IRON RAILS 2015 GB

Thanks Jibber! I have more progress to show, now that my Hobby Room is back in shape.

I got the main engine of one of my Russian armored trains finished with all the main parts on it:



This engine is now ready for all the Photo-etch that goes on it. You can see how happy he is to be getting the Photo-etch soon:



Here's a shot of the rest of the train all ready for the photo etch:

That's all I have for now. I might be able to get the photo-etch on next week. Stay tuned!

Steve thats looking fantastic, the figures are great. Wow I love the weathering and your the best at tarps, no doubt.

Terry

Nice teaser. May I suggest moving the dog closer to the guy on the train? I almost didn't see the stare down until you mentioned it. The rest is brilliant and a testament to your skills. Way to go!

Thanks Duke,
I'll move the dog a little, actually it doesn’t look like the dog is looking at the guy, but looking more to the guy's left,
Terry,
thanks, I love doing tarps, I started fashioning them after I saw a Shep Payne dio decades ago and was hooked on them. It was the P-61 dio if memory serves.
Here’s my wee little Kublewagen. I built it in about 30 min, but it seems more like a 1/85 scale than a 1/72. Oh well, I'll get it together and see if it looks out of place in the dio.
Cool tiny kit though.

Steve

Sounds good MC. I'll be looking forward to seeing the changes.

Good news: I got all these so I could finish my two Russian Armored Trains. These are models I'd ordered some time ago. My friend Dave was holding them until I got paid and then could pay him. These are the basic flatbeds first:



Followed by two cars with AA gun towers on them  and two others carrying a truck, a gun and a tank:




Now I can really finish those Russian trains right!

Okay, that's all I have for today, so stay tuned. I'm hoping to start on a few of those flatbed cars tomorrow.

Today I got to the workbench and got started on those train flatcars like I wanted. Here's my latest progress on everything today.

First off, I hate when they make the sprue gates so big like this that they fill up the channel where the wheel is supposed to sit on the rails:



I was working on two flatcars; one long and one short. I had to clean eight of those wheels! What a PITA!

After doing all of those and getting the wheels and axles assembled, I built up the rest of the flatcars. These are by no means done; I have a lot of detail parts to add to these, as well as the side rails. However, you can see here the basic look of these little cars.

Here's the short one:



And this is the long one:



There are four parts to that long flatbed that had to be glued flat. I'm still not sure I succeeded. Oh well, this one is done so far.

After all that, I'd had enough of UM's trains so I took a break to work on some other stuff.


Okay, that's all I got done so far today on my trains. Tomorrow promised to be just as open for working on my Hobby so this time, I think I'll fire up the compressor and start shooting some paint. So stay tuned, more to come.


Meanwhile, comments are always welcome, thanks for looking in.

I finally completed the Mortar diorama last night. I could keep adding more and more, but I have other things to do. I do need to put a label on it still, but that will take a minute.

Lots of pics so be prepared.

As always, comments and critiques welcome.

Steve

Steve as always a fabuous job and one to be proud of. I love it that theres at least a few of us that enjoy RR builds, personally I think it makes for a lot of Diorama subjects and cool bases.

This is a build that we are proud to display on the front page for all to see, and I know I speak for Wayne too but I'm sure he'll have some words here soon. We may not have had the most entrys but I think I can say we had some very interesting subjects with no shortage of blood, sweat and tears.  

Thanks Steve for your efforts,

Terry 

Hypertex had a critical issue with his Stephenson Rocket, too bad because that was one I really wanted to see in a kit. So I went out and ordered one to give it a try. I hope to have it done by years end unless I run into those same warpage issues. Its way too cool not to have one included here.

Terry

Thanks Terry. I just received a 1/144 K5, which I actually bought for the figures. I don't know for sure, and don't put it down, but I may be able to squeeze it in before the end of the year.

Terry and i knew we wouldn't get a lot of entries like a TIGER GB would but we knew those who joined would be as weird as us.

Terry where did you get the figures and what did you use for the camo net? and how did you build the switch? i would like to do one in 1/35 but taht would call for my mini torch to heat the rails sufficiently to bend them.

all the builds are really nice, the figures fit and i can see the story, which is really important in a diorama. two things jump out and i really don't know how to change one of them easily.

firstly everything is panzer gray.what can you do? if it's prior 1943 there are no options and color modulation doesn't have enough contrast at this scale.

secondly everything is parallel to the sides of the base. AGAIN this will be a problem with RR dioramas unless you want a HUGE base. and cutting track and ties at an angle is just plain annoying. even if you put a road in diagonally for the FLAK, it would widen the base A LOT.

these are not critiques of your build but general observations on RR stuff. obviously if we need a base for a single locomotive the parallel issue isn't relevant. my 1/35 RR gun will be 3 feet long and 8 inches wide minimum to dispaly the gun, 4 feet plus if i add the flatcar and ammo, min 18 inches wide if they offload from a truck next to it. both are big footprints and i have no blinding revelations on other options.

guess i best figure it out since i will be doing the revell 1/200 Big Ass coal mining bucket loader next year.

Steve, that camo net mixed media really added depth to your build.  

waynec

Terry and i knew we wouldn't get a lot of entries like a TIGER GB would but we knew those who joined would be as weird as us.

 . . . 

Hi Wayne and Terry,

I forgot about this GB Thread. I got busy with stuff but I built a replica Transfer Caboose (shoving platform). Modern era freight in O scale this year. I started in July and I'm adding final touches now. Can I still jump in and add this to this thread now? It's not a military or sci-fi subject but is a (best attempt) replica of a prototype that is currently in service with Union Pacific. 

 The prototype: http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1564106

sure. got a cover shot before beginning? anything on rails is welcome. i have a BTTF Delorean with rail wheels that was going into this so.....

I have a shot of the model out of the box before cutting and chopping begins for the conversion. I know, I bought the BTTF 3 kit  but didn't start it yet  

I picked up an M.T.H. caboose and built it instead because I wanted to participate in a contest/show in Atlanta, GA. 

This is the version out of the box. I've made significant changes since then.

Wayne,

The figures are from Preiser. They are modified Luftwaffe figures. The camo net is cheesecloth wetted with thinned Elmer’s and Woodland Scenes landscape sprinkled on. Yes, it does seem kind of dull with everything Panzer grey, I tried to vary the shade just a bit between the builds to try to avoid that. As you stated, everything is parallel to try to keep the size down. I added the siding to try to break that up. The switch is an old HO switch which has all its ties and mechanism’s removed. I scratched new ties and attached the rails to them.
Thank you for the complement and I appreciate the opportunity to build a RR dio, my first. I also have a 1/144 K5, but it's unlikely I will get to it before the end of the year.

Steve

Maddog,

That's a lot of clean up done. Good work, you're very disciplined. 

Wayne,

The box just has a clear window side showing the caboose inside. It's already factory built and painted like the image I posted above.

My project will take it apart and cut it up into a prototypical conversion then repainted, including weathering and graffiti, to match

SprueOne

O scale, M.T.H. Premier Bay Window Caboose, as it looks out of the box.

This will be a conversion into a Transfer Caboose still currently in active service with UPRR.

The prototype: http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1564106

I started right away with disassembly and removal of parts that won't be used; roof walk way and ladders. ..

...And cut away the roof ends. Both end walls, where the doors are, were also carefully cut and removed for relocation later. 

I can now carefully cut the bosses off. They are marked and ID'd for correct positioning and relocation later.

Main body cuts made. Putty fills holes in the roof where the roof walk part was attached. Window openings and various gaps filled and covered with styrene.

Thanks for looking

These open trapezoids along the bottom skirt on both sides were filled with junkmail credit card material and CA. Two, on one side, were left open because the prototype has them. 

A window needs to be cut here and a finished (before primer) picture of the bottom skirt with the trapezoids closed up. 

I had to replace the material lost due to the kerf of the blade used to cut out the end parts (both ends). Styrene shims were sliced from a sheet to make these. 

Sprue it looks like you've done this before, you keep ripping up credit cards you'll be back to the checkbook! Seriously that looks like some tedious work. Nice.

Terry

Sprue what is a transfer caboose?

jibber

Sprue it looks like you've done this before, you keep ripping up credit cards you'll be back to the checkbook! Seriously that looks like some tedious work. Nice.

Terry

 

LOL, I use the checkbook for a my putty filler pallette now. When it gets too bumpy, just rip a page off and throw it away.  

Thanks for the compliment.

jibber

Sprue what is a transfer caboose?

 

These are used for short runs, back and forth, for switching and transfer services. The doors are usually welded shut and not used as sleepers anymore. 'Outdoor' platforms with grab railings on each end are used by the brakeman to help the engineer with visibility. 

Thanks for looking

Ah, got it. Thanks

Terry

Sprue, looking good. I'm looking forward to seeing that finished.

I managed to get a bit more done on some of my Russian armored trains. This is a small update so there ain't much. After this Hobby Day Weekend, I expect to have a lot more to show.

I pulled out the two flat cars I had started earlier, starting with the shorter one. The instructions called for a metal rod to be bent and cemented into place underneath the body. I opted to use plastic rod instead for ease of assembly:



After that, it was only a matter of finishing off the top of this with the end pieces, bumper shafts and side rails. This little flatcar is ready for P/E parts:



I did the same with the longer one; adding the plastic rod on the suspension:



I'm not worried about those bad ejector pin marks on the side; they'll be covered by P/E sheeting

I then flipped this over and added the end pieces, bumper shafts and upper side rails. Once again, this one is ready for P/E parts:



I think they look pretty good together so far:




Okay, that's about all I have for now. Hopefully I'll get some more done soon. I know I'll make some pretty good progress this Hobby Day Friday and Saturday, so maybe I'll be able to get a few of these things closer to the finish line. Stay tuned for more, and remember; comments are welcome. Thanks for looking in.

Duke are you going to set that train on a board or whats the plan? We dont see Soviet trains very often it'll be nice seeing it in a cool setting. 

Terry

jibber

Duke are you going to set that train on a board or whats the plan? We dont see Soviet trains very often it'll be nice seeing it in a cool setting. 

Terry

 

Terry, it's actually two trains I'm building; the OB-3 amd the "Facism Fighter". Right now, I have no space to display them on a board or anything, so they'll remain packed in their respective boxes when I'm done; just like the first Russian armored train I built two years ago. I would love to display them in a diorama-type setting base, but unless I win the lotto and use it to buy a bigger house; it's just not possible.

Thanks for the reply! Stay tuned for more.

This weekend I went to Hobby Day Friday and Saturday determined to get a lot more done on my two Russian armored trains among other models. I made some pretty good progress, especially on the trains. I also took Dora to get any repairs done on her that happened on the trip back home from Columbus. 

First off, I decided to pull out all the flatcars and get the beds of them completed. Here's all the ones I was able to get done so far:



While those were drying, I pulled out the OB-3 train and assembled the engine and tender since I had already assembled both armored railcars that go with this train:



This is what was in the model box for this train. It is still not complete as it is supposed to have a couple flatcars on the front and back:



Later on, I pulled out all the flatcars and tried to get them all assembled to the P/E stage. I got about half of them done, due to extensive ejector pin marks that needed filling; and some missing parts that were most likely left at home. Here's as far as I got:





Next, I decided to start assembling a couple of the payloads for two of these flatcars. One flatcar is carrying an artillery piece and a truck that mounts a quad Maxim in the truck bed. I started on that truck and got as far as the chassis before I needed to move on:



After that, I started the second payload: a BT-5 light tank. I assembled the turret and hull first:



Next I added the roadwheels to be sure the suspension was sitting right:



This one will be finished with the tracks sitting on top of the fenders like the Russians did when transporting these tanks by rail. Here is how it will look:



Now these two trains are starting to take shape. The first one; the OB-3, will have the two short flatcars on the front and back of it. Only one is shown here as the other short flatcar wasn't completed yet:



The second train, the "Fascism Fighter", will have the long flatcar carrying the artillery piece and truck in the very front; followed by a long flatcar with an "AA tower". In back, it will have another long flatcar with an "AA tower". I'll possibly tack the flatcar with the BT-5 at the end of this train. Here it is with two of the long flatcars that will have the "AA towers" on them:

Okay, that's all I have for now. This coming week I may be too busy to get much done but I'll keep you posted once I do have some progress to show. Meanwhile, thanks for looking in, comments are welcome.

I like seeing them all linked up like that. Good job on blending the ballast on the rail bed base pieces too.  

SprueOne

I like seeing them all linked up like that. Good job on blending the ballast on the rail bed base pieces too.  

 

Thanks. it helps to link them up like that so I can see some progress. As for the rail bases, they aren't glued together, so I didn't really do much to blend therm. It makes it easier to transport them when I keep them seperated.

Thanks again for the compliments. I hope to get more done this week.