What non-auto model did you get today?

[FoMoCo66]

36 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Another brass HO rescue...this time a Southern Railway 4-6-2 Ps-4 by United Scale Models.

In excellent condition these go for around $500, but this one needs help, is missing the trailing truck on the locomotive and part of a tender truck, so I got it for a fraction of that.

I'm always amazed that people hack and bodge and lose parts from expensive, beautiful models like this, but I guess...Oh well. No need to go there.

One interesting thing is that the Southern Railroad's Ps-4s paint scheme was inspired by the London and North Eastern Railway (UK) colors in 1925.

Though they were in service from the mid-1920s and were extensively modified and updated through the years, by 1952 all 64 of them had been replaced by diesels and were on the scrap line. One was saved by an enthusiastic railfan and a Southern board member. Number 1401 was cosmetically restored and lives on as a static display at the Smithsonian, the only one of her kind left anywhere on Earth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Railway_Ps-4_class

 

 

This is my favorite locomotive. I've been wanting a brass one for a long time but there so expensive ?. I've got a set of crescent limited cars from ihc (8) that I bought off of ebay for $200 and want one of these to pull them, still got to convert them to knuckle though (looking at kadee 505's). Right now I pull them with this. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

12 hours ago, FoMoCo66 said:

This is my favorite locomotive. I've been wanting a brass one for a long time but there so expensive ?. I've got a set of crescent limited cars from ihc (8) that I bought off of ebay for $200 and want one of these to pull them, still got to convert them to knuckle though (looking at kadee 505's). Right now I pull them with this. 

Good looking Mountain. Is that Bachmann?

[FoMoCo66]

45 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Good looking Mountain. Is that Bachmann?

Yes, I ment to say that. They don't make it in ho anymore, I found this at a train show for a great deal. It also has a soundtraxx tsunami 2 in it, that decoder sounds amazing.

[Bugatti Fan]

American steam locos have quite some character, especially being so large to haul really long heavy freight trains.

I have a book about the development of the American steam locomotive.  Fascinating reading for a Brit over the pond.

Edited June 30, 2024 by Bugatti Fan

[Brian Austin]

I grew up devouring books and magazines of British railways, along with the usual US railroads.
I wish I could have seen Flying Scotsman pass through my area in the late 1960s.

[PierreR89]

Got this plane today. Not many parts but they are huge. The fusilage is almost exactly the length of the box. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

As my layout will feature a metal stamping plant as one of the main industries, I'll need specialized freight cars to service it.

Automobile boxcars, with doors on the sides and at least one end, were originally developed to transport complete vehicles, but as time went on, they were used more to transport sheetmetal stampings like fenders, door shells, roofs, etc. to the final assembly plants.

I got a smoking deal on a sealed pair (two different car numbers) of HO scale Proto 2000 50' automobile boxcars in Burlington colors. These are very high quality injection-molded styrene kits with separate ladders, grabs, trucks with blackened metal wheels, Kadee-compatible couplers, etc. etc. I'm just a little disappointed that these are "time-saver" kits, partially assembled, and whoever did the work was a little shaky and got too much gloo on a couple places. Nothing a little weathering won't hide completely though.

And another hot deal on two Westerfield A-50-4 outside-braced automobile boxcars in Union Pacific livery. Again, very high quality kits, but cast in resin. More "craftsman" type kits than the Proto 2000 line, as the bodies are multi-piece, you have to form your own wire grabs, etc. , and they have to be painted and decaled by the builder.

                                            

All four of these cars are appropriate for the alternate-reality late-steam-diesel-overlap period I'll be modeling...where steam engines are not scrapped, but rebuilt and kept in service (partially because America is floating on hundreds of years of coal deposits), and first-generation diesels are likewise repowered and modernized mechanically rather than being scrapped and replaced.

This gives me a plausible backstory to allow all of the truly beautiful locomotives I love from several eras to run together on the same layout.

 

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Got another pair of HO scale Baldwin Sharks too, Model Power updates of an older AHM/Tempo model, in Pennsy colors, and both DCC-equipped.

They came in with another Rivarossi HO scale Krauss-Maffei diesel-hydraulic locomotive too, so I can run a matched pair together after I change one number.

 

[Brian Austin]

A year or two ago I got 5 assembled O scale boxcar kits, each a little rough around the edges.  One was a wooden automobile boxcar.  It looks nice after a touch up.

[Brian Austin]

I was about to suggest kitbashing the Krauss-Maffei loco into SP's camera car, but there's not much of the loco left that's recognizable.

https://sp9010.ncry.org/sp8799.htm

Edited July 4, 2024 by Brian Austin

[Ace-Garageguy]

Last week another NIB/NOS HO-scale steam locomotive, this time a Bachmann 2-8-0 in Reading livery that I think dates back several decades. These are quite nice-running, and the valve gear action looks very good too. Like a lot of this older semi- "toy train" rolling stock, with some careful detailing and weathering and a little "tuning", they can look and run as good as modern models costing many times more, and adding DCC isn't particularly difficult

I went back to the flea market and snagged another big box of unloved, damaged, parts-missing interesting freight cars really cheap. Filling a freight yard these days can run into some serious money, with modern ready-to-run cars and kits costing anywhere from $25 to almost $100 each. But what I buy at the flea markets, usually only needing a truck or a wheelset or a coupler or other minor repairs (plus weathering) costs me on average $4 each.

The shot above from 1962 is dead in the era I'll be modeling, and shows a mix of freight cars built over several decades: mostly boxcars and covered hoppers, but also open hoppers, gondolas, tank cars, etc. The mix of cars in a yard is determined by the local industries a railroad serves, as well as what kind of commodities move through it from one part of the country to the other.

Anyway, to fill a freight yard to realistically represent the kind of activity shown above, the expense would be staggering using only current issue cars and kits. But at what I've been paying, though still not exactly cheap, it's doable. And the older broken stuff is generally within the time frame I want to model, too. Plus, just as with my car modeling, I seem to prefer bringing something back from almost-trash instead of buying shiny-new.  

[Ace-Garageguy]

I rarely buy "new" model train stuff, other than NOS kits from decades past. However, what I want isn't always available as vintage NOS. 

After finishing my emergency roof repairs on the back shop-room of the house I'll be leaving soon, I decided to give myself a reward for getting something really unpleasant done, and went to HobbyTown for a kit I'd seen earlier in the year.

The price at HT was considerably better than what I could get anywhere online with shipping, and buying current-issue kits and supplies like paint and Plastruct stock from them is all I can do in the name of "support your LHS".

This Walthers SceneMaster tracked excavator is a nicely detailed little kit that will easily backdate to the period I'll be modeling. And even though it represents a diesel unit, converting it to steam won't be hard. It'll be working at a coal mine, supplying both fuel for steam locomotives and the coke ovens at a steel mill.

Speaking of NOS, I also snagged this Russell snowplow kit for a fraction of the going price for the currently available RTR version. It's in Conrail livery, and Conrail didn't happen until much later (1976) than my intended layout represents (mid '50s) but color and livery changes are easy, and the price was definitely right.

    

It's not a car that gets run frequently, if ever, but plows, flangers, etc., look great sitting on work-train sidings, rusting quietly and patiently until they're needed.

 

 

 

[Matt Bacon]

4 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

This Walthers SceneMaster tracked excavator is a nicely detailed little kit that will easily backdate to the period I'll be modeling. And even though it represents a diesel unit, converting it to steam won't be hard. It'll be working at a coal mine, supplying both fuel for steam locomotives and the coke ovens at a steel mill.

Cool.... reminds me very much of a picture book I loved as a kid: "Mick Mulligan and his Steam Shovel.," and even more so with your steam conversion. I read it dozens of times when the mobile library came to our village in the very early 70s, but it was a "vintage classic" even then... Mick and his shovel have to retire, so he digs the foundations of one last apartment block and the steam shovel settles down to life as the heating furnace with Mick as its janitor... ?

best,

M.

[FoMoCo66]

Got 8 of these, so I could convert my ahm/ihc/rivarossi heavyweight cars. Once you do one car you kind of get in a rithm and just get faster and faster.

This is how they look.

I also had to do some modifications to the rpo and baggage car since their shorter than the rest.

[Ace-Garageguy]

2 hours ago, Matt Bacon said:

Cool.... reminds me very much of a picture book I loved as a kid: "Mick Mulligan and his Steam Shovel.," and even more so with your steam conversion. I read it dozens of times when the mobile library came to our village in the very early 70s, but it was a "vintage classic" even then... Mick and his shovel have to retire, so he digs the foundations of one last apartment block and the steam shovel settles down to life as the heating furnace with Mick as its janitor... ?

Great story.   

[Ace-Garageguy]

16 HO-scale NOS Athearn Pullman "heavyweight" passenger car kits, for less $ each, including shipping, than they sold for new many years ago.

This design of all-steel passenger car became standard around 1913, but many of these were still in regular service well into the 1970s.

Though I'm not particularly interested in running passenger train models, every major railroad yard in the past would most likely have had "coach tracks" or a slightly separated "coach yard" where passenger equipment was temporarily stored, and I'll be representing that with some of these, as well as newer more modern "streamlined" equipment. Stainless steel "streamlined" cars with fluted sides were introduced in the 1930s.

"Heavyweight" car:    

Stainless steel "streamlined" car:   

Additionally, some will be heavily weathered and spotted for either scrapping adjacent to the steel mill, or waiting for restoration/rebuild outside the "car shops" industries.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'm more stoked about this one than I thought I'd be. Roundhouse 3-in-1 kit #1517

 

It's not exactly a 'kit" in the conventional sense, but rather a collection of HO scale railroad car parts that provide the basis for scratch-bashing THREE old-time snow-clearing implements. Pretty complete instructions including templates for parts that have to be scratch-built, and mods to included bits.

The cars that result, though dating from the early 20th century, could conceivably still be in use on a remote shortline somewhere, where the management style was to continuously maintain and repair rolling stock that performed adequately, rather than replace it.

 

[Dave Van]

9 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I'm more stoked about this one than I thought I'd be. Roundhouse 3-in-1 kit #1517

 

It's not exactly a 'kit" in the conventional sense, but rather a collection of HO scale railroad car parts that provide the basis for scratch-bashing THREE old-time snow-clearing implements. Pretty complete instructions including templates for parts that have to be scratch-built, and mods to included bits.

The cars that result, though dating from the early 20th century, could conceivably still be in use on a remote shortline somewhere, where the management style was to continuously maintain and repair rolling stock that performed adequately, rather than replace it.

 

Somehow I lost track of this thread and have not read it in a while. You guys have been posting some cool stuff!!! 

I bought all of those MDC kitbash kits when they came out. They are great boxes of parts!!! 

I also have both of the  Krauss-Maffei AHM did, the SP and D&RGW paints. I like the new PECO versions but I am in O3r now and while I kept all my HO stuff...hard to pay the $$$$ for these new locos. 

There are times I think about how much HO layout I could fit in my 34 x24 layout room. Just enough for a decent O3r but huge for a HO......and the tons of HO stuff I still have?!?!?!?! Don't tempt me HO siren.......

My O3r...Some of this is temp or testing for 'look'.........Thx

 

[imarriedawitch]

On 11/19/2023 at 11:09 AM, Ace-Garageguy said:

How's this for inspiration?

 

Reminds me of my early days as a pipeline draftsman back in the mid 70s. I was on a job site on railway property with our senior draftsman and he asked me if I had ever seen the Roundhouse. There wasn't much left of it by then but the turn table was still in place.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Most significant thing that arrived today was this Kadee #13 HO-scale coupler "Test Kit", that includes examples of most of the different designs (to figure out what will work on any particular car or locomotive), a height gage, tools, misc parts like shims and springs, lube, and instructions for conversion of all the major manufacturers' offerings.

As I have a LOT of salvaged cars to refit with Kadees, this will be invaluable.

The sample test kit contains a variety of sample couplers and other necessary components to identify and properly install Kadee(R) couplers on locomotives and rolling stock without having to purchase full size packages of couplers, gear boxes and adaptors, springs, washers and shims that may be necessary for the coupler conversions. 
 
Kit contains HO Scale conversion list, 20 and 30 series instructions, Whisker(R) coupler instructions and sample size packages of products listed below: 
 
Couplers - Metal
NO.5(R) Medium Centerset - Metal - One Pair
#141 Whisker Long Underset - Metal - One Pair
#142 Whisker Medium Overset - Metal - One Pair
#143 Whisker Short Centerset - Metal - One Pair
#144 Whisker Short Underset - Metal - One Pair
#145 Whisker Short Overset - Metal - One Pair
#146 Whisker Long Centerset - Metal - One Pair
#147 Whisker Medium Underset - Metal - One Pair
#148 Whisker Medium Centerset - Metal - One Pair
#149 Whisker Long Overset - Metal - One Pair
#158 Whisker Scale Medium Centerset - Metal - One Pair

 
Couplers - Plastic
21/31 Long Underset - Plastic - One Pair
22/32 Medium Overset - Plastic - One Pair
23/33 Short Centerset - Plastic - One Pair
24/34 Short Underset - Plastic - One Pair
25/35 Short Overset - Plastic - One Pair
26/36 Long Centerset - Plastic - One Pair
27/37 Medium Underset - Plastic - One Pair
28/38 Medium Centerset - Plastic - One Pair
29/39 Long Overset - Plastic - One Pair 
 
Gear Boxes & Adaptors
#212 Talgo Truck Adaptors - One Sprue
Work with all couplers included in Test Kit and are standard with 20-Series couplers. 
#213 20-Series Gear Box with Sleeves - One Sprue
Work with all couplers included in Test Kit and are standard with 20-Series couplers.
#232 NO.5 Type Gear Box - One Sprue
Work with all couplers included in Test Kit and are standard with #5 couplers and 20-Series couplers. 
#233 30-Series Gear Box - One Sprue
Work with all couplers included in Test Kit Except Whisker Couplers and are standard with 30-Series couplers. 
#234 Short #5 Type Gear Box - One Sprue
Work with all couplers included in Test Kit and are standard with short shank 20-Series and 40-Series couplers. 
#242 Whisker Snap-Together Gear Box - One Sprue
Work with all couplers included in Test Kit and are standard with Whisker couplers. 
#252 Small Whisker Snap-Together Gear Box - One Sprue
Work with Only Whisker Couplers. The 252 is the Whisker equivalent to the 30-Series gear box. 
 
Screws, Springs, Washers, & Shims
#208 .015} Red Fiber Washer - 10 Each
#209 .010} Gray Fiber Washer - 10 Each
#211 .010} & .015} Shims - 10 Each
#256 Plastic 2-56 x 1/2} Screws - 10 Each
#621 30-Series Torsion Spring - 10 Each
#622 Knuckle Springs - 10 Each
NO.5 Type Centering Spring - 10 Each 
 
Uncouplers
#321 Code 100 Between-The-Rails - One Pair
#322 Code 83 Between-The-Rails - One Pair 
 
Tools
#231 Greas-em - One Each
#206 Coupler Height Gauge - One Each

#241 Dual Tool - One Each 

 

Edited August 10, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy
TYPO

[Earl Marischal]

I have been using Kadee couplings for years and this tool I have found to be invaluable.

https://www.kadee.com/237-coupler-trip-pin-pliers-for-hon3-ho-s-on3-o-scale-couplers

steve 

[Ace-Garageguy]

A few HO scale locomotives came in today, the most interesting to me being a 6-axle Alco RSD 4/5 from AHM...

...and what I think is a "Beep", a 1-of-1 Baldwin VF1000/EMD GP mashup built as an experiment by Santa Fe to repower old switchers with prime movers pulled out of retired road diesels. Far as I know, no manufacturer ever made an HO-scale model of the one-and-only Beep, so this may well be a custom build...something I'd intended to do myself at some point. It's in NP livery instead of SF, it was missing the cab roof (already scored one off a junk engine from the flea market), and the wheelbase is somewhat shorter than what it should be. Still, if it's a custom build, somebody did a masterful job. Other than the missing cab roof (and the 48" EMD fan on the top of the long hood) it looks factory (though the drive is a little on the cobbled-up side).

   

From the same collection came what is, I believe, another custom build, this time a mashup of Alco RS and EMD GP bits. I'm pretty sure I've seen the prototype of this one somewhere, but I have more research to do. Again, beautiful craftsmanship, looks factory, but isn't

[Earl Marischal]

Bill,

Could be one of these?

steve

 

Edited August 11, 2024 by Earl Marischal

[Ace-Garageguy]

6 hours ago, Earl Marischal said:

Bill,

Could be one of these?

Sure looks like it. Knew I'd seen one, but couldn't place it. Thanks Steve. 

Apparently Bowser either did or is producing an HO scale "Hammerhead" RS3 model (though last I heard Bowser was out of business).    EDIT: But they appear to be back...YIPPEE!!! 

       Aha. It's in the Walthers catalog.

But the one I bought came from a collection I understand is too old for it to be a factory job (though I may misunderstand, or may have been misinformed). It was listed simply as a "complete non-running AHM road diesel", and I haven't yet found a reference to AHM having made one.

I need to see if I can find some history, as rather a lot of current production rolling stock is based on very old tooling.

Curiouser and curiouser...  

Thanks again.   

EDIT 2: I took the body shell off the frame, and it's definitely a scratchbash on an AHM drive, but one of the nicest pieces of this kind of work I've ever seen. Separate wire grabs on the high-hood end, see-through fan grating with a free-spinning fan, invisible seams on the body shell, and a practically perfect, texture-free paint job...plus excellent light weathering. Whoever built it was GOOD.

EDIT 3: Looks like the builder never finished what he'd started. The low hood end still has the molded-on grabs like a stock AHM RS, the end railings are still the thickly-molded stock AHM parts, and it's missing the side railings entirely...but flat wire stanchions are available and the handrails can be formed from round wire.

All of those things are well within my ability to complete, but now I have to decide if I want to leave it where the builder stopped, or finish it to the level he'd partially already attained.

EDIT 4: Turns out my locomotive is a replica of Lehigh Valley #211 posted above by Steve. She was originally delivered to the Pennsy in 1953 as #8445, was renumbered 5569 (which my model carries), was transferred to Penn Central in the '68 merger, then traded to Lehigh Valley and repainted/renumbered as 211 in 1970. She was saved several times from the scrapper, and still exists.  

Here's her story: https://www.rgvrrm.org/about/railroad/lv211/

EDIT 5: Here's a similar conversion, but the guy who did mine thought it out a little better.       https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/69887-western-maryland-hammerhead-alco-rs3s/

EDIT 6: Interestingly, Pennsy 5569 is one of the factory versions from Bowser.

Thanks again to Steve for pointing me in the right direction.   

 

 

Edited August 11, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Earl Marischal]

Always happy to help Bill.

Interesting you found that RMWeb link. I’m on that forum under the handle “steve1”. ?

steve