Northern Pacific and Black Hills

[badlandnp]

And the awesome bit is that this 1962 Rollohome has a solid and very stiff frame. So it is very stable and no worries about tearing out walls and such! I don't have any plumbing in it, as the spot I have it has no services available. I still have room for it on the back end if I ever have to move it and services become available. The only negative is finding a spot to put one, some communities have zoning rules to watch....or in my case, I have it on an empty lot next to my full service trailer lot. It works good for me here.

Another note, my grand-daughter was glad to be able to drive a train again tonite!

[badlandnp]

The section gang received some new switch machines this week, courtesy of SparkFun and the engineering talents of MCFuji. Hopefully they will get motivated and find time enough to actually install a couple!
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The chief mechanic went on a spending spree buying up a barely used little 4-4-0. That led to a couple of boxcars and a flat car and a few tools...
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The management is sure hoping that this railroad will quit bleeding money soon...........

[badlandnp]

So, took the wife out for dinner and ice cream. She gets home and has to watch some over dramatic " reality" show, clearly a green signal or highball to head for the Train! Had the bug to drive, and scratched that itch, but...... dispatch left the local on a siding and forgrot to allow for passing siding room, sent the express out and....ooops! Now we have a puzzle!
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So the 501, drag freight backed up and dropped the cab and two flats clear of the switch. Then the local, headed by 11, pushed them and cleared the switch also.
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This allowed the Hi express to pull ahead a few car lengths so the 501 could pull out on the main and make some room.
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At which point the 11 backed up down the main to drop the cab and two flats off. This cleared the way for the Hi to exit!
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And then the 11 could go back to the siding and wait for permission to leave.
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Which allows the 501 to back down to it's cab and flats, couple up, air test and go! Yay!
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And that series of movements is a lot of FUN! For us modelers, anyway. Ask a rail what they think of having to do a "see-saw" move and you'll hear a few colorful words!
It did reveal a few issue with trackwork. Minor tweaks that need done. Which is part of the reason to do this playing around! And a LOT of electrical work and soldering and switch machines and . . . . .

[Rocket Jones]

Exactly! I don't "play with trains", I test trackwork!

[badlandnp]

And as we test the track, our section ganga get better at building track!

Also, recieved a seven car string of gondolas from fellow Nscale.net er Allen H. Here we have them being recieved and drug toward the main yard for inspection, repairs and rework in the shops.....

[baronjutter]

That's a nice smooth speed!

[Rocket Jones]

Boy, that aqua color really jumps out at you!

[badlandnp]

The 11 has an ESU micro select in it. The basic model has an awesome motor in it, combined with the ESU unit and I can make it just crawl at a super slow speed.

The aqua just has to go! ! ! I see NPBH black or CNW brown in it's future.

[migalyto]

That's a great looking train wandering through the mountains!

[Allen H.]

They look right at home! As the others have said, the green needs to go! lol

I hope the inspections and rebuilds go good!

BTW, love that firebox flicker!!

[badlandnp]

Thanks guys. These gons will become NP, NPBH, or CNW. Pics will follow as they progress.....

Once I figured out firebox flicker, it just has to be there. On my 2-8-8-2 I managed to put a piece of fiber optic out to the front of the ashpan, which just adds more 'neat' factor!

My 'mountains' are going to end up looking like the badlands around here in eastern Montana, where my freelanced road runs. Mostly sandstone and layers of coal, gumbo, clay etc...

[badlandnp]

So today was an actual day of mostly playing on the layout Ran a second leg of buss wires up the left leg of the layout and a second throttle cable. Mounted three throttle holders, and tested that stuff. Now to drop more feeders...
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And I spent time getting the section gang up to speed putting in the switch machines. Colored and weathered the ties, drilling holes just right, soldering wires etc.....and still got 5 of them installed and functional with only final wiring to the buss wires to go.
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[badlandnp]

I made time this morning to work on these flat cars. They are a 38 ft from Fine N scale. I used a 905 coupler set on them and arch bar trucks by MT.
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There is a 40 foot Red Caboose flat here for comparison.
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And then the decks got weathered, drybrush method.
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And in service on the layout. Also have a 26 foot in there for comparison, which also has 905's on it.
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And the rest of the day was work, work, work....so I can afford to play NPBH this winter!

[badlandnp]

Last night (Friday) and this afternoon I actually made a n hour to work on a boxcar. The MOW crew is in need of a tool/drinking water car. So, they requisitioned a stray old box and hope that the management won't notice. By old, they do mean OLD.
First it needed new couplers. A set of 905's was acquired.
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New grab irons to the roof get added to comply with the AAR rules of 1913. A bit of stressing of the wood siding and some 'chipping' of the bottom edges of the boards may be seen as well.
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Some siderails for getting into the open door and a potable water tank up on the roof.
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MAybe I will even get time to do more tomorrow.....

[badlandnp]

So, I had to make a decision on NPBH official MOW colors. After some thinking, (OUCH!! That hurts!) I came up with this color scheme.
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A bridge that I picked up last spring also recieved some attention today. It began as a Kato thing. The unitrack and mounting bosses got removed so ME55 bridge track can get installed. A walkway on one side and a fire barrel platform.
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A second coat of paint went on the MOW painters car and I will pick up a can of flat black tomorrow and the bridge will get color.

[badlandnp]

And it looks much better in black...
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[badlandnp]

I had time this weekend to do a little freight car work. So, two of the gons I got from forum member Allen H got a bit of work. The turqoise one is now brown and in prep for lettering into CNW colors. Cu t the couplers off the trucks and body-mounted them, also lowering the ride height about a 1/16", which makes a lot of difference in appearance. Lots of weathering went on and even some leftover load debris in one gondola.
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[Carolina Northern]

Looks good. Want to do some of mine?

Don

[badlandnp]

Don - If I had an extra day every week, I would schedule in time to do your cars, brother! It is fun and quick.

Put up a video of some of the freshly aged rolling stock, including a couple from Allen H.



And just for him and Moose, photo proof that the aqua car is now brown!

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[Allen H.]

Those look good Man! Brown is much more fitting!