Second Hand Coal Hopper & More

Not a lot got done over the last week or so.  I managed to get the splinter of all splinters in my index finger while sanding the edge of plywood to prevent splinters.  My wife who is a nurse took one look at it at sent me to the doctor. Our primary care doctor shot my now infected finger full of pain killer and dug around for awhile and came up empty.  Two days later I was at a hand specialist and on the next day he removed a splinter that nearly went through my entire finger... 

 

Some second hand coal hopper for the MBG&C

 

Work shifted from the train room to my upstairs workshop in one of our spare bedrooms.  Now the MGB&C is always on the lookout for some serviceable second hand equipment and low and behold some 70 ton coal hopper became available.  The Southern no longer had much use for 70 ton coal hoppers but they were just what the MGB&C needed to forward coal loads from the mines around Grundy to the Kinder Morgan's Grand Rivers Terminal at Jessup, KY,

Southern #70122 is a factory decorated model from Bowser.  Cant't remember whether this was a kit or RTR car but a couple of years ago it got new semi-scale wheel sets, Kadee #58 couplers and some weathering; kind of a good enough model that could tolerate some handling that goes along with an operating layout.

The cars were masked off with Tamiya masking tape, covered with a styrene mask and the sides and end numbers were sprayed with Models Master flat black from a spray can

MBG&C #31031 (ex Southern #70122) - One of nine 70 ton hoppers added to the fleet while my finger heals.

Bridge for the Stream Scene

 

I also spent some time assembling the bridges for the "stream scene". (I'm going to have to come up with a name).  Two Walthers girder bridges got built, a 90' and a 50' along with an abutment for one end and two piers.  The bridges went together in about an hour, I spent a half a day measuring and cutting down the abutment and piers to fit my location.  The approach, on the far side, will be on a wood pile trestle.

Lighting

 

I've been plowing around on the Internet looking for lighting ideas for the lower level.  I found a great YouTube video (railfan220) on using LED rope lighting on the lower level of his double deck layout.  He provided the link for the ebay seller and I ordered up a power supply and rope lighting based upon his recomendations.  I should have a test section up soon, so I can provide an update in a week or two.

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