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Good to see that this thread is progressing nicely beyond my own empire! (Glad to see that reading posts on this site is infecting others in similar ways) Great caboose kitbashing going on, Tom and Matt... Can't wait to see the progress.
On another note, my son's subdivision abuts the BNSF running from Temple, TX to Lampassas and further northwest into New Mexico. I had his dogs out daily throughout the week in an attempt to do a little railfanning, but the frequent trains weren't running with me and the dogs. I do like the new BNSF orange/black/yellow scheme.... (NO!!!!!! - attempting to rain in my potential to buy more projects).
Posts: 1,458
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A short update on my CR patched LVRR unit. The thing had been sputtering and duttering around my layout. Ran, stopped, ran, slowed down, stopped. Light sputtered. Took her apart and looked at connections to the wheels which still looked good and tight. Tried cleaning up portions of the track that were more tempermental than others - still sputtered. Then I took a good look at the wheels themselves. Wouldn't you know it, they were quite dirty. Ran the Dremel with a wire wheel over each wheel and she is now running like a champ. It's the little things sometimes! I think I'll weather it this weekend and add couplers - as much as I like the paint job, it needs to fit into the fleet!
So, here's the prototype beaten look I'm working toward...
CR_5487_1536x864-1024x576-1160x665.jpg (1160×665)
Posts: 1,458
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Goosed into action I got the paints and the washes out. I still need to do a bit more on the areas underneath the shell, but here's my first approximation of the prototype photo. I also need to find the coupler bodies that came off of this Roundhouse chassis... I may have to do some work to fit the coupler pockets in this one.
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I've found that eyeglass cleaners are useful as wheel cleaners. These are little cloth-like sheets that my wife buys, maybe 2"x5". After using on the glasses, they are still good but dry out. I put a bit of track cleaning liquid on it and pull it across the rails so that the liquid is over the rails. Then run the loco onto it and spin the wheels in the solution. It may not work as well if pickup is one rail on one truck.
It always seems a shame to throw them out when they still look pristine (well, I don't get anything that filthy on my glasses.)
David
Moderato ma non troppo
Perth & Exeter Railway Company
Esquesing & Chinguacousy Radial Railway
In model railroading, there are between six and two hundred ways of performing a given task.
Most modellers can get two of them to work.
