“Hello, Alastair:
I thought I’d share my first kit-bashed piece of rolling stock – it sort of qualifies as scenery, because it mostly sits on a siding in a BNSF classification yard in Spokane, Washington.
North American railroads have abandoned cabooses, as I’m sure you know, having replaced them with FREDs (flashing – not the original word – red end devices).
Those cabooses still on working rails are “shoving platforms” or “ride platforms.” They are completely boarded up and only serve as a platform for yard workers to ride on when putting together trains, etc.
Anyway, I’ve attached a picture of the prototype, a shot of the original Bachmann HO model caboose I bought for $3 at a thrift shop, and the end result.
As I said, it is my first attempt, and it was a really good learning experience.
Bill”
“Hi Al,
Just uploaded another video with a couple of tips.
Regards
Dave”
Now on to Brian.
“Hi Al,
A very good friend of mine asked for advice on building an Engine House like the one that I built for my layout previously (see bottom photo), to put in the logging area of his layout.
It will be quicker for me to build one for him rather than explain and demonstrate it to him.
Photos below show the start of the scratch built one in HO scale without using plans or instructions, just measurements from his track already placed on his layout. (I have built so many of these in the past that I could almost do it with my eyes closed).
Time from starting it using a scribed siding sheet until the third photo was about two and a half hours.
The magnetic clamps if anyone wants to know are called right clamps (2 per set) available from Micro Mark in the USA and extremely useful in squaring up a building before and during the gluing process.
I will send more photos of the construction as I forge ahead on it.
All the best
Brian
Cape Town South Africa”
Big thanks to Bill and Dave. I have no idea where Dave finds the time – but I’m thankful he does.
That’s all for today folks.
Please do keep ’em coming, I enjoy your mails as much as you lot.
And if today is the day when you press the button on your layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
