HO Scale - What's On Your Workbench?

RDGbuff56 Nov 17, 2009

  1. dti406

    dti406 TrainBoard Member

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    Can't believe it has been a year since I last worked on these cars!!

    Installed all the roof walks, brake wheel platform, brake wheel, hand grab on the roof walk and the cut lever. The second picture shows the cars ready for painting. The car with the placard will be for the Anderson's and the other for Monfort out of Greely CO.

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    Cars have been painted since these pictures were shot earlier today and will be ready for decaling after gloss coating tomorrow night!

    Thanks for looking!

    Rick
     
  2. GN.2-8-8-0

    GN.2-8-8-0 TrainBoard Member

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    Well not really on the work bench but out of the display case after 18 years checked and lubed and again running the hi iron

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  3. dti406

    dti406 TrainBoard Member

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    I have started construction of a Rail Shops Carbon Black Car, the first Flat Kit for a Covered Hopper since I built the old Ramax cars in the 70's.

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    This is an overview of all the kit parts, with the start of putting the kit together with one side and one end glued together. You will notice the little bundle of wires in the foreground. Those are for all the grabs that need to be made and installed.

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    A closer look of the completed end and side, this was the method used in the Eel River cars so I thought I would use it for this car and any other flat kits I will do in the future. The little odd shaped black thing in the center of the photograph is the fixture for bending the wire for the various size grabs to be installed in the kit.

    Rick J
     
  4. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Accurail ACY Boxcar

    I just completed this Accurail ACY boxcar. I added Kadee couplers and metal wheels. Pretty simple; I like the Accurail cars.
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    My limited research shows that the ends of this car should be black. I will just save that for another day. I have to re-letter the end reporting marks if I paint it.

    The yellow shell paint allows the sun to show through when you hold the car up to a window. I am considering painting the inside a medium gray color to block this light. Anyone else do that sort of thing? Thanks.
     
  5. JNXT 7707

    JNXT 7707 TrainBoard Member

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    yes I have done that with gondolas where the light shining on it would illuminate the sides very un-prototypically.
    I haven't tried it with boxcars. Somewhat along that same vein, if I have a passenger car without an interior, I may spray the insides of the windows with dullcote spray. Leaves a kind of frosted look, you can still see light through the car but the insides of the car are not visible.
     
  6. PW&NJ

    PW&NJ TrainBoard Member

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    Excellent! And the decals came out awesome. Great job. :thumbs_up:
     
  7. Larry777

    Larry777 TrainBoard Member

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    I wrote this in June of 2007. I now have the NP, 4-8-4, no. 2626 and also, an ALCO, high hood 660, No. 602, an exact replica of the engine that I rode in as a boy. Work has begun on that diarama...
     
  8. Larry777

    Larry777 TrainBoard Member

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    Anytime you bring an engine out and "shop her", it's good to see them rolling again...
     
  9. CNW 1518

    CNW 1518 TrainBoard Member

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    I've pretty much put everything to Kadee whiskers or EZ mates.. They work just fine.
     
  10. HOexplorer

    HOexplorer TrainBoard Supporter

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    Sadly, my 80ton Shay is on it's side with a cracked gear. I thought I might make it through this life without NWSL's help. I guess not. I have NO idea how to re-gear these. Any hints? Jim :tb-sad:
     
  11. Geared Steam

    Geared Steam Permanently dispatched

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    Jim
    I have three shays, and I did the NWSL "upgrade" with mixed results, but ended up replacing those the gears with the newer Bachmann plastic ones. The new gears don't have a problem (as far as I have heard) Just purchase this kit and replace the frames, its about a 5 minute job. I am several years into the newer plastic gears with no issues. (and I run my shays!)




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  12. verse2damax

    verse2damax TrainBoard Supporter

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    Today I've restarted this project. I upgrading 3 C44-9Ws into the newer 4 window cab version. Here's a lil on the window upgrade.

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    This is the first step in the upgrading process to change this Athearn 'BB' 3 window cab into the 4 window, late style version of the C44-9W. Just completed filing down the molded window impressions.

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    "Getting there." I have to constantly check the fit of the new window frame. Details West: BN-358- BNSF Window Cab and Windshield Frames.

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    Pictured are the 4 Siblings 3 of which has under went the 4 window conversion. The remaining unit will remain as is, this unit will be super detailed and heavily weathering then it is ready to be lashed up with similar unit. All 4 Athearn shells are sitting on Kato Chassis/Drives.
     
  13. HOexplorer

    HOexplorer TrainBoard Supporter

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    Jim, Is this change out as simple as it looks and sounds? I have a 3 truck Shay just sitting around doing nothing. I guess this Bachmann plastic really works this time around? Jim:tb-err:
     
  14. CNW 1518

    CNW 1518 TrainBoard Member

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    I've been doing weathering!

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  15. dti406

    dti406 TrainBoard Member

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    I am building an Eastern Car Works Kit of a GATC 3500 CF Dry-Flow Covered Hopper. It is essentially a kitbash in a box, you are supplied 4 Airslide sides and they need to be cut and spliced to make the Dry-Flow car.

    Got my miter box this week so I could be assured of a straight cut when I started cutting the sides of the car.

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    This is one of the sides in the miter box after I had started cutting. I chose each cut that I would get the best piece with the smallest amount of warp after the cuts were made.

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    Here are the completed sides, there is still some warping but not as great as some of the individual sides. The left over pieces are shown above the spliced sides.

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    These are the car ends and the rectangular pieces on the bottom of the end must be removed as they are something to do with the Airslide function and are not present on the Dry Flow car. The Dremel Moto Tool came in handy to quickly remove these with the high speed cutting bit.


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    Side are glued to the roof and ends, I first glued the very ends of the side and held the sides in place with clamps until dry. Then placed rubber bands around the ends and glued the sides to the roof casting. This helped straighten out the warp at the top of the car. When I put in the bottom casting and glue it, it should then straighten the warp in the bottom of the sides.

    The trucks also have to be assembled, the two completed trucks are shown along with a set still on the sprue from another ECW kit.

    Rick J
     
  16. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    I practiced some different techniques for weathering. These are Accurail boxcars that my club is going to use on the layout. I masked the sides and sprayed with a rattle can to obscure some marking that we did not want. Used various colors.

    Then applied Bragdon chalks to this car and sealed with Dullcote. Pretty standard type weathering. I did get the chalk to remain visible better that I thought it would.
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    For this car I used the sponge on a stick that you see in the front. I cut it to a square shape and dipped it in various colors of artist acrylics. There is definitely a technique to this. If you press hard you will get too much paint on the car. I recommend three minutes practice. Then I added chalk with a wide wet brush. It did some nice streaking and did not look anything like I thought it would. All in all, this car has more severe weathering that I had expected.
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  17. HOexplorer

    HOexplorer TrainBoard Supporter

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    As a follow up to a post I made in December I did purchase the Shay truck and gear replacements for my Shay. I actually did the change over myself. So as the saying goes, "If I can do it, so can you." Jim
     
  18. Geared Steam

    Geared Steam Permanently dispatched

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    Hi Jim
    I'm sorry I just noticed your post to me, so you already know it's pretty easy :tb-biggrin:
     
  19. upguy

    upguy TrainBoard Member

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    I'm cleaning and checking the equipment that came with the layout that I recently purchased. I also have a lot of structures to clean and sort through.
     

    Attached Files:

  20. fifer

    fifer TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    I am working on my first Campbell kit since the 1980's.
    Ouincy Engine Shed will house the HH600 on my switching layout. I have cut and applied all of the corrigated siding and done all the wall framing and working on the service pit.

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    Mike
     

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