A Kato SD45 with some adjustments. I need to paint here and there, but I do hope to get close to a proto photo I found online. I have added sunshades, mirrors(wind deflectors), wipers, uncoupling levers, a bell and AC unit from an IM shell, and modified the front light tube so the windows don't glow when the headlight and number boards are on. I had ditchlights as the prototype has, but did something wrong. They lighted once quite brightly and were never seen again. I hope to either replace or modify the plow and add hoses as appropriate. Then of course the last step would be to weather it, but lightly.
What's on my work bench? Heck, I don't even have a workbench. I did just pull out some retirenment money so I can build or purchase a shed of about 8x12 for my logging short line. Soon as the shed is up, layout construction begins. I've been casting my own log cars, some buggies, and short flat cars that I built masters for. They have MT trucks and couplers on them. Also cast some bachman oldtimer box cars for this new layout. These are all ready to run and I have a bunch of extras without pain, truss rods or couplers and trucks. It's all N scale btw.
In keeping with my lumber industry, mining, and fishing industry themes the next vessel for the harbor is underway. This will be the lumber carrier Nogero and I've started the superstructure components along with fabricating the hatchway doors from three pieces of styrene for each door.
The prototype that I am after. Hopefully I can come close to this. http://www.railpictures.net/images/d1/7/4/5/7745.1119629580.jpg Warning!!!!!!! Large photo. Now the only issue is this really an SD45. The title shows it as an SD45, but other sources show this road number as a SD40M-2. At any rate I would at least make my model Prot-believable.
Completed the first of 3 EASTERN cabooses. This is a NW CA wood caboose. I removed the sides from an old Trix caboose and added new sides with Evergreen styrene. Relocatedthe cupola and cut and framed new windows. The scheme is the one used prior to WWII.....
Got all the shells/parts to start on BN SD40-2B 7502...hopefully will have all the cutting/bashing done over the next few weekends.
the 2nd of 3 Eastern cabooses. NKP 1027. Built from a MT Caboose. Scratch cupola, new windows, grabs all around, markers made from caboose stacks, truss rods, supports and a new stack. Cupola was relocated to make a center cupola caboose.....
What they said. The V-20 was replaced with a V-16, then electronics upgraded to -2 standards by MK. SP also had some SD40 carbodies used along with former EL SDP45s.
Continuing onward with the lumber carrier that will interchange with the railroad for delivery of finished lumber to California. Trimmed out the deck hatch sides and then made the hatch covers that for now are designed to be removed to model open hatches. Main part of the superstructure is done with glazing installed in the portholes. And modifying two sets of boat davits that I cast from resin to be slightly taller for this vessel. I have five more vessels ranging from 40 to 65 foot in various stages of construction lined up behind this one.
Finished installing the holds for the vessel. Used leftover bits and pieces from my styrene scrapbox. Next up is to finish painting the hatch covers and install lift rings in each hatch cover section. Since this vessel will sit in the forefront of the layout section containing the harbor area a lot of detail will be put into it although hopefully not as much as the research vessel.
Superstructure and two sets of boat davits mounted and started fabricating the cargo boom assemblies. Now I just have to figure out the best way to rig the booms.
Got around to painting my WM H-9! I'm ecstatic about how this project is turning out! I also received its revised tender frame from Shapeways today, which is working out nicely, hopefully I will have some pics of the completed model soon! While the paint was drying on the H-9 I added some details to this guy! I love what 3D printing is doing for this hobby! Also received my test print of this today! I'm really excited about this one, even though its going to need some revisions. Some how the cab ended up being way too short, but I was really pleased with the hood and sill, so hopefully after a few tweaks this will be all set! Does anyone have any suggestions for a frame for the Baldwin? I was going to put it on an RS-11 but its a bit too tall and the shorter wheel base is much more noticeable than I thought it would be.
Could the Atlas RS-1 work? It's lower than an RS-11. The wheelbase is 31'. I'm not sure what the wheelbase for the Baldwin is supposed to be.
The truck centers for the Baldwin are 32' 3". Late last night I dropped it down on a Bachmann RS3 which worked quite nicely in terms of fit, but all of the tank detail on the Bachmann is cast metal, and would need to be milled off. I didn't think that a scale six inches at each end would be all that noticeable, but it is pretty distracting.
After a break for Turkey day and all the trimmings went back to work on the lumber carrier. Attached the swinging cargo booms to the mast tower assemblies. First and second holds will be portrayed as loading either from a barge or the dock depending on the harbor redesign on the new layout plans. Next up is finish painting and then rigging all that confusion of booms.
Jeff Briggs painted and weathered my model of the Highway 97 Overpass, which is shown here with a 50' boxcar and tractor-trailer for size reference: Meanwhile, on the layout, I have glued down the sub-roadbed and trackbed either side of the highway, drilled holes for feeder wires, cut away the roadbed to make way for the bridge, and installed the support blocks for the bridge: My two Minibox tool cars (BCOL 993020 and BCOL 993024) are now complete. Here is an oblique view of BCOL 993024: And finally, I have finished building my fuel supply flatcar PGE 1104 and it is now ready for paint: Tim
