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Category: Diesel Projects
Hits: 78

Nose Headlight for a Dash 8-40B

Recently I was asked to build a model of BNSF 577, a blue bonnet Dash 8-40B, with a nose headlight.  The Atlas model used, only came with the high headlight.

Moving headlights seems to be my specialty, but I usually end up having to move a headlight into the nose of an EMD product.  This would be my first GE move on a nose (I've done a move on a rear headlight on an ES44DC before).

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Category: Structure Projects
Hits: 168

Scratch Built Wall for a Basement

How I quickly built a wall to represent a basement of a factory for my Buffalo layout.

In the last year or so, I've been quietly working on a small 7' long layout, located in an alcove in my dining room.  This layout represents the Milkbone/Del Monte/Smuckers plant located between Urban St and Fougeron St.  I initially saw photographs taken from the west, on Fougeron St, and though, "Hey this would be neat."

Initially I was due to orientate the module looking east, as in the photographs, but the massive factory complex blocked and switching chances, so I turned the modules around and now the viewer faces west.

The Factory is represented by a mix of RDA, Walthers, and Pikestuff kits, and sits at track level, but there are doors to the "basement" located at street level on both streets I modeled.  So, I needed to scratch build a basement wall, complete with loading dock, roll up door, and personnel door.

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Category: Scenery
Hits: 117

Walthers Power Pole Ideas

Walthers markets a kit specifically for Power Poles, which are much different than telegraph poles.  These kits are highly customizable, and here you can see I modeled a two pole mounted transformer system.

Selling for $14.98, these poles are very versatile, molded plastic kits.  The can be assembled as a transmission line, single on pole residential transformer, or multi transformer commercial.  Completely customizable, and easy to assemble, they should fir most every era. If you cannot find a well stocked hobby shop, they can be ordered here: Walthers SceneMaster Electric Utility Pole Set

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Category: Layout Tours
Hits: 287

Winter on the Old Town Model Railroad Depot Layout (part 2)

 Winter comes but once a year here.  Usually lasting from Mid-November until Mid-January.  This photo essay is part 2 of a 2 part Winter special.

Created in 2014 by an enterprising, experienced, and motivated group of friends, headed and financed by O gauge enthusiast Gary Hickock, the layout at the Old Town Model Railroad Depot (OTMRD) was in danger of being scrapped forever at the end of 2019.  Then in walked a family, David, Mana, and their son Miles.  To their dismay Gary explained to them in his normal introduction to everyone who walked in, that the Depot was closing at the end of November, just shy of Christmas!  This couple ended up making an offer days later, saving the Depot, and along the way finding me to help run the business, and the layout.

 

2020 has not been nice to most every model railroad club, museum, and group worldwide, OTMRD none the less faced shutdown after shutdown.  From Mid-August until the first few weeks of November, we enjoyed some visitors "like normal."  Once again we added snow to the city scene as had been done for the previous 5 years, but we don't get to share it with the public!  Read along in this multi-part series showing some intricate scenes on our 'normally open to the public' O gauge layout.

 

As with any museum, OTMRD depends on the generosity of the viewing pubic.  Please, if you can do so, made a donation though OTMRD's website, or purchase some products! https://www.oldtowntrains.com/

"Get your news paper!" Even with the winter weather, the local newspaper men are still out!

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Category: Quick Reviews
Hits: 237

Quick Review: Rapido HO scale Flexi-Flo

Release in the fall of 2020, Rapido Train's much anticipated, and quickly sold out Flexi-Flo covered hoppers are a welcome addition to any 1964 to 2015 era layout!

Officially carded as the American Car & Foundry (ACF) PD3500 Covered Hopper, the name "Flexi-Flo" came from the New York Central.  More details on the Prototype can be read on Rapido's website: https://rapidotrains.com/products/ho-scale/freight-cars/ho-scale-acf-flexi-flo

The Model: Rapido expertly created the model in HO scale, sparing no details.  This isn't the first model of these cars in HO scale, with brass imports, and even AHM made a model during the 1970's and 1980's!  I've seen in the past a few modelers who have turned great replicas from the AHM version, and I even started one myself in the late 2000's.  Plano Model Products released a replacement etched walkway for these old AHM models.

The clear plastic allows for viewing of the model in the packaging, but Rapido includes a smooth, foggy plastic liner to separate the model from the clear plastic clamshell, so the model is hardly "visible."

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Category: Freight Projects
Hits: 213

Repurposing a Great Northern Covered Hopper for Modern Service

How to redo a factory painted model that doesn't fit your modeling era.

 

We all have models that are somewhat misfit to our interests. I was given a magnificent replica of a Great Northern 2 bay cement hopper by a well meaning relative a few years back. Though I model the modern era, I was touched by their generosity and could not bring myself to sell it or return it. I thought of several different ways I could work this hopper painted for a road 50 years defunct into my roster or layout. Static Display? Junkyard or abandoned? Whatever scheme I came up with felt unnatural and somewhat forced until I read an article on Patch-out modeling. Like a bolt of lightning the idea came to me to strip and patch this hopper as a car that had seen years of service.

 

I began by looking through many photos from http://rrpicturearchives.net/ as well as Instagram posts to gather a good idea of how two bay hoppers weather and fade as they travel the rails. What became apparent very quickly is that ACF hoppers such as this are frequently the target of graffiti artists for ornate and complex paintings. As I model the modern era, I was eager to include some prototypical (or perhaps proto-freelanced) graffiti in my manifest trains and focused my searches to include such prototypes that had been so decorated. I decided one side of my hopper would feature several paint patches and the other side would feature large graffiti exhibit and found according to prototype pictures.

 

 

With my photos picked out I set to stripping the famous rocky mountain goat and all accompanying graphics from the model.

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Category: Painting Projects
Hits: 174

Painting to Achieve a Peeled Look

How to paint a locomotive to appear as though the previous owner's paint is starting to show through.

-Compiled by Josh Baakko, photos and model by Joe Napolitano (@_conrail_ on Instagram)

Recently Joe shared some photos of a D&H GP38-2 he modeled in HO scale.  This particular unit was originally owned by Lehigh Valley, and was hastily repainted in the "blue dip" version of Delaware & Hudson's paint.

Through it's life with D&H the unit wore a few variations in paint.  Joe chose to model the blue dip scheme, but after the paint had worn through exposing it's late Cornell Red.  Joe's prototype can be found here: http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=487182

Read on to see how he accomplished this unique paint.

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