Labor Day Modeling

Made a concerted effort to get back in the modeling groove this weekend.

The project du' jour,, a pair of CA&E box motors, 1/2" scale.
The cars in question, CA&E #5, and #7

Not much progress thus far, only had a couple of days, but here we go...

Locomotive #5

and Locomotive #7

One of the bigger milestones (at least for me), is getting trucks under the bodies. Current Line Baldwin sideframes (which will be modified and have their 3rd rail shoes added later), Bachmann steel wheels with new axles to "widen" them out to 1:24 scale/gauge. Got it down to a near-science now, set up a mini-production line with the drill press and other tools, knocked out all four sets of trucks within 90 minutes, a new world record (at least for me !)

Next up, finish off the basic bodies, add doors to the #7, roofs and details. Actually have the roof for #5 about 2/3 done, this is the clerestory roof. (#7 has a basic rounded roof design) Trying a few ideas, all in styrene, details later. The basic idea/design works, it's in essence what I did with the CA&E Pullman car, but I'm trying a couple new wrinkles.

One other project of the summer, converting a standard Bachmann boxcar to 1:24 scale, and building CA&E service car "Tool Car B".

All the handrails/details removed, holes filled in. Doors modified, whole bunch of Ozark Miniatures handrails and grabirons. Kadee couplers and the usual modified "widened" trucks for 1:24 scale/gauge. Roof modified as well, with a tar paper "look", made with strips of masking tape. Few more details here, and off to the paint shop.