Ceejaydee's Darkside Musings - HO, N Scale and prototype US Railroading.

[Joe's Garage]

Following on from the comments and the verring to the dark side??!! I took a keen interest on things on the other side of the Pond. How and why are both too long for this thread but ceejaydee can do no worse than to look at this website..http://rr-fallenflags.org/ George Elwoods fantastic american railroad photo website. I have spent many an hour perusing this..I can only say a massive thank you to all the contributors and the effort of George. Basically you go to the relevant railroad and hey presto tons of photos (especially the likes of the New York Central).

You mention shortlines...well have a look at the Aberdeen and Rockfish home page..just google Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad and you will find it along with other railroad archive sites. I found this in an article in an old copy of the Model Railroader. Strangely it quotes the gauge as 4' 9"? Anyway good colour scheme that hasn't changed much..GP7s and an F3.

You mention the Bachmann GE44 tonner, well I paid £12.50 for a boxed runner at Modelmania about 7 years ago, it is Pennsylvania colours and it runs beautifully. It will get used on a layout one day! I also reinforce the wagon thread...I just look at the cheap Athearn wagons that appear at shows making sure the build dates are correct. Like any modelling you soon develop an understanding of the changes in stock. The Model Railroader has produced many magazines focussing on these things and it appears the transition from steam to diesel is a good era.

By the way my interest as far as the american scene is concerned is based on the New York Central on the 18th September 1957. A very specific date I know but from the above website and other pieces of research it is definitely all diesel and lightning stripe era, steam went in May that year.

Have fun with the modelling...just wish the MR would stop leaning toward the Santa Fe and Uniion Pacific so much.

 

[Dog Star]

If they used my methods of tracklaying, it probably was.....

Brilliant, the anti-post to my trackwork stuff.......

 

[ceejaydee]

Following on from the comments and the verring to the dark side??!! I took a keen interest on things on the other side of the Pond. How and why are both too long for this thread but ceejaydee can do no worse than to look at this website..http://rr-fallenflags.org/ George Elwoods fantastic american railroad photo website. I have spent many an hour perusing this..I can only say a massive thank you to all the contributors and the effort of George. Basically you go to the relevant railroad and hey presto tons of photos (especially the likes of the New York Central).

That website is a fantastic resource and has already given me some ideas for weathering thanks for posting it.

You mention the Bachmann GE44 tonner, well I paid £12.50 for a boxed runner at Modelmania about 7 years ago, it is Pennsylvania colours and it runs beautifully. It will get used on a layout one day! I also reinforce the wagon thread...I just look at the cheap Athearn wagons that appear at shows making sure the build dates are correct. Like any modelling you soon develop an understanding of the changes in stock. The Model Railroader has produced many magazines focussing on these things and it appears the transition from steam to diesel is a good era.

That little Bachmann loco is a deceptively good runner and at the price a bargain.
I'm liking the Athearn wagons too but not as much as discounted Walthers Gold line.

 

[ceejaydee]

By the way my interest as far as the american scene is concerned is based on the New York Central on the 18th September 1957. A very specific date I know but from the above website and other pieces of research it is definitely all diesel and lightning stripe era, steam went in May that year.

A specific day/year wow - is there any personal significance to this date or is just one you have chosen as it has all the ingredients that you want on your model?

Have fun with the modelling...just wish the MR would stop leaning toward the Santa Fe and Uniion Pacific so much.

The US stuff is hopefully going to be all about fun for me and I don't want to get too serious about it all - maybe a few more reader articles rebalance the MR article bias?

 

[mickoo]

The US stuff is hopefully going to be all about fun for me and I don't want to get too serious about it all -

That's what I thought LOL, but the more I research the more detail and accuracy I want, sometimes, too much information has a negative effect, a liberal dose of indifference often goes a long way sometimes , in my case 1:29 pre-made wagon trucks under (hopefully) 1:32 scale scratch built wagons.

Keep up the dialogue, very interested to follow.

Kindest

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Likewise with details, I put on enough to identify the prototype but have found the more detail you put on the more delicate and expensive the model becomes until you are afraid to handle it for the fear of damage .

 

[peter trisonic]

Oh, dear. Another poor fool......

Seriously the other place has a good USA & Canada Subsection. What I like about it is that it covers what UK based modellers want to know - often the US based BB's make assumptions about certain aspects, like local geography, local buildings, etc., etc.

Best, Pete.

 

[Steph Dale]

Rubbing Alcohol is another - and what is also frustrating is how some things (such as the aforementioned Rubbing Alcohol) are so freely available Stateside, yet almost unheard of here in the UK....

Isopropanol a.k.a. Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA)? It's available from Maplins in litre tins, like this: http://www.maplin.co.uk/isopropyl-alcohol-28994

Handy stuff to have around and yes, it does work a treat for removing some paints...

Steph

 

[ceejaydee]

even acrylic paints "stink" according to her....

They do but no worse that nail varnish which as my wife is now doing an evening class in beauty therapy means that it is manicures or pedicures seemingly every day...
I don't have a smell issue on anything I use with my good lady but I sometimes get a raised eyebrow when the living room gradually fills up with smoke from the LGB locos which I like to leave sitting simmering 'on depot' whilst one train negotiates the loop

 

[ceejaydee]

Oo-er, Mrs..!!! Too much information..!!!

I might be having words with you on Saturday

 

[iploffy]

Fight, fight, fight, fight what is it marsh mellows at 20 inches

 

[ceejaydee]

Fight, fight, fight, fight what is it marsh mellows at 20 inches

Maybe HO boxcars at 3 yards

 

[ceejaydee]

Looking forward to some dodgy US show thing up North tomorrow

 

[Steph Dale]

Looking forward to some dodgy US show thing up North tomorrow

NCAM? Have fun ;-)

Steph

 

[ceejaydee]

NCAM? Have fun ;-)

Steph

Yes! TVNAM

Actually had a very enjoyable day out although four hours in the car mixing with 'weekend only drivers' is always challenging.
Lots to see both in terms of layouts and things to tempt opening the wallet.
Although I did have an idea of budget for models I was very good and didn't spend too much; just a couple of Walthers boxcars and a couple of wagon kits.
Missed one wagon kit that I was after as I browsed then turned away and when I looked back it had mysteriously gone! Still that saved me another tenner.
Also met a certain Gentleman of this parish - the first that I've actually seen 'in the flesh' I believe as I always seem to somehow miss the meet at the GOG in Telford.

Think that this may be one meet to keep in the diary for 2013.

 

[ceejaydee]

Glad to meet up, though - and as for Boxcars at 3 yards.... maybe your four did just beat my one O Scale covered hopper...

Two boxcars, a gondola and hopper; so call it a draw ..... tell me about your covered hopper though as I didn't notice that when looking around.

Currently marvelling at Kadee sprung Bettendorf trucks for some reason.... simple things eh?

 

[ceejaydee]

So I chose US HO at Model Junction today over Gauge O at Telford tomorrow...... very Area 51

 

[ceejaydee]

.... AND...???!!!???

You can't just leave it hanging like that
.... presumably Beer Tokens exchanged hands..?? So what did you succumb to...?

Oh the antici-pation.

There was indeed an exchange of tokens and I came away with a Bachmann DCC sound Alco S4, three more assorted hoppers, a tanker and some Polly Scale paints.

I will have to actually make some kind of layout soon, even a modest attempt as I can't keep running the loco up and down a single length of Peco track

 

[ceejaydee]

Yes... 3 feet of plain track is somewhat limiting in operational possibilities....

I have a Bachmann "DCC Onboard" loco, from the 'budget' end of the market. I should imagine a DCC-Sound one is rather better.

I think that my RS3 was around £35 from MJ with DCC fitted.
S4 was £95 with sound. Ok so limited functions on the Tsunami but sounds great to me and cracking value imho.
Head says shunty plank type thingy but heart says roundy so that I can wind the turbo up on that 539

Whilst loyalty to my favourite railroads has not changed I am also creating an imaginary company to run alongside them and having fun doing it too.

 

[ceejaydee]

No pictures but with the aid of some PECO Set track and my Dynamis some serious playing testing took place last night. I was almost shocked how satisfying running a loco up and down shunting a few sidings can be for a couple of hours. DCC sound definitely helps as I'm quite happy to let the loco sit and idle whilst I sip my tea and contemplate the next move. I always did like shunting and maybe it has been so long since I actually did any real operating that I'd forgot just how much I enjoy it and how relaxing I find it; even with bare tracks on a desk.
Tried some British stock but it just wasn't doing it for me.
I'm now thinking of a small layout possibly very small which will possibly be just a couple of sidings and can act as a test for the new scale, a project to get back into modelling and also a DCC test/programming track too.

Finally would it be possible for one of the Mod team to change the title of this thread to reflect an ongoing interest in things US rather than the original questions that it was set up for..... 'Ceejaydee's Dark Side Musings' or similar would be ideal.