Current Projects

[jim currie]

Ok everyone, I have a question. What can be used to make concrete for inside of my engine facility? I’ve seen a couple different ways of doing it but what would you all suggest?

fine sand in casting plaster with a bit of black dye to turn it light gray.
Jim

[ngauger]

Ok everyone, I have a question. What can be used to make concrete for inside of my engine facility? I’ve seen a couple different ways of doing it but what would you all suggest?

I can 3D print you one....

[jim currie]

Ls you didn't say it you wanted pit or not.
Jim

[LiveSteamer]

Ls you didn't say it you wanted pit or not.
Jim

Jim,

No there isn’t going to be any pits inside. This facility is just going to service them after coming off of trains.

[jim currie]

Ls you didn't say it you wanted pit or not.
Jim

Jim,

No there isn’t going to be any pits inside. This facility is just going to service them after coming off of trains.

ok that makes things simple .just accouple of questions is this a kit or a scratch
if either you just need  a section[n pf track glued to a base plate them you form a frame around the plate pour the plaster sand mix in it and rum some trucks over the rail before plaster sets and Walla remove form add some oil stains and there you have it
Jim

[LiveSteamer]

The blue building is a kit. I have to raise the building up some.

[jim currie]

The blue building is a kit. I have to raise the building up some.

if the track clearance is ok  with the cork roadbed you wouldn't need to raise the building as the track would be glued to the base plate cut to fit inside of the building /if memory serves me I 080 for a baseplate, then a piece if 1/4 inch plywood to get the right Hight to match the cork .
Jim

[LiveSteamer]

The blue building is a kit. I have to raise the building up some.

if the track clearance is ok  with the cork roadbed you wouldn't need to raise the building as the track would be glued to the base plate cut to fit inside of the building /if memory serves me I 080 for a baseplate, then a piece if 1/4 inch plywood to get the right Hight to match the cork .
Jim

The clearance isn’t very much. I know once I get ballast, dirt, and rocks down and other items on it, it won’t look as high as it does now.

[jim currie]

LS if you need to raise the structure make the base concrete pad the same size as the building as a lot of steel buildings were sat on a pad you might have to play around with the height of the pad though.
Jim

[cnrglen]

Sorry I'm a bit late to the discussion. I've used sheet styrene for concrete pads/ foundations. I believe that several paint manufacturers make concrete colors, as well as stains.

[LiveSteamer]

Sorry I'm a bit late to the discussion. I've used sheet styrene for concrete pads/ foundations. I believe that several paint manufacturers make concrete colors, as well as stains.

It’s ok to be late lol. All great ideas so far. I’m sure I will use one of them.

[LiveSteamer]

On Saturday I received the ALCO C420 from Bruce. I immediately started to tinker with it to find out why it was running a little jerky. After carefully looking at all the gears in the trucks, I narrowed it down. A couple of the gears have some teeth missing so I started to disassemble to trucks and started to replace each gear I seen that needed replaced. It is a good thing I have a ton of spare parts from other locomotives that are no longer around. Fingers crossed that this does fix the issue, if not then it's time to dive deeper into it which I don't have a problem doing. I love tinkering with these older engines as you never know what the issue could be. It could be a simple fix or a complete disassemble job. Below is the engine sitting on the workbench getting some TLC. After reassembly, a few dabs of lubricant and off to the test track which is also on the workbench.

   

[LiveSteamer]

ALCO C420 now has a number, it is #268. I have it narrowed down to the industry this will have a home at. It will be a lumber company located along a spur coming off of the mainline somewhere. I am throwing around a couple ideas for the name of the lumber company. The engine will bring the loaded cars full of finished lumber to a small yard where the lumber companies homemade switcher will sort them onto the outgoing tracks while the C420 takes empties back. Alot of thought process is going into this and I'm not exactly sure where it will be located along the line.