WHAT’S ON THE WORKBENCH AT THE MOMENT

"when I grow up, I can only hope to poses your skills"  says the man whose Hudson upgrades are akin to how Ferrari builds automobiles.

@coach joe posted:

"when I grow up, I can only hope to poses your skills"  says the man whose Hudson upgrades are akin to how Ferrari builds automobiles.

That is very true coach. Pat's got a lot of Hudson's, one day I hope to at least have half of the Hudson's he has. That is a lot of Hudson's. Where's my rainy day fund, lol.

I got a Lionel 18206 Santa Fe Dash 8 40B on auction.  It wasn't in as good of shape as stated, but not bad.  I was able to get it running well with a little electronic cleaner.  The issue I had is with the poor cab/number board/headlight lighting.  This was due to where the flashing bulb on top was positioned.  Lionel had to mask around it so as to not have flashing light leaking into the cab, but by doing so they greatly diminished the light output from the single incandescent bulb which was right behind it.

I am in the process of putting two 5mm cool white LEDs for the headlights, and two 3mm warm white frosted LEDs to light up the number boards, and as a side benefit they provide plenty of light for the cab.  I'm removing the incandescent bulb totally.  I'll also add a bulkhead where the frame for the light holder ends so when looking through the front windows you do not see all way to the back.  The bulkhead will be painted black and I pasted on some pictures of valves, control panels, and engine control looking stuff.

The picture below is where I'm at.  The blue tape was added as more cover for the flashing light since it still bled through the black tape (underneath).  The factory white incandescent bulb is behind it.  Also, at the top of the frame I added an engineer to that (left) side so the guy at the bottom of the pic (right side)  doesn't get lonely.  I'll post an 'after' picture in a few days.

@texgeekboy  looking forward to the finished product. I have 2 Atlas diesels I am going to do the same to.  Thanks in advance for the details. 

A few weeks ago I received a static model of a H0 Crocodile. The plan was to display it sticking out of my Marklin roundhouse. Needless to say it did not arrive from France intact . Ends up it has a cast frame with a lot of zinc pest. I glued most of the chunks together. The major issues will be hidden inside the roundhouse.

Steve

Well, it took 10 days but 'Later' finally arrived today!  The American Standard kit built 70-ton Airslide covered hopper "B" end has been repaired from its mishap and more details have been added.  The car is now complete, from the top of the running board to the bottom of the side sills.

Remaining to be done are uncoupling rods and car steps. The plastic originals are very fragile plastic and are an easily broken part. So, I will be making them in brass.

The prototype design has the uncoupling rod bracket attached to the car step, so it's even more important that they be strong. Underneath the car has one more challenge.  Plumbing for the air feed at the bottoms of the hoppers will require .035" or so dia. piping wire, 8 elbows, 4 anchor braces, 2 unions and 2 air connection valves.  I shall see what can be done with what is already at hand.  Then, paint!

S. Islander     

@ScoutingDad,

I finished my LED project on my Dash8-40B.  The first picture at the bottom shows the inside work before I zipped it up.  Note the green shrink tubing on the two sides.  The ends are 3 mm warm white LEDs.  They do a good job of lighting up the number boards (they're right behind them), and I didn't mask off the light going inside since it was the light need for the cab interior.  Note that I cut a strip of 3m double sided heavy mounting tape to fit inside the pillar.  I pressed the shrink wrap tubing against that tape and it seems to be holding well.  You can barely see it from the outside.  Now note the orange arrow.  It is pointing to two 5 mm cool white LEDs placed side by side, and the shrink tubing is keeping them close together, right behind the headlight lenses, and they look great.  I did mask the light from these bulbs going into the cabin because it would have been too much.  Again I used double sided 3m tape cut to fit the pillar and hold the shrink tubing.  If I had to do it again, I would use 3 mm cool whit bulbs, which would make the end of the shrink tubing behind the headlights smaller.  You can see this wire a little bit from the outside, but oh well.  I did not glue any of the bulbs in place.  I hope the 3m tape will keep them from moving.

Update: The partially exposed wire for the headlights is too annoying.  Since I didn't glue them to the lens, and the wiring now is not bad to deal with, I will be replacing them with two 3 mm, although I don't know if I have any cool whites in my supply.  If not, it might be a few days.  I'll update the pic then.

Note the little person with one leg hanging.  I glued this engineer figure to the side since there was nothing there.  I cut off his right leg so as to not potentially interfere with the motor movement.

The blue tape is on top of the factory black tape to mask off the flashing light from the inside.  The strange looking thing on the far left of the pic is a bulkhead I made so as to not be able to see the entire inside from the front of the engine.  I painted it black and pasted on some pictures of equipment of what might be inside a diesel.  I think it looks way better than what I got from the factory

I removed the incandescent bulb from the front, and used the power going into that to drive my 4 LEDs (wired in parallel).  I still kept the grain of wheat bulb for the flashing bulb on top, and didn't replace the light bulb in the back.  I did doctor the bulb holder a bit to remove some stuff blocking the light output.

I attached short videos showing the outside of the front cabin close up, and one of it coming down the track.

Another PRR to CNW passenger car done, this time a sleeper. I started on the baggage car, after that I'll do the obs car, then the consist will be done.

Had a club locomotive need some TLC traction tires were shot and just time for smoke unit maintenance plus a full clean and lube. I don’t know if was completely necessary but I like to remove as much old grease and oil as possible and go back with fresh. Plus of course new smoke unit batting.

FlyerChief Berk

PS excuse the other mess on the workbench 😅

Seldom attempted...never duplicated (in real life and in O gauge):

This NW2 came out of the Childress, TX shops in red/gray.  It is my understanding that Management said, "don't do this again".  So, this was the only switcher ever painted this way.  This is a RailKing model. I plan to pair it with a powered blackbird SW1200 according to FW&D practice.

I must have an "illness" because this will be my fifth GP7 to be repainted for Frisco.  This time it is an Atlas dummy unit as opposed to the previous four Lionel Legacy Geeps:

Slowly putting together a Frisco Meteor by re-lettering Lionel TS cars.  Notice the difference between the aluminum cars as opposed to the plastic cars which appear to be completely "shadow-lined...I will have to cut out and apply letter and number boards for those.  One car is lettered for PRR.  The Meteor had thru sleepers from PRR, B&O, Boston and Albany, and maybe a few more:

Here is another observation car for my Fort Worth & Denver Zephyr (there's that illness again).  The two observation cars were similar in appearance with the exception of one having a neon tail sign, and the other having a more typical drumhead.  K4 decals makes lettering for the TZ including a translucent decal simulating the neon tail sign:

Finally, a wonderful 85' baggage/mail car for the TZ.  This is an Empire State Express car to be re-lettered:

P.S.  I truly like my new Badger 260 soda blaster...it is a fantastic timesaver.

Purchased two more Lionel woodsided boxcars to letter for Quanah, Acme & Pacific Rwy. (my past employer).  I have previously done 3 already using K4 decals.  The next two will get Protocraft decals...I am still pleasantly surprised that two different companies would make decals for our "little giant" of a railroad:

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

The K-Line Plymouth is on my "to-do" list.  I figure I'd have to replace the huge smoke unit with one of the small MTH units, either the HO one or the O-scale whistle smoke model.  Then I might have room for the Mini-Commander 2 in the front hood and the sound board in the back.  I've fixed several Plymouth engines, so I do kinda' know my way around them.

I'd be very interested to see your treatment of a K-line Plymouth. Here's mine.

ADDING SOME VERIETY TO YOUR TRAILER TRAIN.

Modifying an MTH flat to accommodate a Lionel PUP Trailer. This allows both types of your favorite trailers to run together in any combination!

This configuration will allow one MTH & one Lionel (by size) by just moving and adding some wheel chocks. Some existing holes can be covered with Mylar, and new ones can be drilled. One deck fitting needs to be shortened to clear the Lionel stanchion wheels. MTH Junker flats are cheap and can be stripped for spare parts. I also added the newer style R.B. trucks with hidden un-couplers and air hoses. Spray rust primer & flat black, quickly give it a weathered - finished look.

Back in early July I posted to this thread an old Walthers kit build-in-process...

It was ready for the paint shop.  However, one of the things that intrigued me...besides the whimsical nature of this MOW creation...was the box label showing ATSF lettering of the car.  I wondered that this, too, was whimsical fantasy.  I sent out some inquiries seeking verification, but got zippo responses.

Ergo, we pressed onward, fearlessly...

Pardon those bodacious dummy couplers.  Since this MOW beast will probably just sit on a sidetrack with its kindred creations, these 'Lobstah Claw-compatibles' are sufficient to the cause.  Archbar trucks are Athearn, but with IM metal O2R wheelsets in place of the plastic-wheeled O3R axles...which work just fine on Ross/Gargrave rails...or sitting on a sidetrack!

No, probably not prototypical.  I don't care.  It was funky fun.

Next up?...modifying an ATSF Ambroid Caboose kit to represent a different version of their early waycars.  The workbench IS my current 'man cave'!!

KD

KD that looks very impressive; great job. That will look nice on a siding waiting for an assignment. Are you going to weather your creation?

Jay

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

KD that looks very impressive; great job.  Are you going to weather your creation?

Jay

Thanks, Jay.

Re weathering...Ouch.  I tried.  But not to the extent many of the pro's in the hobby might have.

Maybe changes in the photography/lighting could've done more to show my intent.  It's subtle, I'll admit.  I tell myself 'I'll try to do better next time.'  This is the sort of compromise that earned me the knickname, Lucas Gudinov, by a former employee at the LHS.  I can only fuss for so long on things that are yet mysteries to me.  Then..."Looks good enough!"   Time to move on.

It is what it is.

I need to remove the car numbers from Lionel's latest LIRR passenger cars.  Any suggestions on the best way without damage to the car color?

@FrankRazz posted:

I need to remove the car numbers from Lionel's latest LIRR passenger cars.  Any suggestions on the best way without damage to the car color?

I  have used Scalecoate II Wash Away with some success.   Using a Q-tip with solution you might be able to remove the number without damaging the gray finish.   Need to be careful and take your time, do not to let the solution linger and damage the gray base coat.   I have also been able to remove markings on MTH die cast metal items using Acetone without cutting into the base color.  It is tricky, but if you take your time and do not let the solution set too long, it can be done.   Are you interested in changing numbers or just removing the entire number?    Good Luck!

Cheers, Dave

@dkdkrd posted:

No, probably not prototypical.  I don't care.  It was funky fun.

KD

Hey, you're riding 3-rails!   You are forgiven!  

Cheers, Dave

PS:  Great project!!!

@darlander posted:

I  have used Scalecoate II Wash Away with some success.   Using a Q-tip with solution you might be able to remove the number without damaging the gray finish.   Need to be careful and take your time, do not to let the solution linger and damage the gray base coat.   I have also been able to remove markings on MTH die cast metal items using Acetone without cutting into the base color.  It is tricky, but if you take your time and do not let the solution set too long, it can be done.   Are you interested in changing numbers or just removing the entire number?    Good Luck!

Cheers, Dave

I want to remove the numbers and replace them with the below decals.  The "Ride the....Travel easy" goes above the windows.  I have the MYH original 5 car set, see below, I just want to add four more cars.