Tilley Yard South, Chicago, Winter 1956

[Robatron86]

On the workbench tonight (the coffee table)

 

 

The two boxcars were nice and easy. I ordered some 50ft boxcar decals and thought "Hang on, I have 3 box cars with The Chief logo, let's add some variety". So we now have The Scout and The Grand Canyon. Simply removed the original logo (with some nail varnish remover, my own bottle, as the wife would be incensed if I used hers!).

 

The car and caboose were purchased at the Solent show. I have no idea who made the car. It was in USAF livery, so was repainted and the trucks replaced. I spent the evening adding decals. Still requires glazing and a few washers to bring the ride height up.

 

The caboose is a Roco model. It was in CBQ livery so again repainted. The end hand rails and brake wheels were missing so have been replaced. It will get new side hand rails when I find my pack of them.

 

Current usable stock for the layout. I had them out to check it any had missing Kadee springs after I had read that a few people had found them going missing. None of the cars had any missing but a loco had lost one:

 

 

I now have a nice range of different ATSF cars to use:

 

 

The crane and tender are now in at Model Junction and my pre order has been dispatched. It looks to be a lovel model, much better than the Bachmann model, and the price difference is clear. £32 for the Bachmann and nearly £50 for the Athearn model.

 

 

That' all for now.

[Robatron86]

I have also found a video from the Solent show on Youtube

 

[Robatron86]

The crane has arrived, and it is a very nice bit of kit. It comes with a "key" that slots in to operate the boom.

 

[DanielB]

Now that is a gorgeous model. Shame I couldn't fit it on West Allen and Thorne.

[Robatron86]

It's not that long actually, plus roll it out on the 2nd day of a show as a maintenance working.

 

Speaking of that, I found this on eBay:

 

 

Six items of maintenance stock, Bunk Car, Kitchen Car, Engineering Car, Storage Car, Blacksmith Car and Work Flat. It's a bulk kit of the 6. In ATSF colours already and unbuilt. Very excited for these.

 

I also won an auction for another H16-44.

 

It's an Atlas Masterseries model, with decoder.

 

 

A certainly more accurate model than the Bachmann one I have.

[46444]

Some nice purchases Rob and detailing projects with the box cars and caboose.

 

Any chance of some eye level shots on TY with the H16 and the freight stock?

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[Robatron86]

Thanks Mark. I will happily oblige when they arrive.

[Robatron86]

My Walthers 6 car work set arrived today. Oh boy....

 

Only managed to 1 anywhere near completion, the Engineering Car. The portacabin on wheels.

 

 

Underframe and trucks require painting (required on all 6 of them as they come in injection moulding brown).

 

Glazing needed on all.

 

The trucks are sprung using Kadee knuckle springs.

 

 

They actually work too. But require building. And adding the springs...I have lost 4 so far.

 

So far, not bad.

[Robatron86]

The H16-44 has arrived. The very first thing I did was change the knuckles. She runs very well, needs a few running in laps.

 

 

The engineering car has had it's underframe and trucks painted, Kadee boxes and knuckles added, and the plastic Walthers wheels (which require painting) replaced with Kadee metal ones. Just glasing left to do.

 

 

After this it will be the flat car.

[Northroader]

With those bogies spread a large sheet out with the edges raised and work in the middle of it, you have half a chance of finding them when they fly out. I use the fine point of a craft knife to pick up the springs and place them. They're a hell of a fiddle but I find the bogie ride is really beautiful, well worth it.

[Robatron86]

I too use a craft knife to install them. Still undecided on if they actually make a difference on my current layout.

 

And now for Mark (46444):

 

 

 

[46444]

I too use a craft knife to install them. Still undecided on if they actually make a difference on my current layout.

 

And now for Mark (46444):

 

 

 

 

Thanks Rob,

 

Those eye level shots capture the layout nicely and give a sense of space.

 

Nice work on the 'work set' too,

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[Robatron86]

Thanks for the kind words Mark. The work set is slow going. I have only just started the work flat (I know I said it would be next, but the storage car, seen above with the engineering car, was a quick car to finish). The 50ft flat above was a £5 bargain at the Solent show. Made by Pemco in the early '80's, it came with a bridge girder load. This was removed, the holes filled in, repainted from garish orange and red into boxcar reddish brown and leather brown, new decals, varnished, new wheels and knuckles added. It all stemmed from a desire to have a plain flat car, as my other flat is a TOFC. 

 

It needs a bit more weight as it is very light. That and weathering will complete it. 

[Robatron86]

Work flat has been mostly finished.

 

 

The silver doesn't quite match but weathering should hide this. 

[Northroader]

If you're using "silver/ aluminium" paint I find it helps it stand up to handling better if it's mixed 50/ 50 with light grey paint. (I found this out doing model plane kits for my son)

[Robatron86]

Very useful tip thank you. I'll try it on the next one. 

[Robatron86]

Latest member of the team:

 

 

An 2007 Accurail kit. Such an effortless and beautifully designed kit to put together.

[Allegheny1600]

Hi Rob,

Ooh, nice!

But, then I would say that, wouldn't I, ha, ha, ha!

I'm please there are still kits to build out there, I kept my (limited) modelling skills up to date on such builds.

Cheers,

John.

[Robatron86]

I knew it would get your attention John! Looks lovely now, but it is going to be slapped with a lot of muck this evening.

[46444]

Latest member of the team:

 

 

An 2007 Accurail kit. Such an effortless and beautifully designed kit to put together.

 

Nice build there Rob.

 

I do like the Accurall kits and think they represent good value for money and go together nicely. I've a SOO grain hopper that compares favourably with an Atlas Master Series version of the same prototype.

 

They can be picked up fairly cheaply from ebay.com and even with postage from the States work out at a good price.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

Edited May 4, 2016 by 46444

[Robatron86]

I always enjoy building the Accurail kits, but this was something special in how smoothly it went together. A lot of my ATSF boxcars are older Accurail, but the haven't given me any trouble. 

[Robatron86]

Finally I have stock boxes!

 

[Northroader]

Enjoyed seeing Tilley Yard in the June Continental Modeller, really good set of pictures. Well done!

[NickBrad]

Thanks for the reminder, i'm headed into town shortly, i'll pop in to WH Smiths for a copy

[Robatron86]

Thanks Northroader. When Andrew Burnham sent me the preview to give it the once over, I was very impressed with the layout of the article.