INTERURBAN RAILWAYS: 2016

2016/11/18

Is N scale the new Traction modeling Eldorado ?

Altoona & Logan Valley Electromobile "Eldorado car" in N scale, operational model with Tomytec drive.

Electromobile HO and N scale

2016/11/06

Hidden structures of the Terminal: The skylight of the Waiting Room

Indianapolis Traction Terminal waiting room skylight

The Traction Terminal had his big emblematic iron structure, the train shed. But there was also a smaller structure, the skylight of the waiting room. This element was nearly hidden for everybody.

From the exterior, it was neither visible from the train shed nor for from Market Street. In fact, it was enclosed by walls and could only be seen when looking out of the windows of the western side of the Terminal Building.

Of course, it was visible for the passengers inside the waiting room.

2016/10/21

Indianapolis Traction Terminal, work in progress

Indianapolis Traction Terminal

I took advantage of the last heat and the nice light of fall to take the Traction Terminal to the outdoors for a photo sesssion. Gretchen, the plastic cow, is looking to it from the background. The Terminal looks good. Let's go on and add doors and windows. And tracks also, of course.

Traction Terminal Waiting Room

Traction Terminal, the pillar on the West

Indianapolis Traction Terminal

2016/10/17

First test print of the Yakima Valley Combine #100

Yakima Valley Combine #100 test mount

Some weeks ago I recieved the first test print of the Yakima Valley Niles Combine #100. This unique short Interurban car was developed using parts of other Niles cars. The car arrived in Yakima on July 1910 and was first painted in yellow and cream. Up from 1916, the car was painted in a dark green, probably Pullman green.

For the moment, the car is coated with a dark brown primer, looking like chocolate.

The car was running on Standard C50 trucks with 34" wheels and 6'6" wheelbase. For the model, I choose two NWSL Stanton drives No 39274-4.

The frame has an interior plate with seating. The characteristic bell is part of the kit. Pilots and truss rods are a part of the frame, which is printed in Shapeway's solid White Strong & Flexible plastic. The carbody is made of Fine Ultra Detail FUD.

Historic view of #100 in its early yellow paint

All parts together

2016/10/14

Traction Modeling and Social Media Fatigue

Here on the blog it became very quiet in recent months, I will say the last year. There are so many internet platforms now to share quickly impressions and pictures of your work, like the excellent Traction Model Railroading group on Facebook, or the Indianapolis Traction Terminal Group.

The nearly daily participation to this groups made me forget my own blog. There is no harm in it, if there wasn't the loss of depth and continuity.

I learn much participating to the Facebook groups, but they have two big failings:

1/ they are closed groups. This maintains a civilised and spam-free environment, but casual visitors will no more passing by.

2/ The Facebook group is living only for the moment, there is no real memory, older posts disappear quickly and are hard to find later.

This groups are a sympathic café for traction enthousiasts, you need to come in frequently, but they are not a base to study and build seriously traction models with your own hands.

Slowly, a certain Social Media fatigue is growing. Things worsened recently for me, as I am working now full time for Social Media News Wires. It may sound great to spend the whole labor day on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, but in the end it's work, and I can say you it's really hard work.

This said, I will now go back to the roots. I'll always stay on the Facebook Groups, because it's a nice café, perhaps just one publication less per week. In return, I will try to write a weekly story on my old fashioned blog, with photos, drawings, and a bit more text.

2016/07/06

Indianapolis Traction Terminal in HO scale

HO scale Traction Terminal

Some important progress was made with the HO model of the Indianapolis Traction Terminal. The cutting of a ground plate permits now safe test mounts of the train shed and the adjacent waiting room.

Indiana Historical Society. Photo Bass

It is nice to see that all parts fit extraordinary well together (except some small but idiot mistakes that you won't see, when I need to use a cutting knife or some extra glue...) Anyway, a project of this size cannot grew up without trials and tribulations ....

HO scale Traction Terminal

Zing Epilog 24 Laser Cutter @Fablab Berlin

Indianapolis Traction Terminal in HO scale

Some important progress was made with the HO model of the Indianapolis Traction Terminal. The cutting of a ground plate permits now safe test mounts of the train shed and the adjacent waiting room.

Indiana Historical Society. Photo Bass

2016/05/24

Indianapolis Traction Terminal - Waiting Room

Indianapolis Traction Terminal - Waiting Room from outside

Some more reality check with the laser cut HO model. After some reflection, I decided to make the interior of the Waiting Room wing available for modeling.

Indianapolis Traction Terminal - H0 model - Waiting Room.

Indianapolis Traction Terminal - Waiting Room inside view.
Source: indianahistory.org

2016/04/10

Yakima Valley Transportation Niles Combine #100

Yakima Valley Transportation Niles Combine #100, HO scale

On suggestion from an interested modeler, I started something small, one of the smallest Interurban Combines, the Yakima Valley Transportation #100, build by Niles.

A really tiny car, but very well proportioned. NWSL Stanton drives will be the motive power.

2016/04/03

Siemens S70 LRV and Skoda 10T streetcars in fresh colors

Today was a paint shop day. Warm spring weather allows to speed up the process.

From left to right: San Diego, Minneapolis (lacking the blue stripe) and Atlanta (still lacking the black roof stripe).

On experimental model of the Skoda/Inekon 10T streetcar has get a white primer coat.

2016/03/31

Traction Terminal Train Shed in laser cut MDF wood

Indianapolis Traction Terminal

2016/01/27

Building the Indianapolis Traction Terminal Train Shed in HO scale

This is just a trial, made of laser cutted cardboard...

... but it shows the huge dimensions of the train shed

Cardboard with corrugated core. Next time I will do it solid.

2016/01/15

Portable test track with several radii

Ajouter une légende

Building cars is frustrating if you cannot if you cannot ride them. Travelling frequently, I build a portable test track able to get stored in aircraft luggage. The "layout" is composed of four 2 mm thick PVC sheets, measuring each 500 x 250 mm. The whole "layout" is 1000 x 500 mm
Flexible tracks are glued directly on the sheets. Turnouts are from Peco, trackwork is Tillig.
The circuit has three radii: 204 mm, 158 mm and 112 mm. One sheet is less than 1 cm thick, the whole layout piled up measures 500 x 250 x 50 mm.

This layout is primarily destined for test purposes, baut I will also use it as a playground for paving, sanding and grassing. And just to see the cars running.