All posts by RCWadmin

Weathering tips

Craig Zeni displayed several fine models at the recent RPM-East event. Here’s how the models looked on March 25. Craig shared updated images of these cars recently in a weathered state so we thought you might enjoy his techniques. Here’s Craig with more details.

I had a really good time at the recent RPM-East prototype modeler meet in Greensburg, PA. After arriving back home, I was inspired to move a couple of the display models through the weathering steps.

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Roadbed and Track – Layout Design with Nelson Moyer, part 3

Nelson Moyer returns with another installment on his layout developments.

With a substantial part of the benchwork in place, I turned my attention to the right of way. I want bulletproof track. I’ve operated on layouts where derailments are common, and I find that they steal my joy. I want quiet track, so that I can hear decoder sounds at reasonable levels without blowing out my operator’s hearing aids.

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50th Anniversary Operating Session

Bob Hanmer sent details covering a special operating session on his HO scale Great Northern and Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range layout that serves the mining region. We think you will enjoy this.

Taconite is a hard rock found across the northern parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. It contains about 30% iron, so for most of the 20th century it was considered waste. That is until the war efforts of World War II and the Korean conflict severely depleted the existing reserves of high quality iron that could be fed directly (or with a little beneficiation) into a blast furnace.

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CB&Q GS-7 & GS-8 gondola details

Lester Breuer sent tips on detail additions for the HO scale CB&Q resin gondola kits. We also get a peek at his paint booth. Here’s Lester with more.

After taking a break from building resin models I returned to build two CB&Q gondolas, a class GS-7, number 75709, and a class GS-8, number 79784. The gondolas are RH Models resin kits produced by Jerry Hamsmith and Ed Rethwisch . The kit instructions are very well done and easy to follow. The prototype data and table listing each of the GS series and truck types can be found in Nelson Moyer’s RCW blog post. Therefore, I will only discuss several changes I made and the paint and decal process I used to complete my gondolas.

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