Hobbyline HO scale Fairbanks Morse H-10-44 in Lehigh Valley colors...

...a gift from an online modeler friend. I've wanted one of these for awhile, in any form, from any manufacturer. The look is pure brute and the car body was designed by the same guy who did the Pennsy GG1.






Made in a time when the hobby was less refined...come on, can you imagine the caterwauling from the peanut gallery if Atlas stamped their logo on the SIDE of any of their models. And check out the screw on the top of the hood...shameless, I tell you, shameless...thinking some goob could actually enjoy the hobby with such a blatant display of non-scale hardware. That boxing glove for a coupler actually mates with most knuckle couplers today and was only used by HObbyline on their equipment. It just gets cooler with each inspection...


This torpedo tube is actually a device to eliminate light bleed thru the shell and concentrate it towards the headlight, a rather forward thinking detail that sees little use still today.


Then there's these giant spur gears in the cab, just waiting to puree some hapless HO scale crew that manages to fall into their clutches.

A great piece of modeling history, it appears to have been offered as part of several sets in 1955 -- in Lehigh Valley, C&O and AT&SF paint as a passenger train and in C&O and AT&SF paint in two freight sets. Pennsylvania paint eventually was offered but it wasn't long afterwards that HObbyline became Bowser and the diesel models stopped, most likely before 1960.

Many thanks buddy...it will be a cherished beastie in my fleet...

American Train & Track Corp. HO scale Plymouth diesel...March 1968...

...finally identified, won in a friendly bet with a hobby shop owner, $5 if it didn't run, $10 if it did.

I won...





The company only lasted about 10 years and is most well known for its model of the Alco Century 415, later picked up by Life-Like. It used mechanism parts and truck sideframes from the AHM RS2 locomotives.

Fleischmann HO scale 4 wheel "bobber" caboose...

...or..."How to replace missing smoke jacks, using Kadee coupler casting sprues, without using words."

Alco Models HO scale Union Pacific ALCO C-855...

...well...the drive train anyway, part of a recent box load of ancient HO history...


Included were these two Lindsay "Teaspoon of Power" drives, the L-140 HO gauge 4 wheel power unit with flywheel and the L-142 single end motor. The little boogers are rated for 1.5 amps, enough to fry three of anything offered today. The L-140 has an ingenious design that allows it to extend its wheelbase .170" to fit a variety of models. The gear box simply slides along the long end where the flywheel is, then locks in place with a set screw. The flywheel can also be flipped to make for more room as needed.

IHC HO scale Fairbanks Morse C-Liner...

The best improvement one can make to low end motive power is to increase power pickup, thus sending pure, unobstructed juice to the already handicapped motors they come with. Fortunately, IHC made it easy to do...they simply were too chintzy to put an extra set of wipers and wire in. They did however, put in all the necessary details to add a set yourself...

Note the bracket holding the stock wiper...


...is present on the sides with no wipers...


...making it simply a matter of fabricating another pair, mounting them like the stock ones, and wiring them in...


...just make sure to clean the excess flux of the soldered joints...


...and that your wiring is properly oriented.



The results are fantastic, it crawls through plastic turnout frogs without stalling and has much better low speed control. Because it now has eight wheel pickup, it is also not as easily affected by dirty track.

Mantua HO scale 4-6-4 Heavy Pacific, circa 1980...

...a nice runner--when you can get juice to the motor--they are plagued with contact issues that come from a combination of zinc castings, steel axles and brass wheels working against each other by their various corrosion and rust abilities. The older ones have a separate bell and hanger that protrudes over the smoke-box and headlight. They are now offered under the Mantua Classics name by Model Power.

One way to improve pickup is to remove as many contact points as possible, bringing the electricity to the motor is as directly as one's abilities and materials on hand are able to muster. I made these pickups with some strip brass, 2 round terminals that fit around the bolster and some wire...








Knowing modelers will immediately see the impending screw-up--since fixed--...unknowing modelers get to find out on their own...

The fix works great, completely bypassing the zinc floor of the tender and the trucks, though the original source points of power remain. Adding 3 ounces of lead helps it stay in contact and track better.

HO scale picket fencing...

One way to improve one's model work is to stop looking at an item as the end all/be all for your layout. With careful cutting and joining, a picket fence can fit your model's specific needs, rather than building your model to fit the stock item...


...stock piece positioned for measuring...


...necessary lengths are cut, fitted and glued, mounting pins drilled and installed and gate positioned where I want it...not where the manufacturer put it...


...final result, a fence any neighbor would be proud to chat over the day's events. Use a small amount of cement and give it plenty of time to set...

...and, yes, I straightened the two corners after the pic was taken--the only time stuff like that shows up...sigh...... ;-P

Intermountain HO scale 33" replacement wheelsets...

...my product of choice for most of my rolling stock. I try to replace all plastic wheels with metal ones because the metal ones work as they roll to clean the track, just like the real ones.

A short circuit that showed up recently had me momentarily baffled until my alter ego, CAPTAIN OBVIOUS came to the rescue. One of the last cars I converted was an older Athearn 50' reefer with its original metal sprung trucks. When I lifted the car off the track, all my power was back.

NOTE TO SELF: When installing metal wheelsets, get into the habit of checking the insulated side of the axles to make sure they are all on the same side of the car. That way, self is not inadvertently creating a short circuit through the metal truck...duh. Bonus points are gained by making sure both trucks are insulated on the same side in metal framed kits.

NOTE TO NEWCOMERS: The insulated side is the one done in a non-conductive plastic, usually black. --->Can you believe they used paper or varnish not too long ago? The varnish breaking down over the years is the more likely reason Grandpa's old trains aren't working for some right now...that creates a dead short, leaving folks to believe that the motor is toasted.


WRONG WAY


RIGHT WAY

Modeling water...

...in short, I hate it. I'm not too fond of any of the current techniques, each having their own compromises. One simply learns to live with the shortcomings of ones chosen technique, mine being varying shades of acrylic paints coated with many coats of clear gloss medium, interspersed with gloss coats that have been tinted with various shades of brown, green and blue.

The water where I live has a noticeable tea color from the cypress trees along the shore. I simulate this with a couple drops of brown craft paint to tint the gloss coat. Ditto for one coat of green for algae and one coat of blue for reflected sky. The effects are much more subtle than the camera gives justice. A nice touch is the ripple effect in the simulated sand bottom created by the tinted water settling in the styrofoam beads that is very noticeable near the ends of the bridge...




The acrylic, like most products, has an unsightly edge creep that needs dressing up...not as bad as most but foliage patiently applied works very well here.

The girl is Frankensteined together from 3 different Plasticville figures. I made a putty out of styrene sprues dissolved in liquid plastic cement. Once applied and hardened, it carves easily to any shape, in this case, the hair and contouring her body to be more feminine (she started out life as a brakeman, mail carrier and male pedestrian).

The pier is cobbled from scraps in the junk box with some wood dowel for pilings, then aged and weathered.

AHM/Rivarossi Limited Edition HO scale Conrail Bicentennial GG1 #4800...

...the first GG1 built and the only one with a riveted carbody, the others being welded, hence the nickname "Old Rivets". Along with this paint scheme, #4800 wore Pennsylvania RR, Penn Central and the standard blue Conrail paint before being retired to a museum siding around 1980.

Number 2091 of 2700 made, the AHM/Rivarossi model falls short only in that they use a welded carbody on their rendition, but is an otherwise faithful and accurate reproduction of Old Rivets when she wore this paint scheme in the years around our nation's 200th birthday. I especially enjoy the silver running gear and the kitschy 70s stylized graphics. It comes complete with its original foam lined box, certificate of authenticity and commemorative belt buckle...

Revell N scale Diesel Engine House, kit #N2805...

I've always enjoyed stumbling upon "ancient" model railroading...this piece dates back to the late '60s, when N scale was in its infancy as a commercial enterprise.

Scaling out at just over 73', it can barely handle servicing two family minivans, much less two full size diesel growlers. Ahhh....but such was model railroading back then, when folks were content to pull three boxcars into a siding to an "industry" that was hardly big enough to fill a UPS truck every day, much less produce three full railroad carloads of goods.

I happened upon the original America's Hobby Center ad where this kit was featured for $3.98 back in 1969...

Since that season is coming up fast...

...it's time for my "7 Rules For Beginning Model Railroaders"...

1. Put your wallet back in your pocket and don't pull it out until you've read all 3 volumes of Robert Schliecher's "The Model Railroading Handbook" from cover to cover.

2. Do not plan one inch of track until you can call upon at least 2 nearby modelers with several years of experience between them...find a local club if possible.

3. Please take up stamp collecting if you have little or no mechanical and electrical aptitude. A free pass is given to anyone who has successfully restarted a TYCO locomotive on their own.

4. Accept the fact that you will loose approximately 40-60% of the resale value of your equipment should you decide that this isn't the hobby for you.

5. Before you lay one twig of scenery, remind yourself over and over again, like a mantra, that the layout shots that wow you now are products of serious time, money and effort over a period of months and years---not daze and weaks.

6. Your first layout must be no larger than a standard sheet of plywood and finished before you; a) go bigger, or b) change scales.

7. You must have the full approval of you spouse and must reciprocate accordingly...i.e. spend $180 on trains means spend $180 on spouse before one spends yet another dime on said trains.

UPDATE: #8. You're debt free first...you'd be amazed at how easy it is to plunk down 2 1/2 Bennies for your favorite DCC, sound equipped toy when you're not already sending that many to Master Card every month...

...just sayin'....

Permission is freely granted to distribute said wisdom to any and all takers...

1961 Athearn HO scale 4-6-2 Heavy Pacific...

...some interesting notes on this locomotive...

The slipping problem it came with was a result of an ear clip breaking. It is used to hold the worm gear in line and in contact with the bull gear. This would hold until a load was applied, whereupon it would push up and out, disengaging the drive. By installing a cone spring that pushes down on the top of the worm gear housing, it keeps the gears engaged while retaining the drive axle's ability to flex and roll in motion...






The tender electrical connections are shear genius. At a time when models were not quite standardized, leaving locomotives wired to go in different directions because of polarity, Irv came up with a novel solution. By making the terminal ends interchangeable with a simple plug in socket installed in the tender body and frame, polarity--and therefore directional travel---could be correct, even if one took their new prize to another layout...

Mantua hook/loop couplers...

...pretty much an HO industry standard until the introduction of horn/hooks...look carefully at pictures in any pre '65 or so model mag and you'll see that many folks used them....




You opened them by pushing these uncoupling pins up from underneath with a ramp or a tool called a "spoon"...

This box I purchased at last week's train show was pristine from one end to the other, the metal looks brand new. It's bare zinc, as I prefer it over other peoples paint jobs when I buy old school stuff like this, so I can show newcomers their hobby's roots.

Note that this Mantua 0-4-0 Booster has 2 wheel pick up---2 WHEELS...the other two being nylon. You had to be pretty faithful to the hobby to keep with it as balky as this thing had to be on that old school brass track...note the solid metal saddletanks to aid in power pickup. Even then, there was no way it could make it through Atlas Tru-Track with its plastic switch frogs...as soon as one wheel touched, the current flow would stop immediately.


The full valve gear would have been purchased as an aftermarket kit...an item I knew about but, until now, had never seen an original one, though there have been plenty of copies made by a variety of manufacturers since.

The Great Train Show...

...came to town last weekend. Looking to move into another market, it was important to attend if for no other reason than to show the organizers that there was a market to cater to. I bought a couple of trinkets...


...an HO scale AHM/Rivarossi 2-8-4 Nickel Plate Road "Berkshire", in excellent condition...and...



...this nice vintage lot containing a 1953 Mantua 0-4-0 Booster, two assembled Mantua flat cars and a 4 wheeled bobber from 1960-62, as well as an Ulrich two bay hopper from 1959. Note that they have the older Mantua hook/loop couplers that were pretty common at around that time, and that the bare zinc metal and brass looks like it hasn't seen air for most of their 50+ years of life.

I'll give more detail reviews of each as time goes on...right now, I'm enjoying a slow day at the house.

Mantua HO scale CM&PS RR. 2-6-2 Prairie...

A recent pick from Yahoo's HO YARD SALE forum, it was found to have bent rods on one side, explaining why the original owner couldn't get it running, and its exceptional price tag...


Compare this to their 0-4-0 Shifter and their 0-6-0 Big Six and it's easy to see that Mantua got a lot of miles out of one boiler casting.

Once I straightened the rods out, it ran fine but was found to have an arcing issue between the tender sideframes and the steel axles of the wheelsets. It would generate enough heat to make the sideframes too hot to touch, very disconcerting... Consulting other owners I soon found that it was a rather common problem with older Mantuas, and that the fixes were as numerous as the owners.

The one I settled on is a variation of one offered by a friend, that is, use the truck wipers off of a TYCO searchlight car and mount them to the trucks on the tender. Since both of my searchlight cars are mint examples, I opted for modifying a pair of wipers found in my scrap box...


It works quite well, the arcing is gone as well as the alarming heat and now I have yet another nice running old school steam model from yesteryear.

Northwest Short Line 18 ton HO scale Shay, the reception...

This just came over from England, a very nice model of a Patterson & Western RR Company oil-fired 18 ton Shay built by Lima in 1916. While the original locomotive was built to ride 3 foot narrow gauge track, the model was built to run on standard gauged track. Offered by NWSL in 1974, they were notoriously bad runners from the start, apparently from a design change in the drive train made between the time the prototype model was approved and the final delivery was made.

It is a beautiful little Shay though. At just over 4" in length over the foot boards, it is nicely dwarfed by my Bachmann 80 ton Cass Scenic Railway #5...


...and a 9 volt battery.


Those tiny jackshafts are an absolute beast, popping out at the first opportunity, whenever the trucks are swayed too far to the left. However, any grief is quickly sated as it runs, and the monkey motion of the little two cylinder engine with its rods and crankshafts does its magic.

It is remarkably slow running (when it is running), thanks to a well hidden worm and gear setup, cleverly tucked behind the engine. The thing sounds like a very angry hornet, a testament to its early heritage. In the mid 70s, brass locomotive manufacturers who made quiet, smooth mechanisms were still hard to come by.

Interestingly, it only powers the front truck, the rear one is just there for the ride...there are gears on the rear jackshaft, they just were never built to mesh properly. Because of this arrangement, it can barely pull itself, and will need some additional weight added to the boiler to remedy the problem. Fortunately there is plenty of room, limited only by the amount of lead the motor can handle and still slip the drivers.






Alas, the couplers did not survive the trip across the pond...whose postal gorillas are at fault none will know... The fine spark arrestor suffered at the hands of the same goons as well...


She came with her original box, papers and a bit of a list to starboard. The contacts needed a bit of adjusting to straighten that out. The weathering job is a treat and well enough done that only minor touch-ups are necessary. I will eventually upgrade the drive and properly letter it for the P&W RR Co. #2.


...approximately actual size---yeah, dangerously close to "cute"...
---On rewards and consequences...

I have recently felt impressed of God to start selling down a large amount of my collection. A well meaning friend, knowing this, as well as my desire for a small Shay, observed that this may be a reward from God for my obedience. I appreciated the thought--but--I dearly hope my faith is a bit stronger and more well grounded than that of following a Divine Dispenser of Brass for Good Deeds. I just can't picture the Sovereign Lord of the Universe using one of His nail scarred hands to put one of these into my mostly faithless and morbidly ungrateful ones...at least not for doing what was asked of me anyway.



Now you know why no one sits with us at church....