Sawmill Gets a Jack Slip

After all these years.....I finally added the Jack Slip to the sawmill. I have been working on the interior of the mill, trying to get the equipment lined up, and the chain drive figured out. Turns out I don't really need to in order to complete the jack slip. The Jack slip was a chain with cogs, that brought the logs into the mill. The side pieces are made up of laminated wood on its edge. Most had a walkway, etc.

I also managed to get the last part of the roof on. More details as time permits.

Box Car Aris'n

EBT 107 is nearing completion. Spending a little time here and there. Nice to have a project that can be done that way, as I do not have large blocks of time for modeling these days. All that's needed now is trucks, some air-brake piping and off to the paintshop! Trucks are in the mail so to speak. I'll update progress as we go....

EBT Boxcar Progress

Working a little each night on the boxcar. Slow as she goes but handrail details aren't that exciting.
 Evidently, the EBT had one of these with a steel underframe. Looking for some Vulcan trucks to go under it. Looks like B.T.S has some and so does CB&T Shops. Might give'em a try.

Deer Creek Mixed

The Deer Creek Mixed had a busy day hauling some box cars out to the extract plant today. The run included picking up a load at Collins. Loads back to Laurel Jct. included a broken donkey engine, loaded extract cars and a loaded tank full of extract. Business is good despite the downturn in the lumber industry.

The shops have been working on an EBT boxcar, getting it ready for the Deer Creek. Slow but steady progress.

Time without Trains

Ran the first train since April. Wow, what a long spell. Too much work and not enough play!

 

Deer Creek and Laurel Mixed Heads North

 The "mixed" comes back into Deer Creek after descending from Collins.

Started a box car kit that was recently sent via one of my father's friends. He's no longer in On3, seems like On3 is getting smaller each year. Still my scale and gauge of choice!

Been a long time since I sat at the workbench. Box cars are relatively easy and this one doesn't have truss rods (EB&T steel underframe), which makes it even easier. Really fun to build these up. The trucks even have four springs per side. They are Portland Products, long gone, but EXCELLENT brass castings...

 Some steel plate epoxied in for weight

Nothing holding these together except the springs!!

On30 4-4-0 Nears Completion

This weekend I added some final touches to my modified Bachmann On30 4-4-0. I never liked the original model. Too modern, drivers too small for a 4-4-0, etc. After seeing an article in the On30 Annual, where two folks modified their 4-4-0's similarly, I decided to go for it. That and I could pick up a new one from the Favorite Spot on Ebay for less than $60.00.

Just like the article, I added a Banta Cab, PSC domes, stack, headlight, backup light. I added a new cowcatcher (Mount Blue, I think), raised the tender a bit (still looks low) and a TCS WOW decoder. WOW is right. 1. the engine runs much better, the Bachmann decoder was, well, junk. 2. the sound IS AWESOME. Sorry Soundtraxx, you've got some catching up to do..........



The photo is on Mike's On30 Maine based layout. It was a test run and a chance to check out his new switchlist set up. Till next time............

Back to the SHAY

Worked again on the shay this weekend. I managed to get it running, but rather poorly a while back. So, I took each truck apart, yet again, and un-soldered the truck bolster for each. I had been told to do so while originally assembling the truck by master shay builder "Killer" but over the multiple rebuilding of the trucks, they had ultimately gotten soldered. I also replaced the front trucks bevel gears as they too occationally gave me binding issues. Poorly made castings but no defects visible to the eye, even with magnification. Replaced with new castings, no problem. A pain in the rear to do all this work, yet again, but the shay is now up and running.

I worked a little on adding the sound decoder and some final details. Turns out PSC included four FRONT TRUCK GEAR COVERS! instead of two for the front and two for the back. I will have to order new ones to finish the engine. Still need to add some cab interior details, generator, check value and tubing then figure out lighting. Always more but a great feeling of accomplishment in getting the engine running.