What non-auto model did you get today?

[atomicholiday]

Picked this up yesterday.  It’s from a Czech company called Platikovy Model.  I’ve never heard of them before, but the kit looks ok.  Definitely not Tamiya, but not horrible.

[Ace-Garageguy]

My local HobbyTown has been selling used model RR equipment lately. The guy who runs the train department is extremely knowledgeable, is a local club member, accomplished scratch-builder, repairs RR equipment right there in the store occasionally, and is a member of NMRA (National Model Railroad Assn.)and NRHS (National Railroad Historical Society) too...fascinating guy to talk to...and he turned me on to the pre-owned kits and rolling stock. It's kinda like going into a real hobby shop used to be.

Anyway, I bought all the "craftsman" kits and several nice pieces of rolling stock, most already equipped with Kadees, for a fraction of what they'd go for on eBay. 

A big plus is that they have a large stock of model and real railroad mags from long ago, and they're FREE. I almost feel guilty taking a few every time I shop there, but they want them gone, and it's got me going back much more frequently (great marketing on their part, as I always buy something to "have in stock", particularly styrene, as the "supply chain issues" threw a huge stopper in the pipeline, and it's just now beginning to trickle back in).

A couple examples of the craftsman kits I snagged, below.

Caboose Hobbies Silverado Mine kit, trading for $150-$200...if you can even find one:

Centennial Models 103 Silver Belle Mill kit, trading at $50-$70

Rio Grande Models Jordan Spreader kit (milled wood shapes, some scribed siding, and a lot of lost-wax castings), still in production and sells new for $66:

 

A couple of different Timberline Models D&RGW Water Tank kits, selling for $40-$60 each, including shipping:

There's more, and too many freight cars to list.

Also ran across a stall at one of the local flea markets selling new, in-the-box Athern freight car kits for $5, and used ones for $3...  

Edited October 19, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[Earl Marischal]

16 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

My local HobbyTown has been selling used model RR equipment lately. The guy who runs the train department is extremely knowledgeable, is a local club member, accomplished scratch-builder, repairs RR equipment right there in the store occasionally, and is a member of NMRA too...fascinating guy to talk to...and he turned me on to the pre-owned kits and rolling stock. It's kinda like going into a real hobby shop used to be.

Anyway, I bought all the "craftsman" kits and several nice pieces of rolling stock, most already equipped with Kadees, for a fraction of what they'd go for on eBay. 

A big plus is that they have a large stock of model and real railroad mags from long ago, and they're FREE. I almost feel guilty taking a few every time I shop there, but they want them gone, and it's got me going back much more frequently (great marketing on their part, as I always buy something to "have in stock", particularly styrene, as the "supply chain issues" threw a huge stopper in the pipeline, and it's just now beginning to trickle back in).

A couple examples of the craftsman kits I snagged, below.

Caboose Hobbies Silverado Mine kit, trading for $150-$200...if you can even find one:

Centennial Models 103 Silver Belle Mill kit, trading at $50-$70

Rio Grande Models Jordan Spreader kit (milled wood shapes, some scribed siding, and a lot of lost-wax castings), still in production and sells new for $66:

 

A couple of different Timberline Models D&RGW Water Tank kits, selling for $40-$60 each, including shipping:

There's more, and too many freight cars to list.

Also ran across a stall at one of the local flea markets selling new, in-the-box Athern freight car kits for $5, and used ones for $3...  

Nice finds!

I could certainly find a use for that Silver Belle Mine kit.

steve

[atomicholiday]

21 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

My local HobbyTown has been selling used model RR equipment lately. The guy who runs the train department is extremely knowledgeable, is a local club member, accomplished scratch-builder, repairs RR equipment right there in the store occasionally, and is a member of NMRA too...fascinating guy to talk to...and he turned me on to the pre-owned kits and rolling stock. It's kinda like going into a real hobby shop used to be.

Anyway, I bought all the "craftsman" kits and several nice pieces of rolling stock, most already equipped with Kadees, for a fraction of what they'd go for on eBay. 

A big plus is that they have a large stock of model and real railroad mags from long ago, and they're FREE. I almost feel guilty taking a few every time I shop there, but they want them gone, and it's got me going back much more frequently (great marketing on their part, as I always buy something to "have in stock", particularly styrene, as the "supply chain issues" threw a huge stopper in the pipeline, and it's just now beginning to trickle back in).

A couple examples of the craftsman kits I snagged, below.

Caboose Hobbies Silverado Mine kit, trading for $150-$200...if you can even find one:

Centennial Models 103 Silver Belle Mill kit, trading at $50-$70

Rio Grande Models Jordan Spreader kit (milled wood shapes, some scribed siding, and a lot of lost-wax castings), still in production and sells new for $66:

 

A couple of different Timberline Models D&RGW Water Tank kits, selling for $40-$60 each, including shipping:

There's more, and too many freight cars to list.

Also ran across a stall at one of the local flea markets selling new, in-the-box Athern freight car kits for $5, and used ones for $3...  

great stuff!  

[tbill]

Finally snagged one of these, got a good deal too, as the box was slightly smooshed, but everything in the box is mint.

 

[CabDriver]

A water tower and a mail box - same company also makes a billboard kit, a lighthouse and a skate-ramp:

[metalhead]

I've got the new Magic Factory 1/48 F4U Corsair heading my way right now. Should be here by Wednesday. From what I have seen from the test shots, it will be a very good kit and I can't wait to start it!

[atomicholiday]

12 hours ago, metalhead said:

I've got the new Magic Factory 1/48 F4U Corsair heading my way right now. Should be here by Wednesday. From what I have seen from the test shots, it will be a very good kit and I can't wait to start it!

Magic Factory?  I’m not familiar with them.  Good stuff?

[metalhead]

I haven't heard of them, either until they announced the Corsair. It seems like they mainly focus on armor. Regardless, this looks like a stunning kit!

Edited November 14, 2023 by metalhead
Spelling

[HomerS]

I missed the last issue and had not seen one at shows/swap meets.  Finally grabbed a sealed one at a recent toy show.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'm intending to start building the HO-scale model RR layout I've been putting off for 6 decades, in the attached 2-car garage at the new place out west. I don't need the garage for cars, as there's a sizable real-car shop on the property. The period is to be late 1950s, early '60s, during the end of the steam-to-diesel transition, but an alternative-history interpretation focusing on America's vanishing heavy industry as much as railroading.

John Allen's masterpiece, the Gorre and Daphetid RR layout, has been an inspiration to me since I was a kid. I've acquired a few pieces of commercially-produced commemorative rolling stock over the years when they came up cheap. This is the latest, a drover's caboose in G&D livery. With appropriate trucks and brakes, a car like this could still have been in interchange service in the target period.

I've also been buying cheap, distressed rolling stock in interesting road names, mostly "fallen-flags" from the period. As they are usually in need of repair / overhaul to bring them up to current performance expectations, I also have been buying multiples of the industry-standard Kadee couplers when they come up for well under retail. Latest batch, below.

Anyone who has an interest in model railroading, dioramas, or modeling in general owes it to himself to look at some of John Allen's spectacular work.    https://greatdivideline.com/the-original-masterpiece

How's this for inspiration?

 

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[Phirewriter]

Not much of a train guy but I've seen his work in various print forms and the interwebs years ago when I put some time in helping with managing my friends hobby shop for a while. Spectacular to say the least.

Hopefully once I get my slot car tracks finished, building a convertible table/base that will have an H.O. track folding or lowering down to top the 1:32/24 scale track. I'd like to build a small H.O. train layout for the few trains I have. I have my late father's various engines and rolling stock in addition I've got got a Walther's Hiawatha set plus a ConCor GM Aero train and a few cars.

I work in the sign industry and am also designing and making a display case with track to display in the living room with my framed period Hiawatha and Aero Train posters. We do some PoP display stuff and always have lots of clear acrylic around. My wife thought it would be a great display. She's really good about my many hobbies and interests, I think that's why I've kept her around all these years😋

Edited November 19, 2023 by Phirewriter

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, Phirewriter said:

Not much of a train guy but I've seen his work in various print forms and the interwebs years ago when I put some time in helping with managing my friends hobby shop for a while. Spectacular to say the least...

...My wife thought it would be a great display. She's really good about my many hobbies and interests, I think that's why I've kept her around all these years😋

Lucky man to have a wife-unit who gets it, or is at least not disparaging of your interests. 

Anyway...I lucked into a couple sets of Tyco-boxed Aerotrain power units and car shells some years back. I think the tooling was originally done by Varney, which became Tyco, and went on to Bowser and ConCor.

Sure wish reality had stayed that cool.

Nice to know both the Aerotrains ever built still exist, in museums.

[Phirewriter]

I started with buying the crude Varney versions of the Aero Train since it was the only game until ConCor came out with their high detail modern tooled train. A bit on the pricey side but well worth it. Based on what I've seen over the years with guys and their hobbies (I've seen some funny and some terrible things) I'm very very blessed to have the wife I do. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, Phirewriter said:

I started with buying the crude Varney versions of the Aero Train since it was the only game until ConCor came out with their high detail modern tooled train. A bit on the pricey side but well worth it. Based on what I've seen over the years with guys and their hobbies (I've seen some funny and some terrible things) I'm very very blessed to have the wife I do. 

Thanks for educating me on the Con-Cor Aerotrain. I had wrongly assumed it was another repop of the venerable old nee-Varney tools, further assuming it was such an obscure subject, nobody would invest in new tooling. Nice to know somebody thought enough of it to do a new version. I just found a 2008 review of it in MR. Guess I'm a little behind the curve in model RR knowledge. At the price it was back then, I'll probably not be adding one...butcha never know.  

All mine are dummy shells, but I have enough fairly correct power trucks, car trucks, frames, and drives to get one up and running.

I like the proportions of the old version, and it's good enough to be an acceptable 5-foot model (for what I'll be doing with it) with just a little upgrading.  

[Phirewriter]

Had I not been involved with my friends store I'd never have known about the Aero train or the Hiawatha sets. I was able to get them at cost and wouldn't have bought the additional rolling stock beyond the engines and a couple of cars that came with the sets. My dad had a mild interest in H.O. from back in the 60's and had a small layout next to the slot track. He was mostly a modeler, primarily cars but he liked aircraft and some sci-fi.

  I'm still planning on fitting my old Varney shells on a modern engine and chassis. I still like the look of the old Varney shells as well. 

Edited November 20, 2023 by Phirewriter

[Earl Marischal]

Con-Cor did the Pioneer Burlington Zephyr too.

https://www.trains.com/mrr/news-reviews/reviews/staff-reviews/con-cor-international-pioneer-zephyrs-in-ho-and-n-scales/

steve

[Earl Marischal]

A couple of items from my local model railway shop. The owner is a friend and does discounts. 

steve

 

[bamadon]

Thanks Ace for bringing back some great memories. I remember the G&D in Model Railroader  and reading and re-reading every article. Another I looked forward to was G. A. Humann's South Shasta Line. 

Don R

[Ace-Garageguy]

Finally bought my first brass locomotive, this HO scale NJ Custom Brass Pennsy S2 turbine 6-8-6. Notice the lack of cylinders and valve gear. It was a one-of-one experimental direct-drive steam turbine built by the Pennsylvania RR to test the concept. Though it was thermally-efficient at speed, better than conventional steam locomotives, it was a real steam-and-fuel hog accelerating, and was scrapped after a few years.

I knew nothing about this locomotive prior to seeing the listing, but after researching it, I had to have one...and this one was pretty "affordable". These can be spendy if still in "like new" condition, unpainted, with the box. This one needs a little TLC, but I think she's already happy in her new home, and fits well with the theme of my envisioned layout.

Also snagged this gorgeous pair of Proto 2000 NIB Alco PA/PB diesels in AT&SF "warbonnet" livery. I think this is one of the best looking diesels ever, and sure wish they were still in service instead of mostly scrapped.

These Proto 2000 models are really beautiful.

Speaking of Proto 2000, this EMD GP9 in AT&SF "tiger stripe" colors found its way here too. Having dynamic brakes represented, it makes an effective switcher or road engine. Again, NIB.

The high-hood Geeps are among my favorite diesels, one from Lionel being my very first model train...which I still have.

This little (older issue NIB) Atlas EMD GP7, without dynamic brakes, though not as finely detailed as the Proto 2000 version, is a fine runner and will make a great yard goat in a DC-DCC isolated part of the layout...and there's plenty of room inside to upgrade to modern DCC electronics.

 

Edited November 29, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

More train stuff. This A-B-B set of Model Power HO scale Baldwin "Shark Nose" RF-16s (disregard the FA2 on one box) in B&O livery is in really decent shape for its age, with a powered A-unit and dummy Bs. The A-unit model was in production under several brand names, based on the same carbody tooling, for many years. These striking diesels' styling was influenced by the work of Raymond Loewy on the Pennsylvania RR's T1 steam locomotive (the same guy who did the '53 Studebaker and the Avanti). The Model Power tooling is remarkably crisp and clean, especially considering its age, and reasonably accurate. These old models respond well to detail and mechanical upgrades, and can equal "modern" offerings in looks and performance for considerably less money...if  you're inclined to put some time and effort into 'em.

     T1            Shark                                                                                                                    

And another pair from Proto 2000 in HO, this time EMD E6 and E6B units. Santa Fe "warbonnet" livery again. NIB.

Another strikingly attractive locomotive, the E6 had more streamlined styling, with a more pronounced slope to the nose, than the later E7-E9 and their F-unit sisters. EMC, which became GM's Electro Motive Division (EMD) built the E-series of locomotives for "streamliner" passenger trains from 1937 until 1963. These locomotives, and their freight-hauling siblings the EMD F series, were largely instrumental in the dieselization of America's railroads, leading up to and after WW II.

 

Edited November 29, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[atomicholiday]

8 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

More train stuff. This A-B-B set of Model Power HO scale Baldwin "Shark Nose" RF-16s (disregard the FA2 on one box) in B&O livery is in really decent shape for its age, with a powered A-unit and dummy Bs. The A-unit model was in production under several brand names, based on the same carbody tooling, for many years. These striking diesels' styling was influenced by the work of Raymond Loewy on the Pennsylvania RR's T1 steam locomotive (the same guy who did the '53 Studebaker and the Avanti). The tooling is remarkably crisp and clean, especially considering its age, and reasonably accurate. These old models respond well to detail and mechanical upgrades, and can equal "modern" offerings in looks and performance for considerably less money...if you're inclined to put some time and effort into 'em.

     T1            Shark                                                                                                                    

And another pair from Proto 2000 in HO, this time EMD E6 and E6B units. Santa Fe "warbonnet" livery again. NIB.

Another strikingly attractive locomotive, the E6 had more streamlined styling, with a more pronounced slope to the nose, than the later E7-E9 and their F-unit sisters. EMC, which became GM's Electro Motive Division (EMD) built the E-series of locomotives for "streamliner" passenger trains from 1937 until 1963.

 

Wow Bill, you're on a roll.   Can't wait to see it all come together.   Those are some really cool old trains. 

[redscampi]

On 11/18/2023 at 3:05 PM, HomerS said:

I missed the last issue and had not seen one at shows/swap meets.  Finally grabbed a sealed one at a recent toy show.

Hah! I just picked one of these up, too. Mine is not sealed, but new in the kinda rough box and it's the 1971 version. Glad to see I'm not the only one who finds this kind of stuff fascinating.

[redscampi]

On 11/18/2023 at 3:05 PM, HomerS said:

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2023 by redscampi
double post please delete

[atomicholiday]

I’m a sucker for a good deal on old aircraft kits.  Brought these home yesterday.

 

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by atomicholiday