From the Firefly Shops.........

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Underbody installed and drive mocked up into place.





Now to put it all together and test things out a bit....

[webenda]

.....had this American Standard Gas Electric

The doodlebug is looking good, Rufus. It looks familiar. Maybe a Scale City Designs kit?
https://scalecitydesigns.com/plan-1657- ... #gallery-3
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... -479995045

No.

Interesting. I seems that a lot of model trains (and dies) get passed around from company to company.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

The doodlebug is looking good, Rufus. It looks familiar. Maybe a Scale City Designs kit?
https://scalecitydesigns.com/plan-1657- ... #gallery-3
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... -479995045

No.

Interesting. I seems that a lot of model trains (and dies) get passed around from company to company.

That's been going on for a long time,

[sarge]

A little more regarding American Standard and Ralph Brown.

Ralph also did many of the same kits in 1/32.

Sometime in the course of things Ralph did go to milled wood roofs in his kits. I like the foam ones better, but each unique air-conditioning duct arrangement had to be done for each type doing the one-piece foam. With the wood ones, the duct configuration was an exercise left to the modeller, much like Walthers. Am Std did have cast styrene roof ends included with the wooden roof-stock.

He also did lightweight cars under American Standard; styrene kits rather than foam like his heavyweights. Ralph sold the lightweight range to Pete Plunkett who marketed them under the American Lightweight Car Company name. When Pete passed, the range went to a good friend of his who couldn't get styrene parts reshot once he ran out the stock, so the range remains in limbo.

Meanwhile, Ralph continued with the heavyweights until the range was sold (if memory serves on Ralph's passing) to a guy who ran a catering business. He sold kits under the Pullman Standard name, though very few. The guy never did much with it but rather jealously held on to it for years whilst remaining pretty much incognito.

I have no idea where or when Scale City might have come into the picture and what they might hold if anything, knowing very little about them. Though the same prototype, it might not even be the same kit for all I know, never having had theirs in my hand to compare.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Sometime in the course of things Ralph did go to milled wood roofs in his kits. I like the foam ones better, but each unique air-conditioning duct arrangement had to be done for each type doing the one-piece foam. With the wood ones, the duct configuration was an exercise left to the modeller, much like Walthers. Am Std did have cast styrene roof ends included with the wooden roof-stock.

He also did lightweight cars under American Standard; styrene kits rather than foam like his heavyweights. Ralph sold the lightweight range to Pete Plunkett who marketed them under the American Lightweight Car Company name. When Pete passed, the range went to a good friend of his who couldn't get styrene parts reshot once he ran out the stock, so the range remains in limbo.

Meanwhile, Ralph continued with the heavyweights until the range was sold (if memory serves on Ralph's passing) to a guy who ran a catering business. He sold kits under the Pullman Standard name, though very few. The guy never did much with it but rather jealously held on to it for years whilst remaining pretty much incognito.

Pretty much fits with what I knew, and yes, the resin roof is I think also better working toward a smooth & clean finish. Just having cast styrene roof ends would make building the passenger car kits considerably more approachable.

American Standard also produced freight car kits in styrene - an airslide hopper with prepainted sides in 3-5 road names (PRR, WM, L&N, unlettered, and others) and a Rail-Gon gondola that I used to see now and again.

Links to some of the catalogs, etc. are here: https://oscalecentral.com/sample-page/r ... -car-kits/

I have no idea where or when Scale City might have come into the picture and what they might hold if anything, knowing very little about them. Though the same prototype, it might not even be the same kit for all I know, never having had theirs in my hand to compare.

I used to communicate with the Milner's (Scale City) but I never heard about their acquiring any of the American Standard. I had asked about them being at Chicago this year but apparently not there.

I will be happy when I complete my kt and then reach a point of deciding what to do with it once there. I have too many projects of that ilk, but it seemed difficult to sell unassembled as a repair & complete project. We'll see after I get it done.....

[sarge]

I have one of those here as well. I think it will be built as a Sperry car when it floats up to the top of the tank.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I have one of those here as well. I think it will be built as a Sperry car when it floats up to the top of the tank.

If yours has not been mucked with like mine was I suspect that yours will come out far better! Do you have a drive unit for yours?

[sarge]

I intend a Weaver style drive in one truck.

I've done it in several similar things, last time a 7mm Sentinel steamcar. Worked well.

[webenda]

Scale City says that they made several changes to the American Standard Gas Electric Kit.

...and the roof is now upgraded to resin and styrene instead of wood that needed to be shaped and sealed.

https://scalecitydesigns.com/plan-1657- ... g-o-scale/
It is also out of stock.

[sarge]

For some reason it never occurred to look at Scale City's site and actually read what they had to say; thanks Wayne. I must say I find it odd how everyone expects us to go to them for information rather than come to us with announcements in this day and age, like I have nothing else to do but sit here and check everyone's individual website one-at-a-time, every day, all day. GRIN! Then, they wonder why no-one is buying stuff and blame us for not doing our "duty" to support them.

Interesting to read the description then run back up the category ladder a bit.

Fills in a few blanks in my suspect memory, first the name of the guy (I'm horrible with names!) who bought the range from Ralph Brown and failed to do much with it, Dave Duncan.

I see Scale City acquired the entire range from Duncan according to their blurb. Now to see if Scale City survive (which they won't if they think a website is all they need for marketing) and, if not, whether someone else acquires and can revive the American Standard range. The originals built up to beautiful cars that need no apology.

I've never seen or heard tell of one in a Scale City box so have to wonder if "out of stock" means it never actually was available in the first place. If the range really did become available again, one would think the word would be out on such platforms as Dan Dawdy's "O Scale Resource" or even on the Bay of E (A quick search on the latter reveals precisely bupkis.)

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I intend a Weaver style drive in one truck.

I've done it in several similar things, last time a 7mm Sentinel steamcar. Worked well.

Thought you might go that route - I'm doing something "similar".

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I must say I find it odd how everyone expects us to go to them for information rather than come to us with announcements in this day and age, like I have nothing else to do but sit here and check everyone's individual website one-at-a-time, every day, all day.

Ran into this behavior all too frequently prior to and while I was Editor of OST; everyone is just so proud that they have it on their web site, as if everyone is just waiting and checking web sites. The concept of communications has grown to being elusive at best. It's on my web site (and on Facebook) so that's all I have to do for advertising....

Then, they wonder why no-one is buying stuff and blame us for not doing our "duty" to support them.

That's another very odd thing, too. Why is it my duty to support anyone by buying stuff I can't find and/or do not need

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Test fit all together now....white styrene bits are the replacement parts that were broken out of the resin casting,





Have to see about sneaking a paint session in now.....

[sarge]

Nicely done. I very much like it.

A few grabs before paint or do you do those when you glaze it afterward?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Nicely done. I very much like it.

Thank you!

A few grabs before paint or do you do those when you glaze it afterward?

Quite a few have to be added!. Door knobs and other stuff, too. Other details are sitting on the back of the bench to be added post-paint. Sort of waiting for a bag of 1-72 screws to arrive so I can hard mount the body to the floor since the sides are slightly sprung.

In the meantime assembling some 1/48 furniture - laser-cut from cherry. Ever so many interesting and fun bits to be found on Etsy. Just watch out for the rabbit holes!