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Part 24: Fire engine!

M Graff

Entry posted by M Graff

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I have some favorite "hate objects" in model railroading. Among other things, in terms of cliches .... :rolleyes:

For example, I would not like to have a church on the layout,

as there is one in every old track book!

The same applies to fire trucks .... Scenes of burning buildings with smoke generator and fire trucks with flashing lights ..... Not for me thanks :D.

I happened to see a kit that almost converted me!

A-(nother) Jordan-kit! An Ahrens Fox fire engine!?!.

I just had to buy it ..... But I couldn´t allow myself to paint it red!

Since my layout is depicting a big city in New England during World War II, one can imagine that there were variations on the theme.

Then I had an idea, because both the model year on the fire engine was a bit old, and it was wartime, it could be "normal" that they used older equipment as rescue vehicles.

In my case, I checked around and saw a lot of references to older material which was painted and served during the war. Several used by the U.S. Navy, and painted intermediate blue!

Said and done! That decided it.

A U.S. Navy fire engine, stationed in the harbor as an emergency vehicles in case of bombing or other sabotage (or even an explosion in the nearby "Hughes Industries" ;)).

This is the result:

DSC03024.JPG

 

DSC03025.JPG

 

DSC03027.JPG

I´m satisfied B)

Edit: I made a period picture of it:

Old%252520fire%252520engine.jpg

 

Source: The M-K & Eastern RR Harbour branch

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Will Vale

That's really beautiful - I can see why you couldn't resist! I like the way the lines of the running boards and mudguards transcend all the extra fire engine equipment on it so it still reads as an elegant shape.

 

Nice paint job too - the metals catch the light without being unrealistic. I suspect a black and white shot would make a very realistic period photo.

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Stoker

Been a while since I've modeled US outline, lets see if I can remember some of the faux pas.

 

A grain elevator.

A "ranch".

A walthers gravel/cement/coal industry.

Emergency response vehicles.

A demolished/burning building.

A church with a wedding.

Road works.

Haunted house/graveyard.

 

Very few people execute the whole grain elevator thing very well, but I remember there was this one guy who did an amazing job, and set his layout in autumn to boot. Rust stained weather beaten grain elevators against fall colours is a pretty tall order and he managed to not only pull it off but set a real nice atmosphere going. I think so long as you do it "right" you can pull off anything - fire trucks are no exception, and yours does look great.

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