Another Standard gauge Project

ChooChoo1972 posted:

G'luck with the tender. Did you ever make a "chicken clucking" sound Mp3 module for those poltry cars?

Thanks for the luck on the tender. Creating the sound box for the speaker now. A soup can is the perfect size for a 2 1/2 inch speaker. 

 I'm still playing with the idea of putting sound in the chicken car. That project is on hold right now, too many other projects going on at the same time. Six of them in fact . My main goal is to get this tender done first.

So here is the green 390E and its new green 392 tender. I also installed a Dallee sound system in the tender, a selection of bells and whistles . You will notice that the tender sits closer to the engine by 1/4 inch and I also added rubber "coal" to the lode.  I think I can check this project off the list.  

The finished product.  On to the next project.

Now here's an on again off again project that I've been working on. It's a glass top station for standard gauge. As usual, like most of my projects do, it has morphed into something unlike my original design/idea. here are some of the beginning stages of the station. More photos and videos to come.

Another group of station photos. This project started some time in late February early March, building it and designing it as I go. 

More progress photos of the Glass top station  

Fantastic!

There are now two videos for the station showing different stages of being near done. They can be viewed on my youtube channel.   Just google   glass top standard gauge train station and you should see the videos.  up next is wiring up the lights, then installing the finials, adding a few billboards and then some sitting people. Photos will follow soon. 

what a great job! what did you use for the brick? also are those posts and beams from an erector set?

The number of subscribers to your YouTube channel increased overnight by over 14%.

stevin posted:

what a great job! what did you use for the brick? also are those posts and beams from an erector set?

 The brick paper I bought at Hobby Lobby, a craft store. After I glued the paper down and it dried I coated it with clear laquer to protect it and to give it a little shine . The four posts are made from erector beams, two for each post.  Most of the erector parts came from the YORK train show. My buddy usually buys everything and anything in the "junk" box. 

George S posted:

Fantastic!

Thanks for saying so. It's been a lot of fun building it. All I had was an idea in my head and the glass. The next thing you know...

My Lionel green 390E with a MTH 392 tender repainted to match the engine on my test track. Also there's my new acquisitions  a 438 and 437 switch and signal towers.

JOHNNIEWALKER,

Real nice paint job...would like to know your process on how you got such great results!

Sunrise

JOHNNIEWALKER,

Your ideas and creations are fantastic.  Going back through this post I saw your standard gauge poultry car.  Do you till have the file for the chickens and would you be willing to share?

Joe

Sunrise Special posted:

JOHNNIEWALKER,

Real nice paint job...would like to know your process on how you got such great results!

Sunrise

First off thanks for the compliment , I do appreciate it.  The engine was painted by Lionel and I took the boiler to an auto body shop and had them match the color. I had them make me a spray can of the green, which was a flat green and I also had them make me a clear gloss top coat. I sprayed the tender 3 times with the green and I sprayed 5 coats of clear on. My prep work consisted of using  a scotchbrite pad to scuff up the gunmetal paint and then wiping it down with a clean rag. I just had to make sure I didn't over spray it each time, light coats is the trick. then I waited a full 5 days before I even considered putting it back together. That was the hard part for me,LOL. 

Joe Lyons posted:

JOHNNIEWALKER,

Your ideas and creations are fantastic.  Going back through this post I saw your standard gauge poultry car.  Do you till have the file for the chickens and would you be willing to share?

Joe

Thanks Joe.  I don't have any files for the chickens. All I did was I took one of my 13   O gauge chicken cars apart and I photo copied the chicken inserts a few times. Then I cut them into strips to match the remaining slats on the new poultry car.  Once I did that I taped them onto another piece of paper and filled in the gap with black marker. Basically it is the old fashion cut and paste way of doing things since I'm not the best  at using a computer.  It really wasn't too hard or time consuming to do. I also high lighted a few of the chickens with colored   pencils to make it more tin plate looking.  Good luck to you if you are going to copy it.  

So here is a project that started two years ago at York.   I bought a Highway flasher from All About Trains in the Orange Hall, a unit that was designed  and built to  flash like a real signal.  After installing it in the Lionel flasher and liking it a lot I decided to get two more the next year.   When I finally got to his booth he was sold out !  Jump forward two years, I reached out to All Aboard Trains  and bought two more, one for my American Flyer signal and one for my Marx signal.   With some slight modifications to the American Flyer signal , I now have three different and cool flasher signals for my future layout.  

Really cool.

Another signal almost done. Just need to pick up a new bulb at York this fall to finish this one.  I will also be placing this signal on a wooden block to raise it up for a more of a standard gauge look.

Here are a few photos of the signals in their renovation state.

Thanks for letting us know about this kit.  I ordered one.  It just came today and I used it on this Marx crossing flasher.  It's great.  Thanks.

Merry Christmas , 12/26/18  although it’s not 100% done , my glass top station made its debut this Christmas season.  What’s left ?  Finish wiring up the lights in a clean and organized way , add 3 finials and add some signs .  Plus fabricate a set of steps .  The plastic people need some attention as well.  Reposition some limbs and some paint shold do the trick . 

JohnnieWalker posted:

That's really beautiful! 

George

Here is a project that I have been putting off for a few years, 8 or so.  My good friend and I bought a box , a large box of bottle brush trees at York one fall . We actually gave some away to another great friend for his help at York.  Anyway not long ago we finally divided them up .  They were sitting under the train  table for all those years. My guess is 98% of them did not have bases and they needed them , so my next project was born.  #1. I cut a few size disks using hole saws in my drill press. #2. Primed them. #3. Sanded them. #4. Added two coats of dark red semi gloss finish.  #5. drilled holes #6. Hot glued the trees in place.    It wasn't a fast project, but well worth it.  Now that I have mine done I'm now working on my friends half of the trees.  

Another standard gauge project under way . This project came to me not long ago ,  I was at a local train show and spotted an Ives telltale and thought I should have one . The price for it was too much for my budget and seeing what they have been bringing on eBay I thought I would never have one .  Low and behold I had a base for a standard gauge lamp post in my junk/project box and the wheels upstairs started turning . I went to my local hardware store where they have a fine assortment of brass rod , tubing and sheets in various sizes .  I picked out an assortment of brass tubing  and then went to the lamp parts  section and picked out two finials .   In my box of assorted pieces and parts I found a dozen or so jewelry clasps and a length of chain .  With the help of my Dremel , some J B weld and some solder this is what I've come up .  Next up is to paint it , except I kind of like it in this stage .  One of the best things about standard gauge to me is , I get to build stuff !

You inspired me to make a telltale also.   How tall is you make your's?  On mine the arm is at 10 inches and the top of the post is about 12 1/2.  My finial is also rather tall but I couldn't find a shorter one in the local Menards. I'll keep looking for something shorter. My chains may be a little short and the arm may be high but it's only for looks and I didn't want it to get caught on any cars. I've got a 219 crane that I was afraid it might catch.

Finally done !!! And it wasn't so hard .  My home made tell tail finally got painted yesterday and is now off the to do list .  My problem is that I have so many ideas in my head I seem to be like a butterfly jumping from one  project to another before finishing the one I'm working on .  It's a bad habit of mine .  The glass top station is still a work in progress . Yesterday I not only got the tell Tail painted , I finally bought the 3 finials that will finish  the station . Next project is ??? too many to choose from .  

that looks great! and nothing wrong with jumping projects...while you wait on parts for one, you move one....waiting for paint to dry...onto the next....

Steamer posted:

that looks great! and nothing wrong with jumping projects...while you wait on parts for one, you move one....waiting for paint to dry...onto the next....

Thanks for saying so .  As of right now I have at least 5 projects to either be finished or are in the drawing stage. Some simple and some not so simple . I've been following one thread on this forum about making standard gauge power trucks,  I need three for my future projects .

Johhnie,

I tried to search up the thread on making standard gauge power trucks but could not find it.  Would you mind posting the link to it?

Thanks.

Joe Lyons posted:

Johhnie,

I tried to search up the thread on making standard gauge power trucks but could not find it.  Would you mind posting the link to it?

Thanks.

Hi Joe.  Try searching        Making a standard gauge railbus . That is where a few members have been discussing the motors .  I hope this helps you .  I'm not the best at posting links. 

Found it.  Thanks.

Pete in Kansas posted:

You inspired me to make a telltale also.   How tall is you make your's?  On mine the arm is at 10 inches and the top of the post is about 12 1/2.  My finial is also rather tall but I couldn't find a shorter one in the local Menards. I'll keep looking for something shorter. My chains may be a little short and the arm may be high but it's only for looks and I didn't want it to get caught on any cars. I've got a 219 crane that I was afraid it might catch.

Hi Pete. Sorry for the delay in answering your question .  I kind of put my train projects on hold for a while and never checked my post.   So from the table top,  my cross arm is 9 &  3/4 inches high , and the bottom of my chains are  6& 1/2 inches from table top to the bottom of them .  Once this tell tail gets placed on a layout I can shorten the chains as needed .  I only have 500 series  freight cars  and a set of Stephen Girard passenger cars so my clearance is limited to those sets .     I'm pretty lucky to have an old school hardware store between where I live and my shop.  They have been a great place to find all my nuts and bolts ,  brass tubing and finials for my projects .  Glad they are surviving with two huge box lumber/home stores less than  4 miles away.

So here is one of my projects that has finally gotten under way.  Not sure why , because there is another a third way done on the work table as I type this .  I may have gotten the bug  after seeing a few recent posts about motors and homemade engines  and a video of a small diesel engine I think made by McCoy.  I have always thought a Standard Gauge diesel switcher would be great to have pulling my 500 series  freight cars . So, I bought an O gauge Alaska  switcher on eBay (shell only ) and used it as a model .  As you can see it is a rough interpretation of the Alaska switcher , but a start.  The prototype was made out of wood in my shop ,next is to sand it and paint it . At that point I will decide on any changes  and then attempt to recreate it in brass . Which I've never done before .  In the two photos you can see the shape I was going for and the size compared to a repro #2 trolley .  I have a long way to go .  

POC914NUT posted:

I'd recognize that mug anywhere

Maybe I have too much time on my hands and Not sure if anyone else has done this , build a scale model of the layout you want to build.  This is what I hope to get off the floor and onto a platform one day.  This  standard gauge layout measures 16'x6' and is approximately 3' tall and  The model is 12"x32".  Each of my structures are within a fraction of an inch to being scale. My eyesight is not what it once was .  There are  two home made stations, each being 3' long , a homemade water tower made from an old coffee can, a sand tower and a forest lookout tower.  This simple layout is basically a figure 8 with a  connecting loop around it .  The long straight run will have ten (10)  101 single span bridges all connected to be a 140 inch bridge .  I got a large box of them at a local auction a few years back.  Not shown on the model are my villas ,bungalows , street lights ,signals, home made telephone polls and trees .  Anyway, its been a fun little project to do and it has kept me in the dreaming state like a kid again.   I currently don't have the space for it , I do have all the frame work and supports for it from an O gauge layout many years ago.