Projects

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

true 

[jonathan]

"missin the Capital domes on the Sunbursts.....also you have plans to renumber a couple of em?"

Yes, I have figured out how to remove all or part of the old number.  Haven't found a decent decal or dry transfer to put on a new one.  That's why I'm curious about making my own decals.  I have one or two other locos I want to renumber as well (plus make my own Capitol Dome decals).

Regards,

Jonathan

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

I believe Microscale puts out a close color match, maybe try Champ they are nice decals and have several sets(Steam B&O, and freight cars) Reminds me, i gotta dos 3 normal C&O Coaches in spectrum(I bought a whole case of undec coaches and undec pullmans, dont as why i had a big plan to do some through road names and B&O Pullman green coaches and pullmans which i have yet to start on and all i have to do is put decals on em.......im lazy haha)

[jonathan]

Laziness is relative.  After only three years of building a layout, I found I have more projects than I can possibly get to.  Scenery is never-ending.  Detailing rolling stock is continuous.  It goes on forever.  I keep reminding myself, it's not the destination, it's the journey that counts.

Jonathan

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

ha, when i finally get to my layout it probably will never be done, (well once i get the orginal done, i'll probably keep adding, subtracting ETC, if I Subtract a line the intent is to keep the "Grading" and bridges in place(maybe rails here and there) just like in the real world. When i worked at modeltrainstuff.com every morning i passed by abannded tracks and worked not to far from a old Northern Central Depot, and right on the other side of the street from the depot was a 3 track yard.
http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qkdcb98mcm75&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=7133176&encType=1

Thats a "Birdseye" of the old depot and if you move to the south just a hair on the map you can see the old yard.

[kevin2083]

I've been gone from here for a while, so here's some of the stuff I've been working on since you last heard from me. I've had plenty of time to work on trains again since I couldn't drive for the last two weeks....got to have my jaw broken in 3 places surgically. ugh. But, enough of that, here's some pictures for yous guys.

My latest is an Athearn GP7 repaint. I hand painted it because I couldn't find the masking tape.


I redid this one again. I can never seem to be satisfied with how it turns out.


and these are most of the diesels I repainted. The one on the far right is my GP40M creation that has since been painted to CSX. There's also the yellow and black GP4M that finally has some truck sideframes



and this is why you haven't heard from me in a while.... Been trying to keep 2 Jeeps running

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

hmm, thought i posted this shot of two cabooses I made........i'm loosing my mind at only 23 yrs old.....

[jonathan]

Again,

Your decal projects look great.  I have a bobber that would love to get B&O lettering on it. 

Jonathan

[jonathan]

I recently ordered, what I consider to be, a rather expensive B&O caboose pair.  They look great, but they need to be lit.  This I have never done, so it's time for a learning project. 

I obtained a Bachmann trio a while back that had an Amtrak loco, dummy and caboose.  The engine and dummy are fine, but the caboose is, well, non prototypical shall we say? So I decided to sacrifice it to my higher education.  Here is what it looked like after I dismantled it:



Here is my hack job of making wipers out of some spare trucks:



Here is the truck frame all put together:




I used 12-16v GOR bulbs (fit perfectly in a 3/32 drilled hole).

Here is the result:





Spent about 14 hours and $8 (bulbs and paint).  Didn't do this to learn how to paint rolling stock, but I made a poor attempt anyway.  The blue was actually high gloss, but it looked to garish to me, so I sprayed dullcote all over.

Anyway, the lights work.  They flicker whenever I roll over a turnout frog.  Wasn't expecting that.  I could add more wipers, but the trucks are a little stiff as it is.  So I'll let it slide.  Now I'm ready for the expensive caboose.  Hope I don't break the ladders.  They are delicate you know...

Regards,

Jonathan

PS.  After I photographed and posted this, I took the model apart, painted all the wires black and tried to hide 'em as best I could.  Guess I need some forum instruction on hiding wires .  Also, reglued the stack to the roof, and added window glazing. 

[CNE Runner]

Goodness gracious Jonathan - you are light years ahead of anything I have attempted (...and I have been in the hobby for years)!. Your attention to detail is excellent and I love those rear lights on the cabooses (heck, I like the picture you took of the caboose on your layout). Your paint and decal work on the various locomotives is outstanding...'way to go!

Thanks for sharing,
Ray

[jonathan]

Ray,

Thank you very much.  I feel a caveat is in order.  While I have been playing with my trains for only three years, I have had a lot of ideas dancing around my head for over 40 years.  I had lots of time to learn a few things, while waiting for the opportunity to bring the ideas to life.

Regards,

Jonathan

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Again,

Your decal projects look great.  I have a bobber that would love to get B&O lettering on it. 

Jonathan

The decals I used on the cabooses are by CHAMP and they still had some last i checked for about $4(1 set is good for one car mostly but i squeezed two out of a set, i just didnt put the "C" in front of the number.

P.S. I just got back from the Great Scale Model train Show, i found a bunch of stuff(well a good bit) I'll post pics asap.

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,10650.0.html pics of stuff i bought is on that thread.

[Jim Banner]

One way of hiding the wires is to use plastic window glazing.  Before you install the glazing, you scuff the inside with #600 wet and dry paper using a circular sanding motion.  In bulk, it looks like ground glass.  In context as windows, it looks like dirty ones.  The scuffing helps show off the interior lighting but at the same time hides the wires, the unfinished interior, and a host of other sins.  The shiny outside still gives the appearance of glass.

The same trick works in buildings.  But with buildings you can also go the next step - painting curtains and blinds on the inside.  With an olde time railway, you could do the same with caboose windows.

Glass can also be scuffed but it takes more work.

Jim 

[jonathan]

Jim, you are always a wealth of knowledge.  As I DID put plastic glazing in the windows, I will look around the garage (layout room) for said 600 grit paper.  I believe I have a sheet somewhere between the unused cereal boxes (heavy card stock)  and extra sheets of styrofoam (coal load bases).  I'll Have to try sanding with one finger, since the glazing is already glued in place.

Thanks as always,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

This is what all that practice was for.  Like a few others around here,  I'm a huge B&O fan.  Was very excited when Walthers put there Platinum Line Cabeese on sale.  So I bought a 2-pack.  I knew I wanted to light at least one of them.  Was surprised to find out there was an interior detail included.  I just had to paint the inside.  Even with it lit up bright, it's hard to see in the plastic glazing.... but if you look real close...











Only problem I have is the centering spring/wipers are too tight against the wheels, so it won't roll properly.  I have to get the nerve up to bend 'em back a little, so I can actually put her at the end of a train.  Perhaps I'll be brave enough to adjust the springs tomorrow.  For now, I'll just enjoy the pictures.

Regards,

Jonathan