First off the new workbench....

[NSTopHat]

For the past 15 months or so, I haven't had my workspace in the basement because I remodeled it to incorporate a new workspace as well as a play area for the kids. This way I can "hide" in the basement, watch the kids and get some modelling done. That being said, here are some photos of the first items that will roll off the new workbench.

The bethgons are repaints from Athearn. The decals for the CSX cars are from Microscale's new box car sets. I will have to custom print some of the data in order to get the correct info. The NS Bethgon is a NS Class G109B. NS has four test hybrid cars #46000 - 46003, in which they decided how they were going to order all subsequent Bethgons from FCA Roanoke. The difference between the two classes is how the side sheets are assembled. I am planning on doing NS #46001, a G109A as well. The even numbered cars were painted and the odd numbered cars were not. The decals used are from a couple of different sets of ShellScale decals.

Next up are several NS Class H49 and H50 cross dump coal cars, covering the 144000 - 146000 number series cars. The base model is the Bowser 100 ton 3 bay cross dump car. I used Scalecoat II loco black, however on the rest of the fleet I am going to use SCII Detail black instead. Decals are from ShellScale as well and are a recent release.

Finally, the other two cars NW #143981 and 143982 represent the last two H12A's built by the Roanoke Shops. In late 1988, NS was doing a parts inventory as they were starting the H11 Rebody program and realized they could build two compleetly new cars, and they did. The base model is the Bachmann 100 ton 3 bay cross dump. The decals are a combination of decals from Herald King, Islington Station and Wilson McClung Decals, which are available from the N&W Historical Society's Commissary. I am also removing the boss on the centersill of these cars and replacing the trucks, as the 100 ton trucks that come on the model look like Fido's rear end....

Some of you may be wondering on the H12A's and the H49/50's as to why I chose the cars I did. Both cars have 30 degree slope sheets, which the Bachmann does and the Bowser does not. The Bowser has a 45 degree slope sheet. When Trinity built the H49/50 class cars, they were built to a 46'-4" IL, same as the H12/12A's, however, Trinity pushed the outboard bays towards the center of the car, yielding an end sheet that is nearly identical to the Roanoke built H11 class cars, which matches the Bowser car. We will never see an accurate plastic model of the H49/50 class car as there were only 2,450 of them built. So I am settling with what is available.

Once these individual cars are completed, NS Class G116, G117R and G118R class Bethgons will get built. I am going to use SCII's Erie Lackawanna Grey and decals from ShellScale.

Any questions, please feel free to ask.

Regards,
Russ

[NSTopHat]

Second shot

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Third Shot

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Last one.

Regards,
Russ

[thpbears]

Look nice.

[NSMoWandS]

Nice work Russ! The car in the back/right with the special logo... what is that? Dan

[Badhorse79]

  I love coal cars ! I have a set of Walthers bethgons I'd like to use to do up with the new logo , keep the updates coming

[NSTopHat]

Nice work Russ! The car in the back/right with the special logo... what is that? Dan

Dan, et al,

Thanks for the compliments, I was wondering if someone would notice that little gem! Back in 2011, NS gave away a Bachmann train set to all of the employees on at least the Virginia and Piedmont Divisions for a 0 Accident Safety Record for the year. The set comes with an F7 to match the business units, #4270, IIRC, a 40' box car, said coal car, a caboose, an oval of track and a transformer. I bought the car off of ebay. From time to time a full Virginia Div set will show up. I only saw one coal car, that i presume was for the Piedmont Div, as the seller was here in NE Ga. The photo in the listing was very poor. I have posed the question to folks who i believe to be in the know at NS, and no one has ever been able to confirm the existance of this set for any other Divisions on the railroad. I would kill to have one for the Pocahontas Division, if they do in fact exist.

Regards,
Russ

[thpbears]

Can't go wrong with some ole dirty caol hoppers and a nice looking NS engine to the front. Of course around here we have the NS and CSX mains and I will admit a CSX engine does look nice all dusted with coal and rust.

[blacksheep]

you need to bend them up a little bit. havin' the all stacked up like that looks like a train wreck.

[NSMoWandS]

Russ, I know there is a Pittsburgh Division train set. Dan

[NSTopHat]

you need to bend them up a little bit. havin' the all stacked up like that looks like a train wreck.

The weathering process has yet to begin.....

[NSTopHat]

Russ, I know there is a Pittsburgh Division train set. Dan

Dan,

Thanks for the info. I will continue my search then.

Regards,
Russ