Friday, May 13, 2011

Four Wheel Caboose

Nathan the Caboose
This is the second one of these I have built. This one, although based on the same Ye Olde Huff-n-puff kit as the previous one, uses very few of the kit parts. I scratch built the underframe from solid brass to git it lots of weight, and built the wall and roof out of styrene sheet so that the shell is removable. The end platforms are brass casting from Precision Scale. The roof for cupola is from the kit as are the windows, doors, stove roof vent and the roof beacon. For the interior detail, I used an Alpine Models kit, along with various pieces of wood and grab irons. As for the road number, that is the date of birth of my younger son, Nathan. The previous four wheel caboose was numbered for my older son, and that model one several model contests. This one, since it includes the interior details and is mostly scratch built, should get close to enough points to get an NMRA Merit award, should I ever get around to taking the time to write it up.

Until next time.
























Saturday, May 7, 2011

Modeling buildings

Been a while. Gonna try to make shorter entries, but more of them. I have way to many model railroad projects going, and need to complete a few and narrow the projects down to twenty or so. I have several buildings going, well more than several, probably 15 or so. Here are a couple laser cut wood practice kits I received for helping out at a clinic. I am planning on using the orange building as a used car lot office, and include a full interior and lighting. This will be used on my first Route 87 module, more on that later. The chair you can see through the window is scratch built from paper. The table in the corner will have a fiber-optic lamp in the center that will be the only light.


The white building below will be used in an eventual layout, and will either be the Long-Bell Lumber District Office in Winslow, AR or will be the law offices of Hugh Lewis Dewey, a.k.a. Hughie Louie Dewey. I used rubber cement to crate the peeling paint. OK, just decided, this is the law office, as Long-Bell Lumber would not let the siding get in to disrepair. In case anyone wonders about the paper building to the right in this picture, it is a copy of a building printed on the back cover of the May 1954 Toy Trains magazine, the predecessor of today's Model Railroad Craftsman. This was originally drawn by Hal Carstens, who just past away in the last few years. I have a scan of the original that I cleaned up in photoshop to make the building. If anyone wants a copy, I can email it to you. Here is the a shot of all three building.
Till next time.