Mark’s been in touch.
He’s shared a very simple but effective ‘how to’:
“Hi Al,
Looking around for a quick, fun, (and cheap) project this afternoon and I came across an old Varney gondola in the scrap box.
Added some metal wheels and Kaydee whisker couplers.
Cut out a load base from some scrap bass wood, piled some stuff on it from the scrap box along with some rust and dirt powder.
Then sprayed some alcohol on it to break surface tension and then drizzled some scenic cement on with an eye dropper.
Let it set in the Las Vegas sun for a bit to dry, dropped the load in and it was on it’s way!
Took about two hours and just a few bucks of parts.
Great way to enjoy an afternoon!
Thanks for looking!
Mark”
A brilliant ‘how to’ from Mark. I loved it – hope you did too.
That’s all for today folks.
Keep ’em coming.
And if today is the day you decide you don’t want miss out on any more fun, the Beginner’s Guide is here.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
The whole picture is very convincing. I see a nice scenery local along with a good looking outside frame box car. The gon load looks perfect.
Maybe some more pictures??
Thanks for sharing.
Dick
Mark, that’s just a great looking load you made! The way you weathered it makes it look so realistic. Thanks for sharing and giving me some much-needed inspiration!
I love the creativity seen on this website, and appreciate that my own husband also has great ideas. I’m one lucky lady. At age 78, we are having fun with the rails!
Marion in Mississippi
HELP! I am wanting to model a mansion, or antebellum home for my HO layout, and surely would appreciate any suggestions as to how I might kit-bash two houses, for instance, to make one larger one. Landscaping would be fun, putting in a long, tree and flower lined drive, etc., but I need help with the main item.
Thanks!
Marion
Well done Mark. You have produced a very believable load. Nice.
Looks great …this is perfect for my scrap yard……thanks
gotta say….one mans junk, another mans treasure!
great detail comes from great experience…
great project Mark
and many more waiting in everyone’s junk boxes…
Would like to find plans for a on30 scale engine house. two tracks.
Gondola and load look fantastic, realistic.
a great way to fill in the afternoon looks terrific.
Well done indeed
Very creative ideas you have.
Your proof of what I always say—-Never ever throw anything out esp. when your a model RR’er. Great job!!
Did you have to pre paint the junk before gluing? or doe’s the rust powder do this effect ? Looks very real…
A neat load of scrap, good way use up un wanted Junk out of the scrap box.
Paul Otway
Now that’s very nice. Photo’s look very real. Best job. I like the way the junk car was done. I would love to see more photo’s of the layout.
I liked the junk car.
Nice. A little creativity goes a long way. And saves $$$. Was wondering if your base was foam or wood? Great work.
Jim AZ
Brilliant ! Love it,
Don’t suppose you fancy making 20 more and shipping them to the UK !!
Neil
Marion,there is a kit out that is fairly common of a courthouse.It’s BIG. Just paint it up,leave the top spires and flags off.Paint it white/off white and trim the windows in a different color and this is easily a “mansion”.Pull some kit bash parts you have lying around to make it your own.I found mine used on Ebay,then also got some “curtains” for the windows.Came out great!!
Fantastic in both cases.
I have that same car. Now I know what load to give it.
Great use of scrap and your scenery is just epic!
Mal
North Wales
Great idea, and came out looking like so many carloads I see leaving the recycling yards here in Baltimore. I have an idea that might help though, the gondolas leaving with the trains here look like they rolled down a mountain sideways, welded patches, and not a straight line anywhere. Truly the “rented mules” of the railroad industry. I think I’m going to heat up one of mine and bend it up some, then use your idea for the load.
John from Baltimore
That’s cool looks awesome
I worked thru a temp agency at a large scrap yard years ago they cut up railroad equipment. The cars they used to transport scrap were beat all to hell the ones cut up were better looking ! They were on the river in Louisville Kentucky a lot went out on barges too a very depressing place to work I did not stay long .
Marion, the Oct,2020 Model Railroader has an article on a Civil War layout with a scratch built southern mansion. There is also a two-story farmhouse by LAZERKit that might be used as a base.
Great way to spend your time in Model Railroading,, Job well done looks great!!
Mark, What a great use for all those odds and ends we all accumulate over the years and just can’t bear to toss out. As soon as I find one of my gondolas I’m going to give it a go.
Marion, The Walthers Bailey Savings and Loan building kit might be a starting point for an antibellum mansion. It has the pillars in front and a portico as I recall. The court house kit someone else mentioned would also include pillars. Add some window awnings and it might pass for a mansion.
Pretty Kool.!!!!
Great work! Great idea!
Marion, if it’s still available, SSLtd has/had a kit called Dorothy’s House. It was designed to be be a mansion. It was a craftsman type kit. Also, it was very expensive. It might possibly be available on Ebay.
Mark, best looking junk load I’ve seen.
Good way to get rid of a bunch of spare parts. Nice job.
Marion, I live in Vancleave, Ms. What part of this great state do you live in? I am 87 and spend most of my time building model houses, etc. for my HO layout. There are not many train modelers down here.
Marion,
I have been experimenting with a “kitbashing preview” technique. I am in S Scale (1/64) but am currently looking to combine two HO scale Walthers Union Station kits into one which could appear to be S Scale. I have found straight-on photos of the HO model, enlarged them in a copy machine, and spliced the photos together to get a “model of the model”. Cheaper than cutting and splicing on the real kits.
Tom in Mississippi