Waterville & Washington Railroad

I've finally gotten back into doing a little modeling. I'm working on a Cannon & CO kit for the Union Pacific GATC 50'1" box car. It's been going together well. Finished the underframe for the most part - not 100% accurate, but it looks pretty close. Used a Moloco underbody and various parts plus some scratchbuilt parts. It's been interesting as I packaged this model plus the tools/etc that I thought I would need while I'm over in Poland. Looks like I'm short a couple pieces of styrene for the plug door so I placed an order with a company in Germany and we'll see how long it takes for the parts to arrive. Shipping from the States takes up to four weeks. Ugh. I placed the air reservoir in the wrong location on the underframe. Wasn't satisfied after viewing and studying the relatively few prototype photos that I could find and went back and changed it to be located in the center of the car like the prototype. One thing is for cert...

It's been another year and no updates for my modeling blog. I've been busy, but not posting. I need to start posting more. Plan is to start building several Cannon & CO freight car kits while I'm deployed next year. I've been busy, but not modeling specific and not posting what I have been doing. I worked with Rapido for the Mopac FPA-2, FA-2, and FB-2 locomotives. I worked with Cannon & CO on their two phosphate box car kits - which was a fun project. I worked with Athearn on the Genesis Mopac GP7 models that were recently announced. I learned several interesting things about the Mopac lettering changes that occurred on the GP7/9/18 locomotives during the 60s and early 70s which I wouldn't have known if I didn't study the great collection of items in the Missouri Pacific Historical Society collection. I plan to work with Rapido on their upcoming SW1200 model and their B-boat series of locomotives. I purchased Brian Banna's outstanding model of Mop...

Where has the time gone? I've spent 4 months out of country this year and only did a little modeling this past weekend. Next year won't be much better, but one of my resolves is to make time to model even if it's 15 minutes a week. Something is better than nothing. My work continues on the Pratt Truss bridge since I've received the bridge eye bars. To next year. May it be better.

Visited Lance Mindh eim house and viewed his outstanding layouts this past Sunday. Very inspirational. 

Caught a CSX coal train at Silver S pring, MD, on 11 December 2016.

The old adage of measure twice cut once got me. I glued the stringers too close together. Ugh. Luckily the parts were still slightly pliable and I was able to pull them apart with only having to replace one cross member. I had to sand everything down, but that was a small price to pay. Now it looks correct. Time to find the right creosote color to paint the bridge parts.

I continue my work on the Mill Creek bridge. I'm needing/waiting on the measurements for the eyebars for a pin connected truss bridge so I can have them laser cut out of styrene so I've moved on to building the two Panel Pile Trestle (PPT) bridges that are on each side of the truss bridge. I built a jig out of styrene which speeds up the process tremendously and also ensures uniformity of the PPTs. I've ordered Central Valley bridge tie sections and also Detail Associates nut/washers to complete the detail and roadbed of the bridges which I should get this week. Time to paint the PPTs which makes me a little nervous as it's fully exposed so I need to ensure the colors match a bridge that is moderately fresh, but not too weathered. It's nice working with the MOW standard diagrams as it shows the blueprints for building all of the parts.  Central Valley truss bridge with the scratch built cement backwalls in the foreground. Initial coat of paint ...