Latest Project?

Been a while since I've shared some of my "latest projects"... here's one. Although I did a few refrigerator cars including the one in the background close to ten years ago now, I needed the supply chain for them. Thus the box trucks, to which I added scratchbuilt reefer units and painted and made custom decals for. Relatives of mine own many acres of blueberry barrens in Machiasport, Maine, so it's a tribute to them. The 1956 F-100 is way out of my time period, but I spiffed it up and made use of it as well - it can be a static roadside 'sign' for the business, or maybe a rolling billboard during the big annual local blueberry festival in the area. Maine is known for potatoes, sure, but that's way up in Aroostook. Downeast, it's all about blueberries!




I suppose this also qualifies as "latest"... and to partially pay back the faux pas of featuring rubber tired vehicles above... I've been busy this year! Around Christmas 2010 I think I had one locomotive and four heavyweight passenger cars painted and decaled in AHNC's "new" scheme and logo. During 2011 to date I've completed 17 more locomotives. That's the entire planned roster, and all are pictured below. 5 SW1500s, 4 U18Bs, 5 GP38-2s, 2 SD38-2s and 2 GP15Ts. I also finished two "radio control vans" (cabooses equipped as remote leaders), a Jordan spreader and a Russell plow, six commuter cars (two pictured), a couple of structures, and at least half a dozen vehicles. This winter will begin major freight car production and a layout to run all this stuff on!

What have I been doing? Well......

I've been busy. All the fill beneath the diesel train on the right is new. Over 60% of my mainline now sports (GENUINE) cinder ballast! and...

I took the "sag" out of thee trestle.
Sooner or later I'll be completing the closed loop where the wood will meet the steel.
Till then, ciao and enjoy!

jwhite07 wrote:
I suppose this also qualifies as "latest"... and to partially pay back the faux pas of featuring rubber tired vehicles above... I've been busy this year! Around Christmas 2010 I think I had one locomotive and four heavyweight passenger cars painted and decaled in AHNC's "new" scheme and logo. During 2011 to date I've completed 17 more locomotives. That's the entire planned roster, and all are pictured below. 5 SW1500s, 4 U18Bs, 5 GP38-2s, 2 SD38-2s and 2 GP15Ts. I also finished two "radio control vans" (cabooses equipped as remote leaders), a Jordan spreader and a Russell plow, six commuter cars (two pictured), a couple of structures, and at least half a dozen vehicles. This winter will begin major freight car production and a layout to run all this stuff on!

Nice fleet. I like how nice the engines came out.

Cosmo,

I've been following your railroad project, and just wanted to comment on your great railroad. If I ever get out to New London again, I'd like to take a look at it.
Are you going to close your loop, or use reverse loops or wyes to turn your trains?

Jwhite,

Nice job on the reefer and trucks! I like your custom decals.

Les

Desertdweller wrote:Cosmo,

I've been following your railroad project, and just wanted to comment on your great railroad.

THANKS!

If I ever get out to New London again, I'd like to take a look at it.

Cool! Just let me know or PM me and I'll give you my number.

Are you going to close your loop, or use reverse loops or wyes to turn your trains?

Yes.
Actually, the plan calls for short-term: closing the loop and long-term: going further behind the house and using reversing loops.

Thanks, Nicholas and Les!

That major freight car production I spoke of is in progress! Photos soon!

built an Athearn Blue box ICG grain hopper, though it didn't have all the detail pieces for the brake rigging. I just did it as a way to relax. It felt kinda nice, no pressure, just sticking the thing together, taking it easy.

No pics yet.

^ SIRT 407
I just added the NCE decoder, fixed the problem.

Still needs a K5LA and (MTA) white decals.

In reality 407 was replaced by BL20Gs.

I'm pretty sure none of the SIRT Alcos were painted that way. They were all some form of blue, one with Amtrak style stripes on it.

green_elite_cab wrote:I'm pretty sure none of the SIRT Alcos were painted that way. They were all some form of blue, one with Amtrak style stripes on it.

This one was a fantasy paint job I did, I didn't add the red stripe. Why? I'm not sure. 407 was painted a light blue never in this scheme.

This is the new scheme they use pretty much on all RR equip lately (minus the red stripe)

In my dream 407 was kept in service on the Island.

Shuold be finishing up a customer's project, NYSW SD40T-2 3014. Going to prime it this week along with my 2 SD40-2's 3018 and 3022. Also just finished adding the details to 6 undecorated Athearn Genesis automax autocarriers. These will get primed also.

Will post shortly my fantasy Long Island Engines C-44-9W In the Blue and Yellow and my AC4400 in the gray and orange and a F40PH also in the blue and yellow and AMD P40 also in the blue and yellow.

Ugh, I'm mad. My layout and my trains are totally stalled. No resources, and an unclear amount of time, as well as rapidly growing college coursework. Even when I do have "time", i often feel to much anxiety to even begin working on my trains. there is always something else I should be doing.

I did some minor repairs, and sent some equipment to my club for the open houses next weekend, but thats it.

green_elite_cab wrote:Ugh, I'm mad. My layout and my trains are totally stalled. No resources, and an unclear amount of time, as well as rapidly growing college coursework. Even when I do have "time", i often feel to much anxiety to even begin working on my trains. there is always something else I should be doing.

I did some minor repairs, and sent some equipment to my club for the open houses next weekend, but thats it.

I sympathize. I remember those days and I'm definitely not far removed from them. I still get nightmares about assignments that are due and still question if I'm using my time wisely every time I put my hands on a train, lol.

My latest project is a simple repair job on a 1700 Series Amtrak Baggage car. The stirrups were damaged. Here's the web page for the new tutorial I uploaded showing how to repair said damage with scratch building parts.

http://www.freewebs.com/marylindsayrr/r ... geCar.html

The page will get enhanced soon with additional photos as well as the process for upgrading the livery to the current phase IVb scheme. I still have to paint the new stirrups but not until after I complete the new livery.

I know I know "Wait wait wait, you don't have to do that because Walthers is coming out with the new paint scheme". That's not true. Amtrak is selling them exclusively and you won't find them in hobby shops at discounted prices either (sorry to burst the bubble). In either case, phase IVb re-paints will still be active on the MLRR until such time Walthers decides to update the tooling on select modern Amtrak models which are distributed through the normal channels.

Below is an additional projects completed back in October:


Sumitomo trailer. Email Island Model works if you want to see the cab version. They need a commitment of 15 models if they are to release it.


Another angle. The work looks a little sloppy due to the transparency of the windows revealing the interior of the model.



7870 was "refurbished" as it was originally painted like the car it is coupled to in this photo. Note the difference between the "Metallic Silver" from Testors and "Chrome" from alclad.

I got a pair of 1700 baggage cars at the Timonium show a few weeks ago and began removing the diaphragms and making my own tubular ones like the rear ones have. I noticed too that the steps damage easily. Nice to know how to do some replacement of them, but I may try to model one of the two as one of the cars that doesn't have them. Also next challenge is how to get the Kadee #118s on walthers heritage cars. It seems that the shanks are not long enough to get side to side motion in walthers useless draft gear system. I need to devise a way to install Kadee boxes.