[timmuir]

I'm finding th North Arkansas a fitting route to play and test.

Jon Davis's beta NP S-4 Ten-wheeler #1381 looks right at home here. We find her arriving in Walden to make a few set-outs.


Hope Andre doesn't mind the northerners visiting the folks down his way!

[Coonskin]

"Hope Andre doesn't mind the northerners visiting the folks down his way!"

Not in the least! LOVE the stuff in those pics! Jon's engine and those cars/caboose are really nice!

Envious of your vid card, too!

Andre

[timmuir]

Jon's engine is sweet to be sure. I haven't heard from him in a coon's age, which is the way with him..... the guy is busy with so many other irons in the fire.

The caboose is something I started for Steve's Moclips route. One of many items on the back-burners. Someday..... :rolleyes:

[century242]

Nice looking caboose TIm

[timmuir]

Thanks, Erik. Here's the run-down on the car as of today:

I've pickde it up again, getting it real close to being done. Steve and I are discussing the options. It seems the NP didn't use kerosene markers during daylight hours, but used colored "paddles" instead, red facing the rear, and green facing forward. I'm considering building alternate shape files to be added using the FreightAnim line trick. One would be for daylight runs, the other would be for evening and night runs, with a pair of oil markers in place.

This car is poly-intensive. But it is intended for short trains on the Moclips branch, a Norther Pacific route that is under construction by Steve (SVRY) Thompson. It has no interior this time, as attention to outside appearance is given top priority. Two 1024x1024 aces for the carbody, plus numerous smaller aces for the details. An interior may be made available in the future, and added to the FreightAnim shapes mentioned above. I wanted to add even more detail, but I had to draw the line, at where she stands now. Some may removed and added to the FtAnm shapes.

I also hope to build the pre-1950's version, with original curved platform railings. These were only 27" high and well below the tipping height for workers, and many an employee was tossed over the end by run-outs and jack-rabbit starts. This version will have "Northern Pacific" spelled out along the letterboards, and no monad (the NP emblem).

If it gets uploaded, it will be for Elvas members only. :rolleyes:

[SVRy_Steve]

Having ridden many miles in these, from the time I was 3 or 4 (1954), until after the NP/GN/CB&Q merger, I can attest to the beauty and accuracy of the model! I feel like I've stepped back in time!

It goes by in the 4 view (centered on the caboose) and I can feel my arms pulling out of their sockets. I worked on the RR for a while, and had lots of training from dad, so this wasn't totally stupid; I caught the train coming down the So. Tacoma Hill (Prarie Line) one lunch break, from where I was working, next to the tracks.

They were coming pretty fast, and I thought twice before grabbing on and swinging up to surprise dad, the conductor. He figured they were doing about 20 mph. I've heard of guys that could get on at 23 -25, but I don't see how!

Absolutely great model, many thanks Tim!

[timmuir]

Glad you like the caboose, Steve. That's a great testament - arms pulled out of sockets and everything! ;)

I remembered I have Jeff Rice's beautiful NP repaints of 3DTrains F-7's, and wondered how 1738 looked on a caboose hop:

[timmuir]

More St.L & NA views. Around and at Freeman.