advice on styrene wraps to add rivet detail

[bob_suruncle]

another with some weathering.... my camera and photography skills dont seem to do it justice.... should take a shot on the layout

A few bits missing in this pic like the railings on the boiler, grabs on the back of the cab and deck plate between cab and tender... but you get the idea

[doctorwayne]

Looks good, especially with that NYC-style lettering. Looks like she's got one of those Proto1000 Fowler Patent cars right behind the tender, too. I just picked-up another five last week - I wish they were cheaper, though.

Wayne

[bob_suruncle]

Good eye Doc! Yes that is a proto car.... they can be a bit pricey but I give myself a really good deal on them as I own the hobby shop

I may need to get Squidbait to take some shots of 1012 on the layout with his fancy camera as the details of the weathering just dont seem to show well in the pics but seem to show nicely in person. Probably lighting and exposure issues... but I have too many other hobbies now so photography isnt going to turn into another.

[bob_suruncle]

Hey DW: would value your opinion (and others) on a thought I was having. I was considering adding wooden side boards to the top of the tender to allow for more coal ... but more importantly for visual impact as I think it would make a neat detail. What do you think?

also have been mulling over painting the cab window but not sure what color... dont really want to do red as that doesnt strike me as NYCish.... all the NYC images I have seen are B&W but it would appear the window mullions are black. Maybe just a slightly lighter shade of steam power black to hightlight it slightly?

[doctorwayne]

I like the look of coal boards, too, and they do add some detail to the tender.

Here's an Athearn USRA tender with coal boards added:
[album]695[/album]

This is the Bachmann version of the USRA tender, the same as yours:
[album]693[/album]

And another Athearn tender:
[album]692[/album]

[album]694[/album]

The CNR loco has actual boards (styrene), while the other two tenders shown have extensions of the coal bunker - increased capacity either way, but a slightly different appearance.

I don't recall the window sash on NYC locos being anything other than black. As you know, the CNR used red, which I also used on some of my locos:
[album]698[/album]

[album]697[/album]

If you want just a touch of colour, dark green can be pretty subtle (so subtle here that it's almost not noticeable)
[album]696[/album]

Wayne

[bob_suruncle]

you really have nice equipment Wayne. Thats sort of what I had in mind but a slightly more economical version using wood and angle iron as the FGLK runs on a fairly tight budget. I have a picture that I found of an old NYC baldwin 2-8-0 with the set up that I am thinking about dated mid 30's.... loco was pretty battle worn at that point but it sure looked cool. I think iw was being used by a crew to haul a work train.... I will have to see if I can dig up the picture as its a photo copy from a book.

Wouldnt you know it: last night while I was tracing wires for the sound install and I blew out the LED for the headlight so I had to stop work until I can pop down to the store and pickup an LED. Given Squidbait's experience I am starting to wonder if you can install a tsunami without blowing out the LED . All I was doing was using my DVM to figure out which wires went to the motor and which were feeders from the drive wheels... touched both bulb lines with the DVM leads (testing for continuity) and the bulb glowed weakly but when I went back to check it with a load it was no longer working. I guess the voltage from the DVM was enough to toast it. Oh well LED's are cheap.

[doctorwayne]

You could also do coal boards like these, which were built using prototype photos as references. The "boards" are styrene strips, distressed by dragging a razor saw along their lengths.
[album]700[/album]

Wayne

[bob_suruncle]

Thanks Wayne. That first image you posted of the CN mike is kind of what I am after. Any chance of a few more shots of that tender?

[doctorwayne]

Thanks Wayne. That first image you posted of the CN mike is kind of what I am after. Any chance of a few more shots of that tender?

Here's a couple, although they don't show much more. Looks to me like the back and front of the bunker were extended, then the ends of the coal boards cemented to them. The handrail was made from brass strip bent around a piece of wire, then the "stanchions" were inserted into holes drilled in the top edge of the original tender sides. I also used ca to affix them to the coal boards - the one on the right rear appears to have been bent away from the board. :oops:
After the loco was painted, I added some "coal" to the cast-in-place pile - this also helps to strengthen the coal board/handrail assembly.
[album]707[/album]

[album]706[/album]

[album]705[/album]

[album]704[/album]

Wayne

[Fluesheet]

I like that idea for stanchions. Nice. Good looking Mountains - makes me want to diversify beyond Mikes!

I'm sure you tire of hearing it, but your fleet is beautiful! But while I'm at it, that GV hopper behind your Athearn Mike is exquisitely weathered.

Matt

[doctorwayne]

Thank you for the kind words, Matt. The 4-8-2 (I've dubbed it a Mohawk, as a nod to one of my favourite roads) is a Bachmann loco with a few upgrades.
As for the hopper, well, I have a few of them, mostly Athearn. Currently, they're among the only cars that aren't getting new wire grab irons, although I may tackle that chore when the current batch of boxcars, reefers, and gondolas is finished. Here are a few more hoppers:
Heading for the power plant at Mount Forest...
[album]708[/album]

6982 is ex-EG&E 6782, re-conditioned and re-painted when transferred to the Grand Valley, while 6907 is an original Grand Valley car, re-painted and and re-numbered from 907
[album]713[/album]

6915 is former 915, although I don't know the reason for the new "9". 6936 is former EG&E 6736, surprisingly with matching-style digits - too bad the painter couldn't keep the stencils aligned.
[album]712[/album]

EG&E 6773 exchanged her first "7" for a different-style "9" when transferred to the Grand Valley, while GV 925 gained a "6" with the EG&E take-over
[album]711[/album]

A couple more re-numbered GV cars
[album]710[/album]

Wayne

[bob_suruncle]

Wow! Thanks Doc! lots of detail shots!

Spent last night working on installing the med steam tsunami and finally got everything working last night after realizing one wheelset in the tender was backwards

hoping to button things up tonight and then continue with final details like the last couple of railings and coal boards.... hoping to take some nice shots with Squidleys camera on teh store layout this weekend and maybe some video.....

Very pleased with how this unit is coming together!

[bob_suruncle]

GAHHHHHHHH!

Sigh....... why do things never seem to go quite right? I was finishing off some final details Saturday night and had a major blunder as well as finding a missed detail...

Missed detail first: somewhere somehow the front corner of the raised coal bunker on the tender has been broken off. I have looked at my pictures to date and it seems to have happened fairly early on and although its tough to see in the images... I now know its there... sooooo I ordered a new tender. I can't believe I missed this out of all the pics I took and the time spent working on and lettering the tender.... Ah well... next one will look even better right??

Blunder was one many of us have made but it still hurts.... was working with CA and managed to get a wee bit on my thumb... just enough to leave a mark on the side of the tener when I picked it up DOH ... oh well this was after I realized the edge was broken

At least the sound install wont have to be re-done. Just have to paint, letter and weather the top of the new tender when it arrives....

Aint life just grand.

[doctorwayne]

Wow! A whole new tender because of that little missing piece - a little bit of styrene would've fixed that little corner, and you'd probably not have been able to see the repair after it was painted.

If you get a ca "fingerprint" on a model, let it harden, then use an X-Acto #17 chisel blade to remove the residue - because it's not a solvent, the ca merely hardens on the surface, and will come off fairly easily.

Wayne

[bob_suruncle]

I havent decided exactly what i am going to do with the current tender.... I know I can repair it but I will also know its been repaired and I can get a replacement at cost (pays to own a hobby shop but not often ) anyway took some shots on the store layout.... not sure I like the side rails on the tender at least not in their current configuration.... probably should have put the boards inside instead of on the outside but I though I might put some nut, bolt, washer castings on there too.... still not sure though. Noticed the cab was slightly askew as well so will have to look into that... still overall rather pleased with the semi-final results