Model Train Journal

Even with the photo restrictions, we seem to be doing a bit better than the OGR 2-rail forum for activity. They have had a number of threads lately of which I should post opinions, but of course I will never post there again, so they are spared that.

Pete and Maroon have done great things for recent activity here - I am really jazzed with Pete's latest paint scheme. Cannot wait for the video.

I assume that most O Scalers are off somewhere on Facebook - I am missing out, probably. I just cannot go there - too many photos of breakfast rolls and way too many conspiracy theories. Anyway, thanks to the five or six of you who keep me entertained here!

There’s a few of us out here. Been busy working on a big project, time, what little extra there may be, is devoted to it. I’ll post pictures when done.

The other thing occupying my time is a Sherline, which I’m very excited about.

I do check and read here frequently. There’s a lot of great modeling being done. Thanks to those posters.

Yeah, I see a couple of (to me) new posters in the past month or so. So, maybe we can reboot and post more. I'm as guilty as anyone, but putting a new interior in the 66 and that has taken my time and $$$. Amazingly, what I used to get done in a day, now can take days or weeks just to get motivated enough to start on it.

All my projects are in the planning stage.

Yeah, I resemble that remark.

Yeah - my 1964 1/2 convert has been getting an interior for the last decade. I did get it running last month, which is good.

I suspect our problem is difficulty posting photos. The extra step of finding a host is a pain for some.

I am moving slowly - domes and stack for a Harriman Pacific today, then maybe decals for a set of PAs. I need to try Tru-Color - since the demise of Scale Coat my painting has degenerated to Dupli-Color rattle cans.

Watching eBay prices go nuts - makes me happy to realize that I do not need any additional models. Some guy in Fort Worth is selling junk Lobaugh for $400/pop - there was a time when that was top dollar for a pristine model.

I agree, not being able to post photos easily is a real pain. I haven't been to my Smug Mug account in many, many months.

I just made the comment about O scale selling prices to Rich. Not sure if it's all road or just the UP models, but prices seem to be dropping for all but the most rare. Normally, Fall is a high selling point of the season as modelers seem to come indoors due to weather. Several new OMI unpainted CA-5 and CA-6 cabooses sold for $200 each on eBay recently. I've never seen them sell for less than $250 each and back in the day, $400+ was common. Same story with some other UP items.

Then you have Jim Cantor who wants $3600 for a 1st generation (1980's) UP 3 unit turbine. It has a nice weathering job but these were worst runners than the tank drive OMI diesels of the 80's.

Supply and Demand, and a bunch of people out there with a lot of disposable income. Not much being imported. Secondary market is hot for certain models. Opinion.

No disrespect to Jim, who is a superb modeler - but I had an early Overland turbine come through here. It was a disaster - held together only by a superb paint job. Its owner wanted me to re-solder lots of structural joints - I turned him down.

Rumor has it that Overland “upped their game” in later years.

What I am seeing is CLW and Saginaw for a grand - one seller wants 1500 for an All Nation drop-center flat car casting. They go for $20.

And the Lobaugh of which I speak? Disasters, no tender. $359 plus shipping. Nope.

But I am seeing PSC boxcars for $150- my impression was that they were $300 items. I sold my only example for $200 - too light, and really too perfect for around here.

I'm still here.

Yeah Bob, there is no comparison between the 1980's Turbine brought in by OMI and their 1993 version which is astounding. The 1980's version came out at a time when most Korean builders were still learning, so it's amazing it even made it. The detailing is very good for the day, but crude only 10 years later. The Zamac gearboxes were a disaster and in order to hide the "tank drive" system, a fake fuel tank had to be added to the "B" unit, which was never on the prototype. But, Tom Marsh did a real service to UP modelers, by building/importing so many UP specific models that no one else would have built. I've always appreciated that.

Still around, but stretched thin across work and other priorities.

Had a busy streak with Trains during October and took enough photos to write up some blog posts now that OST is fading away after the next issue. I hope to knock out some decal artwork and other necessary things required to proceed on some projects next year.

Hope to not drift too much, but since we're on the topic of OMI quality. Any thoughts on their RS11 model? I acquired one of those and sunk a lot of time into trying to fit DCC/sound into it. The mechanical exhaust fan in the long hood really eats up a lot of real estate.

We're still kicking down in Dallas. Our club took our layouts to two shows in October -- the local all-scales show in Plano, Texas on the first weekend and the Southwest O-Scale Meet in Ft. Worth on the last. I have video from both shows and plan to edit and post. In the meantime, here are a couple of pics from each. First, Dave "ScaleCraft" Goodson's pre-war Santa Fe Mikado (Scale-Craft, of course) in action at the all-scales show:


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/au9t155b9bnxdbgex8m53/ATSF_01.JPG?rlkey=jp7qo78igbl5e4xnb5lfhz4a8&dl=0

Our club tends to lean toward Southwest railroads, but everything and anything is welcome:


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9yj64o0bvqdq979nfa279/B-O-N-W.JPG?rlkey=m93vbwxm9qtho09dytcr8y93y&dl=0

Craig Smith from Tennessee brought a pair of GM&O passenger diesel to the Southwest meet. Here is one of them, an Alco DL-105, on the front of a heavyweight Anne Rutledge:


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/gt7nonejofoa50lkcljw9/Alco-DL-105_01.JPG?rlkey=56etuguziv4nzluc7z3v2sng5&dl=0

We also had our traction layout at the Southwest meet. Here is an Illinois Terminal Class B in action:


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/42n58gvjgbhb65jxsn3zv/IT-Class-B.jpg?rlkey=l4he68dpfxa0zxyojtdsufy2i&dl=0

Jim

You need a new host - or I need a new iPad. Off I go to the big Dell.

Yes. Very nice! The Mikado is among the best of that particular doorstop I have ever seen.

GMO? A face only a mother could love.