Weekend Update 4/8/18

[thomasjmdavis]

I can tell I am getting older, I remember when N was not a scale, but a "gauge".  The first N track I ever saw was in a Chicago hobby shop, and had been imported to run "HOn2 1/2" (also known as HOn30).  The first N trains I saw a year or so later were again, N gauge, and a mix of Euro equipment of various scales and if you were not careful, you would end up with a 1/148 locomotive pulling 1/160 cars.  Not long after that we began to see Aurora Postage Stamp sets, and a friend of mine from 7th grade became one of the world's first N scalers.

And now.....

Well, it's Saturday, and out there, at some museum, there is a crew of guys working on restoring a steam locomotive, using a photo of Max's N scale model as a reference.

N scale has come a lonngggggg way in 50 years.

[SP-Wolf]

Man....... Words escape me!! Max...... Just ........ WOW!!

In awe,
Wolf

[strummer]

I can tell I am getting older, I remember when N was not a scale, but a "gauge".  The first N track I ever saw was in a Chicago hobby shop, and had been imported to run "HOn2 1/2" (also known as HOn30).  The first N trains I saw a year or so later were again, N gauge, and a mix of Euro equipment of various scales and if you were not careful, you would end up with a 1/148 locomotive pulling 1/160 cars.  Not long after that we began to see Aurora Postage Stamp sets, and a friend of mine from 7th grade became one of the world's first N scalers.

And now.....

Well, it's Saturday, and out there, at some museum, there is a crew of guys working on restoring a steam locomotive, using a photo of Max's N scale model as a reference.

N scale has come a lonngggggg way in 50 years.

Too true.

The very first "scale" train models I ever saw was an Aurora set (UP passenger) a friend had received. That would have been 1967... 

And your comment about full-size restoration; the same thought crossed my mind as well! 

Mark in Oregon

[jereising]

Nice, Max.  Very nice.

Almost hate to post following that, but life goes on.

Here's the current state of the Sub:



Drywall work completed and first paint applied.  They are still working on replacing ceiling tiles, finding it almost impossible to get undamaged tiles (at $3 each) from Lowes.  Also floor is going in the south room.

All that big hole was not caused by the disaster - it was close by the track in this area, and I thought I'd do a revamp while I was at it.  So yes, I did some modeling last week.  Or destruction.  Cleaned up around the Bealville ranch also...



A closer shot of the ripped out hill.



And I don't think this will be all that much trouble to fix; I used cardboard between the tracks and it dropped away when prodded; figure to stuff weatherstripping up from below and reballast.  Sure am glad I keep extra on hand!

[strummer]

Such a nice space for a layout; to say nothing of the layout itself! 

Mark in Oregon

[Maletrain]

  [Best emoji I could find, but, in this case, it doesn't mean "surprise", just eye-popping awe.]

[lashedup]

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!

That is amazingly outstanding Max!  If you told me that this photo was of an N scale model I would never believe you!  Honest! You are an epitome of a master model railroader!

Agreed.  That’s outstanding Max. 

[DKS]

Well folks, today is the day.

There will be a final installment with the last few
"step-by-steps" on this project in the main project thread in a few more days.

But for now, I just need to sit quietly and think about what happened last night
when I attached the bell rope and checked the final item off the work list.

Max wins the interwebs.

[mu26aeh]

I picked up 3 Fox Valley Hoppers today from their newest release.  Very nice cars.

[SAH]

Max = Incredible  I received my first N gauge train set in 1969.  We certainly have come a LOOOONG way.

I the same vein, I attended a throw back train show today in Ranson, WV, sponsored by the Bunker Hill WV RR club.  Like the old days when the shows were held at the local union hall or the high school cafeteria.  No mega hobby retailers.  Mostly tables full of used stuff.  I spent far more time (and money) than I figured.  Got some good deals on nice stuff.  A low key late morning / early afternoon.  And I walked to the show and back!

[atsf3751]

Runner scale?!
As I understand, back in the '60s and even '70s, N scale was considered nothing more than a novelty toy train to play with.  While there were few rebels who utilized it for realistic operation on fairly large layouts (individuals such as the Reid Bros., or Dick Taylor, or clubs such as the Belmont Shore Club and of course NTRAK), but most model railroaders at that time turned their noses up at N scale.

In 1973 I rode Amtrak to St. Louis to visit the Transportation Museum there. While there I visited several hobby shops, one of those I got some very good buys. He was closing out his N gauge (that's what it was then) because the fad was winding down and he wanted to get rid of it while he could. So suckers, like myself, could buy Atlas heavyweight passenger cars for a dollar apiece. I know they were a dollar because I still have a couple.

[strummer]

Kinda like the slot car craze, sounds like...

Mark in Oregon

[mu26aeh]

Also after getting home from the mini-con, I jumped into wiring my LokPilot micro into my other @randgust CF7 build.  I need to get it over to my buddies house who has a LokProgrammer to get the Full Throttle features downloaded but then it's ready for service.

[Joetrain59]

jereising,
   What is your fascia made of, Formica? (then thin version, not lab grade.)
 Thanks,
 Joe D

[draskouasshat]

 A new Atlas rpo has gotten the santa fe treatment. Ill be getting another to do number 75 in shadow line. It does still need stirrups added at the car ends.

Drasko
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