Baron's Ridge - A return to HO Railroading With A Plank...

[John M Upton]

I used to do HO scale railroad many years ago, a house move forced dismantling and the dropping of a box containing much of my stock which basically wrecked the lot saw me lose heart and sell the sad remnants off.

 

One box however was not involved in the cataclysmic disaster and thankfully it was my smaller GP and similar locos that survived intact.

 

Finding them a few weeks ago, I hit upon the idea of a small simple plank module like layout to run them on and I have made a start:

 

Early days, but I have working locos and plenty of reusable scenic bits so here goes.  What I didn't have anymore was anything to haul apart from a SP caboose so a couple of cheap Chinese gondolas (Evemodel) have arrived and received branding for my fictional shoreline.

 

Meanwhile a trawl of Ebay has had my mouth drop in shock, how on Earth has basic old Athearn Blue Box stuff suddenly become so expensive??

Edited April 6, 2022 by John M Upton
Restoring Pictures

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Hi John, a simple one-word answer to your final question could be: “scarcity.”  The reasons for this are more complex, and a good thread on this Forum to read with regards to the present state of American Outline modelling in the UK was started by @Allegheny1600 earlier in the year: “Where has everybody Gone?”  It may speak to some of your questions on availability / price of US outline models in the UK.  I know I found it illuminating, having not really taken note of changes over the years.  Like yourself it seems, I have decided to become more active in US modelling, but recognise that “the hunt” will be part of the process - as my idea was to think long-term, I’m OK with that.  Hope that helps - look forwards to seeing more, Keith.

[long island jack]

Contikits has some budget stuff

 

http://www.contikits.com/Budget.html#USAHO

[SonOfMike]

2 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

look forwards to seeing more

And me!

[Alcanman]

Welcome back to US modelling!  You have got off to a good start with that geep in the SP 'Black Widow' paint scheme. Love it. I used to have an Alco RS11 in that paint scheme.

 

Like Ray (long island jack), I would recommend Contikits. I picked up these old MDC Roundhouse covered hoppers for a fiver each from them a couple of years ago.

 

Look forward to following your progress.

[298]

8 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

Hi John, a simple one-word answer to your final question could be: “scarcity.” 

 

There is a difference between what someone might be asking (like 3 times an items realistic value) and what a standard auction with a couple of bidders will go for.

 

The former will remain unsold, the latter may see an upturn in price due to fewer outlets open to purchase items at.

[John M Upton]

I think the culture shock was I remember I used to go to shows where twenty quid got you three or four half decent Blue Box cars of various types and another twenty five quid got you a GP loco.  Seeing an old Blue Box loco on Ebay the other night for north of eighty sheets was just stunning!!

 

Initial plan is to try and operate this module in two eras, one my modern fictional Short Line (CWRR) and one in the Southern Pacific era.  I only have SP locos on my CWRR roster as I worked on this theory that they had a heritage fleet, hence the GP9 in Black Widow and there is a scarlet/grey one to go with it too.

[long island jack]

 

i watched this last night, about sums it up, i also looked at a Blue box 50' box car i fancied, only looked £17.95 +p&p  and no box!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Allegheny1600]

Hi John,

Welcome back to H0 scale modelling! 

Like most folks, I guess, I despair of the prices being asked on eBay, clearly there are a lot of chancers and charlatans out there. It’s sad when even the big boys like Rails and Ellis Clarke are asking virtually new prices for secondhand stuff, even if it is in as new condition, it is still secondhand! 
I believe these people think that modellers of other country’s railways must be well heeled and don’t know how much things really cost or can’t be bothered to check. Some folks really do pay whatever is asked and I can only put that down to ignorance.

However, there are alternatives, thankfully. As has been pointed out, Contikits do stock some cheap stuff along with their regular stock, which is still advantageously priced and so does Anoraks Anonymous but they don’t seem to list what is available. 
When this pandemic is finally over, swap meets and NMRA BR meets are good hunting grounds even though most of the old sellers have retired, there are always going to be people changing or offloading stock.

Finally, there are still some realistic sellers on eBay UK, there is one chap who lists plenty of US outline cars for around a fiver, that’s still good value and if he combines shipping, great! I have a daily search for “HO” and “H0” and I see plenty of stuff at realistic prices.

All you have to do is ignore the idiots!

Cheers,

John.

 

[doctor quinn]

Anoraks don’t list but do have a showroom/Alladin’s cave in Doncaster if you’re within striking distance and we’re out of lockdown. 

[mdvle]

4 hours ago, Allegheny1600 said:

Like most folks, I guess, I despair of the prices being asked on eBay, clearly there are a lot of chancers and charlatans out there. It’s sad when even the big boys like Rails and Ellis Clarke are asking virtually new prices for secondhand stuff, even if it is in as new condition, it is still secondhand! 

 

The fact that it is secondhand is irrelevant, if people are willing to pay the prices then that is all that matters - and as many of us are after specific paint schemes or road numbers with a factory finish that makes second hand less of a bargain bin and more of a secondary "new" market.

 

And of course the flip side of those high prices is that it means someone clearing out stuff they no longer need gets a better price, and thus has more money to spend on getting newer stuff.

 

4 hours ago, Allegheny1600 said:

I believe these people think that modellers of other country’s railways must be well heeled and don’t know how much things really cost or can’t be bothered to check. Some folks really do pay whatever is asked and I can only put that down to ignorance.

 

Perhaps, or as per above, they really want that item and the odds of it getting made again in the next couple of years are low?  The flip side to all the choice and prototypically accurate units today means stuff isn't constantly available - and that even cascades down into the more generic/affordable stuff given that it can still be years between runs.

 

4 hours ago, Allegheny1600 said:

However, there are alternatives, thankfully. As has been pointed out, Contikits do stock some cheap stuff along with their regular stock, which is still advantageously priced and so does Anoraks Anonymous but they don’t seem to list what is available. 

 

It also depends on one's budget (and yes availability in the UK/Europe given shipping costs from the US these days).

 

But if they meet your needs Accurail still makes very affordable kits (if they can be found in UK/Europe), and I believe it has been indicated that ScaleTrains might be announcing a second kit in early 2021 to go along with their existing boxcar kit.

 

http://accurail.com/accurail/

 

https://www.scaletrains.com/product-category/ho-evans-usre-5100-rbl-8-double-plug-door-boxcar/

 

(I note ScaleTrains lists Mech Models as UK dealers, and has some on mainland Europe as well.

https://www.scaletrains.com/select-retailer/

 

[John M Upton]

Progress over the festive period has mostly consisted of recommissioning long stored locos, at least four Century series Alco's of my old fictional shoryline are in the queue for dusting off but a big find is this:

 

I tentatively ran it through the plank and it fits!

 

Meanwhile my personal favourite, the GP9 with Details West cast light units fitted is back in service:

 

Scenic wise, the backdrop has been changed to a far better pale blue (just some card I found), I am in the process of recreating a abandoned mine entrance feature on the right that I originally had on my old layout twelve plus years ago now having found the two old wagons and the CWRR RS3 has been pressed into service on Maintenance of Way duties:

 

One discovery that may be a bit of a challenge to get going again though is this sad specimen:

An Atlas RS-11 that has been sat in an open box of dusty junk, half buried in a damp garage. I only saw a corner peeking out and basically had to do an archaeological dig to extract it!

 

The chassis seems okay but the bodywork is a sorry mess so it is either paint stripper and prayer time or an order to the US for a new body shell and frame...

[Wendell1976]

On 29/12/2020 at 03:36, John M Upton said:

 

 

 

Long live the Espee!

 

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

[F-UnitMad]

9 hours ago, Wendell1976 said:

 

Long live the Espee!

 

Wendell

Idaho, USA 

Gotta love the Espee's policy of "Why have one headlight when six will do?" as per John's GP9, above.

[steve1]

PM sent.

 

steve

[John M Upton]

Bit of an update, money has changed hands with a couple of fellow RMWebbers which means I now have a healthy selection of rolling stock:

 

 

Another box has been discovered containing a few of my fictional shortline's Alco's which are now in the queue for restoration to running order (mostly cobweb removal!)

 

And I couldn't resist a Proto 2000 GP 30 which, thanks to a UK Ebayer selling Details West parts is getting the full light package:

 

Meanwhile scenic wise, track is ballasted and landscape is starting to be formed.  Picture to follow....

Edited March 31, 2022 by John M Upton
Restoring Pictures

[John M Upton]

A fair bit of scenic work done, track ballasted and sprayed with a cost of sleeper grime, formation of the abandoned mine workings begun and a home made back scene being trialled:

 

 

 

Also this little backwater now has a name, welcome to Baron's Ridge:

Edited March 31, 2022 by John M Upton
Restoring Pictures

[John M Upton]

The rest of my home brewed backscene is in place and I am well chuffed with how it looks.

 

Meanwhile, it is a quiet evening on the MoW siding:

Edited March 31, 2022 by John M Upton
Restoring Pictures

[John M Upton]

A couple of updates  the rocky scenery at the front has been painted but is the wrong shade (only sandy like paint I had available what with retailers currently shut) and so will be toned down.

 

On the motive power front, the GP30 has its new Details West cast light parts fitted and I even managed to find matching paint so it so it should be leaving the workbench soon:

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by John M Upton
Restoring Pictures

[John M Upton]

Well, that's the GP30 done....

 

It had to borrow a couple of wheels and the couplings off the donor for my next loco on the workbench but at least it moves.

Edited March 31, 2022 by John M Upton
Restoring Pictures

[John M Upton]

No scenic work done on the plank, its just too cold in the shed.

 

My work bench however does have something happening though, a tray of bits which look like the result of a closing down sale at Larry's Truck & Electric.

 

Decent chassis but the body shell showed historical signs of having been dropped at some point.

 

Hopefully it will rise again!

Edited March 31, 2022 by John M Upton
Restoring Pictures

[F-UnitMad]

2 hours ago, John M Upton said:

a tray of bits which look like the result of a closing down sale at Larry's Truck & Electric.

I like that description!! I bet most of us can put together a collection like that, too (guilty as charged)!!

[John M Upton]

The plank is awaiting the adding of some greenery, some trees have now arrived along with some grass mat like stuff that I am going to try for the first time.  I tried repainting the rock section in a matt sand colour and it dried gloss..... 

 

 

As you can see, CWRR's resident Alco RS-32 has now been dusted off, recommissioned and returned to work.

 

An update  from my workbench, Cotton Belt GP7 number 304 is almost ready for reassembly, a rebuild from parts of at least two different Proto 2000 GP's (my workbench is more and more resembling a Larry's Truck & Electric Fire Sale by the day) .  After some experimenting, I found that Humbrol 164 and 60 are good matches for SP dark grey and red respectively.

 

 

Meanwhile I need another colour identifying please.  I acquired a cheap Proto 2000 Alco S1 that was advertised as a non runner for spares or repair.  Ten minutes of fiddling about and its a runner again but needs a coat of paint.  I thought the TN&O number 10 would be ideal as shown here:

 

http://espee.railfan.net/tno_s01.html

 

Trouble is the picture is black and white and whilst I am reasonably sure it is orange and black, something keeps digging at me that the front end is in fact yellow.  Can anyone confirm please?  My theory is that the over enthusiastic workshop crew at CWRR fancy painting their MoW Department Switcher in a heritage scheme....

Edited March 31, 2022 by John M Upton
Restoring Pictures

[Allegheny1600]

Hi John,

 I might put my head on the block and say that I think that’s a Halloween scheme, it’s not known for certain though, sorry.

There is a list of confirmed Halloween painted locos on the same site here: http://espee.railfan.net/halloween.html

Anyone who can confirm the ends were yellow NOT orange, really ought to contact the site!

Cheers,

John

[John M Upton]

Tearing myself away from the results of an explosion in a Proto 2000 factory that my workbench currently resembles, I have been trying out the rather nice scenic grass mat I purchased from the Model Tree Shop.

 

Needs blending in a bit and anything is better than the Humbrol not matt sand yellow shiny rocks but so far, I like it...

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by John M Upton
Restoring Pictures