under wraps..

Some time ago I mocked up a wrapped lumber load for my bulkhead flats to collect from Northwest Lumber. These were very basic and intended as a test. 

Yesterday I knocked up version 2.. made some changes to the dimensions, decided to create two stacks and add some relief.

Basically this load is a plan on one sheet of A4, printed out and cut to shape. I then wrapped the drawings around some foam board and card cut to shape. I scored the lines with a pencil and added strapping - black electrical tape sliced to size. Turns out to be rubbish as it doesn't stick very well.

That's the floor of the wagon that is bowed, not the load!

I am much happier with the look of these, I think the design works for me, so I'm going to source some other tape (Jack Trollope suggested 'nail tape') and make up a couple of these loads properly. (ie take a little more care measuring,cutting and gluing)

 

BL-2 and Split Gears

Despite telling myself that I didn't really want to take on any 'projects' as such, today I am introducing a potential new member of the YPRR fleet - a BL-2, lately in the service of the Monon Railroad.

 

This was a cheap speculative purchase from ebay. The model is an older Lifelike Proto 2K and needs some work, but I have always liked these ever since I first saw a picture of one, and have hankered after one for a while. 


The BL-2 is considered to be an 'ugly duckling' and a failed experiment at creating a 'branch line' engine that was a road switcher. The odd shape of the body sides was to allow the crew to view along the body, something that couldn't be done with the big road units 'F' types etc.. but ultimately a number of other designs with walkways which allowed crews to cover the length of the loco during switching without having to constantly dismount, proved more popular. There were other reasons too, I'm sure.

Despite it's lack of success, or perhaps because if it, I like it! (always a champion of the underdog, me!) Actually, I intend to get a Ford Edsel to park outside Smith & Hogg.

As to this model, I gave it a run on my test track - it is DC and will need chipping but wanted to make sure it was a runner. The motor is actually nice and smooth but there was definitely an audible thunk and a little stutter in it's gait. I suspected that this was the infamous P2K split gear issue. The internet came up trumps here in describing exactly what this meant, and how easy it was to remedy. I happened to have a later P2K GP18 that has been causing me issues for a while, so I decided to swap out the wheelsets. Although the replacements are slightly smaller in diameter, they actually look okay and the engine runs very well now.

It turned out that 3 of the 4 axles were affected, tiny little hairline splits that I most likely would have never noticed if I wasn't looking for them.

So the next big step is to convert this to DCC. Ideally I'd like to install sound. Initial investigation suggests either the Loksound Select (recommended by a friend), or the cheaper Digitrax SDXH166D.. before I choose either, I need to be confident that I understand the electrics on board and make sure that I identify anything that needs isolating. Someone has already swapped the lights and done some modification, so I'm just in the process of working out what goes where!

I shall upload a short video in a while.

Some scenic work and another video

I've been steadily pottering away at Brett in between painting soldiers and looking for paid employment. Mostly little scenic jobs - planting weeds and making a start on the Lumber yard.

A moment of inspiration found me in the garage and mackling up a device to rest my camera on whilst taking videos, as trying to hold the camera steady in one hand and use the controller in the other was proving too much of a challenge.

Basically a little shelf with a length of broomhandle and a 6" square platform for the camera  - clamped to the unit under the layout. It places the camera at about my eye level when operating.

Camera Support thingy Mk 1

 
Today was one of those days when things didn't go quite to plan in 'real life' and I decided to grab an hour this afternoon to test it the new device, and get running some trains again, so I made a video. Actually it's Part One.. as I didn't plan my switching moves at all and subsequently 'today's train is going to take a little longer to switch!

http://youtu.be/ZW-pX9dyxMo 

I don't know how prototypical it is, but I tend to pause quite a bit to allow time for little invisible men to switch points, uncouple cars etc. As this can be incredibly boring to watch, I edit most of these moments of inactivity out. Thinking about it - I perhaps should have used those pauses to actually plan my moves! (doh!)

lights...

I took that video last night in the dark, whilst a blizzard raged outside. The main source of light being from the LEDs on the layout. 

With added sunshine, and a quick fiddle with the camera (just a basic compact), I took a couple of test pictures this morning to see if they look a little more natural.. not applied any after effects or anything and they seem better..

Brett progress video..

Another video posted today - just a short one. Mainly because I've installed some LED lights on Brett.

Scarily I thought I'd step outside the comfort zone and get in front of the camera! (Note to self - don't scratch legs whilst recording - it looks dodgy)

Anyway, as I mention, the lights look great.. although the video does make them look a bit more blue than they do in 'real life', I shall try to get some pictures posted soon.

opening the box.. Gnice things!

Much as I am enjoying 'Brett' at the moment, and wargaming is taking up a lot of hobby time.. I have an unscratched itch.. it's ages since I built a 'micro'.

I got into railway modelling fairly late in life.. in fact 2003 to be precise. And my entry into the hobby was probably a little peculiar in that it was through the world of micro layouts and Gn15. I wonder if I hadn't discovered Carl Arendt's site and the Gnatterbox, whether I'd still be playing with trains now?

Lately I started thinking that I'm missing the creative process that goes into planning (I use the word in it's loosest sense of course!) and creating a micro layout. I've been doodling the odd thought down here and there but not got much further really. However, on the question of scale, it has come down to two real choices. I'd really like to do something else in 3mm.. but I'm thinking of perhaps doing that in something a little larger than a 'micro'..

Anyway - generally I tend to try something out and then sell it on in order to finance the next thing - N scale, OO9.. but my Gn15 stuff has a special place and I can't imagine ever letting it go. Last night I dug out the boxes in which Mister Manning and the Southill Light Railway is stored to do a little stock-take and remind myself what I had. It turned out to be a rather pleasant little trip down memory lane :-)

Sam the driver on 'Pluto'

So.. whether anything will come of this, I don't know, but I am reminded of Gnomes and link and pin couplings, making my own figures, shunting around impossible curves and charming little scratchbuilt 'critters' bashed from swapmeet finds..and it's made me smile!

planting trees on Brett

Brett has had a rather temporary feel for some time. I've been enjoying playing.. er.. operating the layout but have been meaning to get around to a few jobs. All the scenic stuff has been rather loosely 'plopped' up till now and I figured it was time to start doing some of those jobs.

My other hobby has been keeping me occupied lately, but I just finished a rather intensive training course as part of my search for paid employment and needed some modelling relaxation -  a change from painting wargames figures.

I've made a bit of a list which, apart from sorting out the lighting and fascia, includes a number of scenic jobs - fixing the buildings and adding weeds to their bases, the track ends, weathering the chainlink fence, sorting out the vehicles and getting a couple of figures.. number one though was those trees.

I'm happy enough with the trees themselves. Although they a look a little 'generic pointy evergreen' that seems to be exactly what I was looking at on Streetview in the area where Brett is located. However, they needed properly fixing. 

Anyway - It only took half an hour or so with powerdrill and glue, some clipping of bases.. I added a few younger trees too - I forgot I had these in a bag in the loft - removed from an old N scale layout. 

Overall I am quite pleased with this area now.

I've started on one or two of the other little tasks, including adding some depth to the Northwest Lumber warehouse and sorting out track ends (bumpers and the like). What I have to remind myself now is to take it steady. Just do one job at a time and enjoy it, and not rush to get it all done and end up cutting corners.
(Can you tell that I was on a project management course?!)