warbonnetuk

Mech Models stock Badger Accuflex (acrylic) railroad paints while N Scale American Trains stock Tru Color (lacquer) railroad paints. In both cases if the colour isnt listed on their website they can order it in. Both ranges are v thin out of the bottle so as to be ready to airbrush. Model Railroad Hobbyist on-line magazine did a free guide a while back when Pollyscale paint was discontinued using the likes of Vallejo and Tamiya to get matches to the Pollyscale range. Their "recipe" for Warbonnet colours was: Santa Fe Red: 2pts Vallejo Model Air 71.003 to 1 pt Vallejo Model Air 71.102 Santa Fe Yellow: Vallejo Model Air 71.002 NB: Santa Fe Yellow and BNSF Yellow are not the same colour! For silver, from memory the Athearn colour is quite light so some sort of aluminium colour would be close. The main issue in matching paint is, and you may have found this already, line 3 locos up in the same scheme from say, Atlas, Genesis and Scaletrains and they will all be different shades so if you are after an exact match it might be a case of getting a mid-yellow, mid-red, orange and white and mix your own. Cheers Dan

Hi Not sure of it would be helpful but could I point you in the direction of the thread for my old layout 'Hacienda Avenue' While a lot smaller that your project the prototype information at the start of the thread might give you some more ideas on operations and track formations esp as the prototype location used ex-BN and Santa Fe cabooses to shove down what was effectively a v long siding that is the Kimberley Sub. If you are in the market for an accurate Santa Fe caboose the Athearn Genesis ICC caboose is a excellent model (I had to go down the brasss route) Cheers Dan

If you are happy airbrushing lacquers then N Scale American Trains stock Tru-Color paints. Although their on-hand stock are limited they are happy to order any colour from the range if you are happy to wait a couple of weeks. No connection other than being a satified customer of said shop and user of said paint product https://www.nscaleamericantrains.co.uk/en/337_tru-color-paint Dan

Neil No, the trailers arent out yet but vlaky.cz is advertizing it, presumably for pre-order. https://www.itvlaky.cz/vozy/h0-pripojny-vuz-btax780/ A while back on the Czech Modelling thread the below decal supplier was mentioned - would provide some options for other trailer types other than the Btax type (https://obtisky-marfdknl.webnode.cz/?collection=osobni-vozy) Dan

Hi Alan Any update on said decals? Dan

Thanks Neil. Have to admit I assumed (always dangerous!) that there would be a space for a speaker so was suprised when I got the MTB model apart to find that there wasnt really any space anywhere as supplied. The cast block is heavy enough that even with the bit of it removed it should have no trouble pulling a couple of 010 trailers, which I must look to get a pre-order in on. I found Roco's choice of paint schemes a little odd but reading some Facebook threads recently Czech modellers apparently really like the Epoch IV CSD era stuff so shows what I know! Just need to keep working on Ian to pre-order the HO version of the Class 714 Cheers Dan

Thanks John. Hope you and yours are well. Would love to go back myself once all this Covid business is over. Cheers Dan

With the roof rust done the last bits to be done were to add a pin wash around the roof details using an AK dark brown panel line wash with the excess cleaned up once dried with a small brush and cottonbuds togther with a little AK thinners. One point I did remember from my various trips on these units was the wood effect formica interiors so in a very crude attempt to relicate this, using a 4mm flat brush I painted the buff-coloured cab wall and toilet compartment a mix of raw sienna with a touch of burnt sienna oil paints to get a kinda-wood grain effect as I'd seen this done in model aircraft mags to replicate vanished wood on WWI plane. Mine effort is definitley a first attempt but for me it passes the '3 foot' test for me. The other quick interior details was a crude version of the drivers window blinds. From photos these could either be maroon or buff so I raided my kids' craft box and came up with some maroon paper. This was cut to a v shallow wedge shape with a cut out to clear the headlights and glued in with a couple of spots of a 'sticky' non-drying glue. I also touched in the area behind each of the top headlights above each cab with Tamiya Semi Gloss black to match the prototype. The last bit of interior detail was to repaint the plastic seats from bare plastic red to something more close to the maroon vinyl used by CD; in this case Vallejo Model Colour 70926 Red. With the body reunited with the chassis all the recesses around doors, panels and the bufferbeam area got a coat of Flory Models 'Dark Dirt' clay wash. Once dry the excess was removed with almost-dry (with water) cotton buds using an top to bottom motion to create some subtle streaking. And that was that.... Last job will be to get a Zimo Plux22 chip loaded with an 810 sound set. Hope you like the final results.....

Another weathering feature I'd noted from my photo searches was the 'checkerboard' rust pattern on the roof of some vehicles (https://flic.kr/p/CVcDhp , https://flic.kr/p/vvQK7U). This pattern was something that Ian and myself has seen on CD Type Y coaches on many occasion and was something we'd discussed over a beer or two on show weekends (remember those folks?!?!?!) as to how to recreate it in model form. Having a think after playing with the weathering mask I thought I'd try the the same principle for the roof rust. After measuring the roof dimensions of the model, counting the rust blocks on the prototype photos and decided on a 2mm gap between blocks I drew out a trial grid on paper. Once I was happy with the dimensions this was taped down over old blank OHP slide and the holes cut out with a scalpel - a Silouette cutter would be ideal for this job. As I wanted a soft effect, to hold the mask off the surface of the model if I was going to tape it down I added some strips of 2mm pin striping tape (blue lines in the photo) to provide some lift. Once complete the mask was applied to the model's roof and held with masking tape. Slightly thinned Mig Old Rust acrylic paint was then airbrushed lightly over random squares across the roof keeping as square on a possible to the model to create the desired 'soft' edges to each block. After allowing a few hours to add some variation to the rust tones I added some lighter / more orange rust pigments around the edges of some of the blocks. To do the more random rust above the cab I first stippled on some dark rust pigments followed but a couple a spots of rust coloured oils from a MIG Oilbrusher. Once the oils had started to lose its shine I stippled it gently with a small brush damp with thinners to get a less even effect

The next area to addess was the roof. From my Flickr search it was clear that the mid-grey roof colour as supplied soon bleached out to a lighter shade. My original plan was to simply overcoat the roof and then apply a wash to bring out the roof detail and then some soot around the exhaust pipe but I then decided to have a play with a AK weathering mask I'd purchased a while back. After masking up the sides and ends with Tamiya masking tape the roof was airbrushed with a base coat of a mix of Tamiya XF-83 with a touch of XF-77. While drying to touch the paint mix got a bit more XF83 to lighten it to create a subtle contrast to the base colour plus a dribble of Gunze Mr Colour Self Levelling Thinners. Holding the mask about 5mm parallel above the model to get a 'soft' outline and using the smaller holes the lighter grey was lightly sprayed in random patches. After a bit of swearing and retouches where I was either too heavy on the paint or held the mask too close I ended up with nice randomly mottled roof.

So with the hard graft out of the way it was time for the fun stuff and getting the out fresh-out-of-works grubby. First up was the underframe and running gear. The model comes with the suspension and battery boxes in a light grey which may have been the case out of works but from my photos and a search on Flickr certainly wasnt the case after years of service. After masking the wheel treads the whole chassis was airbrushed Tamiya XF-69 Nato Black as a base. Once dry a further batch of Nato Black was mixed with some Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown to create a dark brown / black and then thinned before airbrushing lightly across the more recessed areas of the underframe. To add some variety the black / brown mix was lightened with a bit more Red Brown and this was airbrushed onto the more prominant areas like the suspension units. After setting aside overnight to dry fully a wash was applied to the raised detail using AK Engine Grime while the axleboxes and suspension springs got a wash of AK Interactive Air Shafts and Bearings Grease. Final touches was a dusting of MIG Dark Mud and Europe Dust pigments across the raised edges of battery boxes etc as well as the buffers shanks and footsteps.

Final stage of the speaker install was locating the bit of kit itself. My initial plan was to go with my normal choice of a cut-down iPhone 4 speaker but comparing it to the space available the round speaker bit at the end wouldnt fit under the circuitboard internal 'roof'. Digging in my stash of speakers a YouChoos 'Brick 11' fitted nicely so problem solved. Another happy accident was that the redundant screw hole from cutting the weigh back was ideal for routing the speaker wiring up to the speaker wiring pads (just below the Plux22 scocket on the picture).

Well when this situation is all over I'm looking forward to running it on Dobris. Comes with NEM pocket so will be sticking on Kadees. See that MTB are doing the trailers so will be looking to pre-order one.

After having a good look at the model and giving it a test run the next order was to install a speaker as a prelude to a DCC install and then some weathering. While MTB provided wiring contact spots on the DCC circuit board there was no dedicated space to put a speaker that wouldnt be visible through the windows. The option I went for was to modify the weight block by cutting off what would have been the toilet compartment in the prototype and when creating a hollow space plasticard compartment walls. Once installed the whole piece was painted Tamiya Buff to match the floor material used on the prototype

Some of my favorite memories of travelling by train in the Czech Republic was riding in Class 810 railbuses and their various trailers along all manner of routes so I always wanted a model version. Initially this was in TT scale as part of construction "Smirzovka" together with fellow CD traveller Ian Lampkin. With Ian building 'Dobris' I'd hankered after an HO version but budget and availability put pay to that until last year Roco and MTB both announced factory produced 810 / M152's. As the MTB run included the classic CD Maroon / Cream version that I rode on I pre-order this scheme via a German dealer. Despite a fortnights' delay with shipping due the recent Covid border closure it arrived last week. Out of the box the model was well decorated and supplied with a pack of addition detail for air pipes, wipers, radio antenna, coupling hooks and footsteps. The chassis / running gear is a plastic underframe holding the motor which drives both axles with a solid metal block provides ample weight and stiffness. My model was DCC Ready via a Plux22 socket.

A very informative read. Picked mine up late last week on my local McColl's (Horley, Surrey) and they had another half dozen copies

I got mine from N Scale Amercian Trains. https://www.nscaleamericantrains.co.uk/en/337_tru-color-paint Model Railway Solutions were supposed to be stocking a fuller range but the last I saw the order had been placed but Tru Color hadnt dispatched so a phone call may yield an update

I've ordered some via Caboose Hobbies in the US in the past but the shipping was expensive back then so I dread to think of what it would be now. Dan

Happy to be corrected but Minuteman who produce Scalecoat seem to have an active website and were doing offers as part of the NMRA Vitual National Convention. https://www.minutemanscalemodels.com/category-s/146.htm I've recently managed to get hold of some Tru Color via a dealer in the UK and am sufficiently impressed that I've ordered a load more. https://trucolorpaint.com/products/ Also forgot about Rapido's paint range which is acrylic but mainly covers Canadian and N.E. US roads https://rapidotrains.com/products/parts-accessories/protopaint/rapido-protopaint

Railmatch do a pretty wide range of acrylic railway colours. Lifecolor also do a limited set of BR railway colours

Scalecoat I or II and Tru-Color??? Admittedly they are both lacquer based

A method I've used on tampo printed details inc one of the latest batch on Bachmann Class 40 is using Microscale Microsol decal fluid. First cut a piece of kitchen roll covering the item you want to remove. Using a clean paint brush soak the towel till it goes translucent. Leave the towel in place for around 5-8 mins adding more Microsol to keep the towel wet. After a while lift the towel and try giving the lettering etc a gentle rub with a cocktail stick. If it doest move replace the towel and give it soak for a little longer

I remeber seeing on Shapeways some guy in the US that was trying to develop a series of adaptors for Bemo stock to take Kadees but nothing happened with them for years so I gave up waiting and went with uncoupling ramps and servo motors

Faller have recently re-released the old HO Pola kit of a Engadine style RhB station, this time in the guise of Ardez. I used an old Pola version on Santa Maria and it goes together very easily. https://www.faller.de/gb/en/Products/Product-archive/Track-HO/Railway-stations-Railway-buildings/Railway-stations/Ardez-Station-sid3898.html Also just released is a RhB electrical switch gear tower, one of which I now have one to add to Santa Maria. https://www.faller.de/gb/en/Products/Track-gauges/H0-selection/Railway-stations-railway-buildings/Signal-towers-railway-lodges/pid.14.17.89/agid.1127.1200.1226/atid.28365/ecm.at/Ardez-Switchgear-house.html An also building a Kibri #48815 Haus Parsenn in Davos chalet which is a good match to more modern Swiss houses Dan

Well.....where to start. As a beginner I'd suggest having a look at Trains magazine (either digital or bigger WH Smiths) and the publishers' (Kalmbach) website as it covers a lot of subjects. Kalmbach also do a wide range of books that cover a lot of basics and can be found secondhand on-line. Time period and paint schemes can be a bit tricky as locos and rolling stock can goes for decades without painting so its worth checking online for dates. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/ is a personal favourite but there others including stuff on general hosting sites e.g. Flikr Boxcars def arent dead but single car load traffic is contracting. Check out the webcams on Virtual Railfan for the variety of cars used in mixed general freight trains For caboose use it depends on the railroad / way but generally they went out of common use in mid 80's. They are still used for local switching (shunting) work where the train needs to be propelled any distance. Prob creates more questions that answers but hope this helps