Jumaat, 19 November 2010
November 19, 2010 Working on scenery
It has cooled off in Bakersfield so now I'm able to work on my layout in the garage. I started with some scenery on a small section near my control panel.
I did some gravel work next to my railroad station, it will be north parking for the station. Then I did some asphalt road work from the tracks to the Post Office parking area. I did some preliminary sanding of the asphalt, I will finish sanding the roadway after I extend the asphalt to the station's south parking lot.
The creek is ready for water to be added and the gravel parking area is ready for vehicles.
The picture below is a closeup of the turnout next to the park/creek, the ballast at the turnout points must be clear because one small granule of ballast can interfere with the moving rails.
You can see the bare cork roadbed under the moving rail points.
This is the second creek opening with a young lady feeding the deer. There will be trees and bushes placed around the buildings and creek areas after I'm finished with the ground work in the middle of my layout.
These two pictures are with the flash off and two florescent ceiling lights on.
The street lights fit the 50s very nicely. The roadways still need sanding and some sealer applied then it will look like asphalt.
Selasa, 19 Oktober 2010
October 19 My SP Snowplow
I've been working on my rotary snowplow. The front truck was held in place with a 2.5 mm shaft without a keeper and every time I picked it up the trucks were left on my bench top. After a couple of days of that it upset me to no end. This morning I decided to put an end to that problem. I drilled a 1/16" hole through the chassis/shaft and tapped it for a 2 mm screw. It came out exactly in the center of the shaft and it's like it came from Athearn that way.
Next I decided to try to power the blade just for kicks. I dug through my motor collection and found a gearmotor that Motorman sent me to experiment with. It fits like a glove! I put an NWSL U-joint cap on the shaft from the blade and one on the gearmotor shaft and the alignment is better than it could have been designed by an engineer at the Athearn factory. I used my old standby "Goop" to glue the gearmotor in place. The gearmotor turns the blade about 100 RPM at 2 volts. I used a 180O resistor in series with the gearmotor and at 12 volts it's about 150 RPM. The current draw is only 40 ma at 2 volts so I can use an accessory output from a DCC decoder in the Snail to turn it on and off. I'll play around with the resistor value when I get it hooked up to a DCC decoder to turn the blade somewhere between 150 to 200 RPM. I used three pin Dean's connectors for the interconnect between the Plow & the Snail.
This has turned out to be a real fun project. I decided to add a crew to pilot my snow machine. By not painting the back of the LED headlight the it should illuminate the crew just enough so they can be seen through the windows. I'm going to use a crew from a Proto E-9, they are in exact alignment for the windows on the snowplow. The double A unit of E-9s only needs one crew in the front engine anyway.
I ended up using the 180O two watt resistor in series with motor and a 100�f capacitor paralleling the resistor to help the 12 volt motor start reliably at 2 volts.
I ended up using the 180O two watt resistor in series with motor and a 100�f capacitor paralleling the resistor to help the 12 volt motor start reliably at 2 volts.
It's hard to tell but the snow blade is turning about 150 RPM, the flash stopped it. Everything is working great. The LED headlight is so bright even with the current reduced to 3 ma that it's hard to see the engineers in the cab.
Sabtu, 16 Oktober 2010
October 16 Decal Info
Many Southern Pacific Model Railroaders are wanting the SP text fonts so here's my answer. I use Century School Book Bold. My Windows XP Pro didn't come with that font. I hadn't dinked around with fonts before so I went to Google and found an excellent Web Site.
The site is: WebpagePublicity.com
Click here to Download File
The site is: WebpagePublicity.com
Click here to Download File
I downloaded the font file and it was a TTF extension just under 130K. The instructions said to copy and paste it to Windows\Fonts and it worked. Now I have the "SP" font available in every program on my computer. Century School Book Bold font is extremely close to the real thing as my picture below shows.
I was very surprised at how close the font is to the Micro-Scale decals. I made several decals for my MOW Equipment that took some doings to apply. I don't have an Alps Printer so the best I can do is make a negative decal using black on clear and painting the car with a white stripe.
The picture above is the corner of my wrecking crane. I printed out the MW 7032 decal on my HP Photo Smart 7900 Ink Jet Printer. It is a negative, black background with white text, printed on clear decal paper. I painted a white strip on the car to make the clear text white.
Rabu, 13 Oktober 2010
October 13 MOW Equipment
Last week it was cool enough to put some time in the garage working on my layout. I got some serious cleaning and sorting done. I found two unfinished MOWs to work on. It warmed up here in Bakersfield again and I'm back working in my computer/hobby room where it's cool.
I cleaned up the wrecking crane and snowplow then I put on the SP decals and painted the blade on the plow red like the prototype.
Athearn forgot the headlight so I drilled a #33 hole and installed a white LED between the windows top center. The Athearn plow was longer than the SP prototype from the 50s. The SP plows were shorter so I removed 10' making the plow 45' long. I have a F7A that I'm converting to a F7B as the "Snail" that powers the traction motor. The SP Shops installed the traction motor to power the blade in 1953. It was built as steam powered in the 1920s, notice the exhaust stack on the roof and the boiler front plate on the rear.
The wrecking crane is very close to the SP prototype. I crawled all over the crane in the El Paso SP Yard when I was a teenager and it didn't have glass in the windows so I don't think I'll put glass in my crane either.
I put the full name on both of my MOWs because I like all my railroad equipment to display Southern Pacific. The prototypes only have "SP" on them.
There wasn't a snowplow in El Paso where we lived when I grew up but there was one assigned to the San Joaquin District here in Bakersfield to clear the Tehachapi Pass during bad winters. Since my layout has mountains I need a snowplow. I'll park the snowplow in the yard because it's still summer on my layout.
It's 1956 in the middle of summer on my layout so there's no snow and the kids from town are hanging out at the RR Super's swimming pool.
There are more pictures of the Railroad Superintendent's swimming pool in my December 2009 Archive, check it out.
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I cleaned up the wrecking crane and snowplow then I put on the SP decals and painted the blade on the plow red like the prototype.
Athearn forgot the headlight so I drilled a #33 hole and installed a white LED between the windows top center. The Athearn plow was longer than the SP prototype from the 50s. The SP plows were shorter so I removed 10' making the plow 45' long. I have a F7A that I'm converting to a F7B as the "Snail" that powers the traction motor. The SP Shops installed the traction motor to power the blade in 1953. It was built as steam powered in the 1920s, notice the exhaust stack on the roof and the boiler front plate on the rear.
The wrecking crane is very close to the SP prototype. I crawled all over the crane in the El Paso SP Yard when I was a teenager and it didn't have glass in the windows so I don't think I'll put glass in my crane either.
I put the full name on both of my MOWs because I like all my railroad equipment to display Southern Pacific. The prototypes only have "SP" on them.
There wasn't a snowplow in El Paso where we lived when I grew up but there was one assigned to the San Joaquin District here in Bakersfield to clear the Tehachapi Pass during bad winters. Since my layout has mountains I need a snowplow. I'll park the snowplow in the yard because it's still summer on my layout.
It's 1956 in the middle of summer on my layout so there's no snow and the kids from town are hanging out at the RR Super's swimming pool.
There are more pictures of the Railroad Superintendent's swimming pool in my December 2009 Archive, check it out.
Jumaat, 8 Oktober 2010
October 8 Mag Lamp
I finally broke down and installed my Mag Lamp next to my computer work station.
It is becoming more and more obvious that my reading glasses weren't cutting the mustard. I went to my stored Mag-Lamp and mounted it on my hobby workbench next to my computer. That way I can swivel it back and fourth between the two. It sure helps when I'm working on fine detail like the marker lights.
Khamis, 16 September 2010
September 16, 2010 Cal-Scale Markers for my SP Articulated Locomotives
I ordered 10 pairs of Cal-Scale Modern Marker lights for my locomotives from needtrains.com. Terry delivered them very quickly. He has the best Customer Service that I've run into in many years.
They are much closer to scale than the Tomar 807s. The Cal-Scale Markers are lost wax brass castings and non illuminated, I will drill them out and install 1mm 1� volt micro-bulbs.
This is what they look like after drilling them out with a #60 drill bit.
In the picture above my AC-9 has both the Number Plates and Marker Lights are on.
The picture above shows four Cab Forwards with the Cal-Scale markers installed ready for paint.
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They are much closer to scale than the Tomar 807s. The Cal-Scale Markers are lost wax brass castings and non illuminated, I will drill them out and install 1mm 1� volt micro-bulbs.
I drilled out the lenses with a #60 drill and then enlarged the hole with a #56 drill that will be the rear of the lamp so that the micro bulb will slide in.
The two lamps on the Dime are 1mm 1� volt micro lamp that I use in the Cal-Scale markers.
I used a drop of glass stain to make the lenses.
The picture above shows four Cab Forwards with the Cal-Scale markers installed ready for paint.
Sabtu, 4 September 2010
September 4 AC-9 Number Plates
I decided to make the Number Plates for my AC-9 out of scrap acrylic so that I could illuminate them.
I cut two triangle shaped pieces of scrap acrylic and polished the edges. Then I drilled a 2mm hole in the Skyline side for the micro-bulb. To help contain the light I painted them silver first then black leaving the number window clear. I covered the window with a .015" piece of white styrene to enhance the numbers when the lamp is off. They are ready to install on the Skyline.
These two pictures show my home brew Illuminated Number Plates installed on the AC-9 Skyline.
1
The number plates look good when they're lit up. The decals are from a Microscale Decal Southern Pacific Heavy Steam #87-75 set.
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I cut two triangle shaped pieces of scrap acrylic and polished the edges. Then I drilled a 2mm hole in the Skyline side for the micro-bulb. To help contain the light I painted them silver first then black leaving the number window clear. I covered the window with a .015" piece of white styrene to enhance the numbers when the lamp is off. They are ready to install on the Skyline.
These two pictures show my home brew Illuminated Number Plates installed on the AC-9 Skyline.
The number plates look good when they're lit up. The decals are from a Microscale Decal Southern Pacific Heavy Steam #87-75 set.
Jumaat, 20 Ogos 2010
August 25 CMX Track Cleaning Car
This is my CMX Track Cleaning Car. I just cleaned it up, painted it and put on the decals.
I had painted it when I first got it with Testors Flat Black spray paint. I was using a track cleaning fluid that I had for several years and it wasn't working very well. I read on several of the forums that Aero-Car Hobby Lubricants ACT-6006 worked very well so I bought some. It works super good but it ate the paint off the car. I tried several types of paint and the ACT-6006 did it's thing on all of them. I finally tried some Rust-Oleum Automotive Paint and it worked. My CMX is back in the yard waiting to go to work.
I highly recommend the CMX Track Cleaning Car and the ACT-6006 track cleaning fluid, it is by far the best track cleaning system I have ever used in over 50 years of Model Railroading.
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I highly recommend the CMX Track Cleaning Car and the ACT-6006 track cleaning fluid, it is by far the best track cleaning system I have ever used in over 50 years of Model Railroading.
Selasa, 20 Julai 2010
July 20 Painting Trick
I have attempted to paint the walkway edging on my Rivarossi Cab Forwards several times and give up because my hands are not steady enough to to do that type of detail painting.
Before
What I needed was a miniature paint roller. I searched the Internet without any luck looking for one. Then I had an idea, the 1/2" diameter Dremel cotton buffer/polisher wheels. I slipped the 1/8" Dremel shaft in a 1/8" ID brass tube and I had a miniature paint roller.
Magnified view of my paint roller, the steel shaft is 1/8" in diameter. You can see how the 1/2" polishing wheel looks like a paint roller. I did 14 locomotives with the roller.
The only thing I had to be careful with was keeping the 1/8" Dremel shaft in the brass tubing when I rolled on the paint.
After
I had to do a bit of touch-up afterwords but very little. I did 11 Cab Forwards and 3 AC-9s in less than 45 minutes.
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Before
What I needed was a miniature paint roller. I searched the Internet without any luck looking for one. Then I had an idea, the 1/2" diameter Dremel cotton buffer/polisher wheels. I slipped the 1/8" Dremel shaft in a 1/8" ID brass tube and I had a miniature paint roller.
The only thing I had to be careful with was keeping the 1/8" Dremel shaft in the brass tubing when I rolled on the paint.
After
I had to do a bit of touch-up afterwords but very little. I did 11 Cab Forwards and 3 AC-9s in less than 45 minutes.
Sabtu, 17 Julai 2010
July 17 My Drovers Caboose
Ever since I got my Drovers Caboose I wanted to illuminate the dummy Marker lamp on the roof of the cupola, I did it today.
It wasn't as hard to do as I first thought. I used .092" brass tubing, the inside diameter is .062" or 1/16". I cut and soldered the brass tubing to form a "T" the same size as the original Marker Light. A 1.5 volt micro bulb just fits inside the tubing.
I removed the lenses from the original light and glued them on the tubing with LOCTITE Super Glue. I will also add a 1.5 volt interior light and a few loggers guys sitting and a caboose guy standing on the rear platform.
I wired it using my standard 1.5 volt regulator circuit powered from the rails to charge a NMH 400 mah 'N' cell battery in the freight/baggage end of the car. I used the caboose heater stack attached to a brass rod to operate a micro switch to turn the power off to the lights by rotating it 90 degrees. The battery maintains a constant voltage to the lights for a more realistic look.
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It wasn't as hard to do as I first thought. I used .092" brass tubing, the inside diameter is .062" or 1/16". I cut and soldered the brass tubing to form a "T" the same size as the original Marker Light. A 1.5 volt micro bulb just fits inside the tubing.
I removed the lenses from the original light and glued them on the tubing with LOCTITE Super Glue. I will also add a 1.5 volt interior light and a few loggers guys sitting and a caboose guy standing on the rear platform.
Rabu, 14 Julai 2010
July 14 More Decals
My friend and fellow Model Railroader Dan has an Alps printer that makes superior decals. I ask him to make me some custom decals and I got them today. I put the first set on my Drovers Caboose below.
I was raised in El Paso and when I married and went out on my own I ended up in Alamogordo New Mexico. The New Mexico Mountains are full of railroad history as well as Billy the Kid and the Hole in the Wall Gang history.
I'm particularly interested in the Southern Pacific's Logging Operation from the 20s, 30s and 40s era. The SP had a logging operation based out of Alamogordo running up into the Sacramento Mountains to Cloudcroft at 9,500 feet. When the SP shut down their logging operation in 1940 the road name was changed to Alamogordo & Sacramento Mountain Railroad, it was purchased by Vanderbilt and the logging operation operated under the name of the Alamogordo Lumber Company. The mountain railroad was shut down for good in 1947, passenger service had ended in 1938.
The logging company operation was reopened by M.R. Prestridge using trucks on the newly constructed paved road to Cloudcroft that was finished in late 1947. The Alamogordo Lumber Company (Prestridge Lumber) was sold to three local men in 1968 and the name was changed to La Luz Lumber. La Luz Lumber closed down their lumber mill operation in 1971 under bankruptcy. White Sands Forest Products reopened the mill and operated it until 2000 when the Tree Huggers closed it permanently.
In the logging era prime the railroad had 100 logging railroad cars, 5 Shays, 2 Heisler and 2 mallet locomotives.
I have a 2-6-6-2 logger mallet, 5 Three Truck Shays, 6 old time coaches and 24 log cars with a four wheel logging caboose and the Drovers Caboose above.
Dan sent me 52 decals for the Alamogordo & Sacramento Mountain Railroad and the Cloudcroft Lumber Company. I will now have that entire fleet running under those road names.
Two of the Shays were operated under the road name of Cloudcroft Lumber Company. The mallets kept the SP road name and were used to move the finished lumber from the Lumber Mill in Alamogordo to El Paso, they were maintained by the El Paso SP facility. The Shays and heislers were maintained by the Alamogordo Lumber Company in the Alamogordo Yards.
How's that for balance?
Read More..
I'm particularly interested in the Southern Pacific's Logging Operation from the 20s, 30s and 40s era. The SP had a logging operation based out of Alamogordo running up into the Sacramento Mountains to Cloudcroft at 9,500 feet. When the SP shut down their logging operation in 1940 the road name was changed to Alamogordo & Sacramento Mountain Railroad, it was purchased by Vanderbilt and the logging operation operated under the name of the Alamogordo Lumber Company. The mountain railroad was shut down for good in 1947, passenger service had ended in 1938.
The logging company operation was reopened by M.R. Prestridge using trucks on the newly constructed paved road to Cloudcroft that was finished in late 1947. The Alamogordo Lumber Company (Prestridge Lumber) was sold to three local men in 1968 and the name was changed to La Luz Lumber. La Luz Lumber closed down their lumber mill operation in 1971 under bankruptcy. White Sands Forest Products reopened the mill and operated it until 2000 when the Tree Huggers closed it permanently.
In the logging era prime the railroad had 100 logging railroad cars, 5 Shays, 2 Heisler and 2 mallet locomotives.
I have a 2-6-6-2 logger mallet, 5 Three Truck Shays, 6 old time coaches and 24 log cars with a four wheel logging caboose and the Drovers Caboose above.
Dan sent me 52 decals for the Alamogordo & Sacramento Mountain Railroad and the Cloudcroft Lumber Company. I will now have that entire fleet running under those road names.
Two of the Shays were operated under the road name of Cloudcroft Lumber Company. The mallets kept the SP road name and were used to move the finished lumber from the Lumber Mill in Alamogordo to El Paso, they were maintained by the El Paso SP facility. The Shays and heislers were maintained by the Alamogordo Lumber Company in the Alamogordo Yards.
How's that for balance?
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