Thanks Johnny, it is already an impressive train! Looks like you are spending a lot of time away from work. Don't you just love it?
Yes I do!! Thanks watash. And for some more progress.......... The train carried two(2) generator cars. This one served as the public exit car as well. When folks left the display cars, they came out the double doors on one end, while the other held the generator for the display car portion of the train. This is car No. 111 converted from a baggage car. Here is the car with the generator access door added and the generator grill openings cut and framed. And here is the car with the large generator grill in place and work has started on the smaller one. These grills are being fabricated from styrene strips. Opposite end.......... More to come......... Johnny
Got some more painting done on the AFT No. 111 generator/exit car. Here is the car with it's blue(airbrushed) stripes applied... And here's a shot of the two poere cars together. No. 200 on the right and No. 111 on the left. Ready to have red stripe applied. More to come......... Johnny
Work has begun on the AFT tool car. This car was a companion to the SP4449. It was also the oldest car with the Freedom Train. Converted from a heavyweight combine, the car carried tools and support items for the engine crew. It was numbered PNWC(Pacific NorthWest Chapter) 76. Starting point is an IHC combine. Here is the car ready for paint with the small doors plugged and the smaller windows have had their bars removed. After priming, and base white, the car has it's blue stripe and awaits the red next. Of note; this was the ONLY car on the train that the stripes wrapped around the car ends, the others were all black. More to come...... Johnny
Heres some photos of the recently completed cars-Part 1: This the the SP4449 tool car. It carried the number PNWC 76...... And when the car was with the train, this how it looked when tucked in behind her...... More to come... Johnny
Completed cars Part 2: These are the generator cars. The first is AFT 111. This car served the display portion of the train and doubled as the exit for the public from the train. And the other generator car was AFT 200. This car powered the crew coaches and the concession equipment. The only access to the inside was through the ends. When the train was assembled, the cars were coupled together in this fashion. It made for an easy reference point to split the train. All three recent cars at Ablemann. More to come... Johnny
The stripe decals are aligned perfectly and so are the height of each car. Oustanding work so far Johnny. I would love to have a train like this on my layout someday. Keep up the excellent work. verse
Thanks Verse. Good to hear from you. Actually my friend, the stripes are airbrushed, not decals. The stripes get masked, blue first followed by the red, using the white base as the seperator. A little more time consuming(and difficult) but to me, the results are worth it. Johnny
Please forgive me, you did state that in an earlier post. I'm about to place an order for 8 C&NW Bi-level passenger cars. Will post the pics as soon as they arrive. Still haven't started the Crandall cab but I've accumulated all the parts that I'm going to need. Hope to start soon. verse
Hi Verse, Which are you getting, the Kato's or Walthers'? I have some of the Walthers' ones and think they are great. But I've heard the Kato ones are even better... Johnny
Ok, never happy with what's been done here is my showcase car No.40. When I first got the car it was part of the sets that Lionel produced in the 1970's. I did some work like couplers, metal wheels and such but was never happy with the un-prototypical windows. So here is what the car looked like after I did the first work... And here is what it looks like now after everything is complete... And, of course, what it looks like on the railroad... More to come, Johnny
Here's a lil' compilation tape of the trains' construction... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92lTcXGl2gU"]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.[/ame] Have fun, More to come, Johnny
