Walthers Rooftop Details

I recently got some Walthers Rooftop Details and some Rooftop Details from a eBay seller. I combined the details onto the roofs of some Outland Models buildings and think that they look really good what do you think?

Today i created a 3D model of a large HVAC

I couldn't find a N scale version of a large HVAC so I modeled my own. I took inspiration from GTAO V and some of the buildings in that game. 

I searched for different elements of the HVAC like the fans and louvers on the unit and the shapes.

I can't post it being on mobile or I would post the screenshot of the HVAC unit. I think it came out very well and I measured it a 1:160 figure. 

It came out so well that I sent the model to an online 3D printer. Hopefully, soon after the new year, I will have a physical resin model to use on my incoming locomotive engine house.

Stay tuned.........

Today I used a online 3D printer

I've used an online 3D printer for another project in the past that wasn't the best, Today I tried a different online 3D printer. The file I wanted to be printed was for 6 large HVAC units that I found on Thingiverse. I wanted something large but cheap as well and HVAC units sold online weren't really my cup of tea so I found a file online then found a printer and boom the rest is history. Im hoping that they will print like the ones below, They will be installed on the incoming Outlands Models 3 stall engine house along with some Walthers Roof Details and some eBay purchased roof details. 

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4747070

Revisiting a old project GreenMax 2528 Track Maintenance Diesel Locomotive & 3-Freight Cars Kit

I was pretty bored and decided to revisit an old project my GreenMax Track Maintenance Kit. I added the side frames to the carts and I also weathered the cars with an India Ink wash.

Can I turn this sheet of brass into a N scale boxcar/gondola?

Stay tuned and find out. I purchased this sheet of 1mm brass sheet by mistake and had no idea what to do with it until a friend suggested I make a boxcar from it. That was an excellent suggestion as I'm always looking for new projects to work on. I don't see it being very difficult except for measurements.

Well, the project is on hold why you ask, The brass is too thick to work with I tried using a jeweler saw it took too long, I tried my Dremel tool which is too dangerous, I tried a full-size saw with the wrong blade, I tried a mini bolt cutter that's too small. I have access to a full-size bolt cutter that I will bring in my brass sheet and that should work since it's larger we'll see.

I'm back with an update, I decided not to let a 1mm thick piece of brass defeat me so I ordered a pair of Crescent Wiss Aviation snips to tackle that tick piece of brass. Below is a pic of the Cresent Wiss Aviation snips, Hopefully I can get some more use out of them in the future with more brass projects. 

Update #1: The eBay seller yakidabus never sent the tool he used a fake service called Aquiline to pretend to ship the tool and claim that it was delivered. Once it shows as delivered the buyer can't claim that he didn't get it and therefore is out of the money spent on the tool. But there's a way to get your money back you can claim that you didn't get the item you paid for which I didn't with your bank and they will refund your money most likely on the spot. I put in a claim with eBay and PayPal but I have no faith in both of them, I will get my aviation snips one way or another. I've reported the seller and trying to see what other steps I can take to make him refund my money.

Update #2: I got my money on the eBay purchase from my financial institution so eBay closed my case. I've ordered the Aviation snips from Home Depot and they have shipped already I should have the snips by Tuesday. 

A few things Ive ordered this week

I purchased the Outlands Models Engine House which looks like a Japanese Engine House irl. I also want to paint the Engine House so I purchased some Vallejo Andreaa Blue acrylic paint. Before purchasing the engine house and the paint I purchased some 180 pieces of 3D printed resin roof details consisting of vents, drains, and ductwork. Below is a sample of some of the ductwork on an Outland Models building. I also ordered the Walthers Cornerstone (N-Scale) 933-3286 ROOF Details Kit for the Engine house. 

 

The latest Yellow from Tru-Color

I have lots of hope for this one, I've opened it and it looks better than some of the other yellow paint that Ive purchased. 

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!!!

This is it, I used the Tru-Color on some bare brass and it looks good I'm sure it'll look better on top of some primer. I may actually decide to have the brass shells professionally painted we will see. 

 

Today I received a 10-1703 set E235-1000 Series Yokosuka-Sobu line, Only 7 more cars to go for a complete set lol. Maybe I'll be able to pick up the 3-car set and another 4-car set in the future when they are re-released.

Kato Industrial Building 23-310 (aka the kit I love to hate)

Kato Industrial Building 23-310 is the kit that I love to hate. I've grown up with Kato buildings for the past 10 years and haven't had much of a problem with them. Lately, I have had an issue assembling Kato buildings, I had a problem with the Engine House and the Industrial building. None of the kits are supposed to need glue to assemble but in both cases, I needed to use PVA glue to keep them from coming apart. Below is the finished product that will make a home on my layout.

Close but no cigar I'm still searching for the perfect Safety Yellow.

Just use your imagination that this model is painted in the perfect Safety Yellow detailed with black wheels silver hubcaps and black Outriggers plus the JR Railways logo. But alas this is what I have for now soon it's getting a dunk in the paint remover for another shot when the Badger Modelflex Railbox Yellow shows up.

Aru Nine Models builds

I've always liked brass trains but never could afford it fast forward to 2023 I've found Aru Models. Aru Models is a Japanese company that makes etched brass kits and mechanisms in HO and N scale. Ive recently completed Model A1007 & Model 1006. Not to shabby I must admit all that's needed is to stuff a decoder in it then paint and add some acetate for the glass effect. 

In pursuit of the perfect Safety Yellow.

Im looking for the perfect Safety Yellow for MOW trains as one who has never painted Safety Yellow this has been quite the challenge for some reason. With some detective skills and Bard GPT ive come up with a few possible solutions that I think may work.

Vallejo Golden Yellow - Too bright out the bottle, Solution to mix possibly with Red, Purple, Black or other color. 

Citadel Contrast Imperial Fist - This is a new fancy ass paint thats supposed to solve world hunger and other things. It looks like a good candidate for Safety Yellow from the videos that Ive seen I have high hopes for this. 

Badger Modelflex Railroad Color Railbox Yellow - This is another one Im holding out hope for as a good shoe in for Safety Yellow. 

Im back on the commuter train kick I guess, Kato 10-1703 inbound

I ordered the Kato 10-1702 by mistake and Ive had it for a while now its grown on me. I usually dont like big sets this is 15 cars large, I like 8 cars or smaller its cheaper. I tried to purchase this set from another place but they didnt have it in stock, So I got it off ebay. I plan on getting the B & C sets eventually to complete the entire set. 

Today I got a tiny decoder ESU LokPilot 5 Micro

I want something smaller than the Digitrax DZ126T I really didnt think that there was anything smaller boy was I wrong. I got an ESU LokPilot 5 Micro decoder and boy is that thing small, I would say that its half the size of the DZ126T thats ridiculous to me lol. This decoder will be going in the new Aru Model kit because the DZ126T isnt small enough and doesnt have enough features. 

Aru Nine Models

I was pretty scared to take this project on but yesterday I decided to start working on it. 
One tip I can give is to clean the model first so your solder will stick to the metal. 
The build in its entirety wasn't bad to assemble even though the instructions were totally in Japanese. 
This kit takes a KATO 10-105 chassis for power, I added a DZ126T decoder to this kit.

DCC'ing the KATO 11-105 Chassis

This is part of a project with a Aru 9 Models brass Boxcab kind of train which is not based on any prototype. I got the instructions from The N Scale.net the link is below. 

https://www.nscale.net/forums/showthread.php?36812-Kato-11-106-DCC-friendly

Adding the decoder is fairly straight forward.

• Gently remove the tan cover. It holds the motor in and adds weight, note the chunk of metal in it..
• Carefully move the motor out of the way, keeping the drive shaft in constant view. You can't get replacements.
• Pry up the circuit board off the bottom of the chassis.
• Remove the two contacts that feed the motor.
• Solder the Orange and Gray wires to the motor.
• The tabs are tiny, use lots of flux and pre-tin.You may want to leave longer wires so you could later add diodes or resistors to limit power.
• Solder the Red and Black wires (leave more wire here too) to the contact strips and pop them back into the chassis. They most likely fell out when you remover the circuit board and motor contacts.
• If you got a standard decoder with lighting and you want headlights add them now. Otherwise fold the wires up and wrap with tape, you may change your mind later.
• Put the contact strips back into the chassis.
• DO NOT REPLACE THE MOTOR CONTACTS.
• Replace the circuit board
• Place the motor back in place. Tweezers or forceps will help guide the drive shaft back into the cup.
• When the motor is settled, snap the tan cover back on.
• Use tape to attach the extra wires and decoder to the cover.
• TEST!
• Figure out how to slow the loco down.
• Goto 14 until satisfied
• Reassemble the loco.

These are my pics below and no I havent tested them yet. 

Im thinking about shortening the motor wires and keeping the lighting wires the same. 

The pics below are the shortened wire version, The long wires were bothering me so I shortened them. I left the lighting wires long because there are lights on both sides of the Boxcab.

The pics below are the V1 version of the above with long wires.

Finally returning home from Kato 3 E235 units

I'm finally getting my E235 end units and motor car returned to me today. They've been with Kato since April 27 2023. Yup almost a year which seems like forever in dog years. I guess I should explain why they were sent to Kato in the first place 

I wanted directional lighting in my trains and I run dcc that means I need a decoder. I needed two FL12 decoders and they're pretty easy to install and get working but mine did not work. I went online and asked questions about the installation of the decoders but nothing worked. 

I called Kato and explained the situation and they said send in the end cars as well as the motor car I guess so they could be programmed as a group. No biggie I sent them in with the knowledge of the long wait times for repairs even the website says there's a 6-8 month wait. 

So Kato USA couldn't fix the problem possibly because they didn't have the right parts because they are Kato USA. Off my trains go to Kato Japan for some undetermined amount of time and returned because Kato Japan couldn't fix my trains either. I'm thinking Kato Japan couldn't fix my trains either come on give me a break.

Personally I don't think my trains left the USA because it doesn't make sense that Kato Japan doesn't have a part for one of their more popular trains. I'm sure the part needed is a common part in their line of trains so it doesn't add up. 

I have to say Kato USA & Japan both make great products but their customer service is lacking. If you can fix something without sending to Kato USA do it and don't send it in. 

To Kato USA's credit they did replace the circuit boards in the end units 

Got some used gear from a friend today

Today I received some some used gear from a friend. A ten set of Kato tank cars and a Tomix tank car which is my first full set of freight cars. I also have a long Engine House from Kato and some Kato track. 

 

 

Went detailing crazy today on my E531's

Today I was looking at YouTube videos on Kato E531's and decided to add the antennas to the end cars. I did 4 in total leaving one more to do. 

Anyone like MOW trains, I do lol.

Here's my almost completed MOW train.