Recently I was able to obtain an Arbour Models J-1. However the model no longer had it's instructions. The loco is mostly complete and I could probably finish it off w/o the instructions but if anyone has a copy of these instructions I would gladly like to work out a deal for a photocopy of them.

Also, if anyone also has had any experience in assembling an Arbour Models kit, I see on my J-1 that solder was used to assemble some of the body parts on the boiler and cab. Was solder commonly used in assembling these locos? If so, what watt iron was used? I see glue used on other parts(see my post about removing glue in the Tips & Tricks section).

Please, share any thoughts about these kits. I've read that they were considered more of craftsman kits, then loco kits from Bowser, Mantua, or Roundhouse.

Thanks, Mark

I recently obtained an Arbour Models PRR J-1. The J-1 is mostly assembled, however there are some detail parts I feel I need to remove to fill in some jagged gaps the previous owner left. Mainly I need to remove the footboards which have been glued in place. Delicately!!! So I'm looking for suggestions on what to do to remove the old glue. Arbour Models I think are extremely rare especially the J-1 as I have only ever seen one other of these in a parts box being sold as incomplete. So, I can't afford to lose any parts. Any help would be appreciated.


Mark

There's a saying in Model Railroading: Whatever it is, there's a prototype for it!

What I'd like to see here are real, prototype locations that seem to violate the established 'rules' for model railroading:

Super sharp curves, crazy grades outside of logging lines, spaghetti bowls. 'missing the christmas tree' loops, 'badly soldered points', 'poor ballasting', 'cars not weathered properly', and other silly rivet-counter complaints.

I have this loco:



and a few of the Tyco bicentennial boxcars.

what I need is a small layout idea to showcase them. a place where it is always July, 1976

...otherwise known as the ongoing saga of building a partial second level of my layout.

This extension has been part of the overall layout plan since the beginning, although most of what's already in place never had much of a formal plan anyway.
Here's the layout room, not to scale, showing the layout as it's been for some time. The area shown in grey will be the portion over which the second level will be built.



...and some views of the area about to be developed.
First, south end staging:



The uppermost level, five staging tracks, enters the elevated right-of-way in Dunnville, while the two tracks immediately below represent an industrial district, the tracks also entering Dunnville, but at a proportionately lower level. Here's an aerial view of Dunnville, with the double track at left from south staging, and the single track on the right from the industrial district:




The lowest track, nearest the aisle, represents an interchange with the TH&B (a prototype road from my hometown). This one enters the layout by crossing the aisle on the lift-out, and enters Erie Northshore (a subsidiary of the Grand Valley) in Port Maitland:



Construction of the upper level is pretty straightforward: 5/8"T&G plywood atop a framework of 1"x2" and 1"x4" pine, all assembled with screws. Support is provided by "L"-shaped brackets welded from 1" and 1 1/2" angle iron, lag-bolted to the wall studs.

The first area to be constructed was that for the six track north staging yard. It will eventually enter the layout via a second lift-out across the aisle. The framework was assembled in two parts, then lifted into place and screwed to the walls on all three sides, while the centre on the aisle side is supported by a post built around the steel post supporting the house above. The plywood was then cut to fit around the post and screwed in place:



As you can see, the TH&B staging is being doubletracked. I painted the deck of the upper staging yard black, similar to the lower one - this is considered "off-layout", and won't be sceniced.
Next to be built was the portion immediately across the aisle. With a 25" front-to-back depth, it overhangs the layout below by 4". The extra width is to accommodate a five stall roundhouse and turntable, the latter an absolute necessity on a point-to-point layout :



Here some of the framework is visible, and the plywood leaning against the layout in the previous photo is in place. Lighting is by lightweight fluorescent fixtures hung from the frame:





Naturally, the south staging area needed lights, too:



Next up for construction is the area over Lowbanks (to the right) and Elfrida (to the left). Chippawa Creek, at the end of the aisle, presents a couple of issues, and will be dealt with later.



Again, the framework was assembled in sections, then lifted into place and fastened to the wall, with the plywood top added later:



With the Lowbanks/Elfrida framework in place (but the plywood not yet installed) it was time to deal with Chippawa Creek. Because this area is almost 9' wide and 38" deep, I opted to make the left part of its framing as part of that over Elfrida, leaving the balance a more manageable 6'x38".

First, though, 'scuse me, while I fix this guy - with apologies to Jimi Hendrix.

The "sky" over Chippawa Creek was originally built with framing to support a pair of engineered joists, my idea at the time to provide support, in-turn, for the upper level of the layout. Not too much later, it occurred to me that it would be impossible to get 22' long joists into the basement, let alone into the layout room.



While it was easy enough to ignore the excess woodwork while operating the layout, every photo taken in the Chippawa Creek area required either severe cropping or very skilful composition:



I used a crowbar and a reciprocating saw to remove the worst of it, a fun job on a step-stool while trying to not fall onto the layout below. I'm sure glad of all the planning done when this was first built.
The wall here is stepped, with a second stud wall, partial height, installed on the inside face of the full-height studs, done to support those long forgotten engineered joists. I used some scrap half-inch plywood to build-up the thickness near the ends, then added a scrap of 1/8" Masonite at each side where the sky is coved around the corner of the room. This was fixed in place using PL300, then a finishing piece pf 1/8" Masonite was cemented to that to completed the extension of the cove. The ends were secured with countersunk drywall screws, as was a piece of 1/2" drywall to connect to the surrounding "sky". Everything was then taped and "mudded". The photos below show some of the prep work:







As is often the case once I get "into" a project, I didn't take many pictures during the balance of construction. :oops:

Here's the revised sky at Chippawa Creek/Elfrida:



Here, all of the lights have been installed and the Masonite fascia is being added:



South staging with lights and fascia in place:



Port Maitland:



Port Maitland/Lowbanks:



Lowbanks/Chippawa Creek:



...and an overall view, with Elfrida to the left:



Elfrida's elevation is 2" higher than Lowbanks, and since I kept the lower edge of the upper fascia at a constant level, it left a more limited viewing window. Still, operators will be seated to run trains on the lower level, and the things needed to be seen are easily visible, while the lights and support brackets are out of sight unless one's viewing with their eyes at layout level.
Here are a couple of shots taken at eye-level while seated - the camera's slightly wide angle lense picked up the bottom of the support brackets, but they're not visible when viewed in person:







Next up in the construction, the lift-out between the north staging yard and Mount Forest.

Wayne

This is a call for model railroads to participate in Model Railroads Of Southern California’s next layout tour.

The date for this tour is Saturday, February 21. The tour area extends from Ventura to Simi Valley (but no further east). The tour will be free and self-guided.

If you have a layout I would like you to consider participating in this tour. Participating in a layout tour is a great way to share your work and meet your fellow model railroaders. You’ve probably worked hard on your layout so you might as well get some recognition from people who will appreciate your efforts.

All you need to do is operate your trains. I will do all the planning and publicity, as I have done for forty-two previously tours since 2006.
If you have any questions before committing to the tour, please ask. In any event, please contact me OFF LIST if you are interested at:

<!-- e --><a href="mailto:thecitrusbelt@yahoo.com">thecitrusbelt@yahoo.com</a><!-- e -->

Thank you.

Bob Chaparro
Moderator
Model Railroads Of Southern California
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Model Railroads of Southern California is a free internet group on Yahoo which I founded and operate. Through the group I have organized and conducted layout tours from San Luis Obispo to Bakersfield to San Diego and out through the Inland Empire. Over 500 layouts have been featured on these tours.

In 2008, the group organized the home and club layout tours for the national conventions of both the Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society and the National Model Railroad Association. In 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 we organized the layout tours for the Central Coast Railroad Festival and did the same in 2011 for the 26th Annual Sn3 Symposium. In 2012 we organized the layout tour for the PSR/NMRA Convention in Ventura, in 2013 for the National Narrow Gauge Convention and the 2014 Pacific Coast Region/NMRA Convention in San Luis Obispo.

Gotten this engine a part of a ton of stuff i had won from a seller. Was listed a 2-6-0, probably a PRR F3c, and i had also won a 4-4-0 chassis and boiler. Once I had gotten everything in, well almost everything, i started tinkering. I had found out that the boiler on the 2-6-0 belongs to the 4-4-0 and I put them together and a D16sb kit bash was on my table. I find looking at other people locomotive kit bashes fascinating. The old girl uses a mantua 0-6-0 boiler and pistons, and a mantua/tyco general's chassis (modified), wheels, and rods. Cab and firebox are scratch built. Mounted a spare motor to check to see how much room I have and I have plenty of room. Ordered in detail parts. This is not my first locomotive that i've worked on, but it sure is a challenge. If anyone has a set of mantua/tyco general rods and wheels to spare, i'm very interested in acquiring them. The current ones i'd rather not use, no gear, and the rods i don't like. I'll replace the pistons with ones from a Mantua 4-4-2, something that looks more correct. Well, you all can take a look at her. The original builder did a fine job. If there is any interest in seeing some of my other works, i'll be glad to share them.

Hi there,
I´m a big fan of vintage US-Iron since a long time and have build a lot of US-Cars and Trucks ind 1:25 and 1:24.In 2009 I bought my first vintage car,an ´69 Buick Wildcat 4 door sedan,430cui, TH400.Was a nice ride and I´ve had a lot of fun with that cruiser...


You could rent the car with me as a driver for wedding for example.In the same year i bought my second ride,an ´68 Buick LeSabre Custom 400,4 door hardtop,350cui TH 400 transmission and in original condition with no modifications.


I bought both cars for a very nice price,fresh from the USA I was the first owner here in Germany...My wife and the kids loved to drive with me and my wife loved it so much that sche wanted a car for her own so we bought her soemthing special.
1965 Chevrolet Corvair Monza 2 door coupe.The car seems to be made for here.She´s a fan of the old VW Beetle so the Corvair is the perfect alternative solution...


In 2011 I sold the Wildcat and was looking for something else.And I found what I´m looking for after some searching.
1965 Chevrolet Impala SS, 327 cui,powerglide,white interior.Condition of the car was okay but I think the last owner wanted to convert it into a lowrider or so,don´t know but I wanted to change it.So I bought new suspension,wheels and tires and a lot of more parts,reworked the interior,elektrik,new exhaust,front disk breaks etc. Exterior Color is similar to the original Orchid Evening GM color.



Driving the Impala is very different than driving the buick....The 68 drives like a boat on the sea and the Impala more like a sportscar...but it´s always a lot of fun.The Impala is mostly finished,have to do some small detail,just got the correct rear corner mouldings for it.The season is over for this year I think so it will be stored for the winter and I could work on it from time to time....

Cheers,Chris