WHAT’S ON THE WORKBENCH AT THE MOMENT

@Lou1985 posted:

It's not so bad when you have a bin full of scraps from prior projects 😄.

I have 30 locomotives, all of which have PS2, PS3, TMCC, or Legacy. Only 12 of them were fully functional when I got them. The other 18 either needed boards, wiring, or complete rebuilds. I've become proficient at buying stuff cheap and building it.

I've got 3 more locomotives (so I really have a total of 33) that need boards, wiring, or both and paint work. So I'm not done yet.

W O W    You sure know how to have fun with your " bin "  and knowledge.

Thanks for sharing.

I’d second that Dallas, ….Lou is talented,…nice job Lou!…

Pat

Excellent job, Lou!!

As i work to build the new work bench in the new house, i was able to get the first a car weathered. First car for our B&M wreck train project.

Assembling a locomotive service rack kit I received last week from TW TRAINWORX. It's a really neat kit and easy to assemble. Their shipping was fast and honestly priced, the packaging perfect. It's great in this day and age to deal with a first class company. Thank you Dorcie.

@Lou1985 posted:

Well the work on the JLC Challenger is done. Started out as a coal fired Rio Grande version.

Relettered to Union Pacific 3977 and changed to oil fired. Installed a 4 lobe chuff cam, extra switch to control the smoke unit fan, and rebuilt the smoke unit.

Fantastic work Lou,

Were those only O72 curves in the video?

@Lionelski posted:

Fantastic work Lou,

Were those only O72 curves in the video?

Thanks.

Yes those are K-Line 027 profile 072 curves.

@harmonyards posted:

I’d second that Dallas, ….Lou is talented,…nice job Lou!…

Pat

It only wiring and some paint at times. Nothing crazy like chassis swaps, motor swaps, or machining stuff. That's where the real talent is 😉.

@Lou1985 posted:

Thanks.

Yes those are K-Line 027 profile 072 curves.

I always loved the look of O27 track.  The profile is much more realistic.  I never understood why Lionel didn't make that their standard in the postwar era and beyond as it seems like it would be cheaper to make since there is less metal.

If they had offered it in more radii and turnout options I would have considered using it.

@Lou1985 posted:

It only wiring and some paint at times. Nothing crazy like chassis swaps, motor swaps, or machining stuff. That's where the real talent is 😉.

SURE ...LOU ...SURE .

Following the FORUM  for some time now has made it pretty clear to me that there is  " REAL  TALENT  "   in so many forms on these WORKBENCHES  and LAYOUTS and  REPLIES.     

@rplst8 posted:

I always loved the look of O27 track.  The profile is much more realistic.  I never understood why Lionel didn't make that their standard in the postwar era and beyond as it seems like it would be cheaper to make since there is less metal.

If they had offered it in more radii and turnout options I would have considered using it.

I believe they made O Gauge track intentionally taller so that it was easier to set up on carpet.

Pure speculation on my part, though.

Back in the late 1980s, I thought I was the cat's meow with 54" diameter 0-27 track and non-derailing switches.

@rplst8 posted:

I always loved the look of O27 track.  The profile is much more realistic.  I never understood why Lionel didn't make that their standard in the postwar era and beyond as it seems like it would be cheaper to make since there is less metal.

If they had offered it in more radii and turnout options I would have considered using it.

I ended up using 027 profile 072 and 054 curves on my layout with Ross switches. Here's the funny part. The 027 rails are actually shorter than Ross or Gargraves rails. I'm not talking about overall height with ties, just the rail itself. I added extra ties and it doesn't look half bad. One day when I rebuild this layout or build another I'm going to go with 084 and 072 curves, so I can run articulateds on the inner main as well.

Funny reason why I have a Challenger. So a UP Challenger is big. I have 3 other articulateds besides the Challenger: SP AC6 4-8-8-2 Cab Forward, SP AC9 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone, and a DM&IR M3 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone. They other 3 locomotives are about the same length (locomotive only, not counting the tender) and the Challenger is only about 1/4" or so shorter than them. So if you look at the video you'll notice the Challenger is running next to a wall on my layout that supports an overhead "downtown" and passenger train parking below. That wall is 1X6 pine and can't be moved. Inside the tunnel the trains run through on the main line is an 072 curve. All the articulateds I have clear that wall by at least 1/4"coming off that 072 curve, so plenty of room. I originally wanted a Big Boy instead of a Challenger (who doesn't?) so I borrowed a friend's to check clearances. It cleared everything on my layout except that wall. The Big Boy is so much longer than my Yellowstones that it's smokebox door smacks right into that wall. So that showed me if I want a Big Boy I'd either have to rebuild my layout or get a Challenger. I went the easy way and bought a Challenger 😉.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

SURE ...LOU ...SURE .

Following the FORUM  for some time now has made it pretty clear to me that there is  " REAL  TALENT  "   in so many forms on these WORKBENCHES  and LAYOUTS and  REPLIES.     

There are plenty of people with more talent then me, and better machine tools, that can do things I can't 😉.

Lou:  I totally agree.  The size difference between my recent VL Challenger and my JLC Legacy Big Boy is shocking.  The difference in overhang is even more shocking.

I hate to say it....but I don't run my Big Boy that much b/c the overhang is so massive.  And I have to move "things" out of its way.

Fortunately, I've got a Big Boy Running Base.......

@Leroof posted:

Nice work there!!  Diamonds can be more difficult than turnouts to fabricate.  Looks like you nailed it!   Er, rather, soldered it.  Practice makes perfect.

Frog Juicer or toggle?

@Lou1985 posted:

Thanks.

Yes those are K-Line 027 profile 072 curves.

I used them too, along with O42 and O54.

K-line is the only company that made O27 height O72 curves, and then for only about 2 years. I buy 'em up whenever I see them (as long as the price is not nuts!). Trouble is I rarely see them. I have a small inventory of them for future possible use

I commented because the Challenger looked so good on them - would have thought it required a wider curve tol ook so good.

@Lionelski posted:

For the first time in years, NOTHING on my workbench but a fresh coat of paint!

No mess, no woodworking projects, no household repairs, no train repair projects, no scenery projects, no test station, no engine cradle, no tools, etc.

I'm sure this will last about 10 minutes after the paint dries!

I knew this would not last long. Here is my workbench with my Plasticville treasure box emptied on it - I know that there is at least on more project in there. As a matter of fact, I already have something in mind.

@Lionelski posted:

I knew this would not last long. Here is my workbench with my Plasticville treasure box emptied on it - I know that there is at least on more project in there. As a matter of fact, I already have something in mind.

"   SOMETHING  IN  MIND  "   John  ?

A model TORNADO  ? 

@Dallas Joseph posted:

"   SOMETHING  IN  MIND  "   John  ?

A model TORNADO  ? 

Just add Dorothy and Toto!

These are new MTH engines that await further decals, assembly, and weathering. MTH did a nice job on the engines.

Bob and Dallas - LOL

I've begun working on a WVRR maintenance building with some of these parts, a O27 switchtrack machine cover and part of a caboose body. Looks do-able in my mind at this point.

@Lionelski posted:

I commented because the Challenger looked so good on them - would have thought it required a wider curve tol ook so good.

Part of that is the level of the shot. It's basically as if you were standing near a real one moving. It looks worse from overhead, trust me. That's also because watching trains from above is unnatural, but we all do it with our models. 😉

It’s all in the details, a continuation of the MEC #11 project.

In order of their appearance from left to right first photo

The emergency fuel cutoff sheath/door, the GE builders plate, the fuel glass

second photo the prototype detail.

the (funky) safety pilot stripes last model photo.

all on board.

Wiring up a Fastrack Uncoupling Track and Fastrack 0-36 Remote Switch both for Aux Power. Since reading the thread about Factory Wiring Errors on some Fastrack Switches I opened it up and checked to make sure the factory wiring was correct before hooking up power wire to Aux Input. Still doing some changes to my Menards 2 Bay Engine House.

Lou you're too modest.  I have to concur with Dallas and Pat that COLA is a great job with spare parts.

LeRoof, two very nice projects going at the same time.  The diamond looks like it's coming out great and the details on MEC #11 are spot on.

I've got a lot of projects in the works but no real work bench to work on.  Here are a few that have been dragging on.  Hopefully I'll get them done this year.

First up is an LIRR BEEP that I want to convert to USAF.  I picked up two of these LIRR BEEPs when they were being cleared out.  The idea was to repaint one of them and dress it up in USAF decals.  Never had the heart to do the repaint so I started looking for donor shells.  I bought a NOS Conrail one, thinking I could remove the lettering and decal it.  Then along came this Kusan/Williams BEEP shell with PRR keystone stickers  under the windows and white Pennsylvania above the fuel fill.  Stickers peeled off and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser made short work of the lettering.  The only issue is the handrails.  I would love to use the metal RMT handrails instead of the plastic K/W handrails but Kusan/Williams has round holes and the RMT handrails have rectangular tabs.  I need to figure that out before adding the decals.

Now I'm the rare bird that actually likes the GN Big Sky Blue paint scheme.  I've got a MPC U36B and could never find any of the MTH engines that wear the BSB.  I could never ring myself to splurge on any of the Lionel U33Cs.  I found one of the U36B shells and fitted it on a Williams GP9.  I had to alter the handrails but that's another story.  I came across this GP7 shell.  Found pictures of a prototype so I'm going to add the rooftop air tanks and the winterization hatch.  I've got the decals and three possible donors for the chassis.  Once I figure out which chassis I have to make a placard to attach to the hand rails for the road name.

Another BSB project.  GN did have electrical operations.  While they never had anything remotely close to the E60 I intend to dress this guy in a Fantasy Great Northern Big Sky Blue paint scheme.  I've already peeled the red, white and blue stripe off.  The repaint will be ambitious for me but I'm going to give it a shot.  The Williams pantographs are a little sad but not in as bad shape as I remembered them to be.  I would like to change them but finding these guys is impossible.  I have one Atlas AEM 7 pantograph and would love to find another for this project.

@David Nissen posted:

The LCRU headlight circuits change polarity at random times. This does not bother incandescent lights but LED's don't work on reverse polarity. A bridge rectifier and filter capacitors were added and the LED's then worked.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I learned this lesson a number of years ago.   I tried to use the LCRX to add command to the Hot Box Reefer, I had one in the parts box.  I worked occasionally, and then it wouldn't work, drove me crazy!  I finally put a meter on it and found out about the polarity reversals!  I never ran across this with the LCRU as I always had incandescent bulbs back then, so it never came up.

Wat?

That sounds infuriating!  How would one even design a circuit to do that on purpose?!  Another reason this forum is invaluable!

@rplst8 posted:

Wat?

That sounds infuriating!  How would one even design a circuit to do that on purpose?!  Another reason this forum is invaluable!

Well, it's really the way that triac's work, depending on how it's triggered.  You can either pass the positive or negative half-cycle input waveform or the full-wave input waveform.  Obviously, they didn't think it would matter since in the 90's when it was developed, LED's for lighting were not generally used.

Finished a Japanese Kumiko wood panel project from my other hobby and made room on my workbench for a simple project of gluing figures in my B&O baby madisons.

                                                           SCL 168

                                             MTH wont make it so I have to.

@SIRT posted:

                                                           SCL 168

                                             MTH wont make it so I have to.

Looks great Steve. Personally I would have kept the Iron City Beer and found a different donor, but that's just me.

Looked for many weeks. Gave up. Just nothing out there, even shells. Market is dried up.

Had to move on. The sound file needs to be changed to Bush Gardens - Budweiser, LOL!

I am a home brewer!

@SIRT posted:

Looked for many weeks. Gave up. Just nothing out there, even shells. Market is dried up.

Had to move on. The sound file needs to be changed to Bush Gardens - Budweiser, LOL!

LOL....

I was interested in one (not actively looking), to pull my Yuengling coaches with. I know K-line did a MP-15 engine as part of the collectors series but they are a rare as hens teeth.

I've gone back in time. My workbench is filled with Marx H0 that was put away years ago.

Steve

@SIRT posted:

Looked for many weeks. Gave up. Just nothing out there, even shells. Market is dried up.

Had to move on. The sound file needs to be changed to Bush Gardens - Budweiser, LOL!

Steve, Many in these parts would say removing Iron City Beer logo is a sacrilege.  Personally, I don't give a hoot.  I know you will make it look far better than anything any of the manufacturers produced. 

I had my work bench all cleaned up, for about a minute. Then I noticed cans of naphtha, alcohol, spray adhesive, contact cleaner, urethane stains and mineral spirts on a shelf 10 inches away from the furnace.  So I’m mounting a steel case on a wall into concrete and away from the always running furnace for those hazmat goodies. Work bench was really cleaned up, not now. Oh well.

Haven’t posted in a while , currently have a JLC Big Boy on the workbench in need of power pickups  rewired.

Last week I decided to up grade by putting backup lights in my 2671w tenders and also a 2046w tender.

@train steve posted:

I had my work bench all cleaned up, for about a minute. Then I noticed cans of naphtha, alcohol, spray adhesive, contact cleaner, urethane stains and mineral spirts on a shelf 10 inches away from the furnace.  So I’m mounting a steel case on a wall into concrete and away from the always running furnace for those hazmat goodies. Work bench was really cleaned up, not now. Oh well.

🔥🔥🚒🔥🚒🚒🚒🚔🚒🚑🚒..................Don't need any of this Steve............good catch.

Just finished up my first try at an interior upgrade. I purchased a set of Lionel Santa Fe 18” aluminum passenger cars that needed to have the truck side frames replaced as well as most of the roof vents. The photos are of the baggage/lounge car. Removed the interior and put in floor covering, cut out one of the walls that blocked the interior view from the side windows, added head rest towels to the lounge chairs, put in floor mounted ashtrays, table lamp on the bar, window shades and rearranged the seating. Also painted some of the walls, bar and furnishings and added luggage to the baggage car shelves. Made most of the luggage myself and the rest is Woodland Scenics. Put new vents on the roof from Scale City Designs and finally got it back together.

@coach joe posted:

I've got a lot of projects in the works but no real work bench to work on. 

Another BSB project.  GN did have electrical operations.  While they never had anything remotely close to the E60 I intend to dress this guy in a Fantasy Great Northern Big Sky Blue paint scheme.  I've already peeled the red, white and blue stripe off.  The repaint will be ambitious for me but I'm going to give it a shot.  The Williams pantographs are a little sad but not in as bad shape as I remembered them to be.  I would like to change them but finding these guys is impossible.  I have one Atlas AEM 7 pantograph and would love to find another for this project.

Did you ever consider getting the Acela Pantographs from Lionel parts dept? They were recently rerun.

The first victim. 🤪 I wasn’t all impressed by this car. No loss if this experiment doesn’t pan out. It was less than $30 delivered. Since it’s powered for interior illumination I won’t change the cheap plastic trucks and couplers. I really don’t want to invest in the airbrush items I need to try this in a better method. I’m only planning on three pieces of rolling stock to finish my USMC train. All of my dreams of being featured in CTT were dashed upon the rocky shores of reality 20 years ago🤪 The best laid plans of mice and men….

The next victim.

Alex, do any of your customers actually tell you what may have happened. Looks like some of your repairs may have been self inflicted.

@romiller49 posted:

Alex, do any of your customers actually tell you what may have happened. Looks like some of your repairs may have been self inflicted.

Good Morning Rod,

What i do with my customers is have them supply me a description of what happened to the engine. This one looks self inflicted.

Thanks, Alex

Fixed both of my Lionel TWs that needed repairs.  In doing so I moved the needle on my soldering skills from "non-existent" to "conducts electricity & stays attached".   My sole steam engine, Lionel DL&W #1501, was the guinea pig for my repairs & it approved !   Thks to Hennings for the TW parts.

Here is my workbench; a rolling cart beside the layout.  I don't have room for a regular workbench with tools, paints, parts, etc. all in their place.  Those items are in boxes on shelves under the layout.  It works.

I am working on a Carolina Craftsman Kits model of the Thomas, West Virginia station for my Western Maryland in West Virginia layout, The Blackwater Canyon Line.  The kit has great lasercut parts, and uses the thinnest wood siding I have ever used.  It is great for wall thickness at window and door openings, but I have to be careful not to break the walls.  Fortunately, they snap off along mortar lines and a little Aileen's Tacky Glue make for a joint I can't see when dry.  I'm putting lots of stripwood bracing inside.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Here is my workbench; a rolling cart beside the layout.  I don't have room for a regular workbench with tools, paints, parts, etc. all in their place.  Those items are in boxes on shelves under the layout.  It works.

I am working on a Carolina Craftsman Kits model of the Thomas, West Virginia station for my Western Maryland in West Virginia layout, The Blackwater Canyon Line.  The kit has great lasercut parts, and uses the thinnest wood siding I have ever used.  It is great for wall thickness at window and door openings, but I have to be careful not to break the walls.  Fortunately, they snap off along mortar lines and a little Aileen's Tacky Glue make for a joint I can't see when dry.  I'm putting lots of stripwood bracing inside.

This is the kind of thing that is a lot of fun to do Mark.    I would like to have room on my layout for such another interesting project.

I did an old coaling station building from a kit that was around about $ 100 .   I modified it to get it to sit higher in the upper part of track at the one end of the layout.    It is now an old abandoned structure.    It too had paper thin laser cut wood siding. A little tricky but it kept me entertained for quite a few hours.

Have fun sir.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

This is the kind of thing that is a lot of fun to do Mark.    I would like to have room on my layout for such another interesting project.

I did an old coaling station building from a kit that was around about $ 100 .   I modified it to get it to sit higher in the upper part of track at the one end of the layout.    It is now an old abandoned structure.    It too had paper thin laser cut wood siding. A little tricky but it kept me entertained for quite a few hours.

Have fun sir.

Thank you, Dallas!  I used to build lots of models, but when our daughters were growing up there was always something else to do.  I have no excuse for not getting back to model building sooner since the they are now 29 and 31! 🤷‍♂️

@Mark Boyce posted:

Thank you, Dallas!  I used to build lots of models, but when our daughters were growing up there was always something else to do.  I have no excuse for not getting back to model building sooner since the they are now 29 and 31! 🤷‍♂️

SO.... now the DAUGHTERS  don't have  " something else to do " for you since they are 29 and 31 , Mark ?     

Working their way to the workbench are half a dozen postwar Lionel F3B’s, in search of a solution… the problem - none of them have working couplers. Now in an ABA configuration that’s not an issue. But take then in just an AB lashup and you can’t couple anything to them— they were manufactured throughout their existence with non-centering dummy couplers.  That’s a real hassle when you are trying to assemble a train in the yard, unless you always have a dummy car attached, and that causes a problem with the engine houses.

yes I know I can reach over and lift them up (most of the time) but after 60 years of production ( and I think those F3B’s are still made that way)  doesn’t somebody have a more realistic way? But maybe not, it wasn’t until the Madison cars were reissued that an observation car was included, and surprise of surprises, it included a working rear coupler! But none of the many times reissued aluminum observations had a rear coupler. I had to do a little grinding and fitting on my own to resolve that issue.  
so! I’m hoping this wonderfully astute group has a solution already created and I’ve just missed it over the years.

Dick Lawrence

I had some time last night to start my hand at weathering this Atlas CNJ boxcar, which is being downgraded to M-O-W service.  More dirt & crud to come !

Rich in SD

I had a couple K-Line PRR heavyweights I repainted to ATSF for my combination heavyweight/lightweight Grand Canyon.

                                                              BIG STUFF

@SIRT posted:

                                             

                                                              BIG STUFF

"  BIG  STUFF "  improvement .😉

One of my early model MTH Premier Dreyfuss engines with the problematic swollen capacitors. This guy needs two replaced.

@SIRT posted:

Man, some people really know how to mess up a good car.

Had to rescue & re-store another so called weathered car from an air brush modeler. The uninformed person must have been an H.O.er?

Great save .

Not a really big project but did save an interesting animated car. The Lionel 6201 . gondola was purchased in a box about 5 years ago. I wanted the K-Line loco and a bunch of freight cars were included. I did clean up the car and purchased the rubber bands that drive the capstans but the mechanism was really worn out with the capstans leaning inward toward each other so much that the film strip kept falling off. I thought I would give "rebushing" the chassis a try using brass washers glued in. It actually worked and the car now operates. I attached a few pictures and a video link.

https://youtu.be/MoSX_0AvSn4

Trying to come up with a game plan for this 2065 with a stripped gear.

@Victor Bertolina posted:

Not a really big project but did save an interesting animated car. The Lionel 6201 . gondola was purchased in a box about 5 years ago. I wanted the K-Line loco and a bunch of freight cars were included. I did clean up the car and purchased the rubber bands that drive the capstans but the mechanism was really worn out with the capstans leaning inward toward each other so much that the film strip kept falling off. I thought I would give "rebushing" the chassis a try using brass washers glued in. It actually worked and the car now operates. I attached a few pictures and a video link.

https://youtu.be/MoSX_0AvSn4

Victor , I'm not sure what the " animated car " is supposed to do but its good to see you are one of the people that are willing to do the work to get it working.   Nice.

Posted elsewhere but I'm upgrading a pair of Lionel SantaFe F3's with ERR and sound. All LED lighting and electro-couplers.

dallas.joseph Hi Dallas

The cop and hobo car was an inexpensive (cheap) follow-up to the 3444 post war car. The cop chases the hobo around the set of packing crates. The figures are attached to a "filmstrip" mounted to two vertical capstans. The capstan shafts extend thru the car body thru the truck mounting rivet. Each metal capstan has a plastic pulley pushed onto the shaft. The pulley lines up close to the plane of axle centerline. The rubber band goes around one of the pulleys and around both axles of one truck. The rotation of the axles drives the pully and the capstan which makes the filmstrip move like the aquarium car. The cop and hobo are attached to lugs mounted to the filmstrip.

@Victor Bertolina posted:

dallas.joseph Hi Dallas

The cop and hobo car was an inexpensive (cheap) follow-up to the 3444 post war car. The cop chases the hobo around the set of packing crates. The figures are attached to a "filmstrip" mounted to two vertical capstans. The capstan shafts extend thru the car body thru the truck mounting rivet. Each metal capstan has a plastic pulley pushed onto the shaft. The pulley lines up close to the plane of axle centerline. The rubber band goes around one of the pulleys and around both axles of one truck. The rotation of the axles drives the pully and the capstan which makes the filmstrip move like the aquarium car. The cop and hobo are attached to lugs mounted to the filmstrip.

Thanks Victor.         This sounds like one fun car when it's operating properly.

I seem to learn something new every once in awhile. 

Some people painting

I've been working on this club car from another forum. I kept a few of the decals, removed a few and added the DT&I decal's. The decal's were for a HO scale GP35. I think the fit is pretty good. I'm thinking about a light weathering on it.

I will be spraying a clear matte on it this weekend.

This might be considered heresy, but just having fun with the hobby.  I had this nice Lionel GP20 chassis, and stumbled onto a Lionel 8808 SD18 shell.  They fit nicely.  But, had to get the correct lamps and holders, the fuel tank since it was missing, and the wire side rails from the Jeff theTraintender.  A little extra bending on the wire railings, drill two holes below the windows for the rail to pass through, odd that the  smaller windows already had an opening for a rail, but the front ones did not.  Two more holes for the front handrails to fit onto the step, put it all together and wallah (Southern for voila'), I have a, well, not sure, a 4 axle SD18 at the least, but it says ACL on the side and works fine and did not cost much to boot.

R J, nice looking redo.

Would like to see the weathering.

@CALNNC posted:

This might be considered heresy, but just having fun with the hobby. 

Can't prove it's heresy by me CAL.    Good looking locomotive .

Just having fun with the hobby ? .........Thats the true spirit of the hobby .

There was a recent post about firebox flicker modifications; GRJ once again posted a gerber file of a tiny pcb he designed using 3mm flicker leds and some 0805 220ohm smt resistors.  Ordered some boards and put one together to see how it works.  Didn’t have an orange led so used 2 yellow and 2 red.  Not bad really, those resistors are dang tiny tho, I have to admit.  Works pretty well powered by 5vdc.  It will also work at 3vdc, just a little dimmer.  Try them out if you have need for the application.

@TedW posted:

There was a recent post about firebox flicker modifications; GRJ once again posted a gerber file of a tiny pcb he designed using 3mm flicker leds and some 0805 220ohm smt resistors.  Ordered some boards and put one together to see how it works.  Didn’t have an orange led so used 2 yellow and 2 red.  Not bad really, those resistors are dang tiny tho, I have to admit.  Works pretty well powered by 5vdc.  Try them out if you have need for the application.

Definitely makes one heck of a good fire glow representtion Ted.

Here's my finished OGF to DTI car.

Bill not sure I like the weathering but it's on there now. Lol

RJ, Very nicely done and not over done.  Perhaps a little more grime and it'd be perfect!

RJ, I know the car you started with.  Excellent job on removing the lettering, new decals and weathering.  I think the rust looks very convincing!

Using a PC Power Supply to build a Power Supply for DC Voltage testing, using fuse protection on each line of -12, +3.3, +5 & +12 to ground, or if you combine those voltage like the -12 and +5 for example you can get 17 Volts. Had an issue with the sheathed panel banana jacks being too deeply recessed for electrical contact for the sheathed banana plugs on the test leads so sent them back for refund. Second time with 2 different electrical suppliers. So this time going old school to what will work, ordered standard panel banana jacks and plugs, when they arrive, I will cut off the sheathed banana plugs on the test leads, and replace them with the standard banana plugs. Unfortunately you can't order test leads with standard banana plugs anymore. Not like I'm testing 120 or 240 Volts AC. Also going to use a CW-80 spare from a Lionel Starter Set for Track and Accessory Power for AC Power jacks on my power supply panel for testing and have a test track on the bench. Both will receive their power from a Switched Duplex Receptacle on the bench protected by a GFIR on wall. I will post pictures when it is done. If interested see my post in the Electrical Forum for pictures:

https://ogrforum.com/...pply-for-dc-voltages

Continued on my F3 ERR upgrade.

https://ogrforum.com/...2#159660139518103252

Another parallel bench project with the other 5 running at the same time, been trying to go inexpensive  on a 6819 helo car with no helo.  There is a repro helo out there at a price I thought might be high, and it is not, when compared to other helos, both toy and models.  It seems  at 1:43 or 1:48 scale if you find a model and run the numbers off the full size helo, just about everything dwarfs the flat car.  I did find one 1:48 German helo that gave its model dimension on the box, and it would fill the flat car, but not extend over the ends.  It appears models in the 1:72 range are the equivalent size to the original helicopter on the 6819.  Except for a couple die cast 1:72 sizes, all the other options make that somewhat high price 6819 helicopter look like a good deal.

This is the repro available:

This would fit if the main rotor was modeled in a shipping mode of all blades folded back, or totally removed and on the car as an extra item, and is 12 bucks cheaper.  A 1970 German helo on a 1950/60's era Lionel flat car might be a bit of a stretch, but maybe an eccentric millionaire bought it and is having it shipped to his mansion.

Right now I'm tinkering with this old MPC diesel switcher that I picked up for $20 at a TCA show a couple weekends ago. I'm tuning it up as a donor chassis for the next 3D printed custom locomotive I develop.

This particular Pullmor is double-wound-- the field has 2 sets of coils. This requires an unusual wiring scheme but also allows for a simplified manual reverse unit with no E-unit beekeeping required. I noticed that it had traction tires, a worm drive and a very heavy diecast power truck so I thought it could make a good runner. I stripped the motor down, cleaned the contact surfaces, replaced the motor brushes, repacked the drivetrain with fresh grease and oil and adjusted the thrust screw just right.

I have to admit that I have in the past given the venerable old Pullmor a bad shake. When properly cleaned, adjusted and lubricated even this cheapo one can crawl along at near-scale speeds. I have PS3 MTH locomotives that don't run as smoothly as this!

This just came today. Now I can finish the area around the welders.

This was, but now it's done.

https://ogrforum.com/...rthwestern-e4-hudson

@Trainguy Ken posted:

Right now I'm tinkering with this old MPC diesel switcher that I picked up for $20 at a TCA show a couple weekends ago. I'm tuning it up as a donor chassis for the next 3D printed custom locomotive I develop.

I have to admit that I have in the past given the venerable old Pullmor a bad shake. When properly cleaned, adjusted and lubricated even this cheapo one can crawl along at near-scale speeds. I have PS3 MTH locomotives that don't run as smoothly as this!

I liked mine so much I got two! I definitely wasn't settling for the switch, so for a VERY quiet experience, I replaced the switch with an electronic e-unit - quiet and smooth. I added LED lighting for the headlamp and two green LEDS inside the Green class lights, all with a quick disconnect for easy shell removal. (Tape was removed after spot gluing wires in place )

Looks like yours is running quite nicely also! So what kind of shell will you be creating?

George

@GeoPeg posted:

I liked mine so much I got two! I definitely wasn't settling for the switch, so for a VERY quiet experience, I replaced the switch with an electronic e-unit - quiet and smooth. I added LED lighting for the headlamp and two green LEDS inside the Green class lights, all with a quick disconnect for easy shell removal. (Tape was removed after spot gluing wires in place )

Looks like yours is running quite nicely also! So what kind of shell will you be creating?

George

That's a really nice LED wiring job you did there George. I have to admit that although I am IPC-certified to inspect cable harnesses, my own are never as nice looking as this!

To answer your question, I am designing a 3D printed body of an early diesel locomotive that has rarely if ever been made in O Scale. The conversion kit won't be ready for some weeks but I am intending to make it fit this MPC Pullmor chassis with as few modifications as possible.

I will be holding off a formal release until I've constructed a satisfactory prototype, but here's a sneak peek of the new locomotive's front fresh from my VIRTUAL workbench!

@GeoPeg posted:

I liked mine so much I got two! I definitely wasn't settling for the switch, so for a VERY quiet experience, I replaced the switch with an electronic e-unit - quiet and smooth. I added LED lighting for the headlamp and two green LEDS inside the Green class lights, all with a quick disconnect for easy shell removal. (Tape was removed after spot gluing wires in place )

Looks like yours is running quite nicely also! So what kind of shell will you be creating?

George

Try a hot glue gun next time George. Quick easy and effective for holding wires in place.

I replaced the rollers on my Dad's ZW Transformer he gave me with his trains.  I use it for accessories and my postwar O27 loops.  This was the first time did this repair and it wasn't quite as easy as I thought.  I still need to go in and replace the power cord and update the circuit breaker.  One of the handles is not moving the roller completing, seems like it is loose or something.  I might bring the whole thing in to be fully serviced.

I think there was a section on the ZW repair on one of the late Jim Barret's video. I did buy it and viewed it before repairing the first of a couple ZW's. I did misplace it but It might be available on the web somewhere. Jim's stuff was great and his passing was a great loss to the hobby.

@RSJB18 posted:

Try a hot glue gun next time George. Quick easy and effective for holding wires in place.

Bob, have you ever had an instance of hot glue deforming a shell in any way?

George

@GeoPeg posted:

I liked mine so much I got two! I definitely wasn't settling for the switch, so for a VERY quiet experience, I replaced the switch with an electronic e-unit - quiet and smooth. I added LED lighting for the headlamp and two green LEDS inside the Green class lights, all with a quick disconnect for easy shell removal. (Tape was removed after spot gluing wires in place )

Looks like yours is running quite nicely also! So what kind of shell will you be creating?

George

George, I just saw this and I'm a little worried you installed that electronic E unit without the proper matching heatsink that also doubles as a mount to the frame. Here's my fear, it might work fine for bench testing, but when you throw some actual load on that engine then those TRIACs are going to heat up fast, They are right next to the body shell and I've seen more than one example of someone distorting a body shell from heat from a nearby E-unit getting hot.

@GeoPeg posted:

Bob, have you ever had an instance of hot glue deforming a shell in any way?

George

I have not George. I guess it would depend on the shell thickness but so far I've not had any problems.

Bob

Right now, my work bench is a hopper car hospital.  I had collected some 1930's die cast O scale aluminum and zamack cars in the past and tucked them away. I'm 84 now and a few of them are older than I am. Then back in 2009 I bought three Intermountain plastic kit-built B&O hoppers needing some repairs, rather than building them from kits I already had.  They can be quite tedious to do!

Well, their day arrived a few weeks ago and one-by-one they went through the shop, and most are ready for paint and lettering.

First, this completed Lehigh Valley two-bay USRA hopper, from a cast aluminum Scale Craft kit of 1936. Bought used and rebuilt. An Intermountain coal load for their plastic USRA hoppers is a perfect fit!

Three Intermountain B&O N-17 class hoppers. Built by someone other than me from kits, these notoriously fragile cars with fine detail needed varying levels of repair work. Anything that is not black is a replacement part I made.  These cars will be touch-up painted to keep the original pre-WWII B&O lettering. Intermountain produced their kits in the 2000's.

Below is a Min-I-Scale diecast zamack four-bay hopper, in 17/64" to the foot scale. It was a mid-1930's effort to get accurately scaled cars for 2 1/2" O gauge track.  Maybe the ultimate in kit simplicity, it was three castings assembled with four screws, had pre-assembled trucks and used Model Die Casting working couplers.  While detail on it is rather heavy (and when assembled the car weighs and impressive 2 1/4 lbs.!), it is an accurately done B&O Class W-2a car of the late 1920's. B&O fielded a fleet of over 5,000 of these 70-ton capacity cars from 1926-1929, the only major railroad using this design at the time.  Min-I Scale was a 1930's producer.  The two body halves are assembled with two steel alignment pins. Modern day epoxies make assembly and sealing the seam between the body halves much easier.   The underframe ends were milled to receive 700 series Kadee metal couplers in plastic coupler boxes.

This one below is a sand cast aluminum kit by an unknown maker. Maybe Scale Craft, but I'm not sure.  It is relatively light in weight, a shade over 1 lb.  It is also 17/64 to the foot scale and is made up of five castings assembled with 20 2-56 x 1/8" flat head screws and four 3-48 x 1/4" flat head screws. All the screw heads need to be covered.  Here the body has been given a coat of primer with Micro-Mark rivet decals added.  The model is fitted for Intermountain trucks and Kadee couplers.

Now for an all-steel two bay hopper expertly soldered together.  The steel used is .015" thick, which is heavier than the tinplated steel Henry Beeson used for his O scale Rail Craft kits of the late 1930's - early 1940's.  This model is also 17/64" to the foot scale, and dates from that period. It rides on Scale Craft (?) sprung trucks and I fitted it with Kadee couplers and a few added details.

Last, this K-Line die cast zamack hopper, which is a clone of the famous Lionel 1941 semi-scale die cast hopper. It accurately models a B&O Class W-2b, in having a power hand brake and five-rung corner ladders in place of individual grab irons. Modifications were made to the end frame castings for 2-railing it and installing Kadee couplers, along with added under-fame and air brake line details on the body.   

Now, a lot of Scale Coat 1 satin finish engine black will be air-brushed to get them ready for final lettering.  That will be done out-doors after this uncertain Spring weather breaks with some warm, still, dry days in NE Oklahoma.

S. Islander

Just finished the repairs on the Lionel 3444 Cop and Hobo car. The car needed to be rewired, was missing a coupler and was missing the Cop. I ordered the parts from a couple of reliable vendors to restore the car. The car body, crate load and trucks cleaned up well. The coupler was relatively easy to rivet on to the metal frame once the armature rivet was removed. These style coupler heads have the integral rivet and the only way to access the rivet head is to disassemble the uncouple frame by removing its rivet.  I had the coupler knuckle and springs from prior projects so I only had to order a bare coupler shank. The insulation on the wires to the trucks on these postwar cars are usually brittle and require replacement. The #22 superflex wire is good for these applications. The Cop figure comes unpainted and I painted the hands and face using "earth" color. The finished car works well and is a good car for kids to play with.

The backup light on the B6 was originally misaligned and I was determined to make it inline with the rest of the tender.

While I had the tender open I found another extra connector like I had on another MTH ps3  Railking tender.   I didn't have any small LEDs so I went to the 'boneyard ' and requisitioned a UP style single red lense rear light stand and installed an LED .

( the real story was that the UP wasn't sure what duties this little engine would be used for  and sold it off to the B&O with the standard UP rear light )

Have a good rest of the weekend gang .

A plethora of H0 Marx Hudson’s.

Steve

Took @Rapid Transit Holmes advice and added some grime to my hopper project. Not sure if I'll be doing any more weathering but I think this one came out ok.

@RJ Shier posted:

Took @Rapid Transit Holmes advice and added some grime to my hopper project. Not sure if I'll be doing any more weathering but I think this one came out ok.

I really like how that car turned out !  Bravo !

I sorted out the issues I was having with the bi-color led's I'm using for my F3 upgrade. Next is to build the wiring harness and install them in the shell.

Red is lit with the headlight off and green/ headlight are on together.

@RSJB18 posted:

I sorted out the issues I was having with the bi-color led's I'm using for my F3 upgrade. Next is to build the wiring harness and install them in the shell.

Red is lit with the headlight off and green/ headlight are on together.

You electrical engineers really baffle me Bob.

@RJ Shier posted:

Took @Rapid Transit Holmes advice and added some grime to my hopper project. Not sure if I'll be doing any more weathering but I think this one came out ok.

I'd say this hopper's weathering  "came out ( better than )  OK "  RJ.       Nicely done. 

  From the looks of this one , I  would say you had fun with it and it would be a shame if you won't be doing any more weathering.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

You electrical engineers really baffle me Bob.

I'd hardly consider myself an engineer (except for the toy train type) Dallas. This one had me scratching my head, especially since I was following GRJ's wiring schematic. Turned out I had to drop the size of the resistors to get the bi-color to fire.

Looks like you are selling yourself short too. Nice work on adding the rear marker to your B6.

Thanks- Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

I'd hardly consider myself an engineer (except for the toy train type) Dallas. This one had me scratching my head, especially since I was following GRJ's wiring schematic. Turned out I had to drop the size of the resistors to get the bi-color to fire.

Looks like you are selling yourself short too. Nice work on adding the rear marker to your B6.

Thanks- Bob

.......and thank you very much Bob. 

No big deal about scratching your head on GRJ' s schematic.      I sense that there have been occasions where  John has been just a little impatient while trying to re -convey info to me .   My previous EE was like the joke about the three fellas and the light bulb.

Cleaning my post war NY Central F3. Purchased this engine used and this is the third time I have taken it apart to clean it and I'm still pulling the original grease / gunk out of the gears.