A mix of kit-bashing and scratch building of late. I recently discovered doing 3' Narrow Gauge using HO trains for 1/55 scale. I'm not very good at it. I call it CRAP Building. I was rebuilding a TYCO switcher as a freelance gas loco and my option was either 1/35 Or, 1/55 HO scale mechs and wheels scale out to a better representation for 1/55. My personal rule is that everything has to be repurposed and home made. Couplers are cut down horn hooks, and things like brake wheels are old gears from watches. I didn't build this gondola, I just covered an old gondola with a thin veneer of wood sheathing, it;s actually an old TYco 40' HO gon. Some of the things I am building on: http://www.freerails.com/gallery/6001/6001_260240_310000000.jpg http://freerails.com/gallery/6001/6001_130412_310000000.jpg https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?media/peir-wall-panel.134345/full&d=1549227145 https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?media/the-tiny-fleet.134082/full&d=1547277990 https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?media/the-tiny-fleet.134086/full&d=1547277990 https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?media/window-sashes.134062/full&d=1547071226
Great scene with the lighting and all, that'll keep the wranglers busy for awhile! Even some manure, mmmmmmmm!!
Yes, I enjoy scratchbuilding. Here are 3 gondolas I built from home made resin castings: I have videos explaining how I make resin castings: https://wnbranch.com/how-tos/ I scratchbuilt this boxcar on the carcass of a MDC caboose: I scratchbuilt the yard office for Wilmington 6th Ave Yard: And since I handlay my track, you could say all my visible track is "scratchbuilt" too.
Very nice station Wolf. Layout setting in Texas, I would have guessed the RGS in Santa Fe. Well done , my friend, Carl
My latest project: a Southern Tobacco Hogshead Boxcar. The model is built from the Ambroid instructions, but the wood has been replaced with styrene equivalents. The core is a bit different than the instructions, since 1/4” styrene is a bit excessive, but the underbody and sides are built pretty much the same as the wood version would have been. Since I didn’t want to sand and seal all the original kit parts, styrene was the obvious substitute. The rest of the brake rigging needs to be done, along with the roof ribs. The Ambroid kit has the as-built roll-up door, but mine will have the later plug door. The guy I bought the original wood kit from said he made every variant of this car.
You have all seen images of my latest scratch project in earlier posts. I though I would add, a "final" report with a short 1:00 minute Y-T video to show it "as planted" in the club layout with sound, no less, as well as operating lights that are 0402 size LEDs. I toned the brightness way down by adding a small pot to the circuit. Hope you enjoy, and thanks for looking. Carl The sound volume has proven to be a challenge when editing for this video. I turned the sound track down to 25% and it sounded good on the preview but in making it into vid the volume seems to seek its own level.