American Models RS11

J Wayne,

The pictures are a bit fuzzy, but from what I can see the two units look great.  Nice paint job.  They make a handsome pair. 

 

What spray gun/paint did you use and where did you find the appropriate sized decals?

 

Thanks, Mike A.

 

 

 

 

Rusty

Sorry for the fuzzy photos.  I shot them just before a major rain and deleted the wrong ones when I was editing them.  By the time I realized I made a mistake, it was pouring and I could not re-shoot them.  The advantage of N&W is black is black, no matter whose paint you use.  I use regular spray cans, because I am no good with a spray gun.  I have tried and tried, but I can not get the hang of it.  As for decals, Microscale still sells S scale N&W diesel decals, expensive, but available.  However, the numbers for the number board in the S scale set are too large, so I used HO scale for the number boards.  Hope this helps.

I recall that lettering scheme on dark blue locos at Rook Yard, just outside of Pittsburgh, PA.

I forgot to address the blue paint.  Yes, there was a period of time that N&W used blue paint.  I prefer to model the black paint, much easier to match (LOL).  Their first RS11s and GP9s used the black with steam era lettering with no herald.  Then a couple of years later they used the black with block lettering but still with the old herald.  That is the one I prefer.  It should have had the white number on black background for the number boards but I could not find those, so I used black letter on white background which I could find.  After the black paint they switched to blue and then back to black with different lettering at different times.  The timeline gets a little confusing to me.  I have read different opinions.  I'm pretty sure the blue paint was for a few years after the 1964 merger with Wabash, NKP etc.  I have one AM E8 that I did in that scheme to pull the N&W(Wabash) cannonball.  Everything else I did in black, right or wrong.  It is what I like.

You are right.  I have to pay all my firemen extra just to run that stretch of track.  And yes, I like long coal trains.  That is what I remember most about the N&W belt line near my house when I was little.  We slept with the windows open (before AC) and I could hear the long articulateds with west bound empties starting up after letting the east bound coal drags go past.  By the time I was in high school it was the diesels and I hear no slippage.  On this train, the engine set is just a few car lengths ahead of the caboose.  That is a lot of AM, SHS and a few repainted AF hoppers. I think I counted 45.  Not a true coal drag, but close.  Sorry about the lighting.  I have blocked both windows in the room to keep the sun from bleaching the models on the layout.  I installed tract lighting, but it is not as good as natural sun light.  That is why I shoot all my stills outside, but could not reshoot them yesterday in the rain.  So I will try to reshoot the stills, however the video, what you got is what you'll get. 

Hi Banjo Flyer,

 

      Thank you for the video. I see the new American Models diesels are running just fine and are Running just like all the rest of the American Models Engines. I think you have done a splendid just painting and detailing your engines, Great Job. Your layout looks beautiful from what I could see of it.

      Thanks again and keep up the good work.

 

Donald 

Nice locomotives! 

 

By the way, I've used white decal paper and my computer to make number board decals, and they look pretty good.  You can vary the font and size to any scale.  And you don't have to worry about the ink bleeding if you print it on a copier instead of an ink jet printer.  You still have to overcoat them with a fixative, though. 

 

 

Thanks Jerry,

 

I had not thought of that, but then I'm too cheap to use a $4 sheet of white decal paper to make just 8 number boards.

Someone commented about the grainy photos and he was right.  I shot two exposures and then trashed the wrong ones by mistake.  I could not retake the photos until this morning because we had a couple of days of rain after that and then yesterday I focused on repairing trains.  So attached are the new photos shot today.  I hope these are better.  I cannot improve the video because that is shot inside and the light from the windows is blocked out to protect my models from sun bleach.

 

Wayne

"That's a lllonnnngggggg coal train!

For a minute there I thought I was watching a looped video!"

 

   Yeah, very neat , four locos on the front.It looks like the headlight is showing up again as the caboose passes by so must be snaking around a few curves quite well? .....DaveB

Yes, Mark.  Good catch on the wrong number board number.  I did not say anything just to see who would catch it.

 

And yes, Dave,  The caboose is only a few cars ahead of the engines.  The train goes around a loop of about 12 X12 and the last part, just before the camera, is an S curve.  I make most of my videos in this area.  The track is close (very close) to the edge of the table and the light seems to be best here.  I just have to remember to close the door to the next room before I shoot.  I just noticed my cat walking into the room during the video.  He loves to be in there with me when the trains run.  He usually sprawls out on the floor and sleeps under the table.  I think the sounds of the trains running sooth him.