Latest Project?

ApproachMedium wrote: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.

Glad the tutorial will help/helped! I didn't realize that some didn't have the stirrup. Perhaps I could've saved my self the 30/45 minutes . Do you know what the prototype road numbers are for these particular cars. I could just re-number my current one but like the real railroads, once the number is applied, it sticks.

I like the Walthers draft gear system. If you want to go with the Kadee boxes, use their own extended swing coupler kit (http://www.kadee.com/htmbord/page451.htm). I started using them this year on my 85ft passenger cars (mainly IMW and Three Brothers Manufacturing kits). They work great and are intended for use on smaller curves (like Walthers' draft gear box).

The horizontal play is mostly limited by the obstructions on the bulkheads.

I have no need outside of the standard boxes since I run on layouts with 32 radius as tightest curve for now, and even as the few NJT cars I converted to Kadee boxes are, they will get around a 22 radius carefully. I do not know the numbers offhand of the cars I would have to go around and spot them and log it one day. No two 1700 cars are the same, every one of them is absolutely different inside and out. I see that the bulkheads do block the movement of the coupler. If they made #118 in longer shanks, this wouldn't be an issue.

ApproachMedium wrote:No two 1700 cars are the same, every one of them is absolutely different inside and out. I see that the bulkheads do block the movement of the coupler. If they made #118 in longer shanks, this wouldn't be an issue.

I've noticed that myself. I've even noticed a few that lack the corrugated sides. Until now however, I had always assumed that the stirrup was a standard feature on all of them like the roll-up door.

22" is the minimum on my mainline at the moment. The curves briefly get tighter on yard approaches which is where the extended swing couplers come in handy. Even when I'm able to get more space for broader curves, I'll likely stick with the extended swing couplers for versatility purposes.

I would love to have couplers on every piece of american passenger equipment that I own that work exactly like the ones on Marklin and Roco stuff from the EU. I love how my Marklin bi level commuter cars close couple right up to each other but at the same time can cruise a 18 radius curve with no trouble.

Here are two of my recent projects for my children. Conway Scenic 216 is an Athearn RTR formerly Alaska RR low short hood, with Cannon high hood. 252 is a blue-box Athearn upgraded with hex driveline. Both have TCS T-1 decoders, and are finished with Tru-Color paint, and Highball Graphics decals.

Another project for the kids was this MBTA F40PH 1008. 1008 is a former Amtrak by Bachmann Spectrum. I removed and filled/covered the dynamic brake fan and flashing cab light. I added headlights, flashing ditch lights and red marker lights controlled by a TCS T4.

Here is my project: finishing the model railroad I had started when I left on my final job assignment in 2009.

It is based on passenger operations in Denver around 1960. N-scale. All the trains are models of actual trains that called at Denver.

Les

I love the Mile High Pie co.

A/M,

Thanks. I used a lot of "modeler's license" on the buildings. "Mile High Pie" is built from a Walther's printing company background building kit. I was reminded of when I used to work in the East Hartford, CT yard. There was a pie factory there and it filled the neighborhood with the most delicious smells!

The Denver Union Station is a kitbash. The central structure is a Walther's Union Station, which itself is a model of the CB&Q station in Omaha. The annexes on each end (remnants of the original Denver Union Station) are kitbashed from a pair of Heljan country station kits.

Les

Finallyy got the K5LA for 407


Now to start this...

Seeing all this work has really gotten my modeling fingers itchy. Great stuff guys, very inspiring. As for me, I'm trying to get a couple of IHP R40s together. I'll post pics eventually, but I'm still getting my modeling legs.

And The R62 is painted...

A freelance terminal design I'm working on... My boss liked the idea so much, he built one of his own, using the Bailey Savings & Loan as a head house, the DPM modulars for the freight house lower level, and platforms by Heljan for the upper level.

Very cool! gives me some ideas....

Very nice Otto!

I'll link a video later but I just finished installing the new QSI Titan-U in one of my new Phase V Amtrak P42s. I noticed the difference in sound quality immediately as it seems more clear than the Titan's predecessor (Quantum Revolution-U). I used the high base speaker and enclosure. One thing to note is that QSI claims that two speakers are needed for true stereo sound. I barely had enough room for the one speaker so I'll likely pass on adding the additional speaker, lol.

Interestingly enough, I had to re-assign the ports when programming the light functions. This tied me up for about an hour as I was trying to figure out why the lighting functions were all out of whack. I knew it had something to do with the port assignments but I never had to fuss with this on Quantum revolution decoders. The issue is resolved and I have yet another P42 with sound!

I'm also in the process of refurbishing and metalizing three additional MARC Kawasaki Bi-level cars. I need to apply clear coat over the lacquer before I star applying the decals. I'm not sure when I'll get to that. Perhaps after I install the DCC and sound in locomotive number 67.

I also came to the realization that I have enough sound decoders to equip the remaining AMD-103s (both in service and planned for service)! This includes the two other P32AC-DMs as well as the two P42s I painted myself.