diegodebunder Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Hello, some of you may remember my layout Chipauquil version 1 back on the old RMWeb forum. (http://www.rmweb.co....hp?f=67&t=31097). So now I present you an update on what happened since september 2009 when the old forum went kaput. If you recall my last messages from the old forum, i mentioned that my main supplier of bogies and parts suddenly became unobtainable. Add to this a new job with 12hour shifts alternating one week day and one week night also meant more money but very little time for modelling. This new situation troubled me for some time and I made numerous experiments trying to find an alternate (and reliable) source of parts to continue with the project. At one point all work was halted to evaluate the alternatives and it was in july 2010 that I decided to lift tracks and start over but using 16,5mm gauge this time . The new layout was built on the same baseboards and track plan, track used is Atlas code 100 flex track with #4 switches from the same manufacturer, wich turned out to be a mistake. The quality of the Atlas turnouts is not what should be expected from a company with such renown. I had to fix many glitches, misaligned parts and plain out of gauge frogs in all but one of the turnouts.... it took more tuning work than the broad gauge hand laid turnouts!!! Lesson learned: it's gonna be Peco from now on. The Mk2 layout at an early wiring stage: For the first time I tried solenoid turnout control using atlas' undertable machines. The instructions provided are clear and I had no trouble there. I also chose to try Kadee couplers and sprung bogies from the same brand... really cool The Cockerill locomotive I was building got an axle bent during the re regauging and started to bounce side to side like a camel... so a spare truck was needed, but as I mentioned before, Frateschi is now unobtainable so I had to purchase an entire loco second hand at a price more likely of a Proto 2000 with sound than something in the quality range of Tyco. The first official train on the new layout ran on september 24th 2010 and I e-mailed an invitation to all my fellow argentinean prototype modellers mimicking the style used by 1910 when the original line was inaugurated ( the railway line was one of many endeavours built by the argentinean government to conmemorate the centenary of the country).. so in some way i built a model of the centenary railway for the bicentenary. Inaugural train departing from Chipauquil: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 After the official inauguration work turned to the scenic front, aplying real dirt sifted and painted with diluted acrilyc paints to match photos of the area, also added some bushes and small weeds using woodland scenics products. And the layout started to look more alive: Early in march 2011 I contacted Enrique Rauzy who built me a series of 5 wooden coaches originally built by the FC Sud at Remedios de Escalada shops and wich ran on this line until the late 1970's in a train named "Lagos del Sur" (southern lakes). I only needed 3 cars at most: Postal van, 1st class and 2nd class; but i chose to commision also the restaurant and sleeping coaches, should i some day have room for modelling the entire train. The five cars plus Cockerill locomotive measures up to 1,80m (or 6 ft). A mixed train entering Chipauquil: Later I received notice that Wiking would be releasing a series of the IAME Pampa, a copy of the German farm tractor Lanz Bulldog built without licence in Argentina during the Peronist regime... those tractors gave origin to several myths and legends and constitute a symbol of the erratic political history of the country... so I couldn't let this chance to pass and put an advanced reservation at Walthers and about a month later I had my Pampa tractor lying at my house's front garden (seems that my local postman finds the grass more suitable for correspondence than the mail box located next to the front door!!!). IAME Pampa by Wiking: The Pampa is not the only classic argentinean vehicle, there's also a IKA Estanciera (those outside Argentina will find the name Jeep Wagoneer more familiar) IKA stands for Industrias Kaiser Argentina (Kaiser Industries of Argentina). Kaiser was a car maker from the USA who found himself after WWII competing with industry giants as Ford or GM so he had to find a new market, so came here and started producing a number of USA vehicles under license, like the Wagoneer/Estanciera. Also in the picture is a Mercedes Benz 200 wich was also produced in Argentina at the local Mercedes plant but this car is outside the time frame of the layout so please ignore it!!! The deserted look typical of argentinean railway stations: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 There has been some progress since the last pictures were taken, the platform has brick walls and the edge is marked with concrete slabs, the surface is dirt and even has some hedgegrows that follows the line of the lamps. Right now the layout needs a clean up desperately, as we have a volcano covering us with ash every time wind blows from the north west, since last june when it started erupting. Regards Diego De Bunder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Diego, Great to hear from you again, and version 2 is looking good Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neil Posted January 23, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 23, 2012 Good to hear that model making has resumed and to see how well the layout has shaped up. The scenery looks splendid, I particularly like the photo with the Wagoneer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 Thanks guys, everything is a "work in progress" right now. I have plans to expand the layout into a U shape and include a branch to a quarry worked by a small 0-6-0 or 2-6-2 tank engine. The wagoneer is a model from the spanish company EKO, it needs longer axles and some detailing work, but there are a number of other projects with higher priorities!! It's painted like the illustration on the cover of the real IKA Estanciera owner's manual. Regards Diego De Bunder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor quinn Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Hi Diego, Great to hear from you and see the progress on Chapaqil and the Cockerill loco. It all looks superb. All the best Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thanks Nick, you may find interesting that the Cockerill 2R616 is in fact the belgian younger sister of the Baldwin RF16 Sharknose... no matter how different they look on the outside. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 I just noticed that all the pictures I posted show the locomotive with an unpainted part on the front, that's because i couldn't get the curve on the white line ok. It took me several attempts, each one requiring sanding, and 3 or 4 layers of yellow paint. But finally I got it right Here is a picture taken with my brother's camera using a telephoto lens, which gives an odd effect: I still have to add diagonal yellow stripes on the pilot. I have water transfer decals to do this, but as it's a complex curved surface I'm not confident on the outcome. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor quinn Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thanks Nick, you may find interesting that the Cockerill 2R616 is in fact the belgian younger sister of the Baldwin RF16 Sharknose... no matter how different they look on the outside. Am I right in thinking that Cockerill held the European licence to built Baldwin products? I've checked Cockerill Mechanical Industries' website and Wiki but can't confirm it. Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Am I right in thinking that Cockerill held the European licence to built Baldwin products? I've checked Cockerill Mechanical Industries' website and Wiki but can't confirm it. Nick That's right Nick, when the argentinean railway company contacted Baldwin asking for 50 more RF-616 locomotives, they said "we no longer make locos" and after 3 years of talks Baldwin handled them to Cockerill. To tell the truth, Cockerill only made the diesel engines, electrical equipment was provided by Westinghouse and the bodywork and final assembly was made by La Brugeoise et Nivelles. Here is a Youtube video showing both Baldwins and Cockerills early in 1989 at the end of their careers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIWLJcet4VU This is how I knew this locomotives, oil, dirt and rust all over but fascinating anyway. By that time they only ran freight trains or some small local passenger services Regards Diego De Bunder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
signalmaintainer Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Good to see you on the forum again, Diego! And Chipauquil 2.0 is looking quite nice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 Thanks Paul, I followed the link in your siganture, very nice work... I thought Cumbria was Cymru badly written but Wikipedia enlightened me on that . Regards Diego De Bunder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted January 29, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 29, 2012 Good to see you're back, Diego - I much liked your layout on Old RMweb and am glad you chose to continue with it, given the difficulties you described. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 Thanks 1216 025! I've just started to work on a Ransome and Rapier 60 ft turntable for Chipauquil, but when I was just cutting the first styrene piece, I dropped my mechanical pencil to the floor and broke the tip. So I had to halt work for the night I'm also waiting for the next ship from Liverpool to deliver a Jouef 0-6-0 tank locomotive that will serve as the basis for the Quarry branch's shunter. Along with the loco come two Gaugemaster hand held controllers and a couple of CJ Freezer classic books. On the local front I'm also expecting a 1960's R.I.T.O. (Argentinean Railways rules book) along with it's apendix for the FC Gral Roca that I purchased from an antique shop in Olavarria. Regards Diego De Bunder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted February 1, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1, 2012 Good to see you back again. Thank you for posting about the progress since 2009, was it really that long ago!? Very best wishes Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 Yes Tony, I must be the slowest layout builder in the history of railway modelling!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted February 4, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 4, 2012 At least you are building to begin with...unlike me... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 At least you are building to begin with...unlike me... I think the secret lies in having a permanent workbench (mine is a piece of MDF resting on brackets under the layout) and to keep it in order, so you can resume work when ever you feel the mood. I've noticed that having to install all the required materials on the kitchen table and having to remove everything before dinner, quickly drains your momentum. Regards Diego Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 Yesterday I've received the Jouef 0-6-0 shunter along with the hand held controllers. I'm really pleased with the performance of the little loco, I coupled her with 5 wagons (the only ones still having NEM couplers) and she pulled them without problems and at a nice slow speed, just what I needed for the quarry branch. I didn't have the chance to test the Gaugemaster controllers as my soldering iron is not at home. I've also received the rule books, so everything is working out just fine!!! Regards Diego De Bunder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 Ok my friends, I think it's time for an update. I've started working on a Brake Van, it's a Ferrocarril Sud (FCS) Class 17 also known as Series Z4 during FC Roca times. This units weighted over 60.000 kilos and had four vacuum brake cylinders, and were a common sight on the lines to Bariloche and Zapala because of the steep grades found in the area. I have yet to find a picture of any of this series of vehicles before the rebuilding that took place during the late 1960's. Anyway, just like the prototype, mine has a steel weight all over the platform. Also in the rolling stock department, i'm finishing a A-11 series low side wagon built by Leeds Forge and Metropolitan Carriage Wagon & Finance Co Ltd (500 units each). By 1965 most of this units were either out of service or rebuilt as tank cars, so my unit will require extensive weathering in order to represent a vehicle in it's final days. Moving to the scenic department, some hedgerow have appeared at Chipauquil's platform, and the platform itself has gained a brick edge with concrete slabs at the top. I've mentioned before that a turntable is under construction, not much progress on this project, that will require widening of the baseboards by 15cm. At the moment the only action taken has been the relocation of the bar (it's something like a pub without the bedrooms for rent) to the lower side of the road crossing. I'll have to include a lot more detail in this location so close to the edge... or solve everything with some dirty curtains. Enjoy Diego De Bunder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
diegodebunder Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Hello, last night i've made more progress with the Z4 brake van. Tonight I hope to finish the van's cabin and start work on the platform. Regards Diego De Bunder Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Your work is very good. Your stock reminds me of our trip to Puerto Montt in Chile. I am in North Brazil. I still model British railways. But I am being tempted to do something South American. Keep up the good work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 It's great to see something different again! Thanks Diego. N15class - Are you the Peter Cross from Shenfield who played guitar with T2??? Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N15class Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Sorry I am not. Musically I would not know which end of the guitar to blow into. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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