I went to a train show in Columbus, OH yesterday and should probably be arrested for stealing. I was very fortunate and found lots of great N scale stuff for dirt cheap:

* Walthers - State Line Farm Supply: $5
* Bar Mills - Saulena's Tavern: $10
* Bar Mills - Majestic Hardware: $5
* Bar Mills - Shed: $2
* NJ International - Henry Maywald House: $5
* Misc. Micro-Trains rolling stock (new and unused!): All 6 for $5


Everything I got was new. Heck, the rolling stock doesn't even look like it's even been out of the box! In total, I spent $32 ($43 if you count admission and parking) and got $200-$300 worth of stuff. Honestly, I couldn't be happier. I wasn't expecting to come home with several craftsman kits AND some quality rolling stock for so cheap.



Here's the breakdown on the rolling stock:

New York Central
- 50' Flat Car (Fishbelly side w/ side mount brake wheel)
- NYC #499853

Pacific Great Eastern
- 40' Outside-Braced Boxcar (1 1/2 door)
- PGE #4101

Northwestern Pacific
- 40' Double-Sheathed Wood Boxcar (Single door)
- NWP #1934

Tennessee Central
- 40' Standard Boxcar (Single door)
- TC #7962

Union Refrigerator Transit Co.
- 40' Double-Sheathed Wood Reefer
- URTC #10134 (Land O' Lakes Butter)

Eastern States Farmer's Exchange
- 40' Standard Boxcar (Plug door, reefer)
- ERDX #10060

I read an article in a recent magazine (sorry, can't remember which) and the author said that he paints the back side of his windows primer gray. He claims this allows the viewable outside window to retain it's sheen, yet prevents viewing through the whole building.

I was just wondering if anyone else has tried this, and if you were happy with the results?

Well, I got going on the new foundry I was kinda' at a loss on how to build, but after a few hesitant steps (ended up using 5-min. epoxy and CA for this), I got the hang of it, and here's where it's at so far.....

Started by adding a bunch of angular "gluing" tabs to the sides and fronts....


Then started to assemble the 4 walls...


Helps to have a nice bunch of tools to help get the job done...




Hope you don't mind the mess on the work bench.... :oops:
I am now working on finishing assembly of all four walls and preparing the roof sheeting, hopefully will have most of the assembly done tomorrow...Heading out to WallyWorld to get me some gray primer. Will post pics later...

I was thinking about this and thought I would get some input.

2 Sundays ago at the Bucyrus club I was running a Athearn GP7 lettered for R.J.Corman pulling 2 RTR Athearn boxcars..After running this train for about 30-40 minutes I realize how enjoyable it was running a so called "vintage" and "outdated" locomotive was and kinda like stepping back to a simpler era of the hobby..

Has the hobby really advance that far? After all this is the first time I ran this old geep since July.

I got my first Scale55 wagon today. Since we are dealing with 28mm wargaming supplies there is always a question of scale. This wagon from Blue Moon Manufacturing exceeded my expectations.



It consists of white metal castings and a resin bed. The bed has interior detail as well as detail on the bottom. Here is the what it should look like when finished:



Blue Moon has a complete line of wagons that go with 19th century narrow gauge.

Harold

Okay, so i just finished assembling the Athearn Genesis SD70M unit painted in the EMD Demo Paint Scheme. Now i want to super detail it, which is something ive never done to a locomotive before. So, what are some detail parts some of you guys would suggest i add onto this unit to super detail it? I want it to look like the proto unit (#7001) but i dont have the slightest clue as to what parts i should get to add onto this unit, i dont know what the specific details are called LOL.

I know i need MU Hoses, so i was going to get a pack of those and add them onto the front and rear of the unit, but what else? What type of antenna? I dont like the one that came with the unit from Athearn, and would like to replace it, but dont know what to use. After the details are added on, i will be weathering the unit, making an attempt to match the proto unit lol

Im also not sure what the pre-drilled holes on the front and rear of the unit are for? Anyone know? I dont have any parts that would go into these holes left from the parts supplied in the box....

Suggestions of parts and who makes them in HO would be greatly appreciated. Here are some pictures of the unit i just finished, as well as a couple links to the proto unit.













http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.p...toID=94301

http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.p...toID=94302

http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.p...toID=94303


EMDX #7001 is now CSX #4676:

http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails.p...toID=47381

I will not be repainting this unit, instead modeling it before it was sold off to CSX....


Any help in the detail department will be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance,

Question: What kind/amount/watts per sq ft of light do you have in your layout room? And are you satisfied with it?

As I make my plans for my new layout building, I got to wondering how much light I need. For my taste, the more the better. However, this has to be adjusted to reality for economic issues - light fixtures and lamps aren't cheap, and it takes electricity ($$) to make the darned things light up!

My room will be about 20 x 40 and right now I am planning on using sixteen 2x4 recessed florescent fixtures, with four T8 32 watt lamps in each fixture. That is a total of 2048 watts, or 2.56 watts per square foot. Ceiling will be painted white. Since these fixtures will be recessed, I have to make allowances in the ceiling joists before the sheetrock is done. So I am just wondering if I will have enough light based on my proposed plans.

I need to replace the ditch light housings on the Athearn Genesis SD70M. I cannot for the life of me assemble 2 in a row, and im finding myself getting the ditch light housing parts from other older run Athearn Genesis locomotives to replace and use on the current ones im doing. This is very frustrating, and i keep loosing one of the halves when assembling them. I dont know how many of you have done the Athearn Genesis ditch light housings, but they are dang near impossible to assemble without loosing one of the halves on the floor. I have thick carpet, so things tend to disappear no matter how hard i look

I dont see a part number for the ditch light "housings" on the instruction sheet, but the parts im after is the "housing" or the assembly that the ditch lights (which are part number ATHG63825) go up into

What are some alternatives i can use for a SD70M? Who makes one piece ditch light housing that i can just plug in and slip the light up into and be done with it?

I was hoping that Detail Associates or some other detail company would have what i need, but after a quick look, i didnt come up with any. If i missed them, and someone does make ditch lights housings (preferably assembled ones) for a SD70M then please let me know who manufactures them and what the item number is

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://video.forbes.com/fvn/forbescollector/billionaire-train-fantasies?partner=links&boxes=lastslide">http://video.forbes.com/fvn/forbescolle ... =lastslide</a><!-- m -->

Andrew