AlfaZagato

So I'll just say it, having no photo-editing to hand, that now we need the Class 210 bi-mode.

Seems like a good use for the Garratt roads at Toton.

I, admittedly, was trying to be funny. Still, yeah, 'standardization' is a false promise with machinery as large as locomotives.

So, everyone in this hobby?

Even less modelling this week. Spent Saturday night at a friends up in McHenry, didn't end up home until 3-ish Sunday afternoon. I was out Friday, Tuesday and Wednesday, as well. Still, I managed to finish assembling the Infinity army I had picked up. Obviously, the lot needs paint, but that won't be started until I get weather to spray. Even then, other than this being on my bench, this is sort-of a lower priority to other projects. Have fun with the pics!

I think the problem with LNER tanks RTR in N, is N is still keeping to relatively well-known prototypes. Other than the Austerities, none of the LNER tanks stand out like a Pannier, Terrier or Jinty. Except, maybe, the J70/Y6 pair, which have limited scope for prototypical use, being limited to, what, two lines? I'm admittedly not invested into LNER, but I really only know about the J70, and even then because of Toby.

That hut looks more comfortable than the ex-Chicago & West Towns shelter at the Illinois Railway Museum.

Good question. I've heard rumor, maybe posted much earlier in this thread, that there were talks of electrifying parts of the GWR before the war. GWR had also ordered two gas-turbines before nationalization. What diesel they did have were a handful of switchers, mostly diesel-electric, and the railcars, being diesel-mechanical. I'd like to know where BR(W) got the bug for the hydraulics.

Gibbo, is that one of those giant spider-crabs?

I politely counter with GWR Centenaries, or the SR in general. SR's few specials I'm aware of were either in the then-prevailing coach livery, or were operated by an outside service, such as Pullman or CiWS. The GWR Super Saloons and Centenaries were in the same colors as the rest of the fleet. Even the bullion van was C&C. Still, the thought of Crimson Lake in the west, or even Indian Red could be appealing. Such a path may engender comments of LMS-influence, though. Beyond my ignorance of the PLM locomotives, almost my exact idea. I wonder if dimensions of the Sulzer motors are available; if those motors are small enough for the GWR loading gauge, that would be a good line on making this idea more plausible. I wouldn't put it past the GWR to chase the power war with diesel, and they had worked with France before, though that was between Churchward and de Glehn.

Do you think, should nationalization not happened, would GWR have introduced something akin to the Blue Pullman of their own accord? Lightweight Centenaries, fitted with pressure ventilation, and a streamlined diesel to suit? Would said streamlined diesel follow normal loco practice in lined green, or would it be C&C as the railcars? I might try to model something like this, if I could pick up the Hornby Centenaries cheap.

The electrics you posted most recently, in blue.

I apologize for the ignorance, but what are the prototypes you're chasing? Or are these freelance?

Holding to my word, where is your weekly update. I have done jack all this week. We got more snow on Tuesday. Tuesday night is also when I need to bring the garbage to the alley for collection Wednesday morning. I handled such chores, and ****ed-off and watched some anime. Monday, though, did bring some progress. Firstly, minor tinkering with the VW. My first attempt at gluing the hubcaps to the wheels failed, so I cleared more chrome plating from the caps, and tried glue at a different spot. Seems to have worked the second time. I'm calling the chassis complete. Now, I pend good weather for painting. I am always waiting on good weather. Damn Chicagoland. Secondly, the army for Infinity is coming along with no real issues. Two more infantry, I believe grunts of some sort. Tonight brought a start to the motorcyclist that comes with the force. I, admittedly, had to seek guidance on this one. One of the parts included made no sense to me. I've used epoxy for the bike, so I won't have an image until next week. Lastly, I've finished another Gundam kit. Ban-Dai's Master Grade 1/100 GM Sniper II. Fun, awesome kit. Snap-fit and precolored don't give these kits credit. The MG kits are effectively build-your-own action figures. You can get in-depth finishing one out to a higher standard still, but I build such things as breaks from cement fumes and brush cleaner. Tune in next week, kids.

Looks akin to an American grain hopper. With a 20.5 ton axle loading, would be even more like an American hopper.

I questioned the final x0.85, then multiplying by 1.5 for the three-cylinders, but if we're that high, I can't say.

Someone should double-check, but I came up with 40162.5lbs. for tractive effort with Black Five drivers.

Send one of the Rapido models to me in Chicago and I'll do it.

As I've mentioned in Dogtown & Points West, non-railway projects are up in my queue. I decided to create a second blog, in case some readers care not for anything that doesn't move on its own. I participate in some table-top wargaming. One game that I've always been interested in is Infinity: the Game. Infinity is produced by a Spanish outfit by name of Corvus Belli. The rules are...different from many of the other popular games. For starters, you roll 20-sided dice, instead of the more common six-sided dice. Additionally, you have the ability to react to your opponent's moves more closely to real-time. If a model would leave cover and cross another model's line-of-sight, the second model can engage the first then and there, instead of waiting for the first model's turn to come around again. Not actually as complicated as it sounds, and rather fun once you get rolling. The models are absolutely beautiful. Corvus Belli's whitemetal molding is the finest I've had the pleasure of seeing in person. Below are the two I've managed to build from the army box I've purchased. They go together well, too. Nice, large, square locating tabs, and well-engineered surfaces; I've also pulled out my half-finished Tamiya VW Beetle. This is a very long-running project; I started at least in 2007, though it has never been a front-running project. I'd ask the reader to forgive the atrocious paintwork; thankfully, most of this will be invisible once the body is painted and the model on the shelf. Right now, I am working directly on some minor detail work that I know will bog me down if I wait until the body is painted. Which won't happen until these 20 degree (I believe that would be below 0 C?) days cease. Not my only project waiting for the end of Chicago's madhouse winters; Finally for the evening, I had spent about a week tinkering with an old Novo Miles Magister bagged kit I had received as a raffle prize at a model show. For a vintage, el cheapo kit, it went together relatively well. And had separate flaps and elevators. Luxury to me that is; Thanks for reading. I'll try to update this at least weekly. Any quiet week will likely signify my greatest enemy; snow.

Don't rein it in. You should try Mallett-ing or Meyer-ing one next.

Baffling can go either way, and most locomotive tanks are relatively narrow against their length.

Both are looking good. Now you need enough bauxite wagons to warrant the Garratt.

Reading other threads, Hatton's decoders have a poor reputation.

I figured this would be too dear for a builder.

Has anyone looked at using the chassis for other projects? As far as I am aware, this is the first outside-framed Prairie on 9mm track RTR, which has decent potential for use as a donor.