F-UnitMad Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Dan you are becoming Britain's answer to Lance Mindheim!! Yes £90 for a s/h Atlas car is a bit OTT - you're watching the same stuff I am!! But with the £ so low against the $, & import costs so much, that's about the eventual cost of buying cars - albeit new - from the USA I still don't like paying more than £50-ish for cars, though. However, the rising prices of OO & HO stuff makes me feel better!! I still tend to think of Athearn BlueBox stock at £5 or less - a time long gone, now!! 3-rail?? Don't get me started!! In general terms, it's popularity is due to the different 'mind set' over there as to what constitutes a worthwhile layout, as the media there has fed everyone 'Basement Empire or bust!' for many years. Also, as so many US modellers seem to favour the 1950s 'Transition' Era, it does have to be said that whilst 2-rail diesels can be coaxed around some pretty tight corners, 2-rail steamers - especially big American steamers - cannot. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) I hadn't considered the steamer aspect of it, but it's still a compromise I wouldn't be willing to make. Sorry 3-rail enthusiasts, you won't convert me. Athearn blue box cars in HO can still be found for under a fiver - you just need to know where to look. On average, I haven't paid more than £6 for a freight car in a very long time. The only exceptions are hard to find items, really nicely weathered items, or stuff I don't already have one of (eg. coil cars, up until recently). I wouldn't go so far as to call me the UK Lance Mindheim - he's got a wealth of experience I haven't, and access to a posh camera and the real locations he models! The printer I'm using for the artwork, for example, is out of commission, so I've been forced to use a backup which is nowhere near as high quality - hence the lines in the prints. I'm hoping I can blend those in a bit with some chalks once the rest of the car is "skinned". As this one is turning into quite a success, I'm considering doing another in L&N blue next. You can never have too many boxcars! Edited May 10, 2017 by DanielB 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 You can never have too many boxcars! US modelling summed up in 7 words. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) I must apologise, Guys, as I have contributed over the years, in a large part to the "SillyPunning Names Club", but I fell in love many years ago with the movies "SIN CITY 1 & 2". and baSin City has become a semi-fixture on several of my productions. I'm currently having a go at yet another switcher, "The Bay Street Connecting Railway" from the KalmbachTrack Planning Ideas book - which I have had for far more years than I can remember, and always fancied as a switching layout. The current working title is baSin City Connecting RR, and ATM it is a baseboard with track laid in place - so far this year I have made, and laid, about four to wiring stage, and ripped them all up again as they didn't fullfill my needs - I will not go further with trying to make a layout that simply doesn't do what I want - but , so far, this looks to have possibilities - 'arry, this will likely come to Hopeman as a WIP in July. Edited May 25, 2017 by shortliner 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Peter North did that on at least one of his layouts ("Hope, Illinois" IIRC) I think I saw Hope at Colchester or Ipswich over 20 years ago, and was the first US layout that piqued my interest, especially with the jukebox (cheap plastic miniatures are available). PS Andy, "Blue Heron" has my attention (I'm assuming we're talking Oregon City, Ore?) Any other info or a thread to reference? It'ok be a 5-3-3 inglenook broadly based on the OC. Nothing to show as yet, but I need to get it running for a Freemo meet in September. I'll be following Daniel's animations on his layout with interest... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 I must apologise, Guys, as I have contributed over the years, in a large part to the "SillyPunning Names Club", ....I don't mind 'pun' names if they're not too contrived, or are quite subtle, but I certainly wouldn't walk straight past a layout at a Show just because it had an awful name!!In fact I get to so few exhibitions anyway that I make it a policy to have a good look at every layout present, regardless of it's scale, gauge, nationality, Era, etc etc. The only exception to that is the usual "Thomas" layout. I just don't 'get' why people go to a Show and then dismiss half the content as it's 'outside their area of interest' Sorry, 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 It's like paying for Sky Sports package when all you want to watch is Sky One. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mog Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Piedmont Blues is a good name Dan.. stick with it :-) As it happens, (I'd forgotten), but Brett was a make-do name that ended up sticking.. it's german for 'plank'. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIRCLASS80 Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 I will be showing a small O scale layout at TVNAM show in June and I intend to sell all my stock before the end of the day. 3 CP Rail locos, 24 freight cars. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Not too soon before the end, I hope? Or have you got a track gang ready to lift the track too? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) The discussion on names has led me to consider calling my future (very future) Lawrence MA module 'Immigrant City' Edited May 10, 2017 by Talltim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) I will be showing a small O scale layout at TVNAM show in June and I intend to sell all my stock before the end of the day. 3 CP Rail locos, 24 freight cars. Trust me to be missing it this year :banghead: Edited May 10, 2017 by F-UnitMad Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 I will be showing a small O scale layout at TVNAM show in June and I intend to sell all my stock before the end of the day. 3 CP Rail locos, 24 freight cars. Not too soon before the end, I hope? Or have you got a track gang ready to lift the track too? Thinking about it - building a layout just before TVNAM is a long-standing tradition. Actually demolishing one during the Show has to be a first!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 Last night showed a small amount of progress on the Southern boxcar. I'm not 100% on it at the moment, but I've just got to have faith and soldier on, once the definition is added to it, and it's weathered up, I think it'll look okay. Let me know what you all think... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 The door/ runners/ steps etc probably want building up to make more 3D. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 Way ahead of you - I'm building those up in styrene strips, I cut them to length last night but didn't have time to start assembling them. I've also got the roof panels to build up from card and styrene, and the car ends will need laying up too, before I start adding things like couplers, brake hoses, brake wheel, crew platform, etc. I've also got to build up the underframe, air tank, etc. It was never my intention to leave it "flat". The next Southern car I plan to build will be a waffle sided boxcar, which is going to take a LOT of work, but it'll be worth it in the end, IMO. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 The end ribs are going to be fun the carve to shape! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 Don't I know it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasond Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Piedmont Blues is a good choice for the layout name, especially if it stops me waking up in the middle of the night shouting "No not the Maumee, Dade and San Juan" - that would be over 2000 miles long - ridiculous. On choosing names: modelling the D&H, I was almost inspired when they moved their operations center to Clifton, NY 'cos I was born in Clifton, Bristol. I plan to be at TVNAM June 17 with my leftovers of all those years importing O-scale. Anything in particular you want let me know, putting things in polybags at random is boring and at my age the parrot on the left shoulder says "it's not modelling...". Parrot on right shoulder just said "what about those ladders and IDEs and Atlas(Roco) boxcars you started stretching and decals and (sock over parrot's head at this point). Nice thing about American O-scale is you can start by scraping flat the old (out-of-use...?!) HO boards and get the feel of how good it can be without spending loads. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted May 12, 2017 Author Share Posted May 12, 2017 I think wheelsets and trucks are what I need most. I bagged three wood car kits from eBay and none have trucks! (two are TTX bulkhead flats though, which was something I was concerned about finding/building myself, so for these to pop up just at the right time - I had to have them). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 Yes, wheelsets, trucks and don't forget the KD couplers. I've done that when I've built my flat cars. It's always interesting and a pleasure to make our rolling stock. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted May 12, 2017 Author Share Posted May 12, 2017 If I can get hold of some wheelsets, I don't mind building my own trucks from styrene - I've done it before. Not too happy with the printout quality of the boxcar sides, I was happy to see that the big laser printer at work has now been fixed and is working again, so I've re-printed the sides and will redo that. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasond Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 While no longer an importer (there doc, I managed to say it in public) I did get some Kadees and IntMtn 33" metal wheels in at OK prices via, er, crowd-funding, yes. Some left. Trucks: Roco/Atlas original Bettendorfs - good looker, turn down the original wheels or replace with their 2-rail metal wheelsets (hard to find). With some filing on the back of the journal area below the axle hole Athearn or Weaver wheelsets fit. The truck fitted to the original cars via a huge plastic spring-plug. A piece of styrene with a smaller hole laid on top of the bolster allows the truck to be fitted just about anywhere. All that chat for trucks that I may have a few of at TVNAM for the price of a coffee and brownie at Lancaster Station. Athearn trucks - nice slippery Acetal plastic with plastic wheels on steel pin-point axles. No massive loco motors needed to pull these ... unless. B'dorf, R/B, Archbar and Andrews styles. I have a few of each left, or a suggestion for alternatives. IntMtn metal wheels fit. Might have enough for Dan's flatcars. InterMountain did a B'dorf kit with their freight cars, I have one. Atlas' recent 33" and 36" wheel trucks started as 3-rail design, pretty nice sideframes, but with the bolster that in the prototype is mounted on the underframe incorporated into the truck bolster. They've managed to get the thickness right so the cars ride at prototype height, whereas on a lot of MTH, Lionel cars they're thicker so the cars ride 1/8"-ish (3mm-ish) too high (fixable). I have a few left - 33" R/B, caboose, .... Enough for the moment? Jason 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasond Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 oh yes, wheelsets - 33" plastic Athearn-style as well as the metal IntMtn - available separately. 36" a few plastic Weaver and various metal sets and even 40" (diesel) Weaver, etc. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted May 12, 2017 Author Share Posted May 12, 2017 Very. very interested in all of them. Freight car bodies I can - and will - scratchbuild. It's the wheels and trucks I'd rather just buy. I'll definitely have a chat with you about those. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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