Weekend Photos July 2025

[healey36]

The 652/2652/3652 gondolas look to be in decent, well-used shape, but the 651/2651 flat cars look pretty battered. You better have a lot of brake wheels, stands, and lumber stakes (not to mention lumber loads) in inventory. Sixty-eight bucks all in, for a box full of fix-'er-uppers...not much interest here, but thanks for the alert.

Then again, a 3652 in decent operating and cosmetic condition is likely worth $25-$30.

[webenda]

Sarge started a thread on trees, "The latest project has been to up the average height of trees."
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=20032

I have one tree.


And one rock.

[webenda]

The official state tree of Kentucky is the Tulip Poplar. They grow to 100 feet high. One fell from across the creek, almost reaching our house. Since it was lying down, I measured its former height, which was about eighty feet. I wonder what an 80 ft popular would look like on my door layout?

[webenda]

Wayne, since you seem to have an interest in AMT here is some more info for you.
American Model Toys (AMT)
https://www.robertstrains.com/AMT.htm.

In the scale size tree photo, the first car in the train is the very one HONDO74 gave me the heads-up about.

Thank you, HONDO74. I now have three of those interesting boxcars. Three make a perfect-sized train for a door layout.

[HONDO74]

Wayne you should come over to the O gauge forum and join in with those of us from mtj.
https://o-gaugeforum.com/

Me, Healey. Norton, Denis Holler, MartyE, Neal. Ben all are members and post over there.

You can upload pictures and videos direct to that forum don't have to have a third party program.

[healey36]

Yup, but don't give up on MTJ; there's work to be done here. OGF's okay, but there's a lot of fluff.

[HONDO74]

My intent was not for Wayne to give up on MTJ it was jut to give him another option since he seems to be having a lot of fun with his trains.

I haven't given up up on MTJ that is why I started a couple of threads recently to help out. I'm at a big disadvantage since I can't post pictures. I used to have photobucket. I had between 500 and a thousand pictures in there. Lost all of them.

While I look at OGR I haven't posted over there in 10 years. Don't even know if I can. I lost my log in and password. I gave up on playing with trains after my best train buddy (wife) passed away. My mother in law lives here with me. We added on to the house many years ago so she could move in with us. I look after her. She is now 104 years old.

[healey36]

I should try to sign into my old Photobucket account; some of the pics I posted there still show up in various threads (which surprises me).

[healey36]

What's your rock, Wayne? It looks like it contains fossils...



I've heard that parts of Tennessee are a good source for fossilized materials.

[healey36]

The Lionel 1688E I dropped off at East Main Trains a few weeks back has been repaired and reentered service:



East Main Trains is located in Thurmont, Maryland, and is a terrific shop, filling a hole left when Catoctin closed a few years back (quite a few years back). Lots of inventory, knowledgeable staff, and what seems to be good repair services:

https://www.eastmaintrains.com/

I bought a number of items at Catoctin over the years, and they repaired a couple of DOA MTH items for me. I hope East Main proves as successful as Catoctin was during their long run. I dropped off my KW for re-cording and a general servicing...it'll be fun to see that cleaned up.

The 1688E runs terrific with a new idler gear and stud, rebuilt E-unit, new pick-up shoes, and a general cleaning. How all of the teeth on the idler gear got wrung off, no idea, but that was a fix I needed help with. The project pile here has grown to epic proportions, I'm hopeful these guys can help me knock it down considerably.

[gregj410]

I was out at the Catoctin hobby shop years ago. I barely remember it. Nice to know that it has a legitimate replacement in case I get out that way again.

Finally dusted off my Foothill model works 20’ box car kit.

[healey36]

Is Foothill Model Works still around, Greg? A Google doesn't yield much info. A friend of mine, a doctor here in town, had a small narrow-gauge O layout and stacks of kits he hoped to eventually build. I recall him having a number of FMW kits; not sure if he ever got to any of them. Sadly he checked out a few years ago and his wife sold all of the stuff when she moved to a smaller place. That boxcar of yours looks pretty interesting.

[gregj410]

Is Foothill Model Works still around, Greg?

Not that I can tell, and I don’t know much about their history but I sure do like their kits.

and stacks of kits he hoped to eventually build.

I could easily be there but I’m really hoping to do more building and less buying. It’s much easier imagining you’ll build so many kits than it is actually doing it. I’m constantly resisting the urge

[Norton]

Yup, but don't give up on MTJ; there's work to be done here. OGF's okay, but there's a lot of fluff.

Unfortunately, very true. This where the real modelers are.

Pete

[gregj410]

Yup, but don't give up on MTJ; there's work to be done here. OGF's okay, but there's a lot of fluff.

Unfortunately, very true. This where the real modelers are.

Pete

That’s actually a very nice comment considering some of the things that go down around here. There are some very capable people here.