Brian Austin

Oh, lighten up people. Conspiracy theories aren't helpful. In other news, Sunita Williams participated in a California-based triathalon. https://www.space.com/17643-space-triathlon-astronaut-sunita-williams.html

Timely video. Model trains and mental health. Skip to just before the 6 min mark

I just saw a Delorean at a recent car show.

I've seen a stock one in a parking lot. Fascinating to see it in person, noting the subtle curves in the body lines. They way the body catches light is cool.

Not terribly old or exciting, but I saw a Chevy Malibu Maxx hatch the other day. One of those cars you don't see very often.

FWIW...What are the astronauts doing while they're at the ISS? https://www.space.com/boeing-starliner-astronauts-iss-duties-nasa "...In the meantime, however, Wilmore and Williams have been tasked to other activities on the ISS. They knew what they were signing up for. Both are former U.S. Navy test pilots with experience in developmental programs and long deployments, and that's a large reason they were selected for this current mission, known as Crew Flight Test (CFT). ... The astronauts were "fully trained" on all ISS duties, meaning Williams and Wilmore have been doing extra maintenance and a large share of science during their time on board. Appropriately sized spacesuits were set aside if the astronauts are asked to take on extra-vehicular activities. As for the supplies, the ISS always has a four-month contingency of food, oxygen and other critical items that Williams and Wilmore have been using. "

Space missions always have problems. This mission was a shakedown cruise. Astronaut Suni Williams came from my hometown, and there is a school named after her.

Some of those billet wheels look familiar, but I couldn't tell you which kits I think I might have seen them in. ?

My first job was at a retirement home. One day this unassuming '55 Chevy appeared in the lot. IIRC these dealer badges were mastered using hand-carved wood patterns.

Abandoned Olds in Brighton, MA in 1992. Under the WBCN radio sticker is the BEREJIK badge. While some of you might remember Berejik's racing connection, they were once one of the many dealerships in my hometown (Needham, MA). Berejik closed around 2000. Aside from a premium classic car dealership, I think all car dealerships are now gone from my town.

From the same seller I also got this old assembled plastic kit produced by KMT. The tank is OK but the walkways are a bit undersized. It'll do though.

One of the reasons I got the assortment was this wooden caboose. With that slab of lead it and metal trucks it weighs a good couple of pounds or so.

Next came this rather unique stock car. It appears to have been a repurposed Lionel tinplate toy. It's not my favorite, but it came in the lot. It did come with insulated wheels, though, so I placed those trucks under the hopper.

This hopper may also have been produced by Max Gray. Hatches on this one are inoperable. It's riding on trucks produced by Auel in 17/64" scale (1:45 vs. 1:48), and are nicely cast in metal. The wheels have lovely detail. Unfortunately for me the wheelsets are not insulated for 2-rail use. Also the treads are very worn. I later swapped the trucks for ones with insulated wheels. I made the mistake of picking up one of the loose Auel trucks. An errant finger slipped the spring plank sideways, taking the springs with it, and the truck self-destructed. I am not in a hurry to reassemble it.

I recently ordered a set of 5 vintage O scale freight cars. This is a brass bottom-dump gondola, made by Max Gray. This one of two I got, nearly identical. The hatch on this one won't shut properly. Although the New Haven did have some of this type, the lettering style appears to have been completely different, and they ran on archbar trucks. I'll have to order some from Kadee's newly introduced line of cast metal O Gauge freight car trucks.

It should be pointed out that the article mentions the "gloom and doom" in the British media and forums regarding the state of the model railway hobby as of last year when a major retailer closed down and a major model train exhibition was discontinued due to members aging out. Suddenly the hobby was doomed. Much has happened since last year. A new large exhibition is taking over the space the previous one had occupied, and the previous club is launching a smaller show elsewhere. That hobby is far from dying. As far as the article goes, I think people here are latching onto the wrong message. I see it as free positive press for hobbies. Remember the positive articles regarding hobbies during the pandemic? Nothing wrong with that. I think the article is sating that hobbies are in fact not "pointless" as some might consider.

Being interested in trains (and by extension, model trains) is often seen by "oudsiders" to be a rather strange hobby. And if you should be enthusiastic in your pursuit, you get branded as a weirdo. This video essay explains this point of view from a British perspective.

The image, lightened up some.

This article explains some of the loading procedures, and that balloon tires could cause complications. Note the photo showing three cars stuffed in one box car end (bottom two on their sides!).

From Traveling publicity campaigns; educational tours of railroad trains and motor vehicles, by Mary Swain Routzahn (1920).

Model Railroader magazine published an article with drawings on the Vert-A-Pac cars. Someone later built an O Scale model, but since there were no Vega models in that scale, IIRC cars from AMT's 1:43 kit line were substituted. HO model Vert-A-Pac cars appear to be available today, made by Exact Rail, and it appears Overland made some in brass some time ago. Does anyone offer Chevy Vegas in 1:87 scale?

Automobile box cars. A loading diorama could be built in 1:32 scale (or around 1:29 scale utilizing box-scaled diecast cars), but an automobile railcar in 1:24 or 1:25 would have to be entirely scratch built.

An enclosed rack car.

What were we discussing? Oh, yeah...railcars.

Note the '59 Australian Chevy with accessory indicator.