Update on Krauss-Maffei's ML 4000CC

I've worked on the 'power supply' and the trucks mechanisms. As mentioned before I switched to 36V-voltage provided by 3 automotive batteries wired in series (each has 55Ah).
Here's the additional sub-frame for holding the batteries - on top of the unit's main frame:

And now loaded....

Since there is need for 12V (lights, horns etc.), too, I've used the space of the 'tank' below the frame to place a small 12V battery:

Each truck is powered by a 36V, 350W-PM-motor - connected via chains and gear reduction to the outer axle.
The three axles of each truck are connected by chains:

UP's EMD M-10005 'City of Denver' in 1/7.3 scale

Well, in order to have a motive-power-project in each of my preferred three gauges I'm interested in there had to be a new project on 7 1/4"-rails.
After long consideration UP's M-10005 'City of Denver' made it....
I'll follow the original version with the vertical warning light and yellow and brown painting scheme.
The scale is a bit 'stretched' to 1/7.3 which will allow me to use 5" wheels as prototype's 36 inch wheels (additionally, my old 'Big Jim' action figures can act as engineer & fireman without being too tall).
The A-unit will be powered by 4 motors, one per axle - running on 36V. I'm not sure how many batteries the unit will carry. The B-unit will be prepared for motorization, however, I'll decide this matter until first running tests of the units.
The batteries will be carried between the trucks in a lowered 'tray' so a low center of gravity will result - I hope to get similar good tracking qualities as shown by the Aerotrain.
A 5 3/4"  figure poses next to the post-war version of M-10005 (H0-scale) which is close the relation of my future model next to a 'real' 6' guy.

Currently the trucks are under construction - they will be fixed in sub-frames, which will be connected to the main frame.
The (first) riding car will be the auxiliary power-baggage car (with no power unit) - however, this is quite far away in the future.....
Photos of the frame's construction will follow, soon.

New 'Aerotrain'-clip: riding on the tracks of Plochingen's live-steamers

Just out of the paint-shop: The 'Aerotrain'

After mounting about 17000 small nails as 'rivets' the Aerotrain was finally sent to the paint-shop.Not completely finished by now but well enough for 'posing' during today's visit of a live-steam club.

 Next step will be manufacturing of the side-frames for the wheels.

some news regarding BLW's 'blue goose'

Some progress (horns, ladders, rear coupler and front trim)

Back to 'Borden's butterdish cars'

The catwalks and the working buffers have been mounted. The cars received their basic paint - after application of the decals, the cars will receive a semi-gloss or matte finish.
The silver car with the brake wheel attached to the hood will be lettered as 'Borden's milk tank car'; the white one will be lettered for 'The Borden company chemical division'.
Of course the walkway has anti-slip pattern for safety reasons....
I'm not quite sure about painting the handrails in black - there are some photos with black handrails and a silver car (even the fins are black on their edges)- however it is from the initial delivery with top-fins (1940).

An 'Aerotrain'-video

A ride sitting on the observation-car  (Sindelfingen live-steam club)

Enjoy the ride.....

some further progress on my KM 4000 CC

Most details of the cab had been applied - the exhaust stack's covers can positioned in open or closed position (I'd like to power them with a small motor...).
The small model next to my unit is Rivarossi's model from the 60's....

There has been some internal 'upgrade' regarding the motorization- now each truck is powered by a 350W, 36V-motor....eventually it was possible to put three car-batteries under the hood.
Next steps are application of chain-drives, building side-frames for the trucks and making missing handrails & ladders.

..and now for something completely different: Borden's milk tank cars in 1/11

Ok, the blog's headline is about diesel-models - sorry for mixing with freight cars...however, I couldn't resist to add them!

After some downtime on these models I continued with the work on the 'butter dish' cars. I have scratch-built two of them - they will receive different positions of the handbrake.

One will have the handbrake attached to the 'butter dish', the other will have a separate brake stand.

They represent the post-war version with the top-fins removed.
The frame was made of (welded) steel beams; the express trucks were made by modifying castings offered by a German supplier.
The 'butter dish' itself has a basic structure from fiber-boards and paper for the rounded top. Then some layers of glass fibers with resin were applied.

So, here's the current status of the project - showing the version of the handbrake attached to the 'butter dish'.
Still missing are the walkways and the buffers with draft-gears.

The cars are not intended as riding cars despite their weight and stiffness of the frame.

'Blue goose' in 1/29

Now the body of the turbine is almost finished - battens & rivets were mounted and the pilot detailed.

Next step is modifying the trucks and mounting the rear coupler

More diesels in 1/11

When I started in the ride-on scale I haven't enough skill to construct a model completely by myself. So I ordered a Maxitrak F7-kit, which was improved with many details

After this 'introduction' I felt able to built a model from scratch - an Amtrak F40PH

The F40PH was joined by a MHC as a riding car and a Superliner for 'show-biz'

More high-power vintage diesel locmotives in 1/29

More than ten years ago, I started to build with the first models of high-power, vintage diesel locomotives in 1/29

First, the well known UP's GTEL 4500hp baby turbine

As the 'blue goose' it started it's life as an Aristocraft FA/FB-set

The second unit is a GE U50 (even after more than ten years I haven't managed to finish it)

It was built by using two Aristocraft U25's

project: BLW's Gas-turbine 'blue goose' in 1/29 - further progress

That's the current status of the project:

All grills have been applied, the exhaust  stack of the first turbine as well as the exhaust of the steam-generator (supplied by the second turbine's exhaust) are mounted. The louvers on the roof as well as at the front are inseerted.
The headlight was countersunk in the tip of the nose; the numberboards with the markerlights are fitted into nose's sides.
Now the riveted battens and the several hatches are on the list for assembly.

project: BLW's Gas-turbine 'blue goose' in1/29

Starting with the New year, I decided to built the Baldwin-Westinghouse gas turbine in 1/29 - a project that has slept over several years in my imagination. I already had acquired an Aristo-Craft FA/FB-set that provided four trucks and two pieces for the car-body.
After cutting off the ALCO-nose I started to assemble the turbine's nose which is built up by several flat, angled surfaces.

Also, the window area had to be reshaped; the pilot was shaped to rather a rectangular design.
After further cutting & fitting the bodies of both units of the set were merged.

To avoid problems with sharp curves I connected each pair of trucks with an internal span-bolster - the prototype had limited side play for outer and inner trucks.
The whole unit is about 81cm (32") long.