The Caulfield Report 2014

Another year, and the ARMA Caulfield exhibition has been and gone. I am going to be different, and start with the news.
Firstly, Auscision confirmed that they are going to produce a 48 class. Why? when Powerline have a 48 and Trainorama are producing one. Well, the report was that, Powerline have produced only a couple of liveries, and will take years to go through the rest, and the Trainorama one: quote 'is not quite right'. Pressing the point about an 830, the reply from Pete was 'bloody South Australians' and it will need to be looked at to see if it is financially viable, as tooling changes cost up to $5000 for each modification. Announced on Facebook, that the 830 class is been produced.
Other than the 48 class, also expect the Victorian C class, G/BL/81 class: basically anything that Sothern Shorthaul Railroad has, will be produced; and a super detailed NR is on the go. (It was interesting to learn, that when Austrains produced the C class: their second model, it was a slow in sales. Auscision are hoping that the more modern liveries will be more sort after). Also the 442 class, plus series 2 and 3 X class.
As for wagons, the CIMC C-35 92 tonne grain hopper is past CAD stage, producing ATN/PN XGAY, AWB WGSY, SSR's new wagon, plus, new wagons for Freightliner, G&W and I think for QUBE.

Photo: Chris from WF

Plus, for Victorian modellers, the VHHF grain hopper is on the go.

PS The RMX container wagon is still in development, and should be due 2015.

I also had a lengthy discussion with SDS. To come on the intermodal side are the RQTY and RRTY wagons, based on the FQX but with the skeletal deck and 70ton ride control bogies. After the JCW/NQTW/RQJW will be the Victorian and South Australian versions. This is because, the only part in all these wagons that needs replacing is the deck.
Also, under consideration, from suggestion of yours truly, is the NQAY/RQAY NSW skeletal wagon, if it they can use components from the OCY.
Austrains released their Victorian C brake van, which I heard has problems. The doors are too wide and the underfloor detail is mirrored? They also had the recently released 81/BL/G locos.

SouthernRail Models had their V/locity rail cars on display, and look good. It has only one motor over the two or three car set, and uses a 21 pin DCC plug.

Bendigo Rail Models P class samples.

Another P class sample.

EDI GT46C-ACe Locomotive Painted samples.

SDS Models JCW, showing underneath.

SouthernRail's V/locity. Two of a three car set.

To the layouts.

Maryborough. The station building was shown a couple of years ago, now on a layout.

Melbourne tram: Victoria Road

NSW Waterfall.

N gauge Japanese.

Anthony's Room shunting layout for a small space.

More corner rebuild

For the past couple of weekends, I have been in the shed rebuilding the other corner (a drop in section),that is at the garage door. This is part of the re-organizing for the level change loops, yet to be built, but in the design stage.

I took apart the structure, keeping the top track intact. When the new base was built, the top track was repositioned. Even though I reused a lot of the original timbers, including the same length along the front, the top turned out to be about 10cm longer than the new base. So had to trim some off.

The bottom track curve run was then estimated using my rough compass. Yet, there was change to come, as it was decided to swap some of the lower track to the fixed wall frame work. things became interesting, as the levels had changed since it was built, and required correcting. With that work undertaken, the frame work, now lined up, it was just correcting the height of the top track, so it, also lined up.

Next, was to cut the track base for the lower level. Not as easy as done, as it has to provide for the curve, around and angular structure. A couple of miss hits, but we got there in the end, with more ply offcuts than would have really liked.
With the evening temperature dropping, it was time to stop. Still work to undertake, wire up and test.

QRNational/Aurizon rolling stock

Have been working on a few items of rolling stock for a QRNational consist. I started work on a set of CQWY well wagons quite a while ago, and decided it was time to head towards completing them. To start with, two BGM RKIY well wagon kits. These provide the base structure, but a CQWY has a slightly different shape on the sides, and different cross bars in the well. Download the data sheet from CFCLA. The drawing is a bit small, but gives the impression of what is needed.

http://www.cfcla.com.au/datasheet/CQWY_Wagon_Data_Sheet.pdf

Here is a new one outside the workshops at Islington.

Note the change of location of the CF logo.

This is what we started with.

This is what we ended up with.

The colour, as reproduced is actually much darker than the picture illustrates. (It is a real dark blue). I used Tamiya TS15, as recommended on the The paint guide for modellers of Australian Railways. The model was given a good coat of Steam Era Models etch grey undercoat, as all the whitish clear plastic needs to be covered. Probably a coat of white undercoat would have been better.  Still time to change colour, as there are no decals available for a CQWY. (Decided at this stage to keep the colour as is).

Nearly finished, just decals required? Also, soon will have a 6000 class up front.

 
(May a manufacturer pick up this wagon sometime, as there are a lot of them been hauled around by Aurizon a the moment).
The other wagon that I have had sitting around, is a QQAY. This is a Wuiske model. It started out as a BZEY, which comes without bogies, and is cheaper than their QQAY kit. The BZEY is the narrow gauge code for the wagon, before been converted to standard gauge.

This is a white metal kit, and I added the extra parts (the large air tank and code boards), and left off the steps. I used Auscision ride control bogies on this wagon. Still to be undercoated and painted light grey.

QQAY

The wagon, being 60' in length, means you can just load three 20' containers. Though, usually, photos show a 20' at each end or a 48' reefer in the middle.

QRNational PM service heading towards Mt Barker Junction.

QRNational MP service having come through the south line heading towards Port Adelaide.

Just about all my QQAY photos show a loading like this.