Weekend Photos - September 2023

[E7]

Looks pretty good to me......guess I am impure!

[RBH29]

Nice job, Healey!

[Chris Webster]

Back together and ready for another ninety-five years:

Looks great, except for the word "China" on the lightbulb.

Let the purists gnash their teeth...

Wait, you didn't take an authentic Lionel bulb and put a "China" decal on it did you?

[healey36]

Thanks for having a look.

LOL...just pulled a couple bulbs out of the parts box. I guess they’re all made in China now.

My prewar parts list says the 253 used 12-volt bulbs, but I don’t have any. These are 18-volt, which likely explains why they are rather dim when under power. Of the LED bulbs that I have on hand, the highest is 3-volt.

[Dennis Holler]

Looks great to me as well!

[healey36]

Thanks, Dennis.

Found some 12V LED threaded bulbs online, so I ordered a half-dozen. It'll be interesting to see if they work and how they look.

[healey36]

Sarge found me a few tinplate benches for the suburban station:



Now travelers don't have to sit on their suitcases. Speculation is that they might be Hornby, which would explain why they are slightly larger than 1/48 (presuming this station is true 1/48). Whatever, this pike is tinplate...they look good to me.

[HONDO74]

I like them. Makes this station look complete. Is it lighted ? Now you need some people. York is coming up shortly

[healey36]

The platform could use a light, for sure. It wouldn't be too tough to wire one in for the platform; I also have those lamps you sent me.

I've got tons of people, but few seated ones. I'll have to look around.

[RBH29]

Hi Healey,
I'm trying to find the thread about your Christmas tree-stand/tunnel build but my searches come up empty. Can you point me the right direction? I would greatly appreciate it.
Richard

[healey36]

Try here, Richard:

http://bigindoortrains.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=326

I'm pretty much an army of one over at BigIndoorTrains.com, lol. It's not the greatest tutorial, so if you have any questions, let me know.

Also, if you can't get in there, let me know. I'll post something over here.

[RBH29]

Thanks! Just what I was looking for but I thought it was on MTJ forum. I like the space-saving concept where the tree stand shares the same area on the display as the tunnel. I'm thinking of trying my hand at making a similar one but with interchangeable tops, potentially a castle, a haunted house for Halloween or an uninhabited mountain top. That way it could be used for all seasons.

Are you planning to build a new one but with greater tunnel clearances?

Thanks again.

Richard

[healey36]

Yes, I plan to build another one, or gut the first one and try to rebuild it with wider clearances while fixing some of the other design issues (like running the power cord out the back instead of the front).

A design where you could swap out the tops would be very interesting. When I built the castle version, the building was constructed on a separate piece of masonite, then screwed down in place when completed (see here):



I guess one could build multiple "tops" and swap them depending on the look desired, but it might get pretty complicated accommodating the tunnel, the tree stand, and the structure(s) for the top.

Anyway, I would be really interested in seeing what you come up with.

In the meantime, I made a glittered version of the suburban station:



The wife was complaining that the Dorfan 425 inspired one I made last year was too big as compared to the other putz-style houses. This little station's footprint is just 4" x 6". Hey, it gets cold in Connecticut...

[HONDO74]

Hi Healey,
I'm trying to find the thread about your Christmas tree-stand/tunnel build but my searches come up empty. Can you point me the right direction? I would greatly appreciate it.
Richard

You can find it in some of the older "Weekend Photos"
I think the start of it is in this one.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=19569

[RBH29]

Healey, I'd probably only use the tree-stand feature during the Christmas season. Otherwise the hole for the tree would be covered by an alternate top.

The Stamford station looks great especially with the glitter treatment.

Hondo, thanks for direction. Somehow, I remember the thread being longer.

Have great weekend guys!