Paint Shop

[bob turner]

Looks good, even on British track.

[De Bruin]

I'll second that; these MG's are really nice models too, can't wait to see it with lettering.
Thanks for posting, I have largely lost the acquisitive urge over the past year or so (if you saw my basement you'd understand) however I would find one of these hard to resist. I've kit bashed one out of an Atlas ICC, it's ok but.......this is wow!
Pete

[sarge]

Thanks for the kind words.

The lettering might end up being a cobble of O and HO decals to get the right stuff. The Champ set is long gone, though I have the usual feelers out in the used market. We'll get there, though...

I still have a caboose to do for the PC GP38-2 and another unit yet to be determined. I have an N5 coming in the mail so we will attack that modification soon, given it shows up and has no fatal flaws. Trucks might be a bit problematic; I'm thinking to spring for a set of Bill Davis' single coil cabin trucks just for the uniqueness; otherwise a set of the Walthers like under the LV car would be dam close to the leaf-sprung trucks that got put under many of those cars late in life.

Acquire-it disease doesn't run rampant here, either. I am enjoying these projects, so a couple appropriate units (one 60s NYC and one 70s PC) that are easily done with Weaver or CLW drives are the only larger acquire-it targets for me. The "models of things I remember" diversion from 7mm really started with that Kemtron/Kleinschmidt RS3, and its been quite enjoyable. I am glad you got me doing cabooses to go with each. Been a lot of fun sofar, and the 7mm projects flow easier after a break from time to time.

[sarge]

..and the N5 arrived just now, another old Max.

Lots to pull off this car, trainphone antenna, underframe "toolbox" that I believe was really for trainphone gear, and the paddle shaped transmitter antenni.

Then, I have to refresh my memory about collision posts on these things. If memory serves, the curvature of the end of the roof of the model is as built before adding collision posts on the original N5, and they bumped it out when the posts were added. Probably being 'way too neurotic, but having used a few of these to build B&M cars (no posts) I seem to remember something about all this.

It'll be fun. I find I enjoy whacking away at the stuff I remember from O Scale as it was before I went in the Army and on through the 80s up to the end of chaindrive in Weaver production and Intermountain in kit form. I personally have little fascination with the true doorstops and actually even less with the 21st century stuff lovely as it might be. I wouldn't mind tackling a Kemtron GP20 to go with my CLW GP35, a P&D F7 to pair with the GP38-2, that sort of thing I find fun and a bit nostalgic if I'm honest.

[Robert]

I enjoy Paint Shop stuff as well. Like Sarge I also have an N5 in process. Bought in abused looking shape minus trucks on eBay for a fair buck. A pair of replacement Cramer cut levers from Mullet River, plus some straightening and soldering, and to my paint shop this past week. I have a nice set of Greg Komar's dry transfers for it. Pennsy Cabins can range in color to include this version...it's Floquil Tuscan...just right for applying those transfers. I also had a pair of orphaned Pennsy 2A-F5 trucks which will be fine for this. I think this color looks better with some gloss to it so I plan on some Glosscoat to seal the deal. The jury's still out on whether or not to add some black to the roof...it is an option I can pass on since some of these cabins left the one color.

Robert

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[sarge]

Robert

Here's mine fresh out of the box:

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To do it up as they ran in the '70s, a fair amount of stripping of bits and green paint. Trucks are a choice, though collision posts are not as far as I can tell by then.

A little digging about is in order before this one hits the bench anyway...

[Robert]

A nice piece indeed. Those crash bars and the antenna make it a N5b I think. I like Max Gray stuff...I did this N8 several years back. The hardest part was cutting and shaping those scuppers...took forever.

Robert

Finally done-10.JPG

[J. S. Bach]

The trucks under two PRR cabins on display just east of Chambersburg, PA.

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[sarge]

I'd like to know the history behind that car in Chambersburg, for I cannot find a photo of a non-collision post car in PC service. If that ran during the era before going to the park, I'd love to find a photo just to steal the number.

Robert, I'm pretty sure the N5a and b have a Duryea underframe and perhaps posts as built. Looks like the vast majority of the N5 were redone with posts, and the radius of the roof and sill changed to accommodate. Phones being so much later, I don't think they had anything to do with the class; some got 'em and some didn't.

If I can't find a photo of one of these things in PC service without posts, I'll leave 'em and not get balled up in the fact the roof and sill radii are for non-post cars and Max put posts in anyway. If I can find a PC car without them to model, though, I'll pull them off.

[Robert]

You're correct the vast majority of the N5's were upgraded with the CP's. I find very few color shots of simple N5's to use as reference as I progress with mine...I will number it accurately, but it may be a number that didn't survive my 1952 cutoff since I don't have a reference for such data...nor am I one to get overly strung out on such minutia. This one may work...

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Robert

[sarge]

So, as of this evening all the trainphone hardware, coils, relay box below have been removed.

I decided I couldn't stand it so pulled the collision posts off (easier than doing new roof ends and frame ends to add the radius), so ready to add original style end-railings.

All the solder leavings have been smoothed, holes filled, and had to stop there for the evening; my back won't take more than a couple hours at the bench in one shot. The railings are the last bit of real solder-work, then a few mechanical details to catch up and this one will be ready for colour. I do have decals already to hand, so trucks are going to be the roadblock here.

Meanwhile, waiting for a little packet or two with the stuff to letter the bay window car, then we can finish that one up.

n5_2.jpg

[Robert]

You moved right along I'd say. The end railings on the N5 will keep you busy for your next session. I applied the transfers this afternoon. I learned that one can indeed lift a transfer that's been burnished. I mucked up one digit enough to cause me that task. All's well now though.

Robert

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[E7]

Sarge, Robert,

Great stuff as usual.

Rich

[up148]

I'm not an east coast railroad follower and I have a question I should have asked decades ago.... but, better late than never. Why do Pennsy cab units and some cabooses have radio antenna on the roof? Obviously for communication, but did Pennsy pioneer this idea? Did it have to do with road congestion? I'm sure there are other roads that used this, but don't know which ones.

BH

[Rufus T. Firefly]

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