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Category: Layout Tours
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Quincy Mine Layout Tour

This small layout was on display in the Quincy Mine gift shop and ticket office, in 2019.

The layout depicts the Quincy Mine historical site, and the current Quincy & Torch Lake cog railway that takes you from the Mine site on top of Quincy hill, to a Mine shaft opening on the lower side of the hill. This is where tours go underground by foot to explore the mine.

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Category: Quick Reviews
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Quick Review: Value Trains USA ACF 50'6" Boxcar

Value Trains USA started out with a mission in mind, make their models 100% in the USA. As far as I can tell only this ACF 50'6" Boxcar was ever produced. Schemes included multiple numbers of this Railbox scheme, and some various fantasy schemes for their company  and the What's Neat podcast.

Beginning in 2017 Value Trains USA began popping up at train meets promoting their Made in the USA models. The brand was/is owned by an RC shop evidenced by a sticker on the back of the box.

Our review sample was decorated in the attractive yellow Railbox scheme, one that is a prototype to this ACF boxcar. The TTX XAF11 series covers a large series of boxcars, all built by ACF, ranging from the 12000's to 13999. Oddly I cannot find evidence that the XAF11 would have ever been numbered 14322 per our model.

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Category: Vintage Model Trains
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Vintage Model Trains: Aristo Craft Brass 0-6-6-0

Brass models were once the only option for a quality steam locomotive model. While a small amount of Brass model importers still exist, they are few and far between with plastic model manufacturers making the vast majority of locomotives in the US market. This model (while we're unsure of the date made) represents what we consider the height of Brass steam models.

According to the Western Division of the TCA, Aristo Craft HO Brass was produced in the 1950's and 60's (source: http://www.tcawestern.org/aristo.htm).

Our model came in as a donation to the museum I manage, and was unfortunately without the orginal box. However if memory serves me right, the foam in those old Brass boxes was unfavorable to the model, as it decomposed and stuck to the models.

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Category: Vintage Model Trains
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Vintage Model Trains: 1956 AC Gilbert HO Scale Transformer Car

The AC Gilbert was a long running manufacturer of HO scale products. This model, Transformer Car 503 was listed in the 1955 & 1956 catalog.

For it's age (66 years old in 2022!) the model holds up well to modern standards. The trucks are cast metal, and actually sprung, with decent flex that isn't too springy.

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Category: Prototype Locations
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Vintage Santa Fe in San Diego

Recently while browsing my photo collection I found a vintage photo, dated July 1967.

Noting the location, a Southeast view from the west station platform of the Santa Fe Depot in San Diego, looking at the San Diego electric plant, I went looking for some of my own photos in the same location.

This photo was taken July 30th 2005, and shows the electric plant as an empty core of a building, waiting for its fate.

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Category: Freight Projects
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Lightweight Home-made Coal Loads

Most models now come with relatively rudimentary coal load inserts, however if you use them in every car, each load will look the same. Here's a way to make a load for your own hoppers, this can be used with coal, gravel, or other materials as well.

I recently had a conversation with freind and fellow modeler Nick about his attempt at replicating a crushed glass load, during which he mentioned using air dry clay to make the load insert, that the "glass" material would be attached to.

The clay he was using adds weight to the hopper, which in his case was a positive aspect. The car I chose was a beautiful H-100-16 from Tangent Scale Models, which are fairly good on weight. They do come with loads, but I replace most to get variety. Even if I don't, I add Medium or Fine coal from Arizona Rock and Mineral.

While perusing my local Hobby Lobby looking for new modeling supplies, I stumbled on Delight Air Dry Modeling Compound, the whole package weighing in at 3oz.

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Category: Quick Reviews
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Quick Review: Evemodel HO Scale 40' Container

Evemodel recently showed up on the internet, as a factory brand offering several of the models they produce in their factory under their own brand.

I recently purchased their 3 packs of 40' containers, in MSC, TEX, & CAI. These models are available on ebay from the sellers Evemodel_fr and Evemodel_es, adding with others possibly. Having multiple eBay pages allows a factory like Evemodel to list more than eBay will allow.

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