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Bill Gill
Fireman
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 Posted - 09/25/2015 : 12:06:28 PM
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The tiny C&V RR could operate effectively and efficiently with just one locomotive. Over time it has acquired a few more from various sources. Having more than one engine helps explain why there are two passing tracks on the road and justify having DCC :)
No. 32 was the first caboose gifted to the railroad and it has served admirably even though bobbers are a bit dated in our general time frame. Strict prototype practice has been suspended in favor of efficiency (another short car can fit on the passing tracks for some trains) and general cuteness.
No. 32 is a Bachmann bobber and was the first piece of company equipment to get detailed a number of years ago. Now that another couple locos are on the roster, the need for more vans became acute. Toward that end two Mantua bobber shells were found. They fit well on top of two more Bachmann bobber undercarriages.
This thread covers a few of the the things done and upgraded details added before the two newcomers joined (actually "created") the fleet.
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Country: USA
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railman28
Fireman
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Posted - 09/25/2015 : 12:31:31 PM
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Thirty-two looks ow so good. The smoke Jack immediately caught my attention as it really looks good, as does the marker lights and replaced grab irons. But call the crew to the carpet over letting her remain so dirty.
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It's only make-believe
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Country: USA
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Bill Gill
Fireman
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Posted - 09/25/2015 : 12:34:37 PM
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Thanks Bob, 32 hardly ever got a chance to breathe when this shot was taken. Being the only van on the railroad meant it was almost always on the go :)
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Edited by - Bill Gill on 09/25/2015 12:35:27 PM |
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Country: USA
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Bill Gill
Fireman
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Posted - 09/25/2015 : 1:00:28 PM
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Because of the pressing need to get the new vans into service, this primer view was the first available shot taken of the two new bobbers in progress. Other than the initial spray can gray primer on the body and flat black on the underframe, all the rest of the painting was by brush.
At this point wire grabs were added and you can see differences since the original #32 went into service:
The Mantua running boards were removed and standoffs and new Evergreen strips added on each roof. That is the most noticeable improvement and really shows in low angle photos.
The end railings were formed from bronze wire (#32 used end rails from an old Silver Streak caboose).
Tichy brake staffs and wheels replaced the original Bachmann parts (#32 used odds and ends from the scrap box).
The end markers were not removed like they had been on #32, instead the cast on lanterns would be used as is. But brackets were added under the lanterns and at the other end of the caboose.
The mismatched, scrap box smoke jacks were set at the same height as #32, taller than on some railroads, but they clear the tunnel and the crew appreciates the gesture.
These two vans also have minimal K brake details added, but they are practically invisible, so not retro-fitted onto #32.
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Edited by - Bill Gill on 09/26/2015 08:13:28 AM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3199 |
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Frank Palmer
Fireman
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Posted - 09/25/2015 : 1:28:12 PM
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Ok Bill, I have a B’mann bobber also, so how’d you get those cast on grab irons off? With an Xacto chisel? I will be using a bobber also because when I did Wrecker’s I didn’t plan ahead and I’ve got a very short stub on the left side of the layout. I’ll be operating switcher type locos and short cars, trains of 2 or 3 cars. Is this any way to run a railroad? Talk about a revenue black hole.
Where are you getting the bronze wire from?
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6086 |
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Bill Gill
Fireman
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Posted - 09/25/2015 : 2:46:58 PM
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Hi, Frank. A few years ago I was given a set of very small stainless chisels from Micro-Mark. They were dull, but got sharpened with a ceramic sharpening rod followed by 6oo grit wet & dry paper. I like the chisels because the blades are narrow, some not much bigger than cast on grabs, and stiff. They don't cut a wide swath across the car and don't flex and dig in at ill opportune moments. There are different shaped blades which can help in some situations, but I mostly use a narrow straight and a narrow skewed blade. Micro-Mark also has a single, heavier bodied narrow chisel for removing cast on details. It is wider and thicker and doesn't fit my hand as well.
I have/do used/use #17 X-Acto chisel blades sometimes. The first trick another modeler told me was to round the corners on them so they don't dig in as easily when someone as klutzy as me uses them. I have narrowed the width of one or two of them on a neighbor's grinder, that helps a lot too.
The grabs are sliced off in several thin passes rather than a single cut.
After the cast-on detail was removed from the bobber shells, the missing spots of grooves in the siding got added with the back of a #11 blade that had a little of the tip snapped off to make the blade the width of the groove. I use a straight edge as a guide even for very short cuts. Cutting grooves is a big weak spot for me that is somewhat "disguised" in this project by modeling old, worn siding. There is a tool that is made to cut a clean groove rather than tear the styrene, but I haven't seen the results so don't know how well it works. After the grooves are cut, the area gets a gentle scraping with a sharp, wider (up to X-Acto 17) blade held perpendicular to the surface to smooth nicks and dings.
The phosphor bronze wire is from Tichy, available in several sizes. I like it because it bends cleanly and is stiffer than brass, so holds its shape much better. The wire gets lightly run across fine sandpaper and wiped with alcohol before painting. You can get it from a number of places and it is usually on sale.
The tiny C&V also runs switchers and short cars and bobbers exclusively, even after planning. Trains of 4 cars are stared at in awe by residents of the village :)
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Edited by - Bill Gill on 09/25/2015 2:50:14 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3199 |
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Ensign
Fireman
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Posted - 09/25/2015 : 4:04:56 PM
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Hi Bill, looks like your Bobber project is Bob, Bob, Bobbin' along quite well! 
Greg Shinnie
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Country: Canada
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Bernd
Fireman
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Posted - 09/25/2015 : 5:15:28 PM
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Bill,
Love those Bobbers. They look great. Amazing what a few added details can do for a plain Jane.
Bernd
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| New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3895 |
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Bill Gill
Fireman
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Posted - 09/25/2015 : 5:38:21 PM
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Thanks, Greg, do you think they ought to get painted like the red red robin?
Thanks, Bernd, yeah, sometimes little things can make it work. The idea will be to make them all look related, but still vary a bit to provide different photo options.
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Edited by - Bill Gill on 09/25/2015 5:38:59 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3199 |
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Frank Palmer
Fireman
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Posted - 09/25/2015 : 7:09:35 PM
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Bill, thanks for the tips.
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6086 |
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closetguy
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 09/25/2015 : 8:29:01 PM
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Hi All
A cabinet/furniture makers trick is too flip your chisels over. By keeping the tapered side down, you have better control on depth of cut. The tapered side down will ride flat against the surface and not dig in.
Mike M
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Country: USA
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Bill Gill
Fireman
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Posted - 09/25/2015 : 9:01:41 PM
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Mike, Yes, that's a good tip. Thanks I do that now all the time without even thinking about it, but sometimes the X-Acto chisels flex a little just when you least expect it and then dig in on the rebound. That's why I like the stiffer, narrower chisels.
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Edited by - Bill Gill on 09/25/2015 9:13:44 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3199 |
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Bill Gill
Fireman
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Posted - 09/26/2015 : 08:11:22 AM
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Here are a couple top views of the two vans. The smoke jacks are only a friction fit for the photo, removed to making painting easier.
The black was applied by brush. At this point I'm not worried about the sharp contrast between the gray and the black, this is an undercoat to work off of. The black wash was thin in some places, heavier in others and blotted and spread around with a paper towel.
After it dried, as an experiment, the darker areas on the roof on the left were lightly touched with fine sandpaper. That gave it the spotty look that was interesting.
The smooth Mantua roof on the left has gotten additional washes of brownish blacks in various mixes. It is now too dark. The running boards have been painted to test how the colors look together. Despite the big difference in appearance, I opted to leave the red planked roof on the finished Bachmann #32 as is for now.
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Edited by - Bill Gill on 09/26/2015 08:18:40 AM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3199 |
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closetguy
Fireman
Premium Member
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Posted - 09/26/2015 : 09:30:32 AM
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You are welcome. The bobbers look good.
Mike M
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Country: USA
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railman28
Fireman
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Posted - 09/26/2015 : 12:56:11 PM
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The bobbers are looking good. Both look good, but I like the smooth roof with painted roof walk better.
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It's only make-believe
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Country: USA
| Posts: 5695 |
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Bill Gill
Fireman
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Posted - 09/26/2015 : 1:33:02 PM
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Bob, me too, I like the smooth roof better, but for the time being #32's red roof will remain as is because if I sand it smooth, then ought to remove the cast on runningboards first and then... and then... The second Mantua/Bachmann hybrid also has a smooth roof that looks similar to the one in the photo.
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Edited by - Bill Gill on 09/26/2015 1:33:42 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 3199 |
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