Monday, June 30, 2008

Mantua HO scale 0-4-0 "Shifter" with custom business car...


One of the blessings of this hobby in the computer age is the friendships you can develop with folks from around the country.

This little combination is the work of Ray over at one of my regular online haunts. The business car is a custom build he made for me as part of a car swap we had going in the forum. It sports my online name and looks and tracks pretty sharp. The Mantua shifter was one of the first locomotives I ever owned when I really got into the hobby in 1974. It was lost to time over the years and I really wanted to find one to place in my nostalgia yard. When Ray needed a particular locomotive and I had one to send him, he asked what I would like in return. I said, "Surprise me." He did.

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Sunday, June 29, 2008

Jude


(1) Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

(2) Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

(3) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

(4) For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

(5) I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

(6) And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

(7) Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

(8) Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

(9) Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

(10) But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

(11) Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

(12) These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

(13) Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

(14) And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

(15) To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

(16) These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

(17) But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

(18) How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

(19) These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

(20) But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

(21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

(22) And of some have compassion, making a difference:

(23) And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

(24) Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

(25) To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.


Saturday, June 28, 2008

Athearn HO scale "Hustler" diesel with rubber band drive...


...a near flawless classic from daze gone by, this is one of the earliest with a Globe open frame motor. This particular scheme came in red w/ white stripes, black w/ white stripes, yellow w/ red stripes and this silver with red stripes.

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Thursday, June 26, 2008

Currently reading...


"This Train is Bound for Glory: The Story of America's Chapel Cars" is my newest book. I haven't looked forward to reading a piece of non-fiction history like this in a long time, many photos to behold as well. I may just have to build me a G scale model of the "Evangel" after this.

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Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Recommended Reading for beginning model railroaders...


...any Model Railroader magazine printed before 1980. It just lost its charm after a particular modeler was pushed far beyond his welcome and just went downhill from there. When Gordon Odegard passed away in 1991, the last of the old guard was now gone and the magazine took on a sheen that I've never really warmed up to outside of the very occasional newsstand purchase.

My fondest memories include layout photo spreads that showed...gasp...Atlas turnouts with...more gasps...exposed switch machines. My favorite sport was to look for photos of equipment with derailed wheels, especially in ads and in Trade Topics. My favorite pages were those magnificent PFM ads in back...

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...sigh... It is still a very good read for the beginner, especially the layout building series that they'll publish regularly. My modeling tastes have simply gone in another direction. At least I can still add to my growing collection of back issues at train shows and under the counter at the hobby shop.

HO scale jobsite cleanup tuck...


Made from a truck that was a part of a 5 piece cheapie road work set, I changed out the rear axle, added bent wire mirrors and built a new bed out of scribed styrene sheet. Reworked yard tools finished it off.

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Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Model Power firetruck kit...


...probably the most abused vehicle in HO scale in terms of "anything but as an assembled model".

I got tired of seeing Dave Frary and Bob Hayden stick the wheels of this kit into the debris modeling they do so well on the HOn30 Carrabasset and Dead River RR. I thought to myself that surely something could be done with them to make respectable fire fighting equipment for my LPBs. So, a bit of sawing and carving and kibbles and bits from my scrap box with a touch of paint and now my plastic populace can feel safe that their homes are protected. I did these about 15 years ago and I'm still very pleased with how they came out.

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Monday, June 23, 2008

Malibu Classics/Reel Rides 1:87 vehicle modifications...


There for awhile last year you could get 1:87 vans at Wally World 'til they pushed them out. The Dodges looked great as they were but the Fords were left with dorky looking rims. I swapped one set with a Reel Rides "Dazed and Confused" Chevy pickup, the other I swapped with a Malibu Classics Shelby Cobra that hit the floor...

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Sunday, June 22, 2008

Matthew 23:1-12


(1) Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

(2) Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

(3) All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

(4) For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

(5) But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

(6) And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

(7) And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

(8) But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

(9) And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

(10) Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

(11) But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

(12) And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.


Thursday, June 19, 2008

Athearn HO scale Heavyweight Observation car...


My little piece of railroad history, I painted it to represent an interesting chapter in railroading, the chapel car. While a little modern for its use, chapel cars being banned by the AAR by World War I, I couldn't resist having a fire and brimstone slingin' LPB with his Bible (KJV of course) bring the Gospel of salvation through Christ alone to all my plastic populace. The decals were custom made for me by Tyson Rayles over at 2 Guys. The car number represents the month and year of my conversion, in an Army pup tent while on weekend maneuvers.

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The support car is the work of another long deceased modeler that came my way while cleaning out the dilapidated shed the railroad used to reside in. I left it as found, adding Kadee couplers and pleated diaphragms for compatibility with my other equipment. It is in remarkable shape for having spent six years in a fallen down shed exposed to the weather.

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Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Keychains for Jerry...


I don't know about you, but I've got a bunch of keychains, especially railroad ones, choking my modeling space. Here's a guy I just found that'll put them to good use. Maybe my readers can help him out as well.

Blessings, grace and peace, Br'er Shaygetz.

Woodland Scenics HO scale Insley Backhoe...


Perhaps the best value for your dollar in metal kits, the Woodland Scenics kits have been around since the early 70s. They make great front line models with just a bit more than average filing involved. The price justifies the little bit of extra work as they have many different vehicles and little details in their buildings not found in higher end kits.

This one I added a wind shield made from the blister pack it came in. During assembly I found that they had given me two left halves of the shovel boom that they quickly resolved thru the mail. I also replaced the thread given to simulate cables with brass wire. It has no fuzz, does not sag and is not easily broken.

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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Father's Day...


...my beloved let me go to the annual train show at the Hadji Temple---without a chaparon even. My work crews gained an UMEX Liebherr Turmdrehkran 8A derrick for their tight quartered heavy lifts. My LPB CFO, Stearnly Hardcase was pleased with what $1 from the vehicular improvement fund could get...

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The rest of the loot...

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Now, if you factor in that I sold a tool for $20 to get spending money for the show, and that I won a $16 Atlas N scale hopper as a door prize, AND if you subtract the $5 admission AND the $4 I spent on the N scale parts lot that yielded 9 complete cars, plus the $1 for the crane AND the $5 for the HO scale Athearn Hustler...deep breath...I came out $21 ahead---until you factor in the four gallons of gas to get there and back. ---sigh---

Monday, June 16, 2008

Bubba's swamp buggy...


...made with a Roco Willys jeep and Micro Machines monster truck tires. The roll cage and engine were scratchbuilt. I took the Ma Deuce off...for about 15 seconds.

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Lionel HO scale side dump car...


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Sunday, June 15, 2008

Luke 13:1-9


(1) There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

(2) And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?

(3) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

(4) Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

(5) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

(6) He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

(7) Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

(8) And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

(9) And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.


Worship: What Good Is It?


A.W. Tozer---

And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of
hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!"
---Isaiah 6:3

If you want to pray strategically, in a way which would please God,
pray that God might raise up men who would see the beauty of the Lord
our God and would begin to preach it and hold it out to people,
instead of offering peace of mind, deliverance from cigarettes, a
better job and nicer cottage....

What good is all our busy religion if God isn't in it? What good is
it if we've lost majesty, reverence, worship--an awareness of the
divine? What good is it if we've lost a sense of the Presence and the
ability to retreat within our own hearts and meet God in the garden?
If we've lost that, why build another church? Why make more converts
to an effete Christianity? Why bring people to follow after a Savior
so far off that He doesn't own them?

We need to improve the quality of our Christianity, and we never will
until we raise our concept of God back to that held by apostle, sage,
prophet, saint and reformer. When we put God back where He belongs,
we will instinctively and automatically move up again; the whole
spiral of our religious direction will be upward.
---The Attributes of
God, 194-195.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Boxcab from a Walther's Doodlebug gas electric kit...


...and a few bits of department store signage (it works like commercial sheet styrene), brass wire, lost wax castings, an old AHM/Rivarossi pantograph from one of their GG1s, a fertile imagination...and a bit of cutting, gluing and soldering. A free lance design, I wanted to build a locomotive from the ground up without too many hand tools. No paint job coming anytime soon as my beloved likes it just the way it is.

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Friday, June 13, 2008

Johnny Lightning 1/64 Munster Mobile, Matchbox Batmobile...


...no explanation needed if you're older than 40.

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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Miracle Strip Model Railroad Club Open House, odds and ends...


Some final shots that include the things not normally seen by guests...

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Engine terminal with its new Walther's turntable installed...

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Some shots looking over the double decks...

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The helix and upper storage yard...

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One of the two large under layout storage yards that can hold over 600 cars on over 20 trains. I hope you enjoyed the tour and consider visiting them when in northern Florida.



Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Miracle Strip Model Railroad Club Open House, Part II...


This time, scenes from their indoor permanent layout.

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MOW and caboose yard...

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Bascule bridge over Therrien Creek...

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Passenger terminal at Nardin Yard...

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Western town over the helix built by the late Mrs. Pat McCue...

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Grain elevator and service spurs... Several of the construction vehicles were kitbashed my me...

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Ray Fallacchio's tank train...

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The late Bill Boyd's MKT cabin car...

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Ray Brakebill's tweeked and sound equipped F units pulling a full string past the grain spur...


Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Miracle Strip Model Railroad Club, Shalimar, Florida...


Open house, October 2007. Just some shots I took of their nice portable modular layout. Enjoy.

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Ray Wilcox's heavy steam idling in the yard...

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The late Pete Therrien's NMRA Golden Spike award winning narrow gauge module...

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Tom Carry's BLI American Freedom Train...

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Trains awaiting their dispatch orders in the yard...

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Ray Fallacchio's campground and logging module...

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Rob Coates' mid-western themed module...


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Two Rio Grande GP-30s rest in the sun near the engine house...


Monday, June 9, 2008

Life-Like HO scale pickup trucks, Part V...


...been ten years easy since I've seen a pickup/plow rig. What do you think? Paint's coming, takes a bit for me to work up the urge to paint, then I'll hit everything at once.

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Worship: Worshipers From Rebels...


And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were
sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
and by the Spirit of our God.
---1 Corinthians 6:11

Sometimes evangelical Christians seem to be fuzzy and uncertain
about the nature of God and His purposes in creation and
redemption. In such instances, the preachers often are to blame.
There are still preachers and teachers who say that Christ died
so we would not drink and not smoke and not go to the theater.

No wonder people are confused! No wonder they fall into the
habit of backsliding when such things are held up as the reason
for salvation.

Jesus was born of a virgin, suffered under Pontius Pilate, died
on the cross and rose from the grave to make worshipers out of
rebels!

A.W. Tozer, Whatever Happened to Worship?, 11.

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Sunday, June 8, 2008

Psalm 8


(1) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

(2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

(3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

(4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

(5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

(6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

(7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

(8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

(9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!


Saturday, June 7, 2008

Kitbashed HOn30 0-6-0 "Teakettle" saddltank locomotive


...built onto an Atlas N scale 0-6-0 switcher mechanism, it was inspired by a similar locomotive in Model Railroader's June '72 issue. The caboose was scratchbuilt from sheet styrene onto a modified N scale passenger car truck.

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Shown side by side with my Lima 0-4-0 locomotive for a comparison. You can see from this shot the appeal of narrow gauge steam as an alternative to standard gauge modeling. Alas, 'twas the truck that killed the beast, with horsepower increasing and the advent of multi-wheel drive and heavier transmissions, it was only a matter of time before the higher cost of running even a small railroad caught up.

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Friday, June 6, 2008

Lima HO scale 0-4-0 Santa Fe saddletank locomotive...


...one of my favorites for its simplicity and faithful running ability.

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