Highline - Part 1

I have a few buildings on shelves that I'm having a hard time finding something to do with, but while looking at some mills on Bing Maps I came across US Steel in Gary .IN. and got an ideal on a use for a Walther Gravel loader but a little kitbashing will have to be done. A transfer car loader.



Layout PC interface - Part 2

I played around with JMRI and it is a pretty neat program. Here is a screenshot of the program opened and with 2 throttles open and running the layout off the PC.



I played around with Panel Pro also included in the JMRI program. None of the switches on the layout are DCC controlled but it was neat to design a Dispatcher Panel for the layout. Here is a shot of the beginning of the Panel

Layout PC interface - Part 1

I first started using an MRC Prodigy Express, and really liked it. But I got interested in wanted to have parts of my layout computer controlled. MRC does have PC interface but it lacks compatibility with other PC train control software. It is more of a super throttle for the PC. I went with a Digitrax Zephyr DCS 50 with an attached UT4 utility controller for walk around control. Took a little time to get used to a different DCC system but Zephyr is better then I expected. I connected the Digitrax Loconet to the PC using a Locobuffer USB. A big reason for choosing the Locobuffer instead of the Digitrax PR3 was for the protection from surges and feedback for the PC that could interfere with the Loconet.

JMRI was chosen for the program to control the trains. Very simple program to use and best of all its free. I have had to ask the JMRI Yahoo group for a little help with Decoder Pro for programming decoders but once I figured out how to use the program everything went pretty well. JMRI can also program sound decoders but I will eventually get a Digitrax PR3 for this. Another good feature of JMRI is Panel Pro program. Users can build Dispatcher panels of there layout and control all switches from the panel. But the switches have to be DCC controlled first. Total cost to have PC interface was $65.00. That was for the Locobuffer

Transfer Cab - Part 1

I have seen pictures of transfer cabooses on the net and also seen a couple at work. I have been wanting to model one for a while, and finally took the time to set down and start the project. The parts used was a Playart Bobber caboose and the frame from an AHM Copula caboose and Plastruct parts.

First thing was to cut the sides of the Copula caboose to except the Bobber caboose body. The AHM weight was removed and a piece of styrene was cut to fit and a weight box was built with scrap styrene and weight was then glued to the box
With the frame done I turned to the cab's body. The Playart cab has to 2 screw extensions that has to be cut off, to allow that body to fit flat on the frame.

Now I turned to the handrails. This will be used in my steel mill so I wanted to build that rails so it looks like the machine shop use scrap metal to build them. I think it turns out pretty good. I cut the rails to fit measuring each one separate. Last I added Plastruct latter on the ends.
This was an easy build, about 3 hours. That's including drinking coffee. Now Just need to take into the paint booth.

RSD-15 used to move hot metal cars from BOF plant to the Rolling mill Plant.