Wolfcreek Update-DEC2008

A small update. This one isn't worth starting a new blog entry in, and It's small enough that I thought I'd show some people on the board what I've been up to. Well after speaking to L&B Hobbies at the Great Midwest Train Show, they told me my caboose smoke stack was back at the hobby shop and today I went to pick it up. Today not only got my repair parts, but a wealth of knowledge I've been seeking.

Sierra's sound systems, to start, are digital sound, but are also analog sound together. It's the answer I've sought for the longest time. Dallee's sound good, but it's for one unit only, so Sierra is the path I shall take. Next was my wireless control issue. Train Engineer is what I'll be using on my units finally. It's DCC for analog units. My Multiple Unit Cable will have to be further pursued. But what I learned is that, originally a BN Caboose, Long Steel type, that they found for me, and I said "I just need a new smoke unit for my old one." is the road number listed at the aristocraft uncatalouged database. My caboose is numbered 11119. This means there was a 2 road number run. So when I get to needed a second caboose, I can go after this one.

My Snowplows that were given to me from the Gopher Canyon Line have not arrived yet, but that's probobly due to weather problems. As soon as they show up my U25B and FA-1 will have their own snowplows. I'll post Pictures of them on this thread here.

Now on to the juicy goodness, with only 2 grams of Trans Fat!!!! :eh-laugh:

First up the coal load from Trainloads.com made by St. Charles Models. This coal load is quite impressive. It's a foam like material that looks like real coal, feels like real coal (on the top, not the foamy bottom), and is very lightweight. I have to make some adjustments to mine so it fits right, but that's a small setback. It fits snug against the sides and that's definetly a plus. And here's a photograph of it now~


Next up was my Caboose smoke stack. I bought the entire smoke unit. Thinking I'd only need the stack, I was wrong. The Metal contact prong out of my old stove unit was missing. So a simple snip of some wires, electrical tape, smoke fluid, and a successful test and my caboose now smokes. My old smoke stack fit loosly through the roof. I solved that. This one was tricky. I had to force it into it's proper hole so much that when I take the roof off, the smoke stack disconnects like it should and comes with the roof. I'll never have to worry about a broken stack again~ Or smoke unit for that matter~


Well one last project. I bought .080 Styrene sheets to finish my yard office with but ended up fubaring the sheets because my utility knife blade I got at the dollar store was too cheap and too flimsy to work right. So after christmas I'm going to try again and finish this project before 2009.

That's what I've been up to~ More info as soon as the plows arrive in the mail.

 

A little bit of information goes along way when sharing it with others. I found going to train shows such as the one you went to is where I also found out information I needed. I enjoy looking at the pictures you post of your G scale lay out, it reminds me of how I started out also. After my G scale Bachman big hauler disaster I restarted in G scale again with Aristocraft Alco FA FB FA locomotive set on a budget. I also like your blog, I have never done one, but the way you did yours is very interesting. I think you have inspired me to start one also, starting out with history on how my railroad came to be would be interesting reading to others. I know my railroad looks like a empire today, but it took 10 years to get and have what I got so don't get fustrated, do a little at a time. For some reason I always enjoy others work better than my own, keep up the good work.

 

The blog style was inspired by an HO Modeler in the 75th Anniversary issue of Model Railroader. The Layout, while no longer running, was treated like a real railroad and the notes and memo's like they were the owners. It's an interesting style to write in because Kids really love to read stuff like that. And it's a chance for modelers in general to get creative. A Win-Win situation in any book. Little by little I'm expanding, the Train Engineer system is next spring's big project. My transformer's going. Takes 5 minutes of Idle time for it to regulate the voltage in my track, so I started looking around and spring I'm getting the basic Train Engineer set + an additional 10amp pack so I don't blow out the fuses in the house or melt the circuit boards. Apparently it requires a good amount of power for the wireless recievers. But that's alright, it's an adventure into new territory.

 

Okay Plow Time~ These are really awesome. I was thinking they were plastic, but It turns out that their Die-cast Metal. First up is the die-cast form, unpainted, for my U25B. These fit in the slots by the coupler. One notice only Kadee's will fit inbetween them. So I need to get the Kadee Coupler kit for my U25B before I install that snowplow.


Now the FA-1's. I have to repaint mine, but I'll show you the end result anyways. If you see streaking it's because when I went to grab the can of Krylon Fusion for Metal, I accidently grabbed the Plastic one. I use Krylon Fusion because the Fusion aspect has the primer in it. No need to prime at all. It's how I accomplished my FB-1's Stripe. The paint has begun peeling, because the plastic only adhere's to plastic. The plows will be glued on with a Silicone glue that bonds plastic to metal so they will be permanent. And since the pilot of the FA-1 is attached to the shell, there will be no interfereance with the disassembly when I go to install my ART-5940 Train Engineer reciever and my Sierra Soundtraxx system. The only draw back is the Snowplow drags on my LGB Crossing Track. It's the piece of LGB Track with the grade crossing already attached. I'll have to tinker with that so it doesn't hit. So without further adue, The FA-1 and her snowplow: