fire fighting train.....need to weather, change out some wheels, and im going to scratch build a ladder on the fire fighting car with the platform
Right now I have a pile of Walthers trucks from cars running on the museum layout. I am rebuilding the bearing cups in the side frames. After many hours of running the steel axle points wear elongated holes toward the top of the side frames. I drill them out and insert plugs of brass rod that I can machine new bearing cups into. Hopefully they will last longer.
I bought this Kato SD45 green box a long time ago. I have installed DCC and today I finally added the details. No glue required; I hope they stay in. It sure is a smooth engine. Just realized it is un-numbered! Lot of work to do.
Here is my latest project, actually quite simple. The NYC rebuilt some old 50 Ton Twin Hoppers in the early 60's and came up with an 85 Ton Twin Hopper for NYC and some of the subsidiary roads like the Peoria and Eastern. In order to build the car I needed a Twelve Panel Triple hopper so after I made the Cuts I would end up with a 9 Stake Twin Hopper of sufficient height to hold 85 Tons. I managed to find an old McKeen 12 Panel Hopper and made the cuts as shown. I will final sand the ends and then cut and splice the underframe to fit. Here is the start: More as I continue on with the project. Rick J
I decided I needed a Department of Defense caboose to guard military shipments on my layout. Here's what I'm trying to come close to: http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=846870 After checking the internet for suitable models of cabeese, decided I would go ahead and use an Athearn caboose that I have on hand. So far, I've moved the cupola, blanked out/drilled out windows and constructed a new roof. Here's a progress shot showing comparison to the original model: Still lots of work to do, especially laminating on new sides and ends, adding many details and building new boxes for the underframe. Note that I'm using clear .005 plastic for overlays, which will allow for flush windows. Sure hope this thing works out. It won't be an exact duplicate of the prototype, but it should be close. The old model has very (!!) brittle plastic and "exploded" when I tried to drill out the new side windows; fortunately, I was able to piece the thing back together with .015 plastic sheet backing to strengthen it. Keeping my fingers crossed!!
Great work Bob and Rick. Here is a Walthers kit I have been working on for the layout. All I need to do is install the side steps and name the building. It will likely be the Miricle Furniture Company whode slogan is "If it's a great peice of furniture, It's a Miricle". Mike
This is an Accurail 4600 CF Covered Hopper where I am removing the cast on Roofwalk and replacing it with a Plano Metal Roofwalk. The body shell as it comes out of the box. Here I am in the process of removing the cast on roofwalk, I needed my Dremel Tool to remove the end platforms in the center of the car, I ran out of power before completing the one end. I applied the template and marked the riser locations on the body shell using my disecting needle. Drilled the holes for the riser supports and bent the risers and glued in place. More to come! Rick J
I shall be watching this thread with great interest as I have a couple of P2k 4427 PS-CD high side covered hoppers that are very well detailed otherwise (crossovers perforated but not the walkways) I would like to do the same too if I can find some to suit. (Plano website found so I'll have a look).
With my wife out of town until Saturday evening, I got a lot done with this car! Here I have installed all the roofwalk supports. Since they give you the walkover platform I installed that part also, and while I was at it I added piping from the air reservoir to the triple valve. This shows the roofwalk as intalled, I also drilled holes for eyerings and installed the brakeline under the edge of car. A picture of the roofwalk installation from the top. Rick J
Rick, Looking good! That'll be a fine looking car when it's finished! Still working away. I may put sound in this one too but haven't gotten that far. The decals didn't turn out quite the same color as the paint but what can ya do? Robert
If by workbench you mean picnic table... This is the Walthers Dinner Belle Dome-Coach car. Being unthrilled with not haveing a tail car, and the train crew wanting something they can use as a cab car, this baby has gone into the shops to be retrofitted. Still to do, I need to paint the light housings, light this puppy (headlight/spotlights for trailing mode viewing, rear markers, and ditch lights), attach them to a still to be purchased Soundbug decoder for lighting, horn, and bell, paint the bell (Righthand side, past the truck, you might be able to make out the unpainted plastic) And I need to frame in the theatre car window a little more. I thought I had les car frame showing than I actually do, and I'm afraid to notch it back as I'm not sure I'd still have enough stability in that end of the car. The windows are all made out of clear transperency paper. (used for projectors) Mom's office was cleaning out a supply closet and I nbbed a box for me and a box for the club. The best part is that I can print store window art on them, and it's a little more resiliant to plastic weld than is clear Styrene, itdoesn't fog up as fast. Oh, and I still need to find a little Nscale brake stand or a Beltpack. the shops took one and added a hardwire plug to it, so that it plugs into the rear end of the car. When shoving on mainline, it's ytrchnically a hardwired control stand and threfore legal, but when they are done and don't want anyone (like a 6year old) around the horn or brake controls, they twist to unlock, remove the plug, and take it back to the engine.
Nope, not really. The car end is from Train Station Products for a BN Glacier View full dome, the single level disgn is more reminiscent of UP's Idaho Theatre car which I'm borrowing cues from as well. There are dinner trains out there with cab controls, although most are on museum track where a reverse shove move at Restricted Speed isn't a headache. The ones that aren't and are bigger operations will runaround their trains or double end them. I din't feel like buying a second loco, and I've always wanted a theatre car. Were someone selling a blunt obs end like the UP Dome Obs though, or an RDC end, I'd have probably just used that.
