I echo John's statements with an additional suggestion, make the door open outwards and put an eyebrow roof over the door to help reduce the rain onto the upper part of the door. I like what you're proposing.
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.
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.
Good point, John. The large 4'0" walkout doors to my downstairs workshop area swing outward and have commercial grade ball bearing security hinges as well as commercial grade lockset and deadbolt assemblies.
I been working for a few weeks on another QA&P GP7. This is the one Q GP7 steam generator equipped the 564. I used some DW parts modified with Styrene to extend the boiler's exhaust stack, along with mounting some DW rerailers on each side, then I noticed what looked to be smoke lifter on the top of the stack. Got that added also added extra steam lines on the ends aside the brake pipe hoses. Here it tis ready for service. I will get it out on the MRR and get some more images and post soon.
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.
I figured out the email address of Jerry Hurt, Steve Hurt's dad and sent an email inquiring about Steve. In the last 10 months, he went through a lot of personal turmoil and had to step away from his modeling. I told Jerry that we all miss Steve and to let him know we have been thinking of him. Jerry said he will pass that along.
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.