Hello all, I am going to be traveling for a couple weeks but will have plenty of down town. I'm wondering if there are any projects that I can bring with me in a carry on or checked back on the airplane. Is there something reasonable to try to accomplish in my hotel room? Thanks, Jeff
You could build some structure kits, but you would have to make sure the built items are packed so they are not damaged. If you run DCC, you could install decoders in a couple of locos. If you have room, you could pack one of the Kato track sets, a power pack, and some rolling stock and play trains on the road. John
Having a small cardboard box that is broke down and fits in you luggage with some tape gives you the place to put assembled items. Still have to make sure the assembled box will fit back in the luggage. Then a few small kits that will fit in the box once done. I would use some tape to secure any liquid glue bottle tops if that is used against leakage. Of course the airline tend to go ballistic nowadays for any thing that remotely is hazmat so you would have to be cautious about glue and paint. I would tend to just dip into my railroad library rather than go through the hassle and take along a good book like the White Cascade story about the Wellington avalanche or similar.
It's been a while since I've had any 'spare time' on the road, but one of the things that worked best for me in the past was decal projects. I'd take the trucks off carbodies, get the painting projects done in advance, and then have 5-6 cars that needed decal work with me. Other than a pair of tweezers and a set of embroidery scissors you don't need much except good protection for the cars/locomotive bodies themselves, and plenty of time. I did my entire 30-car ATSF unit coal train that way.
I would guess there might be some difference between checked baggage and carry-on items. I wonder what a call to the airline might reveal? Myself, I would lean toward what John suggested. Reading materials. Maybe a sketch pad and drawing utensils. And a camera in case there is some railroad activity near by, or some item of possible modeling interest such as an old building...
I second what Randgust said. When I used to travel extensively, I always had several car bodies (or engine shells) that I could work on in the room. All I needed was scissors (or small Swiss knife with scissors packed in luggage), decal setting solution (small bottle also in luggage), and a paint brush. Occasionally I would bring kits to build but I had to be careful with packing and making sure I had everything needed to build it without having things that would scare security (but if you turn the blade backwards in an Xacto knife they seemed to allow it to pass).
Hard plastic containers like those made for the Rubbermaid brand work well for me to carry laser kit buildings "in progress" - i.e. windows and doors to install and the like prior to the walls being assembled. (I put windows and doors into walls before I assemble the walls.) One time I did "stained glass windows" for a church with clear plastic and a bunch of Sharpies.
Checked bags: I love to decal while out of town. It is tedious and being stuck in a hotel room with nothing to do will help me keep on track. My kit consists of a small tackle box with an xacto, tweezers, various brushes, micro sol, micro set, solvast, and liquid decal film. I also carry small tweezers, a metal ruler and sometimes calipers. Don't forget the decals and model! For carry on options, I stick to a magazine and tablet. The TSA is very fickle, and I actually managed to get searched at Dong Murng airport in Bangkok a few days ago because they thought my Shinkansen was a knife. So, check the decals. Leave sharp pointy bullet trains at home.
I am like Daniel. I travel with decaling projects. I have a hard plastic box with partitions in it. Scissors, decals, tweezers, solut
Try again. I include scissors, tweezers, decals, decaling solutions, undec cars, and a couple small paint brushes. The box is small and flat and fits in my checked bag easily. Carry-ons can be a problem with some security. I got stopped in Canada because of the scissors, but things have eased some in recent times.
On us flights ive had no problem with locos on carru on and unitrack tools and oil checked. I like running a loco in the room. Many have tables desks or tv stands big enough
Thanks for the ideas everyone. I'm in LA this week and stopped by the very nice train store near the Burbank airport. I found a few items that I need. I spent today gathering some supplies from an art supply store, a bead store, and radio shack for upcoming projects. I always find it hard to make time to do that while at home. I am back next week and have decided to bring weathering supplies and rolling stock. Also, I have fence posts and telephone poles to paint. And I've got a day off completely that I was thinking to use that time to get over to Cajon Pass.
Spent some time in the hotel today painting the parts for utility poles and fence posts. I hand painted the poles with several different cheap acrylics. I dunked the cross pieces and fence posts in various watered down paints before wiping dry. Then rolled everything in powdered chalk to tone it all down. I still have to figure out braces for the cross pieces and insulators. Tomorrow I'm headed to Cajon. Next hotel modeling project is freight car weathering.