! HA Oh well........ My dad has saved it in his display case for 40+ years now. He must have known the seed had been planted. Enjoy! Steve
Steve, the gondola looks good, even at the young age of six you can see the talent you have for weathering. Put some trucks and couplers on it and let's see it roll in a train. Just a suggestion. Joe
I jist happen'd to think... I've got sumpthin' I kin share at these here Wednesday doin's! Got the TOC19 stuff boxed n' cleared off my workbench, got the workbench all straightened up and organized... got my diesel detail parts all sorted into the parts drawers, and so my work station is now switched over to diesel modeling... and I've a'piddlin' with some engines! It ain't much... but it's SUMPTHIN'! That's better than NUTHIN'! Here's a KC&G passenger F that I've started on... As I design a "Version 1" track plan for a KC&G "Ozark Subdivision" theme... along the way I intend to make progress on the backlog of KC&G diesels that's been patiently waiting on the shelf for YEARS. All fer now! Andre
Weeeellllll.... Actually, some of mine did. Spoiled that is. Many of the P2k's split their axle gears as they sat. Perhaps it was their way of sulking for their neglect. Just yesterday I received my box of replacement gear packs... so I'll be attending to that today while I'm out there in my building. The Kato's, Stewart's, and everybody else fared well. All fer this 'un! Andre