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Messages - on30gn15

#91
Large / Re: Pull String for 4-6-0 Bell
August 09, 2015, 03:49:57 AM
There were a couple ways of routing the bell rope around domes between bell and cab.
Sometimes an arched tube was put at base of dome, with arch upside down to follow natural curve of rope. Have see photo with that tube less than a foot long to around a couple feet long. Sometimes that arched tube was on boiler jacketing below dome instead of on side of dome base.
Sometimes a simple loop somewhere on side of dome or base of dome was used and bell rope passed through it.

While the tube looks cool, for simplicity's sake, on my models I'm using a loop cut from those craft pins which have either a head or a loop. Superglue in to a hole, oh, I don't know the drill bit size, but small, on side of dome and away you go.

Here, this shows a high loop. I don't know if that it prototypical for D&S locos, but, hey, it is what I want to do.
Whistle cord arrangement is per assorted plans and photos, ones I know where they are without having to look much are in Kalmbach's book Steam Locomotive Cyclopedia, which I think is out of print at the moment.


Note: typically in US, bell rope was on fireman,s (left) side - on the Big Haulers I've turned bell around on ones where it could be persuaded to come unglued, on the others, whatever the factory glue was, it was very good stuff and the bell is staying backwards.
#92
Large / Re: Annie 4-6-0 Wear Problem
August 07, 2015, 10:25:39 PM
Ah, thanks.
After about 3 applications of Annie pilot to the tailbone, he stayed out of the tunnel when train was running on the balcony.  ;D
#93
Large / Re: Annie 4-6-0 Wear Problem
August 07, 2015, 09:53:15 PM
I need to look up the dates on Annie versions: bought the SPC road number 21 in fall of 2009. Attractive thing with the red and silver.
#94
Ah yes, minimum radius, brings to mind periodic conversations years ago on the On30 Conspiracy Yahoo group.
I wonder if there are parallel conversations in the RC plane groups, "How slow can it fly before stalling?" and then they go fly only at that speed.
Absurd.
#95
Large / Re: Annie 4-6-0 Wear Problem
August 06, 2015, 12:56:33 AM
There's gotta be something which can be done; we just need the right person with the right knowledge to appear from the mists.
#96
Large / Re: Annie 4-6-0 Wear Problem
August 05, 2015, 09:41:22 PM
We need a next generation genius to come to the fore and pick up where Barry's Big Trains left off with his retirement.
#97
Large / Re: New Photos of the Tuscarora RR
August 05, 2015, 04:08:58 AM
Quote from: Kevin Strong on August 05, 2015, 12:55:44 AM"On30" was reference to On30Gn15, because I had a brain fart and forgot his name. (Sorry, Forrest!)
;D As long as you keep water on the crown sheet you'll be okay.
#98
Large / Re: Adding light to Anniversary 4-6-0
August 03, 2015, 11:05:47 PM
Quote from: punkin on August 02, 2015, 07:24:53 PM
I was wondering if in the real world is there a light in the driver's compartment of the engine?
It kind of depends on the age and era of the engine. A small source of illumination was needed for the all important steam gauge and the water level sight glass. But as for an overall cab light when running, that would be like driving your car at night with all the dome and courtesy lamps on, totally screws your night vision.
#99
Large / Re: New Photos of the Tuscarora RR
August 02, 2015, 04:34:30 AM
Hey, those are good. In the looking over the milk cans as she departs photo that tree worked out just right.
#100
Large / Re: boards through truss rod turnbuckles
July 31, 2015, 09:28:59 PM
Think it was H. G. Wells who wrote the first commercially published rules.
The way I see it, operating your railroad by railroad rules is another kind of miniatures game, one where most of the miniatures move themselves.

Something I want to do on open house days at club is let members of the public do some industrial switching - on my modules on the HO layout, have done some already and they get a kick out if it - and - have a brakeman figure they have to move to where turnouts need throwing, cars need uncoupling or coupling - to make them see the need to work smart so the brakeman doesn't have to walk a mile in the rain to switch adjacent spurs.
#101
Large / Re: boards through truss rod turnbuckles
July 30, 2015, 10:30:15 AM
My HO and On30 trucks get painted more realistically; the garden railway stuff is to me sort of its own universe  ;D
"Army Painter" is a brand of acrylic model paint for the miniatures gaming market. Quickshade, which I think is an ink based product, comes in model paint sized dropper bottles or larger cans.
Hobby shops catering to miniatures gamers are the most promising places to find the product. The company headquartered Denmark, which is kind of cool, but they also have a US website.

A person could easily and less expensively use the time-honored home brewed washes but I was working with what supplies I'd taken down to model train club. My body does not tolerate much carrying things back and forth, so a bunch of my supplies have migrated to there. It is easier to carry the models than the tools and paint.
#102
Large / boards through truss rod turnbuckles
July 30, 2015, 07:51:13 AM

Having seen several times over the decades how RRs would sometimes put boards through truss rod turnbuckles to prevent the vibrations from running loosening them I finally got around to doing that to my Bachmann freight cars - all 6 of them, 3 reefers, 1 box, 2 gons.

Photo is the 3 reefers and 1 box, from a kit Robbie Hanson gave to the cause, down at model train club.

Wood is 1/16 thick basswood cut 3/16 wide. Friction fit, hopefully, holds them in. We shall see.



Oh, wood is stained with either, I forget which, strong tone or dark tone, "Quickshade" gaming figure shading wash from Army Painter. 

And, yes, I have this thing about painting the wheels a hue close to the body. No, I don't know why I began doing that. However, as an added bonus at no extra charge, there is little doubt which cars are mine! Box will be, (hopefully will be) getting metal wheels in August.

Let's see, how many freight cars do I have? The 6 Bachmann cars. And 5 which I'm slowly poking along at scratchbuilding out of balsa and basswood, 4 box and one flat. Have about 7 cardboard 15in by 3.25in tubes a friend brought home from his job at grocery store, plan is to get trucks and turn them in to tank cars. Shrink wrap for the meat department or something was what they came from. None of my scratchbuilds are going to be run in the rain, but since I don't have my own garden railway anyway ...
#103
Large / Re: New Large Scale Spectrum cars?
July 27, 2015, 09:18:48 PM
A number of factors influence sales rate. Some of the easy ones, economy, demographics, trends, fads, novelty. (and yes there are fads in model railroading) Basically, manufacturing products for market is along the lines of legalized gambling - you put your money in and hope your research, advertising, distribution, and luck, are good enough to make the grade: you are going to need that money plus some to come back in a reasonable amount of time so you can put it to both one-time costs and the continuing costs of simply continuing to exist. There is usually a budget which depends on a certain rate of return on investments.
Sort of an analogy to the slow sales rate mentioned might be if you get a job, work a month, and then when payday comes you get the message that, oh, there's been a delay, we'll pay you next year. That ain't sustainable, and it's a fair bet you are going to go get a different job.

How on-target I am with all that is probably debatable but that's what I'm in the mood to babble about while the dishwasher finishes up.
#104
Large / Re: New Large Scale Spectrum cars?
July 26, 2015, 06:53:02 PM
Quote from: armorsmith on July 26, 2015, 06:42:20 PMPlease explain the logic of telling a customer that we will no longer have any product to sell you?
He just did, "It has taken a long time to sell through the production runs of these items." After multiple thousands of dollars were spent to design and produce the cars it took too long to get a return on the investment. Their primary job is to keep themselves in business, not satisfy our every whim. That's life. That's business. That's the world beyond our layouts.
#105
Large / Re: Added that cab to tender hinged deck
July 17, 2015, 07:26:36 PM
Cool! and thanks.