Westminster 2012 Pictures

This weekend I had my first Free-mo setup and happened to take one or two photos, amazingly I didn’t get a picture with my own module… but I already know what it looks like and it’s not at all scenic’d.

Speed Matching Projects

At last nights operating session I managed to pick up a couple of speed matching projects from the host Mike. First there is a Proto 2000 SD60, this is the same as my Oakway (just different paint and decoder).

Since my SD60 is by far my smoothest runner it really didn’t take long to get this one matched, I ended up matching it to my SD60 (per owners request) in about an hour which I thought was a pretty good time. In the same period of time I also got some work on my module’s fitter rails done.

The other project is a GE C44-9W, I’m not sure who the manufacturer on this one is however.

This locomotive has been a bit more of a cantankerous beast in regards to speed matching. I’m fairly confident it can be done but this one will take a bit longer.

Train Night 3/2/2012

Went to an operating session last night and got a chance to test out some new couplers on DM&IR 216, the last operating session it was derailing on some curves and as I suspected longer couplers solved the problem. DM&IR 210 also ran very well, as did EMDX 9003, but then again those two always do. I also picked up some more speed matching projects but I’ll post on those later.

I also took a couple videos when I wasn’t too busy and compiled this video (The background noise was a bit much so it’s silent):

Weekend Projects

I started the weekend by putting longer couplers on DM&IR 216 which will hopefully alleviate problems with it derailing on tighter curves when in a consist. I ended up having to use the long shank kadee couplers which are longer than I’d like them to be but hopefully will resolve the problem.

Then I got to looking at my ore cars while I had them out and really wasn’t happy with the couplers on them. The pivet point is way to far out which makes it look like it’s got very long coupler shanks even if y ou are using the very short coupler shanks. I’ve started grinding down the existing coupler boxes since they are cast  into the frame (not a fun task) and replacing it with a shortened kadee box. Part of the problem is that the cars are so short that the wheel bolsters are too close to the end which doesn’t leave room much room for coupler boxes.

As you can see in this picture the modified version (right) is much closer to the car. With the wheel bolsters as close to the edge as they are this is really as close as I’ll be able to get without ultra short shanked couplers

I’ve also been working on weathering the trucks and wheels on my cement hoppers, while the flash kind of make it look a little off they do look great in person.

Car Shops Flat Car construction finished

I’ve been building a unique prototype used by the DM&IR car shops, more information and build progress can be found here.

Shortly after my last update I ended up finishing construction (I’m just way behind in my blogging). All that remains now is some painting and weathering. Since I don’t have an air brush and have a number of other projects that will eventually need air brushing I’m putting painting on the back burner. Until then here are some pictures with the finished assembly.

Serendipity: SW1500 that wasn’t

Back in December my oldest son, 5 years old, bought a Athearn Blue Box SW1500 (it was the first locomotive he bought with his own saved up money). At about the same time I found a cheap SW1500 on Ebay for parts just in case… or at least that’s what I thought. When it arrived it definitely had different details but not being much an expert on locomotive spotting I just assumed it was because it was from an earlier run and maybe the details weren’t as correct as the one he got. I ended up not needing it for parts so I hadn’t done much with it.

Fast forward to last week I was browsing through different rail road pictures websites looking for pictures of the DM&IR and I found this picture of DM&IR 11 from 2004: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=84603&nseq=0. It really got me intrigued because I had misinterpreted the Missabe Railroad Historical Societies all time diesel roster as having retired all EMD switchers by the mid 1960′s. What I had missed was that all the SW9s were gone by then but they acquired an NW2 rebuilt to SW1200 specs in 1998 as a shop switcher. This itself was fairly serendipitous as I am a fan of the EMD switchers and just finished scratch building a flat car used by the Missabe shops so It stood to reason I needed a shop switcher!

This brings me back to my odd Athearn switcher as I was looking to see what it would take to turn it into this NW2 switcher or at least pass-able as it. When I started comparing the details to photo I quickly realized that it was actually an NW2. Further research of photos I’ve found of DM&IR 11 and it became clear that all I really need to do to it is build platforms for the rotary beacons on the cab, replace the missing handrail, and finally paint the simple scheme on it. (Of course in addition to re-powering and putting a decoder in it).

So in the end I’d say it was pretty good luck to accidentally buy a cheap NW2 and later find it’s a near perfect match to model something I’d never be able to find (let’s face it, no one is going to mass produce a locomotive in a paint scheme where there is only one number!).

New Throttle: UT4R

Yesterday I picked up a new throttle I had on order from Mac Loco Works, it is a Digitrax UT4R (Digitrax, MLW). This throttle is primarily for ops sessions so I’m not running from UP5 to UP5 to plug in.