I have been e-mailing harald about his well cars. If you run any grade, they are perfect for you. They are much lighter and more detail. The catch is we have to order 40 kits. Maybe I will ask him if he can split to half build and half kit. I think he is looking for a feedback. So let him know if we want it.
Very nice , John! I'm looking forward to Harald's next release of the 5 piece articulated versions of that CSX stack car. Did you build this from a kit? Is that 48' container the one you bashed from a couple of MTL containers, or is that Tim's? So many people building things, I can't keep track!! :thumbs_up: Great stuff.
Brian, the CSX car is FR original. So far, This and the Maxi-III are the only CSX cars that exist. Ok, there is the Penzee, but its more of a Chessie. I do look forward to M4D CSX boxcars. Mark, you said a week, and there is a ocean between us. Oh well, more time to save up. The 48' container is made by bashing one 40' and one 20'. I made some calculation error at first, but corrected it. I think it should come out better the second time. If I can get some of Tim's containers, I would like to do a 40' corrugated cantainer. I am getting some diversity in my containers. I have MTL 40', MTL 20' Marklin 40' Marklin 20, FR 40' reefer, TNT 53', and my 48'. Right now, modelling z is getting pretty interesting.
Speaking of 53' containers! Greetings All! I tested the 53' container molds I used for production last year. At first glance they looked marvelous. I mixed and poured some resin inside both the rib and smooth side molds and placed them under pressure. One hour later, as I slowly & carefully peeled away the 2 piece mold, it appeared the molds were still in good shape. Probably able to produce perhaps 10-20 more castings each. Well, as I inspected the roofs of the castings, it appears one of the vent apparatus devices I use to seperate the molds without drawing a vacuum has pressed against the roof and has put a permanent indention in both molds. Damn! I tossed the castings in the trash bucket and set the two molds to the side. Looks like I will be making some new molds real soon. Good news, with the mold making experience I have gained since making the above molds, I should be able to make a mold that will bring my 3 rejects to every 7 castings down to 1 reject to every 10-15 castings. Heck of an improvement in odds! I'll keep this group and the Yahoo Z_Intermodal group up to speed on my progress. In the mean time, if you have a want or need for 53' corrugated or smooth side containers that attach to the tops of MTL's 40 containers, let me know! I am looking to cast about 50 of each once the molds are made! Let Me Know! Hobo Tim In this photo you can see a brown 53' corrugated "Crowley" container, Behind it is a blue 53' corrugated "Pacer Stacktrain" container and in the top right are two white 53' smooth "APC" container.
Tim, put me down for five of the containers. I would order more, but I am going on vacation at the end of the month.
Yeah, Sign me up to. And Tim, I told you I wanted all your "rejects". Do I have to come down and dig through your trash!? ;-) Randy
I am in a process of stripping my CP double stack, and repaint them into Trailer Trains. This is the first of the repaints.http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/attachment.php?attachmentid=303&stc=1&d=1148268231
Nice Work! I have 3 BN and 3 CP Husky's I also need to repaint. Maybe I'll keep one of each. I need to find me one SP and one of the FEC in that case. In my abundant free time, (yeah right!) I will create some artwork for re-paint a good handfull of my TTX into BNSF singles. I have asked folks at MTL when/if they would make a BNSF, or even an AT&SF Gunderson Husky. The only thing I get is, "Good things come to those who wait!" Hmmmmm! This was said to me near a year ago if not longer. Variety! That's the name of the game! Need variety in Model Railroading! Need some Thralls to go with these Gunderson's. Also need good, durable plastic injected containers of all types and sizes. Variety! Great job John! Hobo Tim
Hey Tim if you're bored and want more variety, how about taking some of the (seemingly abundant) SP Gundersons and re-do them into Norfolk Southern Southwinds? Adam
MTL is killing me! With the unbareable wait for MTL to release their Z scale turnouts, my life is filled with boredom. Why? Well, because I want the intermodal yard and refinery modules I'll be building to look spectacular. I have some Marklin turnouts I could use for the time being, but they just WON'T do! If my turnouts were embedded in styrene simulated concrete, then that would be no problem, but they are not. All the Euro irregularities will be hidden by styrene sheets. What this all boils down to is boredom. Has nothing to do with my current work load at my professional job or at TNT'z. I am actually running behind on getting TNT'z items out the door. Damn Day Job! :teeth: So, in stating these facts, where would I have time to re-paint and decal the many un-bought SP Gunderson Husky's into Norfolk Southern Southwinds paint scheme? Ugh! If wishes could come true I'd quit my day job and go strictly Model Railroad! Variety is an issue and will be in Z scale for at least another decade. When I stated we need more styles and sizes of Z scale containers, I meant RTR of plastic injection type. Even though I do make a small variety of Z scale intermodal items, I can not possibly make everything out their for the intermodal yard. I wish I could though. I need a module to play with. I don't have any motivators to place my trains on except that small oval that MTL came out with last year. It's either that or the few MTL flex track and old oval starter set. Jeffrey White has his modules in storage so I can't go visit Jeffrey to play Trains. Ugh! I wish I had some of the club support you guys have. Everyone could come on over to my house and we could mass produce Z items for ourselves and to sell. I have the room for 4 people to work in the shop. One to make decals, one to mix/pour/de-mold cast resin items, one to airbrush/brush paint items, and one to finish the items with decals and fine touches. So much more than this too. Machine brass parts on the Unimat lathe, scratchbuild anything, and make just about everything "Z". Anyone visiting Atlanta soon?????????????? :teeth: Hobo Tim
Problem(s) identified... problem(s) solved. Sorry, Tim, but it looks like they staff the Atlanta office with local folks only now, so I probably won't be in your neighborhood anytime soon. HOWEVER... If you could swing a deal to work from home, I found a nice neighborhood in Arlington, TX where a number of the homes have BASEMENTS! (And I just signed for my basement with a house over it yesterday... yea!) Otherwise we have plenty of companies looking for skilled people around here. Then you'd have plenty of room for workshop and layout galore, plenty of modelers in the area, and a great train store in the area to support your efforts. Plus we'd get you back to the Republic of Texas (and if memory serves, you'd be closer to family!) Problem(s) solved... Adam
Tim, I was in Atlanta last year. Its only 12 hours from South Florida, so your Mi- Jack is not all that safe from being stolen. I do remember there is a train station that can be view from the highway on a hill, and frame with trees. I though that was such a nice scene. Specially when I saw a Genesis lead Amtrack train. I would have stop to take a picture, but I dont take chances like that when the family is with me. I have a lot of friend leaving South Florida to move to Atlanta. The cost of housing is getting pretty high down here.
Have any of you tried the turnouts from here: http://handlaidtrack.com/z.php I am new and just picked up a Marklin diesel locomotive and have been scanning all forums I can find for track ideas. Would the Fast Tracks turnout work with the Marklin loco? By the way of all the Z forums I have found this one is the most active and interesting.
Handlaid Track/Turnouts I'd prefer not to mess with handlaying my own track right now. Too many other items on my things to do list, not that I couldn't do it. The only thing I might handlay in the future will be Zn3/Zm track for a narrow gauge Z scale Logging Scene! :thumbs_up: Need to make my narrow gauge 120 ton Shay first! If you have questions you want answered, just ask them. If you are not a member of the yahoo group "Z_Scale" yet, I encourage you to join! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/z_scale/ Ask your questions there. Hundreds of active Z scalers there! Hobo Tim
I have the number 8 Z turnout from FastTracks, and it is a challenge, but can be done with some patience and practice. I've seen a bunch of the number 6 turnouts that Stan Jones made for Jeffrey White. My only issue with the jigs is that we need a cut in the rail to completely isolate the frog for DCC and Tortoise machines. Adam
