Another retro-post to catch us up.

The Dick Kerr Coupler printed on Form 2.  The part is designed to fit a standard Kadee draft gear box.  I've added a vertical hole to the pin slot to allow cars to be coupled using a "staple" as a link.  I still need to test whether this can be done with a magnet, but I'll need to get some rolling stock going to do so.

Reviving Dick Kerr 08

A retro post from late Spring 2016..... I promise, we're catching up.

The Dick Kerr Project reached a stopping point when we relocated.  To be honest, however, I was at a frustrating juncture because I had designed the pieces based on what I thought were the limits of the Formlabs Form 1.  As it turns out, the parts I designed were right at the limits, and probably slightly beyond judging by the success rate and the gymnastics I had to do to print them consistently.

Enter Form 2.  Thanks to a loyalty upgrade, I switched Form 1 for Form 2.  Before I reworked any files I went ahead and set up prints with the existing file.  All I can say is that the improvements to the peel mechanism, resin level management and laser power make a difference.  Taken together with the addition of a tank heater, the machine is a dream.  Resolution is much more consistent.

Uncle Paul's gets an awning

A retro post from Winter 2016.

More than a few projects came along for the ride.  It was nice to re-visit Uncle Paul's--I've been thinking about the awning, and decided it was time to tackle it.  The prototype has faded letters with soft edges, mainly from the paint or pigment "bleeding" into the adjacent canvas.  I think I can do it with the airbrush, but I need a frame to start with, so I got this bad boy soldered up.

Catching up on kits

A retro post from Winter 2016.

With a new place to work, I was finally able to catch up on a few kits purchased since the move. Carts from Train Troll, a Dory by Atlantic Scale Models, and tools from Alkem Scale Models.  I built the Train Troll kit's and the tools as designed, dedicating my attention to painting.  The Dory received minor modifications, including oar locks soldered from brass wire.  All fun builds that I'm looking forward to using on the new railway.

Layout and bench

Another retro-post from early 2016.

The bench work went in without a hitch.  There was some minor shimming to do, but I'm glad planning went well.  The bench work was prefabricated in Utah, far from where I am currently.  I am glad I got the dimensions right enough that all went to plan.

The reverse angle shows the leaf in upright position, allowing more light on the work bench and access to the window.  I should point out now that the main portion of the room is 7'x9'.  I'm working in a space and a format that might be more familiar to a modeler in the UK.

A new start for the Virgin and Lost Shore

I won't apologize for being away, as most people understand that hobbies can come in fits and starts. Part of the randomness of "Random Railroad" is simply that things have a way of changing.  I'm finally catching up with the blog.  Although dated June, this and the next several posts re-cap the time elapsed since January (Written June 2016).

After a year or more of getting settled in a new place, a new place for a workshop has been established and a shelf layout started.  Step one, let's make the room sky blue and start day dreaming.

From there I made a few sketches for a possible model railway.

The thought here was that I could have fun with an inglenook and make just enough scenery to finish in the time we'll be living in this house.  Since I tend to favor structures and rolling stock, the layout is decidedly urban.  I'm keeping the Virgin and Lost Shore name, as well as the slogan, "the lost shore lines".

The bench work cantilevers off the wall and is attached with french cleats and T-nuts.  This will make removal a snap when we next re-locate and allow me to take the work with me.

Mack AC 01

I took a break from digital work to finish up a couple Mack AC kits that have been sitting on my desk.  Mostly airbrush work, though I took some time to detail the dump as a coal delivery.  Bernie Kempinski pointed out that these could appear in a WWI layout. . . . I may have to get another.  The kit by Backwoods Miniatures is excellent, clean crisp castings with beautiful detail.  A couple fiddly bits one needs to be careful with, but overall very robust: highly recommend the kits.

The coal truck features tarps that were made from tea bags.  I lightly airbrushed them with white, beige, and black, and then formed them using dilute white glue.  I'm thinking I'll need to make a terrain base for photographs, as the real terrain is vastly out of scale!

The green truck is just a chassis for the moment.  I am going to build a sheep camp to put on it at some future point I think.  I took some time to look at the prototype Mack paint jobs, and it seemed that all red and all orange schemes were common, as was a green on red scheme.  In most cases the running gear was in color. Given that these are likely for the Lost Shore layout, I faded them a bit, as if they had been in the desert sun.