Copied from Mike Condren's website. It was a neat little project, that was fun to do. http://condrenrails.com/Frisco Catalog/Others/FR729b.jpg http://condrenrails.com/Frisco Catalog/Others/FR729.jpg
Thats the $$ question for sure. So, as usual I applied the modelers license with reckless abandon. From advise from a Frisco MOW Guru, I applied some details that in my mind, would be there. Here a couple photos of the build. And thanks for asking!!
That was a nice video and the work train looks very realistic. The figure in the foreground is a nice touch. Great modeling skills.
You never know whats going to show up on the QA&P RY. This is a Rail Power SD40 shell on an Athearn RTR chassis. The prototype photo was taken in GJ by me around 95-6-7ish, only two numbers off from each other too. Was on a Westbound no idea what the symbol was. This I think the SP calls it a SD40M but I could be wrong on that. Any way please correct me if I am wrong. Started with the RRP shell, Ath RTR chassis, I wont bore with the usual detail list added to this, there are a bunch. The truck side frames were upgraded with Timken roller bearing journal axles. All I did was shave the Hyatt journals off drill the journal box out and put in Details West #244 axle bearing caps to reflect the updated trucks and probably traction motors (TM). Step lights, ground lights, headlights and ditch lights installed too. Cant remember if SP had that "Maxi Trax" installed on this series of rebuilds, but they were not as good as SP thought IMHO. It did keep the TM's from burning up when the speed dropped into the short time rating, but they really should not have increased the tonnage ratings. Anyway here we go. The first the Prototype photos, then the model pre weathering, then weathered. Thanks for stopping by.
Kinda working backwards here a bit, here was a difficult part of the MRR, I wanted to split up the Main Tracks for a bit and this was the easiest place to do it. It kinda ties in with the lower reversing loop too, but that's another story. I used a resin paper scenery method on about all of this outfit. It is basically a cardboard strip grid hot glued together with large pieces of resin paper (very heavy paper, sold in most home improvement centers) hot glued over the top of that, starting at the bottom, working up, to overlap the seams, used cheap painters caulk to smooth the seams out, and nothing drips thru. I then used un-thinned glue over that, put on 2-3 coats, the more coats the stronger. I started with plain old White Elmers glue, but settled on carpenters glue, which has a bit less water in it and stands up a little better. It is pretty strong. This is a inexpensive way to do a lot of scenery and it goes pretty fast, very light weight and seems to not transfer noise either. It accepts rock molds very well as the water from the plaster softens the glue and adheres, you cant pull a dried rock mold off without tearing the paper and webbing under it. This method is nothing new, it has been covered in a couple magazines, youtube and the like, so not taking credit for inventing the basic process. The shortcoming of it, is unless you happen to hit one of those cardboard trips, the heavy paper is so thin, that it wont hold a tree up too good. I have used a thin layer of Sculptamold where I want trees and that has worked out very well. This little tool cart was a work in progress in itself, as it has been a big help to me to have some of the basic tools handy. After 3 gallons of glue, 2 1'2 rolls of resin paper, I don't know how many hot glue sticks and tubes of caulking, that electric (battery) caulking gun is worth it's weight in Gold. here are some pics to show what I am referring to. Dont know why the pictures show up first. Thanks for stopping buy
Made a small video today when a BN coil steel train was detoured over the QA&P, the below is a little info on how the coils were made on another thread. Managed to mess up the sound on this too. OH well. Made these metal coils from 1" OD 5/8 ID, .190 thick walled pipe. They are 5/8 long, and I have 4 on each coil car, 3 in the gondolas. 47 coil cars, 2 gondolas. It works out there is over 9 feet of pipe on this thing, it really weighs a bunch. Chucked the pipe in a lathe used a parting tool to make 200ish of these things. I then chucked them again and ran a pointed tool, across the face very fast, and it simulated coil layers pretty good, or it passes over a foot away. Painted them with a metal colored paint. Wrapped them with thin drafting tape with a dot of Red paint for band clamps. When it goes up the 2 1/2% it takes 5 SD's up front and a couple helpers.
That view starting at about thirty seconds is really nice. Watching the train passing off into the distance, instead of following it around was fascinating.
The Quanah Acme & Pacific (QA&P) has been dipping into the used locomotive market for purchasing power to try and keep up with the increasing tonnage between Quanah and El Paso TX. The availability of SD40/45T-2's have been of special interest to the QA&P, even as this one has the dreaded 20 cylinder prime mover, they are priced right and good pullers. Here we see, the QA&P trying a SP SD45T-2, while the paint is coming off in sheets, it still pulled just as good as a fresh painted shiny one. Now for the prototype photo here in Grand Junction 1995-1997. I built this SD45T-2, basically from Rail Power and Athearn parts and modified Cannon & Co Radiator fan access doors. Just try to get paint to peel when you want it too. And now the model testing on the QA&P Thanks for checking in!!
Here is another video on the QA&P.. Had some friends over and I always ask them to bring their own power. The DRGW and CP power is not mine, but all the rest is. Here we are making a 2X1 meet at Lynn Xovers, all Xovers are Shinohara #8 switches. I tried to keep all but just a few on the Main Tracks #8's it cost some room, but it really helps with operations.