Weekend Photos - July 2021

[healey36]

Moving ahead on a couple of projects:



Disassembly of the Flyer 3018 proved easy enough, but reassembly might be a bit more of a challenge. The complexity of the handrail bit is likely an indication of why Flyer's cost profile was significantly greater than that of Lionel, something that A. C. Gilbert seemed to quickly rework once he got control of the company in the late 1930s. I swiped an endcap off a 1118 beater, stripped the tank with some old chemical stripper I found in the basement, then gave the tank I coat of gray primer. I haven't decided whether to repaint the tank with a gray gloss (as original) or go with a gunmetal finish. The rest of the car will just get a bit of straightening and a polish. I ordered a pack of decal paper for the printer so I can try to make a set of replacement "A.F.L." and "3018" markings. I've not tried this before, so I'll be interested to see how/if it works.

I went ahead and scanned/printed the "cut-out" from the November 1952 issue of Toy Trains magazine, a depot design Carstens called "Parlor Flats". I picked up a sheet of matt board from Michael's, which I prefer over foam-core. I made a few changes using MS Paint, cleaning up the scan, changing the window insert color from red to dark green, and blacking out the window openings. Now I'm on the fence, contemplating cutting out the windows and glazing them for an interior light. Only measurements were provided for a roof, so that will be fabricated from scratch.

I snapped an X-acto in process and managed to stab myself in the thumb, something I haven't done since high school while playing around with a linoleum cutter. A couple of stiches would probably have been handy, but I instead bandaged it tightly with something I found in the medicine cabinet. Trying to remember when my last tetanus shot was...

[Rufus T. Firefly]

scanned/printed the "cut-out" from the November 1952 issue of Toy Trains magazine, a depot design Carstens called "Parlor Flats".

Looks like good fun! Can send me a copy to "play" with?

[healey36]

Will do...watch your email.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Excellent!

[healey36]

Not a lot of progress on the 3018. I ordered some decal paper, but screwed up and ordered printable waterslide type in white (I needed clear). The more I thought about it, the original script was in gold, a color likely to be difficult to replicate using an inkjet. I punted to plan B, which was to just find a decal lettering set in gold; I lucked out and found a letter/number set of K4 HO 3/16-inch in gold, which looks like it should work. Those should arrive in a few days.

With regards to the Parlor Flats depot, I went off script on day 1. I figured a station needs a platform in some form (none was provided by the magazine), so I found some printable plank-style decking as part of one of the other "cut-outs", then used MS Paint to recolor it, lengthen it, then glued it onto a scrap of matt-board and down on the masonite base:



I wanted the far end raised a couple of scale feet, so I made a ramp bit leading to a short elevated platform. Unfortunately, the two sides of the ramp are just a hair off, making it slightly out of kilter. That's going to bug the crap out of me, so I'll probably be taking that apart and trying to straighten it up.

Still debating whether to cut out and glaze the windows.

[J. S. Bach]

Leave it as-is.If that represents individual planking, it adds to the effect. What would bother me is the steep ramp up to the platform.

[healey36]

Yeah, thirty degrees is pretty steep, lol. Somewhere around here I have a prewar Bing signal with a broken base; I was thinking of mounting that on the elevated bit.

[gregj410]

We are all wired differently in what we see and what we are willing to accept as passable. I’d never pick up on the steepness of the ramp unless I had to pull a dolly of beer cases up to the top

On the other hand the crooked platform stands out more to me because it’s not perceived as a single plank out of kilter but the whole sheet as the top matches the bottom. Regardless I’d never judge someone for not wanting to go back and ‘tighten’ something up. We’ve all been there. I’m dealing with some bridge issues myself.....and I ain’t going back Either way it looks like a nice project!

[healey36]

I’m trying to build this stuff to have a prewar tin lithography look about it, and that would require a neat trim construction and appearance. I think a better way to have done this would have been to cut the platform deck from a single piece, scored the joints and bent it to fit the ramp bit. This likely would have mitigated the mucked-up supports and smoothed everything out.

Looks terrible like this...gonna try to cut it apart and fix it.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Looks terrible like this...gonna try to cut it apart and fix it.

The great thing about scratchbuilding is that if you're unhappy with anything, you can just hack it apart and give yourself a do-over.

[healey36]

Looks terrible like this...gonna try to cut it apart and fix it.

The great thing about scratchbuilding is that if you're unhappy with anything, you can just hack it apart and give yourself a do-over.

Hmmm...the next problem is the use of really strong glue

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Looks terrible like this...gonna try to cut it apart and fix it.

The great thing about scratchbuilding is that if you're unhappy with anything, you can just hack it apart and give yourself a do-over.

Hmmm...the next problem is the use of really strong glue

Toss it all and do a re-start - sometimes that's really the best solution.

[healey36]

Likely, as I'll probably destroy it trying to get it apart.

Decal set arrived. They look promising.

[gregj410]

The bridge is finally complete. I think overall I’m satisfied with it. Pre planning would have made the end product a lot better. The last pic is the approximate location.









crescent credit union

[rogruth]

Looks very nice.