Ive found the glow in the dark paints to be kinda weak. Using a white bottom coat helps. Plus there's there isn't much "white" out there, just yellow red green blue. (I had about 150 glow in the dark items at one time. As an printer artist I never found an ink supplier that carried it, just weak paints. (lower pigment count than paste ink which is super high pigment count)
*white wouldn't be bottom coat if it's on the backside of clear plastic. It would be top coat.
I don't think the light would absorb well for "recharge" behind a white foreground in an attempt to whiten it.
Id go with white and or cream, no glow, maybe half a drop of light blue or yellow in a jigger of white, doing rooms and or households/buildings in slightly different tones. Some folks like 60w, some folk 100w, others use florescent...etc
Grey to black/drk blue tints on a few unless everyone in town has the lights on.
Where the green might work out is industry. Id try "stoplight"or"clear green" to loose a bit more of the alien glow. But which color light recarges? Green is gonna filter the light some so..??
.Miller Engineering might have electrically illuminated sheets you can use...?
Butch, I should know you know all the ins and outs!
Johan, I agree with Matt on the realistic man. He fits well with the whole realistic scene.
Bruce that is a great looking yellow belly you are upgrading!
Carl, I like the bridge decorations by the MOW crew.
Mike, Don’t work too hard. You wouldn’t want to get hurt and not even have fun doing it! LOL
Mike,
The only difficulty I found was getting past the preconceived notion that the adaptation would be difficult and would require machining to accomplish.
The only undesirable trait so far is a slight hesitation on the first 2 speed steps. I'm hoping as the engine gets a few hours on it that it might smooth out. I bought the engine still sealed a couple of years ago and probably only put 3-4 hours on it due to its awful performance. I had already replaced its original TMCC guts ( I fried them trying to improve things ) with a new ERR A.C. Commander that did little to improve running.
These Faulhaber motors are super smooth. You feel no " cogging " if spun by hand and give the indication that a huge amount of torque is present even at low speed. Getting past the initial few ERR cruise commander speed steps the engine totally smooths out and is as whisper quiet as anything offered these days. The existing gearbox is sufficient as is, allowing the engine to roll by hand, so I didn't mess with it. The low top end is probably around a scale 60 mph which suits me just fine. Most importantly to me is the modification turns a sad shelf dweller into something worth running. Next, I plan on playing with the engine's weight balance to improve traction. I also have a Lionel Commodore Vanderbilt that needs the same treatment.
Bruce
Thanks Mark,
As noted above I got it NIB a couple of years ago. I recall it gave me trouble straight out of the box...A pinch antenna wire prevented it from working under CC. Other issues kept it constantly on the shelf too. I think I may have it cured for good!
Bruce
Making good progress on my 1st level of bench work. I spent most of the day cutting and gluing foam board down
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Bruce, the Faulhaber motor is new to me, but sounds like a winner!
Utowntech, Looks great! What turntable are you using?
Mark Boyce posted:Bruce, the Faulhaber motor is new to me, but sounds like a winner!
Utowntech, Looks great! What turntable are you using?
Mark.. I am using the Millhouse River Studio 34” turntable
Utowntech posted:Mark Boyce posted:Bruce, the Faulhaber motor is new to me, but sounds like a winner!
Utowntech, Looks great! What turntable are you using?
Mark.. I am using the Millhouse River Studio 34” turntable
That’s great! You will have smooth running service!
Mark Boyce posted:Utowntech posted:Mark Boyce posted:Bruce, the Faulhaber motor is new to me, but sounds like a winner!
Utowntech, Looks great! What turntable are you using?
Mark.. I am using the Millhouse River Studio 34” turntable
That’s great! You will have smooth running service!
Thanks Mark!
I applied conspicuity tape to an auto carrier and two wood chip gondolas which were all MTH cars. I cut notches in the “loads” in the wood chip gondolas to make the sit lower with the intention of eventually glueing real wood sawdust on the plastic loads.
Larry
Seated Figures
Today I started working on seated figures for a set of RailKing passenger cars. Here is my story. The day started out with a light snow just outside the train room. As the day turned to nightfall. Progress was being made in the warmth of the train room as I toiled at the workbench. The potbelly stove just like the ones in old cabooses kept the room extremely warm.
Photo 1: All the figures are seated in this sleepers coach. In the daylight seating arrangement. The train’s porter will be in later to set up the beds. The porters have all the luggage in the appropriate rooms. They are all held down with a secret glue to be named later.
Photo 2: On this coach we have several figures waiting by the exits.
Photo 3: Everyone has found their seats and the roof is going to be added with an overhead crane.
Photo 4: All aboard for the Chesapeake & Ohio to Chicago.
Photo 5: Now we will start work on the next car. C&O coach.
Photo 6: Check out the standing figures in this pullman coach.
Photo 7: The Redeye, Detroit to Chicago back in 1951. Leaves Detroit with a car full of plastic figures.
All the photos shot with a Canon DSLR, T6i with a18mm to 55mm lens at 35mm. The camera was set to shutter priority at 1/125 of a second. The lighting is from two color corrected lights. The images were processed and enhance using Adobe Photoshop.
Gary
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Apples55 posted:Those turned out quite nicely, Mitch. Instead of adding pantographs to everything, maybe you should consider designing a cat-catcher for the front,of the lead unit!!!
That would be a matter of 'catch as cat can', I think. 
Moonson posted:Mitch, I really like that kitty ("Miss Kittah" ?) She has a wise look on her face, the kind that can say, when desired, "You don't like it? Sue me."
Wonderful personality.
Yeah, she's a sweetie. A) she likes trains, and B) she knows Daddy is good for some scritchies when she shows up during an operating session... ;-)
Mitch
Gary, Real nice job on the passenger car!!
Today was the annual Children's Christmas Train on the A&M. As usual, a bumper crop of adorable moppets was on hand, and, as usual, I was too busy to take many happy snaps, but here are a few...
Mitch
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Well, train and layout work had to be suspended for the past couple of weeks. There's been an unbelievable number of posts and great photos, way too many to start commenting on before turning in tonight.
Finally got my "budget" kit-bash gantry crane completed. Got pretty creative with some HO parts, the cross beam is an HO deck girder bridge, the crane dolly is the frame of an HO caboose, the supports are left over Plasticville signal bridge piers, and the winch is the most expensive item $6.00 Crow River white metal casting kit.
Went to the first train show I have been to in many months, and found a pair of Weaver B&O Wagontop boxcars that I have been wanting for a decade... Total irony, I found them on the last table in the last aisle, in the far back corner of the show... I had just about decided it wasnt' worth the 60 mile drive.
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Mitch, It’s great to see the fun you bring to the kids!
Chris, That crane looks great!! So do the wagon tops!
Mark Boyce posted:Butch, I should know you know all the ins and outs!
Johan, I agree with Matt on the realistic man. He fits well with the whole realistic scene.
Bruce that is a great looking yellow belly you are upgrading!
Carl, I like the bridge decorations by the MOW crew.
Mike, Don’t work too hard. You wouldn’t want to get hurt and not even have fun doing it! LOL
Mark: Thank you.
Johan
chris a posted:Well, train and layout work had to be suspended for the past couple of weeks. There's been an unbelievable number of posts and great photos, way too many to start commenting on before turning in tonight.
Finally got my "budget" kit-bash gantry crane completed. Got pretty creative with some HO parts, the cross beam is an HO deck girder bridge, the crane dolly is the frame of an HO caboose, the supports are left over Plasticville signal bridge piers, and the winch is the most expensive item $6.00 Crow River white metal casting kit.
Went to the first train show I have been to in many months, and found a pair of Weaver B&O Wagontop boxcars that I have been wanting for a decade... Total irony, I found them on the last table in the last aisle, in the far back corner of the show... I had just about decided it wasnt' worth the 60 mile drive.
Glad that Marlboro worked for you. I’ve been there before and got a few good buys, but last year it was 90% non O scale. Chose not to make the 1 hour drive from SNH.
Gary, nice job! Looks like the passengers are nice and comfy for there ride down the rails!
Mitch, way to go! Looks like fun was had by all! Way to make some kids smile Big & Small!
Chris a. wonderful kit bash! Way to think out of the box! I am also happy you were able to find your B&O cars!
I will be sending time in the train room today and will post pictures if I get anything done! LOL
M. Mitchell Marmel posted:Apples55 posted:Those turned out quite nicely, Mitch. Instead of adding pantographs to everything, maybe you should consider designing a cat-catcher for the front,of the lead unit!!!
That would be a matter of 'catch as cat can', I think.
Moonson posted:Mitch, I really like that kitty ("Miss Kittah" ?) She has a wise look on her face, the kind that can say, when desired, "You don't like it? Sue me."
Yeah, she's a sweetie. A) she likes trains, and B) she knows Daddy is good for some scritchies when she shows up during an operating session... ;-)
Mitch
Here you go Mitch. You could put this on the front of your trains.
Chris, great job on the gantry crane. Very creative use of easy to find parts. I've been wanting to put one at my team track for some time now. Scratch building was pretty much the only way to do it to fit a specific space. I'll be filing this info. away as there's some great ideas now on how to get started.
Dave_C posted:Chris, great job on the gantry crane.
I need new glasses. I read that as "gravy crane".
Which, in turn, reminded me of this Joe Doakes classic:
Mitch
sunny and 50's, need to rake leaves after work today... 
well, maybe not this nice out...
but I know IZZY will have fun with playing in the leaves...
here was IZZY's thoughts this morning... 
GO BROWNS
have a GREAT day everyone !!
SANTA, can you bring spring time soon !!!
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briansilvermustang posted:
sunny and 50's, need to rake leaves after work today...
well, maybe not this nice out...
but I know IZZY will have fun with playing in the leaves...
here was IZZY's thoughts this morning...
GO BROWNS
have a GREAT day everyone !!
SANTA, can you bring spring time soon !!!
Nice shots Brian.
thanks Matt ! wish it was spring time... 
LOL Brian, how did I know you would come up with the real thing!
Well I am off to the train room, I hope to have pictures to post later today!
have a great time in the train room today Mike !!
chris a posted:..........Finally got my "budget" kit-bash gantry crane completed. Got pretty creative with some HO parts, the cross beam is an HO deck girder bridge, the crane dolly is the frame of an HO caboose, the supports are left over Plasticville signal bridge piers, and the winch is the most expensive item $6.00 Crow River white metal casting kit. ....
This crane is awesome. I just wish you had done a step by step.
And why didn't you do this a few years ago so I could copy it? 
I looked for ANY shots of something similar for an A frame & beam trolley but struck out.
Did you modelmodel some or use imagination?
What did I do today?
Installed an Azatrax MRD-1 unsuccessfully. Need to get with the folks at Azatrax to trouble-shoot.
And, I ran 4141 in honor of Geo Bush.
Thanks for all the positive feedback on the Gantry Crane. Adriatic: I hear you ! A few quick answers to your inquiries. I did some Google image searching, didn't come up with anything that's exactly like this. There are some "wood Gantry Cranes" out there, but I really did not want wood beam frames. This is going next to the roundhouse on some outside storage tracks.
Decided early in the project that I wanted to use the left over supports from the Plasticville signal bridge, I kitbashed 2 kits together to span 3 to 4 tracks, so I had the uprights leftover. I found a really common HO deck bridge - I see them all the time at local shows... The deck girders are 1 inch tall (4 scale feet).... I am pretty sure this one was a "complete" bridge, with square ends, and the track molded into the web between the deckgirders. So I cut off the deck girders leaving a 3/8" wide flange on the bottom to mount my wood supports for the rails. The overall length of the bridge (deck girders is 9 inches end to end (36 scale feet). Proportionally, it looks about right to me that is the depth to length ratio of girder
I installed HO track that I cut on the table saw into two single rail sections..... The distance between the Deck Beams inside to inside is 1 - 9/32", This dimension was mostly determined by the width of the HO Bobber Caboose frame that I wanted to use for the Gantry carriage. The Bobber Caboose frame is 3 inches long, and just under 1.25 inches wide. This worked out great as it only had 4 wheels total, once I broke off the body from the top... I did have to remove a plate from the bottom that was holding the axles in place so I could drill a large clearance hole for the cable, a few small strips of brass adhered with CA anchored the axles and freed up the middle of the carriage for drilling.
This all worked out really well with the top of the Plasticville support frames as they are about 1 3/16 inches wide... just have to file off the "steps" molded into the uprights at the top, a few plastice styrene or wood shims glued in makes the ends fit well and line up.
The overall outside to outside width of the spanning deck beams is 1 - 5/8 ".... I cut some pine parts (5/8" deep x 5/16" wide by 7 inches long) and epoxied them to the inside of the beams to support the rails. Make the 5/8 x 5/16 longer as they are also used on both ends to attach the two deck girders together....
To deal with the inside webs on the beams, I can't remember whether I shaved off the vertical webs, or took a hack saw and relieved the wood supports to go around the webs, or I did a combination of the two to get the wood support flat on the deck girder inside surface.
The Crow River Products 0-44 O Scale Winch Set with Spoked Gears is what I installed here
Anyway sorry for the long drawn out description. Here are a few more photos.... It really wasn't a tough project, and I don't think I spent more than about $15.00 in parts
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Inspired by Chris' work, I have fabricated a gantry crane from Popsicle sticks and wood glue:
This is, of course, an Elmer's Gantry crane.
I'll just shut up now. ;^.^
Mitch
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chris a posted:Well, train and layout work had to be suspended for the past couple of weeks. There's been an unbelievable number of posts and great photos, way too many to start commenting on before turning in tonight.
Finally got my "budget" kit-bash gantry crane completed. Got pretty creative with some HO parts, the cross beam is an HO deck girder bridge, the crane dolly is the frame of an HO caboose, the supports are left over Plasticville signal bridge piers, and the winch is the most expensive item $6.00 Crow River white metal casting kit.
Went to the first train show I have been to in many months, and found a pair of Weaver B&O Wagontop boxcars that I have been wanting for a decade... Total irony, I found them on the last table in the last aisle, in the far back corner of the show... I had just about decided it wasnt' worth the 60 mile drive.
Chris A: The gantry crane looking really good. Fabulous work. The wagontop box cars are also my needed list.
Johan
Chris, that's one nice score on those wagon tops. I always wanted them. Ended up with one at a good price but like you I have been waiting for a more reasonable prices. Great job on that kit bash. Going to look good on the layout.
Today I headed out early to the Medina train show. It's one of those shows that are hit and miss. Wel this time I manage to get a few die cast vehicles in my time period for 3 dollars apiece. And to top it off this afternoon my K Line reefer came from E***. Wasn't expecting it til Monday or so. But I finally got all the leaves to the street today so I can focus on putting a new rubber on the wheel. I need to cut some thin wood to finish the brewery area. So today there was no actually layout work done. Pics...............Paul
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I have been working to transform an orange "Baby Ruth" boxcar into a "Baby's First Christmas" car for my grandson. Water-slide decals with his photo in an elf outfit will adorn. When he is a tad older I'll make him a full train set. Photos will follow when the decals are set.
Today went to Paterson, NJ to the NJ High Railers Train Show. - first time there. I was blown away! Their "layout" is enormous. with coal ports, fuel refineries, trucking railheads, and subway systems to name a few. It looked like it took up at least a quarter of a football field.with over 300 switches. Rather than intimidate with its size, it is a great encouragement to strive. The Club's space also boasts a gorgeous theater organ, which played patriotic airs while I was there.
Some train nerds pray that when they die, they go to Paterson, NJ.
Made a leaf rake out of 3/4" and 1" plastic pipe to rake the pine needles and leaves off of the metal roof of my train building.
The home made leaf rake handle is three 10 foot sticks of 1" plastic pipewith threads on each end, so the rake handle can be 10 to 30 feet long. This way I did not have to get on the roof of the train building (wife said I did not need to climb on any roofs any more) to rake off the leaves.
Keith, I don’t see the photograph, but great idea! I’m not going up on the roof to put up Christmas lights this year. It has gotten harder in recent years. I do it for my wife, but with a bad knee and pinched sciatic nerve, she said no! Yay!!
CBS072 posted:Made a leaf rake out of 3/4" and 1" plastic pipe to rake the pine needles and leaves off of the metal roof of my train building.
The home made leaf rake handle is three 10 foot sticks of 1" plastic pipewith threads on each end, so the rake handle can be 10 to 30 feet long. This way I did not have to get on the roof of the train building (wife said I did not need to climb on any roofs any more) to rake off the leaves.
Well scrounged, and good work playing it safe!
Mitch
Mark Boyce posted:Keith, I don’t see the photograph, but great idea! I’m not going up on the roof to put up Christmas lights this year. It has gotten harder in recent years. I do it for my wife, but with a bad knee and pinched sciatic nerve, she said no! Yay!!
Mark, I goodness the wife wanted plastic siding put on the house this year. SO I could not drive nails into the bottom of the house like in the past to hang the Christmas lights. Stopped years ago putting the lights on the edge of the roof. So I laid them on the deck railing and plugged them in.
The plan for next year is to purchase new Christmas lights and just open the box and not remove them from the box and plug them in and put them in the front yard.
