WOW!!! You are an incredible craftsman and master of N scale. This will be a mind-blowing train when finished. Maybe this could be published in one of the model magazines. As a side note, I hope KATO will do other variations of the GS class steam locomotives. Mainly, the standard wartime black units. The only thing to change would be the side skirts and headlight on the front of the boiler. Along with the different tender.
Thanks for the info. It looks like things are moving fast here. I looked at the web sites you posted but i still don't see a good photo of each car. being the poor modeler I am that is what I may need. I'll keep looking and you keep up the posting. thanks
Thanks Steve! I'm with you on the all black GS-4's. Hopifully we will see them at some time from Kato.
I find that same problem Dan. No really good photos of each car, both sides and ends. I have went through magizines, books, videos, and web sites for years. The one thing I find is that the train continually changed, was repainted a few times, cars added, subtracted. So, that is where I say the modellers licence comes in. Mine, (and yours), may not be exactly how it looked, but it will be very close to the real train. When I saw it in Oakland, I just rememeber being taken in by the whole train. I can't rememeber if the car roofs were black or silver. I could probably find out if I did some research, but I like them silver, so I am going to do it like that. Todds decal set is also done in a way that makes doing the train easy. Each sheet shows the car the decals are for, where they go, and what side. Todd has done ALOT of research and talked to several people that worked on the train, so these are the best you can get, hands down. I say, if you love this train, get the decals and go for it. One of my biggest problems with starting a project is wondering if I will be able to do it too. I know I get lucky and with the cars/moon rover/Arabian it looks like I made no mistakes and banged out a perfect model, but if you really look, they are just close enough, and not perfect models. I know I have been amazed myself they look as close as they do from scrap pieces from the bin! Once in the display cars, unless you have a digital camera right up to the glass, alot of the detailing will never be seen....but, you will be able to see them, and know what they are. Heck, you can use paper cutouts, anything. With my back injury and my recovering at home, I have been limited to sitting around here at home and using what I got, which lead me to the scrap bin. I figured if it didn't work, I could find something later that worked better. But, like I said, I got lucky and had scrap pieces and parts that worked. I hope you will be as lucky. I find when I talk to alot of people the biggest hold up in them not doing a project is they wonder if it will be good enough for everyone else. Thats the biggest mistake. This is a fun hobby and that all it is....a hobby to have fun at. My biggest joy from posting my photos and modeling is when I have someone tell me something I did inspired them and they did something themselfs. Thats what moves this hobby forward. Thats also why I Love Trainboard. It don't take long to find something on here that inspires me too! Like they say, a photo is worth a thousand words. And there are many photos on here that inspire. Speaking of a thousand words....I've about said them. LOL New medication must effect the typing fingers! The key to enjoying this hobby is do what is fun for YOU and makes YOU happy.
Got the lines added to the pumper handles, and the nozzles. (BLMA air hoses.) Then got everything mounted on the body. Next to a dime for size comparison.
Steve, are you talking about the GS-6's? They were smaller than the GS-4's with 73 inch drivers vice the 80" drivers. They were "warbaby's" because of their size difference to the GS-4's, overall smaller in size. Kato can easily make this a GS-3 with a single headlight (the cylinder diameter was 1/2 inch larger on the GS-3's but you wouldn't be able to tell). The rest of the loco can remain the same or they could just make a new lower piece on the shell sans skirts. The door remains wide open on how many variations Kato chooses to make since the SP had 44 GS-3 to GS-5's based on this design. It is unfortunate that the boiler from the concor GS is slightly larger in diamter than the Kato, I have an extra light of the GS-3 type and would love to put it on a Kato GS-4. I could turn it down a bit and make new hinges, hmmm this would give me a great excuse to buy another one!
Heres the start of painting on the Fire Truck. Will touch up once the wheels are on. Then I will just have to add steps, and a couple wood planks across the top of the tank. I left the dome unpainted as this is what I am using now to hold this very fragile piece. Need to paint green olive leaves on the sides of the support next to the number one too.
as a side note...Dream Designs is going to be painting up some Kato GS4's in the freedom train colors. I know that most on here have the skills to do it themselves but for those that don't... No affiliation just noted it in the news letter I got today.
Nice job so far Jerry. It has inspired me to look for more paint schemes for more GS-4's. I think my next one will be in the 1/2 daylight scheme that some wore following 1950. The only problem will be de-skirting the kato engine. I think I may just graft a set of running boards off the CC warbaby shell that I have remaining from my P-10 project.
Excellent work! I can't imagine trying to do the AFT in N scale .. these old eyes would give me fits. I am going to put in a plug for several websites run by Todd Schannuth. Aside from the actual crew, I don't know of anyone out there that knows more about the AFT than Todd. http://www.freedomtrain.org/ This site has tons of info about the AFT AND the PA-1 powered Freedom Train, including disposition of the cars, locomotives, etc. For anyone that is interested in the AFT, this is one site that simply can't be passed up. http://www.accuen.com/ This is Todd's site where you can purchase DVDs about the journey of the AFT. The wealth of modeling information contained in the two DVDs is beyond incredible. 'Nuff said. Also, there are links where you can purchase decals to model the complete AFT in HO. Heck, the data sheets for each car are more than worth the price. Also available are decals to do the AFT in N scale (Todd notes that he doesn't have them up on the site yet, but they are available). Additionally, he does decals for several of the cars in O scale (again, not yet on the site, but they are out there). Allow me the standard disclaimer. I am not in any way affiliated with Accuen, but I recommend without hesitation Todd's work. For those of us that are serious about modeling the AFT, his decals are an absolute must have. If not for Todd's work, I would not be able to accomplish my dream of modeling the complete AFT in HO. Simple as that. Lastly, I moderate a Yahoo group dedicated to the AFT (and Freedom Train as well). You have to join to be able to view all of the pix, etc (be sure to check out the 'Burlington John's AFT Model' folder) ... requiring membership helps me keep out the spammers, etc. Regards, Burlington John http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AmericanFreedomTrain/
I don't think it is set yet, but most likely between 180-225 I would think. There grand canyon mikato is 230. Pricey to be sure, but nice stuff.
Jerry, Check out Musket Miniatures for wheels for the fire truck. They sell some N scale covered wagons and buggys that might have the right wheels. The also sell some animals that might look good on your "western" layout! LOL Glenn
Dan, Yep! You hit it right on the head! It's too bad that the area is now a practice field for the Bengals. I had several memorable trips that left from that station including a ride on the Autotrain down to Florida. I have my fingers crossed that the commuter corridor will open along I-75 because I live in Mason now and would jump the train to ride downtown for work rather than the darned METRO bus. :-( Resp, John Baugher ps. I'm a retired officer from Nashville PD....my last Sgt was a former Railroad Police Officer with CSX. pps. if you ever get up near Mason I'll buy you a beer.
