US $5.95 • Can $7.95 Display Until June 30Th

US $5.95 • Can $7.95 Display until June 30th

Celebrating the art of 1:48 modeling Issue #20 May/June 2005 Vol. 4, No. 3

Publisher Joe Giannovario Features [email protected] 4 Scratchbuilding an N&W Steam-Era Caboose Art Director Jaini Giannovario Joe Giannovario built this classic caboose in styrene. [email protected] 12 N&W Diesel-Era Class CF Cabs Editor Variations on a theme. Photos of Richard Howard’s CF cabs. Brian Scace [email protected] 17 Building a Small O Scale Layout — Part 3 Mike Culham starts handlaying track on the new GCR. Advertising Manager Jeb Kriigel 24 Painting and Lettering a B&O Baggage Car [email protected] Tips and techniques for a fancy paint job by Ed Bommer. Contributors 28 Traingate Ted Byrne Need to get into the layout? Phil Opielowski may have the answer. Gene Deimling Bobber Gibbs 43 A Mountain Climbing Railroad in O Scale Carey Hinch A design for a large layout by George Muller. Hobo D. Hirailer Jace Kahn 46 Some of the Best from O Scale West Roger C. Parker Photos from OSW by Jim Ferreira. Neville Rossiter 50 OST 2K5 Digital Photo Contest Subscription Rates: 6 issues US - Standard Mail Delivery US$30 Get all the rules and see the prizes. US - First Class Delivery (1 year only) US$40 53 Overhauling the Atlas 89' Flatcar Canada/Mexico US$50 Overseas US$75 Gene Clemens and Carey Hinch team up to modify these cars for more Visa, MC, AMEX & Discover accepted to-scale appearance and “Twin 45” operation. Call 610-363-7117 during Eastern time business hours Dealers write for terms. Advertisers write for information Departments or visit our website. 13 Easements for the Learning Curve – Brian Scace O Scale Trains ISSN 1536-9528 www.oscalemag.com 14 The Modern Image - Carey Hinch Published bimonthly (6 times a year) by O Scale Trains Magazine 21 The Workshop – Neville Rossiter PO Box 238, Lionville PA 19353-0238 © 2005 OST All Rights Reserved 22 Narrow Minded – Bobber Gibbs Printed in the U.S.A. 34 Traction Action – Roger C. Parker Contributors: O Scale Trains welcomes your feature articles, photos, and drawings. Such material 36 Product News & Reviews should be sent to the above address for possible publi- cation. If we accept, you will be notified immediately. For more information concerning article preparation 40 Fine Scale Modeling – Gene Deimling guidelines, please send an SASE to the above address and request our “Guide For Authors” or visit our web- 48 The Good Old Days – Jace Kahn site at: www.oscalemag.com. 51 Reader Feedback – Letters to the Editor Cover: A pair of Great Northern Y1 electrics brought a second place prize for electrics to Rick Piper of Portland, 57 Confessions of a HiRailer – Hobo D. Hirailer Oregon at O Scale West. See more OSW photos on page 46. Photo courtesy of Jim Ferreira and O Scale West. 59 Advertiser Index

Centerspread: “Missabe Mammoth” — A giant Yellowstone 60 Buy-Sell-Trade Ads locomotive rests on a siding after pulling a long string of iron ore cars to the loading facility. Business as usual on the DM&IR. 60 Events Listing Diorama modeling and photography by K. Jeb Kriigel. Loco and caboose by Precision Scale Co. 62 Observations – Joe Giannovario OST is a proud Member of the Model Railroad Industry Association May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • Scratchbuilding an N&W Steam Era Caboose

Prototype photo by August A. Thieme

Text & model photos by Joe Giannovario Drawings by Carey Hinch Introduction to build this model, and that included There are a lot of Norfolk & Western my figuring out how to accomplish each steam engines floating around in O Scale, step, plus the photography and jotting both in 2- and 3-Rail, yet no one has mass- down notes. I like using styrene because produced an economical steam-era N&W the construction moves quickly and you caboose to go with these engines. There can really see the progress. have been several brass imports (Sunset, A Bit of History and Division Point, and two forthcom- The N&W used several different class- ing from Kohs and Weaver) as well as es of cabooses during its steam era. The a kit (offered first by Quality Craft, then class I’ve chosen is CF, a wood sided cab Gloorcraft). The brass cabs are not cheap with a steel underframe. N&W built 381 Fig. 1 and the kits are hard to find although they of these classic wooden cabooses starting show up on Ebay now and again. in 1914 and used them up through 1959. While I have several of the brass and This class was numbered from 518000 kit-based cabs, I could still use more. through 518380. The unique details of I decided to scratchbuild a Class CF this caboose are its cupola integrated wood-side caboose and tell you how I into the main sides of the body, slightly did it. By the way, I’m not going to give offset from center and no end windows every single dimension for every part I in the main body other than those in the made. In most cases, I scaled the dimen- end doors. The N&W classes CG and CH sions off the drawings with calipers or steel cabooses are almost exact copies of Fig. 2 the CF in design with steel sides and end 1 a scale rule and transferred that to the ⁄8” thick basswood cut to length (scale windows in the CH. 1 1 plastic stock used. You’ll have to do 29 ⁄2’ L x 9 ⁄2’ W) and laminate a piece of the same. What’s important here is that The roofs on the CF cabs were wood, 0.020” styrene to one side with Testors the model “look” right rather than “be” covered in canvas and then coated with Cement. This will be the underside of the exactly on the money. Also, I built this an asphalt waterproofing. Eventually, floor. Clamp and set aside to dry (Fig. 1). with the average modeler in mind. The many of these cabs were rebuilt with ply- Next, lay out the sides on 0.040” tools I used were the most basic that any wood sheathed sides and steel roofs, but scribed siding (Fig. 2). The dimensions are modeler should have. I purchased all my that would take them into the Diesel era. I scaled from the drawing and transferred building materials at a local, non-train, decided to stay with the steam-era design. to the plastic siding using a mechanical hobby shop. Decals, trucks, couplers and As delivered, cabs were painted a bright pencil and a scale rule. Once the draw- brake rigging were mail-ordered from the red with white lettering, black handrails ing is transferred, scribe the outline and appropriate vendors listed. Paints were and end platforms, and brown roofs. snap the sides from the main sheet. purchased at a local hobby shop and a Okay, let’s begin. Scribe the centerline between the Basic Body local Pep Boys auto parts store. There is cupolas and snap the sides in half. Do not We’ll start by making the floor. Use really nothing exotic used here. There is remove the excess material around the a Materials and Resources List at the end cupola just yet. Tape the two sides togeth- of this article. It took me about 30 hours • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 er (back-to-back) to make sure the win- Scratchbuilding an N&W Steam Era Caboose dow openings line up. Also note that one side only has the high, small window for the bathroom. Cut out the window openings on one side and then cut through to the other side using the square edged X-acto blade shown (Fig. 3). Cut out the cupola window openings. Fig. 3 Before separating the sides, scribe the excess material around the cupola and true up the ends (Fig. 4). Snap off the excess while supporting the edges of the Fig. 9 cupola with needlenose pliers (Fig. 5). You should now have two sides (Fig. 6) Make the two ends from the remain- der of the siding sheet. The process is the same as for the sides; transfer the drawing to the siding with a pencil but line up the sides side-by-side (Fig. 7). Scribe between the two sides and fold them over so they are back-to-back. Carefully Fig. 4 scribe the arc of the roof and snap off the excess material. True up the arc with a file so the ends match. Set the ends against the floor (Fig. 8) and scribe a line across the top of the Fig. 10 floor. Note the sides are about a scale six inches wider than the floor, so leave three scale inches (one board width) on each side. Trim off the material below the floor line and be careful with those short three- inch wide extensions. They’re delicate. Find the center of each end by drawing Fig. 5 two diagonal lines from corner-to-corner (Fig. 9). Now lay out the door openings using the siding grooves as guides. Scribe Fig. 11 carefully through the vertical lines and cut through the horizontal with the chisel blade. Now, trim out the door frame with scale 1 x 3 styrene strips. Make the doors by laminating 0.010” sheet (Figs. 10 & 11). Make the bottom sheet a bit large than the door opening so you’ll have something to glue to the end Fig. 6 wall. You can also use a Grandt Line plastic door of your choosing. I used a cast Fig. 12 white metal door I had in my parts box. Frame all the windows in the sides. The lower sills are 0.040” x 0.080”, while the other three sides are 0.040” x 0.060” (Fig. 12). Now it’s time to assemble the sides and ends. Glue one end to one side (Fig. 13). Make the side overlap the end. I Fig. 7 used Plastruct 1/8” “L” angle to brace the joint. The actual length of the brace isn’t Fig. 13 important as long as it clears the floor and leaves some room at the top edge, too. Repeat with the other side and end. You will need to shim the bottom edge of the side with 0.080” x 0.125” strip styrene so it fits properly over the floor. Now assemble the two pieces into a box that fits over the floor (Fig. 14). Be careful not to glue the body to the floor. It needs Fig. 8 Fig. 14 May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • to remain removable. Underframe & End Beams Lay out the cupola ends on more sid- With the body sitting evenly on the ing sheet (Fig. 15). I decided to try some- underframe, mark the top of the floor on thing different here. Frame the windows each side where the body ends (Fig. 20). before you cut them out. Use 0.020” x Now cut 0.040” siding (with the siding Fig. 15 0.060” strip. running across the width of the floor) to Cut out the cupola ends like you did fit between the body and the ends of the the body ends. Lay them back-to-back floor. These will be the wooden decking and shape the arch. Glue some “L” angle for the end platforms. to the cupola ends and then attach the We’ll need to laminate styrene strips ends so they are flush with the sides. to make the end beams. Start by glu- Make sure the ends are square and the ing a 0.080” x 0.125” strip to a 0.100” tops of the corners match up with the x 0.125” strip. Make these long enough sides (Fig. 16). so you will have enough material for I thought long and hard about how to two end beams. Now, lay this on top make the curved roof, as I could not find of a piece of 0.040” styrene wider than curved wooden roof stock. I decided on the 0.180” width of the laminated beam roof ribs. Four will do the trick. (Fig. 21). Trim the excess and you should Fig. 16 First, take two pieces of 0.080” x have an end beam of the correct dimen- 0.125” strip and glue them to the inside sions. I decided to make the end beams of the body along the top edge of the large remove-able. This allows me to work windows. If you’ve assembled everything on the end details without having to square up to this point the strips will be manhandle the whole caboose and it level and at the same height on both sides. also allows the body ends to be detailed The ribs will sit on these strip ledges. You more easily. More on this in a bit. Cut the will have to notch the ledge around the assembly into two end beams and trim small bathroom window. the ends square with a file. Find four pieces of scrap siding about Locate the centerline of the caboose 2.5 inches wide and one inch high underframe using diagonals. With the (Fig. 17). Make sure each piece is a slip end beams laid in place, locate and drill fit inside the body and rests on the ledge. the holes for your coupler box mounting Trace the roof arch on these scraps by screws. I used Kadee 405s and 2-56 hex Fig. 17 holding them against the caboose end head screws (Fig. 22). from the inside while sitting on the ledge. Now drill a #56 hole (0.046”) about 3 Trim the roof ribs to shape making sure ⁄8" from the centerline of the end beam they’re all the same contour. Glue small through the beam into the underframe. scraps of 0.080” x 0.125” to the outer Pin the beam with a piece of brass wire edges of the ribs so they’ll sit squarely on and drill on the other side (Fig. 23). Cut the ledges. two pieces of brass wire to act as pins Glue one rib in front of each of the and glue them into the end beam below cupola ends. The other two ribs go halfway between the cupola and the body Fig. 18 ends (Fig. 18). The roof itself is made from 0.020” scribed siding with the siding side toward the interior. There are three roofs, all different. The cupola roof is two inches 3 long, the long main roof is 3 ⁄8” long, and 11 the short main roof is 2 ⁄16” long. Make these pieces wide enough to hang over the edges of the sides. All the edges will Fig. 21 be trimmed later. Curl the roof sheets in your hand with Fig. 19 the scribing to the inside of the curl. Because the sheet is scribed it will take a set. Do this gently until the curve just fits the roof ribs. It doesn’t have to be exact because you will glue all the edges. Make sure each roof sheet is centered along the body and glue it, first to the roof ribs, then the ends, and finally along the length of the sides. Glue the cupola roof in place the same way (Fig. 19). That concludes the basic body construction. Fig. 20 Fig. 22 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 the surface with CA. Trim the back side Now make the crossbars for the end of the pins and make sure the end beam railings. Drill a #56 hole in 0.040” x is a snug fit to the underframe (Fig. 24). 0.080” styrene strip by hand. Do this Repeat for the other end of the under- slowly and you won’t distort the styrene. frame. Label the end beams “A” and “B” Slip this over the outer stanchion and and mark the corresponding ends of the spot the location for the inner stanchion underframe. This way you will always hole. Drill the second hole and clip off match the beam with the same end. the strip with excess material out past the Install the end beams and mount the holes. Slip the crossbar down over both coupler pockets to the underframe. Mark stanchions, making sure it is level, and the locations for the truck bolsters (Fig. secure with CA. Clip off the excess with a 1 25). Make the truck bolsters from ⁄2" sprue cutter (Fig. 29). Fig. 23 square styrene (or wood) stock and taper The crossbars are actually angle iron, the ends with a file, or use commercial so add a 0.020” x 0.060” strip across the parts like the Precision Scale U-49 body front edge (Fig. 30) and glue with liquid bolsters (which I am using). If you make cement. Trim with the sprue cutter. your own bolster from styrene or wood, Make the cinder guards from 0.020” glue it to the underframe. If you use the styrene sheet. The guards are approxi- U-49 bolster, screw it to the underframe mately two scale feet by three scale 1 with #1 x ⁄2” wood screws trimmed to feet. The mounting tabs are made from length (Fig. 26). 0.020” x 0.060” strip. Attach these with Install trucks and check the coupler CA to the crossbars and end beams ride height (Fig. 27) with a gage. I recom- (Fig. 31). Add safety chain across the mend installing the actual trucks you will opening, add the brake wheel staff and use on the final model. I didn’t and had the ends are complete. to shim the coupler boxes later when I Trimming the Roof Fig. 24 installed the Accurate O Scale leaf spring Take 0.040” x 0.080” styrene strip and caboose trucks. End Beam Details Make the end railings from 0.040” diameter wire (a scale two inches in diameter). I used straight floral wire which you can buy in most craft shops. I bought mine at A.C. Moore and it’s dirt cheap compared to straight brass wire and since we’re going to glue the bits together there is really no need to use brass. Fig. 25 Using the end drawings, locate the Fig. 29 positions of the four holes across the length of the end beam. Make sure the holes are spotted through the center of the beam from the underside. (Now you see why I made the end beams removable!). Fig. 26 Spot starter holes with a small drill bit (any size) and finish up the holes with a #56 (0.046”) drill. Be sure to drill straight through the beam from the bottom. Cut lengths of 0.040” diameter wire 1 about 1 ⁄4 inches long. These are the inner stanchions. Cut more wire about 1 2 ⁄2 inches long. These are the outer stan- Fig. 30 Fig. 27 chions. Lay the end beam on the drawing and push the inner stanchions through the holes in the beam until the wires are flush with the bottom of the beam. Secure with CA and trim the tops to the drawing. Repeat for the second end beam. Temporarily assemble the body to the underframe with the end beams in place and push the outer stanchions up through the holes in the beams until they touch the roof. Secure with CA. Do not trim off the outer stanchions at the bottom of the end beam as these are rain spouts (Fig. 28). Fig. 28 Fig. 31 May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • gently shape it to a flat curve with your fingers until it matches the radius of the roof curve (Fig. 32). Temporarily assemble the body to the underframe with end beams in place. Place this end fascia against the outer stanchions and glue in place against the underside of the roof. Trim to length. Remove the body from the underframe and carefully trim the roof overhang to Fig. 38 the edge of the fascia with the sprue cutter. File with a file emery board. 1 Fig. 32 Notch the roof corners ⁄8” in from the 3 side and ⁄16” in from the end. Cut the notches out with the sprue cutter. Now trim all the roof edges with 0.020” x 0.080” styrene strip (Fig. 33). Trim off any overhang. Underframe Details Cut and file two pieces of 0.040” x Fig. 39 0.250” styrene to fit snugly between the bolsters. Glue in place. These will form the main portion of the center sill. Cut two blocks of 0.25” x 0.25” styrene to fit Fig. 33 between the bolsters and coupler boxes, Glue in place. Cut four pieces of 0.040” x 0.25” styrene and glue these on either side of the blocks (Fig. 34). Now trim the top edges of the center sill pieces with 0.040” x 0.125” styrene. The center support braces are made 1 from Plastruct ⁄8” “U” channel. The chan- nels face in toward the center of the frame. Measure approximately ten scale Fig. 40 Fig. 34 feet in from the ends without the end beams in place. Cut the channel longer than needed. Glue in place and trim flush to the edge of the underframe (Fig. 35). I used a Grandt Line kit for the brake details. The brake cylinder and triple valve mount to brackets supplied in the Grandt kit. Make supports from more “U” channel and other bits of styrene scrap Fig. 35 for the rest of the components. Now is the time to add the brake piping and brake rods. The bathroom bucket can be made from 0.25” diameter styrene tubing Fig. 41 trimmed to length and glued to the underframe. I made mine by wrapping 0.010” styrene around a wooden dowel I had handy. The toolbox is about five scale feet Fig. 36 long and two scale feet deep. It looks to be about two scale feet high as well. Cut four pieces of 0.250” square styrene tub- 1 ing 1 ⁄4 inches long and cement together (Fig. 36). Glue 0.020” scrap over the ends and trim flush. Choose one side to be the front face and one to be the bottom. Glue 0.020” scrap over the bottom and trim flush. Glue a piece of 0.020” vertical scribed siding across the front face. Make sure the siding is straight up and down. Now glue another piece of 0.020” Fig. 37 Fig. 42 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 scribed siding half as long on top of the front face. This is the sliding door. Now 3 wrap ⁄32” “U” channel around the front edge of the tool box (Fig. 37). Start across the bottom and GENTLY bend it up along the sides. Glue in place. Trim and then glue the tool box to the underframe. End Platform Steps There are several ways to approach this. If you have an old Quality Craft or Fig. 46 Gloor Craft N&W caboose kit, you can use the steps from that (In fact, you can use all the metal details and save a lot of work). Otherwise, you can make your own from sheet styrene by developing a Fig. 43 flat pattern from the drawings. I’ve done this in the past and the steps look okay but are very flimsy. Another option is to modify a commercial casting like I did here. Get a set of PSC #40699 passenger car steps. The steps will be mounted upside Fig. 47 down and backwards (Fig. 38), so look at Using a gray primer-colored paint, them that way. Mount the step in a vise brush on a wet coat and lay the tissue and, using a razor saw, cut off the top in slightly overlapping strips. Lay them step (Fig. 39). Shape the (now) back edge right over the roof walk supports, starting with a file. at the cupola face, and work out to the Apply some liquid cement to the roof edge (Fig. 48). Do both sides and the underframe at each corner. Allow the cupola roof. Put another coat of paint on styrene to soften. Apply CA to the top of Fig. 44 all the “canvas” surfaces and set aside to the step. Position the step on the under- dry overnight. After the paint is thorough- frame and allow the CA to set. Make sure ly dry, you can trim all the edges of the the steps are square with the underframe “canvas” with an X-acto knife. (Fig. 40). Install your trucks and check Now you can add those hand rails to for clearance (Fig. 41), then recheck the the cupola roof. coupler height. Final Details Detailing the Body The smokejack is located on the long 1 Most of the details on the body are roof, 5 ⁄2 scale feet from the end and two handrails. There are four on each end, scale feet in from the side. Drill a pilot two on each side, and four on the cupola hole and then glue a block of 0.250” roof. To make these railings identical, scrap styrene under the pilot hole from I made jigs for bending and for drilling the inside to support the stack. My the holes in the body. Fig. 42 shows the bending jig for the lower handrails on the ends. The railings are made from #21 Fig. 45 gauge floral wire (about 0.030” diameter). Make four of these railings. Fig. 43 x 0.100” styrene strip over the windows shows the drilling jig for the lower hand- (Fig. 47) and glue at an angle. rails. Drill the holes and install the rail- There are some other minor details ings with CA. Fig. 44 shows the same jig like nut-bolt-washer castings and rain being used to locate the upper handrail gutters that you can add. I didn’t. holes as the spacing is the same as for the Roof Details lower. Make roofwalk supports from 0.020” x Fig. 45 shows both the bending and 0.060” styrene. Make six for the short roof Fig. 48 drilling jigs for the cupola handrails. and seven for the long roof. Starting at the smokejack came from my parts box. Again, make the railings from #21 gauge cupola face, mark every two scale feet with You can make one from scratch or use wire and drill the holes, but don’t install the last mark at the edge of the roof. Place a Grandt Line stack. Whichever you do, them until you finish the roof detailing a drop of liquid cement on each mark and measure the diameter of the base and described below. place the support on the cement. drill through the pilot hole into the scrap Fig. 46 shows the combination drill- The roof walks are made from 0.040” x block. My stack was just a bit smaller ing/bending jig for the side railings. 0.125” styrene but, before adding the roof than 0.250” so I started with a smaller Make the railings from #21 gauge wire, walks, you need to cover the roof in simu- drill and worked my way up to the final locate the mounting holes and install lated canvas. I used tissue paper (the kind size, twisting the drill bit with my fingers. with CA. used in packages) to simulate this material. 1 You want a deep enough hole so the Make window shades for the cupola Cut strips about ⁄2” wide, long enough to smokejack sits parallel and square with side windows by fitting a piece of 0.020” drape over the edges of the roof. the body. Secure with CA. Drill a #73

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • hole through the top of the jack and add 0.020” diameter wire for bracing. Add markers, brake wheels and ladders of your choosing and you’re done with construction. You can make your own ladders by adapting Gene Deim- ling’s jig as described in OST#18, or you can buy ladders from Des Plaines Hob- bies (Part #PP01003) eight rung ladders. Secure to the ends with CA and trim so they fit under the roof. Make the main roof walks from 0.040” x 0.125” styrene. The end walks are 0.040” x 0.25” styrene. The supports under the end walks are 0.020” x 0.060” (Fig. 49). Paint & Decals Prime everything and let sit for 24 Chesterfield Hobbies in Virginia. 0.020" x 0.060", scale 1 x 3 hours. Paint the underframe and end The last two details are to brush-paint 0.040" x 0.060", scale 2 x 3 beams a semi-gloss black. Paint the all the hand grabs on the body a semi- 0.040" x 0.080", scale 2 x 4 caboose body a bright gloss red. Let gloss black and brush-paint the roof box 0.040" x 0.250", scale 2 x 12 everything dry for 24 hours before you car brown (for a new roof look). 0.040" x 0.125", scale 2 x 6 decal the body. My decals came from That’s it, you’re done! 0.080" x 0.125", scale 4 x 6 (Author’s note: After I had Carey Hinch 0.100" x 0.125", scale 5 x 6 do this great drawing, but before we went to 0.250" x 0.250", scale 12 x 12 press, I discovered that Bob Hundman did Plastruct 1 CF drawings for Mainline Modeler. They #90504 ⁄8" “L” angle 1 are more detailed and worth having for this #90533 ⁄8" “U” channel 3 project.) ◆ #90532 ⁄32" “U” channel Precision Scale Co. [P.O. Box 278, Stevensville, References MT 59870, (406) 777-5071, [email protected]] Cabooses of the Norfolk & Western, Bowers & #U-49 body bolster Brewer, © 1994 Progress Press, Roanoke, VA. #40699 Passenger car steps Model Railroader, August 1945, plan for class Des Plaines Hobbies [1468 Lee St, Des Plaines IL CG steel caboose. 800-264-1956] Mainline Modeler, November 1997, plan for CF #PP01003, 8 rung ladders Fig. 49 wood caboose. Accurate O Scale, [38623 Orchard St, Cherry Valley CA 92223, 909-845-5237] Materials List: Swing Motion Caboose Truck (JB) w/33" General Hobby Shop Stuff 1 wheels #1 x ⁄2" wood screws 1 Grandt Line [1040 B Shary Court, Concord, CA 2-56 x ⁄2" hex head brass screws 94518, 925-671-0143] PlastiKote #3702 Grey Auto Primer #3049 AB brake set. PlastiKote #637 Black spray Kadee 405 couplers Testors #1203 Gloss Red spray A. C. Moore Craft store [http://acmoore.com to Testors tube cement find a local store] Liquid styrene cement #18 gauge (.040") floral wire CA - Cyanoacrylate cement #21 gauge (.030") floral wire Evergreen Styrene Chesterfield Hobbies 804-379-6591 2 sheets #4067 Car Siding 0.040" thick Fig. 50 Decals 1 sheet #2067 Car Siding 0.020" thick Tools [ recommend www.EHobbyTools.com] 1 sheet #9020 plain styrene 0.020" thick X-acto, scalpel, or hobby knife with several of your favorite style of fresh blades Pin vise Sprue cutter Razor Saw Scale rule Drill bits #61 - #80, #56

10 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 Drawn by Carey Hinch exclusively for O Scale Trains Magazine. Scale: 1/4" = 1 foot

14' To Cupola Centerline Rain Spouting

Alternate brake detail

141" 168"

Hopper 33" DIA. Tool Box 24" deep

19' 1" 2' 9" 24' 9" 32' 4" Overall

May/June 32' 4" OVERALL 9' 9"Acrosssides 9' Acrossendsill ’ 05 -O Scale Trains •11 Norm’s O Scale 41 Roosevelt Trail, Rte 302, South Casco, ME 04077 Voice: 207-655-2550 • Fax: 207-655-8550 www.normsoscale.com Too Much To List Here! Call or Write for More!

2-Rail Steam Locomotives ALCO NN-75 Brass PRR Undec K-4s Broadway Limited $995.00 GEM ST-508 RDG Steam Undec Class B-8a, Camelback 0-6-0 $575.00 KEY KI4675 NYC Steam K-3Q 4-6-2 Pacific Brass $2,495.00 KEY NN-66 B&A Steam F/P K-3n #506 Pacific, 4-6-2 $2,495.00 KEY NN-66 B&A Steam F/P K-3n #506 Pacific, 4-6-2 $2,495.00 MTH 20-3034-2 C&NW Steam 4-6-4 E-4 Hudson streamlined $849.00 MTH 20-3042-2 C&O M-1 Turbine Steam Engine $849.00 MTH 20-3136-2 Jersey Central Bullet (Green) 4-6-2 W/Proto Sound 2.0 $749.00 MTH 20-3138-2 Jersey Central 4-6-2 P47 W/Proto Sound 2.0 $749.00 MTH 20-3139-2 Nickel Plate 4-6-2 P47 W/Proto Sound 2.0 $749.00 MTH 20-3140-2 Boston & Maine 4-6-2 Steam Engine W/Proto Sound 2.0 $749.00 MTH 70-3007-1 Boston & Albany Steam Engine w/Protosound $729.95 MTH NN-1184 PRR K4 4-6-2 Steam Engine $795.00 SUNSET NPA5 NP A5 4-8-4 Engine F/P $985.00 SUNSET BOS1 B&O S-1a 2-10-2 Steam Engine DC/only $1,075.00 SUNSET CAM Erie Camelback L-1 Steam 0-8-8-0 $995.00 SUNSET M1-B PRR M1-b 4-8-2 Steam Engine 2 Rail $985.00 SUNSET UP92 Union Pacific Steam 9000 Special Edition 4-12-2 $1,475.00 SUNSET NN-35 PRR Steam undec I-1 2-10-0, Long Tender $995.00 SUNSET NN-60 C&O Steam undec 4-8-2 $950.00 SUNSET NN-978 PRR 2-10-4 used steam engine, f/p , weathered, rare. $1,095.00 SUNSET S-2 PRR 6-8-6 Like new, ob, factory painted weathered $850.00 USH K-4 PRR6-2 (K-4S) Used, original box, custom painted poor $695.00 USH NN-1285 NYC L4b 4-8-2 Steam Engine $1,195.00 USH NN-1586 IHB 0-8-0 C/P Steam Engine (Run Nice) $895.00 WEAVER G1087S UP Steam Forty Niner 4-6-2 $795.00 WEAVER G1089S Reading Steam Crusader 4-6-2 Cab #117 $895.00 N&W Diesel-Era WEAVER G1707S Milw Rd S-3 4-8-4 Steam Engine, Later version, no sound $939.00 WEAVER G1712S Canadian National U4-A 4-8-4 Steam Engine $939.00 WEAVER NN-98 WP Steam F/P GS-64 4-8-4 $849.00 Class CF Cabs WEAVER T-1 PRR 4-4-4-4 Like new, ob, factory painted weathered $850.00 WILLIAMS PRR K4 4-6-2 Steam Engine $450.00 Richard Howard of Peoria, Ill., saw my announcement Atlas 2-Rail Diesel Locomotives about the article on scratchbuilding the N&W class CF wooden 1102-2 C&O TMCC Diesel GP-35 Engine $345.00 caboose and sent me a note saying he had actually owned four 2100 Undec GP-35 Low Nose, $335.00 CF cabs. He asked if I’d be interested in photos. “Of course,” 2101 Undec GP-35 High Nose, unpowered $335.00 I responded. Richard sent me a batch of photos and I choose 2103-1 GM&O GP-35 Low Nose #624, $335.00 two to illustrate how this steam-era cab could be built for the 2109-2 EMD Demo GP-35 Low Nose #5654, Ltd Edition, no sound $335.00 Diesel-era. 2111-1 Reading #3620 GP-35 Locomotive Diesel DC $335.00 Since the class CF cabs had steel underframes, they were 2111-2 Reading #3623 GP-35 Locomotive Diesel DC $335.00 rebuilt, as needed, with plywood-sheathed sides (smooth) and 2111-3 Reading GP-35 #3625 (DC) Low Nose $335.00 the cupolas were rebuilt with modern all-weather windows. 2114-1 Western Maryland GP-35 (DC) #3576 Low Nose $335.00 2114-2 Western Maryland GP-35 (DC) #3578 Low Nose $335.00 The top photos shows CF# 518125 which was built in Octo- 2115 Nickel Plate Road GP-35 (DC) #910 Low Nose $335.00 ber 1915. It was sold to Luria Steel and Trading Co., in July of 2151 Undec GP-35 High Nose, unpowered $177.00 1979. The bottom is CF# 518257 built in November 1917 and 2157-1 N&W GP-35 High Nose #208, unpowered $177.00 sold to Luria at the same time as #518125. Presumably, Richard 2164-1 WM GP-35 Low Nose Diesel Loco #3577, Unpowered $177.00 purchased these two cabs from Luria and two additional CFs, 2200 Undec A (Hdlt) DC/DCC Ready $349.00 #518335 and 518289, all from the same era. 2202 Undec B FM Erie Built DC/DCC Ready $349.00 To model these cabs, layout the sides as I show in the arti- 2203 Undec A (Hdlt) FM Erie Built (Unpowered Units) $177.00 cle but do them “inside out”. The scribing helps in locating the 2204 Undec A (2 Hdlt) FM Erie Built (Unpowered Units) $177.00 window opening but flip them around so the smooth side of 2205 Undec B FM Erie Built (Unpowered Units) $177.00 the styrene becomes the outside shell. Also, change the cupola 2214-1 NYC (Freight) FM Erie Built (Unpowered Units) #5004 (A) $177.00 2214-2 NYC (Freight) FM Erie Built (Unpowered Units) #5005 (A) $177.00 windows to round-cornered openings. 2218-2 PRR (Freight) FM Erie Built (Unpowered Units) #9464A (A) $177.00 Paint the cabs in either of the two schemes shown for your 2219-1 PRR (Freight) FM Erie Built (Unpowered Units) #9458B (B) $177.00 Diesel-era layout. While the steam-era decals are hard to find, 2219-2 PRR (Freight) FM Erie Built (Unpowered Units) #9464B (B) $177.00 N&W Diesel-era decals abound. 2223 Santa Fe FM Erie Built (Unpowered Units) #90A (B) $177.00 Thanks, Richard, for sharing these with us. 2250 Undec GP-60 Powered Diesel DC Only $366.00 —Joe Giannovario 2251 Undec GP-60 Dummy Unit $185.00

12 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 Way back in February, I had the opportunity to hit the Springfield Show, hosted by the Amherst Railway Society. The “Amherst Show” is a multi-scale event, and one of the largest in New England (Take your hat off when New England is mentioned, Pilgrim!). There was a pretty significant O Scale presence at the show, what with the Southern New England O Scalers’ modular railroad, Bill Driscoll and the boys, and a couple really nice On30 modulars depicting coastal New Eng- freelanced empire theoretically serves. These are the booksellers land themes. Of course, OST was there, and a sizable crew of O and photograph folks. Here, we had a wealth of printed matter Scale lurkers, shirkers, tramps, bums, and other high forms of life available, both from the historical societies and from commer- took the time to stop over and gasbag a bit. A good time was had cial vendors. Not to be forgotten are the private individuals who by all, and we all went our separate ways after the show, a-glow are just thinning out their bookshelf space. There were folks like in all that free flowing love, admiration, and libation. Bob Liljestrand, of Bob’s Photos. He must have had thousands A funny thing happened after the show-glo wore off, which of photographs available, locomotives, buildings, freight and brings us to today’s sermon (The congregation leans forward passenger cars, invaluable for that scratchbuilding or kitbashing expectantly, hanging on each and every word). The discussions project. started, usually based on “there was no, little, or unsatisfactory, Lastly, the multi-scale show has potential converts, in this O Scale at the show”. I won’t rant (like last issue) about the way case the attendees numbered in the tens of thousands. That’s a the folks who hustled in the afore-mentioned modular railroads lot of opportunity for new converts to the one and true faith. might rightfully take that comment, nor will I say “Get thee Whether in the modular club venue or holding forth at the OST hence and do it yourself next year!” Instead, I’ll explain how I Tabernacle, the opportunity to get ‘em on the hook is there. All could come away from this wonderful show all warm and fuzzy, of you O Scalers who gathered for a group photo-op under the and present (especially for the benefit of our newer converts) sign of OST, you may not realize it but there were a lot of HO, the perspective that keeps me that way. No, it doesn’t start with, N, and 3-Rail folks who got a quick glimpse of the camaraderie “Take two fingers of vermouth, a teaspoon of Triple-F gunpow- we enjoy (Was it Randy Brown who looked around and said that der, and your trusty Zippo…” between all the folks in that gathering there was over a thousand OK, so this wasn’t an O Scale show, with table after table years in O Scale between us?) Anyway, several came around of industrial sized loot at attractive prices. However, multi-scale later (quietly, in case they were seen!) to find out what the deal shows are worth the time, not for the newest (or dustiest) in roll- was, and to talk about why our world is just a little special. None ing stock, but for other reasons. Here are a few. of that can hurt us! First, you can spy on the other scales. Find out what they’re So take in a multi-scale show from time to time. Don’t obsess doing, the nefarious thugs. Stealing ideas about scenic treat- about how few tables had O Scale stuff on them. I left Spring- ments from the Ntrak folks is your moral duty. Watching the HO field with lots of ideas, a thick pack of photos, a book on B&M guys fumble around with their control system can yield wisdom cabooses, and a couple sets of decals. I also left with a little hint about how not to install yours. Get that kind of cross-cultural of a bounce in my shuffle. knowledge and apply it with an air of righteousness. After all, Let’s Go Exploring! ◆ scale does not start until just above the benchwork. Repeat that little gem of wisdom until it is part of your soul. Why should you have to wait for the O Scale solution, especially when the #1 Gauge guys have already solved the problem? Go to the NEW cross-cultural shows and steal ideas and solutions with impunity. PRIMA BEER Also, there are resources at this type of event you won’t find at the O Scale shows, 40’ WOOD-SIDE REEFER namely the historical societies. Local multi- scale train shows often have representatives of historical organizations of local interest. In this case, what we have is a confluence of New England historical resources unmatched at any other time of the year. I never even knew there was a “Pfaudler Modelers” group! Now I know who to tap for milk car information. The B&M folks were there, along with the New Haven, New York Central, Rutland, and a host of other railroad-specific historical organizations. Sev- eral regional groups, such as the Palmer (Mass) 3-Rail 2-Rail Historical Society had booths. What an oppor- $65.95* tunity, all these potential resources for the pro- $62.95* totype and regional modeler represented under Available in two road numbers, AM Hobbies one roof. #12818, #12819 6 Delmar Ridge Drive Also seen at multi-scale shows are a couple amhobbiesonline.com Wellsboro, PA 16901 other sources for information about the proto- (570) 723-1824 [email protected] PayPal type you model, or the about the locale your *Shipping:$5.95 for one or two cars; $6.95 for three or four cars

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 13 place to start. I have two Atlas GP35s in the Southern paint scheme and one in Norfolk and Western. I have set the date on my railroad to the early eighties. The GP35s fit nicely into this timeframe without any detail modifications. If I move ten years forward, and pair one of them with a GP60, I will be in trouble with the detail police! With a GP60 in the consist with the Southern GP35s, the GP35s would need ditch lights Diesel Details once operated in arid Nevada were now added, since the GP60 came along after the What makes a good model great? Detail, seeing service in snow covered Chicago. ditch light requirement. Also, the Southern of course. O Scale modelers have had good- Snowplows had to be added to the front paint scheme didn’t last long after the merg- looking detail on their equipment for some (and sometimes rear) pilots. Headlight er with Norfolk and Western, and certainly time. It just stands to reason, because our arrangements were relocated or sometimes not into the GP60 years. models are bigger. But what is it about the multiplied. The Gyra-lite was very common Engine detail can be an obsession for detailing that makes a locomotive modern? until the early nineties, when ditch lights some. It’s hard not to like a highly detailed A modern GP35 looks the same as it did were mandated. Today, a Global Position- engine, but you don’t have to apply every when first produced in 1965, except for the ing System (GPS) antenna says, “Modern.” pipe and valve to get modern. There are details. I’m not talking about door latches, My photos of this ex-Santa Fe locomo- people that just like to see their equipment number boards, or window glass. Those are tive show a present-day GP35. Even tripled run (after all, it is called “ready-to-run”), but items I consider a “given” on most models. with GE Dash 9 locomotives it’s very much perhaps the current offerings may well be It’s the road-specific details like air condi- the modern workhorse, and it’s the lead unit better termed “ready-to-detail”. tioners, rotary beacons, and battery boxes on a local freight! The details that make it Next time, We’ll look at some high- that change the era of a locomotive. It’s so are not overly complicated. Our locomo- tech and modern lineside details, hard to believe, but it has been a decade or tive is painted in the last Santa Fe scheme, including satellite controlled switch more since railroads were required to have although weathered and updated for new machines and cab controlled 2.4 GHz ditch lights! Let’s not forget paint schemes owner BNSF. To me, mergers means new remote switch machines, and how to for a given era, but I’ll touch on that in a paint schemes, but “patching” is used to model them. ◆ moment. claim a locomotive for the owner until an So, what if you model a 1970s or 1980s overhaul is needed or money allows. This Web references railroad? The best way to know if a railroad is where the color scheme helps to tie the http://www.railpictures.net applied a certain piece of equipment to present to the past. At a glance, the air con- http://www.walthers.com their locomotive is to see it in person. Since ditioning unit is orange, and clues you in to http://www.google.com time travel is not yet the norm, we have to the fact it may well have come from a mod- http://www.yahoo.com rely on pictures, books, and the Internet. ern BNSF “heritage” scheme locomotive. If http://www.msnsearch.com A great Internet source for thousands of the photo were black and white, would you railroad photos is the Railpictures.net site. know the year? There are several ways to search the photos That being said, pictures are still the best and almost every railroad, past and present, is represented. Now, let’s say you have searched the archives and have found a photo of a GP35, circa 2004, that you want to replicate. You’ll need to get the detail parts. Look for a Walther’s Big Trains catalog at your local hobby shop. If you have a computer, the world is at your fingertips with web search engines like Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft Search. Today’s locomotives are manufactured with all the creature com- forts. Twenty years ago, locomotives didn’t even come equipped with air conditioning units. Fifty years ago, locomotives didn’t come with radios! Eastern railroads may not have been equipped with air conditioning units, at first. For example, Southern locomotives rarely had a/c units and, even well into Norfolk Southern ownership, many were still without air conditioners. After the merger mania of the 1970s and 1980s, railroads expanded their routes and built new revenue bases. This meant locomotives that Photo by the Author

14 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 Important notice regarding First Class Mail subscription availability.

Many of you have asked us to provide a First Class Mail subscription. Well, your pleas have been heard. We now offer First Class Mail service for $40 a year. We will also upgrade those of you with current subscriptions at $1.65 per issue, but you will have to call the office to find out the exact cost since that will depend on how many issues you have left. So, if you’ve had bad postal service in your area, you may want to upgrade your subscription.

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April 16 & 17, 2005 100’s of tables of scale and hi-rail trains and displays June 25 & 26, 2005 For details and hotel information about both Shows October 8 & 9, 2005 visit www.gsmts.com or contact: Maryland State Fairgrounds The Ellicott City Scale Model Railroad Association Timonium, MD 410-730-1036 • [email protected] Hours: Sat 9-4; Sun 10-4 Show Admission: $7 per person

And The New All-American High-Rail & Collectors Train Show ™ May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 15 31280 Groesbeck,‑‑ Fraser, MI 48026 586-296-6116 Open Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5 Hobby Shop Fax: 586-296-5642 P&DP&D HobbyHobby ShopShop www.pdhobbyshop.com P&D Hobby F Unit Sale Model shown is #8001

POWERED F “A” Units: Reg. $350, SALE $289.99 POWERED F “B” Units: Reg. $315, SALE $264.99 #7001 EMD F3-Ph4, F7-Ph1 early , 36" low fans, 36" #3001 EMD F3-Ph3, F7-Ph1, 36" low fans, 36" dynamic dynamic brake, 2 portholes,horiz grilles brake, 3 portholes,horiz grilles #8001 EMD F7-Ph1 late, F7-Ph2, 36" low fans, 48" dynamic #4001 EMD F7-Ph1 (late), F7-Ph2, F9, 36" low fans, 48" brake, 2 portholes, Farr (vert) grilles (shown above) dynamic brake, 2 portholes, Farr (vert) grilles #9001 EMD F9, 36" fans, 48" dynamic brake, 2 portholes, Farr (vert) grilles

UNPOWERED F “A” Units: Reg. $225, SALE $189.99 UNPOWERED F “B” Units: Reg. $200, SALE $169.99 #7002 EMD F3-Ph4, F7-Ph1 early , 36" low fans, 36" #3002 EMD F3-Ph3, F7-Ph1, 36" low fans, 36" dynamic dynamic brake, 2 portholes,horiz grilles brake, 3 portholes,horiz grilles #8002 EMD F7-Ph1 late, F7-Ph2, 36" low fans, 48" dynamic #4002 EMD F7-Ph1 (late), F7-Ph2, F9, 36" low fans, 48" brake, 2 portholes, Farr (vert) grilles dynamic brake, 2 portholes, Farr (vert) grilles #9002 EMD F9, 36" fans, 48" dynamic brake, 2 portholes, Farr (vert) grilles

F Unit “A” Body KITS: reg. $99.95, on sale $82.99 F Unit “B” Body KITS: reg. $94.99, on sale $79.99 #7000 EMD F3-Ph4, F7-Ph1 early , 36" low fans, 36" #3000 EMD F3-Ph3, F7-Ph1, 36" low fans, 36" dynamic dynamic brake, 2 portholes,horiz grilles brake, 3 portholes,horiz grilles #8000 EMD F7-Ph1 late, F7-Ph2, 36" low fans, 48" dynamic #4000 EMD F7-Ph1 (late), F7-Ph2, F9, 36" low fans, 48" brake, 2 portholes, Farr (vert) grilles dynamic brake, 2 portholes, Farr (vert) grilles #9000 EMD F9, 36" fans, 48" dynamic brake, 2 portholes, Farr (vert) grilles

All kits include brass etched grills, appropriate detailed parts, and preformed grab irons for indicated model. These kits include only the parts above the frame. Building a Small O Scale Layout Part Three Michael Culham In the previous parts (OST #18 and #19) of this series, we built the benchwork and got to the point where we are now; all the ties are in place, painted and ready for rail. In this part of the series, we are going to learn how to handlay track. Now I can hear some of you out there saying, “I can’t handlay track. It’s too hard!” If I can do it with arthritic hands, anybody can. It is very easy. If you can hold a pair of needlenose pliers, you can lay track. It does not take a lot of time to handlay track; you can have three feet laid in less that half an hour. In Part Two, I gave you a list of tools that you need. Let’s review that list here: Needlenose pliers Heavy-duty rail cutters Small files Three-point gage for code 125 rail, two required (Precision Scale) NMRA gage Modeling knife with sharp #11 blades 4 5 Tweezers A truck with metal wheelsets that are in gauge. with the end of the nose of the pliers (see Photos 2 - 5). Drive the spike in on a slight angle away from the railhead on both sides of Map pins (These are straight pins with little colored balls on the the rail (see Fig 1). end of them) Spiking Down the Rail One thing I do recommend, before doing trackwork, is to go out and take some photos of prototype track and turnouts. Take lots of detail shots, as they will help you understand how and why things are used when you start spiking rail. How to Spike Before we get started, let’s take a moment and have a look at how to hold the pliers and spikes when laying track. This is very important for making tracklaying easy. Make sure that the needlenose pliers that you choose feel 1 comfortable in your hand. Hold the handles of the pliers in the palm of your hand as if you The first thing you should do before starting the trackwork where holding a ball (see Photo is to get all your tools together that you’ll need and have them 1). The spikes are then held in the handy. You don’t want to have to go looking for them while you tip of the nose of the pliers. Push are in the midst of laying track. Do the same for all the track the spike halfway into the tie, components, and don’t forget the tie plates and spikes. release the pliers from the spike, As you can see in Photo 6, the ties are all ready for rail, and and then close them up. Then so are you. This is easy. Take one rail and align it along one of you can push the spike home the guide lines on the tabletop. This will give you the correct

2 3 6 May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 17 3 distance from the rail to the end of the ties (about ⁄8”). Hold the rail in place with the map pins, placing them about every four inches along either side of the rail. In the photos, you can see that I am laying the track on a curve. Here is where that curve template (See Part 2, OST #19) comes in handy again. Place it along the inside of the rail and pin along the outside of both the rail and template (see Photo 7). This will make it easy to get the curvature that you need. If you are laying a straight section, you can use a straight-edge

8 and lay the second rail on the other side of the ties. Here, you will need the pair of three-point gages that I mentioned in the list of tools. Just like the first rail, you line up the rail along the guide line. Then, using the gages to set the distance between the rails, pin the rail in place with more map pins. Once the rail is pinned, remove one of the gages. Place the tie plates between the rail and the tie, as you did on the first rail, and start spiking the inside of the rail. Spike as close to the gage as you can, moving the gages along as you go 7 (see Photo 9). Spike about six ties or so, then go back and spike the outside of the rail. Proceed like this until you are finished ruler if you want. I find it is not needed as you have the guide (see Photo 10). You have just installed your first section of han- lines to follow. Because this is an industrial railway, small kinks dlaid track and it looks good, with four spikes per tie and tie in the track are normal. The track does not have to be perfect, plates. It is starting to look like the real thing. like mainline iron. Rail Joints Once you have the rail pinned in place, slip the tie plates (part #TPF2-125) between the rail and the ties. You will notice that the tie plate has a slot in it for the foot of the rail. This helps to hold it in place until you put the spikes in. I only put about 12 tie plates in place at a time, then spike about eight of them, and keep adding another dozen as I go along. Spike along the outside of the rail, putting the spike through the left-hand hole in the tie plate on every tie (See Fig. 2). Once this is done, remove the curve template and spike the inside of the rail, putting the spike through the right-hand hole on the

tie plate as shown in Photo 8. There you go! One rail is down. That wasn’t too hard to do, was it? To be able to run trains you need two rails, so let’s get busy 10

18 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 How do we keep the rails aligned at the joints? The most Once you have laid the track, added the details, and connect- common way is to use metal rail joiners. On this layout, I am using metal rail joiners made by ROW (Part # NJ25). These are cast in nickel silver, with all the details including the nuts and bolts, and they are made to look just like the joint bars used on the prototype. They slip on to the rail as seen in Photo 11. If you need to make an electrically insulated joint, ROW also make a

ed all electrical feeder wires, it’s time to paint. I paint the rails 11 and details with the same color as the ties (see Photo 13). If you prefer, you could use a rusty brown color. Once the paint dries, plastic joiner (Part #IJ25) that mechanically works in the same clean off the top of the rails with a fine grit sandpaper or sanding way as the metal ones. block, as shown in Photo 14. You will find that some paint stays On the prototype, bolted joint rail comes in 39’ lengths. To in the grooves at the joints; this is okay as it helps them to visu- help us replicate that, ROW also makes a cement-on joint bar ally stand out. As long as the paint is removed from the top of the (Part # CJ25) that you glue to the sides of the rail every scale 39’ rails, you will not have any problem with electrical pickup. I run with an ACC glue (see Photo 12). After the glue has set, file a my layout with DCC and have had no problems. Conclusion I find handlaying track to be very relaxing and rewarding. Once you have finished it, with all the details and four spikes per tie, it starts to look like the prototype. Best of all, you can show it off to friends and family and say you did this yourself. The trackwork on the layout is starting to take shape. There is one thing missing from this picture, the turnouts. These are needed if you intend to do any switching. Next time, I will show you how to build turnouts using ROW components. I have mentioned in this article the use of the curve template. I do not know the name of the company that makes these in the UK. You could look on the web or make one yourself out of styrene or heavy cardstock. First draw the centerline of the 12 radius for the outside rail and then the inside rail; these should 1 be 1 ⁄4 inches apart. Cut out the template along these lines and put it to use. small groove in the top of the rail at the center of the bar to rep- So until next time resent the joint in the rail. (Note: North American practice is to Happy Modeling ◆ stagger the joints when possible. You may want to plan for that rather than allowing your joints to fall opposite each other. –ed) Painting the Rail

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 19 Nickel Plate Models NKP War Emergency Cabooses Road Numbers 1343-1362, brass, from Ajin. Beautiful. Limited run. Unpainted: $279. Factory-painted “High Speed Service”: $369. Each plus $15 shipping. Parts, O5w and Proto48 trucks also available NKP 1900 Series Flat Cars Exclusive from Red Caboose. Painted, six new numbers. Assembled, metal wheels. $47.50 each, plus $7 shipping; $270 for six- car set, plus $15 shipping. 42' USRA Clone Flat Cars Red Caboose. Painted black, unlettered. Assembled, metal wheels $47.50 each plus $8.50 shipping; $270 for six-cars, plus $20 shipping. Wheeling & Lake Erie and NKP decals for car available separately.

All models listed are in-stock for immediate shipment. Write, call or email for order form, product list or NKP O Scale newsletter. Nickel Plate Models M. David Vaughn & James Canter 13732 Lakeside Dr Clarksville MD 21029 301-854-3200 [email protected]

20 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 Ideas to Improve Your Switching. The Bay Ridge Harbor Railroad is a complete switching layout in an area of 25’ x 25’ using car floats for staging. Here are three ideas that work for me. Maybe you could use them, too. Unloading Carfloats (Photo 1) 3 Photo 1 shows the water end of the carfloat. I move the floats around for staging purposes. I find, for safety, it is better to have

To keep it simple, the numbers are based on 40’ cars. There are three numbers. “Storage” is represented by a plain number. “Switching Capacity” means how far the loco and cars can go 1 before entering a new block. “Run-Around Capacity” shows the freight cars coupled to the float while doing this. I use dis- how many cars can be left in the siding while still allowing the carded couplings that I have replaced with Kadees. The only loco to run around. Also shown on the diagram are the gaps problem is, when it’s time to unload the float, the cars are still for each section, which is very handy to know. I mount these coupled. So, before the pullout, I uncouple the cars and slide cards separately from the control panels so as not to confuse the 5 a piece of ⁄8” square plastic between the couplings. This helps operators. if the switcher operator is a little rough. The cars don’t couple Uncoupling Tool (Photo 4) up again to the car float, and the pullout goes smoothly the first This last tip is not really mine. All uncoupling on the BRHRR time. This hint is also useful for any type of detachable staging is by hand. After trying numerous tools from coffee stirrers to platforms you may use, not just for carfloats. plastic ties, I have found the Micro Mark O Scale uncoupling Switching Cards (Photos 2 and 3) tool (#82823) is just the ticket. It’s long, it’s a nice weight, and it Have you ever switched cars into a siding and been frus- slips in between the couplers easily. I like it. ◆ trated when they all won’t fit? Meanwhile, the yardmaster is yelling at you for taking too long because you are doubling up on the move. Here is how I got around the problem. Each of my 4 switching districts has a switching card with the track diagram on it showing the number of cars each siding or spur will hold. 2

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 21 Operator. I expect it will be quite impres- NarrowNarrow sive for visitors to watch a train leave Northway and disappear through the wall into Midway, then learn that it will take an appropriate length of time MindedMinded before it arrives at Rockwood. Bobber Gibbs Rockwood The Rockwood District is a booming The New Northway Railroad the caboose to Track Two, the outbound little town on the shores of Phache Lake, In O Scale Trains Magazine Issue #19, track. The switcher then moves the rest of at the gateway to a popular recreation area I described plans for my new Northway the train to Track Three or Four and begins and to cottage country. Natural resources Railroad and promised to expand on some to make up an outbound train. The road in the Rockwood District include coal, of the operating features. Our new home switchers glide up to the Yard Office for crushed stone and ballast, lumber, and should be ready to move into around May fueling or lunch break. When the out- railroad ties that must be transported to 15. The bricking is complete and all doors bound train is ready, the road switchers Northway for shipment to Beague City. and windows installed. The gas line, heat- leave the Yard Office, couple up to the Several small industrial switchers are usu- ing, plumbing, wiring, insulation and dry outbound train and depart for the 11-mile ally busy moving cars around the quarry, walling have been completed. The contrac- run to Northway, as scheduled. The local mining, and timber spurs, delivering car- tor is waiting for warmer weather to finish switcher crew carries on with their switch- loads to the Rockwood Yard and returning off the interior, siding and landscaping. ing duties or returns to the Yard Office. with empties. Owen Industries stores a lot My current Northway Railroad is in a The Dispatcher can double as the Beague of railroad and construction equipment at 40’ x 12’ room and is quite similar to the Yard switcher operator if necessary. Rockwood as part of their leasing opera- left half of the drawing in Issue #19. The Northway tions. In the summer, tourists, boaters, fish- new layout will represent expansion into One of the main customers at North- ermen, campers and daytrippers fill the the Rockwood Minerals District and will way is Owen Industries, a firm that repairs, streets of Rockwood. Here also, there are more than double the size of the railroad. upgrades and restores old railroad equip- several unique restaurants and a growing The Northway Railroad can be broken ment. They have several major rebuilding antique shopping area. down into four main sections: Beague City, projects on the go at all times and they Passenger Service Northway, Midway and Rockwood. often conduct running tests on the line to The Northway operates a seasonal pas- Beague City Yard Rockwood. senger service from Beague City to Rock- The Northway Railroad connects with A number of other industries require wood and a pair of RDC-1 units make CN at Beague City and runs north to switching a wide variety of freight cars. several round trips each day during the Northway, then west to Rockwood. The Layout visitors can operate the switchers, busy summer holiday season. Dispatcher’s Office is at the Beague Yard switch the yard, move cars to and from Narrow Gauge and there are long storage tracks for cars the industrial spurs and make up trains Several narrow gauge railways oper- to be used on the layout. for departure. It’s a nine-mile run west to ate in Northway and Rockwood. There The Beague Yard is operated from the Rockwood and there is a passing siding are mining and logging lines, a popu- Control Room and, although the yard at Midway. lar train ride for the tourists, a tiny train extends through a hole in the wall into Midway ride for the children and a small railroad the Rockwood room, the yard tracks will The passing siding at Midway is also museum. be behind a divider and not visible from in the Control Room, but it is completely General the Rockwood‑ room. The Beague Yard separate from the Beague Yard. Due to the The Northway Railroad should include operator will be able to view the turnouts short distance between rooms, the Mid- most of the features I have grown to appre- in front of him and monitor the ends of the way Operator controls all main line trains. ciate in over 50 years of model railroading. yard tracks in the next room via a four- He can watch the action in Northway and On the Internet, see: http://groups.yahoo. camera security system. in Rockwood via video monitors, and com/group/Northway for photos and a full At the Beague Yard, a southbound train take control when any main line train is screen drawing of the layout. arriving from Northway, switches off the ready to depart. Trains operating between I welcome your comments or sugges- main line to arrive on Track One, and the Northway and Rockwood often have to tions. back-to-back road switchers pull right up wait to pass by each other at the Midway Happy rails from to the end of the track. The Beague Yard passing siding. The shortest train takes the [email protected] ◆ switcher then leaves the Yard Office, cou- hole and the longer train runs by. The Dis- ples to the rear of the train, and moves patcher can also double as the Midway ======‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ||‑ Beague City Yard‑‑‑‑ ||‑‑‑ Connection with CN ______||______||______4 Storage < Main line‑ ||Yard‑‑ _‑‑‑ \______||______3 Storage ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ||Office|_|‑‑‑ \______||______2 Outbound ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ||‑‑ ______\______||______1 Arrival ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ||‑‑‑ Switcher‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ || ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ||‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ||======Divider Northway Room|| Control Room (Midway) ||‑‑‑ Rockwood Room ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ||‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ||

22 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 ron505thrd.qxd 3/8/2005 3:58 PM Page 1

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Trains of Northern New England 1933-1966 ...... 27.25 Wvr C'flow or Grain..CR, CP, LV, NYC, PRR, WC, Penn Central Railroad Color History – Lynch ...... 31.50 MRL, BN, UP, SP, RI, CNW, MNS, 20+ roads..$25-$29 Pennsylvania RR Color Pictorial Vol 4 – Sweetland ...... 55.00 Pennsylvania Railroad – The Eastern Lines – Color ...... 29.00 Atlas..ACF 34'..DLW, NKP, Borax, NH, UP, SSW..$55 Pittsburgh & Lake Erie in Color Vol 2 1956-1976 ...... 48.00 Cyl..DLW, BN, Trona, NYC, WGrace, GN, PRR...$35-$45 Portraits in Steel – Jones & Laughlin Steel Mills ...... 63.00 PRR Lines West: Pittsburgh to St. Louis 1960-1999 ...... 55.00 Airslide..CNJ, LV, D&H, CSX, PRR, UP, Jfrost..$35-$49 PRR Triumph Vol. V11 Harrisburg to the Lakes ...... 68.00 PS-4427..RG, SF, MILW, LV, SOO, Wayne Fd, PRR...$55 Railroad Signaling – Solomon ...... 31.50 Railroaders in the Lehigh Valley ...... 23.25 Hopper Cars - 2 rail Rails of Dreams –Youngstown & Southern,Pittsburg Lisbon & Western .39.50 Atlas..SALE..Wartime Composite hoppers..$40 Railway Prototype Cyclopedia Vol 11 ...... 23.25 Reading – Jersey Central Magazine Vol 1 –issues 1-6 Fishbelly and USRA 2 bay..15 roads..$40-$47 (June 1936-Nov, 1936) Rdg cover ...... 27.25 Ore..BLE, CN, DMIR, UP..$27. 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Pwr, (June 1936-Nov, 1936) CNJ cover ...... 27.25 RGS Story Vol. XI Durango & the Perins Peak Branch ...... 70.00 CP, CR, CNJ, C&O, D&H, DLW, Erie, EL, IC, GT, NH, NS Rio Grande to the Pacific ...... 55.00 NYC, NKP, NW, PRR, Rdg, SAL, SF, WAB, WM..$25-$32 Santa Fe Facilities in Color Vol 1 Chicago to LA ...... 48.00 Santa Fe Railway Passenger Cars ...... 30.25 Tank Cars - 2 rail Santa Fe Railway Streamlined Observation Cars ...... 19.25 Weaver..Jfrost, GULF, BN, Trusweet, Allied, ADM, Army Saving a Big Boy ...... 19.25 Slow Trains Down South-Daily ‘Cept Sunday-V1 Ferrell ...... 55.00 Ethyl, Diamond, Hooker, DuPont, Sun,Bakers..$30-$35 South Buffalo Railway ...... 23.25 Atlas..60'..Propane, CNTX, GLNX, ACFX, more..$37-$52 The South Park Line – Ferrell ...... 82.00 Southern Pacific Daylight Locomotives – Church ...... 65.00 40'..SHPX, UTLX, Hooker, Staley, Gulf, Warren..17 roads..$55 Southern Pacific Freight Cars Vol 3 ...... 60.00 50'..ACFX, Olin, Diamond, Hooker, Stauffer..$59 Southern Pacific Passenger Trains Color History ...... 31.50 Southern Pacific’s Scenic Coast Line-Color Pictorial-Dill ...... 55.00 Flat Cars, Stock Cars, MofW Gorilla Glue is the ver- Southern Pacific’s Western Division ...... 65.00 Atlas..89' flats..$50-$65. Trailers..$25, w/frig unit..$35 Steam Echoes - Logging ...... 50.00 satile, interior/exterior Pulpwood flats..ACL, BN, D&H, IC, L&N, WM..$47-$50 Steam to the Niagara Frontier – Wilson ...... 50.00 adhesive ideal for most Streetcar Lines to the Hub – 1940’s – Clarke ...... 50.00 Front runners..$45..with trailer..$67 Auto Carriers..$85 The Subway & the City – Fischler & Henderson ...... 36.00 Wvr Flats..DH, Rdg, CN, Erie, LV, BN, TTX, Army..$25-$30 household fixes and build- Texas & New Orleans Color Pictorial – Goen ...... 55.00 The Sleeping Car – A General Guide ...... 23.25 Stock..CNW, Armour, RG, PRR, Rdg, Erie, UP..$27-$32 ing projects: furniture The Tootin’ Louie-Hist. of the Minneapolis & St. Louis RR-H/C . .69.00 MTH..Plows, Cranes, Schnabel, dump cars, etc..call The Tootin’ Louie-Hist. of the Minneapolis & St. Louis RR-S/C . . .36.00 repair, crafts, woodwork- Thunder of Their Passing-D&RG&Cumbres&Toltec H/C 50.00 S/C .40.50 Gondolas - 2 rail ing, and general repairs Tourist Trains 2005 ...... 17.25 Atlas..CBQ, CNJ, GN, MP, NW, NYC, PRR, Rdg..$32 Trackside Along the Boston & Maine 1945-1975 ...... 48.00 around the house. Bonds Trackside Around Cleveland 1965-1979 ...... 48.00 Wvr..CNJ, PRR, LV, RI, SF, Rdg, UP, NKP, BM, MEC..$27 Trackside with EMD Field Rep. Casey Cavenaugh 1960-62 . . . .48.00 wood, stone, metal, Trains to Yosemite- Burgess ...... 60.00 Cabeese - 2 rail, 3 rail scale Virginian Railway in Color ...... 48.00 Wvr.. BM, NH, NYC, Rdg, Susq, LV, DH, more..$25-$45 ceramic & more! Visalia Electric Railroad-SP’s Orange Grove Route ...... 50.00 K-line..NYC, EL, Sou, CR, CNJ, D&H, B&O..$45-$50 Incredibly strong and Vista Dome – North Coast Limited ...... 68.00 Warbonnets & Bluebonnets – Mc Millan ...... 58.50 MTH..PRR N-8, N5c; LI, NYC, C&O, Rdg, Susq..$45-$60 When the RR Leaves Town V1 or 2-each s/c 23.25; h/c ...... 36.00 Atlas..NH, CR, NKP, RFP, Rut, GN, Chessie, RG..$50-$75 REQUEST YOUR FREE *$18.00 MINIMUM order for free shipping in the USA. Send $3.00 for latest The Public Delivery Track • [email protected] INFORMATION KIT! list. All orders must be paid in U.S. funds. NY residents please add correct sales tax. Print your name, address and phone number. Credit card PO Box 1035 • Drexel Hill, PA 19026 www.gorillaglue.com users add card number and expiration date. Allow 4 weeks for delivery. For de- 610-259-4945 • VISA•MC•DISC•AMEX livery outside of USA please add $8.00 for the first book and $3.00 for each additional book. Make checks payable to Ron’s Books. Only inquiries which include a 1-800-966-3458 SASE will be answered. Prices subject to change. WE BUY COLLECTIONS May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 23 It’s one of those jobs that you either enjoy doing or prefer Photo 1 shows the completed baggage car ‘in the white,’ to have someone do for you. Painting and lettering cars and after its final track tests. The sides fit snugly enough to the car locomotives is time consuming and tedious. This is especially body that no glue was needed to hold them in place. Dia- so with multi-color paint jobs. With the excellent factory paint phragms were tacked in place with tiny dots of Walthers GOO. and lettering currently coming out in O scale, it is a challenge They were then removed for painting. to “do your own” in a way that will hold its own with those The car was taken apart into the sub-assemblies shown ready-to-roll models. here in Photo 2. First the interior, underbody, and roof will be I built a B&O baggage car from an All Nation kit, making painted. The eight white many modifications to be more accurate to its prototype. A new panels are baggage car set of sheet aluminum sides were made, as well as a set of eight interior door pocket walls. operating baggage car doors. The car’s interior and underbody The pigeonhole desk and was fully detailed as well. cabinet will be hand paint- A pair of old Walthers trucks were rebuilt. The wheel gauge ed Floquil Bright Silver. was checked and adjusted. The trucks were tested for their “roll- The prototype was made of ability and track-ability”, which was quite good. The trucks nickel plated sheet metal. were disassembled and the parts given two coats of Dupli-Color Photo 3 shows the semi-flat black engine paint. I had it on hand. It dries to a low 2 components masked for sheen, which was perfect, since my finished car was to repre- the interior color, which sent one that had been recently shopped. After the paint was was a mix of Floquil UP dry, the trucks were re-assembled and set aside. Armour Yellow with When I built the kit I completed all the work, but did not some Depot Buff to mount the sides or roof. This allowed me to paint and letter sub- darken it a little. B&O assemblies, a lot easier to handle than a completed car would be. u s e d a s h a d e c a l l e d First, all wood stock and parts were given four coats of sand- “golden tan” inside its 1 ing sealer, with a light sanding after each coat. Between each baggage and express cars. of the last two sealer coats, the parts were rubbed down with The underbody of fine 0000 steel wool. This leaves the wood surfaces smooth and the car floor and frame shiny; any flaws that may need to be filled are easy to spot. was given a quick coat After the basic underframe was attached to the car floor, the of black before details trucks were mounted to check for the correct height for the cou- were added (Photo 4). plers. I also checked to see that the car stood level and straight This assured coverage in 3 on its trucks. I tested it on some curved track and through places that would be hard switches as well. Better to find any potential gremlins now than to reach later on. B&O painted the car stirrups and faces of the later on! The tests were run again, after all the underbody detail battery box and relay box B&O Blue, so they are covered and was added. masked off. The underbody was airbrushed with a 50/50 mix of 1

24 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 Floquil Engine Black and Grimy Black. well enough that it won’t lift when this is We now come to B&O Blue and Gray. done. Ah well, that is in a perfect world. A two-color paint job requires some Yes, I had some spots where the paint careful measuring to make sure the color came off. These had to be touched up. separations are in the right location. Hav- In one area it was bad enough to war- ing to paint eight baggage car doors to rant stripping off the paint, re-masking match was the challenge! All exposed and re-spraying. The baggage car doors metal areas to be painted were carefully were special culprits for this. (Before cleaned with thinner and dried. Take care applying masking tape to my models, I not to touch them again with your bare stick it down on a clean piece of glass. hands. Put a glove on or handle them The act of removing it from the glass 9 with clean paper towels. removes some of the adhesive. There is the rest easily fell into place. To get a knife-edge color separation, still enough to hold the tape in place, but Finally, the last of the lettering, such I put the masking tape on a clean piece less adhesive to pull paint when I remove as the Railway Express Agency lettering of glass and cut it in strips with a fresh X- it after spraying. Experiment with this to and car numbers for the sides, is shown acto blade and straight edge. This gives a see if it works for you. - Ed). in Photo 10. The small car numbers for clean true line for the color separation. Decal application was next. The car each end door were taken from an alpha- Photo 5 shows the car sides and doors sides were not permanently installed. bet set. The side doors were striped by masked off and airbrushed with Scale I find it a lot easier to letter passenger car sides before final assembly of the body. First I applied the striping (Photo

5 placing them in their matching locations and applying the bottom and top stripe Coat D&H Gray, which is close to the as appropriate. A fresh black permanent B&O color. EL Gray would also work. 7 “Sharpie” pen was used to draw the win- As dark as that gray might look, it will dow gaskets on each baggage car door, “brighten up” when the blue paint is put 7), below and above the gray band. I inside and out. After all the decal work on. Three light coats, an hour apart, were did the bottom stripe on each side first, dried, it was carefully washed with a applied. The parts were allowed to dry then went back to do the top stripe. This warm damp cloth and dried to remove for three or four days before doing the allows the bottom stripe to set up and any traces of glue or stains. next color. dry. Champion Decals’ 1” Dulux Striping Final exam time! Carefully going The sides and doors were re-masked and a B&O Passenger Car set were used. over all the decal work with a magnify- to cover the gray for airbrushing Scale A light coat or two of Champion’s Decal ing glass, I looked for spots where decals Coat B&O Royal Blue (Photo 6). As with Set was applied after each decal was set did not bed down or stick properly to the in place and blotted dry. surface. This is usually seen as a faded The lettering of the railroad name on background color under the decal, or the the Champion decal sheet was spread out decal print looks more ’intense’ than else- too far for this car, so each letter had to where. Each area was pricked with a pin be cut out and applied separately (Photo and a touch of Decal Set applied. Then 8). The top stripe for this side will be put it was lightly pressed in with a damp Q- on later. Tip. After drying, the area was checked again for proper adhesion. Now satisfied, the exterior parts were given a light coat of Testors Glosscote to seal the decals. Following that, I sprayed the doors, ends and sides with a very 6 quick thin coat of Testors Dullcote, not fully shaking the can. This takes down the gray, it was applied in three light part of the high shine, making the car coats, one hour apart. Note the car stir- look like it was freshly shopped. Each rups are exposed and painted blue at this window was then fitted with a clear sty- time. A few more days were allowed for 8 rene glazing panel slid into a slot in the the paint to thoroughly dry. top, between the inside and outside sur- When removing masking tape, work A straight edge was used to make sure faces. slowly and keep the angle as low as pos- the letters all lined up properly (Photo 9). The doors and sides were then per- sible while pulling it. If the metal under- Photographs of the prototype car helped manently installed on the car. Only one neath is clean, the paint should adhere find the exact location for key letters and detail remained, the gray area and Dulux

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 25 11

striping for each corner post of the car the sides and ends with no fasteners. The (Photo 11). The gray was brush painted side doors slide in tracks cut into the and short pieces of Dulux decal strip- floor and under the upper side stiffener. ing were applied after it had dried. A bit The beveled areas are the tops of steam of Glosscote sprayed into a jar lid was heat radiators, which had heavy canvas brushed over the striping to seal it. coverings painted the same color as the 12 The interior detailing for our B&O walls. baggage car is shown in Photo 12. The Finished at last, the car was given two floor was given a light coat of Min-Wax more drying days before being packed Golden Oak stain before final assembly. into its custom made box and taken to The floor racks enabled packages and the B&O Railroad Historical Society trunks to be above any water that might Convention at St. Louis MO last October. get the floor. The roof fits snugly between ◆

26 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 The Ultimate Series of Laser-Cut Kits from

The McCabe Lumber Company in O Scale! Slatyfork Sawmill is a double bandsaw mill that can handle the load! This Master Creations kit consists of laser-cut basswood, plywood, and lots of detail castings. Interior walls, stairs and floors are included as are removable roofs. And the standard features of B.T.S. kits are there... peel & stick window sashes, positionable doors and window sashes, slot and tab construction, brass door knobs, and well-engineered construction providing fast and easy assembly.

Most modelers want interior machinery components. The machinery is not included in the sawmill kit, but will be offered as a separate package with lost-wax brass bandsaws, edgers, rollers, etc., combined with urethane, white-metal and laser-cut components to complete the mill. The footprint of the mill building over the loading docks is about 118' x 85' with the jackslip extending out into the mill pond another 60' – it stands about 54' above the mill pond. More photos are on our web site along with information about the other kits in the series.

This is a very Limited Edition kit available direct only from B.T.S. The mill is due to start shipping in March 2005 with the interior coming later. #18300 O Scale Slatyfork Sawmill $ 850.00 #18301 O Scale Sawmill Interior $ TBA

Shipping: $5.00 in the U.S. $6.00 in Canada Actual Cost elsewhere Call in your order today!

Shown above is the HO version of the sawmill. All McCabe kits are sold direct only from B.T.S.

P O Box 856 Web: www.btsrr.com Elkins, WV 26241 E-Mail: [email protected] Full Catalog - $5.00 Phone: 304-637-4510 Fax: 304-637-4506 Celebrating over 25 Years of Service since 1979 Photos by Phil Opielowski, drawings by Carey Hinch. PHIL OPIELOWSKI

It’s not pretty, it could use some paint, but it works. It was the then lay the track. Treat the track building as you would on regular obvious answer to crossing a doorway on my railroad; I certainly benchwork. Just be sure that all surfaces are built in the same plane wasn’t going to allow this little obstacle to cause me to aban- when the gate is closed. A long piece of aluminum angle used as a don the perfect trackplan. I also wanted something better than straightedge will tell you if everything is flat. the typical options, such as bench or bridge sections that lift out Let’s begin by making some decisions. First, determine the completely or solid skull-crushing duck-unders; they can become length of the span. Not only will you need to have the clear a nuisance. space for the gate to swing through its arc, but you’ll need to Traingate may not work for every situation, for example where make provisions for the gate to be secured in its open position, you have a yard throat or other complex trackage. This was hopefully out of the way. designed to be a simple way to complete a loop, giving my point- Next, build the approaches. Make sure that the benchwork is to-point Ware River Railroad a continuous running option when I rock-solid. Remember, we want both approaches to be in the same want to just turn a train loose to entertain visitors or myself. plane. If you can design the trackwork so that there is no grade Traingate merely is a glorified, solidly constructed fence gate. I across the gate, then you can use a level to lay everything out. might be able to swing on it like I did at my Grandma’s farm dur- Here’s where that long rigid straightedge comes in handy. If you are ing my innocent youth eons ago. Certainly, this will support the dealing with a grade, that straightedge becomes indispensable. heaviest possible piece of O Scale equipment we could ever run. My Traingate and approaches are decked with scrap 5/8” ply- 3 There are important points about building your own reliable wood, but a ⁄4” thickness would be even better. The non-hinge Traingate. The adjoining sections of benchwork must be solidly approach side should have a lip of bench material extending out attached to a non-movable structure. In my case, it’s the founda- from the benchwork frame about two inches (See Photo 1). We also tion of the house. We don’t want to be bothered by misalign- want to attach our approaches to a solid wall. In my case, I bor- 1 ments, excessive maintenance and any other failures. We want to rowed an impact drill, and bored ⁄2” holes in the concrete founda- 1 treat this like any other door or passageway in our home, more or tion wall to accept anchors for ⁄4” lag screws or machine screws. 1 less coming and going as we please. Build the gate portion as shown, and allow it to be about ⁄4” The photos show varying angles and details, but you can make shorter than the actual opening. Bevel any edges that will inter- this any way that suits your needs. Mine is built to accommodate fere. The detail in Photo 2 shows how the end of the gate is angled a curve, for instance, and to span a doorway. When the Traingate to the track to allow immediate clearance once the gate begins to is in place, I lock the door to prevent any wayward grandchildren open. Frame the gate with 1 x 4 lumber, or go a step further and or other persons from opening the back door and crashing into attach two 2” x 2” aluminum angles for absolute rigidity. it. When the last unit is shut down and the world of the Ware The hinge side of the gate and the approach are built using ver- River Railroad is again suspended in time, the gate is opened and tical 2 x 6’s. (Photo 3) With heavy-duty door hinges attached as a retainer locks it to prevent it from errant swinging or from bump- ing the plumbing of the heating system. Although I’m presenting a plan for an installation based on my requirements, you can stretch, condense, and modify it for your purposes. Add more tracks or even lay down a switch on it and have two tracks on one end if you dare. Here’s the big secret to success. Don’t lay an inch of track until the entire unit is DONE! Once it opens and closes flawlessly and all the hardware is installed,

Photo 2 —- The top of the joint with about 8” of ties removed from the track. The adjusting screws to adjust the press fit may not be necessary. Edges of wood components are beveled so the sections slide together. Rails are attached with brass strips.

shown, this section will be really solid; just be sure your hinges are square and aligned so the pivot points or hinge pins all line up with Photo 1 —- The docking section contains a lip to accept the gate. You each other (Photo 4). I didn’t frame the gate. Instead I used a rigid can see a stop made from a piece of 1” x 1” aluminum angle. The gate piece of aluminum channel under the plywood. 1 slips between the lower lip and the one made of basswood where rails Now let’s make the “docking” section. With about ⁄8” of clearance and all surfaces in the same plane, we can make up a dock- are attached. 28 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 ing plate with somewhat of a press fit. Attach another piece of 3 plywood as shown in Photo 1. Use two ⁄8” diameter by 2” long

Photo 3 —- The hinge side made from 2 x 6 framing lumber

Photo 5 —- Gate partially opened.

insurance against misalignments on the hinge side. Count back three or four ties on each side of the eventual joints. Drill holes in the ties next to the rails and secure the rail using several pan head sheetmetal screws. These are heavy-duty adjustable spikes. These machine screws to attach this plate. Drill and tap the bench sec- will not only make our alignments solid but will allow the rails to 3 tion as shown for another ⁄8” machine screw. This screw will be adjusted later, if needed. Any errant bump will do severe dam- become an adjusting screw to adjust our press fit (Now this part age to an elbow instead. You can see in the photos how I made is arbitrary – I haven’t used the adjusting screws, but included ties from styrene and used the screws to solidly anchor the rails. them anyway). Next, make stops as shown, and add or make a Now cut the rails as shown to allow swing and clearance as locking latch if you want (Photo 5). In my case, the press fit works your Traingate opens and closes. Be sure to cut one rail about 1 fine without a lock. ⁄4” back so that it misses the next rail during opening or clos- ing (See diagram). Your gate should open and close freely, with only a slight push, as it enters the press-fit docking plate. File the

Photo 4 —-Closeup of top hinge and draped power wire.

Once all construction is done and tested, lay your track completely across all joints and to your best standards. I suggest using flextrack and flowing geometry on your favorite roadbed material. I used Midwest cork roadbed. Where joints will soon be cut, I used a solid piece of basswood for roadbed, allowing for two or three inches on either side of the joint. Just be sure that no track components “float” anywhere near the opening joints. On the docking side, I stripped away track ties over about 8” of track. Because this track is on a curve, a guardrail was added. The photos also show how I soldered tabs made from 0.016” x 0.250” Photos 6 and 7 —- Traingate open and tucked away showing retaining brass to the rail bases and drilled them to accept #4 panhead sheetmetal screws as fasteners. Gauge your rails and fasten. bar and guardrails. Note that benchwork also becomes a catchall for Now it’s time to cut the joints, but first we must build in some sundry household items – some typical, some questionable.

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 29 rail ends and s l i g h t l y b r e a k t h e i n s i d e s o f t h e r a i l - h e a d s . Attach power feeders from the station- ary portion of the railroad and, of course, sol- der them to the rails. I used #18 gauge stranded automotive wire. Drape the wire, and make it long enough to eliminate any bind or snags (Photo 4). Once your Traingate operates smoothly and the track aligns each time you close it, it’s time to make a retaining bar to keep it out of the way when fully opened 1 3 (Photos 6 and 7). This bar is just a flat piece of ⁄8” x ⁄4” 1 steel. I made a pin from a ⁄4” machine screw to attach 1 it to the gate. A ⁄4” hole in the bar slips over the pin. When you close the gate, just tuck the bar away on the benchwork. We don’t want the gate swinging in the breeze (that is, if it’s perfectly balanced as we O-Scalers are known to strive for). If you’re lucky, your Traingate will have a surrealistic “creeeeeak”; mine did until I finally get around to oiling the hinges. That’s basically the entire process for making your very own Traingate (I had to name it something to add in any new published model railroad glossaries!). This article only presents how I made mine to give you, the typical innovative O Scaler, the basic concept. Since you don’t want to send your precious loot to the depths of the earth by forgetting to close the gate when operating, I’ll leave you to think about how you can inter- lock track power to prevent any mishaps. Here’s where micro switches come in handy. Perhaps some spring-load- ed physical stops that pop up as soon as the gate begins to open will fill the bill. I haven’t done this part yet (and may someday regret it, given my far-less-than-perfect memory). ◆

Nos. 16001-18500 O SCALE/PROTO 48 • Kit #124/124-P … $49.95 •Based on 1917 prototype built by Mt. Vernon Car Co. •Double sheath with Dreadnought ends •Steel underframe •Andrews trucks •Kit includes couplers and decals Also available – SACRAMENTO NORTHERN Boxcar Nos. 2301-2350 Kit #125/125-P … $49.95 � Coming soon – SP Sugar Beet Gondola

30 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 Website: www.alleghenyscale.com • Email: [email protected] 470 Schooley’s Mountain Road, Suite 8-117, Hackettstown, New Jersey 07840 Voice - (908) 684-2070 • Fax - (908) 684-8911

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May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 31

In this issue we welcome our newest columnist, Roger Park- limits the design options available. In its journey from the Bronx er. Roger will be taking over OST’s traction column, so all you to White Plains, different sections of the Westchester were built overhead wire types can now send him lots of material and using elevated, subway, depressed cut, and private right-of-way ideas. You guys aren’t off the hook yet, however, as we still construction. want to pick up a bit on the traction content. Meanwhile, here’s Built around the walls of even a small bedroom, it would be Roger: possible to combine sections of each type of construction. I am Modeling the Westchester — especially intrigued by the idea of creating a short two-track sub- From Book to Layout way, with the front of the tunnel open to the front of the layout. Looking for inspiration for a new traction Terminals and Track Plans layout? Consider the advantages of high- One of the book’s best features is its numerous track plans of density trolley modeling. Robert A. Bang’s the stations, especially the three-platform Harlem River Terminal recently released book, The New York, in the Bronx and the two platform Westchester Avenue station in Westchester & Boston Railway Company: White Plains, NY. In a relatively small amount of space, these sta- 1906-1946 (www.nywbry.com) is just such tions and trackwork are complex enough to communicate “high- an inspiration. This extremely well produced density urban,” without requiring too much space. The complex and fairly priced volume contains dozens of track layout at Westchester Avenue is especially interesting, with ideas that may spark your interest. an unusual combination of slip switches and crossings. The following are some of the ideas that occurred to me Best of all, the terminal buildings themselves could be built while reading this fine volume. Your takeaways may differ, but as flats, with the emphasis on station platforms, approach track- this book has more to offer the traction oriented reader than the work, and platform shelters. typical volume. There are also trackplans of several junctions, ideal for con- High-Density Urban Modeling necting different modules at club gatherings and train shows. One of the most interesting possibilities the Westchester Simple Station Construction offers is the ability to model a high-density railroad, without the A significant portion of the right of way features cement and need for building a huge and complex layout. Although much terra cotta structures. The straightforward construction, without of the New York, Westchester, & Boston was double-track, with undue ornamentation, would simplify station and retaining wall four-track stations, the “atmosphere” of the layout could be construction and painting. It would also be possible to create communicated by its terminals. molds and castings for station and trackwork foundation ele- The result? By adapting the basic track plans and the use ments found in more than one location. of multi-car trains, you could recreate the frequency and the Conclusion crowded terminals of a high-density railroad in a relatively You may or may not run or collect the type of steel mul- small amount of space. Detail could be concentrated in the ter- tiple-unit cars that the Westchester ran. But, by using the New minals, and density achieved by multi-car trains passing each York, Westchester, & Boston setting and track plans as a starting other on the two-track right-of-way, or perhaps passing stopped point, you could create a high-traffic main line with frequent trains in the four-track stations. meets, lots of cars waiting to depart from the various stations Shelf Modeling and terminals, a little freight and lineside business, all without The atmosphere and feel of a high-density line could be eas- undue complexity. ily recreated using a narrow, point-to-point around-the-room Station, junction, and terminal modules could be designed shelf layout. Because so much of the Westchester’s main line for easy transportation to events, leaving the subway and ele- was in below-level cuts or on elevated sections, building flats vated sections at home, or vice versa. could be used to give a feeling of depth. Although there are a lot of “look alike” books on the market, Adding to the possibilities, many of the Westchester’s sta- Robert A. Bangs is to be congratulated for creating a high-value tions were located on bridges above the tracks, often at oblique book with exceptionally sharp photographs, well-drawn track angles, eliminating the need for depth. One of the striking plans, and high printing quality on glossy paper stock. All of aspects of the lineside scenery illustrated in the book is the lack this is found in a large format (8-1/2” by 11”) with hard cov- of horizon. Because the area had not experienced great growth, ers and 180 pages of historical information for just $35.00 (plus many of the modules could be relatively shallow, with a sug- $5.00 shipping), a bargain these days. All of this inspiration is gestion of few homes and lots of undeveloped land in the back- available, directly from the author, at PO Box 164, Port Chester, ground. NY 10573. ◆ Right-of-Way Variety Although the New York, Westchester, & Boston lends itself to narrow around-the-room shelf construction, this by no means

34 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 All Items On This Color Page Are O-Scale May Vary Compatible!

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May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 35 REVIEW: USRA Twin Hopper $52.95, 8000- Just don’t smack ‘em. as obvious with the house cars, such as the Gallon Riveted Tank Car, $59.95 Well, they’re both out in their re-engi- ‘37 boxcar, but with things like hoppers and Atlas-O, 378 Florence Avenue neered form from Atlas, and here’s what I tank cars the gap is much more apparent. I Hillside, NJ 07205 see, starting with the hopper. The assembly would suggest that Atlas, or an aftermarket www.atlaso.com and lettering is, as always, neat and true. manufacturer like Chooch (Hey, Mike…!), reviewed by Brain Scace The car is solid, and the weight is such that look at a glue-in plug to quickly fill that there’s no anti-social behavior when mixed gap for scale use. Meanwhile, I’m going to As most of you know by now, Atlas-O in with the standard Scace variety of brass, break out some styrene and have my way purchased the former Intermountain line of wood, plastic, free-rollers and bricks that with ‘em. steam-era freight cars some years ago, and make up my roster. This is an accomplish- By the way, for all you folks who like col- has been reintroducing them as part of their ment, by the way; I never liked having to lecting the various “billboard” refrigerator line of ready-to-run equipment. One of the put lead plugs in the bottoms of these cars schemes out there, here’s a thought. Since goals in the re-engineering of the line has and having to fill them with coal as the only the billboard schemes are an icon of the been to increase the robustness and handle- option. There’s lots of nice detail inside 1920s, why not actually go era-specific and ability of these models with as little detri- them, and they always looked good empty. model the ‘20s? What does this have to do mental effect as possible on the scale fidelity. Also on the plus side, the various rungs, with this review? Look at that hopper, again. A couple of issues ago, I compared the Inter- handles, grabs, and ladder-work are all It, like several other of the early steam-era mountain steel 1937 AAR boxcar to the Atlas much more robust, with little or no increase offerings by Atlas-O such as the USRA box- version. This time, we offer the same sort of in cross-section. cars, is painted in a scheme appropriate to head-to-head comparison, but this time look- The tank car shows these same treat- the early ‘20s. With a little research and a ing at the USRA two-pocket steel hopper and ments, all to good effect. I was worried careful eye, a decent roster of freight equip- the 8000-gallon riveted Type 103 tank car. about losing the nice wood walkways, and ment can be assembled by mixing in the Now, I’ll be honest. For some reason I indeed they’re gone. The metal cast frame appropriate Atlas-O USRA cars with those never enjoyed building the Intermountain and walkway assemblies are neatly done, billboard reefers that folks are gleefully col- hopper. Before arming yourselves, realize and have decent detail levels. The second- lecting without repainting anything. Then, that I find San Juan boxcars a joy to build, ary frame members that support the walk- you can flesh it out with some LaBelle 36’ for instance. It can’t be the part count (the ways are still nice and lacey. My only gripe truss-rod boxcars (and a wood coach or two) San Juan cars have lots more!). The fit was is the increase of thickness in the walkways that you lovingly build after you’re up and fine, all the parts were true, but I just could themselves. Though not hideous, I’d have running. Get a couple of small older steam not get a rhythm going, and the finished preferred that the old cross sections were locomotives, such as Consolidations and product was indeed delicate. maintained, here, at the possible expense of Ten-wheelers, mix in a USRA Pacific or Mike On the other hand, I loved building that a little robustness. as the newest and the biggest, and don’t tank car. About the only real delicacy issue On the minus side is the area of the worry that you don’t have room for the radii I found in running them was the walkways. frame at the bolsters, on both cars. Osten- a Northern or auto-racks require. You had to be careful about sideswiping sibly, to provide clearance for the Atlas these cars, and picking them up required three-rail truck and talgo-type coupler, the me to identify them from, say, a brass Drake frame has been cast with a large gap in it on 8000-gallon car (which was surprisingly dif- either side of the bolster. Without the rig for ficult at a glance, by the way!). Boy, I loved the hi-rail coupler in place, this is now an those laser-cut wood walkways, though! unfilled space in the frame. The issue isn’t

REVIEW: Boston and Maine R1 4-8-2, equivalent to a mid-sized dual-service EMD for stripping. $1099.95 Northern on other roads. Indeed, they are Our test engine is nicely finished and Sunset/3rd Rail, 37 S Fourth St, Campbell, quite similar in size and appearance to the stoutly assembled, something we’ve come CA 95008 RF&P 4-8-4, as an example. The B&M sold to expect from Sunset. The paint is nice, with 408-866-5764, www.3rdrail.com 13 R1’s to the B&O in 1947, after they had good coverage and a satin finish, just begging reviewed by Brian Scace bought enough FT’s and F2 Diesels to cover to be submitted to the tender mercies of the the trains on the Fitchburg line (and pull Scace weathering technique. The lettering We New England types are fortunate. down the overhead wire through Hoosac is neatly screened and, wonder of wonders, After centuries of model drought, we’ve been Tunnel; Diesels could go through without there are even figures in the well detailed regaled over the last few years with some asphyxiating the crews, while steam needed cab. They aren’t Arttista-quality, but they nice locomotive models, and Sunset (God to be pulled through by the boxcab electrics aren’t little S-Scale figures, either. bless’m) has doffed the skimmer once again stationed there). Delicious irony has it in What’s this?! No silly red lights on the in our direction. This time, it’s a model of this story. The B&O ran the ex-B&M Moun- tank! Hooray! I’d still like to see one of those Boston and Maine’s R1 Mountain. tains into 1958, a year after B&M traded vacant slide-switch ports (the three-rail ver- This guy is big, for a Mountain; about many of the FT’s that replaced them back to sion has all kinds of switches on it, to turn off 36 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 the smoke unit as an example) used to wire (There is the story of Scott, at one of those tos of the rear of the tanks during their service the class lights up with a way of manually panel-discussions, tossing one of his Chal- life, and maybe the early R1’s were delivered turning them off. The hole is already there, lengers up and down a couple times to make without it, but I suspect that (like other B&M why not use it on the two-rail version for a point about the robustness of brass). There power) there should be a road number on the something we scale guys find useful? are opportunities to noodle it up a bit, and rear of the tender. Highball Graphics (www. Down to the nitty-gritty here. How does it operates quite nicely as it comes out of mgdecals.com) has nice O Scale decals for it run? Our sample needed a tiny bit of work the box (outside the HiRail brake shoe bit). B&M steam, so adding the tail number is no first. On the pilot truck, there are brakeshoes. We, of the Yankee persuasion, are fortunate. big deal. These brakeshoes are set way back to accom- Here is a good model of an important (for the While I’m back there, I’ll probably run modate the flanges on the three-rail version. mainline B&M types) prototype not likely to some air lines around the periphery of the Ours hit the inside of the steamchest on be repeated any time soon, certainly not to tender frame, and lower the whole thing just curves and caused some anti-social behav- this level at an MSRP of $1099. Sunset is also a tad to improve on the somewhat “air-ey” ior. Well, you can’t see ‘em, they’re in the doing something a little different here. You look between the tank and the trucks. wrong place for us anyway, and they come can get the R1 either in the original block In 1937, a contest was held to name the off easily and neatly, so away they go! All lettering, or in the spiffy script lettering that first 10 R1’s, as well as the 10 P4 Pacifics. anti-social and immoral behavior went away, some, if not all, of these engines received just Schoolkids, commuters, and other high forms just like that. Also, this is a large Mountain, before and during the war. The script ver- of life were invited to submit ideas for names, with a long rigid wheelbase and larger diam- sion is a “special edition” and very snappy. and the winners had their entries, name, eter drivers, so it will be less forgiving of Sunset says all the 2-Rail B&Ms are sold out. school (if applicable), and hometown dis- lousy trackwork than your average 63” driv- They have received 15 of the Speed Lettered played on the running boards of these pieces ered Consolidation. Don’t whine about the #4102 engines in 2-Rail only at this time. The of premier power. There were two subsequent engine; just fix your d#%n trackwork (like I price for these models are $1149.95 Retail contests to name the remaining R1’s as they did!). Once I fixed a few sloppy places in my + $30 S&H. The lions’ share of us can now arrived on the property. The problem here is to trackage, we marched around with my stan- make our choices with confidence. For the find all the info that was printed on the plates. dard mix of free-rollers, plastic, brass, sleds, more anal among us, and the inveterate tin- In the Spring 1977 B&M Bulletin, there is all and other categories of freight equipment kerers, we present… the information needed except the school with aplomb and dignity. My 2% grades Notes for the Neurotic: name. Scott chose (probably wisely) not to didn’t phase it a bit, either, with a healthy Here are a couple of things to think about, add the nameplates unless he had all the info. string of cars stretched out behind. should you want to detail a few things up to Perhaps someone out there has that last little What truly fascinates me, is that this is a whatever your level of neurosis may be, and piece of the puzzle in their possession, so we “crossover” engine made for both the scale bring this guy up to the level of the $3000 can either get plates or decals made. and the HiRail market. Unlike others in a crowd. I don’t claim to know everything Lastly, the main driver on the model is a similar price range, however, it has full sized about the R1, but I do have a list of little Baldwin disk-type wheel. To do the R1a, this pilot truck wheels, a trailer that doesn’t have things to change or deal with to bring this really should be a spoke-type wheel. The R1b a lot of air around it, a pilot mounted at a bad boy into my 1944-era. and R1c were built with a disc main, and the decent height, and very little evidence of The R1a was originally built with a Bald- R1d had all disc drivers. I don’t know if B&M compromise to accommodate the three-rail win piston-type power reverse, which proved ever had a habit of swapping main drivers world. A lot of thought was put into the tail of to creep a bit. These were replaced on the around so that R1a’s could have gotten disc the frame, which does mechanically require first five with the Langelier “Micro Non- mains during the war years, but the photos clearances for the three-rail version. The Creep” air operated power reverse, and the I’ve looked at so far show spokes remaining result is a nice illusion of “full frame-ness”; subsequent ones were built equipped with on the R1a as most common, if not the rule. you have to really look to see the gap in the this appliance. The Langelier gear looks like Again, a handicap is the rarity of wartime frame for clearance. About the only “air” that a simple box, rather than the piston-type on photos. The easy solution is to just renum- I found mildly eye-annoying was the tender the model. During the war years, parts for ber this puppy as an R1b, using those same height over the trucks. This is an easy fix, the Langelier reverse became hard to get, so decals from Highball Graphics. if you care, discussed in the “Notes for the some R1’s were fitted with Alco piston-type Neurotic” found below. Sunset is proving that gear. Because of the paucity of photos taken most of these “accommodations” for cross- during the war years, it isn’t clear to me that cultural locomotive models are really liber- all of them were refitted with the Alco gear, ties and are wholly unnecessary. so I think I’ll see if I can cobble up a decent This is a fine model as it sits, stout as Langelier box. all things New England are supposed to be I haven’t been able to come up with pho-

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 37 REVIEW: Coalveyor™ II Bathtub Gondola, feet and 105 tons. This was the capacity end. Adjacent to each coupler is a train MSRP $64.95 sold to most customers. The capacity of the airline molded into the side of the coupler Atlas-O, 378 Florence Ave, Hillside NJ gondola varies with the type of coal car- housing. Wheel size is a scale 36” with the 07205 ried. Different capacity gondolas are used usual bright chrome nickel silver finish. The 908-687-0880 • www.atlaso.com to carry heavier or lighter coal, depending wheels are free rolling and matched the reviewed by Carey Hinch on the coal seam properties. NMRA standards recommended gauge. The The weight of the Atlas car is very notice- car rides on the new Atlas-O roller-bear- The ACF® Industries Coalveyor™ II able due to the die-cast metal “bathtub” ing trucks with rotating end caps. These are gondola was first produced in 1978, with bottom. In an open-top model such as this, nice to see when several cars roll past. The continued production lasting into 1982. it can be hard to conceal the extra weight rotating end-cap detail is one I hope contin- The design of the Coalveyor™ II gives it needed to match NMRA standards. The ues on future Atlas models. The coal load is the name “bathtub gondola” because of the NMRA standards dictate an initial five ounc- removable and the interior-bracing detail is rounded bottom. This design was intend- es plus one ounce for every inch of length. present. The coal load itself is nicely done, ed to lower the car cost, lower car main- Many coal cars conceal the added weight with what would be medium to fine sized tenance costs, and still deliver more coal. required with a coal load, but this model coal. It is not easy to grip, but will remove Since there are no bottom discharge doors, weighs over 15 ounces out of the box with- readily. these cars are rotary-dump only. As such, out having to conceal anything! Pulling 18 to Atlas-O has produced a beautiful model the painted end identifies the rotary coupler 25 of these cars around a layout will require of a modern coal gondola. The cars come (one per car) that can pivot 360˚, allowing a two units if there are any grades. Pulling 25 ready-to-run. Initial road names include single car of a unit coal train to be dumped or more cars around a layout will require undecorated, Nebraska Public Power while remaining coupled in the train. This three locomotives. Trust me. (NPPX), Unit Train Services (UNSX), Util- only works if the painted end is coupled to My sample Coalveyor™ II gondola was ity Fuels (UFIX), Wisconsin Public Service a non-painted end! painted in the ACF® demonstrator scheme. (WPSX), and ACF® Demonstrator. Each Atlas-O first announced the built-to- The stenciling on the car is sharp. The let- roadname features eight individual num- order Coalveyor™ II gondola in June of tering is crisp and legible, even on the bers except for the ACF® Demonstrator 2004. The production models have now lube plate! This model was printed “NEW which has one. Suggested retail is $64.95 shipped to dealers and are commercially 9-82”, making it among the last produced for 2-Rail and $59.95 for 3-Rail. available. Since these were a built-to-order by ACF®. The item, I would suspect a sell-out of certain Atlas model road names. A future second run with more has superbly road choices and maybe different road detailed metal numbers on current names would not be g r a b i r o n s , surprising, either. underside brake Atlas has paid close attention to the lines, fine brake fine details of this car. My two-rail version w h e e l e n d matched the prototype height at 12’ 4”, detail, as well length of 53’ 1”, and width of 10’ 8” per- as brake cylin- fectly. This model of the Coalveyor™ II gon- der/valve detail dola has a stenciled capacity of 4240 cubic on the opposite

REVIEW: GN S2 4-8-4, 2-Rail version; Montana. These beautiful Northerns set a small goof that required no drawing to veri- MSRP $1199 precedent for other roads to try 80” drivered fy. The tender is an oil-type Vanderbilt. The M.T.H. Electric Trains, 7020 Columbia 4-8-4s for long haul passenger service. lettering on the rear of the tank should indi- Gateway Drive, Columbia MD 21046 The Model cate water and fuel capacity. Instead of “fuel 410-381-2580 • www.railking.com The model wears the famous GN Glacier capacity” it says “full capacity”. Oops! reviewed by Joe Giannovario & Green boiler and cylinder jacketing, black Operations (from Jeb Kriigel) Jeb Kriigel cab and black tender with the famous GN I placed the S2 on Atlas two-rail track, “goat” logo on its flanks. There is almost no checked to make sure it was set up for The Prototype cast-in detail. From a foot away, I couldn’t two-rail operation, and powered up the Great Northern is known as the “other” tell this model is diecast and not a brass M.T.H. DCS command system. Nothing U.S. railroad (besides the Pennsy) that import. One nice touch is the blackened happened! This led me to check the polar- extensively used Belpaire fireboxes on their axles on the drivers. ity of the locomotive. On most of the newly steam engines. So, it was no surprise that I am not a GN fan, so I had no plans announced M.T.H. ProtoScale 32 locos, the their first 4-8-4 steamers, class S1, were on-hand to check dimensions. However, polarity switch is located under one of the built with Belpaire fireboxes in 1929. These a fellow OTrains lister on Yahoo! Groups hatches on the top of the tender. As this is locomotives were placed into passenger steered me to the Newton Gregg Train Shed an uncataloged loco, the booklet that came service even though their 73” diameter driv- Cyclopedia #23, Steam Locomotives and with it was no help in locating the switch ers qualified them for mixed service. Tenders from the 1938 Locomotive Cyclo- (it shows the N&W J). I must say it took me What was a surprise was the appearance pedia - Part 2. Armed with the dimensioned a little while to find it. The switch is hid- of class S2 just a year later. At 420,900 lbs. drawing and a caliper, I set about checking den not only under the tender, but directly they weighed almost 73,000 lbs less than the accuracy of the model. I can say, with- under the front tender truck. the S1s and had about 10,000 lbs. less trac- out reservation, this is the most accurate Once I switched the polarity, the loco- tive force. The big difference was that the diecast model I have ever examined. Every motive came to life. I test ran just the loco S2 rode on 80” drivers, the highest at that dimension I checked on the locomotive and tender at slow speeds in both forward time for a 4-8-4, which put them clearly itself was within ±1 scale inch (0.020”) of and reverse. The engine was very respon- into passenger-only service and a class by the prototype drawing. sive to every command. The sounds were themselves. I had no drawing or diagram for the ten- clear. Synchronized chuff and smoke were The S2s ran mainly out of Seattle, WA, der, so I am guessing it is correct given the exciting. The bell was the typical record- and between Williston, ND, and Havre, accuracy of the locomotive. I did notice one ing. The whistle was a unique full-bodied,

38 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 multi-chime and not the same “canned” (whether mechanically with a DPDT switch I have now done several reviews on type, really cool! The loco was tested with or electronically with a module), the DCS recent brass and diecast locomotives and all sound features on and in “stealth mode” equipped locomotive will just stop dead. I have developed two pet peeves which I with all sounds and smoke off. This is a serious short-coming of DCS for will harp upon until the manufacturers and The next test came under load when 40 two-rail operation. Neither DCC nor 2-Rail importers do something about them. Pet freight cars were coupled up to the locomo- TMCC has this limitation. Peeve #1: every booklet included with a tive. I slowly increased the power and the M.T.H. is making a foray into HO scale locomotive that I have examined has had S2 pulled the consist out at a slow 3 scale with locomotives and their DCS system. blank pages and no information about the miles an hour according to the DCS display. They are aware of this polarity problem prototype. Come on guys! It won’t cost you Very nice sound with synchronized chuff- with DCS and they say they have corrected a cent to include a few paragraphs about ing made this exciting. Several passes were it for the HO market. One can only hope the prototype locomotive. Pet Peeve #2: made with the train up to speed both in for- that their solution for HO is applied to their there is a huge “cable” that connects the ward and reverse. It performed flawlessly O Scale products as soon as possible. electronics in the tender to the electron- and without any hesitation. There is another slight problem that bears ics in the locomotive. I don’t see why that And now the bad news mention. All these great new scale diecast cable has to be so thick, but even if it does, Jeb mentioned the polarity switch in his locomotives from the various manufacturers whyinthehell does the connector have to operations review. The M.T.H. DCS system have rigid frames. There is no springing or be molded on at a right angle? See that big is polarity sensitive and this is a real “got- equalization between axles. On a locomo- loop between the loco and tender? It does cha” for two-rail operations. If the DCS tive with a long wheelbase, such as the S2, not have to be there. command signal is not sent down the prop- there is a tendency for the middle drivers Okay, I’m getting down off the soapbox er rail, the command decoder cannot “see” to lift off the rails at the bottom of a grade now. So, the M.T.H. GN S2 is one very gor- the signal and the locomotive just sits there. change, or for the lead axle to lift off at the geous and accurate model, but if you plan As Jeb had to do, there is a polarity switch top of a grade change or while negotiating to operate it make sure you avoid reverse that must be thrown to get the locomotive super-elevations. This means you have to loops, wyes and turntables. to respond. This becomes a problem with pay attention to track and grades for reli- reverse loops, wyes and turntables where able operations. the track p o l a r i t y m u s t b e reversed to prevent a short circuit. Once y o u d o t h a t

REVIEW: NKP War Emergency Caboose, some getting used to, $279 u/p -$369 ptd “High Speed Service” and those ends give Nickel Plate Models, 13732 Lakeside Dr, it away in spades. Clarksville MD 21029 That’s why this car is 301-854-3200 • [email protected] so cool. reviewed by Brian Scace Our loaner is nicely assembled, Dave Vaughn and Jim Canter, have teamed as one has come up with Overland Models to produce one of to expect from the the more bizarre caboose models available. museum-grade end of First, a tad of history needs be told. Back the hobby. Everything during WWII, cabooses became a real short- is tight, square, and These cars are available with either age issue with many roads, what with the clean. All the details we love are here; with NMRA O-Scale or Proto48 wheelsets. The incredible increase in traffic levels resulting this prototype, there’s lots of opportunity to prototypes lasted through steam and well from the industrial growth supporting Allied include detail. Paint is neatly applied, with into the early Diesel-era. These are nice involvement. This shortage became so acute good coverage. The lettering is a watershed models of an appealingly ugly car (Ok, it’s a on many roads that old coaches were used for the NKP folks, as the font is notorious for beautiful car, Jim!). as cabooses, for instance. Other solutions not often being replicated well. In this case, included the conversion of lower-capacity the lettering style looks quite convincing to house cars, such as 36’ and older 40’ wood me, though I’m not the most experienced of NEWS: Russian River Railroad Co., boxcars, into some semblance of a caboose. eye in all things Nickel Plate. 8525 N 60th Ave, Merrill WI 54452-7942 Some of these things were absolutely hideous, A quick run-about with various gages [email protected] with holes torched in the ends, wood benches only reveals one issue, that of coupler height. bolted to the floor, and not much else. About Ours was a bit high using the supplied boxes. Chris Comport reports that due to the the only thing that could be said about them It would be an easy adjustment to add a ill-health of his father, Robert Comport, the was that it was good to see that some railroad Micromark box shim or two. Although more Russian River RR Co. has reverted back to shops could keep a chainsaw sharp. involved, lowering the carbody doesn’t his hands. Effective immediately, the On3 On the other end of the elegance spec- appear to cause interference between the and On30 freight car kits are discontin- trum were such cars as the NYC 20000-series swing of the trucks and the steps, and would ued with no stock remaining. The newer cars, which needed a real close look before be a more elegant approach. I do like the line of cast resin details and signs are still their heritage was discernable. The Nickel coupler boxes, though. The idea of supplying available but orders should be sent to the Plate car modeled here falls closer to this boxes detailed to an appropriate level with address above. end of the scale, though the proportions take the model is a good one.

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 39 Duryea Underframe Modeling Modeling the Duryea underframe presents few challenges Back in the dark ages of railroad technology, the O.C. Dur- for the average modeler. I modified an Intermountain AAR 1937 yea Corporation invented a way of controlling the shock gen- boxcar kit to represent an ATSF Bx-27 class. The prototype was erated by the harsh coupling of cars. Their design was quite delivered with a Duryea underframe. My model was built up simple. The center sill was made to slide back and forth, buff- using standard Evergreen channel and angle stock. ered by a series of springs. The Duryea underframe was adopt- ed by a number of railroads starting in the 1930s. The B&O railroad was the largest user, with the application to their large fleet of M-53 wagontop boxcars and to their hoppers, as well. The Santa Fe purchased the underframe for a number of their boxcars and reefers. The underframe design has a few visible clues that are evi- The photo shows my modified Intermountain boxcar prior to painting. dent in photos. The underframe juts out nearly a foot beyond the end of the car. There are several stringers hanging down A more detailed explanation of the model’s construction will that tie the frame together and provide mounting points for the be prepared at a later date, and I will be posting more pictures brake equipment. The design of Duryea underframes appears on the Proto48 website soon (http://www.proto48.org). I have to vary from one era to the next and with car type. There are included this final view of the nearly completed model. This differences between the underframe used under Santa Fe Reefer view shows how the underframe clearly extends beyond the Dispatch (SRFD) reefers and ATSF boxcars, for instance. carbody.

Duryea underframe used on SFRD Rr-21 class reefer. Photo courtesy of Pat Duffin, Charles Scholz collection, SFRH&MS Archives, Railroad and Heritage Museum.‑ New Products Useful to the Finescale Modeler A few new developments have come to the surface since the my last column was written. On the decal front, RL Design is preparing to release several new sets for Southern Pacific rolling stock. Rick Leach has prepared all new artwork for two groups of 50’ automobile cars. The first set (SP-138) covers the A-50- 1 through A-50-3 and the A-50-9 through A-50-11, covering most of the single sheathed cars. The second set (SP-139) covers the later A-50-15 through A-50-18 all-steel AAR style cars. The SP-140 set covers black company tank cars, and the last set (SP-141) covers 50 and 70 ton flat cars. Prices range from $9 to $10 per set. Some of the sets will letter more than one car. You can contact RL Design at 14123 206th Street S.E. Snohom- ish, WA 98296-3947 for additional information. RL now lists 72 This builders shot shows the detail of the Duryea underframe very different lettering sets for steam-era rolling stock. They are cur- well. Photo courtesy of Pat Duffin, Charles Scholz collection, SFRH&MS rently working on all-new and very accurate Diesel lettering for Archives, Railroad and Heritage Museum. Northern Pacific F-units, GP-7/9 and switchers. The decals will 40 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 be screen-printed with accurate colors American Switch and Signal has lantly done since the magazine’s incep- matched to actual paint chips. released some new Proto48 turnout parts tion. Also, we would really appreciate The new RL designs for the flat cars in various rail sizes. They include: some feature articles that showcase the and automobile cars coincides with the #7 bolted rigid frog, code 100 Proto48 and Finescale world. We’ve seen new Southern Pacific Freight Cars Vol- #7 bolted rigid frog, code 125 some fantastic work done in this disci- ume III by Signature Press. It covers both #7 Manganese insert frog, code 125 pline, and would love to see some of it general car types in great detail. #8 Manganese insert frog, code 125 showcased in these pages, so others can Jon Cagle, owner of Southern Car & #10 bolted rigid frog, code 125 learn about it, and perhaps be inspired to Foundry, is planning to release a couple #10 Manganese insert frog, code 125 try their hand at it. Growth in the Proto48 of urethane passenger car kits for 60’ #10 Manganese insert frog, code 138 world has to be healthy, and you gotta Southern Pacific and Union Pacific bag- 16’-6” points (no filing of stock rails), show it to grow it! Join us. -Ed . gage and postal cars. They will be offered code 125 as flat kits. These should be excellent The parts sell for $10 each and are cars that should appeal to a wide range made using Right-O-Way rail to A.R.E.A. of modelers. Headend cars for a given standards. road can be found all over the country. John Pautz has promised some addi-  Southern Car Foundry has released HO tional parts in the near future. You can kits for these cars already. You can see a contact him at [email protected]   samples at their website: Auf Wiedersehen! CRAFTSMAN KIT #OS1 http://www.southerncarandfoundry.com/ This will be my last column in O Scale I have included a photo of a few parts Trains. I have decided to spend more O SCALE / On30 / 1:48 from the new Southern Pacific general time modeling rather than writing about $56 + shipping service gondola kits coming from San it. I have enjoyed the experience and Juan Car Company. The ends are very thin hope that you, the readers, have benefit- and fully detailed on both sides. The side ed from the column. ◆ braces are very thin, like the prototype. The “wood” planking is separate. The car From your friends at OST: Happy should be out later in 2005. modeling, Gene! For the rest of the Finescale, Proto- Proto48 Product News type modelers, and Proto48 crowd, we now have a need. We consider the Finescale, Proto- type, and Proto48 world as, not only www.foslimited.com an integral part of the O Scale experience, but as a dis- cipline to aspire to.

First, we would wel- KIT FEATURES LASER P.O. Box 6 come a new colum- CUT CLAPBOARD Mamaroneck, NY 10543 AND ROOF CARDS, 914-835-0680 nist to continue to PLASTIC WINDOWS & Add $6 Shipping U.S inspire and inform, DOOR, METAL DETAIL PARTS, COAL & as Gene has so gal- COLOR SIGNAGE

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42 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 A Mountain Climbing Railroad in O Scale George Muller

One of the good things about model Moffat Tunnel and the north-south Chey- tracks facilitate run-around moves and railroading is the people you meet, hence enne to Pueblo line? Maybe the Penn- allow locomotives to escape to the round- the friends you make because of that sylvania from Altoona to the tunnels at house. common bond. Some of these friends Gallitzin appeals? Lots of other possibili- A siding is provided to serve the local have asked me for layout designs, and I ties abound. industries and a road bridge crosses the have come up with a few of them. Layout Getting back to the B&M, I compressed end of the yard (A mirror under the bridge design is intensely personal and almost about 25 miles into one scale mile in would make the yard look longer). The infinitely variable (what I think looks order to squeeze it into the available area, good does not necessarily appeal to oth- while still permitting the B&M WEST ers), so my batting average for layouts drama of battling moun- MOUNT getting built anywhere near the way they tain grades with helper 1.25 AINS were designed is nearly zilch. Not that I locomotives. OPEN AREA OP B&M 12 BACKDR

EASTBOUND MAIN LINE DEERFIELD 0 HILLS 8.75 10 6 BUILDING FLATS INDUSTRY SIDING

8.25 SWITCH LEAD

OSES 10 CABO 4

EAST DEERFIELD YARD B&M .) 13.6 EASEMENT (TYP 52" R. VIEW BLOCKING RIDGE

ALLS SHELBURNE F

STAGING YARD

VIEW BLOCKING RIDGE BRATTLEBORO LOOP 44 INCH AND 48 INCH 6 INCH ELEVATION Y ARR ROCK QU 48" R. am complaining, I like the challenge and 17.66 I realize that layout design is a trial-and- The East-West error process. Mainline ONT CHARLEM Anyway, here is one I designed for a In East Deerfield, friend. It is presented here for your inspi- the main line heads 3 1/4 TURN HELIX 48 INCH RADIUS ration, even though he didn’t build it east into two stag- 22 INCH TO 2.5 INCH ELEVATION because he wanted a different prototype ing tracks hidden AIN 2.5 scheme. The larger the layout area, the behind a 12” high MOUNT OPEN AREA more opportunity there is for personal backdrop consist- OP ing of building flats BACKDR variation. Since the shape and size of his MOUN TAINS basement will likely not be duplicated in and painted scenery. This is just high 22 HOOSAC your house, look at this more for ideas enough to conceal the staging tracks, 52" R. TUNNE rather than for something to copy exactly. yet low enough to reach over in case of HELPER POCKET The layout area is large, a rough “T” trouble. The staged trains can be hand- shape about 30’ x 45’ overall. My friend fiddled by reaching over the backdrop, likes the Boston and Maine Railroad, or just backed out and rearranged. Putting passenger station sits next to the main line. 1 From East Deerfield the westbound so one of the ideas I had was represent- ⁄8” hardboard around and between the ing the crossing of the Berkshires through rails makes re-railing cars easier. line first crosses over, then passes through Hoosac Tunnel. Check out the accompa- Arrival and departure tracks are pro- the junction with, the Connecticut River nying drawing as you read on. vided in front of the backdrop. The switch line. Climbing begins in earnest as the Starting at East Deerfield, Massachu- lead allows classification of freight cars to line curves to follow the river valley up setts, the westbound mainline (known as proceed without tying up the mainline. through the hills. It passes through Shel- the Fitchburg) climbs, following a river The turntable and roundhouse handle burne Falls, by a rock quarry, through valley, to the Hoosac Tunnel. The line any helper engines and road engines Charlemont, and finally enters the Hoosac passes through the 4.5 mile long bore that need servicing or repair. Four more Tunnel where the modeled portion of the under a ridge, emerging in North Adams tracks for freight car classification are line ends. A three-and-a-quarter turn helix to continue west toward New York State. provided, plus a fifth track for car storage spirals the line back down to a hidden Also, the north-south Connecticut River and a route for locomotives to and from four-track holding yard. line to Springfield passes through East the roundhouse. Also, there’s a double- The North-South (Connecticut River) Line Deerfield. end caboose track, allowing crews to The other end of the holding yard con- If you’re not partial to the Boston & get the last caboose out without disturb- nects to the south end of the Connecticut Maine, other prototypes could serve. How ing the maintainers. Crossovers between River line. The line appears under the about the Rio Grande from Denver to the the switch lead and the arrival/departure east-west tracks, curves up to the junction, May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 43 and proceeds north to Brattleboro, Ver- panels, one at East Deerfield, one at Shel- could also be turned parallel to the wall mont, which is represented by a hidden burne Falls, one at Charlemont, and one where the holding yard is located. Fur- two-track storage and reversing loop. at Hoosac Tunnel. ther shrinking could be done by reducing Operations A good alternative is to use a DCC the minimum curve radius, but the aisle The East Deerfield yard serves to inter- system such as Lenz, North Coast Engi- widths are already at a minimum 18” at change cars between the mainline and neering, and Digitrax, with only a few the entrances to the loop areas. the Connecticut River line, as well as electrical blocks to facilitate finding short Construction Notes to forward and receive cars from local circuits. Most DCC manufacturers offer I recommend open-grid tables made of freights. Trains from Brattleboro arrive radio throttles these days, although the 1 x 4 joists butted to 1 x 4 runners along from the storage loop and drop off east- plug-in throttles will work as well. The use the table edges and walls. Arrange the bound and westbound cars. They pick up of DCC will ease pusher service opera- joists to provide trackboard support every southbound cars, back out to the junction tion, but ordinary DC block control works 16” using 1 x 4 or 1 x 6 risers. Leave the and proceed to Springfield, Massachusetts as well. centers of the loops open for access. Use (the four track holding yard). Northbound Trackwork Standards 2 x 2 legs every four to six feet apart. 3 trains arrive from the holding yard, back The minimum radius on the main Track roadbed is ⁄4” plywood or 1 x 6 1 into the East Deerfield yard, drop off cars line is 48”, except for one 44” curve on boards topped with ⁄2” Homasote. Bevel for the mainline and pick up northbound the Brattleboro loop. The sharpest main- the edges of the Homasote 45 degrees for cars, and proceed to Brattleboro in the line switch is #6, and #6 easements are ballast slope. Don’t cut across your roadbed storage loop. designed into the layout wherever curved at grade changes. Instead, spring the road- Eastbound freights stop in East Deer- and straight track meet. For a #6 easement bed up or down to the new grade, forcing field to interchange cars with the Connect- and 48” radius curves, the curved length a gradual transition. The yard area roadbed 3 icut River line. They are then backed out of the easement is 31” and the offset dis- can be made with ⁄4” plywood sheet laid of the yard and proceed east into the stag- tance between extensions of the curve and directly on the joists. The Homasote can ing tracks. Westbound freights arrive from straight is 7/8”. Track centers are 3.5” apart then be cut out to follow the trackage with the staging tracks and back into the yard on the straight and four inches on curves. 45 degree beveled edges. to interchange cars and then proceed. The The same easements are used for the 44” Scenic Treatment Notes grades are such that the westbound freight and 52” radius curves, although there are The scenery consists of hills and more can clear the yard without a helper. The technically small differences. Short curve hills - this is a mountain climbing railroad, helper engine is then coupled to the rear radii are 84” without easements. See my right? Ridges and backdrops on the penin- of the train and the battle begins. When articles in O Scale Trains (#12 and #14) for sulas should be high enough to block the the train reaches the tunnel, the helper is an easy way to lay out easements. They view of people in the next aisle. 1 uncoupled and parked in the helper pock- are invaluable in allowing car lengths up Backdrops are made of ⁄8” tempered et. For Diesel locomotives, the helper can to 85’, and steam locomotives with rigid Masonite (hardboard) and curved to fol- couple to an eastbound train to assist with wheelbases up to a scale 17’, to operate low track and conceal corners. Place the its dynamic braking, or just return light. satisfactorily. rough side of the Masonite toward the Local freights can pick up cars at East The maximum grade is three percent, viewer. It diffuses whatever light is shined Deerfield for industries at Shelburne Falls, with some grades at two percent, and the on it. Try to get the type without the rough Charlemont, and the rock quarry. Passen- helix is 1.9 percent. Maximum train length patterned surface if you can, but don’t ger service is possible, too, but you’ll have is about 27 feet (roughly 24 cars and three worry too much about it. The patterned to be modeling the pre-1960s to have it. Diesel locomotives). surface is not objectionable if not viewed I have suggested sidings at Shelburne You can use standard switches avail- too closely. Backdrop sections should be Falls and Charlemont. A short passing able from Atlas-O, though they offer #5 no more than 48” long. Any longer lengths 1 track at Shelburne Falls keeps the locals and #7 ⁄2. You can substitute #5 switches become unwieldy. Prime and paint both 1 out of the way of the through trains, and in most places, while using the #7 ⁄2 for sides to seal against moisture, leaving allows run-arounds for switching. The crossovers. Old Pullman and Roco have three inches at each end of the back side track should be kept nearly level at the #6 switches, if you can find them. Flex- bare for gluing. Sears Federal Slate flat towns to keep unattached cars from roll- track from Atlas-O, Old Pullman, and latex paint makes a good sky blue color. ing away. House of Duddy is a natural. Of course, White ceiling latex paint can be used for Control and Power Supplies you can still hand-lay your own track and the back side. Mount the sections on sup- Walk-around control is a must for this switches using rail from Old Pullman and ports and glue them together with Elmer’s railroad. You can really get the feeling of wood ties cut from Northeastern bass- glue using six-inch wide strips of Masonite being out on the line running your train, wood strips. as joint backing. Reinforce joints with since the hills and backdrops block your Modifications short flathead wood screws. Spackle the view of the rest of the layout. Of course, your space is not the same joint and screw heads before painting. You should use a power supply with as this plan calls for. To cut down the Roll on another coat of blue paint and fin- a minimum five amp rating, and I’d rec- width, cut out the center Shelburne Falls ish off the back side, too. Drybrush cirrus ommend Crest (Aristocraft) radio con- peninsula, and move the Charlemont- clouds with long swipes using a two-inch trol throttles. I like the model ART 5473, Hoosac Tunnel peninsula over into its brush and white latex flat ceiling paint. If intended for large-scale outdoor railroads, place. Fewer turns are needed on the you don’ t like the results, roll more blue with its 300’ range. The extra range helps helix to get down to the holding yard, and paint over it and try again. ◆ in basements with metal obstacles (rebar, the holding yard is shorter. The Brattle- track, support columns, steel beams, etc.). boro loop might have to be eliminated if The usual multiple-cab block switches you can’t get it to fit next to the helix. The can be mounted on distributed control Deerfield yard can easily be shortened. It

44 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 1-877-531-5275 TOLL FREE

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May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 45 1st Place - Caboose, D&RGW Combo/ Caboose Glenn B. Erickson, Brentwood CA

2nd Place - Caboose, CP Rail Caboose 1st Place - Steam Locomotive, C&NM H1 4-8-4, Alf Modine, Cupertino, CA Bill Yancey, Boise ID

3rd Place - Favorite Train, London Midland & Scottish freight, Michael Anderson, Everett WA

2nd Place - Steam Locomotive, RGS #20, Glenn Erikson, Brentwood CA 1st Place - Electric Locomotive, Milwaukee Bi-Polar John Dill, Mnifee CA

1st Place - Favorite Train, Southern Pacific Lark Bill Gallagher, Santa Rosa CA

1st Place - Traction, CA&E #456 Alf Modine, Cupertino CA

1st Place - Diesel Locomotive, Oahu Rwy #19 Glenn Erikson, Brentwood CA

46 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 3rd Place - Structure, VALLEY MODEL TRAINS B. Johnson Leather PO BOX 1251, Wappingers Falls, N.Y. 12590 www.valleymodeltrains.com Works, Order/Info(845)297-3866 Fax(845)298-7746 Jim Harper, Reno NV Micro Scale Models O Scale kits ...... 605 with details

605 Never Peel Paint Co.10”x 18”....295.00 265.50 Scale University O Scale (Laser cut wood kits) 1001 1003 Visit our website - hundreds of O Kits 1st Place - Structure, 1001 General Store w/signs 5 1/2" x 9" ....69.98 64.40 Oil Well Drill Rig with 1003 Freight Station..5 1/2" x 9 3/4"...... 59.98 51.00 Pump Brennen’s Model RRing O Scale (plaster) Mike Linxwiler, USII Hollister CA

USI Universal Supply Inc...10” x 12”...... net 129.00 Model Tech Studios O Scale (laser cut wood) 402std

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488 Martinsburg Coal Mine 20” x 20”....99.98 85.00 DSL Shops O Scale (cast resin building front) Visit our website - hundreds of O Kits O206 2nd Place - Structure, Idaho Hotel, Eureka, Nevada Jim Harper, Reno NV O206 building front 12-3/8" wide by 11-3/4" tall by 1-3/4" deep 1-3/4" by tall 11-3/4" by wide 12-3/8" www.valleymodeltrains.com www.valleymodeltrains.com O206 The Riverside Apartments building front.99.98 Add $6.00 S&H in 48 States • Others pay actual postage cost • N.Y. residents add 8.25% sales tax. (prices are subject to change w/o notice) www.valleymodeltrains.com

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 47 manufacturers still operated retail outlets, primarily for their own products. However, they also stocked those of other producers, something that had largely disappeared in the US some years before What about some of those larger manufacturers I noted? Bill Walthers was himself a traction modeler (as was Al Kalmbach), and Your Local Hobby Shop manent rights-of-way. Although it was at first he gradually progressed from offering hard- It is good to be back on the rails after more common in Europe, where Bassett- to-find electrical parts to complete traction missing the last issue, owing to relocation. Lowke and Hornby in England and Maerklin kits, then track, freight and passenger cars, I suspect just about all of you who have in Germany manufactured very convincing and, finally, locomotives. To promote sales had to pack up and move have found that, models (primarily in #1 and #0 gauges) with of his products, he authored a whole series although the temptation to get out the tools elaborate accessories and track components, of “how-to” booklets, nominally priced to and trains shortly after arrival at the other it also began to grow in popularity on this encourage the hobbyist to get more deeply end is very strong, they tend to be among side of the Atlantic. Largely, though, Ameri- involved in model railroading (encouraging the last items back in service. I have been cans had to rely on imports before the early the addiction, one might say). The catalogs accumulating considerable helpful informa- 1930s. of other more established manufacturers also tion which readers have sent by letter and Whatever American modelers couldn’t had extensive instructions on how to build by e-mail to share, adding to our common (or wouldn’t) buy from overseas, they built a model railroad and all its components. store of knowledge; I have hopes of sorting it for themselves, from homemade castings for Walthers was one of the few larger opera- all out and getting it into an early column, so locomotive parts and basic freight and pas- tions that was entirely railroad oriented. My I ask your patience a bit longer. Incidentally, senger components. They might sometimes understanding is that Rollin Lobaugh owned I can usually respond promptly to an e-mail, sell or trade extras to friends. The basement a successful machine shop which produced but letters tend to get put in the file (and we manufacturer is one thing that continues into screw products for what was then high-tech, all know what happens to filed items). In our own time. A few producers advertised in and his railroad line was his added personal any event, all contributions are gratefully general craft magazines before Model Rail- interest (although presumably it had to stay received, so keep those letters and e-mails roader began publishing in 1934, after which in the black). Others have written about the coming. they had a specialized venue to announce unique circumstances of Scale-Craft and The primary purpose of this column is to items for the hobby. The loss of employment Elliott Donnelly, who was from a well-to- provide some context and perspective for during the Great Depression of the 1930s led do family and could afford to subsidize his what we see now and think of as “O Scale”. many of those who had thought of model company until sales could sustain it. The artifacts (locomotives, rolling stock, struc- railroading only as a hobby to begin trying Where could the typical model railroader tures, power sources, and all of the other to earn real income from it. By the end of find the essentials to realize his dream? If “hardware”) demonstrate considerable that decade, complete kits for almost every- he was fortunate enough to live in a large change over the seventy years or so that it has thing a modeler needed were commonly city, particularly in the Midwest or the been a distinct (as from toys) and recogniz- available, and recognizable hobby shops Northeast, it was likely there might be one able activity. I think the “software”, that is to to sell kits and supplies at retail had been or two of the large hobby shops accessible. say how we understand, operate, and acquire established. Before that time, most items had If he lived elsewhere, in other parts of the the hardware, has changed at least as much. been “direct sales only”, and, although the country or far from urban areas, he might In this issue, I’d like to reflect on marketing majority of lines (often fairly limited in what find a retail store that also stocked a small and merchandising model railroading in gen- they offered) were still very small operations, amount of railroad equipment as a sideline eral and our scale in particular. wholesalers appeared to distribute product (usually because the owner was himself a In the beginning, model railroaders where the volume of consumption made it model railroader). Some rather odd combi- made their own replicas from wood, metal, cost-effective. nations occurred: obviously toy, hardware, and whatever other suitable (and occasion- Fine distinctions between manufactur- and department stores (Remember them?), ally unsuitable) raw materials they had to ers, distributors, and retailers were still hard but also furniture stores, even haberdasher- hand or could obtain. Probably we have to draw before WWII, however, and most ies (Now even more obscure) and others. all seen, whether in books or museums, of the larger stores that sold model railroad When I was in high school in the 1950s, I examples of scale models of contemporary items also sold their own brand-name lines, came across a locksmith shop in Geneva NY railroad equipment from the nineteenth among them such familiar names as William that had been selling trains for many years. century, some of which approach our own K. Walthers, Megow, and the Model Rail- If even the local combination shops weren’t sophisticated standards. It was not uncom- road Shop of Dunellen, NJ. In my files are nearby, it was mail order, and all the larg- mon for railroad shop apprentices to con- early catalogs from such early outlets. They est hobby stores developed a thriving busi- struct miniatures of the full-size locomotives included their own products (sometimes ness through the post office, supplying the and cars they were learning how to con- made in-house, other times, contracted lone ranger in the boondocks. The illustrated struct and repair. Nonetheless, this was not out) as well as offerings from the few larger extensive catalogues I mentioned above yet model railroading but only model build- manufacturers whose production made it became increasingly common as this part ing. On the other hand, toy representations profitable for them to sell quantities at lower of the business took off. We O Scalers, to of trains were also available about the same wholesale prices. Some of the retailer/ a large extent, seem now to have come full time, most constructed individually (rather wholesaler hobby shops were more compre- circle in having to rely on buying our neces- than mass-produced) before the beginning hensive (such as Megow of Philadelphia or sities from a distance, although the Internet of the twentieth century. Some were even Hawk of Chicago), also making, distributing, has now become our tool. live-steam, and quite a few actually ran on and selling model airplanes, boats, racecars, Merchandising model railroad products rails. Gradually, after the Great War, com- and military vehicles. Commercial model changed markedly after WWII, for several rea- mercial toy products often began to more railroading was growing, but usually not sons, but I hear Brian Scace calling ‘”Board!”, closely resemble the real thing, and adults quite to the extent that one could specialize so that will have to wait until next issue. ◆ started to buy sufficient “hardware” from toy in it. When I was stationed in Japan, as late and department stores to operate semi-per- as the 1980s, many of the model railroader

48 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 (765) 289-6013 Fax: [email protected] 47304 · U.S.A · 47304 W. Kilgore Ave. · Muncie, IN Muncie, · Ave. Kilgore W. VERLAND MODELS INCORPORATED 3808 O (765) 289-4257 Telephone: www.overlandmodels.com

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • The Rules • All submissions become the property of O Scale Trains • You may only enter one category of the contest Magazine. • You may enter a maximum of two (2) photos in that • Images must be submitted by midnight July 1, 2005 category. • Winners will be announced and winning images published in • Image must include O Scale equipment befitting the OST #22 (Sept. 2005). category. • Additional Details: All photos MUST be submitted by email. Photos • Image must be submitted in digital JPEG format. DO NOT have to be taken with a digital camera. You may take a photo • Image size must be approx. 1200 x 900 pixels in size. with a wet-film camera, scan it into your computer, and then submit it. • Final file size must not exceed 500Kb. Three winners will be picked by judges in each of the three categories. • Image must be emailed to: [email protected] There will also be an Editor’s Choice Award for which the prize is an AtlasO Signal System 4-pack. 50 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 Fallen Flags influence the selection of location and time generic model RR mags., and please, no I note with great interest your editorial of year for the 2008 National show. Again I 3W addresses only, I’d rather talk to a real regarding research material for modeling am presuming the location (in areas having person and get an immediate response. railroads in particular using the Internet. greater numbers of O Scalers) and sched- Happy Rails, I am constantly looking for new material uled in the later months of the year (fall Lamar Scheuerman about most anything regarding railroads. weather) will improve attendance. P. S. Holgate & Reynolds was alive and One of the best sources for steam photos is Sincerely, Bob Retallac well and selling product as of ‘03. George Elwood’s Fallen Flags website. May Joe responds: That’s as lot of data I suggest you enlighten your reading public analysis, Bob, and while it might be use- More on Using LEDs to take a look at this website. There is just ful and instructive, it will take away from Great to read the article “Powering Up” a plethora of information on railroads from the time we spend putting the magazine in the [OST #18]. LEDs probably will play A to Z. In particular the New York Central, out. Besides, knowing where the greatest an increasingly important role in our scale, which I mainly model, has an awesome concentrations of OST subscribers are is especially as our equipment is large enough collection here. The site address is [www. no guarantee for a successful convention. to take advantage of the various sizes of rr-fallenflags.org]. Incidently, the PRR gets However, anyone could do Bob's second LEDs. Attached are some photos of a ply- the most hits. suggestion. Any takers? wood diner that’s about twelve years old Another comment is regarding the new and still has the original batteries running the Atlas deck bridge. Take a good look at that HiRail to Scale lights (the batteries are in the kitchen.) bridge and ask yourself what other rail- Thank you for reviewing the Lionel In this car, one LED is for general light- road structure does it remind you of? It is 0-6-0, as most of us have purged our ros- ing and the rest, on the tables, represent obvious to me. A TURNTABLE BRIDGE! I ters of Lionel since the Atlas F-9 replaced those little glass candle holders that have am surprised I am the only one, it seems, 2-railed Lionel F-3s. Lionel has not helped been around forever. These are all yellow to see this. I have contacted Atlas to con- the situation by not spelling out scale-sized mainly because white was not available 3 sider making it longer and using it for just rolling stock from the near ⁄16 scale of many when this car was built. That was a bit of that. One could kitbash two of them into of their offerings. Their stubborn retention of luck, yellows are best in this car anyway any usable size I suppose. As it is only 20” tubular rail, and not increasing track radii because of the warm candle-like glow. A long I suppose it could be used for turning beyond 36” doesn’t help, either. At least pleasant surprise was how the figures came smaller motive power, too. M.T.H. differentiates the scale-sized Premier alive with the sources of light being in Best Regards, Sam Shumaker Line from the mostly smaller Rail King Line. exactly the right place! KLine’s 85’ passenger cars are outstand- Wants Demographic Data ing; I have 4 sets (SF, UP, Amtrak Super I wish to congratulate you on arranging Liner, and Surf Liner), and am waiting for with Jim Canter to do the 2007 National O the San Diego Coaster set as my son-in-law Scale Show at Indianapolis in September/ is a manager of this commuter line. Now if October, 2007. only Kadee will bring out some long-shank I agree this should be an improvement couplers for passenger, piggyback and auto in location and time of the year over many carrier cars. The coupler travel on real auto of the past National shows. To continue carrier cars is incredible. this effort, prior to the National show at St. Lionel may have other models that Louis this year, I propose we produce two would make easy conversions to full scale, reference documents: but most of us approach a Lionel catalog as 1. On a map of the 48 states, mark the if it were contaminated by tubular rail. location of each subscriber to your maga- North West Short Line is at least offer- zine. This would show the areas of greatest ing wheel conversion sets for most 3 rail concentration of O Scalers and should be models, but a large selection of steam loco favored in selecting a National show loca- drivers and tires may have ended with the tion. We also need a volunteer group in passing of Jan Lorenzen of Loco Workshop. that area who wish to staff this show. Those of us with access to a medium-sized 2. Prepare a tabular listing of past lathe are able to turn down 3 rail drivers to National shows (at least 7 shows) show- fit insulation and new tires. The MTH ATSF ing the location, the date (month and year) 4-6-4 in the following review could use a and the attendance. This, presumably, will change of drivers. I’m also disappointed at show poor attendance (if reported cor- the undersized drivers and wheels of steam- rectly) was due to the location and the time ers available in both 2- and 3-Rail. of year (summer months). We need this to There is a growing and needed market compare with the 2007 show at Indianapo- for products to convert 3-Rail to 2, so I hope lis to be held in the Fall months. all the manufacturers make their products I suggest we assemble this informa- known in the pages of OST. It’s for sure we tion prior to the St. Louis National show to wont hear about them in the HO oriented, continued on page 52 May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 51 A companion lounge car has both red and yellow “candles” and and to mount your own circuit boards. It goes on. It’s one more really sets a relaxed, romantic mood. I can send a photo of that if learning path offered by this incredible hobby! No wonder our you’d like to see it. brains stay so supple. The blue-white LEDs are great to reproduce the sickly “mod- After doing on-board track power conversions a few times my ern” lighting of many early lightweight cars and because they’re passenger cars are now powered by batteries like the prototypes for so bright very few are needed to light an entire chair car. The yel- rock-solid steady illumination. They have a micro toggle mounted low-white LEDs are perfect for steam headlights. Also a blue-white beneath the cars that responds to an electromagnet between the bundled with a smaller red in a cab (road-appropriate, of course!) rails so cars can be switched on or off remotely just by running the unit main light gives a real punch in forward (projecting a perfect train over the energized magnet. This switch also allows trains to be 20- 30 degree cone) and a surprise red in reverse and, best of all, run “dark.” Using batteries also means NO track power is drained. the wiring couldn’t be easier! Just touching on a subject that offers some of us a chance to Truly, with LEDs the only limit to their application is our imagina- learn and to grow and your article should snare more of us into this tion! exciting area. But a caution: as with so many things in this hobby, getting Good on ya! interested in LEDs leads you down a garden path: to learning how Nick Pulskamp ◆ to design your own circuits, to print and to etch and to assemble www.modelbuildingservices.com ASSEMBLED BUILDINGS from any manufacturers’ kits Kitbashed, Painted & Detailed “Just Like Real” Model Building Services Models built by Stu Gralnik 264 Marret Rd. Lexington, MA 02421-7024 (781) 860-0554 e-mail: Kit by Brennan’s Model RR [email protected] AMERICAN "0" SCALE Unique Limited Edition Scale Models PROFESSIONAL The General SERVICES Low-cost consignment sales. Purchase and sell quality “0” Scale brass and custom model trains. VISA, MasterCard & Lay-a-ways Accepted. Call for Terms. 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Call days or early evenings... Bill Davis Unlike any other model of the famous General ever made, SMR’s all-new model is not based on later reconstructions. This is the first time the famous engine Email [email protected] stolen during the “Great Locomotive Chase” has been modeled as it really looked Phone/Fax (262) 560-1619 in 1862! All-Brass, 1:48 Scale, Superb Detail! 2- or 3-Rail. Matching Boxcars. VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES REMAINING! American “0” Scale Professional Services WWW.SMRTRAINS.COM Schneider Model Railroading, Inc. PO Box 575 Waukesha, Wl 53187-0575 P.O. Box 753 Mount Laurel, NJ 08054

52 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 Story by Gene Clements, Photos by Carey Hinch Photo 1. The standard Atlas two-rail 89’ flatcar is on the right and the modified 89’ flatcar on the left. Note the height difference and mounting location of the hitch on the left car. As a 27-year employee on the current BNSF and previous car for three reasons. The Atlas truck placed the top deck too 3 BN railroad, I still remember the evolution of the 45’ intermodal high, the ⁄16” coupler pads used to bring the Kadee boxes down trailer and container from the older 40’ and 20’ units. When this to proper height looked odd, and they could not carry two 45’ happened, there was a scramble to modify existing 89’ cars to trailers with the factory hitch placement patterns. Photo 1 shows carry the new 45’ units. BN modified the flats to accommodate the difference between my conversion and the stock Atlas two- the length of the 45’ trailers by relocating the existing hitches rail car. to either end of the car. The cars were then re-stenciled “TWIN The first two-rail conversion was easy enough, but I set out to 45”, to signify the car’s ability to carry two 45’ trailers. find a better way to convert the second car. After removing the Being a two-rail modeler, I acquired a two-rail model and a Atlas three-rail trucks and couplers, I had the idea to mount the pair of three-rail models for my layout, with a plan to convert Kadee 805 coupler box directly to the bottom of the car (Photo the three-rail units for two-rail operation. I used Kadee 805 cou- 2). I centered the Kadee box on the coupler pad, marked the plers and Intermountain 33” wheel sets for the initial conver- holes, then drilled and tapped for #2-56 screws. I pondered on sion. I was disappointed with the appearance of the finished the idea of modifying the Atlas trucks, but decided to go with a pair of Weaver plastic roller bearing equalized trucks equipped with Intermountain 33” metal wheel sets. A test fit showed the couplers sat a scale 9” too high. 3 To solve this problem, I placed two #6 washers with a ⁄16” I.D. (available in many places, these came in an assortment pack from Radio Shack) over each truck mounting boss. I then ground down the top of the boss even with the top of the washers. I used a rotary tool with a heavy cut-off disk for this. Before attaching the trucks, I had to drill and tap #2-56 holes 1 1 in the truck bosses an extra ⁄16” to ⁄8” in depth to compensate for grinding off some thread. After attaching the trucks, I placed it on the test track and checked the coupler height with my Photo 2. Kadee gage (Photo 3). The couplers were within tolerance, and The Kadee coupler is the lowered height of the car deck looked great. I then ran the mounted directly to the car in a train to check clearances; there were no problems with frame. Note the trimmed wheel-to-carbody clearance and the tracking was excellent for such a heavy car with plastic trucks. down truck mounting As on the prototype, the hitch modification to the cars (which boss and parts. May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 53 are actually only 89’ 4” over the end sills) would cause two 45’ trailers to overhang the ends of the car. After experimenting with different possibilities, I decided to remove the four mounting pins on the bottom of each hitch. I then removed the bevel portion of the hitch back to a point six to nine scale inches from the vertical fifth wheel legs (Photo 4). I then centered the mount, with the front of the modified hitch foot positioned at the parting line between the deck and endsill of the car. At this point, I went back and removed the Kadee couplers and extended the #2-56 screw holes through the car deck and into the bottom of the hitch. I tapped the plastic hitch foot, replaced the coupler boxes, and installed two #2-56 screws that extend through both the car body and the hitch foot. The result was solid as a rock. Now, two 45’ trailers will fit perfectly door- Photo 3. The new truck mount and coupler mount check perfect on to-door. There is no interference with other modified 89’ flats or the height gage. other freight cars operating on 54” radius curves and through #6 switches. With this modification you get a more prototypical look to the car and the ability to carry two 40’ trailers, a 40’ and 45’ trailer, two 45’ trailers, or a 53’ and 20’ trailer. Take care in handling this car while making the modifications. The plastic details are a bit fragile and can break off if you are not careful. As with the prototype, discard the long end-ramp. Install the short ramp according to the time period you choose to model, as these were left in place for a while and later removed Here’s a note on trailer modification. I have taken a couple of my Atlas 45’ trailers and removed the large fifth wheel pin. I drilled and tapped the center of the pin site for a #2-56 screw 3 and installed a ⁄8” #2-56 screw for the pin. By doing this, I can now use my Atlas trailers on my MTH spline and deep well Photo 4. The red outlined portion of the hitch is to be removed. Note cars’ fifth-wheel hitches, and visa versa. Don’t feel confined to the new mounting location of the hitch on the end sill of the flatcar. Jim Hackworth

Buy⁄Sell⁄Trade MODEL TRAINS Consignments (and Subsidiary JH Consulting) 2631 Edgevale Road, Columbus OH 43221-1113 Phone:614-4514517 Fax:6144514557 Email: [email protected] • Web: www.jhmtrains.com NEW SERVICE: We can now offer custom painting, finishing and repair. PSC PRR X28 1-1/2 dr boxcar, N/P, OB ...... $225.00 Call, fax, or email for details. Weaver PRR M1a, 4-8-2, F/P, NOB ...... $695.00 MG SP GS5, 4-8-4, C/P, Lites, Nice, NOB ...... $1,595.00 WSM PRR Q2, 4-4-6-4, N/P, OB, ...... $2,200.00 OM PRR PAPBPA set, late run, F/P, new ...... $3990.00 WSM PRR J1a, 2-10-4, C/P, OB ...... $1,950.00 OM CSX GE AC4400, Just Out, F/P new ...... $1,795.00 WSM PRR M1, 4-8-2, Kleinscmidt Dr, C/P, NOB ...... $1,575.00 OM NS SD70I, F/P, LN, OB ...... $1595.00 USH PRR K4, 4-6-2, Kleinschmidt Dr, C/P, OB ...... $1,495.00 SS N&W J 4-8-4 Rebuilt w/Sound, C/P, OB ...... $1,500.00 USH NKP 2-8-4, C/P or N/P, OB ...... ea $1,350.00 WSM PRR M1/K4 Tender Only, C/P ...... $295.00 MG PRR 2-10-2 N/P, OB ...... $1,775.00 PRB GP15, F/P Chessie, LN, OB ...... $675.00 USH C&O 2-8-4, C/P, Runs good, OB ...... $1,375.00 USH PRR I1, 2-10-0, long tender, ptd by Bill Wolfer ...... $1,450.00 MG NYC J1e, 4-6-4, Nice, N/P, NOB ...... $1,375.00 OM ATSF Erie-built B unit, F/P, new ...... $899.00 MG NYC J3a, 4-6-4, Nice, N/P, OB ...... $1,375.00 Custom Built PRR GG1, Ptd Green, 5-Stripe ...... $575.00 CB PRR GG1, C/P Tuscan 5-stripe, NOB ...... $1,300.00 OM C&NW SD60, C/P, OB ...... $895.00 USH PRR M1a, 4-8-2, C/P, OB ...... $1,375.00 PL#300 PRR R-7 Reefer, C/P ...... $295.00 SS B&O T4 4-8-2, F/P, New ...... $1075.00 Priester C.Built Morrell Reefers ...... each $159.00 MG B&O 2-8-8-4, C/P, NOB ...... $2,450.00 MG #120 TT Flats, C/P PRR w/USH RB Tks(25 available) ...... each $129.00 AN B&O 4-6-0, C/P runs good, NOB ...... $525.00 MG PRR N8 Caboose, N/P, NOB ...... $250.00 USH NYC L2a, U/P, mint, OB ...... $1350.00 Alco PRR N6a, C/P or N/P ...... each $225.00 MG Prr E6, 4-4-2, N/P NOB, can motor ...... $1,175.00 CB PRR N8 Caboose, N/P, OB ...... $295.00 MG SP MT4 w/Icken Gears, C/P ...... $1,895.00 PSC PRR cafe-coach, F/P, LN, OB ...... $425.00 USH NYC H10, 2-8-2, Mint, N/P, OB ...... $1,475.00 Lionel 13 car NYC Smithsonian set, F/P ...... CALL OM NP A5 4-8-4, C/P, Mint ...... $3,895.00 Sunset 14 car Congressional set, C/P, Lites ...... CALL SS PRR I1 2-10-0, long tender, N/P OB ...... $1,150.00 Custom built 5 car Kettle Valley set ...... CALL OM Alco S3, N/P. OB ...... $675.00 OM BL2 w/Type B pilot, N/P, OB ...... $895.00 SEND LSASE FOR LARGE LIST OF MG/USH/KTM ITEMS

LSASE for Complete List Estates⁄Liquidations Layaway Available Shipping 6% - $6.00 Min., $12.00 Max Collection Reductions Ohio Residents Add 6.75% Sales Tax 54 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 Photo 5. The Atlas-O 89’ 4” flatcar is back in revenue service with “TWIN 45” trailers. will work just as well. My original two-rail 89’ flatcar, with the factory installed Atlas couplers, has a tendency to lift upward in a heavy train. It will also be modified to use Weaver trucks and Kadee couplers. I have yet to try the Weaver scale metal roller bearing trucks with this modification. If they are similar in height to the Weaver plastic trucks, they should work also. This is a simple project for converting three-rail equipment to two-rail operation. No need to be intimi- do things my way. This worked for me and reflected the materi- dated; a little “imagineering” goes a long way. Right now the phone als that I had on hand at the time. Long-shank Kadee couplers is ringing. Looks like another “night train to Memphis”. ◆ would be nice (hint, hint). Couplers from another manufacturer

The Original EMD “E” Passenger Units The EA, E-1, E-3, E-4, E-5 & E-6 Next to the PA’s the Classic EMD “E” has the prettiest nose in town and that’s the way Key Imports will build them big and beautiful in “O” scale. All units are painted and lettered starting with the original EA on the B&O #51 (A/B) and the Santa Fe E-1 #2 (A/B), the E-3, - P.O. Box 1848 4, -5 and the E-6 beginning with the AT&SF Rogue River, OR 97537 down to the Union Pacific and a dozen roads in between. * Visit our website at http:// Most are A/B combinations with a few exceptions.* www.keyimportsinc.com

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 55 In Stock But Not for Long...

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B&O S-1a “Big Six” B&O had over 120 of these freight monsters. Choose from either the Baldwin or Lima versions. Accurate down to the builder’s plates. Others have treated themselves to this excel‑ lent model, why haven’t you? Call today before they are all gone. $1199.95 + $30 S&H

Sunset Models Inc. 37 South Fourth Street · Campbell, CA 95008 · 408-866-1727 · fax to 408-866-5674 · www.3rdrail.com Neal Schorr is a very serious model drawings.‑He contacted several major Now, here is a challenge from this railroader who is passionate about the model train manufacturers about the pos- Hobo.‑Finish the scene.‑Complete your Pennsylvania Railroad.‑ He is also a dedi- sibility of having them mass-produce a modeling of the line poles by adding the 1 cated HiRailer who models in ⁄4” scale. quality line pole.‑ He met with several lines!‑I’ve researched the major model- With over 25 years of modeling experi- R&D people at the manufacturers.‑Most ing magazines from the last several years ence,‑ his layout, “The Middle Division were not interested.‑Neil persisted.‑Fi- (including the one you are now reading!) of the Pennsylvania Railroad,” depicts the nally, just when it seemed that the entire and was amazed that several modelers geographical part of the Pennsy between project would not come to fruition, he got went to a great deal of time and effort to Harrisburg and Altoona. This story is a lucky.‑Weaver Models decided to help place realistic looking poles along their success story.‑His need for realistic‑line with the project.‑They would produce the pike.‑They stopped short, however.‑They poles took him on a journey that finally line poles if Neal would cover the costs left the poles without any lines.‑Adding led to success. of creating the tooling.‑They reached an lines will make a difference, and here is Neal had made some very detailed agreement and the poles are now offered my challenge for both HiRailers and Scale and realistic line poles for his layout, all for sale through Weaver. modelers.‑Take the time to add the lines by hand, but he found he needed many Many of us don’t have the opportu- and the effort will pay off. of them.‑Neil calculated that if he needed nity to have our dreams turned into A lot of people are afraid to add lines, quantities of‑this great detail item, other reality.‑Many of us are lucky enough just because most lines are too rigid and model railroaders probably needed them to have a manufacturer listen to what we they will interfere with accessibility.‑The too.‑He did his marketing research.‑He would like in a product.‑Schorr’s persis- answer lies in a simple product I found did his homework with plans and tence paid off, and the result is a very a couple of years ago, called EZ-Line. diagrams directly from engineering easy-to-do project that will add a great EZ-Line is produced and distributed by deal of detail to your Berkshire Junction of Adams, Mass., model railroad. (www.berkshirejunction.com or 413- The manufactured 743-3960).‑This line is made of an elastic package offers you polymer that behaves like a thin rubber a choice between band on a roll. It is flexible and elastic in 9” and 12” line nature, allowing for pulling and stretch- poles.‑The kits come ing. If you pull on it or bump into it, the with crossarms, and line will pull itself back to its original you can choose how state (which we hope is between your many you want to line poles!). It is available in several col- add to complete your ors and thicknesses. If you are a serious poles. Easy instruc- modeler you will want to stay tuned.‑This tions are included old Hobo has a lot of tips and techniques and assembly only that he will pull out of his bag for you in requires basic tools, upcoming issues. ◆ glue, and a little paint. The process is quite simple.

THE WESTERN RESERVE “O” SCALE TRAIN SHOW CLEVELAND, OHIO Saturday, November 5, 2005 9:00 a.m - 2:30 p.m. Admission: $5.00 6’ Tables - $35.00 LAKELAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE I90 and ST.RT. 306 (S.E. Corner) Held in the Auxiliary Gym / Athletic Center 24 Hr. Police - Public Welcome - Free Parking - 2-rail “O” scale only - Please no other gauges THIS SHOW IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE WESTERN RESERVE O SCALE COMMITTEE WHO ANNUALLY PUT ON A SIMILAR SHOW BOB FRIEDEN - 9695 CHILLICOTHE ROAD - KIRTLAND, OHIO 44094 - 440-256-8141 - FAX: 440-256-1749 - E-mail: [email protected]

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • 57 Photos are available Whitehall Hobbies on request . Specializing in Brass Locomotives ————————— Ask about new unlisted 1431 Windrush Circle, Blacklick, Ohio 43004 items . We carry nearly Voice: (614) 861-0018 - Fax: (614) 861-3034 every imported brass [email protected] line .

Key NYC E7 A-A, latest run F/P, new, never run ...... $2595 Key UP FEF3 4-8-4, unptd, coal version, rare ...... $2295 Oriental GN N3 2-8-8-0, F/P Glacier Park, new, never run . . . .$2395 Key D&RGW L95, 2-8-8-2, F/P #3400, grn boiler, new, never run . . .$3600 Key PRR E7 B unit, F/P Tuscan, buff stripes, new, never run . . .$1250 PSC D&RGW L-131, 2-8-8-2, FP Rd#3600, black boiler (one of a kind), boiler tube pilot and tri-color herald w/D&RGW spelled out . PSC SP AC-9 2-8-8-4 Coal 222 R-1 Tender F⁄P - Black Boiler New . . .$3195 new, never run ...... $3895 OMI UP FEF-3, F⁄P, Road# 844, new, never run ...... $2350 OMI UP FEF-3, F/P #835, w/triple stacks, new, never run . . . . .$2495 PSC C&O T1 2-10-4, C⁄P, like new condition, reduced ...... $1400 Key UP FEF-2, F/R #825, two tone gray, silver stripe, new . . . .$2795 OMI UP DD40X F⁄P Road# 6931, like new w⁄Cockerham drive . . .$1795 PSC DM&IR M4 2-8-8-4, F/P w/black jacket, Worthington FW s/n1 . . . $5000 Kohs & Co ., PRR GG1, F/P #4913, 5 stripe, gold leaf and Tuscan, Fine Arts NYC passenger cars,‑never out of box, CALL (only 4 left) . ea $800 new, never run ...... $2800 Key PRR F3 A-B, latest run, F/P Brunswick Green, new never run . . . $2495 PSC NP Z5 2-8-8-4, F/P Rd# 5006 ...... $3295 Key PRR FP7 A-B, latest run, F/P Tuscan 5 stripes, new, never run . . . $2495 Key UP Challenger, 4-6-6-4, FP Rd#3977, oil version, two-tone grey, silver stripe . New, never run ...... $3295 Key C&O FP7 A-A, latest run, F/P, new, never run ...... $2595 Key UP Challenger, unptd, coal version . New, never run . . . . .$2895 Key C&O FP7 A-B, latest run, F/P, new, never run ...... $2495 PSC NYC F12e 4-6-0, 5000 gal . tender, F/P, new, never run . . . . .$1195 Key C&O FP7 A-B,-A latest run, F/P, new, never run ...... $3850 PSC VGN AG 2-6-6-6 with Cockerham drive and paint, new . . .$2695 PSC SP GS5 4-8-4, latest run, F/P Daylight Rd #4458, new, never run . . $2995 Key PRR E8 AA, FP Brunswick Green, gold stripe, new . . . . .$2695 Key B&A K3n 4-6-2, latest run, F/P Rd #506, new never run . . . . . $2550 OMI NP A4 4-8-4 with Cockerham drive, new, u/p ...... $1750 Key UP FEF-3 4-8-4, F/P #8444 Black & graphite, new, never run . . . $2295 Kohs NYC J3a 4-6-4 F/P #5437, builder's photo edition, 1 of 10 Key UP FEF-3 4-8-4, unpainted, new, never run ...... $2150 with white tires and running board ...... $3200 TrailTrail ofof thethe FriscoFrisco FlyerFlyer 20052005 OO ScaleScale NationalNational ConventionConvention JuneJune 15-1815-18 •• Collinsville,Collinsville, IllinoisIllinois‑‑

Sponsored by the Big Bend Railroad Club, Inc., at the Gateway Center, 1 Gateway Dr., Collinsville, Ill., just east of St. Louis. For more info contact Paul Metzler, convention chair, 314-968-6847 or send email to [[email protected]]. Visit the convention website for schedule details: [http:// www.geocities.com/bbrrclub/]. Guest speaker for the banquet will by noted railroad photographer Joe Collias.

58 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 Advertisers Index AAA Precision Turntables 15 Great Scale Model Train Show 15 Public Delivery Track 23 Accurate O Scale 42 Guide to Modern O Scale 59 Railroad Collectibles 59 Allegheny Scale Models 31 Hackworth Model Trains 54 Rons Books 23 American Professional O Scale Services 52 House of Duddy 20 Russian River RR Co. 31 AM Hobbies 13 Just Trains 61 San Juan Car Co. 30 AtlasO IBC Keil-Line Products 20 Scale University 29 Auel Industries 52 Key Imports 55 Scaled World 35 BTS 27 LaBelle Woodworking Co. 20 Schomberg 31 Central Locomotive Works 31 Model Building Services 52 SMR Trains 52 Crusader Rail Services 31 M.T.H. Electric Trains IFC Stevenson Preservation Lines 31 Custom Signals 20 NCE Corp 45 Suncoast Models 45 Diecast Direct 35 Nickel Plate Models 20 Sunset⁄3rd Rail 56, BC Digistar 45 Norm’s O Scale 12 T Bone Models 31 Dominion Models 15 O Scale National Convention 58 Valley Model Trains 47 Eagles Nest Miniatures 35 O Scale Realty 19 Weaver 26 Ehobbytools.com 42 Old Pullman 41 Western Reserve Train Show 57 FOS Scale Limited 41 Overland Models 49 Whitehall Hobbies 58 Get Real Productions 42 P&D Hobby Shop 16 Gorilla Glue 23 Paper Creek Model Works 55

O Scale Trains Magazine MTH 2-RAIL LOCOMOTIVES presents A Guide To Modern A Guide O Scale ATSF NORTHERN ...... $1150 by Brian Scace CNJ BLUE COMET ...... $1200 CNW S/L HUDSON ...... $900 To C&O GREENBRIER ...... $975 NKP BERKSHIRE ...... $1100 PRR CENTIPEDES ...... $1250 Almost Sold Modern O PRR T-1 #6110 ...... $1200 by Brian Scace N&W CLASS A ...... $1150 For the first time, here is a guide to O SP AC-6 CAB FWD ...... $975 Scale two rail. This book was written SP 4-8-4 DAYLIGHT ...... $1250 by O Scale modelers with years of expe- UP BIG BOY ...... $1350 rience in the hobby and they share that Sc experience with wit and wisdom. We’ll UP GAS TURBINE ...... $850 OT ale rain show you how to get started in 2-rail O WVP&P SHAY ...... $1000 S c a l e , s what you need and where to get it. ATSF A-B-B-A ...... $950 Of particular use is the list of Resources at the end of each chapter. C&O F3 A-B-A ...... $550 Get your copy today from your local O Scale hobby shop or direct from NYC F3 A-B-A ...... $650 O Scale Trains, just $14.95 plus $3 s&h. VISA & Mastercard Accepted. SOU F3 A-B-A EARLY ...... $600 Here’s a peek at the Table of Contents: 1. Welcome, and a little History 7. Structures and Scenery T&P GP9 ...... $325 2. Concept of Operation with Neville Rossiter All Locomotives new in original boxes . 3. Locomotives 8. Wiring and Control Systems 4. Rolling Stock and Couplers with Ted Byrne Additional locos and cars available - call . 5. Space Prep and Benchwork 9. Narrow Gauge with Bobber Gibbs 6. Track and Track Plans 10. Consider Traction Railroad Collectibles with Joe Giannovario 11. Proto 48 with Gene Deimling 86 W . Johnson St . 12. Tools with Neville Rossiter 13. Useful Tables, Tips, and Short Notes Philadelphia, PA 19144 O Scale Trains 14. Sources, Conventions, and Meets 15. Glossary of Terms Voice: 215-438-4330 • Fax: 215-438-7322 PO Box 238 oguage railroad@verizon. .net Lionville PA 19353-0238 ◆ 610-363-7117

May/June ’05 - O Scale Trains • A current list of events is now available at our website [http://www.oscalemag.com]. If you have an event you’d like listed, we have a submission form at the website (the preferred method), or EventsEvents you can mail the info to our office address given on page 3.

May 2005 August 2005 7: Merchantville, New Jersey 6: Denver, Pennsylvania Cherry Valley Model RR Club O Scale Swap Meet held at the Grace Eastern “O” Scalers Swap meet at the Denver Fire Hall, 4th & Locust Episcopal Church, 7 E. Maple Ave. Merchantville, NJ. Admission Sts. - 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Adm. $5; (spouses & children under 14 $4.00 (spouses & children under 14 are free), tables are $16.00 for are free), tables are $16.00 for the first table (includes one admission) the first table (includes one admission) and $12.00 for each additional and $12.00 for each additional table. Dealer’s set-up Friday evening table. Info/reservations, SASE – CVMRC PO Box 192, Maple Shade, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday morning 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. NJ 08052, Harry Hieke (856) 625-5506 between 6 & 9 pm or Dave Info/reservations, SASE – EOS, PO Box 1781, Bensalem PA 19020; Richter (215) 639-3864. Contact [email protected] (215) 639-3864. Bring an index card with your name, address etc., for a $1.00 off your admission. Contact [email protected] website 13-15: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 17th National Model Trolley Meet held at the National Guard Armory, September 2005 Rt 1 and Southampton Rd. Hours: 6 pm to 11 pm Friday, 9 am to 10 3: Merchantville, New Jersey pm Saturday, Fan Trip on Sunday. Dealers, model layouts, clinics, pho- Cherry Valley Model RR Club O Scale Swap Meet held at the Grace tos, books and videos. Admission: $20 per person (spouses & children Episcopal Church, 7 E. Maple Ave. Merchantville, NJ. Admission $4.00 under 18 free). Registrar, Charles Long, 17 Lanfair Rd, Cheltenham, PA (spouses & children under 14 are free), tables are $16.00 for the first 19012. Contact [email protected] table (includes one admission) and $12.00 for each additional table. 21: St Paul, Minnesota Info/reservations, SASE – CVMRC PO Box 192, Maple Shade, NJ 08052, Harry Hieke (856) 625-5506 between 6 & 9 pm or Dave Rich- Twin City Model RR Museum Model RR & Hobby Sale at the Education ter (215) 639-3864. Contact [email protected] Building, Minnesota State Fairgrounds. From 9 AM to 3 PM, admission $4, under 8 free (includes admission to the Model RR Museum at Ban- November 2005 dana Square if you get your hand stamped). Contact paulgruetzman@ 5: Wind Gap, Pennsylvania usfamily.net Eastern “O” Scalers Swap meet at the Plainfield Fire Hall, 6480 Sul- June 2005 livan Trail – 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Adm. $5; (spouses & children 15-18: Collinsville, Illinois (East of St. Louis) under 14 are free), $16.00 for the first table (includes one admission) and $12.00 for each additional table. Dealer’s set-up Friday evening Trail of the Frisco Flyer — 2005 O Scale National Convention at the 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday morning 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Gateway Center, 1 Gateway Dr. Info: Paul R. Metzler (club president, Info/reservations, SASE – EOS, PO Box 1781, Bensalem PA 19020; convention chair), Big Bend Railroad Club, Inc., PO Box 4357, St. (215) 639-3864. Bring an index card with your name, address etc., for Louis, MO 63123, 314-968-6847; Email: [email protected] or www.geocities.com/bbrrclub/. All checks should be made out to: a $1.00 off your admission. Contact [email protected] O Scale National 2005 and mailed to: Forest Trent, Registrar, O Scale 5: Kirtland, Ohio National Convention 2005, 304 Christopher Pl, Union, MO 63084. 2-Rail Train Meet of the Western Reserve dedicated to the memory of 25-26: Timonium, Maryland Gil Stovicek. Two-Rail only meet (no tinplate, Hi-Rail or other scales The Great Scale Model Train Show & The All-American Hi-Rail & Col- allowed). Admission $5, under 12 free. Show hours from 9 AM to 2:30 lectors Show - Maryland State Fairgrounds, Fri: dealer setup 5 pm to PM. Six foot vendor tables are $35. Vendor entry at 7 AM. Not affili- 11 pm; Sat: setup 7 to 9 am, sales & exhibits 9 am to 4 pm; Sun: setup ated with the former Western Reserve O Scale Committee. Contact Bob 8:30 to 10 am, sales & exhibits 10 am to 4 pm; $6, kids under 12 free, Frieden, 440-256-8141. Contact [email protected] family max $12; 8’ tables $55, free electricity (bring your own cords). Info: ECSMRA, 5236 Thunder Hill Rd, Columbia, MD 21045; Howard Zane, 410-730-1036; email: [email protected]; www.gsmts.com

3135, John Clemens, 5273 97 Way N, St. Petersburg, FL 33708-3752

Buy–Sell–Trade FOR SALE: PSC Allegheny, MTH #80 Turbine, new in box. Kemtron On3 C-16. List of other O 2 & 3 rail for SSAE. “Phil”, 34075 Mt. Pleasant Rd., Lebanon OR Buy-Sell-Trade ads are $5 for 30 words plus your address information. 97355 Additional words are $0.25 each. Subscribers are permitted one free ad per subscription cycle. All B-S-T ads are prepaid. You may send ads by FOR SALE: Down payment on Geo. Kohs PRR K4, $900 value, $150 down pay- postal service with a check or money order. Ads sent by email or called ment on PRR N5c Cabin Car; asking $800 for both. Bob Lowery, Ph: 215-887- in must use a credit card. See our contact info on page 2. 7049. KEYSTONE MODEL WORKS: PRR H-25 quad hoppers; PRR gondolas, PRR drop- FOR SALE: Original beautiful watercolor by Peter Lerro of PRR #1223, D16sb, as bottom gondolas; PRR scrap tin gondolas. Scale versions only at dealer cost. Much seen at the Pa. State RR Museum at Strasburg, Pa. Image size: 12.25” w x 16.25” more brass, SASE for three page list. Ph: 727-391-3135, John Clemens, 5273 97 h. Museum quality frame by the artist. Asking $1500. Bob Lowery, Ph: 215-887- Way N, St. Petersburg, FL 33708 7049.

PECOS RIVER BRASS painted cars... $189, tank cars, Clinchfield cabooses, FOR SALE: Kohs & Company post war 4-12-2, no: 9051, mint. In box. Never run. Airslide covered hoppers, 50’ grain cars, Santa Fe TOFC flats, Santa Fe flat cars, Call between 6-9pm est. Ph:410-488-4259. Pullman-Standard covered hopper. Listings SASE, Ph: 727-391-3135, John Clem- ens, 5273 97 Way N, St. Petersburg, FL 33708 FOR SALE: SS USRA undec. 2-10-2, $1000; 2-8-2 Hvy $950; 2-8-2 lt $900. Shipping extra. Bank cheque or Money Order. Sarah Flynn, 108 Rivers Edge Dr., INTERMOUNTAIN built-up gondolas: C&O, NYC, CB&Q, MoPac, PRR, Frisco, Burlington VT 05401. Email" [email protected] Espee; box cars: B&O Sentinel, B&O Timesaver, EJ&E, Monon, NC&StL, Western Pacific. SASE for lists. Ph: 727-3914-3135, John Clemens, 5273 97 Way N, St. RESERVE KEY: Alco PA/B-1/2, PA-3; SP GS1, GS2 4-8-4; ATSF 2900, 3776 series Petersburg, FL 33708 4-8-4; C&O H6 2-6-6-2; EMD EA, E1, E3, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9; PRR Q2 4-4-6-4 (1944 and 1945 runs, to be the best imported so far); UP and LA&SL MT 4-8-2; FOR SALE: Six pages of freight car listings for SASE: Keystone Model Works, Inter- PRR S2 6-8-6. All are multi-number and prototype specific. Firm reservations only. mountain Railway, Max Gray, Overland Models, Pacific Limited, Pecos River Brass, MAIL ORDER TRAINS PLUS, 349 Roosevelt Rd, Pbgh PA 15237. Phone: 412-766- Precision Scale, Rich Yoder, Sunset Models, US Hobbies, and more. Ph: 727-391- 1068, Fax: 412-766-4213 60 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 Jus Atlas O Gauge K-Line 2-Rail Offerings Lionel Trains C424/425 2R 389 TMCC 415 SuperStreets Motorized Roadways K-Line Shay, DC Powered 719 Close-outs Orders (888) 453-9742 EL, RDG, DH, BN, CP, NW Dmy 209 Vehicle & Oval 44 Vehicles 20 Undec, Lack Coal , Pac. Lumber Swing Bridge 175 Lighthouse 69 Coke or Heinz Complete Set 99 Info 302 453-0465 Fax 368 6447 Erie-Built 2R 349 TMCC 389 Woodside Reefers for $47 4/$185 Del #41 Army Switcher 115 Speeders 40 CNW & NYC 185 P/D 555 Service Station or Delivery Van Set 75 NW, PFE, Heinz, McLhaney, Peacock, 14173 Small Operating Drawbridge 65 * M-F 10-6 Sun 12-5* Dash 8 2R 369 3-R 389 Dmy 195 New 4-6-6T Tank Engine Oppenheimer, Roberts, Chateau, Nash, 2005 Volume I 313 Newark Shopping Center BC, SP, Und, UP, CR Conventional $395 TMCC $525 Century, Robin Hood, Merchants AC-12 SP Cabforward 1295 Newark, DE 19711 SW’s TMCC 329 Rdg & Blue Mtn CNJ, B&A, NYC, IC, Rdg, GT, Phila, *Atlas 2-Rail Track* N&W J 1059 Chessie S-4 329 Free Shipping over $180 Custom SW B&O TMCC 299 Berkshire Whis 639 TMCC 759 US Prototype Track System, Code148 N&W 18” 4-Pk 395 2-Pk, Diner 215 Most orders shipped within 24 hours Alco RS-1 2R 339 TMCC 375 B&A, IC, ATSF, SP, LIMA, B&M New 45 & 49” Radius Curve E-6 Atlantic 4-4-2 PRR, PRSL 449 MC VISA DISC. AMEX CNW, NH, SF, Ann Arbor, NP, PRR K-4 Whis 639 TMCC 759 7024/5 #5 Turnout (36”) 42.95 BB Electrics PRR, LI 539 Alco RS-1 TMCC, RS 3-R 389 Early, Late, Late w/Smoke Deflectors 7021/2 #7.5 Turnout (40.5”) 47.95 18” Heavywt 3-Pk PRR, PRSL, LI 285 Weaver Models B&O, Rut, C&EI, PRR, Susq, BL&W 2-Truck Shay Whis 589 TMCC 719 Wye Switch 39.95 Switch Machine 8.75 F-3 ABA UP, E-L 725 Pwr B 252 36" Radius Full Curve 3.70 Half 2.55 MR Brass Little Joe 735 Cmd 835 RS-1 JC, RI, A&EC TMCC 349 Lack, PLC, NYC, Sou & Iron, Undec Aluminum 4-PK UP, N&W 395 40.5 Rad. Full Curve 4.35 1/3 2-Pk 5.15 DC Pacific 2R/3R 649 Cmd 779 GP-35 2R 299 TMCC 325 RS-3 CNJ, WMD 299 Aluminum 2-Pk UP, N&W 215 40” Flex Track 8.75 Case (18) $149 VO1000 w/TMCC 319 WM, LV, BO 2003 Locomotive of the Year F59PH Metrolink, Sounder, VRE 299 Aluminum StationSounds Diner 215 10” Straight 2.60 Case (48) $119 Rdg, BN, SP, Sav & Atl, WM, NKP F40PH Cal Train, Tri-Rail 299 GN U33C 372 Reading U30C 372 Tinplate Steam Era Canopy $329 4 ½” Straight 2.00 1 ¾” 4-Pk 5.25 GP35 TMCC 355 CN, Burl, E-L GP38 SF, UP, PRSL, LIRR, PC 299 Docksider Bethlehem Steel, NYC 89 Baldwin 2-8-0 Blow-out TMCC 399 Crossings: 90 or 45 Degree 11.40 SD-35 TMCC 375 PC, SP, N&W LIRR 18” Alum 4 -Pk $339 0-4-0 w/Slope Tender C&O, SF 135 UP, CN&W, B&M, C&O, LV We stock Entire Line in 2-R Pullman-Bradley “Am. Flyer Cars” Berwick 60’ Hi-Cube 2R 65 3R 60 F-7/3 AA 4 motor, TMCC, Cruise 419 TMCC Crane UP, Conrail 269 Type G Signal 2-R 52 4-Pk 195 Blow-Out 4-Car $325 2-Car $180 CR, MR, N&W, RG, SF B&O, GN, MR, NYC, PRR, Rdg, SP, UP Boom Car with Crane Sounds 162 SD-35 Dmy 185 DC 349 Pullman, LV, Rdg, CNJ, NH Blk, BAR, 53’ Evans Box 2-R 52 3-R 48 B-Units $109 ABA $515 UP, Conrail, SF, PRR, MOW, NYC CSX, PC, SP, N&W Pwr/Dmy $525 KCS, SP, UP, St. L SW, C&O, GM&O Lou. Pac., Mtn Pine, Ogden, UP, BC Texas Spec F-3 AA, Cruise, Cmd 425 Train Sets Tex Special 18” (4) 339 (2)179 (6) 509 Diesel Locomotive 2R 259 Cmd 309 50 Ton War Hopper 3R 44 4/172 Atlas Engine Sale 31956 Thomas the Tank 124 SF ABA F-3 Black F-7 Red/Silver 499 RS-3 or RSD4/5 CN, L&N, NKP, Army GA, L&N Alton, Arbor, B&O, C&O SW DMIR, Rdg, Susquehanna 199 30012 Thomas Expansion Set 74 PRR Exclusive 8# 49 4/190 8/370 Passenger Sets Alco RS-11 Sou, MEC Orange, CVT SD35 TMCC JC, ACL, WM, VMV 315 31936 Pennsy Flyer Set 142 Custom War Bonds 2 New # Heavyweights Madison Style Rolling Stock Buy 4 get 1 Free SD35 DC 275 B&O, PRR, WC, Op. Freight or Passenger Exp. 74 60’ Auto Parts Box 3R 48 4/185 18” 5-Pk ACL, Pullman, NYC 265 N&W, Con, GA, L&N, MRL 31966 Holiday Set 152 Add-on 74 Reading G1 2-R 499 TMCC 499 CN, C&O, WM, RDG, UP 4480C PRR Broadway Lmt 6-Pk 309 2-Car 80’ Alum 125 SP, GN, CNW, UP RS-1 TMCC PRR,LIRR, SF, 315 31990 Copper Range Mine Train 162 E/V Caboose 2-R 59 3-R 56 4480D Penn-Reading Seashore 4-Pk 215 RS-1 DC JC, MR, RI 299 31977 NYC Flyer w/Trainsounds 189 Third Rail Brass Chessie Safety red or yel, RG, SF, Rdg 4880G PRR 15” Madison 6-Pk 229 Dash 8 CB, UP, Susquehanna 275 Op. Freight or Passenger add-on 74 15” Madison 4-Pk $159 In-Stock Free Shipping Middle Division PRR H21a 3R 59 Over 100 2-R TMCC Engines in-stock 31976 Yukon Special Freight Set 189 H21a Hopper 8# 2R 55 3R 52 RG, SF, MR, Rdg, UP, CNJ, B&A, PRSL PRR K-4 2 Versions cmd 729 GP35 TMCC Und, GMO, EMD, WP325 31960 Polar Express 205 Xcar 42 N&W, PC, Virginian 8# 399 3-R Aluminum NP, SP&S Z-8 only 50 made 1799 GP35 DC BN, SP, N&W, Rdg, NYC, 31946 Disney Train Set 219 USRA Dbl Sheath Box 3R 43 4/169 4610 B&O 21” (4) 365 (6) 549 (8) 729 B&M R-1, B&O T-4 4-8-2 999 Demo, GM&O, WP, Undec HN 335 31985 SF Fast Freight Set 240 4610F B&O 15” Columbian 4-Pk 309 UP M10,000 TMCC, EOB 1025 B&M, FEC, M&St.L, NYC, TB&H, Rut 30001 SF El Capitan 299 B-unit 72 4630-40009 SF 21” Business Car 99 GP35 Dummy N&W, SP, BN, GMO 185 UP Challenger 4-6-6-4, TMCC 1495 40’ 1937 AAR Box 2R 50 3R 47 30000 TMCC Keystone Super Frt 375 4630A/B SF 15” 4-Pk 309 6-Pk 449 40’ Airslide Hoppers 42 4/159 PRR Q-1 4-6-4-4, skirted 1399 C&O, GM&O, UP, WM GN +$3 31993 TMCC NS Black Diamond 415 4630J, K SF 21” Bi-Level 2-Pk 219 PRR, CSX, Brach’s K-3 4-8-2 w/QSI N&W, RG 875 70 Ton Cov’d Hopper 2R 55 3R 52 Chessie Steam Passenger Set 415 4630L SF 18” Midnight Chief 4-Pk 329 PS-1 50’ Box Car 50 4/189 PRR T-1 Duplex 4-4-4-4, QSI 1149 NPR, Boraxo, C of GA, CB, NH, UP Chessie GP-30 Diesel Freight Set 599 4630M, N SF 18” 2-Pk 179 All 8 for 669 2# per Road RG, B&M, WM Cruise Control & RS Reserve Now NE-6 Caboose 2R 63 3R 59 31737 Napa Valley Wine Train 769 4630S SF 21” Bi-Level 4-Car 429 Ext. Vision Caboose 50 2/95 Budd Cars Pwr 449 Dmy 299 P&LE, Shaw, M&E, NPR 31739 #13150 NYC Hudson Set 885 4630P,Q,R 21” Super Chief Streamliners Burl, DM&IR, Chessie, SF SP P-8 & P-10 4-6-2 899 40’ Wood Reefer 2# 3R 52 4/205 31742 #2544W SF F3 Super Chief 695 (2) 189 (4) 365 (6) 549 (8) 729 USRA Single-Sheathed Box Cars 46 DMIR Yellowstone 2-8-8-4 1699 Atlas, Phenix , Merch., Bourke, Fairmont Passenger 2-Pk 157 Sound Diner 215 4643K MR 21” 6 -PK 529 CRR of NJ, Rdg, WM C&O Greenbrier, 4-8-4 999 36’ Wood Refrig. Car 3R 52 4/205 Steel-Sided Reefer PFE, NP, NW 43.50 21” Alum 6-Pk 529 4-Pk 365 10/ 879 Sunset B&O S1a 2-10-2 1049 Burlington Hudson 3 Versions 999 Krey’s, Nuckoll’s, NKP, Pluto, Sou Star, Reefer 3-PK 3# PFE, NP, NW 96.00 4633B/C GN Empire Builder Sunset SP 4-10-2 1199 SP M6 or M9 Mogul 699 Crown, Meyer, Rath’s, Wilson 3-Bay ACF Hopper 47.50 4670L/M NYC Empire State Sunset Q-2 4-6-4-4 Skirted 1195 SF 2-10-2 3 Styles 1199 8K Tank Car 3R 49 4/189 D&H, NYC, DMIR, WP 4688E/F Southern Pacific Daylight Sunset Erie 0-8-8-0 Camelback 995 N&W K-2a 4-8-2 Streamlined 1199 Navy, Shipper’s, Staley, Wolf’s Head Double-Door Boxcar 46.50 Sunset Burl O-5 2-10-4 1049 PRR E44 Electric Dmy 699 TMCC 849 11K Tank Car 3R 52 4/205 Gulf, 4680 PRR 21” (4) 365 (6) 549 (8) 729 NYC, GTW, Rio Grande 44 Tonner SF, SP, PRR 275 Flying Scotsman A-3 (1/43) 1499 Pyrofax, Shipper’s, Sunray, CA Spencer, 18” Business Cars 99 SP, PRR, SF PS-1 Box MKT, Rutland, PRR 45.50 All Weaver Rolling Stock is Available NYC J3 Empire State Hudson 999 Col. Sou., Hooker, Solvay, Tank, Warren 18” Alum 4-Pk 339 6-Pk 509 (8) 669 PS-4 Flat P&LE, Rdg, WP 39.25 K-Line 21” 6-Pk $529 10-Pk $879 USRA 55 Ton Coal Hopper 3-R 43 4643F/G/H MR 4680R/S/T PRR Weaver G1/G2a Reading 4-6-2 499 2004 Volume II Pullman Bradley Cars 399 2-pk 205 C&O Late Allegheny, Ltd No. 1699 C&O, Lack, NH, NYC, P & Shaw 4/169 4681D/E/F Rdg 4690E/F/G UP 30002 Greendale Set 529 CNJ, LV, Pullman, Rdg, PRR MP54 Electric 499 BN City Trailers #3 2R 240 3R 235 15” Aluminum Passenger Car 6-Pk 31728 Elvis Steam Freight Set 335 89’ Intermodal Flat 2R 63 3R 59 4633A GN, 4670N NYC, 4688G SP 449 K-Line Blow-Outs 31736 CP Diesel Grain Train Set 569 Golden Gate Depot Erie-West, FEC, SF, WP, TT, P&W, 4681 Reading (4) 309 (6) 459 (8) 599 4603A Amtrak 21” Alum 2-Pk 125 Alco PA AA NH, RG 575 ABA 689 PRR P70 ABS Coach 4-Pk 359 RG, Southern, Tex Mex, MEC Bombardier Commuter Car 4-Pk 4603B Am 21” Alum Horizon 2-Pk 125 0-8-0 Steam NP, B&A, CB&Q 529 8# for $699 2 or 3-R 45’ Pines Trailers 23.95 4/92 4636A/B Cal Train 4636C/D Metrolink Both Sets $229 BN, CC&P, FEC, RG, Seabd System FA/FPA NYC, CN AA 499 ABA 615 Gargraves (USA) 4636E/F Sounder 4636G/H Tri -Rail Making F40PH w/TMCC for $279 2# CSX SD80, SF –9, BNSF SD70 215 3-Stall Roundhouse 30”L 152 37” Flex Tinplate $4.25 Cs 50 199 4636J/K VRE 18” 365 21” 429 4680E PRR FOM Alum. 15” 4-Car 175 Op. Zoo, Gas Station, Firehouse 109 24” Motorized Turntable 125 37” Flex Stainless Phantom Case 239 Voltmeter Car 44 Op. Milk Car 95 4602-20003 Alaska 16” Business Car 69 Alum FEC, SF, B&O, SP, PRR 2-Pk 207 Deck Bridge 2 or 3 Rail 79 42, 72, 100” Tin Switch Man 27 Rem40 New Porter Steam Engines 75 C&NW 21” Bi-Level 18” Alum StationSounds Diners 207 40” Bridge 95 Dble 125 Add-on 32 RC Uncplr #107 $20 Op. #108 24 UP, Lack, Raritan, U.S. War, Heinz 4-Pk 299 2-Pks 169 All 8 $549 Diesel Railsounds Railbox Boxcars 79 Circle 032/ $38 042/ $43 054/ $53 Type G Signal 3-R 45 4-Pk 169 Plymouth Switcher 75 PRR, UP, Making CNW E-8 AA to Match Speeder Shed 24 Op. Lumberjacks 45 063/ $56 072/ $62 080/ $75 089/ $79 Remote Switch, Steel or Nickel 44.95 MR, Peabody, NYC, ATSF, Coke, SP, 4688A SP Daylt 15” Alum 2-Car 99 Op. Zoo, Gas Station, Firehouse 109 O36 O45 O54 O72 Wye DZ-1010 Crossing Gate Set 69 Sou., Hooker, Timken, Strasburg, NHV Spirit Of 76 Blow-Out Rolling Stock Convert to 2 -Rail #5 Double-Slip Switch 119Freight 4-Pk for Porter or Plymouth DZ-1020 Crossing Signal Set 49 RS-3 w/TMCC, RS, Smoke, e’cplr PS-2 Covered Hoppers 41 2-Pk 82 O72/O54 Curved Switch or #5 55 UP, Lack, Raritan, War, Timken, Hooker DZ-1200 Station Announcements 82 13 Colony State Cars: DE, PA, NJ, GA, Clinchfield, B&M, N&W 7.5 (O81) High Speed Switch 58 Plymouth Set WC, Ford, Rdg 109 DZ-1220 Trolley Stop & Control 69 CT, MA, MD, SC, NH, VA, NC, RI, NY Offset 2-Bay DC Hoppers 44 2-Pk 88 40” Rigid 11.00 Case (12) $125 Miller Plymouth Keg Set 99 GN, GB&W, B&O DZ-1260 Water Tower Animator 34 13 Premium Cars & Caboose $215 40”Flex/Concrete 12.00 CS $135 15” Interurban Pwr/Dmy 185 DZ-1265 Fueling Station Animator 36 Complete Set ($850) for $425 31714 Amtrak Acela Set 1649 10” or O54 2.95 Case (48) $135 PRR, Rdg, CSS&A (Dmy 2-Pk 120) 31720 FEC Champion Pass Set 929 Downtown Deco O27 Curve 3.30 3 Circles (24) 75 Woodside Reefers 44 4 for 172 Del Op. Swing Bridge, Auto Showroom 119 51008 Burlington Pioneer Zephyr 929 DD31 Importer 99 Delivered O36 Curve 2.95 2 Circles (24) 68 AP, Carnation, Doggie, IGA, Kingans, Speeder Shed 105 Grist Mill 62 DD25 Wrong Side of Tracks 4 kits 119 O45 Curve 3.30 2 Circles (24) 75 Libby’s, Hennery, Banana, Columbia, Korber Models MRC Transformers DD202 Rainbow Beverage 5” x 36” 65 O63 Curve 3.70 2 Circles (32) 114 MC, Monarch, Rath, Wilson, Blatz, NW, 304 3-Stall Roundhouse, 30”D 189 AH501 Pure Power 130W 145 DD3 Palace Hotel, DD8 Fireworks 59 O 72 Curve 4.35 2 Circles (32) 132 PFE, McLlaney, Peacock, Oppenheimer, AH601 Dual Pure Power 270W 225 DD32 Apartment Building 59 O81 Curve 5.10 1 Circle (16) 77 Roberts, Chateau, Nash, Century, Robin 304A Xtra Stall or 304B Extender 45 305 Sandhouse, 16 x 6 39 AG990 Power G 10 Amp DC 169 Background Flats 50” L x 2” D 129 O90 Curve 6.00 1 Circle (16) 102 Hood, Merch., Armour Kohr Bros 47 MRC312 Sound Station , 18 sounds 59 307 3-Stall Trolley Barn 85 Pillow Fact., Urban Housing, Fish Mkt O99 Curve 6.90 1 Circle (16) 104 Licensed Reefers 47 4 for 195 Del MRC6200 Trainpower 6200, 3.6 Amp 79 315 Grain Silo, 7 x 19 x 22 H 69 DD36 2-Stall Engine House 139 Blow-out White Hse, Goehring, Baby Ruth, Planks, MRC444 Control Master 20, 5 Amp 159 DD38 Rocky Flats Station 59 902 Jaybar Corporation 23 Mix & Match 3R 39 any 4/149 O Henry, Butterfinger, 10 Heinz, 5 Miller Merchant’s Dispatch WS Rfr 5-Pk 219 903 Skyline Steel 23 Airslide Hopper 4# PRR, Brach’s 2# We are the largest dealer Walthers Cornerstone 905 Blackshear Refrig. Transport 49 PS-4427 Cov’d Hopper Our Custom Runs Theatre w/Op. Marque 99 Del. 908 Shanahan Freight Company 67 in the country for Atlas, 4# BNSF, MR, LV, Prod 2# WM+$5 Amtrak F40PH 2#, Cmd, Cruise 279 rd Silver Dollar Café, Melissa’s Deli 30 912 Roller Bearing Company 79 Interlocking Twr 34 Sur-Sweet 42 PS-1 50’ Box 2# B&M, WM Add 21” Amtrak Heritage 4-Pk $229 K-Line, Korber, 3 Rail, 916 Gen. Lt & Power, 12 x 48 93 Phoenix Fuel Oil 37 Water Tank 37 Pulpwood Flat 2# Frisco, IC, LN B&O E-8 AA Cmd, RS, Smoke 449 917 Gen Lt & Power Sub Station 32 Gargraves, & Williams. Crazy Ken Auto 42 Lumber Yard 48 40’ AAR Box Car Sale 4#/159 B-Unit w/smoke 125 ABA 559 Pumping Station 49 Speeder Set 28 Erie, NH, Pere Marq., SP CNW E-8 AA Cmd, RS, Smoke 449 921 JLC Manufacturing 49 Our customer service, Trackside Struct. Set 40 3-Bay Cyl Hoppers $25 4/95 Add 21” Bi-level 6-Pk 449 8-Pk 599 950 American Flag Co. 14 x 9 65 reliability &quick shipping Gold. Valley Depot 49 Xing Gate 24 K-M, Sterling, TP&W W.MD Fireball Plymouth Set 129 953 Joe’s Pickle Factory 14 x 9 59 Rte 66 Motel 69 Motel Cabin 20 CNJ Ribbed Hopper 4-Pk 145 Del. 969 Gen Lt & Pwr Office 6x13x12 59 have earned us thousands of Dave’s Super Service Station $40 www.justrains.com B&O 4-Bay Exclusive 38 4/140 Del USA Made Family Operated customers. We know trains. The Wheel Turns Ted Byrne (Powering Up) is working on a side-by-side This issue we say “farewell” to Gene Deimling as a reg- comparison of DCC, TMCC and DCS command control sys- ular contributor and “welcome” to a new writer, Roger C. tems. We had hoped to have it for this issue but that didn’t Parker. happen. Look for it in the July 2005 issue. Gene’s contributions to OST helped elevate the magazine I’ve been talking to Mike Culham (Great Central Rail- to a higher standard of modeling. Unless you’ve seen his way) and he says he has enough material for almost 3 years work first-hand, you cannot fully appreciate the craftsman- worth of issues. So, you can expect to see “Building A Small ship involved in his models. We will miss his column but he O Scale Layout” for a while. Mike will cover literally every has promised to grace our pages in the future with feature aspect of building a model railroad by the time he’s com- length articles. We look forward to seeing his work. pleted the series. Back in November 2004 both Brian and I put out the call Wants and Needs for traction material. To our great surprise and delight, sev- What we’re lacking, at the moment, are articles about eral people responded with material and proposals. One Proto48 and finescale modeling projects, structures, scenery, of those was Roger C. Parker. Roger sent me an email with and small layouts. If you are working on projects in any of a proposal for a regular traction column. Now, his name those areas, give us a shout. Maybe you’ll get to see your seemed familiar to me. Way back at the “dawn” of desktop name in print! publishing (the mid 1980s), a Roger C. Parker wrote several We would also like more “O Scale Influences” articles books on the subject, many of which I have in my library. As honoring those who have inspired you to take up O Scale, it turns out, our new traction columnist and the book writer or to build better models by their examples. We don’t need are one and the same! You can read Roger’s first column on scads of photos. Just write down why this person inspired page 34. you and send it to us. And, I promise there will be traction-related feature arti- Because I say we “need” articles on the above subject cles in future issues. areas doesn’t mean you shouldn’t contact us if you are work- The Photo Contest Returns ing on something else. We’re always open to any O Scale We decided to host another digital photo contest this year. project proposal. Just talk to us. The response last year was very good and the photos were Growing Pains just marvelous. But this year we’ve expanded the scope to It has been obvious to me for about two or three issues include Steam-era and Modern-era photos, as well as Indus- now that we need to increase the page count again. It’s trial & Narrow Gauge. AtlasO, Bachmann, San Juan Car Co., likely that we will do that for the next issue (July). This will and Weaver Models donated close to $2000 worth of prizes means we will have more room for additional content and for the contest. I specifically want to mention Kelly Schaefer advertising. It also means the magazine will be heavier and and Joe Hayter from Weaver, Bob Lawrence from AtlasO, more expensive to mail. The good news is we will not raise and John Parker at San Juan Car Co. Too often, we talk about the Standard Mail subscription rate. The bad news is that we the companies but forget there are real people behind the will have to raise the First Class Mail rate. We will keep you corporate façades. Thanks guys (and gal!) for your support apprised of this. of OST. Surprise! Be sure to read all the rules on page 50 of this issue. Pick This issue was all wrapped up except for a few ads. So one category and submit no more than two photos. We’ll imagine my surprise when I received the Weaver ad you take it from there. see in this issue — N&W steam-era cabs are coming! The Coming Soon! lowdown on these brass crummies is that Weaver will do We have a number of scratchbuilding articles in the hop- the class CF (wood) and CG (steel, no windows in the ends) per and we can promise one per issue for the next year. cabin cars, painted and lettered, with interiors, for about If you have never attempted to scratchbuild a model, now $260 each. Diesel-era paint schemes will be available, too. is your chance to try. It is not that difficult, especially when How cool is that? I still hope some of you will try your hand you have someone lead you through it step-by-step. We will at scratchbuilding one of these cars simply because it’s fun. have articles on flats, gons and tank cars, all of which every- That’s it for this issue. Keep Highballin’ ◆ one can use more of on their layouts.

62 • O Scale Trains - May/June ’05 O 40'Reefers-OST-FULL-0305 3/14/05 11:13 AM Page 1

ACCEPT NO IMITATIONS O 40' Rebuilt Wood Reefers - New Paint Schemes! O 40' Wood Reefer (Original Body) - Special 4-Pack!

It's time for some Spring Reefer Madness with the release of the Atlas O 40' Rebuilt Wood Reefers with New Paint Schemes and a Special 4-pack of the Original Body, 40' Wood Reefers. Atlas O's reefers are always popular, so don't delay, and head down to your local hobby store to pick up yours today! 40’ Rebuilt Wood Reefer Features Include: • FREE! Optional 3-Rail Scale Adjust-A-Coupler™ System included • Simulated metal roof • Modernized braking system • Raised hatch platforms with simulated hatch plugs • Brake wheel and brake housing • Underframe details • And more! 2-rail versions feature die-cast scale couplers and scale 33" wheelsets.

Item #6792-3 SPECIAL 4-PACK!

Item #9156

Item #6792-3

Item #9157

Item #7792-3

Item #9158 NE W PAINT ITEM # ITEM # SCHEM 3-RAIL DESCRIPTION 2-RAIL ES! Item #6792-3 O 40' REBUILT WOOD REEFERS 40’ Wood Reefer (Original Body) Features Include: - NEW PAINT SCHEMES! - ITEM # ITEM # 8150 Undecorated 9150 3-RAIL DESCRIPTION 2-RAIL • FREE! Optional 3-Rail Scale Adjust-A-Coupler™ System included 8156 Lackawanna 9156 O 40' WOOD REEFERS (AS BUILT) • Separately-applied ladders, grab irons and stirrups 8157 M&St.L 9157 - SPECIAL 4-PACK WITH ORIGINAL BODY STYLE - • Separately-applied door hinges, handles and latches 8158 Silver Edge 9158 6792 Grand Union 7792 • Separately-applied opening roof hatches, hinges and latches Four road numbers are available per road name, except Ralston Purina • Highly detailed ABS body • Opening doors • And more! for Silver Edge which has two road numbers. Blatz Kraft - Phenix 2-rail versions feature die-cast scale couplers and scale 33" wheelsets. One road number is available per road name. One of each road name will be in each case.

For the NEW Atlas O 2005 Spring/Summer Locomotive & Freight Car Catalog, please send $5 ($7 outside the US) to the address shown below.

Atlas O, LLC. • 378 Florence Avenue • Hillside, NJ 07205 • www.atlasO.com Just Announced NYC J3 Empire State Express This Famous J-3 Hudson was streamlined spe‑ cifically to match the “Empire State Express” train. Made with nickel plated brass, this fine scale model will steam your way in 2006. Only a limited quantity will be produced. Pittman Powered with our “Quiet Drive” Mechanism. $1099.95 + $30 S&H Late Allegheny SE The last class of H-8 Alleghenies (1645- 1659) are coming in 2005. This Special Edition production will consist of only 50 models in 2-Rail O Scale. This later class of Allegheny had overfire jets on the firebox. Pittman powered, super detailed in brass. $1799.95 + $40 S&H MP54 - Electric PRR fans pay attention. These self-propelled 54' coaches, were very numerous on the PRR and LIRR (no pantograph). With full interior detailing, overhead constant voltage lighting and working pantograph these scale MP54s will be rambling your way in late 2005. Propelled by in-truck mounted motors $499.95 + $20 S&H NP Z-8 Challenger SE The Grand Daddy of all Challengers, the NP Z-8 will be arriving in June 2005. Only 40 NP and 10 SP&S (Oil) will be produced in 2R O Scale. The Z-8 will have all the features you have come to expect from Sunset Models. Order today, as this short run will not last long.

$1799.95 + $40 S&H

Sunset Models Inc. 37 South Fourth Street · Campbell, CA 95008 · 408-866-1727 · fax to 408-866-5674 · www.3rdrail.com