A closer view of the final touchups, including "cowcatcher" pilot, doorstep and paint. I'll be posting pics of it running under full lights at the club layout shortly.
Thanks guys. Gary, the ground cover is parking lot dirt demagnetized and mixed with various manufactured ground covers sifted over it thru old grated cheese canisters.
The truck is my first serious kitbash from about 11 years ago. While it follows no particular prototype, it captures the look of a hi-railer parked near my house at the time.
The cab is Tyco, the frame, front wheels and (chrome plated no less )stake body came from a birthday party favor, the rear wheels and fuel tanks are Athearn. Hi-railer wheels came from N scale junk in my box. After I weathered the wheels, I lightly drybrushed silver over everything to highlight the details...just a fun project that got me started back in the hobby after a 2 year hiatus.
Shay
Can I ask how you built you electrical pickups on the trucks for your bus????
I am in dier neeeeedd to repair an old engine missing itst electrical pickups in its tender.
Maybe a walk through and pictures?
Eric
Then I cut contacts that just reach the inside of the wheels, making sure to crimp the ends slightly so that only they make contact with the wheel. I then polish them with a very fine emery cloth to reduce burrs. I cut the soldering point as short as necessary, shown here flattened for clarity.
I color exposed metal with a permanent marker, then tinker and adjust using patience and powdered graphite 'til its freewheeling with good contact. It should be pretty easy to modify this to fit your needs. Let me know if this works out or drop me a PM for any other questions.
PM or email me a snail mailing address and I'll send you some to try. Other than that, K&S Metal Products (usually found in a small rack at Hobby Lobbies and Ace Hardware stores) sells brass and copper shim stock in a variety of thicknesses that can be cut to size with a good pair of scissors.