Showing posts with label Models and Modeling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Models and Modeling. Show all posts

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Slider Modifications on Fleischmann BR94

Fortführung von / Continuation of Fleischmann BR94 aus 185101 set

(Ab Werk) Schleifer Befestigung bei der Fleischmann BR94. Der braune Plastik stöpsel wird in die plastic Bodenplatte geklipst. Dieser geringert die Bodenfreiheit um etwas 2+ Millimeter was zum hängenbleiben auf Entkupplungsgleisen und holpern über Weichen führt.


OEM attachment of the slider on the Fleischmann BR94. The brown plastic plug clips into the plate at the bottom of the engine. This reduces the ground clearance by a bit over 2 millimeters causing the engine to get hung up on decoupling tracks and bumping when going over some turnouts.


Der Stöpsel (1) wurde raus gezogen um den Schleifer zu entfernen, die Laschen (2) wurden gerade gebogen und dann abgetrennt, und die Platte (3) wurde entfernt. An die Platte (4) ist der Draht für die Stromaufnahme gelötet, ist aber sonst lose.

The plug (1) was pulled out to remove the slider, the bent over tabs (2) were trimmed off, and the plate (3) was removed. The power pickup wire is soldered to the plate (4), but this is not otherwise secured to the engine.

Der Schleifer wurde dann direkt an die Platte (4) gelötet. Die Platte (3) wurde nicht wieder verwendet. Die Platte (4) wurde dann mit Sekundenkleber auf die Bodenplatte geklebt.

The slider was then soldered directly to the plate (4). This assembly was then glued to the baseplate of the engine with CA adhesive. Plate (3) was not reused.


Der Schleifer liegt jetzt direkt auf der Bodenplatte der Lok.

The slider now sits directly on the baseplate of the engine.


Durch diesen Umbau bleibt die Lok nicht mehr auf den Entkupplungsgleisen hängen und durchfährt auch alle Weichen viel besser. Nur die 3-wegweiche verursacht noch glegentlich Schwierigkeiten, das aber nur beim links Abbiegen in Rückwärtsfahrt. Hier kann die Lok dann immernoch vom Gleis springen, aber wie im Video gezeigt geht es auch sanft durch.

The engine no longer hangs up on the uncoupler tracks and it makes it through the turnouts much more smoothly. The 3-way switch still causes occasional problems when forking to the left running backwards. Here it still jumps occasionally to derail, but as the video shows it can also go through smoothly.





Higher quality video here at YouTube.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Gliederzug (articulated train) of the DR

I recently acquired this Sachsenmodelle gliederzug set of the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) that was built starting in 1952 by the VEB Waggonbau Görlitz based on pre-war designs of the LBE. More info can also be found in the Wiki. The basic unit was a 4-car bi-level, designated DB13. The axle configuration was 2 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 2, total length 73 400 mm, whereby 2 cars shared a 3-axle bogie.


A two-car configuration, DB7, was also used particularly on branch lines.


While not "normal" 3-car units were occasional run if one of the cars was out of service.


In the 70s some were reconfigured to run in push-pull operation with the addition of control cabs. The model represents early era 3 before the 2nd and 3rd classes were combined (klassenreform). The car sets could also be found coupled into other consists with "normal" coaches as well.

While the BR 114 diesel in the pictures above post-dates the markings on the coaches, it needs to be understood that this is a "museum" consist owned by the VEB Waggonbau Görlitz and occasionally gets used in regular service. ;-)

To make the model work I replaced the original couplers with a 6574 Fleischmann close-coupling mechanism that is height adjustable and a 40396 Roco Universal coupler head. Installing these required cutting away some bits on the bottom of the end cars as well as an opening between the buffers so the mechanism could pivot. The bellows between the cars are made of paper and are in great shape. Wheels were swapped to 10.4 mm diameter Sachsenmodelle replacement AC wheelsets that brought the unit down to the proper height and really improved running and reliability through turnouts on my Märklin AC layout. The wheels were made by Bernd Thomschke (benno002-2) who sells all types of brass wheels and buffers via his eBay store at<http://stores.ebay.de/benno002-2> or direct at <http://www.modellbahn-radsatz.de>. From the US, the eBay store is easier. Very responsive vendor.

6574 Fleischmann

40396 Roco

In testing I tried just about every combination I had including some s-curves and tight turnout combinations in the main yard at increasing speeds and went through absolutely smoothly. Night and day difference in running - now completely reliable. It's a nice set, one I look forward to detailing, gently weathering, and most of all running.

Thanks to all the helpful people on the Drehscheibe Online, Railways of Germany, and WorldRailFans, and the Stummi fora.

In the video below a BR78 steam engine is pulling the consist.
For better quality video view it on YouTube.


Thursday, January 1, 2009

Running trains

Decided to take a break from the modeling activities of the past few days to actually run trains... Below are some videos, with more (and higher playback quality possible) on the Papphausen2 site at YouTube. Actually getting better at filming and editing, but it is very hard to hold a camera with one hand, and control the trains with the other, especially when there are turnouts and signals to be operated... Still good fun.

BR 151 electric pulling an express in hilly terrain.



While the BR 151 of the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) was designed to replace the BR 150 electric in heavy freight service such as unit trains carrying ore, coal, or tank cars, it occasionally saw service pulling passenger trains, especially in hilly country where its lower speed would not be a factor.

BR 10 of the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) with bi-level passenger coaches.




A BR 10 of the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB), the last heavy steam passenger engine built and one of only two, pulls a rake that includes early bi-level coaches. In 1950, the (DB) had a small batch of bi-level coaches built. The first were 22.5 meters long. A second batch that was made in 1951 were 26.4 meters long, the new UIC (International Union of Railways) standard coach length. Bi-level coaches were not something that was new in Germany with the first having been developed by the Lübeck-Büchener Eisenbahn (LBE) in the 1920s. These were used with tank engines outfitted for push-pull operation.

These new coaches were used to test the new high-speed Minden-Deutz bogies and rubber car end seals, with the second also being used to test new openable window constructions.

While bi-level coaches never took off with the DB, the DR in East Germany embraced them at about the same time, something which may have contributed to the non-adoption of the design in the West. Before and with reunification of the German railways in 1989, the DB began to purchase large numbers of modern bi-level coaches from the East, using them in local and regional service.

Below an advertising film of the DB introducing the new bi-level cars with lots of construction footage





Branchline action on my layout.




BR 132 Ludmilla of the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) pulling a freight.


Monday, December 29, 2008

The corner...

Also been working on this desolate corner that has been in need of attention for a l o n g time now. The "fachwerk" style firehouse in the corner will stay but low relief models of a more (post) industrial nature will flank it, also extending down the left side parallel to the track. Built a few facades out of card from scratch using patterned papers from Scalescenes as well as modified images from Jowi background image CD. The seams on the backdrop are individual panels that can be removed for easy access to the layout from the back. A must!

Above, the corner as it was...

The corner with low relief and flat structures added. A gasometer will be added off the left edge of the image once I do more with the scenery, i.e. trees and shrubs...

This old industrial structure is in the process of being transformed into an arts center, a sign of the ongoing "strukturwandel" in the region that sees heavy industries being replaced by service industries and other alternatives. Though made of card from a photographic image, there are about four layers to the structure giving a good deal of relief to it.

There will still be more tweaks over time...

Working on the railroad, again...

Attracted by the low price and fun challenge I recently purchased two of the Roco "Bromberg" type 4-axle boxcars of the DR. Not too many parts and no sanding, grinding, gluing required. Parts went together quickly and easily.



After putting together the kits, I knew they needed to be weathered, so started out with a wash of black india ink in alcohol. This was followed by applications of the Bragdon Enterprises powdered "chalks," the rust color of which was disolved in alcohol as well, making it penetrate into the springs and other bogie details. It was then finished off with dry applications of the "chalks."

Having finished the two Brombergs, I went at the pair of Brawa Gags boxcars (at back) a more modern type of 4-axle boxcars and the pair of tank cars. All in all a fun afternoon that has left me looking to do more. First, I place them on the layout and ran around for a while behind my BR 120 Taigatrommel of the DR.




Saturday, November 22, 2008

Fleischmann BR94 aus 185101 Set

Pictures and video of the H0 Fleischmann GBAG set 185101 with the BR94 for Märklin. Notice in the videos that the engine gets hung up on the uncoupler tracks. Also jumps slight through the X-turnout and gets thrown off the track in one direction only on the 3-way turnout. Engine is factory weathered with a reddish hue, the cars less so. Aside from hanging up, this is a nice set to have, the engine runs smoothly with a Märklinish sound coming from the gears. Engine was run analog as that is what I have. Bilder und Videos von einer Vorbeifahrt der H0Fleischmann GBAG 94er aus dem 185101 Wechselstromset. Auf meiner C-Gleis Anlage bleibt sie mit dem Schleifer auf Entkupplungsgleisen leicht hängen, humpelt durch die DKW, und schaft die 3-wegweiche nur in einer Richtung (wird richtig aus der Spur geschmissen - Hängt wohl mit dem Schleifer zusammen). Lok leicht in rostigem Ton gealtert, Wagen nicht so sehr. Abgesehen vom aufhängen und der 3-wegweiche fährt sie ganz schön im Analogbetrieb mit einem märklintypischen Sound von dem Getriebe. Digital nicht getestet. Im Ganzen ein schönes Set.
Weiter gehts bei / Continued in Slider Modifications On Fleischmann

Saturday, May 31, 2008

A weathering challenge...

"The -best- weathering is subtle. But then again it's not only how you weather (materials/tools/techniques) but what you are weathering. Here are a few examples: A BR44 at the end of epoch 3, DB, a work horse, is a lok I weathered heavy, not last legs, but not run thru the 'lok-wash' :-) BR10, very little, it was still a flagship at that time for the DB and well taken care of. The running gear of a dampflok was dirty, so that is were most of the weathering applied. One can also consider the era, where as 1-2 epoch loks were will taken care of, still, coal, grease, water, oil, and the weather had some effect. Even an e-lok is going to have dirty boogies and carbon on the roofs. If modeling epoch 4 dampfloks,... well you can go to town!" Sent to the Märklin Bar and Grill by Dr. Dirt, aka Kevin Brady, May 27, 2008.

Inspired by Dr. Dirt, went to work on my BR 44, epoch 3 markings, but at the end of that or early epoch 4, not yet with the DB signet, missing smoke deflectors and perhaps close to retirement... In looking at the picture I see some spots I want to touch up, mainly the wheels. For some images of steamers during that period go here.


Also my BR 10 001, at then end of epoch 3 or very early 4, perhaps sensing that it would soon be replaced by an 110 electric or 220 diesel in 1968... Images of the BR10 002 in 1967 , and in 1968 and 1972, the year of it's demise... This was years before the engine they were supposed to replace, the BR 01.



There were only two of these "black swans" built. 10 001 survived and can now be viewed at the Deutsches Dampflok Museum, DDM in Neuenmarkt-Wirsberg, Germany.

Monday, May 26, 2008

More weathering

Kept going by weathering the Roco BR114 DR (Ost) and immediately ran into trouble that I may yet be able to get out of unscathed... While the Dullcote I had diluted caused no problems with the Brawa engine, it did cause the paint on the Roco to run, including in the area of the markings on the side of the cab... Once dry, a hair dryer helped stabilize things fast, I continued weathering, the alcohol wash being ok. Overall, the engine looks good, and while I had not intended to use the brass etched plates, they will get applied now in place of the smudged markings... Pictures of that when I have them on. In the meantime I learned a high-stakes lesson about testing in an inconspicuous spot (like the inside) first...

Not one to be deterred, I immediately grabbed another engine off the layout, this one a Märklin BR38 DB and proceeded to weather. First the Dullcote, then only very selective alcohol washes with a fine brush, then the powdered pigments. The wheels and undercarriage got a diluted wash of india ink. Goal here was not to overdo it.

Before

After

Finished it off by adding real coal to the tender.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Clean up and filth...

After having the HVAC ductwork cleaned in the house (and not having done any maintenance in 6 months or so) the layout was a complete mess with dust and dirt everywhere. It was so bad the trains wouldn't run, and that's with the supposedly utterly reliable "3-rail" AC Märklin... As usually happens, the true extent of the mess was discovered when company wanted to see trains run... So, got to spend a whole weekend blowing and vacuuming dirt up and cleaning track. Then cleaning all the stock on the layout as well... Next time the ducts get cleaned, the layout gets covered, despite the contractors assurances. This was not the kind of weathering I had in mind!

To preserve my librarian's pallor I left the sunshine of this Memorial Day weekend and headed into the basement to get back into developing my weathering skills and trying something new. To raise the stakes I selected my nice and shiny Brawa BR 132 of the DR (Ost), a beast of a Russian built diesel-electric. The plan was to create a faded dirty appearance like that below taken in the early 1990s after DB and DR had merged into the DBAG. The DR had plenty of engines in that state though too. Notice how clean the windows are, even on the sides.


Here's a view of the canvas... I do not want as intense a fading as in the prototype image above, but do want to show that this is an engine in heavy use with less than exemplary maintenance.



First I removed the shell and all windows. Then I brushed on dilute Dullcote (1:3) and when that was dry gave it a wash of 90% isopropyl alcohol to create the faded effect. When the shell was dry I began working on the sides first with some soot weathering powder, then in some areas a little darker gray. The roof received the same treatment. The bogies received a wash of the dilute Dullcote and when dry a wash of black india ink with a touch of burnt umber ink in alcohol. Finally some dark rust was lightly applied. Finally, everything was put back together. My windows are clean too, just like the prototype.


Next up, a way too shiny Roco BR 114 of the DR (Ost).

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Want to show a major industry but don't have the space?

Want to show a major industry but don't have the space? Coal mining is one of the favorite industries to model on a railroad by providing plenty of excuses for long unit trains pulled by BR44s, 221s, 120s, and 132s (the latter two being DR-East). To accurately model a major active coal mine like those that existed all over the industrial Ruhr, the Saar, the area around Aachen, or in the Braunkohlenrevier of the DDR would require huge amounts of space. However, what about modeling a coal mine that has closed either because it was no longer profitable or simply because it was time to follow the coal seams in another direction. Roland Keller posted a great series of images from the Alsdorf region around Aachen in far western Germany. In response to a question regarding time frame and suitability for modeling, he responded saying that the mines in this region started migrating north even before WW II leaving behind the mine heads and various outbuildings required for ventilation and pumping out the groundwater after closing. The first major zechensterben (mine deaths) in Germany occurred in 1958, then again around 1962. The imagery would remain similar, with few abandoned structures remaining, and nature reclaiming the rest very quickly. The process would repeat itself again and again into the current time. 

Grube Adolf from the Rheinische Industriekultur pages.

This would be fairly easy to compress into a smaller area or the background with trains rushing by in the foreground... Finally an prototypical use for the small Faller mine head... Maybe I wasn't "that far" off base when I placed mine... ;-) (These mines were very often in urban areas).