N Scale Model Railroad Build

[Bighurt]

You can never have a truck too big



Hey Bighurt.

If I was messing with code 40 I'd probably go ahead and hand lay the track on wood ties. I ain't ready to go to that level of insanity yet. I am going to hand lay some code 55 on the curved wood trestle I have to build. Was going to use micro engineering bridge flex but it seem everyone is out of stock.

On you G scale, are you running battery power on the aluminum track. Aluminum rail is a beach to keep clean, especially outdoor.

On my Aristocraft BNSF Dash-9, I modified the body so the center section lifted off and I could slide a custom built pack of 16 NiCad D cells in it over top of the sound board. I was also able to stuff 2 additional Dash-9 weights in the fuel tank. That loco weighed about 25 lbs with the batteries and 5 weight in it.

PWRS has ME Bridge track 3' for 10.95 available. If you decide to become a member give them reference number 2GBUM63. I have nothing to say but good things about PWRS and their service. I've been tossing around Central valley switches or a fast track jig, that will be the extent of my handlaid per say, I like the spike detail on ME track something you can't get out of handlaid. And proto:87 isn't intended for a basement pike!

Yes, Like I said my large scale stuff is still being collected. I have a Christmas train and a few LGB on a around the ceiling loop that are track powered on .332 brass track. But everything for outside, SD70's, SD40-2's, GP40's and eventually some GP38's is being converted to Battery and Airwire. No battery car setup so everything is going to break the wallet but at my age I have plenty of time to collect.

Jeremy

 

[pmmjarrett]

PWRS has ME Bridge track 3' for 10.95 available. If you decide to become a member give them reference number 2GBUM63. I have nothing to say but good things about PWRS and their service. I've been tossing around Central valley switches or a fast track jig, that will be the extent of my handlaid per say, I like the spike detail on ME track something you can't get out of handlaid. And proto:87 isn't intended for a basement pike!

Yes, Like I said my large scale stuff is still being collected. I have a Christmas train and a few LGB on a around the ceiling loop that are track powered on .332 brass track. But everything for outside, SD70's, SD40-2's, GP40's and eventually some GP38's is being converted to Battery and Airwire. No battery car setup so everything is going to break the wallet but at my age I have plenty of time to collect.

Jeremy

Thanks.

I ordered one from PWRS and they almost immediatly called. Told me it wasn't in stock, they could order it but didn't know how long it would take so I cancelled. That's pretty dang good customer service on a saturday night. I see Caboose Hobbies site says they have it in stock. Will call them monday....... If not, I guess it's gonna be bare rail, basswood ties and pliobond contact cement.

 

[pmmjarrett]

Taking a break from the layout and working on the first set of Walthers Thall stack cars. Going to step ahead into a little more advanced modeling.

The victim.

Supplies, parts and tools needed. Gold medal models detail set, Fox valley Models 33" metal wheels, Microtrains truck with short shank coupler (end units), microtrains truck without couplers (articulated joints. will eventually replace with BLMA trucks if I lower the cars further), Super glue, Poly scale TTX yellow, #0 brush, jewlers files, flat file, razor or hobby knife, needle nose pliers, tweezers, magnifying glass, pin vise with #62 drill bit. Rust All weathering system (or your favorite weathering products)

Take the car completely apart and discard everything exept the car.

Break off cast hand grabs and steps and file smooth. Use the #62 drill in the pin vise to clear the flashing out of the lift rings and thin them a bit.

File the bolster pins a bit to lower the ride height of the cars and file the area where the coupler pocket is smooth. File the end of the platform over the coupler too. You need a little more clearance with short shank couplers.

Cut needed etched stainless parts from the Gold medal package. Yes you CAN actually see through the perforated stainless walkways.

Bend the parts carefully into shape.

Test fit and then carefully glue into place.

Touch up paint and they are ready to weather till your hearts content.

 

[pmmjarrett]

Drum roll please maestro.

Weathered with the rustall system. 1st coat - Rust, 2nd coat - black wash, 3rd coat just on sides - dust and black to make brown mud. On containers, K line got 1 light coat of rust, JB Hunt got blackwash with a touch of rust.

OOPS, forgot to paint the coupler trip pin. That's corrected already with some flat black.

How about some side by side shots with an identical un molested car.

 

[Buford445]

Seams Like you would clean up that Rusted dirty one LOL

You Sir are a Artist and a Very Good one

 

[pmmjarrett]

Seams Like you would clean up that Rusted dirty one LOL

You Sir are a Artist and a Very Good one

Thank you. I'm not that good of an artist, it's just that everything's so small in "N" scale you can't see all of the mistakes


Today I leveled the cars ot at the articulated joints. On big downside is these cars all have one car higher than the other at the joint's. Takes quite a bit of grinding and filing and constant checking to get them reasonably level with each other. You can easily spend an entire day doing this but the results are worth it. The bonus is that the bolster pins also stich through the koints now giving a better connection between cars.

Also installed the new walkways on the rest of the cars.

And installed a step and did a little more weathering on the B unit. Used a Floquil "rust" paint marker and some powdered rust colors today. I don't remember who makes these powders anymore, I've had them for a long time. Need to get a little black wash on the trucks and coupler to bring out a little more detail. (FYI, the units are supposed to be assembled B,C,D,E,A for those that may have a set and got them mixed up.). The steps are from BLMA. Only have 9 more to install.

 

[2psnapod2]

I am amazed at how real those cars look. They look as if they have been on that track for many many years. Great job.

 

[pmmjarrett]

I am amazed at how real those cars look. They look as if they have been on that track for many many years. Great job.

Thank you. When my 13 yo daughter saw it, she said.... "Daddy, that one looks like a real train, the other one looks like a piece of plastic."

Weathering is easy, do it in layers. Rust, dust, black wash and flattener for the paint are the colors you need, of course there are different shades of rust too. Do it light, do it heavy or whatever shade you like. Start light and go heavier. There are many ways and systems to weather models.



I put a coat of black wash on the trucks and couplers to bring out the details and get rid of some of the "freshly rusted" look it had. Looking at prototype pics, I need to still go a lot darker. More grime than rust here.

I like this better. Dry brushed a little Floquil RR tie brown on the trucks, coupler, belly and wheel wells. Now it looks greasy & grimey and recently was in the shop and had the wheels replaced.

 

[ChopperBill]

Think you are starting a trend here. I ain't going to wash our Bighorn for awhile and see how it goes!

 

[porthole]

Hey Mike - it looks like your cars missed the Santa Fe train wash, better send them back.

Drum roll please maestro.

Weathered with the rustall system. 1st coat - Rust, 2nd coat - black wash, 3rd coat just on sides - dust and black to make brown mud. On containers, K line got 1 light coat of rust, JB Hunt got blackwash with a touch of rust.

OOPS, forgot to paint the coupler trip pin. That's corrected already with some flat black.

 

[pmmjarrett]

Think you are starting a trend here. I ain't going to wash our Bighorn for awhile and see how it goes!

Yer gonna get us both in trouble with Mama..... and if Mama ain't happy, nobody's gonna be happy.

 

[pmmjarrett]

Hey Mike - it looks like your cars missed the Santa Fe train wash, better send them back.

They've missed it for about 20 years or so.

Crying shame too, My mom taught me how to take care of my stuff, but whenever I get my hands on something shiney and new it looks slam wore out in a couple hours.

Mabey I should was my hands better.

 

[ncrebel8]

OK, Now PM you cant just leave this without working on it. Its been like 36 hours since the last update! I am going thru "whats happening with the railroad" withdrawals!

 

[2psnapod2]

OK, Now PM you cant just leave this without working on it. Its been like 36 hours since the last update! I am going thru "whats happening with the railroad" withdrawals!

That's because he's working. Taking the new Key Largo to Tampa so I can see it at the Rv show ther next month!

 

[pmmjarrett]

That's because he's working. Taking the new Key Largo to Tampa so I can see it at the Rv show ther next month!

My truck's too big for the Key Largo and I don't use my dually to transport anymore, (havn't used the dualle yo transport in almost 2 years and ain't gonna start back up with it.)

Been home out of work since just before thanksgiving because of recent medical problems. Problems with bad pain in shoulders, wrists and hands. Couldn't move my shoulders, lost all strength and fingers were numb, had a heck of a time getting home from Missouri. Been on Vicodin and Nerontin for the pain last few weeks. Just learned this week, finally, after CT scans, MRI and X-rays that I have 2 buldging disks in my neck between C4 & C5 and C5 & C6 with moderate to severe central stenosis with degenerative disk disease at C5&6. Have more doctors appointments after the first of the year. Hopefully get some answers on what can be done. Right now I can't drive. May never drive truck again.

I've been in Virginia Beach for a couple days visiting some relatives, just got home.

 

[irvin56]

OUCH Mark, that don't sound like fun. Take care and hopefully they can do something to eliminate the pain and get you back in the saddle.

 

[pmmjarrett]

Wooooooooo Hooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

The Bachmann Spectrum DCC C&O H4 2-6-6-2 articulated locomotive and my Atlas C&O caboose came in while I was gone.

The loco is beautifull. Very nicely detailed as I expected it to be. This loco is dual mode DCC and will run on both DCC or Analog DC. Even though I only have the track down in the tunnel area, I ran it back and forth a bit while peering through the access holes and it appears that it's going to be a good smooth runner with none of the Bachmann wobble I was fearing. Good smooth low speed runner too. Does have a bit of gear noise that should quiet down once I get a little lube on it and give it a good break in run in both directions.

It's a good size for the smaller radius curves on this layout too for as big of a steam locomotive that it is. With both sets of drivers articulated and the locomotive minus the tender being shorter than my SD75 locomotives, It doesn't have ridiculous looking overhang when taking a curve.

I'm going to slap together a quick 3' x 4' test track oval with a little left over Atlas code 80 snap track I have laying around. Need to pick up 1 sheet of 3/4" blue foam and some code 80 rail joiners tomorrow when I finish up a little last minute shopping for my daughter..... Gotta hit Gamestop and pick up a few games for the Xbox360 w/ Kinect....... OK, I'll fess up, gotta get a second controller and a few used games for daddy too, Nothing like blasting some Zombies together with a rail gun.

 

[pmmjarrett]

Thanks Irvin,

This isn't fun at all. It takes a lot to drag me into see a doc and quite frankly this scares the stuffing out of me. Good news is the dose of Nerontin I'm on right now is working so I ain't hooked on the Vicodin. I don't like narcotic drugs so I only pop one of the addictive Vicodin when I absolutly need it. About the only saddle I'm going to see for a while is my Lay Z Boy

My mind and body are in great conflict with each other.

My mind is saying I can leap tall buildings in a single bound, do anything I want too, havn't had even a common cold since I was 12, you were the senior in high school that ran a 4:40 mile and a 9:50 2 mile in track and ran the 5k cross country in 15:10, used to run 10k runs and mini marathons for fun, went through airborne jump school at 36 still running the 2 mile in 14 minutes, could still run 8+ miles non stop, went to special forces selection at 37 and was Rambos worst nightmare in combat.

My body is saying.... Baloney, I quit after 46 years of constant abuse. Yer sitting in a recliner, playing with trains and riding a powered wheel chair for the next 46.

 

[pmmjarrett]

Now that I'm home and have taken my meds, let's have some fun here. I'm going to build a low budget 32" x 48" test track with some old Atlas code 80 "snap track" I have. We'll call it the RRR..... The "Redneck RailRoad". I' started this at 1PM when I got home. will try to complete it today so you'll want to follow the progress closely today as I will post several times throughout the day.

Supplies needed

1 - sheet 3/4" 4' x 8' blue foam
1 - tube construction adhesive
2 - hot dogs
4 - slices swiss cheese (2 are to snack on while the dogs are cookin)
your favorite condiments
2 - slices of bread or hot dog buns
several containers of your favorite beverage
14 - sections of atlas 2513 straight track
13 sections of Atlas 2515 11" full curve track
2 - sections of Atlas 2532 rerailers
1 - Atlas 2536 bumper
1 - Atlas 2703 standard manual right turnout
some flat water color earth tone paint
A couple arms full of firewood



Let's get started
Transport the foam home (ET phone home....yea that was lame) Cutting it to fit in your car or truck is OK, I cut it into 3 - 32" x 48" sections so I didn't have to tie it down in the truck bed right in the Lowe's parking lot. If you need to cut them down even further to fit, make sure you cut these 32" wide sections in different lengths so they will stack like bricks when you put them back together and will still be strong when glued together.

Peel off the plastic sheeting on the foam so the glue sticks.

Find a flat place to work (Mama preffers this part outside) to glue the 3 32" x 48" sheets together with the construction adhesive.

Now bring it inside where it's warm and weight it down while waiting for the adhesive to dry. The living room floor and some firewood works great for this. When Mama asks you what the heck you are doing, just tell her "The firewood isn't completely seasoned and it'll cure better in the family room where the wood stove is."...... That line of bowl sheet is only gonna work if you have a wood stove or fireplace...... and quite honestly she prolly ain't gonna buy it even then. You'll know she thinks yer full of it when she rolls her eyes and walks away muttering something quite profound about you and yer trains.

Now that you think you dodged that bullet, go ahead and nuke a couple hot dogs and grab yer favorite beverage and watch the glue dry while you post yer progress on the Heartland owners forum. I'f you really think you actually dodged a bullet, your mind is worse than mine........ It'll all come back to you, mabey in a day, mabey in a month or mabey in a year or so..... It's unknown when this episode of your life will bite you in the posterior, but it will, and it will be the most inopportune time. So sit back, relax and enjoy the moment....... for now.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm MOCHA!!!!!

 

[ChopperBill]

I see Starbucks but have feeling you been hitting the eggnog! Have a good one ole friend!