St. Louis RPM 2017

Jim Cantor with his NKP O Scale Portable Layout

John Russell, who models the Rock Island St. Louis Line in O Scale.

O Scale SLSF Decapods number 1621, which was also a former Eagle Picher Engine operated at Picher, Oklahoma at the Central Mill (Actual Engine is at Museum of Transportation in St. Louis.)

This is an O scale Model of a CB&Q Double Deck Mathers Stock Car.

St. Louis RPM Show 2016

"During the 2016 RPM show in St. Louis I had many visitors to my table who wanted to talk about scratchbuilding and kitbashing models.  This is something I have done for many years and I love to share some of my projects and ideas with my fellow model builders.  Of course the great thing about this show is the chance to learn ideas from other modelers, whether in HO, N, or Proto 48. 

One of the many modelers who stopped by and talked with me was Michael Gross, who many of us remember from the TV hit show "Family Ties".  Michael is a very nice person with a genuine love for building model trains.  We had the chance to talk about some of the ideas and materials I used for my models and how they can be incorporated into Michael's HO modeling projects.  He has a passion for building and modeling very much like many of those who attend the St. Louis RPM Show.

For those who have followed my blog postings and have not had the chance to attend the St. Louis RPM Show, may I encourage you to come this year.  It will be held in June and you can Google information about it by entering "St. Louis RPM Show".  It is a great event with lots of models and vendors that are happy to show you their products as well as their knowledge of model building. 

Until next time Happy Railroading.  Bill"

Hello 2017!

Greetings to my fellow bloggers of O Scale, to ring in the New Year here is a new car I was working on last year.

This Rock Island outside braced boxcar was scratch-built from some Northeastern Lumber materials as well as detail parts from Selley Custom Finishes, Keil-line, Scale City Design, and Plastruct.  The brake details are from brass wire from Special Shapes and the couplers are Monarch couplers.  This car was made from a old Herron Rail video I had showing this boxcar in a local freight train operating in Kansas.  It is a model of one of the Bettendorf boxcars commonly found on several Midwest railroads - Milwaukee Road, Green Bay & Western, and the Minneapolis & St. Louis to name a few.  The paint is ScaleCoat and the decals are Champion Decals with some Microscale decals for additional lettering.  Hope you like this one and have a Happy New Year.

Happy Holidays with a Milwaukee F9

Happy Holidays to all who has come to the blog

This is an older model I made out of an Atlas F-9 model.  It was not in the greatest of conditions, but was perfect for being converted into another engine for my 2-rail layout.  I needed to have some passenger engines for my Chippewa Hiawatha train.  I removed some of the incorrect details from the Atlas carbody and added parts that were found on the F-9's that were converted to Passenger service.   I used P&D, Red Caboose, Keil-Line, and Precision Scale parts and then added details using brass wire and plastruct pieces.  I equipped the headlight with a Mintronics Gyra-light unit to simulate the Mars light found on Milwaukee Road passenger diesels.  I used Floquil UP Armour yellow and UP Harbor Mist Gray for the paint.  The decals are Champion decals and Champion red stripes along with Microscale decals.  This engine will run as lead unit with a Central Locomotive Works E-7 I also rebuilt.  They will pull my Chippewa Hiawatha train in the future when the layout is completed.  Hope you like it and have a Merry Christmas!  Bill  

CNW Alco FA2

Here is a special post just for everyone

This model of one of the C&NW Alco FA2 and FB2 cab units was made from two Weaver units - both which had been used quite a bit and in need of repair and new paint.  I stripped the cabs of their old paint and also rebuilt the motor in one along with new wiring and repaired the electrical pickups.  Once the electrical work was done I found pictures of these units in service on the C&NW.  The four FA2 and FB2 cab units spent most of their time operating out of Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Thus my desire to have a pair of them in operation on my Wisconsin Michigan Lines.  The cab unit is painted in the later scheme from 1959 and the B unit is in the original as delivered scheme.  Both units operate on my 3 rail layout.

These units took a long time to do research on because I am always trying to find pictures of the engines and cars I want to build. I found some pictures in a CNW book and the Historical Society Magazine and I used them to build the engines.

Milwaukee Road F3

Well another Milwaukee Road F3, and after building a few engines.

This Milwaukee Road engine is a Lionel F3 unit which was in bad shape.  After repairing the motors and the e-unit I repainted the frame and trucks to match the orange, black, and maroon scheme of the Milwaukee Road.  I decaled it with Champion Decals and Microscale stripes.  I also numbered it for the Milwaukee Road series of F3's that were delivered in early 1949.   I added the square winterization hatch similar to the ones the Milwaukee added to these engines.  This engine will operate on the 3-rail layout.

Ore Cars, Glorious Ore Cars

A while ago I promised to post some ore cars for you to view and enjoy,  but for some reason [old age] I forgot to post them.

most of these ore cars are old Atlas cars that were undecorated and I decided to make them into cars that would have been found in the area I am modeling.

 

The DM&IR cars were some I found at a train show here in Tucson that I changed to the correct numbers and added details such as air hoses and brake detail.  

The Milwaukee Road cars are undecorated Atlas cars that look very similar to the Milwaukee Road cars used in the Michigan ore country.  

The Soo Line cars are again undecorated Atlas cars with markings from some pictures I found of their ore cars in Michigan.  Hope you like these cars and have a great holiday season.