Slow start this week, but things may pick up. Micro Scale makes decal sheets for a single style of car and 3-4 different road names on each sheet. I have used decals sheet #306 (N scale) to make these two cars. They are not for my particular road or layout, but it is a fun project making different road names than I usually make. This GTW car has a 10 foot Superior door made from styrene glued onto a standard Micro Trains 10 foot door. The weathering is what I used to cover the mess I made of the finish...I was in a hurry. Don't do that! Let's see some more posts this weekend.
Interesting cars. They look good. Here're two more pictures from the FREMO meeting in Braunlage, Harz, Germany. You see Third Street Industrial District. Looking from the Warehouse tracks at 3rd Street. ZOOM IN Street running: ZOOM IN Wolfgang
After lanquishing about two years on the layout, I decided to go back to this Benson-class WWII destroyer, and do my own version of a Fleet Revitalization And Modernization (FRAM). I'd always been unhappy with the bow, which was too bulbous for this class. I'd used fir for the hull, which was too soft to hold a proper contour. The difference between winter (hard) and summer (soft) growth was driving me crazy--the bow section would undulate no matter what I did. Last night, it occurred to me that I could harden the wood by applying coats of thin superglue. I was also unhappy with the paint job. I had applied too many coats of primer, and it had gotten too rough. Sanding around details to smooth things out for a finish coat would be difficult. This morning, while I was sanding the bow, a lot of details started popping off. So I removed the turrets. Wow, that will make sanding easier. More to come.
While I was organizing my new Railimages album, it occurred to me that we have many new members who may not be familiar with some of my older photos. This photo is one of my favorites.
One more shot of dullcote,and it's ready for cab glazing! This SD40R still has some work to be done,But it's coming along!
SNFF 2006 4 29 Hi, all, This week, I finished off the remaining B units to fill out this set of ABBBA Santa Fe freight Kato F7s (from the 1996 Kato run): Even though Intermountain is coming out (eventually) with N scale Santa Fe freight F7s, I prefer these older, non-DCC-capable Kato F7s for their lower ride appearance, closer coupling with Unimates, and silky smooth mechanisms (did need to oil/tune the mechanisms after all these years). Overall, I happen to like the hunkier, heftier appearance that I think these old Kato F7s have. Here is a closeup of the lead F7, Santa Fe 272L: As I said last week, the numberboards and kick plates are from MicroScale decal set 60-793, 'EMD E and F unit data'. The fuel spill is just Microscale Gloss, and the weathering is Bragdon Enterprises 'dust', with touches of 'rust', and 'black' on the roof exhaust stacks. The trucks and the frame below the yellow stripe is Pollyscale acrylic Grimy Black, dry-brushed on. The front coupler you see here is the older Micro-Trains 1159 coupler adapter, which uses a standard MT 1015, and requires cutting the shell. You can install MTs on current Kato F7s without cutting the frame, by using a standard MT 2004. (some pictures of that were posted back in beginning of March, here is the comparison photo from that post). These show the F units before the basic detailing and weathering was done. Kato knuckle coupler; Micro-Trains 2004; Micro-Trains 1015 using MT 1159 kit: Thx to Randgust and others who have supported me in upleveling my modeling! Weathering the entire fleet is clearly going to take all of 2006 and beyond..... but it is fun as hell. Thx to modern technology such as the Bragdon Enterprise weathering system, even *I* can do this (smile!). If I can, anyone can!
Flash, I gotta say your ballast looks great. What do you use for ballast material? Is it just sand? It seems very fine.
AZ R&M Ballast Thanks, Geeky. That is Arizona Rock and Mineral CSX/SP/?? I use for main line ballast. Only the ballast is down on this part of the layout. The track has not been weathered yet: oil spills, rust, etc.
Nice work!!! Here's something I have been working on - not finished, needs more decals Picture 1 is an N Scale BNSF Dash 9 Picture 2 is an N Scale ATSF RSD7 in the process of being readied for painting.
Lookin good everybody! I got my 2 GP30s painted this week I'll throw in a shot of my 2-8-0. It stopped running and I doubt I'll fix it. It's been placed on static display beside the depot. at speed as it is now,, on display
Nice F40s! Amtrak West had a couple painted in Surfliner colors. I think that is a job you could tackle.........
Hey, All of these(GP-40's & F-40's) were painted by TB member Scott Lupia.The picutre doesn't do them justice. He also made the decals for the MNRR F-40.:thumbs_up: :shade:
Finally had some time to run my new kodachromes at the club layout! AC4400 8099 in the shop SD45T-2s 6240 and 6301 DD35 1195