How I'm spending my vacation...

[shaygetz]

Having endured no less than 5 hurricanes, 2 of them CAT 3s, in the last 11 months, I'm on a long overdue vacation. I'm going...NOWHERE :thumb: and doing...NOTHING :thumb: ...except catch up on some long put off modeling and repairs. Oh, I'll be taking the little ones on day trips to the Indian Mound Museum and the Marrietta caverns but that is the extent of it. I'm burnt out enough to choke the life outta some poor boob that only wanted a light bulb fer his kitchen .

A showcase of work done up to this point---and its only been two daze....

This Rivarossi Docksider was purchased on eBay for $18 and runs like a watch, I simply have no better switcher in my fleet. It has an oldtimey reversing headlight circuit from the 60s. However, the original owner felt it necessary to paint it with a turquoise and white cab ---with bronze railings, steps and other fittings After doing a full clean, grease and lube, repairing the front pilot and adding wire details front and rear, I touched up the paint and weathered it, retaining the original owner's roadname.

 

[shaygetz]

This boom tender is kibbled together from old Cox and Lindberg Line parts from the 60s. I bashed the roof walks from scraps of plastic and picket fencing, the stovepipe from a piece of sprue. The trucks have had their Talgo coupler boxes removed and their wheels replaced with MDC/Roundhouse ones, the Kadees are body mounted and the steps are made from brass ladder stock. Paint and weathering finished the job.

 

[shaygetz]

This oil can is an old Athearn with the original sprung trucks. The wheelsets are Kadees. I weathered it up and made new handrails for the dome walk.

 

[shaygetz]

This is an old Life-Like issue from the early 70s. Its size and color were just too much to pass up. I filed down the steps to thin their profile a bit. Then I removed the truck mounted couplers and body mounted some Kadees, replaceing the wheelsets with MDC/Roundhouse. I use MDCs when others won't fit though I prefer metal wheelsets when at all possible. Some light weathering and off she goes...

 

[shaygetz]

These loaders were purchased at Family Dollar, 2 of 4 that I bought for this very purpose. I changed the brakes of the AT&SF flat from a staff on the end to side mounted. I then body mounted Kadees on both then painted and weathered them. Still looking for two more flats, then I'll run these as a block togther for swiching around the club's port. For toys those loaders don't look too bad and, at $2 a pop, certainly good enough for me and my budget. :thumb:

 

[shaygetz]

A closeup of one of the loaders...

 

[Matthyro]

A perfect way to spend some vacation time Bob. Very nice work on painting and weathering.

 

[sumpter250]

I use MDCs when others won't fit though I prefer metal wheelsets when at all possible

There is a product, called "the tool", that is used to open up the bearing surfaces of cast truck frames so that other wheelsets will spin freely in them. This would allow you to convert all to metal wheel sets. It's approx. $11.98, but works well and lasts.
I like the 0-4-0T, my Varney, was my first operating locomotive.
Pete

 

[interurban]

:thumb: You got my vote re vacation at home.
1 Hurricane is one to many for this dude

Happy modeling.

 

[shaygetz]

There is a product, called "the tool", that is used to open up the bearing surfaces of cast truck frames so that other wheelsets will spin freely in them. This would allow you to convert all to metal wheel sets. It's approx. $11.98, but works well and lasts.
I like the 0-4-0T, my Varney, was my first operating locomotive.
Pete

There's one o' those running around the club, $12 for a tool I could lose with a sneeze just gives me a rash right now.

Thanks for the comments guys. It has been very relaxing, not pictured are the three lokeys I've torn down and oiled. Now I've pulled out some buildings that's just been achin' for some paint. :thumb:

 

[Papa Bear]

Looks like time well spent, Bob.

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

Nice work Bob.
Keep the vacation photos coming.

 

[2slim]

Hey Bob,
Who makes those loaders? I have been to several Family Dollar stores and can't find them. I saw one in Boise Idaho but it looked way too big to be this one. I'd like to find a couple for a flat car load.

2slim

BTW forgot to say your vacation is "Shay-cool"

 

[Ralph]

That's the way to vacation Bob!
Ralph

 

[shaygetz]

Hey Bob,
Who makes those loaders? I have been to several Family Dollar stores and can't find them. I saw one in Boise Idaho but it looked way too big to be this one. I'd like to find a couple for a flat car load.

They're made by Ertl and they were right in the toy isle. I'll keep my eye peeled for a couple more when I go by there again.

From the junkbox, revival has come to town with the new church I built. I don't know who made the base building but the steeple came from a Bachman N scale offering. The awning came from the scrap box as well, installed after filling in the holes provided for long gone details that never were originally installed.

 

[shaygetz]

Deacon Stearnly Hardcase installed this here fan copped from a Revell engine house window for the benefit of his brethren and sisteren.

 

[shaygetz]

The shops needed a gatehouse when the fencing went up so B&MC management salvaged and repainted this early Revell offering from the late 50s. The decal was left intact as it was applied and carefully weathered around the 50 year old scratches in it. If you look in the door, you can still make out the awful original butterscotch colored plastic it came in.

 

[shaygetz]

Another old Revell offering, reconfigured and repainted. As with most of my smaller buildings, this one was purchased already assembled in a box lot. I usually snip off unnecessary or unrealistic details, remove gobbed up glue then paint and weather. I usually fog over the windows with Dulcote in any building that has an easily seen interior like this one. Then I hard-wired all my Athearns. For newcomers, that would involve removing the upper motor contacter and then the upper motor clip, soldering wire to the clip and to each tab on the trucks and the bulb socket then replacing the upper clip. Best way to make a good horse better :thumb:

 

[shaygetz]

Spent most of today dodging these little boogers at the Florida Caverns in Marianna.

 

[shaygetz]

A couple before/after pics to give you an idea of what I usually start with. This one was painted a banana yellow with red, brown, black and silver GLOSS weathering. I removed all the yuch details that I could, it was assembled with the old tube type cement and I couldn't break it with a ball peen hammer.