highway

Thanks, Clay. I kinda figured they were 1/32 scales, but those are the best I've seen from a snap kit!

Clay, where did you get the wheels from? I WANT SOME!!!

Brett, I have a question with the sticks. Do you (meaning Stevens) supply MicroMark with the sanding sticks they sell? I use my Stevens sticks quite regularly for seam removal and other tight jobs and love them, and found they are quite long lasting with care.

I'll let you know as soon as I figure it out, because I have a few other community builds that have to get down before the end of this year. As soon as I get them done, I'll be getting one off the shelf for this build.

Thanks for the compliments everyone. @Scalper: I used to have a few N scale trains, too, but I've always seemed to go back to HO. I can't wait until I can get a larger house so I can finally have a nice layout. I have barely enough room for models, so the trains reside in their storage bins most of the time! @gray07: Thanks for the info, and that sounds just like how Cass Railroad is. Cass started out as a logging town and now they use the right of way originally used for the logging railroad for the scenic route. As far as I know, all the Shays there are original to the old logging rairoad, too. @whale392: It's funny you bring up the gas turbines, I picked up the new issue of Model Railroader this week and they have a review of a turbine in HO scale that is new from Athearn. I always wanted the Riverrossi unit, but just never had the money to get it, as is the story now. One of my LHSs is the only one of three to carry a very nice selection not only in kits, but has a very nice train selection as well. Not only (at least last I was there anyway) do they have another one of the Revell of Germany kits, they have the Athearn Genesis series Big Boy, too! At almost $400, though, it's a little out of my price range, and since I'd have to have the Union Pacific Challenger they have as well, I don't have the $800 for both! @Ralifreak78: Yeah, for being older snap kits, they are very nice to build. Also, I wouldn't exactly say I got a good deal on the Shay, I paid over $200 for mine, but it had been one of my "Holy Grails" of my railroad part of the hobby. The only one I ever wanted was the Cass version, and I was lucky to find this on the shelf and I had the extra cash at the time, so I finally got it after all these years. At least one of my other "Holy Grails" wasn't as expensive! I had spent 10 years since I lost everything in a house fire in 1997 trying to replace my original train my father had bought for my first Christmas, a Lionel HO scale Burlington Northern diesel. Even though I knew nothing could replace the original, I had to have that engine just for sentimental value, and finally replaced it in 2007 after finding it new in the box for $10 at a local train show!

Sounds good to me, count me IN! I've got a few race cars just begging to get out of the box.

You know, Gregg, that is a great idea, I'm surprised being a truck builder I didn't think of that! Both the Revell Peterbilt 359 and Kenworth W900 are listed as skill level 2 kits, but they are reissues of old snap kits from the 80's. Jeff, if you would want to concider one of those two kits, let me know. Both trucks are 1/25 scale, so the parts are all decent sized, and I have the Peterbilt 359, so if you would want an idea of the kit before you buy it, I would be more than happy to take pictures of the kit for you. Here is what I have done so far on mine, and nothing is glued together on it yet. The Kenworth is mostly close to the Peterbilt, so either way you'd be getting him an easy to build and nice model.

Ray, I think I'd get to the tire shop quick, that left front inside looks ready to blow!

That is exactly the reason modelers should not be allowed to play with razor saws! Of course, I'm kidding, nice idea and nice model. I might have to find one of those Moebius kits, I'm getting an idea for one of those Snow Cat plows like they use for grooming ski slopes.

I think a snap kit would be a good choice, too. Another alternative, though, might be one from the Revell "Basic Builder" line. They are simpler glue kits and the few I have don't seem to have many, if any, really small parts. These would also be nice because he could glue them, but not have a whole lot of parts to glue, since I think most are under 100 pieces.

Oh, ok, I get it now! I know a few flea markets a friend of mine has went to here in the states usually has some luck finding some cheap models there.

Please don't take offense to this, but what in the world is a carboot?

Hey, Johnny it's in the "Big Boys" section, and first page to boot! I'll help you out, though, here's the link to it. http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=36321

I second the second! I just hope the motion passes!

Been there, done that! When I first started driving in 1998, I had the honor of having a great trainer for the first company I got my license through, and he taught me the valuable skill of having the truck washed anytime before going into California, PERIOD! Since there were no scales before Barstow on I-40, we always stopped at Little Sisters Truck Wash there, but otherwise we stopped at the nearest wash before the Cali border. Of course, being a greenhorn, I had to know why this was so important, and he told me as long as the truck was clean, CALTRANS DOT very rarely would ever pull a clean truck behind the scales, but a dirty truck was just giving you an open invitation for an inspection. Well, after 4 months on the road, I switched companies and still had to be with a trainer, and the trainer I had for that second company was a joke! Anyway, we were in Oregon and going to CA and I asked him if we were going to wash the truck, which probably hadn't been washed in months, stating the reason my former trainer had told me. He started out and I went to the bunk, and when we got to the CA port of entry, I woke up to here the DOT officer telling the trainer to pull around the back of the scales! Needless to say, I gave him a nice, big "I TOLD YOU SO!", and he ended up taking me straight back to the main terminal and kicked me out of the truck! The next trainer I had couldn't believe not only how dumb that trainer was, but why he kept me in a trainer's truck as long as he did, I was on my own by the end of the week!

Brian, do you have a website for your wheels, and is this the only wheel you are casting at the moment? Also, for us big rig guys, do you also have the inner wheels for the 359 wheels? Oh, and just to let you know in the comment about the clear wheels, there is a board rule for NO CUSSING. "1) No vulgar language. This board was created for modelers of all ages and offensive language is completely unacceptable." You can find that by clicking the "Board Rules and Guidelines" at the top right corner of the page, right under the search box. You can also find that rule will be enforced by reading this link: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=30484

I like the idea of the day cab heavy hauler, Kyle. Thank you for your service to our country! I wish you well on your deployment and stay safe over there.

Ok, either I must have been living in a cave, or there just is not much of a demand for Tenax around here, because my all of my LHSs always have it in stock. I must agree with Bluesman Mark though, I prefer Ambroid ProWeld over Tenax, which my LHSs also keep pretty well stocked. I don't know if it's Tenax or just me, but I just have not had good luck using Tenax, and the fact I can also get the Ambroid cheaper is a big plus, too. One of the LHSs I deal with a lot carries the Ambroid 2 oz bottles for $3.69, and Tenax is $3.39 for the 1 oz bottles.

I never thought of doing a piano hinge like that, it sounds like a good idea. If you want something more like a piano hinge without trying to scratchbuild it, I've heard doll house piano hinge works good.

I can't believe anyone would consider the 69 the ugly one! I always thought that Chevy never got it right until the 69 came out!

Yeah, from what my can said, the more coats the more intense the effect. I only have two coats so far on my rig, but I plan one or two more.

Johnny, you do relize a 69 is a 1st generation car, right? The second generation cars started with the 70 1/2 model year.

I thought you might like them.

I'm not going to speak for everyone here, but I know I seldom weather my trucks based on subject matter. I, like most of the other modelers I've viewed here, seem to build trucks more on an owner operator style truck, and being a driver as well, these trucks rarely have heavy weathering. I'm not saying I don't have builds planned that won't be weathered to a point, but most will either have no or very slight weathering, just because the model represents a truck an owner would be proud of and won't want dirty. A very good example is my current WIP. This truck will only have maybe some grease weathering on the fifth wheel, mainly because with an investment like the real truck would be, that would be about the only place you'd be likely to find dirt. While I was still driving over the road, my truck was rarely dirty, either, even though they were company owned trucks. Whether the company paid for the wash or I had to pay for it myself, I had the truck washed at least once a week. I lived by one simple rule when it came to my equipment, take pride in your ride! Now don't get me wrong, there are some builds that beg for weathering to look right, I have a few dumps that will be weathered, just because they lead harder lives and need weathering unless being built as a fresh off the lot rig. As for road trucks, though, little or no weathering just seems more appropriate, expect for maybe a fleet truck like maybe an LTL fleet truck, but even most of those on the road are pretty clean for the most part.

I found a pic of the lights at Summit Racing. Here's a link for you, too. http://www.summitracing.com/search/Product-Line/Altec-Products-Line-of-Fire-LED-Light-Bars/?keyword=light+bars&autoview=SKU