Model Railroading > Keeping Busy During the Last Few Months

The last 2-1/2 months have allowed me to engage in "guilt-less" modeling in the house. Of course it also gave me more time to surf on that famous auction site as well. Besides doing some modeling, which I will get to, time was spent creating an inventory using Yard Office. I am about 3/4 of the way through with entering and over 300 pieces. What am I doing looking to buy more equipment??? Seriously, I have seen too many spouses be overwhelmed with collections after losing the modeler.

So during this time I have managed to complete 23 pieces of equipment. Some of these have been recent additions or on my shelves for 20+ years. I normally have about three pieces in various state of construction, or four identical cars in assemblyline fashion. With all of them either Kadee #58 or #158 couplers have been installed, metal wheelsets and trucks painted, weighted to NMRA-suggested weight or slightly more, COTS and ACI decals applied where appropriate, and a clear dull cote. I even kept my sanity and finished assembling a Front Range 63' Opera Centerbeam flat that has sat with one end and centerbeam glued together for ten years. I also finished four Eel River Beer Cars that go back a while.

The latest NMRA Magazine was my inspiration to complete a Single-Bay Airslide kit by Walthers that has sat shrink-wrapped over ten years. I bought it back then for $6.99. I painted out the Multi-Foods lettering, added Reboxx wheelsets, A-Line foot steps, Red Caboose cut levers, and Kadee #158 couplers. Then I weathered it using a combination of oil paint, acrylic paint, and Bragdon chalks. If I knew that it would turn out so nice, I would have replaced the ladder rungs with 0.010" plastic rod. Hope you enjoy! 

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Beautiful model, and excellent job on the weathering. The weathering looks and has a feel of authenticity and subtlety, which not all weathering jobs do. I have been pondering weathering a small fleet of similar N-scale covered hoppers that I have. Your work gives me some good ideas about how to do it. Thanks much.

Beautifully done!! 

Cheers,
Harry

Very nice!

TJY

Awsome!

Even if it has molded grab irons and the roof walk is a bit chuncky, the weathering makes that not really noticable. It looks great.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/06/20 14:58 by wabash2800.