Weekend Update for Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2024

[Paul S.]

Please update us what you've done on your model railroad this week/weekend. This weekly thread is intended for us to post snippets about our layout/project progress, rather than be a substitute for our layout-build or project threads. Think of this topic as a mini update on what you've accomplished during the week/weekend. The administrators/moderators will start a new update thread each Friday.

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So fellow RMRers, what have you been up to this week?

[craigtownsend]

I need to go back to the "what motivates you" thread and remind myself to get off my butt.

Between back to school stuff, and building a fence in the backyard, car repair projects these week is week 6+ of no modeling time.... 😔

I always know I get more modeling time once school starts and we are back into a routine again but I just haven't gotten to that point yet.

[SamS]

Went from "I think I'll do this" around 0600 Tuesday to having something to drop on the layout - albeit unpainted, and sans load - by Thursday morning. Now that the mad rush of design is over, I have gone back and re-designed the center body weights to remove the human factor.

[Allen]

Very cool Sam!

[JerryZ]

Very nice work Sam.

[Russ C]

For the umpteenth time I'm rebuilding my layout, this time into a 'shadow box' sorta thing. I wasn't happy with the look of things and thought a more focused area, more defined would work for me. So everything's come up again, a SCARM plan was done and finally plan 7B was the winner (I numbered each version to keep track of them). So this week I've been making sawdust from perfectly good plywood.


Still a way to go but progress in being made. But one backward step is going back from Peco Cd. 75 to Cd. 100 track as the 75 just doesn't have the switch geometry to make the (tight) turn up the end.


In other news I weathered up my goods engine...

[john_plsn]

I like the shadow box look. I used it on my last L shaped layout and it seemed to help keep the dust down a bit. Having its own drop ceiling helped.

[Allen]

Nice weathering Russ, looks great!
Going from 75 to 100 isn't the end of the line Russ. As long as everything matches, it shouldn't stand out.
Hell I have PECO/Atlas Code 80 on my entire layout less the yard. For that I used C55. To be honest, once it's painted with scenery, it's hard to notice.

Looking forward to seeing the new shadowbox!

[Russ C]

Thanks John. The shadow box is something I've always been interested in and I feel provides a more concentrated or focused area of viewing. I'm looking forward to it taking shape.
I'm getting more used to cd. 100 now Allen. Looking at the club track has gotten me used to it and even insulfrogs (all my engines have Keep Alives). The 'ballast' or ground cover will be at tie top and painting the rail will help it be less visable.

[Cody]

I've been puttering around making more trees with the technique I described here: https://realisticmodelrailroading.ne...cale#post32254

I tried a variation using furnace filter material on the branches rather than using 4mm static grass to see if that would save a little time. It didn't, and I don't like the results as well. Before and after flocking shown below.




It will still work fine tucked back into a forest though. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with these (maybe a diorama...) but the forest is slowly growing. I'm going to leave one without needles to represent a dead tree.

[Cody]

Thanks Allen. It might be more like one tree a week at the rate I'm going, but I like the idea just the same.

[Allen]

A night, a week, they say you can't rush perfection, lol

[Russ C]

Looking good Cody! It won't take long to have a forest of those great looking trees.

[Allen]

Sam, how would one go about procuring one of these cars?

QUOTE=SamS;n33685][/QUOTE]


Matt S and have been trying to pick up a couple of the old Alan Curtis models like this with no luck.
http://nscalekits.co.uk/qttx55flat.html

I think he was also interested in one of these:
http://nscalekits.co.uk/HSH53.html

Do you have any plans on making these anytime?

[SamS]

Apologies for the delayed response!

I've not yet really thought out how to make them available, although the easiest method might be to simply do the same as my other cars: just make them available as STL's at cults3d. Those cars all come with necessary STL files as well as Adobe Illustrator files that one can upload to sendcutsend.com and obtain the cut brass stock I use for weights. Regrettably, this method works best for those who have printers...

As for the heavy flats: not at the moment. After hearing that he was at the recent NSE convention a few months back, in July I placed an order for a pair of his NS178 kits. It's been complete and utter radio silence despite monthly inquiries on my part via email. I figure I'll run out the clock with paypal so as to hopefully not be out my $50 and then examine how things look.

[KansasBob]

A couple of projects from this weekend:


Tangent HO Scale PS-4000 Covered Hopper. The Frisco had about twenty five of these hoppers, but sold them off prior to the BN merger. In our alternate history, they are sold to the W&NW rather than going into lease service under the CRDX. I grabbed this model, originally the Frisco version, at a recent train show in Austin TX. This weekend, I printed some custom decals and removed the original herald and car number/SLSF markings.



Athearn Bluebox Boxcars: These guys were only about $14 each on eBay. They are probably the pinnacle of the Bluebox Athearn kits with separately applied ladders and grab irons. I think they roughly fit my late-1980s era. This weekend I added couplers, finally received some metal wheelsets and weathered the trucks/wheels a bit. I'll add some cut levers (when I can find them in the parts bin) and air hoses -- they should hold up just fine against some higher end cars.



I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend,

-Bob T.

[john_plsn]

For the umpteenth time I'm rebuilding my layout, this time into a 'shadow box' sorta thing.

I wanted to share my old shadow box style layout in my garage just give you some food for thought. This was 13x15. The last phot does not show the curved frame but rather you see the edge of a door.

I miss this layout, but I am determined to get up and running on the new project by the end of this year.

[michael13j]

Nice job John!

[Russ C]

Thanks for the photos John, that's a really nice layout. I particularly like the curved end piece in the second photo and was considering something similar. I think it adds a nice touch.