The 300 LOFT ELECTRIC RAILROAD: It still runs...

GG1 4877 posted:

Pantenary posted:

Hi Jonathan:

That shell is what I saw.  Now you got me thinking.  The pantograph from an MTH E44 is a reasonable match...and most of the other details shouldn't be hard to find.  I'd need to find some decent decals; there aren't that many good ones in Amtrak.  

Have you run your AEM7 off the catenary?  I have plenty of spare parts for Atlas AEM7s.  If you need something, let me know.

The E44 Pantograph is a good match.  I'd like to see if MTH has any in parts.  The rest could be fabricated.  I have some reasonably good photos to work with.  As for decals, I would likely make my own as difficult as they are to apply.  I used Testors decal paper in both a clear background and a white one.  This is how I got my 40th Anniversary Phase Heritage Genesis a few years before Bachmann came out with theirs.  A fun little project:

As for the AEM7 - I'll have to dig it out and let you know what I need.  Need to get it apart first.  Thanks for the offer!

Hi Jonathan:

Those decals came out great.  Where did you get the 'Amtrak' font?  I might be tempted to make my own, but I have not looked into all the details to do them, and in any case, the font has to be perfect or its worthless to me.  You got a very nice finish on that model as well.

Yes, the E60 would need a lot of detailing .  I don't think it would be too hard to find.  I actually got a decent roof shot a long time ago.

brwebster posted:

Wonderful documentation on your methods of execution, Nate.  I hear you about the editing.  I think my head would have exploded composing such an indepth review.   Those custom made pans are absolutely fantastic.

As for this....well.........EVERYONE knows a real GG1 is numbered 48XX or 49XX.

Bruce

Hi Bruce:

Thanks, I appreciate the complement from a detailed modeler such as yourself.  It's good to see the catenary modellers represented here!

I'm rather embarrassed to admit it took me a day or two to write it, and a week and a half to edit it.  Writing, like many things technical, sneers at me..."bet you can't find all my spelling mistakes...you missed a grammatical error...you should organize me better..."    This past Friday I finally had enough and just posted it.  Then proceeded to edit it repeatedly since.  

I agree on the GG1 numbering.  That's why I didn't keep the one Lionel non-scale Gs I had a long time ago...goofball numbers that reflect the item SKU as I recall.  But even as a collectors item... *shudder*

Nate,

That's a great photo and I just saved it.

I have done graphics work and model consulting for 3rd Rail for 7 years.  I have built a library of graphics for that company as well for myself.  Amtrak is the "Helvetica" font. The other graphics I developed off of photos in 2010.  I work in AutoCAD and Photoshop.

Home made water slide decals are really hard to work with.  I ruined quite a few in the process. 

For the E60 project I may purchase an HO version and copy details in O.

This is my NJT version made out of Williams shells. Not entirely accurate but passable with some work.

It's just sitting on MTH C30-7 trucks for the photo.

GG1 4877 posted:

Nate,

That's a great photo and I just saved it.

I have done graphics work and model consulting for 3rd Rail for 7 years.  I have built a library of graphics for that company as well for myself.  Amtrak is the "Helvetica" font. The other graphics I developed off of photos in 2010.  I work in AutoCAD and Photoshop.

Home made water slide decals are really hard to work with.  I ruined quite a few in the process. 

For the E60 project I may purchase an HO version and copy details in O.

This is my NJT version made out of Williams shells. Not entirely accurate but passable with some work.

It's just sitting on MTH C30-7 trucks for the photo.

 

Hi Jonathan:

That is excellent work.  Paint the trucks black and get your roof detail and you are set.  I might be asking for some more advice regarding the decaling at some point.  That sort of work drives me berserk.  I remember using good Microscale decals and Solvaset in HO scale and nearly tossed the model out the window.

Here is what I want for my system, exactly as it is:

 I shot this in the early 2000s, when it was still 'sort of' OK to take pictures off the parking garage roof.  The sounds that thing made were delightful.

Nate,

My NJT decals are Microscale.  I've been custom painting since age 12.  I finally got good at it around 29 :-)  It takes patience and practice.  My N scale 1990 era Broadway Limited was an act of extreme patience.  I don't have the eyes for the smaller scale these days though.

I love th E60MA you posted.  That is how I will paint my Amtrak one.

Two thoughts on your overhead system

1:  use silver solder as it has higher strength.  Downside is you need fire bricks and 1200 degrees to melt it.

2:  Sommerfeldt of Germany now makes O scale catenary systems

Nate says ;  I had the old Lionel GG1, the Penn Central with the goofball number. 

In case you're feeling nostalgic, I could be persuaded to let one go

Or maybe, one of the other goofball numbered G's?

Bruce

GG1 4877 posted:

Nate,

My NJT decals are Microscale.  I've been custom painting since age 12.  I finally got good at it around 29 :-)  It takes patience and practice.  My N scale 1990 era Broadway Limited was an act of extreme patience.  I don't have the eyes for the smaller scale these days though.

I love th E60MA you posted.  That is how I will paint my Amtrak one.

It sounds like you have the patience for paint that I do for pantographs.  Maybe its the fumes.  I've never had a knack for decorating locomotives.  I use a magnifying desk lamp.  My eyes aren't the greatest either, but are still usable.

I would take an operating E60 in any form.  I hope someday I can go out west and see the Desert Power Railroad E60s before they go the way of the rest of them.  That said, I do prefer the Phase 3 paint over the Phase 2.

So, here are a few oddities for your consideration.  First, a Phase 3 painted E60, with a 900 series number AND Brecknell-Willis pantographs, which a couple of them had at times.

Next, we have another Phase 3 with Brecknell pans.

According to the caption I found on the lower image, 602 was experiencing some kind of problem.  Note the conductor next to the engine, and its apparent uncoupled condition.

Any of those would be great to see scale modeled.  Guess I need to get busy at some point. 

Tinplate Tom posted:

Two thoughts on your overhead system

 

1:  use silver solder as it has higher strength.  Downside is you need fire bricks and 1200 degrees to melt it.

2:  Sommerfeldt of Germany now makes O scale catenary systems

Well, I'll keep the first point in mind if I ever get that kiln built next to my son's room. 

I have seen the Sommerfeldt system, and its an excellent representation.  I think I'd go a little batty trying to make it work with my trains.

brwebster posted:

Nate says ;  I had the old Lionel GG1, the Penn Central with the goofball number. 

In case you're feeling nostalgic, I could be persuaded to let one go

Or maybe, one of the other goofball numbered G's?

Bruce

 

Hi Bruce:

Don't tempt me.    In all seriousness, the old Lionels tracked well under the wire.

If I was serious about getting a GG1, I'd go after this one.

Note to Nate Murray:  You don't need a kiln for silver soldering.  A small pinpoint butane torch available from Micro Mark would do the trick.  I build live steamers in 3 1/2 inch gauge and O gauge and have an oxy-acetylene rig for boiler making and soldering brass check valves, injectors, axle pumps, etc. together.  You would only need one fire brick for small items like your supports.  Use iron wire to tie them together as the silver solder won't adhere to the iron wire.  Silver solder is available in rods and in sheet form for small items like your project.

Pantenary posted:

GG1 4877 posted:

Nate,

That's a great photo and I just saved it.

I have done graphics work and model consulting for 3rd Rail for 7 years.  I have built a library of graphics for that company as well for myself.  Amtrak is the "Helvetica" font. The other graphics I developed off of photos in 2010.  I work in AutoCAD and Photoshop.

Home made water slide decals are really hard to work with.  I ruined quite a few in the process. 

For the E60 project I may purchase an HO version and copy details in O.

This is my NJT version made out of Williams shells. Not entirely accurate but passable with some work.

It's just sitting on MTH C30-7 trucks for the photo.

 

Hi Jonathan:

That is excellent work.  Paint the trucks black and get your roof detail and you are set.  I might be asking for some more advice regarding the decaling at some point.  That sort of work drives me berserk.  I remember using good Microscale decals and Solvaset in HO scale and nearly tossed the model out the window.

Here is what I want for my system, exactly as it is:

 I shot this in the early 2000s, when it was still 'sort of' OK to take pictures off the parking garage roof.  The sounds that thing made were delightful.

I used to take pictures from the parking lot back in the late seventies/early eighties.  I didn't know there were restrictions placed on photography since then.  I have a friend from the UK visit with us a in 2012.  He came up by train from business trip in Washington to stay with us a few days.  As part of our "Train weekend", I took him first to the tracks near Zoo Tower.  He was amazed that we could just walk onto railroad property without anyone approaching us.  

Dan:

In the mid to late 2000s (I think) they built some huge parking add on, or other building for something.  The vantage point from the above image doesn't exist any more as far as I know, or you are so far up that it would freak me out.  I am quite the acrophobiac.

If I can say so respectfully, you could do a lot of neat things in the 70s/80s that will get you shot today.  My last 'real' railfan trip was in 2003 or 2004...went to Perryville, MD at the STATION and set up my tripod.  Some knothead in the adjacent trailer park call the police for 'suspicious activity'.  A MD state trooper proceeded to park me in for about 35 minutes while we discussed 'my business' there. I haven't railfanned to any great extent since; its not worth the hassle to me.  With GG1s, E44s, E60s and now AEM7s all gone, there is hardly anything that really holds my interest.  I'm not a big fan of the ACS64...yet. I guess a whole bunch of folks said that about AEM7s when they came out.

Tinplate Tom posted:

Note to Nate Murray:  You don't need a kiln for silver soldering.  A small pinpoint butane torch available from Micro Mark would do the trick.  I build live steamers in 3 1/2 inch gauge and O gauge and have an oxy-acetylene rig for boiler making and soldering brass check valves, injectors, axle pumps, etc. together.  You would only need one fire brick for small items like your supports.  Use iron wire to tie them together as the silver solder won't adhere to the iron wire.  Silver solder is available in rods and in sheet form for small items like your project.

Hi Tom:

I was mearly pulling your leg.  

From what little I know a bit about silver soldering, seems like overkill for my work.  Live steam is another I'm not a steam junkie, but it is very cool to seem model steam locomotives that are actually steam powered.  It seems fraught with joy and frustration depending on the day and the weather, (much like a model catenary system!).  I have great respect and admiration for you live-steam modellers. 

Actually, silver soldering is easier than soft soldering.  When the metal is hot enough, the solder runs into the joint with no blobs like you get with lead solder.  Silver soldered boilers on live steamers are pressure tested to one and a half times working pressure, generally 150-200psi test.  It is basically the same process as they use in jewelry making.

And this is saved.  I don't plan to power my locomotives this way, but I do like the look.

Very impressive! I experimented with threaded rod supports, but didn't like the look of the threads. I slipped on a thin brass tube, but this was expensive and I thought made the supports to thick. Finally I used rolled paper, sprayed with adhesive, then painted.

Good morning all:

I'll try to get an update posted this week; there has been some progress made.

The possibility exists of acquiring an MTH E44 PS3 locomotive for the 300 Loft system.  I was researching pantographs again, and came across these 2 oddities:

#1:  E44s in passenger service.

#2:  A GG1 with an E44 Pantograph.  I've never seen such a thing.

====================================================================

If I get the time, I hope to repaint any E44 I may get a hold of in Amtrak colors.

I've read through this post and all I can say is "WOW" that's impressive! I like what you've done with the layout in the small loft space you have. I have a loft about the same dimensions probably and the layout you have come up with would definitely satisfy me! Now the cantenary system, that is great, but sorry to say I just don't have the patience anymore to do that myself.  Although I didn't "grow up" in this generation, I guess I've morphed into what you would call one of those "instant gratification" people, of course I'm sure my ADD also plays a role in that too! LOL. But nevertheless absolutely outstanding in all regards!

Pantenary posted:

Dan:

In the mid to late 2000s (I think) they built some huge parking add on, or other building for something.  The vantage point from the above image doesn't exist any more as far as I know, or you are so far up that it would freak me out.  I am quite the acrophobiac.

If I can say so respectfully, you could do a lot of neat things in the 70s/80s that will get you shot today.  My last 'real' railfan trip was in 2003 or 2004...went to Perryville, MD at the STATION and set up my tripod.  Some knothead in the adjacent trailer park call the police for 'suspicious activity'.  A MD state trooper proceeded to park me in for about 35 minutes while we discussed 'my business' there. I haven't railfanned to any great extent since; its not worth the hassle to me.  With GG1s, E44s, E60s and now AEM7s all gone, there is hardly anything that really holds my interest.  I'm not a big fan of the ACS64...yet. I guess a whole bunch of folks said that about AEM7s when they came out.

Sad, isn't it.  The big blueish building Amtrak built at 30th Street station is not on my most admired architectural building list.  

I get what you're saying about modern equipment.  As I recently read somewhere, watching trains today is like watching a conveyer belt.