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Just finished adding decals and weathering this hopper. Represents a modernized Big John hopper. Con-Cor's model close - it is 6" inches short and the end sloops are a little lower. I have to remove the break wheel and support posts, but used parts from another kit to construct a new one.
Something for the model train fans following me: It's my newest locomotive, an EMD BL2 in N scale by Life-Like. I bought it at the international model railroad show in Gangelt (international because Gangelt is right on the border between Germany and the Netherlands, and so about a third of the exhibitors were dutch).
Now, "new" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, this was bought used. Based on a website I found, this appears to be the 1991 version of the design. Detailing and so on isn't exactly at the highest end, it was a budget model even then, but I think it reproduces the overall shape nicely. You get why the BL2 was apparently called the Ugly Duckling.
Getting DCC into this machine will be tricky, as will be new headlights. The current approach has one single light-bulb that shines both through the front and rear, and is visible through the plastic shell, and that will definitely cause issues with DCC. I'll also need to change the couplers to Micro-Trains ones, and for that I'll have to see whether I have any appropriate ones around.
Still, for 50€, you can't complain. I'm really happy with it, I didn't even know anybody made a BL2.
I have a cold and I'm tired, so I'll post better pictures later, especially ones of the new T-Trak module I recently built. But I did want to show at least this little thing I did with some of the leftover material. Not all of the leftover material, though. I have so much leftover wood strips…
Anyway, this is a very small section of a North American style railroad trestle (I think they're also a thing in Australia?), based on plans by the Great Northern, but then adapted with more bracing because I think that looks better. The height is chosen so that it can be connected to T-Trak modules if you replace the connectors. The track is… I don't actually know. Might be Minitrix? Something I found on my desk.
The wooden structure is all built by hand, out of 2x2 mm balsa wood (main frames), 3x3 mm pine (the sections under the plastic track piece and 1x1 mm linden for the bracings in the longitudinal direction. All cut by hand with a sharp cutter knife (except the 3x3 mm pine, I used a tiny saw for that) and glued together with wood glue.
The locomotive is either Athearn or Atlas, I can never remember which of these is which. I think Atlas. And yes, the rear truck isn't on the rails properly, as I said, I'm sick.
This project was a lot of fun, as was the full T-Trak module (I'll post about that later, hopefully in a couple of days), but also sometimes a bit annoying. I know a couple of places that I could do better, but the main one is the ties. They should be much wider for a bridge like that, but I am not aware of commercially made wide ties. Maybe I'll need 3D printing for that, because I don't think gluing rail profiles to wooden ties is the proper solution. Still, it looks neat as it is. Feel free to ask questions if you have any!
Finally back at the work bench. Finished up adding decals to this Delaware Valley Airslide. Also added an etched metal walkway from Plano Model Products.
Before & After
Purchased this Atlas Beer Can Tank Car from eBay. The red hand rails were just a little too much for me, so I upgraded the paint job. I left the brake wheel the original red.
New to the fleet, Con-cor 40' corn syrup tank car. Removed the trusweet logo, then weathered it.
