WHAT’S ON THE WORKBENCH AT THE MOMENT

@Mark Boyce @RSJB18  Mark and Bob,  following is a clip of the instructions. If you use music wire, that will have enough flexibility so freight cars can push the points aside without derailing. One thing I really like over the DZ (their tiny springs are too stiff) and a secondary reason I started to use the Tortoise motors.  The contacts are rated to 1 amp, although I was told the supplier knows of O scalers who use the contacts to power frogs with no issues - although he cannot recommend doing so due to the 1 amp continuous rating. Most likely ok because the power draw would be a momentary thing.  Dimensions are 2 1/4" x 2" (including the connector) x 3/4"  .

They have other versions slightly smaller and a $1 or so less,  but for a buck why not get the extra contact? US Supplier  This is the link to the outfit I bought these from. My LHS said they could not get them - I tried, oh well.  

@RSJB18 posted:

I finished the MPC coach yesterday. Some minor touch-ups to do but I'm happy with the results.

The lighting looks good, the spill out into the vestibules was an added bonus.

Bob

Dramatic improvement Bob ! 

@RSJB18 posted:

I finished the MPC coach yesterday. Some minor touch-ups to do but I'm happy with the results.

The K-line window films didn't work out so I used some clear sheet I had left over from a building kit. I did use a couple of them on the single windows.

The lighting looks good, the spill out into the vestibules was an added bonus.

Bob

Bob, a little tlc gave that car new life, excellent job! Now on to the Doodlebug😉

Gene

@ScoutingDad posted:

@Mark Boyce @RSJB18  Mark and Bob,  following is a clip of the instructions. If you use music wire, that will have enough flexibility so freight cars can push the points aside without derailing. One thing I really like over the DZ (their tiny springs are too stiff) and a secondary reason I started to use the Tortoise motors.  The contacts are rated to 1 amp, although I was told the supplier knows of O scalers who use the contacts to power frogs with no issues - although he cannot recommend doing so due to the 1 amp continuous rating. Most likely ok because the power draw would be a momentary thing.  Dimensions are 2 1/4" x 2" (including the connector) x 3/4"  .

They have other versions slightly smaller and a $1 or so less,  but for a buck why not get the extra contact? US Supplier  This is the link to the outfit I bought these from. My LHS said they could not get them - I tried, oh well. 

Jeff, thank you for the extended information.  It seems simple enough.  Famous last words!  😄😄

@RSJB18 posted:

I finished the MPC coach yesterday. Some minor touch-ups to do but I'm happy with the results.

The K-line window films didn't work out so I used some clear sheet I had left over from a building kit. I did use a couple of them on the single windows.

The lighting looks good, the spill out into the vestibules was an added bonus.

Bob

Bob why didn't the K-Line window strips work?  Blinds didn't line up with Lioenl windows?

@coach joe posted:

Bob why didn't the K-Line window strips work?  Blinds didn't line up with Lioenl windows?

That was part of it. I was able to get 4 blinds to just line up with the mullions. When I went to put them in, I missed the mark and smeared CA glue on them......next step was the circular file unfortunately. Hard to see in this photo but the 4 smaller blinds on the right of the strip covered 4 windows with a clear spot on the end. Would have looked nice had I not made a mess. The group of 4 blinds on the left of the strip didn't line up at all.
The plastic film was pretty scratched up so in end I may have pulled them out anyway.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

That was part of it. I was able to get 4 blinds to just line up with the mullions. When I went to put them in, I missed the mark and smeared CA glue on them......next step was the circular file unfortunately. Hard to see in this photo but the 4 smaller blinds on the right of the strip covered 4 windows with a clear spot on the end. Would have looked nice had I not made a mess. The group of 4 blinds on the left of the strip didn't line up at all.
The plastic film was pretty scratched up so in end I may have pulled them out anyway.

Bob

Ohh where do you get those seat inserts?? Would LOVE to do that with my Blue Comet cars!!

@pault posted:

Ohh where do you get those seat inserts?? Would LOVE to do that with my Blue Comet cars!!

It's a K-line seat kit. Found it on Trainz. It came with the light strip too but I used LED's instead.

@RSJB18 posted:

That was part of it. I was able to get 4 blinds to just line up with the mullions. When I went to put them in, I missed the mark and smeared CA glue on them......next step was the circular file unfortunately. Hard to see in this photo but the 4 smaller blinds on the right of the strip covered 4 windows with a clear spot on the end. Would have looked nice had I not made a mess. The group of 4 blinds on the left of the strip didn't line up at all.
The plastic film was pretty scratched up so in end I may have pulled them out anyway.

Bob

Glad but sad I'm not the only one who gets glue on windows and other parts where I don't want it. 

@Mark Boyce posted:

Glad but sad I'm not the only one who gets glue on windows and other parts where I don't want it. 

My hands aren't as steady as they used to be.....sucks getting old(er)......

I do that too.  For me, it's because my fingers have always had the dexterity of under-ripe bananas.

I know there's another thread running for populating a Doodlebug, but figured I'd close the loop on my project here.

I added the figures to my PRR car last night. Did the obligatory surgery to the figures as well. The back wall was painted flat black as @Steam Crazy John, suggested. The lights look too bright now, not sure if they can be dimmed unless I replace the power supply with one of my kits.

I had one smaller standing figure that looks like a child that I put at the back window, I need to move her back a little to be centered in the opening.

Fun project....on to the next one.

Bob

Looks great, Bob!

Recently on the work bench was my wife's, 50 year old, Kirby sweeper.  An interesting adventure in A/C motor repair.  Amazon had a very good, picture, parts detail. I had replacement parts in 3 days.  Dis-assembly, and cleaning, was interesting.  Surprisingly, re-assembly, with the new parts, was easy. I had one left hand (counter-clockwise thread) to negotiate.   Probably easier, than some of the model train work. Extensive work to the beater-bar area, with new gaskets.    Who would'a thunk, Mike CT.  Happy wife/happy life.   Back to model trains.

@Mike CT posted:

Recently on the work bench was my wife's, 50 year old, Kirby sweeper.  An interesting adventure in A/C motor repair.  Amazon had a very good, picture, parts detail. I had replacement parts in 3 days.  Dis-assembly, and cleaning, was interesting.  Surprisingly, re-assembly, with the new parts, was easy. I had one left hand (counter-clockwise thread) to negotiate.   Probably easier, than some of the model train work. Extensive work to the beater-bar area, with new gaskets.    Who would'a thunk, Mike CT.  Happy wife/happy life.   Back to model trains.

I've had my bench occupied by a vacuum or two as well.......Kirby's are worth the effort to fix.

@RSJB18 posted:

I know there's another thread running for populating a Doodlebug, but figured I'd close the loop on my project here.

I added the figures to my PRR car last night. Did the obligatory surgery to the figures as well. The back wall was painted flat black as @Steam Crazy John, suggested. The lights look too bright now, not sure if they can be dimmed unless I replace the power supply with one of my kits.

I had one smaller standing figure that looks like a child that I put at the back window, I need to move her back a little to be centered in the opening.

Fun project....on to the next one.

Bob

You have to be very pleased with this outcome Bob, it looks great. In the trailing car would you have room to pose a conductor collecting tickets?

Jay

Bob, nice work populating your Doodlebug and passenger car, looks great!  I like the child in the small window.  Also like Jay's (Tranquil Hollow RR) suggestion for a conductor, that would be a nice finishing touch.

John

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

You have to be very pleased with this outcome Bob, it looks great. In the trailing car would you have room to pose a conductor collecting tickets?

Jay

@Steam Crazy posted:

Bob, nice work populating your Doodlebug and passenger car, looks great!  I like the child in the small window.  Also like Jay's (Tranquil Hollow RR) suggestion for a conductor, that would be a nice finishing touch.

John

+ @Mark Boyce

Hmmmmm........I do have a set of WS figures. I'll have to see if one would look right. They are about twice the size of the BEEPs.

I guess no one would try and skip out on paying a fare though........

Thanks guys.

Finally found my unicorn! It's the Atlas high hood Wheeling and Lake Erie gp35. Bought it from a forum member at a very fair price.

First thing I did was hand make front wire hand rails. One was missing. The other,well,I had an opsy. Not an exact match, but close after a little coat of paint. 

Second, was replacing a missing walkway chain, and the other to match. I used 2mm jewelry chain from the ol Amazon.

Third and final item was replacing a missing sunshade and the other to match. Atlas just so happens to have these available for their dash 8. I got them, trimmed the insert a little. Got a nice fit, and painted black.

Definitely a nicely detailed model. I'm still missing a tiny window on the cab, but not too worried about it. o

Bob did you buy the K-Line interior kit or separate pieces?  As for the lights being too bright, years ago there was a post about using Tamiya Clear Orange or maybe Clear Yellow to tone down the bright LEDs available at the time.  Instinctively I would think it was Yellow or Amber but I have a jar of the Clear Orange so I'm thinking that's why I have it.

Very nice Donnie!

@coach joe posted:

Bob did you buy the K-Line interior kit or separate pieces?  As for the lights being too bright, years ago there was a post about using Tamiya Clear Orange or maybe Clear Yellow to tone down the bright LEDs available at the time.  Instinctively I would think it was Yellow or Amber but I have a jar of the Clear Orange so I'm thinking that's why I have it.

@coach joe

I used that orange as well. I bought red, orange, yellow. I found orange to be best.
Here is loading platform where I toned down the bright white bulb.

@coach joe posted:

Bob did you buy the K-Line interior kit or separate pieces?  As for the lights being too bright, years ago there was a post about using Tamiya Clear Orange or maybe Clear Yellow to tone down the bright LEDs available at the time.  Instinctively I would think it was Yellow or Amber but I have a jar of the Clear Orange so I'm thinking that's why I have it.

Yes- I need to order some Tamiya paint. Probably the simplest solution.

The whole interior was a kit, seating insert, light strip, and window films.

It's definitely the Clear Orange - one good thing about using the paint is that if it's still too bright after the first coat, you can keep applying multiple coats until you get exactly the brightness you're looking for.

It seems like every train I own needs to be on the work bench.  If it doesn't need lubrication or a tune up or a repair I have a real bad habit of seeing the need for modifications or enhancements to perfectly good trains.  The latest case in point a MTH RK gondola with junk load.

I finally got the train table cleared off and threw a 042 loop of 027 track on it and decided to run trains, never mind all the unfinished projects so I grab a Williams/Lionel hybrid Great Northern U36B off the shelf and the MTH RK Great Northern six pack out of the garage and I'm off running trains. YEA!  After a while the junk load in the gondola starts to bother me.  It is a really nice junk load but the color has started to bother me.  The casting used by MTH has lots of detail and to bring out the detail MTH used a black base coat and then a light gray top coat, enhancing the depth, nooks and crannies and detail they worked so hard to include.  To me it looks like snow on the load so now I'm thinking about spraying it a rust color.  Here comes the over thinking part.  A lot of the junk would have been painted, boiler front, air pumps, valves would have been painted and the big gear would be polished so would they be rusty or would I have to paint those items after spraying the load a rust color?  And then there is the car color,  would painting the load rust color look horrible in that orangey red gondola?  I know that would be of no concern to a real railroad but that's how I am.

@RSJB18 posted:

I know there's another thread running for populating a Doodlebug, but figured I'd close the loop on my project here.

I added the figures to my PRR car last night. Did the obligatory surgery to the figures as well. The back wall was painted flat black as @Steam Crazy John, suggested. The lights look too bright now, not sure if they can be dimmed unless I replace the power supply with one of my kits.

I had one smaller standing figure that looks like a child that I put at the back window, I need to move her back a little to be centered in the opening.

Fun project....on to the next one.

Bob

Looks good Bob, I’m waiting for the people to come in for mine. I’ll continue posting on the other thread. You have me thinking now about the bright lights. I’d like to do something before I put it back together.

Gene

@coach joe posted:

Bob did you buy the K-Line interior kit or separate pieces?  As for the lights being too bright, years ago there was a post about using Tamiya Clear Orange or maybe Clear Yellow to tone down the bright LEDs available at the time.  Instinctively I would think it was Yellow or Amber but I have a jar of the Clear Orange so I'm thinking that's why I have it.

Great idea Joe, I may have to give that a try.

Gene

@pennsyfan posted:

@coach joe

I used that orange as well. I bought red, orange, yellow. I found orange to be best.
Here is loading platform where I toned down the bright white bulb.

It does make a noticeable difference, did you just put a light brush over the led?

Gene

@Genemed posted:

It does make a noticeable difference, did you just put a light brush over the led?

Gene

Yes and then a second coat.

@RSJB18 posted:

Yes- I need to order some Tamiya paint. Probably the simplest solution.

The whole interior was a kit, seating insert, light strip, and window films.

Bob, I’m thinking about doing my MTH Doodlebug; is there a link for that kit?

@pennsyfan posted:

@coach joe

I used that orange as well. I bought red, orange, yellow. I found orange to be best.
Here is loading platform where I toned down the bright white bulb.

Looks good

Bob, I bought several of those K-Line interior kits from Brasseur to do the interiors of some Williams passenger cars.  I didn't remember they had the window strips.

This is the part number.

K-Line K4506A Cream Passenger Car Interior Insert Kit with Lighting Board

-

Bob

@coach joe posted:

It seems like every train I own needs to be on the work bench.  If it doesn't need lubrication or a tune up or a repair I have a real bad habit of seeing the need for modifications or enhancements to perfectly good trains.  The latest case in point a MTH RK gondola with junk load.

I finally got the train table cleared off and threw a 042 loop of 027 track on it and decided to run trains, never mind all the unfinished projects so I grab a Williams/Lionel hybrid Great Northern U36B off the shelf and the MTH RK Great Northern six pack out of the garage and I'm off running trains. YEA!  After a while the junk load in the gondola starts to bother me.  It is a really nice junk load but the color has started to bother me.  The casting used by MTH has lots of detail and to bring out the detail MTH used a black base coat and then a light gray top coat, enhancing the depth, nooks and crannies and detail they worked so hard to include.  To me it looks like snow on the load so now I'm thinking about spraying it a rust color.  Here comes the over thinking part.  A lot of the junk would have been painted, boiler front, air pumps, valves would have been painted and the big gear would be polished so would they be rusty or would I have to paint those items after spraying the load a rust color?  And then there is the car color,  would painting the load rust color look horrible in that orangey red gondola?  I know that would be of no concern to a real railroad but that's how I am.

Joe, I did mine a couple months back and layered weathering washes.  The picture doesn’t do justice to the variety of rust colors.

Gene

@coach joe posted:

After a while the junk load in the gondola starts to bother me.  It is a really nice junk load but the color has started to bother me.  The casting used by MTH has lots of detail and to bring out the detail MTH used a black base coat and then a light gray top coat, enhancing the depth, nooks and crannies and detail they worked so hard to include.  To me it looks like snow on the load so now I'm thinking about spraying it a rust color.  Here comes the over thinking part.  A lot of the junk would have been painted, boiler front, air pumps, valves would have been painted and the big gear would be polished so would they be rusty or would I have to paint those items after spraying the load a rust color?  And then there is the car color,  would painting the load rust color look horrible in that orangey red gondola?  I know that would be of no concern to a real railroad but that's how I am.

I'm with you -- very nice detail and black wash as is, but the color is a bit too uniform and bright IMHO. I don't think I'd fully repaint, though. Instead, I'd probably identify a few items that might have started with some different coloration, much as you detailed, and just add those spot colors where appropriate. Then, I'd dry brush most everything with some rust color or other variations, and finish with a black wash to tone the new colors down a bit.

I used a similar technique on some tunnel portals I crafted out of scrap styrofoam -- I first painted the base stone light gray, then highlighted random stones with various darker shades of brown and gray, and finally did a black wash over everything (and some dry brushed black to simulate the effects of coal smoke above the opening):

(Sorry for the photo quality -- it's a crop from a larger pic)

Hey,Coach Joe, I have that MTH junk load and I didn’t like it’s appearance either.  I used a combination of rust and black chalks to weather mine; I think it looks a lot better, but I can’t say I’m totally satisfied, it still has that cast in look.  Loose junk would be better, if you have some junk trains to break up.

John

@RSJB18 posted:

This is the part number.

K-Line K4506A Cream Passenger Car Interior Insert Kit with Lighting Board -

Bob

Thanks!

@pennsyfan posted:

Yes and then a second coat.

Thanks

So it seems as if rust and weathering all of it prevails.  No paint or color left on any of the scrap and even polished steel has succumbed to rust when no longer in service.

@Steam Crazy posted:

Hey,Coach Joe, I have that MTH junk load and I didn’t like it’s appearance either.  I used a combination of rust and black chalks to weather mine; I think it looks a lot better, but I can’t say I’m totally satisfied, it still has that cast in look.  Loose junk would be better, if you have some junk trains to break up.

Nice work -- I like the colors! I do think I'd finish it with a black wash (with wetting agent) around the protruding cast pieces, and let the black settle deep in the cracks and cover the flat areas on the bottom. That should better highlight and contrast the cast pieces you've so nicely weathered, and help minimize the "cast in" look. Good luck!