Sow's Ear Part Six: Trackwork Travails.

The old layout is a mix of old Atlas brass sectional track, Atlas and AHM switch machines, and some even older legacy track in nickel silver from my wife's uncle Dick Fager who had a big layout back in the day. The bench is a single sheet of 4x8 plywood, cut with a sabre saw into the basic shape and screwed down onto a 1x4 frame. Roadbed is cork. It worked well enough when new, particularly on short trains and short engines. But if you introduce 6 wheel truck diesels and longer trains with longer cars, the fact that there are tight radius curves and inclines over most of the route, and turnouts immediately before and after curves, and on inclines can mean lots of frustration and frequent use of "the big hook".

A few assumptions, and guiding principles:

- Preserve the original 4x8 layout as much as possible, in track plan and structure, while updating its operation and appearance. This is a restomod, not a resto or a replacement. 

- Approach reliable full hands off operation,  upgrading and replacing components as necessary to achieve this.

A few repetitive improvements need to be made in many places. 

- ensure near perfect track section to section alignment, horizontally and vertically

- superelevate the outside of curves slightly to ensure wheels stay in, particulary near and in turnouts

- remove all flex from all track. If it can move, it will always move in a way that enables derailment. 

This is all probably obvious and natural to mature, experienced builders. It was not so for my teenage self ;-)

- If track is replaced, replace with nickel silver. I have to stick with Code 100 due to some legacy power, and to Atlas turnouts due to the constraints of the original design.

- All new components to be dcc compatible or dcc ready.

Here is a glimpse of the "before" from overhead:

It was a "cookie cutter" layout design from a Kalmbach plans book of the 70s. Here we have (nearly) all structures removed to allow for a deep vacuuming. You can also see a trace of the saw line from south to north through the left-of-center that allowed it to be moved to its current location. The scenery is largely tinted plaster over steel screen, draped over cardboard forms, decorated with colored "sawdust" and lichen bushes and trees. Before too much scenery improvement is made, all track must be mechanically and electrically sound. All fiber tie track will be replaced, and as much brass as necessary to ensure long term good operation. Sectional track will be replaced with continuous flax track, and where joints are needed, solder. All connectors and new rail will be code 100 NS. I intend to use all my legacy locomotives, so moving to code 83 is not possible due to wheel flange dimensions.

-Challenges-

1. There a few truly level spots. Almost the entire layout is curves on a grade. 

2. All mainline entrances and exits into turnouts are curves.

3. Many of my locomotives have 6 wheel trucks - SD-45, Alco PA, EMD E-3. These will be the most difficult to move flawlessly around the curves due to the side stresses on the wheel flanges on an 18 inch radius.

4. All legacy track is either brass sectional track, Atlas code 100, or even older nickel silver on fibre tie flex track.

5. Roadbed is cork over plywood. In many places, the track is canted outboard, the opposite of superelevated. 

6. In decades past, before new roof, soffit, and fascia were installed, the attic was visited by birds, whose discharge corroded some track.

-Process-

Run the long locos around, looking for mechanical (derailment) issues. Run shorty locos around looking for electrical issues.

Rather than a blow-by-blow, here are the patters of failures and the corrective actions taken.

Electrical - Eliminate brass sectional with Nickel silver track. Use only new NS joiners where needed, and solder all joints not leading into /out of turnouts. Replace track power feeders with heavier gauge wire.

Abrasively (bright boy) followed by chemically clean (acetone) all track until clean. If necessary, replace turnouts if good contact is not longer possible. Points, and the rivets holding them were problematic, particularly where rail had gone green from Avian Issues. 

Proceed one track block at a time, and test repeatedly.

Mechanical - Every switch and rail joint was witnessed in motion under bright light (you'll need a helper to drive while you watch) at close range, in both directions, repeatedly, to see where wheels leave the rails. This is tested with a single loco, working your way up to a full A-B-A lashup in the case of the PA, as they perform differently under load.

Critical improvement areas - 

1. Superelevation. Using a small level, ensure the outside rail is at least level, and if necessary, slightly superelevated on curves. Shim as needed.

2. Alignment - joints in track need to have the rails as close to absolutely parallel as can be achieved, else long trucks will hop over the misalignment under load. No rail end gaps. Use extra nails near joints, as stress from flex track can slowly moved it out of square.

3. Turnout points. File the points to a feather edge if needed. I have seen a wheel climb out an OOB turnout point like going up a stair step when under load.

4. No ballast until no problems. Once you have ~ repeatable flawless operation, ballast away (see below), not before, or your repair efforts will be 3x harder. It will lock in your success or failure in rock and glue ;-).

Sow's Ear part Five: Mantua (Tyco) Pacific 4-6-2

This is Where It All Began, Patient Zero, the Adam of my railroad population. The head engine of the original train set bought in Christmas 1972. 

Still runs, but like other things its age, has problems getting up to speed and going up hill. While this old model resembles many prototypes, it hasn't the level or selection of details to replicate any one. It does appear that it could be brought within shouting distance of an ATSF 3400 series locomotive primarily through addition of details, and made both reliable and dcc ready by an off the shelf repowering kit.

1. Repowering.

I bought a repower kit from cv-backshop on eBay, who produces can motor and flywheel upgrades for a wide range of older ho locos. The product, service, and communication were excellent, the installation was simple and straightforward. 

The old open frame motor is removed, the worm gear pulled and reused on the new assembly which is glued in place. Fits like a glove. Just be careful with gear alignment before the adhesive sets up. And since the motor leads are isolated from the case, dcc conversion will be straightforward. 

2. Prototyping.

First on the list is the pilot. The Mantua pilot is not Santa Fe style, but one can be obtained in cast brass from Precision Scale (sourced on eBay). The "shield" on the pilot will have to go.

Original on left, replacement on right. The shrouding between the ladders must go...

Razor-saw that shroud away

Remove, the pilot beam, Replace missing platform

ACC the replacement in place

Fit up on the engine.

Of course, it now needs the air tank and piping hidden by the previous shroud, and an appropriate coupler added.

Sow's Ear Part Four: Rotary Snow Plow

(The starting point)

ATSF didn't have the snow challenges of UP, GN, SP, DRGW, or the Canadian roads, but they have always had a few Rotaries on the MOW roster. Designed by a Canadian in the late 1800s and manufactured by few companies and some by railroads themselves, the basic Leslie design remains in use today, typically diesel powered.

I picked up a used Athearn in GN lettering. A bit of fiddling and I had its primitive rubber band drive system working, although long term I'd like it dcc / electric motor operated. This is a steam model, keeping it in  a pre-1950s timeframe. Lacking a tender, I will source that separately and paint and letter them as a set. At this point, I am thinking of going with steam era black with silver lettering, like a unit that has yet to be upgraded to diesel power, heavily weathered, the last of its kind, but still ready to work when called.

The tender I sourced is a fairly generic Mantua "long haul" tender.

To mate with this generation of plow, it will need to be converted from Coal to Oil, as all the controls to fire it are forward near the plow operator's station, the smokebox at the rear. We will set it up for dcc conyrol and sound to resemble ATSF tenders such as these:

This will require removing and rebuilding the upper portion of the former coal bunker from curved to straight, and buding the oil bunker. We'll also remove cast on grabirons and replace with better, and give it a working backup light.

Coal load and grabirons removed:

Sheet styrene for new straight bunker sides.

Fabbed the rectangular oil bunker insert out if sheet styrene.

Hatches also styrene. .015 phosphor bronze wire railings, hatch handles, and grabirons.

Base layer of paint. Time to source some decals.

Naturally,  the plow needs to be repainted in "steam era black".

I had to manufacture a drawbar to connect the flexible draftvgear box on the plow with the post on the tender,  sheet styrene to the rescue. A set of Microscale Steam Engine and Tender decal sets provided some numbering and labels. I chose a fictitious MOW car no. 199360, putting it right before the actual SF plow 199361.

Next, I'll procure a set of Railroad Roman letter decals to finish the labeling. In the mean time, I added some shadows to the plow blades:

Of course, I couldn't help giving it a brief test drive...😁

Sow's Ear, Part Three: Athearn Blue Box SD45 upgrade.

Always the strongest hauler in my collection, this seemed a good place to take the first step in the DCC journey. Perusing a host of online resources, I realized the basic internal wiring changes would benefit DC as well as DCC operation. As an added bonus, I would upgrade its looks by replacing the missing horns, improving the cab windows, and converting to LED lighting.

Disclaimer: as I've read about it, this old Athearn RTR engine was designed before the first actual SD45 took to the rails. It contains a number of inaccuracies which I will accept rather than correct, including the headlight - the early paint job reflected here had headlights over the cab, not on the nose; the later warbonnet had them in the nose, not over the cab. The model has both ;-)

Also, Sante Fe numbering for these units in their early years started in the 18xx range, and spent most of their career renumbered to the 55xx range. Not repainting, so multiple headlights and 1762 goes on the number boards. C'est la vie.

Rewiring.  The original uses the frame as ground, and a series of sliding metal clips to pass current from wheels to motor. I'll electrically isolate the motor from the frame, dispense with the clip system, and solder wire directly from truck to motor.

Disassembled. 

A good powerpoint found here shows steps required for a generic example. The key is providing enough wire to allow the trucks to turn, but not so much that it interferes with getting the body back on or the flywheels from spinning. Expect to take a few tries to get it right.

Clips out, wires in.

While disassembled,  I pulled the cab windows and number board/headlight piece. The windows were, typical of the era, thick, not smooth, and dimpled. Using a series of wet sandpapers I removed the dimples, and polished the surface, finishing with Bare Metal plastic polish. This gives a smooth, clear outer window surface. I also sanded the ribs off the number boards as I saw smooth panels on prototype photos.

The kit handrails were unfinished, and after a few decades, oxidized. These were removed, lightly sanded, primed, and reinstalled. They were painted with blue uprights and yellow railings to match prototype photos. Missing horn replaced with a Details West part.

Lighting: I sourced a quartet of LEDs designed to run on track voltage from a single pair of leads from https://evandesigns.com/. The kit headlight lenses for the front hood and rear lights were long since missing, so I flared the ends of some clear optic cable, cut and installed with some Testors window glue . The LED lenses were filed flat for gluing.

The twin lights were first glued to a piece of round clear plastic sprue, then to the LED with ACC. For the top headlight / number boards (a single casting) I glued two LEDs side by side. The long leads were taped to the top of the interior, and the 2 leads to the respective motor leads. They all light brightly at low track voltage,  and provide a bit of cab lighting as a bonus.

This will serve until DCC arrives.

I made a set of number board decals, printed and applied them. I use Testors decal paper on an inkjet printer.

Sow's Ear, Part One. ATSF caboose.

Although I had plenty of ATSF passenger cars, and now a number of warbonnet engines,  my best freight hauler has always been the Athearn SD45 in blue and yellow ( more on that later). I lacked an appropriate  "way car" (Santa Fe-speak for caboose).

I did a lot of online research to see what might be appropriate, and cross checked against what I could find online.  Not happy with what I was seeing, I held off for a bit until recently,  where while gaming at a FLGS, I found an old MDC ATSF lettered way car for a low price, and bought it. On getting it home I saw where many additional SF-appopriate details could be added. It also became obvious at some point that ATSF never operated a caboose of this particular type :-( but as I already had it, I could still make it better on a budget. Scanning photos, waycars of the early diesel era had more extensive roofwalks, unique end platform brake and railing details, black painted cupola, and a smoke stack on the opposite side of the roof. I also added glazing for all windows, safety rail ladder extensions, and kadee couplers on both ends.

The cast-on handrails were shadowed with a black wash then painted white. The brake stand was fabricated from sheet styrene, the railings from wire. I am awaiting delivery of chain to connect brake wheel to brake system.

Delivered! See above photo. Although not an ATSF specific ptototype, it captures many of the waycar details you see on their cars. Time to move on ;-)

Unless I add lights...

Sow's Ear Part Zero: Prior Projects

This didn't start out as a Program of improvement, just a few seemingly random improvement projects. Little did I know where it was leading...

1. ATSF E-6 as it appeared in the 30s and 40s.

I was not documenting builds when I did this. Always loved the EMD cab units,  since riding behind them on the Chief in 1962. Decided in 2018 I had to have one. Found someone else's unfinished project on eBay, an AHM E8 chassis and a Bowser cast metal prewar E unit body. Microscale decals, paint, LED lighting, and a few detail parts, voila! I am biased, but I can't think of a better looking diesel locomotive. 

2. ATSF FP7. The result of going down the prototype detail rabbit hole. As I have a collection of ATSF lightweight passenger cars for both the various "Chiefs" and the postwar hi-level El Capitan, I naturally discovered that ATSF didn't use thise beautiful E units on many of those trains, feeling that the shorter bulldog nosed F units provided better performance on those routes. So I looked for an F on a budget. This is a Bachmann (made in China) F unit with a too toy-like appearance which I could "accurize".

The too-small decals, cast on grabirons, etc. woukd have to go. Which means new paint on the nose. Filed off those nose grabirons,

 repainted, 

Micro-Scale decals, 

a new set of grabirons hand bent from 

.015 wire, 

and number boards via homebrew decals. Should have printed them on white rather than clear,  in retrospect. 

NOTE: I have come to understand that these were delivered with a single headlight, and were shortly after converted to have a second as shown here:

(picture courtesy of railfans.net)

I will not be making that conversion ;-)

Here it is shown on the old layout, in situ, as it were:

3. Union Pacific FP7

This project of converting a vintage Life Like F unit to a UP F7 has been covered here.

She still needs an anti-glare nose and number boards added.

A Sow's Ear: transitioning from Toy Trains to Model Railroad, a story in many parts.

PROLOGUE:

This will be, as my granddaughter tells it, a"chapter book", a long tale told in multiple posts. It describes my incremental conversion from box-stock, RTR, generic, DC train sets in HO to something with enhanced detail,  accuracy, and function, built on/with/over my collection of vintage train and tracks. I have a direction, but no final goal beyond look, work, sound better; and no firm timeline. 

.........

I have in my attic a 4x8 train layout built in my youth, enjoyed for years, neglected for many more, cut in half, moved, reassembled, a used a bit, and neglected some more.  Recently,  my desire to clean, fix, repair, and renew old kits has morphed into doing the same to this layout. Some chapters have been covered previously, and many more will be written. It will cover all aspects of the upgrade. This will include layout, track, wiring, power, rolling stock. This will serve as the intro, and contain the index to individual project posts. All Aboard!

Project goals:

1. Handsfree operation (no unplanned stoppage, uncoupling, derailing).

2. DCC with sound on most locos

3. Scenery up to my current diorama standards.

4. Improve fidelity of locos and rolling stock to more closely resemble actual prototype examples.

Caveat 1: why not build new? It would be in many ways simpler. I have accepted that I'll never have the space, nor be able to justify the expense of that approach. Making the old girl work is enough for me.

Caveat 2: the only way to go full accuracy on models is to chuck the lot and start from scratch. Ain't gonna happen. 3 reasons - Too costly; I enjoy making old, new; I've grown attached to my Old Stuff. Too many memories.

Addenda: As my space,  collection, interests, and limitations will not allow a too-faithful recreation of a specific time and place, the layout will represent a fictional RR, the Southwest Short Line, a local connector northwest of Denver, bordered by ATSF, UP, and DRGW. As the "poor relations", it will often see motive power and rolling stock from it's larger neighbors, as well as lots of hand-me-downs on its roster. Most of its organic traffic will be mining related, primarily coal.

Avanti Savoia! Italeri M13/40 in 1/56

I've always had a soft spot for the hapless Italian forces in WWII. With a too-small industrial base, pawns in Mussolini's quest for Empire, their ground forces were usually outclassed by their opponents. But they made-do with some outdated designs which have a certain steampunk-rivety aesthetic.

Looking for new areas to explore in Bolt Action, I thought western desert, 41-42,  Ariete Division; present in many key campaigns and battles of that time and place, always a factor if not always successful. My entre would be their most commonplace AFV, the M13/40. The kit I chose was Italeri, as with a touch of creativity,  the model can swap parts between the base M13/40 and the Semovente 75/18, providing some gaming flexibility.

The kit is molded in a reasonable desert yellow for those whose goal is speed and gaming as opposed to modeling. I chose to build all bit the tracks, and prime all in Army Painter desert yellow.  The kit is not complex and builds quickly, although a steady hand and some dry fitting is recommended for the turret and upper hull(s), made of multiple

pieces where 1 or 2 might have served, and no alignment other than "by eye" is provided.

The tracks were primed in black, highlighted in silver, and assembled on the painted chassis. As I had already mounted the fenders, I had to remove a locator tab on each upper track, but this cannot be seen and caused no problems.

Next, I used some Coat d'arms flesh wash to provide somw deprh for panel lines and rivets, in a desert pallette.

This provides some depth and shadow, and makes the rivets pop.

Next the kit provides a good assortment of decals, applied and decal-set in place. They are sturdy and opaque. It seems odd after years of Allied and German armor, but they used no national insignia, just Division and organizational markings, and their "license plates".

You can't tell how dainty this 13 ton medium is except side by side. 

It is on par with the Shinhoto Chi-Ha, and dwarfed by the 30 ton Sherman.

The kit was given an overall spray of Vallejo Matte varnish, and awaits crew and weathering.