Those Handrails Are In. And On.

Some good news here this week is that I received the correct handrail set for the GP40X. Yay!  As I had mentioned a few weeks back, I first received the wrong set (they were for a GP38) but I figured that it was most likely an honest mistake by the seller.  I decided that I'd keep those ones anyway, just in case I might need them some day.

I re-ordered the handrails from the same seller, and here they are.

Following are a couple of photos of JSSX 7000, after the maintenance shop crew (me) has installed the replacement handrails.

Now I'm trying to decide whether to add the white reflector stripes to the side sills on the locomotive, similar to those on the 813 beside it.  That's the thing about freelancing...you get to do what you like and it's hard for someone to tell you that you're wrong.

7000 working out on the South Industrial assignment.  After the problems I had troubleshooting and repairing the GP40X's ,running ability which had been compromised by the bent trucks, and then the handrails snafu, I'm really pleased to have this locomotive available for service.

I suppose most everybody that likes trains enjoys occasionally seeing them running along a street somewhere. If you take that thought and combine it with urban industrial settings, some poorly maintained track  and some "sketchy" areas of a city, you'll really get me interested.  Here's a link to a video (7 minutes) that certainly inspires more ideas for the JSSX here.  For me, it's not so much about this short train itself, but the surrounding area that it's in...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX9Rfy0RiLU

This and That for April

One of my neighbors (Doug) recently brought this unopened train set over here to me, asking that in exchange I let him have a look at the JSSX.  His idea, not mine.  Anyway, he told me that he'd bought the set brand new many years ago when he thought he'd like to set up a layout for himself, but then never followed through.  He said it's never even been opened.

I know that the engine for this set was thought of quite highly when it first came out.

I don't actually have a use for it, so I don't quite know yet what I'll do with it, but if I sell it I'll give the money to Doug.

Next up, here's a couple of looks again at the American Hardware Supply building that I was working on a few weeks ago.  This is of course the rail side of the building.  I got almost all of the warp out of the MDF that it sits on. Although it might look like it's still there, that's mostly the camera view.

Since I last showed it here, you can see that I've blanked out a whole bunch of windows on the building. I also added in a water pipe which was made out of some plastic sprue and painted with Rust Texture.

Here's a look at the truck loading end, with more windows blanked out.

I've got this next building slated for demolition...well removal and re-build really, and after thinking about it for quite a while, I think it's about time. This is a kitbash of walls from a Walther's bakery kit and extra walls from a couple of Roberts Printing kits.  It is located in a corner of the layout.

The plan for this is to use the concrete block walls at the right-hand end over again, and combine them with the same type of wall from a 2nd copy of the bakery kit, which I've had on hand here for several months.  Maybe I can sell the taller walls if I don't find something else to do with them.

I think this should work out well - hope so anyway - and I plan to use it as a paper recycler which would take in a mix of 50 foot boxcars and high cube boxcars as well.  I think I should be able to nicely fit in 4 loading doors, so the place could be quite busy.

I've been wondering how I could make bales of recycled paper that I could set out on a loading dock or at least be visible in an open doorway.  Any thoughts on that would be welcome.

Primed for Grime Boxcar

I thought we'd have a look at this boxcar that Brian Smith entrusted to me to add weathering.  Athearn kind of started the weathering for us, as this is from their Primed for Grime series of freight cars.  

This is their Northernwestern Oklahoma 60 foot Gunderson double door boxcar, NOKL 603252.  I looked on my usual sites on the interwebs for photos of the prototype car with the same number, but couldn't find any.  Does Athearn purposefully number models like that, so that we can't judge their weathering or patching accuracy?

I went ahead anyway, and weathered the boxcar in a manner that I thought or hoped Brian would be happy with.  Here's a few finished photos taken along my GTW line. I like to think it turned out well.

The numerous dark patches were already done by Athearn.  Late edit: I should also add that this is the first that Brian has seen of his box car since he dropped it off here for me.

I faded the car using my usual Concrete Gray, a bit more so on the 5 panels toward the ends, and Grimy Black on the doors.  The graffiti scribbles are done by (my) hand using red and green ink pens.

Same side, from the other end.

The "B" side shown here has more graffiti (decals).  I've created a deep scratch on the upper area of the left-hand end using Burnt Umber paint.  We can see some light rusting in a few areas on the roof.

I used Burnt Umber paint to show wear on the door posts and tracks.  Looking closely, we can also see some rust streaking from the door stops as well.  I should point out as well that I sprayed Grimy Black along the bottom and upper areas of the car.

Ready for pickup Brian !

TBOX's along South Industrial

Doing a little basement style railfanning during the week, mainly along South Industrial Blvd., and took a few photos. I kind of liked this first one.

CN (obviously) boxcar on the near track and TBOX across the road.  I wish I could have gotten a little bit better depth of field to keep that yellow boxcar in better focus.

Stopped the virtual car in the middle of the street long enough to get closer views of the TBOX cars.  This one's pretty clean as there's no graffiti or rust on it, but there is a bit of dust and dirt accumulating along the lower areas. High-cube cars won't fit beneath the overhang portion of the building that's just a few yards further down the spur.

Another TBOX, looking even cleaner than the first, sits at the next dock

Another view, from a bit further back.