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flow insert the hinge in the hole andgently apply heat to the part in anattempt to make the solder flow to thehinge itself. As soon as this occursimmediately withdraw the heat andquench the area. Inspect the hinge carefullyto make sure no solder has flowedinto the actual bearing surface and thenjiggle the part with the forceps to makesure the joint is secure. Repeat thisprocess with the other hinges.Now slide the window frame pin inplace selecting the appropriate brasswire. The absolute smallest wire thatwill fit should be used, a 0.015 diameteris about right for this. If the wire doesnot fit into the hinge hole either thehinge has some brass from the castingprocess within the hole or there is somesolder in the hole. Either way it is necessaryto ream the hole with a small drill.This should be done with a #75 to #80number drill. Install the pin leaving aslight extension on either side of thehinges.There are several wing windowframe castings commercially availablebut I make my own. Prototype wingwindows are actually “C” shaped andthey are made of “U” channel. However,I have never seen or been able tomake “U” channel small enough to beprototypically correct. So what seems towork best here is to make the frame outof 0.015 brass wire or to use one of thecommercial parts filed closer to prototypicalsize. I have a pair of needle nosepliers with customized tips which Iground using a Dremel cut off wheel(Fig-4). I form the actual windowframes by bending the wire as shown inFig-4. To make the wing windows uniformyou make a small notch on theneedle nose shaft to show at what pointto hold the wire for the bend. One moreimportant point here is that in bendingthe wing window the height of theframe must be very close to the distancebetween the two hinges. If there isexcessive slop or play the hinge pin willFig.4extend below the hinge the wing windowwill fall out of the upper hinge. You mayhave to make 1 or 2 of the frames beforeyou get it just right.The first step in attaching the frame tothe hinge pin is to paint the pin with liquidsolder flux while it is in placebetween the two hinges. Apply heat atvery low flame in a rotating fashion tothe center of the pin and apply the smallestsolder possible almost immediately. Itis critical here that the solder not flowinto the hinges themselves. The amountof solder applied to the actual pin can, ofcourse, be regulated and steered using theflame. The next step is to tin the side ofthe wing window frame which willattach to the hinge pin. Try to keep thesolder as centered as possible. Examinethe parts and make sure that there is notexcessive solder but yet enough to holdthe two parts together. This will be a verydelicate joint and requires some care indoing it correctly. I would suggest thatthe first several times you try this the cabitself be held with a clamp to the workplace. Now jig the wing window frame ina similar fashion and move it into itsproper location against the pin. It isimportant here that the wing windowframe be touching the pin. There must beintimate contact for the solder to flow.Once this is set up and you are satisfiedthat the jig gives good contact, you areready to apply heat.Only a very tiny amount of heat isnecessary to make this joint. Furthermorethis is one case where the jointmust be quenched immediately. You canalways re-tin and re-flux the joint, but ifthe joint gets too hot and solder flowsinto the hinges then the whole thing hasto be disassembled and cleaned up. Sonow keeping the flame low, bring it upto the middle point of the hinge pin andgently work it in a circular fashion untilthe solder starts to turn silver and flow.Immediately quench the flame, removethe jig holding the window frame andyou should have a working wing window.*Precision Scale Models, PO Box278, Stevensville, MT 59870 406-777-5071, psc@ixi.net(Ed. note: We discovered, as didHarry, that there is no discussion ofworking doors in this series. We doextend our apologies to our readers andpromise that working doors will be coveredin a future article. Next up fromHarry will be Cab Awnings and Curtains.Watch for it in O Scale Trains #5coming in November.)◆12 • O Scale Trains

LocomotiveServicingBayNeville Rossiter, Perth, AustraliaNo, this is not your normal loco bay on the layout. This one is actuallyoff the layout... well on the edge of it. I needed a place to occasionallyplace my locos upside down to do minor repairs, and oil and clean thewheels. This is what I use and how I built it.At one end there is a small space to accommodate the odd tooland the author’s favorite beverage.The Shelf. My layout only uses diesels, mainly Weaver and Atlas,so the shelf was made to fit those locos.Cut a piece of 3/4" plywood or chipboard 22" x 10" andscrew it to the underside of the baseboard.To clean the wheels I use a Peco (PL-10) Wheel Cleaning Brushand Scraper but I believe that Kadee also make one. Power source forthe wheel cleaner was taken off the Control Panel next to the shelf.I use foam out of a Weaver loco carton to line the shelf andhold the locos . Cut it to the size you require.O Scale Trains • 13

NarrowMindedStill Going and Going and Going....This is our fourth issue of O Scale Trainsand while we are obviously devoted to 1:48scale, it’s good to see a healthy interest in“The King of Scales” in other magazines,by manufacturers, at trains shows and conventionsand on the internet. I agree thatthere has never been a better “time” for OScale modeling than right now.I believe the majority of readers of OScale Trains model in standard gauge and Iknow there are many fine railroads in variousstages of planning, building, re-buildingand completion, so I want to suggest to you“Chief Executive Officers” that you consideryour line’s past while you are still workingon its present and future.Regardless of whether you are modelingtoday’s super power, second generationdiesels, early diesels, late steam or an earlierera, dont forget “Old Number Nine” thatserved your line well until it was retired.Preserve an older locomotive and the occasionalpiece of historical equipment on aback track or in a display area and youmight even drag it out for a special run onoccasion. A blast from the past will stillarouse interest and be right at home with themost modern equipment.Being “narrow minded,” I expect thatmost of us have a few pieces of narrowgauge equipment that we have accumulatedover the years and I suggest that, even if youdon’t operate a narrow gauge feeder line,you could put together a pretty interestingdisplay of old mining cars, log cars, a coachor two and a narrow gauge locomotive tocontrast with your more modern equipment.The collection could go down near the station,beside the roundhouse, near the headoffice, in the town park or beside the mainlineand it could be lettered to reflect anearly chapter of the history of your railroador an obscure industrial line. That funkynarrow gauge railcar might be fenced in,under its own shelter, displayed on a frontlawn, or even loaded on a flatcar. It could beold and rusted or recently restored. Dreamingup the history of your display piecesmay be a challenge and provide anotherdegree of legitimacy to your modeling.As a display, the equipment does notnecessarily have to operate, the tracks donot need to be wired and the collection canbe in an early stage of collecting oradvanced stage of presentation. All in all, itcan be a satisfying time of creating an interestingdisplay. For the adventurous, a sectionof your standard gauge track might bedual gauged with a narrow gauge switchand your display might venture out onto the“widegauge” on occasion.I invite you to create a narrow gauge displaybeside your standard gauge tracks andsend a photo to me or the magazine forfuture inclusion in this column or a specialarticle. You may find it to be a satisfyingdiversion to other mundane tasks.On another track, I invite readers toexpress their thoughts on the future directionof the “Narrow Minded” column. InOST, I hope to encourage traditional OScalers to experiment with narrow gaugeand widen your horizons while you narrowyour rails.For those confirmed narrow gaugersreading OST, I invite you to let me know ofyour interests and share some photos ofyour work with all of us. Send letters to theeditor or to me and it will help guide myfuture efforts.Dont forget the National Narrow GaugeConvention coming up on September 4-8 inRhode Island. (see below) There is sure tobe a strong contingent of O Scale narrowgaugers in attendance and members of theOn30 Conspiracy will meet privately to discussOn30 and O Scale in general. I believethat the forthcoming On30 Bachmann Shaywill have a major impact on modeling in OScale and arouse a lot more interest in narrowgauge and O Scale Trains. It may be ondisplay at the NNGC.To contact me, email to [bobber@sympatico.ca]or write letters to O Scale Trains.◆Lucky Strike Herald!CGW 40’ Plug Door Box CarOne-of-a-kind! Nicely weighted. 5 numbers(all in the series). Scale and 3-rail.. R-T-R.$36.00 + $9 for optional 3-rail diecast trucksand couplers. $5/$6/$9 shipping & handling.Call or email for our In Stock ListANDERSEN’S TRAIN STATION21 Central St Holliston MA 01746Phone 508-429-6494 FAX 508-429-7380Email Norm_Andersen@msn.comUNDER NEW OWNERSHIPZ N TT HOn3 HOOn30 S O 1/20.3 G/No.1Send $2.00 for 16" sampleHomaBedPO Box 970 • French Camp, CA 95231209-234-9486 Voice • 209-234-6487 FAXwww.homabed.comCentral’s Latest ReleasesGP38-2, GP40-2, SD40-2, SD40T-2 & SD45T-2GP40-2The finest in modern O Scale Brass. 2 or 3 rail operation. Machinedbrass frames and fuel tanks, Pittman motor with dual flywheels. Yourchoice of gear ratios, wheelsets, detail parts, etc. Custom built toyour specs. Kits $650 - $800. Custom built, painted and lettered$1100 to $1400.Central Locomotive Works17525 Alder St Ste 46 • Hesperia CA 92345ph 760-244-9222 • fax 760-244-9322e-mail clw2000@earthlink.netwww.centrallocomotiveworks.com14 • O Scale Trains

Overland Models delivers . . .The Finest ‘O’ Scale Diesels s SignalsOur family-operated business is pleased to deliver the finest handcrafted brassscale models on the market today to your model railroad. We work hard tobring you all of the details you’ve come to expect from OMI . . . no matterwhat the scale. Our staff travels far and wide to find new and unique projectsfor your favorite road. We also enjoy visiting with modelers at the many trainshows around the country to learn just what you want us to produce. You cancount on Overland Models to be there with the very best in model railroading! CANTILEVER SIGNAL BRIDGE with two signals facing opposite directions, factorypainted black with black targets and silver control box. Can easily be illuminated withthe addition of lights (not supplied) — OMI #0808.1Other Signal Bridges are available, check our website www.overlandmodels.comfor complete details.EMD “SD70M”Demonstrator Nos. 7000, 7001 and 7002.Factory painted gray/maroon/silver, completely lettered, andequipped with operating head and ditch lights — OMI #0625.1CONRAIL“SD70” Nos. 2557 and 2580. Factory paintedblue/white/black, completely lettered, and equippedwith operating head and ditch lights — OMI #0627.1NORFOLK SOUTHERN“SD70” Nos. 2559 and 2573. Factory painted blackwith white sill stripes, completely lettered,and equipped with operating head and ditch lights — OMI #0627.2Overland Models, Inc.Email: info@omibrass.com • Website: www.overlandmodels.com • 3808 W. Kilgore Avenue • Muncie, IN 47304-4896 U.S.A. • 765/289-4257O Scale Trains • 15

Product News & ReviewsReview: SGL Lines Reading Class G-3Pacific and Passenger Cars.SGL Lines, 4017 Cory Lane, ChesapeakeVA 23321 ph/fx 757-465-5566Reviewed by Harry Heike, Jr.Brief HistoryThe Reading G3 was the last Pacificbuilt in the United States. There werenine of these built, engines #210 thru219. These engines differed from theReading G-1 and G-2 Pacifics in thatthey were heavier with a larger boiler, acenter boxpok driver, Worthington typefeedwater heater, shrouded check dome,semi-streamlined shrouding, and fireboxcovers. These engines ran from1948 to 1958 when they were allscrapped.The series 2000 passenger carsreferred to as Turtleback Blimps were ofthe PBT class rebuilt from the PBMcoaches. They ran from 1948 to 1981 onthe Schuylkill and the King Cole, twoReading name trains. They also ranfrom Philadelphia to New York on themain line trains. They also saw use onSEPTA (South Eastern PennsylvaniaTransportation Authority) lines. Someof these cars remain at the DanburyRailroad Museum in Danbury, Connecticut.The Models: G3 PacificOriginally conceived as three railprojects, great pains were taken to makeboth these models correct and to scaleso that two railers would not be disappointed.Some examples for the G3 arethe unique ribbing pattern on the stack,correct shape and size for the checkshroud, the forward leaning sand dome,the correct the ride height so that the firebox skirts were in correct alignmentwith the trailing truck. Many photographswere studied to get these detailscorrect. A detail such as the distancebetween the window top and the onsetof cab roof curvature has been incorrectin Reading models in the past. Otherdetails which were added are the rearcab stiffener with vents and a rear cablight. Lettering and striping were decidedupon after much research to assureprototypical accuracy.The overall impression of the G3model shows a great fidelity to the prototype.The cab interior is very completefor a model in this price range andincludes all of the major details. Theoverall dimensions agree very closelywith the only check print available atreview, which was a Wyswesser printfrom Ready Model engineers dated1948. Wheelbase, wheel and driverdiameters agree with the dimensionsgiven in the Wyswesser prints.The finish is matte black and I couldnot find any particulate matter anywhereon the engine or tender.The engine has a very smooth, quietdrive consisting of a Pittman 9000 seriesmotor geared through a belt to a paralleldrive rod and transmission mount on thethird driver.The tender is accurate in dimensionas well and the tender trucks are verycrisp cast side frames.I was impressed with the quality ofthe lost wax castings. One detail which Idid point out as lacking was the uniqueReading handrail stanchion. It is myunderstanding from SGL that this partwill be available as an aftermarket addondetail. Another detail which I foundlacking was the bolt detail on the stackflange. SGL also informs me that anupgraded stack could be available as anaftermarket item if modelers so desire.The G3 is an excellent model thatlooks and runs well.Series 2000 Passenger CarsThe passenger cars, to me, are morestriking and more impressive than thelocomotive. These cars have superb rivetdetail, both throughout the roof, and thesides. The strap rails are detailed bothvertical and horizontal.The window dimension and spacing,rivet spacing and location all agree withthe check prints which were again byWyswesser. The end doors operate onall four corners and have a very sturdyspring loaded hinge. I could not get oneto fail. The underbody detail is somewhatsparse, however, that detail whichis present is well executed. The cars arefully skirted. The skirt is carried aroundto the ends as in the prototype.The cars are equipped with a highquality removable rubber diaphragm.SGL has indicated that an a upgrade kitwill include the proper Reading strikerfaces and elliptical springs. I have seenthese and they are of excellent quality.The cast trucks are a composite typeof sideframe. They have full non-functionalspring detail.And now for the surprise... these carshave a full interior with a checkerboardfloor. They also come fully lighted withhigh quality, high intensity overheadlighting. The windows have shades andthe name car, Wall Street, has both sideand top shades. The windows have the16 • O Scale Trains

Product News & Reviewsneeded. In actual practice, this featurewas never used and was eliminated fromfuture designs. Milk was chilled to 36°F prior to loading The mass of 6000 gallonsof cold milk within an insulatedwood car body was enough to keep themilk at a safe temperature, even for severaldays. Temperature gain averaged 1to 2 degrees between the receiving stationand the processing plant during thesummer months. It was kept from freezingduring the winter by the samemethod.The kit as offered is a completelyassembled resin car body whichappeared very neat and square. Someshiny areas on the casting surface werefrom solvent used in making the originalpattern. That is an indication of howaccurate the casting process is.With the difficult assembly workalready done, the modeler is left to performthe installation of details, painting,and lettering. Milk car modeling in thepast has been frustrating due to the lackof prototype lettering schemes availablein decal form. Rails Unlimited hassolved this problem by offering a newseries of exclusive decals, many ofwhich have not been done before. Inaddition, Highball Graphics is offeringseveral new milk car decal sets whichmay be purchased separately.Detail parts can be acquired fromRails Unlimited ranging from PrecisionScale brass or plastic to a bag of pewterparts created just for this kit. This smallbag is recommended because it containsparts such as roof lifting brackets andbuffers which are not available elsewhere.Six and a half foot wheelbasetrucks are appropriate for this car andmade by PSC or Keil-Line.The model should be washed anddried before starting work to removeany possible casting residue. If you usea hair dryer to dry the model, do not useheat. It is assumed that the modeler willsupply their own wood strips for the18 • O Scale Trainsroof walks and various sizes of brasswire and strip for forming other detailssuch as piping, brake rodding and steps.Refer to the instruction sheet for sizesand other application details.Instructions are minimal and areprinted on a single page. Line drawingsare provided for parts placement. AnHO size drawing is included in eachdecal set for lettering location. Prototypeplans and photos of this car can befound in the March 1986 issue of RailroadModel Craftsman. Additional photoscan be found in Volumes 1&2 ofRailway Milk Cars, currently availablefrom Bob’s Photos, 37 Spring Street,Ansonia, Conn., 06401.Choice of paint material is left up tothe modeler based on personal preference.My choice is Floquil primer andlet it cure for 5 to 7 days. Most of thecars in this series were painted a Pullmangreen. A few special schemes usedwhite car sides. I prefer to paint withregular Floquil, using Weathered Blackfor the roof surface and Grimy Blackfor the underframe and trucks. Since thecar will be decaled, it will need at least asmooth semigloss overcoat to avoidtrapping air under the decal. After thedecals are placed and dried, I apply anovercoat of a 50/50 mix of Flat Finishand Crystal Coat to yield a satin finish.If you are a modeler interested ineither enhanced operations or an unusualcar to add to your collection, this is amodel for you. Hats off to Ted Schnepfat Rails Unlimited.REVIEW: 200 Ton Flatcar KitAuel Industries, 13050 Veronica Ln,North Huntington PA 15642,[auelogauge@msn.com]Reviewed by Marshall Vine, U.K.This is a recently re-introduced kitfor a heavy duty 16 wheel flatcar whichwas first produced many years ago. Adrawing of a C&NWR version of thiscar is in Train Shed Cyclopedia No.17on page 204, and a photo on page 201.The model is spot on to the drawing,and follows the prototype closely. Bothdrawing and model are to 17 ⁄64 scale, typicalfor O scale when the model wasfirst introduced. Like the prototype, themain body of the model is one largecasting which reproduces the complexwebs and recesses of the car body andalso means that the most complicatedconstruction work has already beendone. In fact, apart from packs for twopairs of trucks, (your choice of either

Dalman or Andrews), there are onlyfour other parts in the kit, the mainbody, the deck, and two span bolsters.With so few parts in such a simplekit, construction is really quite obvious,so no instructions are included. The onlypotential problem which may arise isthat the use of drills, taps and the appropriatescrews will be required to affixthe trucks to the bolsters and then theseassemblies to the body casting. Thesescrews are not supplied in the kit so thebuilder must use whatever they have onhand of a suitable size. Since I am in the“Old Country” I used our 6BA sizescrews, which, I am told are about thesame as American 4-40 screws. Otherthan this, assembly is straight forward.No detail parts are provided. Handgrabs, steps, and a brake wheel at eachend will be needed as a minimum. Thekit is perhaps not really suitable for abeginner though there are probably veryfew O scale modelers in that category!The first job needed, as in any metalkit, is to clean up the parts. There is afair bit of flash on the main casting, butthe metal, a soft zinc alloy, is easilycleaned up, and the usual selection ofsmall files will make short work of it.There was also one small blowhole inmy casting which needed filling. A couplerpocket for an old style dummy coupleris cast into each end of the frameand deck, but most builders will probablywant to do as I did and cut these offand replace them with modern Kadeecoupler. Take care to use the plastic draftgear boxes to avoid possible short circuitsthrough this all metal car.The deck has a multitude of smallslots cast in it, and while most are perfectlycast, some might need cleaningup, and I found this the most tiresomejob of all. A few needed drilling out witha #65 drill, then cleaned up with somevery fine wire-like files I acquired yearsago. It was the need to mark out anddrill these multitude of slots, (used fortying down the load on the prototype),that had for some time deterred me fromscratchbuilding the car. In this kit thework is done for you.The two bolsters were already veryclean so needed only a quick rub overwith a fine file before assembly. Thetruck side frames also needed the usualclean up, but after that went togetherquite easily, apart from the normal problem...that horrible job of fitting thesprings! The kits come with NWSLmetal wheel sets so care must be takento ensure that the insulated wheels areall on the same side. Guess who didn’tand had to turn one truck round!At this stage, I painted the inside ofthe main body casting because of thecomplex ribs and recesses and parts of itwould have been difficult to get at later.The body and deck castings were thenglued together. With all the framing,there is quite an area to glue, so a relativelyslow drying epoxy is the mostsuitable, but make sure that the matingsurfaces are clean and shiny beforeapplying the glue.Drilling and tapping the two holes ineach bolster for the trucks and the twomain pivots on the body, are straightforwardoperations.With the model now complete otherthan the small details, and on the track, Ifound that, having previously removedthe cast on draft gear boxes back to a flatsurface, the Kadee couplers needed a1.5mm spacer to bring them down to thecorrect height. Everyone will have theirown ideas on how these couplers shouldbe fitted, but I cut a piece of wood to atight fit in the hole left by the originaldraft gear box, epoxied it in, andscrewed the Kadee boxes into it with acouple of small wood screws. Oncecomplete it is quite invisible.The usual details were then added.Positions for two hand grabs are alreadymarked on each end, but there should beanother in each corner above the usualstirrup step. Then, in common with mostheavy duty cars like well or depressedcenter flats, there should be a hand brakewheel at each end, and according to thedrawing these fitted in brackets outsidethe end beam and could be loweredflush with the deck.There are two sets of Champ decalswhich are suitable for these cars, either#CN-95, Chicago North Western, and#CN-290, as the Pennsy 200 ton flatseems very similar. Both cars wereapparently painted Red Oxide, althoughI wouldn’t think that the steel decksheets kept much of this paint very long!This is a good basic kit for an interesting,eye catching piece of equipmentwhich is easily assembled, as anyonelikely to attempt it will probably befamiliar with both the use of taps and thedetailing of rolling stock. The fact that itis very slightly over scale for our present1⁄4" scale is not readily apparent. It justlooks that much more impressive! Thecompleted model can be pushed quitehappily through the reverse curves oftwo 3' radius turnouts, (about #6), itsweight of 1 lb. 7 oz. helping it to trackvery well. I thoroughly enjoyed buildingit. The kit is available for $56.REVIEW: 57' Mechanical ReeferWeaver Models, RR1 Rt11,Northumberland PA 17857, 570-473-9434, www.weavermodels.comReviewed by Richard MadonnaHistory:Reefers have been around for over150 years on railroads. Early versionsO Scale Trains • 19

Product News & Reviewswere built of wood and used ice blocksfor cooling. These reefers could travelbetween 200 and 400 miles on oneloading. Considering they were made ofwood and not well insulated, this isquite impressive. The 1940s broughtsteel reefers, but ice was still the maincoolant until the 1950s when themechanical reefer took over.The 57' plug door was first producedin the 1960s as railroads pushed newground with larger capacity cars. Theplug door would allow a larger entrancefor loading and provide a better seal tokeep the temperature steady. These carsalso had shock control couplers to protecttheir precious cargo.The Model:Weaver offers this reefer in 11 roadnames;Burlington, Milwaukee Road,BN Fruit Express, Santa Fe, PFE, FGESolid Gold, NP, Maine Central, Alaska,BN, and N&W MoPac. The version Ireceived for this review is the NorthernPacific Railway #561 in 2 rail withWeavers new die-cast sprung trucks andmetal wheels. I’ve been anticipating thearrival of this model for some time, andwhen I was told there was a delay due tonew packaging, I was a little perplexed.Weaver has always had simple boxes,but due to the level of detail on thisreefer, they needed to improve it.I opened the shipping box to findyour ordinary Weaver see-through giftbox. Inside that I could see things had20 • O Scale Trainschanged. The car was encased by a twopiece plastic wrap. This sturdy plasticsnaps together to surround the freightcar and not let it move. Weaver includes2 rail couplers which you need to install.From the Ground Up:The diecast sprung trucks are a majorimprovement over the plastic roller bearingtrucks. They also add additionalweight down low, though this car probablydoesn’t need it. The reefer felt prettyheavy to me and with the diecast trucksit was rock solid. As with most diecasttrucks, the springs are more for looksthan functionality, but the looks areimpressive. I did finger test the wheelsand they spun rather freely. The nextstep would be for the bearings to spin.The underside of the car is welldetailed, though I don’t expect to see thispart of the car much. To maintain theprototypical look of the car, Weaver hasadded a shock mounted coupler. This isa box that extends the coupler pocket outfrom under the car. Installing the 2 railplastic Weaver coupler was easy, onescrew which they provide. The couplerpockets even have a nicely printed“Keep Off No Step” printed on eachside. There is a tank under the car whichreads “Total Capy 5000 gals Diesel Fuel.”Moving on up:The car appears to be made fromthree parts, two side molds, and a roofmold that also includes the ends of thecar. Scale drawings for a 57' reefer show45' 8" on truck centers, 61' 2" over strikersand 63' 8" over the pulling faces ofthe couplers. I measured the car andcame up very close to 57 scale feet long.The truck centers were right on, thestrikers might be off 6", and the couplerdistance off a foot, so we are talking 1 ⁄4"inch or less difference.This car has eight separately appliedladders. The End-Walks over the couplerare also separately applied and aresee through plastic. It is amazing howsuch a small number of openings can bemolded in plastic, and still be sturdy.The access to the motor has a seethrough freely sliding screen whichopens to reveal a well molded plasticmotor. I didn’t have sound in my version,so there are three small holeswhere the lights will be on the soundversion. In comparing the prototype, Ifound some pictures peering into themotor area and noticed walls surroundingthe motor, and guess what, Weaverhas also molded walls around the motor.The wall paneling even matched theprototypes. They did their homework onthis model.Surprises abound:After sliding the door closed, Inoticed a new detail. There was a smallfuel gauge or timer, which was paintedwhite with black markings, and a blackindicator. It is easy to miss, but ratherwell done. The markings are very small,but the painting was crisp. The plugdoors and their details are molded on,but very precise. This allows one to havean area to pick the car up without havingto worry about broken pieces. TheNorthern Pacific herald was overlappinga metal support, and didn’t miss a beat.The paint blended smoothly from theflat finish of the car up and around thesupport with no silver showing through.The reverse side of the car also has alarge see through mesh grille, though asper the prototype, this doesn’t open. Idid find one picture of a 57' reefer withtwo stirrups near the motor compartment,but couldn’t find a second picturewith this feature, so I am not sure if thiswas added by that specific road. I thinkcontinued on page 40

OSTReed ArtimInterviews O Scale Realty1/4 scale model of the old Colt Arms factory in Patterson, New JerseyEditor’s note: I was introduced to Reed Artim’swork through the photography of Jeb Kriigel. I’dseen Reed’s work at local O scale meets but I hadno idea that everything on his table had beenscratchbuilt. I finally met Reed in person and wetalked about doing an interview for O Scale Trains.I met up with Reed, Jeb and their wives at the YorkTCA meet in April where we did this interview.OST: How long have you been doing this [custombuilding structures]?RA: About four years, seriously. I was trying toresurrect my trains from when I was a kid. One ofthe problems that I always found as a kid was to addrealism to my layout in terms of buildings that wereavailable. Most were Plasticville buildings. Otherbuildings were just out of my price range.This time, when I went to build my layout, Iwanted realistic structures. But when I went to lookfor structures after being out of trains for years, Ifound that unless you were in HO or N, there wasn’tthat much available that was really realistic looking.So, I started scratchbuilding my own buildings.I started with a haunted house I saw in a magazine.Then I built the church my wife and I weremarried in. Next came a gas station. I built whatwould be appropriate to a town.OST: How did you come up with the plans to dothose buildings, for example, the church you weremarried in?RA: The church wasn’t that far from my house soI went down there and took pictures. I used the sizeof the doors to get the overall scale of the building.The model is a little smaller than it should bebecause the church itself is immense.People don’t understand, especially O scalers,how high buildings and trees really are. You look ata tree outside and you see that it is 100 feet tall, thattree scales out to 25 inches tall. Well, 25 inches is abig tree. Most people wouldn’t even think about puttinga 25 inch tree on their layout. And, the samegoes for buildings. I did a barn and people said,“Boy, that’s big.” Well, did you ever stand next to abarn? It’s a big structure.I try to build my buildings to scale. There aresome people who want them scaled down. Theydon’t want them too big. A lot of the kits that yousee, you’ll notice the floors between windows arenot to scale, you might only have a six foot ceilingand nothing really in between the next floor. A lot ofthose aren’t scale, so I try to make [mine] a littlemore to scale. But, if people want them smaller Ihave to build them the way they want. I’ve had peo-O Scale Trains • 21

Reed Artim...ple give me plans and say, “Build it exactly to theplans,” which I’ve done.OST: How did you go from building models foryourself to building them for other people?RA: Basically, people saw my models and wantedme to build them one, and it just took off fromthere. I started building for other people and haven’thad any time since to build for myself. In fact, mylayout never got up! But, people like my work. I’mheavy on weathering and I like to make them lookas realistic as possible. I like them to look realisticfrom a distance but I also want them to look real upclose.OST: Does that mean you manufacture the architecturaldetails? If someone were to ask you to builda building that had lots of gingerbread or a brickbuilding that had corbels, a cornice...RA: A lot of that is available from various companies.You don’t want to reinvent the wheel. YouThis structure is a freelance warehouse made entirely of wood.use what’s out there and what’s available. Sometimesyou’ve got to manufacture stuff your self. Idon’t, as a rule, do any kind of castings. My structuresare mostly one-of-a-kind. For me to cast somethingto do just one building, it doesn’t pay.OST: You did a station in a photo by Jeb Kriigel...RA: Yes, Tenafly Station.OST: ...and that has all these wonderful supportsfor the roof...RA: Yes, those I did piece by piece. Each supportwas made up of 3 or 4 different pieces. But thatmodel was built for myself. If someone had to payfor it they wouldn’t be too happy because I wouldhave to charge too much for it.OST: Okay, suppose someone said, “I just lovethat Tenafly Station. I must have a copy of it.”This O scale barn was built up board by board just like the real thing.What would you charge for something like that?RA: That structure would be in the range of$1000. But, I like to build based on people’s budget.If someone says I can only spend X dollars, then Itry to gear my efforts to that price range. Of course,it’s not going to have the level of detail as someonewho said, “Do your thing!” Most tell me to do whatI think is appropriate and what will look good. Theyknow my work is good and they know if I don’thave to cut corners they’re going to end up with areal nice piece. People who are on a budget, wellthere are going to be certain things that can’t bedone.OST: Do you ever take a plastic kit and modifyit?RA: Oh yeah, I’ve done that. While I enjoy doingthat it doesn’t give me the joy of creativity when Iscratchbuild. People send me kits. I’ve done a numberof kits...Below: This is a scale model of the old Rogers Locomotive Workserecting shops which is now the home of the Patterson Museum inPatterson, New Jersey.22 • O Scale Trains

This is a full view of the Rogers erecting shop model. That’s the realbuilding in the background.OST: You sure you want to say that in print?(laughs) Do you mind people sending you kits tobuild?RA: Sure, I’ll do kits. People have sent me kitsand when I open them up I can’t believe that anyonepaid money for the kit. What happens is, most of thetime, directions are almost non-existent. Piecesoften don’t fit together. A lot of kits need to be modifiedto look realistic. About a year ago I did an IceHouse for an individual. He sent me the kit. Most ofthe dock was wood, but the buildings themselves,which are supposed to be wood, were a resin casting.Why would you do a wood structure in plasticresin? So, I replaced the resin buildings with woodenones. The wood is easier to weather so it lookslike real wood. Plastic resin is more difficult toweather. I’ve done it but it is more difficult.OST: Do you generally work in wood? Whatabout styrene?RA: I like wood. I don’t use scribed styrene if thestructure is supposed to be wood. I’ll use styrene fordoors, sliding metal doors on freight buildings andthings like that. But, if it’s supposed to be wood, ISome of the small sheds that Reed has built.like working with wood.I do use plastic siding for various things. Brick Idon’t scribe by hand. I’m not that crazy.OST: On a clapboard building, do you build upthe sides piece by piece or would you use a manufacturedsiding?RA: Those sheets come in two and three footlengths by about 3 inches wide, so you could puttogether a building using those if you wanted twostories. But you have to double up and connect thosewith a seam. The barn I did, I did piece by piece,board by board. Some of my other structures that Ihave here at the show, they’re board by board. Ifthere is a wood roof, I do those board by board.OST: Would you build a stud wall like in a realstructure?RA: I’ve done that. One of the buildings I soldwas a house under construction. I had all the headers,etc. But there’s no need for that generally. Anythingthat’s not seen, as long as you have goodThis started life as a typical kit storefront which Reed embellished,detailed and weathered.support and it’s not going to fall apart on you,there’s no need to support it like a real structure.OST: Suppose someone asked you to do the singlestall engine house that Fine Scale Miniatures didon HO, based on the John Allen model. It hasexposed walls.RA: Anything that’s exposed inside has to bedetailed and appear realistic. That’s why you fog upwindows sometimes so you don’t see inside. ButI’ve had people want interiors to show so you blackenout the main part of the interior and create aspace around the windows for figures.But I did do a barber Shop for a guy. He wantedthe barber chairs, the mirror on the wall, the mugs,O Scale Trains • 23

Reed Artim...Reed has a “thing” for churches. This is a scratchbuilt typical NewEngland church. He used a photo to build the model.and a waiting area. Actually, that can be more difficultto do than the whole rest of the building, especiallyif you have special features. The Barber Shopguy wanted one wall to come off so you could seethe inside. You have to let in light or have a lightsource so you can see inside. There are a lot ofcomplicating factors when you talk about interiors.Most people don’t get concerned about interiors.OST: But if somebody wants one and they’rewilling to pay for it, you’ll do it.RA: Anything could be done. One of my biggerprojects was the Hinton [C&O] coal dock. I hadpulled out old N scale plans from an old ModelRailroader and I built that in O scale for an individual[Jeb Kriigel].OST: How big was that?RA: It’s over two feet tall, 28 or 29 inches. Thatwas a pretty complicated project. If you’ve got theplans or the imagination, anything can be done.I found that a lot of buildings were not availableas kits. I didn’t find any churches, no stone cathedralsthat were detailed enough for me.OST: Do you get many requests for yard structures?RA: I’ve done water towers and a lot of sheds.People go crazy over sheds because you can usethem for anything. Put a sign on them and call itanything. They are very versatile.OST: Is that about the smallest thing you woulddo, a shed?RA: Well, an outhouse...OST: Have you done an outhouse?RA: Yeah, on one of my buildings. None specifically.I was going to build a couple for this showbut didn’t get to it. But, yeah, an outhouse would bethe smallest thing that you would see. Maybe a coalbin on the side of a building. Some of the buildingsI add some detail to like lumber on the side, barrels,pallets, to jazz them up and make them look interesting.I like my buildings to look interesting. Idon’t like them to look static. I like them to comealive. That’s why when someone says, “Do yourthing,” I love it that. I drool because I have free reinto do what I want.OST: Going back to price. When you take on aproject, do you quote a price? Dollars or hours?RA: If I quoted by hours nobody could afford me.I could get a job at McDonalds and make more thanI’m making at this. But, I enjoy doing it and I workat my own pace. I may work maybe 12 hours off andon. Maybe four of those hours are between 9 pmand 1 am. So, I don’t like to quote by the hour. Iquote by the building and I have a pretty good ideawhat it’s going to cost unless I run into problems. Iask, “What’s your budget?” and tell them if I can doit within their budget. Sometimes, people will forgetwhat they want and they’ll call me up and say, “DidI tell you I wanted it lighted?” To light a buildingwith goosenecks to the outside is time consuming.It’s a lot of work to do, so that has to be all incorporatedinto the quote. As long as I have a good ideawhat the customer wants in detail and what kind ofleeway I have in dimensions and style, I try to quotea decent price.OST: Is there an “average” price?RA: That’s a difficult things to say. It’s all overthe place. You could have a simple structure for $25or you could have something mid-range for $300, orThis is one of the editor’s favorites.It is a scratchbuilt brick and stone power station.24 • O Scale Trains

Another custom built structure.This time a two-stall brick enginehouse.you could have something for $2500 or more. I’vedone museum pieces well in excess of $3000. Theaverage railroader isn’t going to spend $3000 on astructure. They’d rather spend it on an engine. Idon’t build the big dollar items on spec. I buildthem if someone requests them.OST: But you wouldn’t look down your nose at a$100 job?RA: Oh, no. Some people that’s all they canafford. I had an individual who called me up andwanted a diner and he had $100 to spend. I told himI didn’t think I could do it for $100. He wanted a50’s style diner. But I said I’d look at the [York]show. And I found a couple of pieces I was able tomodify into a diner for him. The pieces cost meabout $20 or $30 and I told him I could make adiner for about $150. He said he was glad I calledbecause he’d bought a diner kit and it was horrendous.It was not what he expected. Pictures can bedeceiving in catalogs. So, I built the diner for himand charged him about $150. It was a little morethan he wanted to spend but I couldn’t do it for anyless with the pieces that I bought. And, he wantedan interior done.OST: Gee, that sounds like a good price.RA: It was a great price. I felt bad he bought thatother kit. I don’t want to burn anybody. I’ll workwith them if I can.OST: What kind of backlog do you have?RA: I put some stuff on hold so I could buildsome structures for sale at the show here so I canpay some bills, but I have enough work for the nextyear.OST: So, if someone walks up to you here at theshow and wants you to build something, it’s a yearbefore you get to it?RA: No, because a lot of those buildings may befor one individual. I try to accommodate everyone. Imay be working on two buildings at one time and itmay be something I know I can finish in a shortamount of time. Of course, a project that might twomonths of building time is going to take a while.OST: So, it depends on what the customers wantswhether you can accommodate him now, later ormuch later?RA: Yes. And it depends if the person needs itright away. They want it for Christmas or they needit next month because some people are coming tolook at the layout. I try to accommodate their schedules.OST: Is this what you do full time?RA: I am trying to get into it on a full time basis.Right now it’s probably 25% and 75% somethingelse that I’m doing. I’m an accountant by trade andI retired from accounting. I have a MBA in accountingand that’s what I did in the 70’s. Eventually Idecided I needed to do something more creativethan this [So did, apparently, some other accountantswho stayed in the field. -Ed]. I’ve always putteredaround and worked on my house but never tothe extent that I do these structures. I like workingwith wood. I like working with my hands and I likebuilding things. It was a natural thing for me.OST: Have you ever considered freight cars?RA: I just have no interest. I have a few cars thatpeople want me to weather for them, I will do that.But to build something from scratch... I did somework for a museum. It was an exhibit that was intheir back room from the 1940s. It was a dioramathat was just falling apart. The cars were scratchbuiltand I think the engine was scratchbuilt, too. Itneeded a lot of work. The glue, being about 60 yearsold was all dried out and the cars just collapsedwhen I lifted them up. So, I had to rebuild those.After I did that I felt I didn’t want to be doing cars.The kit-bashed/custom diner as described in the text.It has a full interior.O Scale Trains • 25

This coaling structure started life as a Lionel Accessory. Reed weatheredit and added a few extra details.These guys who build and detail cars and brassengines, they’ve got nerves of steel.OST: Most of the work you get, is it from yourads or referrals?RA: Both. I run ads in the magazines and get callsfrom that and people who get my cards at shows andreturn customers.OST: I don’t know anybody else who is custombuilding structures, do you?RA: There were a couple guys out there, but Idon’t know if they’;re still around. Guys who do thiskind of work, a lot of it is kit-bashing and weathering.I do see ads here and there for architecturalmodels and those tend to be very, very expensive.That’s something that has to be exact and precise.The average model railroader doesn’t want it to bethat exact. Even if he wants a train station in a certaintown, he wants a reasonable facsimile. Ofcourse, the more exact he wants to be, the moredetail you have to add, the more it’s going to cost. ifsomeone says they want it exact and they don;’t carewhat it costs, then you do it exact.OST: Do you have a favorite structure? Do youhave one you’d never do again?RA: I enjoy doing weathered structures: warehouses,sheds, dilapidated buildings. I built the[Alfred Hitchcock] Psycho house. I like that kind ofstructure because you can break railings and breakwindows and peel the siding and things like that.Dislike?OST: You never met a structure you didn’t like?RA: I guess buildings I don’t enjoy doing arethose you can get in kit form. A lot of people ask mefor brick, 2 story, storefronts. There’s lots of companiesthat make those. Look through the Waltherscatalog and everyone is selling those. When I dobuild them, it’s for people who want specific lookingbuildings with names or signs on the buildings.But for a typical two story storefront for me tocharge what I need to charge, it’s not worth it. It’salmost a sin what I would have to charge.I will weather those kits. I’ve picked up a fewCornerstone series kits and I take them all apart andthen weather them and put the back together. NothingI sell do I want to look like plastic. That’s oneof my goals.OST: You mentioned signage. What do you doabout signage?RA: It depends. Some I actually paint on thebuildings. I’m not a sign painter. I’m not going topaint 1/4 scale letters, but I have some techniquesthat I use. Some people want specific signs andthey’re just not available. I don’t want it to looklike a decal. You can’t just print something off thecomputer and glue it on the side of a building. Itjust doesn’t work that way. Every sign is uniqueand I experiment.OST: Do you use a lot of different media whenyou weather buildings?RA: I use everything. Paints, chalk, inks, rustingproducts...OST: I once used oregano and dried parsley forground cover on a layout... smells goodRA: You can do that. I use various painting techniqueswhich gives a good weathering. Scribing,Yes, it’s the house from Psycho.Reed says he just couldn't resist building it.26 • O Scale Trains

eaking windows, peeling paint, you name iteverything is used. Dirt, too.Brickwork, I want to look like brick. Most peoplethrow on a dab of paint and rub it in the groovesfor grout. But brick has texture and color variations,If you have all one color, it doesn’t look real. Ittakes a lot of work, creativity and experimentation.A lot of time I’ll do things over and over and overagain until I get it right.OST: Thanks for taking your time to talk with us.RA: My pleasure.Notes on the lead photo: That’s the Colt building.That’s where the first Colt guns, the PattersonColts, were built. That building which is now aburned out two story structure is still in Pattersonand the city of Patterson wanted a model of it built.Reed built it on order for the Patterson Museum. ◆At left: A partial view of an enormous coaling station Reed custombuilt for a customer. it is so big that it is difficult to get all of it into onephoto. So we didn’t even try. This is one detail shot.NEW O SCALEUSRA DROP BOTTOM GONDOLA• Laser Cut Wood Sides and Floor• Kit or Assembled• O Scale or Hi-Rail•New Roadnames Monthly• Kit, PRR $34.95 • Kit, Undec. $29.95 • Assembled $49.95Another Work of Art from InterMountain Railway CompanyP.O. Box 839, Longmont, CO 80502-0839For photos and complete list of InterMountain products visit our Web Site: www.intermountain-railway.comFor information call: 1-800-472-2530 or Fax: 303-772-8534. E-Mail: intermountain@intermountain-railway.comO Scale Trains • 27

Caboose ConversionCaboose ConversionGary WoodardBrooksville, Fla.Back in the day Atlas made somepretty amazing stuff in O scale. Alongwith the F9, they made some decentfreight cars at a reasonable price andeven a little Plymouth switcher. Oneitem they made then was a little woodbobber caboose. I guess it wasn’t toopopular because there are so many ofthem still out there.This is why I’m writing this article.These cars have provided some of thebest eight wheel cabooses to run on anO scale layout. In a way, they’re similarto the AHM 0-8-0’s that have beenbashed into everything from a 2-8-0 to aBig Boy. So it is with the old Atlas 4wheel bobber. (By the way, you can alsouse the bobber that was put out byAHM as well. It is almost identical tothe Atlas with the exception that the theroofwalk is cast onto the roof. But forthe sake of this article, I will be workingwith two Atlas bobbers.)I’ll start by saying that you can makejust about any size woodcaboose out of these bobbersthat you might like.With this one, I decided thatI wanted a center cupolacaboose. This is the easiest of all theconversions. Start by taking all of thedetail off the roofs of both cars. Also,remove the smokejack from bothcabooses. There will be an extra one ofthese left over, so just toss that into thescrap box.Next remove the underframe witheverything on it. Don’t toss these as youwill be using the platforms once youhave the body shells together. Set all theundercarriage components to the sidefor the moment.Now the fun part. It’s time to startcutting the bodies up. Start by cuttingthe ends off one of the bodies. Be carefulwith what is left of this body shell.Make sure the cuts are straight andsmooth as this will be the center of thenew caboose. Sand the edges smoothand making sure the ends are square.The next cut is on the other bodyshell. Cut this one in half. Don’t be concernedabout the holes left after theremoval of the cupola. These will befilled in later. In the meantime, squareup the mating surfaces on the new endsand test fit them on the main portion ofthe body. Once this is done, you willthen attach them to the ends and createthe new body shell. The body is beginningto come together.Start working on the car details.Start by cutting the ends off one carbody30 • O Scale TrainsThen cut the other carbody in half.Glue the body pieces together. The joints arebacked up with scrap styrene strips. Thenew carbody begins to take shape.

Using a hobby knife. I carved off all the caston hand rail and grabiron detail.Remove some of the dimples on theroof where the roofwalk was mounted.Sand these down level with the roof.Next, remove all of the hand rails andgrab irons. These are cast into the bodyshell so we remove them. I use a numberfive modeling knife with chiselblade. I carefully remove the cast ongrabirons and handrails from both thesides and ends of the body shell. Afterremoving most of the raised material, Ithen sand it down smooth. On the top ofthe cupola are some very lightly casthandrails that are easily sanded down.Now drill holes for the new grabironsand handrails. I use a #74 twist drill in apin vise. This will make it just the rightfor the 0.020" brass wire that I use forthe handrails and grabirons.The next thing is to fill in the roof.This is done by mounting a piece ofstyrene under the roof a little biggerthan the opening in the roof. If you’rebuilding the car the same way I am, youwill have two of these openings to befilled. I just keep building up my plasticsheets until it is even with the roof.Once this is done, I use Squadron Whiteplastic putty to fill in any gaps aroundthe styrene sheets. I also use the putty tofill all the holes where the original roofUse 0.020 brass wire to replace all thehandrails and grabirons after drilling out theholes with a #74 drill.Fill the gaping holes in the roof usingstyrene Squadron White putty.walks were mounted. Once this has hadtime to dry, I sand everything down.I then begin bending brass wireinstalling handrails and grabirons. Forthe curved grabirons on the sides of thecarbody I work the brass wire until itlooks right then I attach it with ACC.On the ends. you have handrails on eachside of the door that are done in ninetydegree angles. There are four each ofthe side grabs and the end handrails tobe done to the body. The next set ofhandrails is on the roof of the cupola.These are somewhat smaller in diameterthan the others.I might add at this point there arecommercially available parts for thehandrails and grabirons. If one choosesto use these parts it could be a little easierthan to make everything from scratch.I just prefer to make them myself.Now for the roofwalk. This is mucheasier than it looks. Start by cuttingenough crossbearers to run the length ofthe roof on both sides of the cupola. Iuse the 0.040" x 0.080" styrene strip. Icut them about 1 1 ⁄2 scale feet in length atthe ends of the roof where the ladderscome up. I cut some about 3 scale feetin length. These will be used to make asmall platform used to gain access to theUse the original end platforms by cuttingthem from the floor.The Public Delivery TrackLocomotives - 2 rail and 3 railAtlas..New..RS-1..NH, NYC, Rut. PRR, LIRR..$319-$359SW's..SusyQ, Raritan, LV, Rdg, PRR, B&M, EL..$225-$349SD-35's..SusQ, B&O, UP, SOU, WM, CNJ, CR..$299-$379Dash 8's..$309-$349. AEM-7..$225...w/ 3 pass cars $349Weaver..Sharks, C-628/630, E-8's, SD-40's..$225-$429...2-8-0 Consolidation..$469-$549. RS-11's...$235-$295...RS-3/RSD-5..Rdg, Erie, NH, CNJ, WM, D&H..$235-$295...U25-B's..RDG, LV, D&H, PRR, MILW, BN....$179-$295...GP-38's..C&O, CP, CSX, ICG, L&N, RDG, RI..$235-$295MTH Premier..E-8's, FA's..$449-$549. PRR P5a..$449..H10-44, Centipede, GP-30, AS-616, C30-7, Dash-8....call..F40, F59, FP-45, GP-7/9/20, FM, EF-4, BL-2..$249-$349Brass..0-6-0, B-6, L-1, K-4, Niagara, Berk...$395-$695K-line..B-6's, E-8's, F-3's, GP-38's, RS-3's....$249-$525Passenger Sets w/InteriorsWeaver..New..Pullman-Bradley "American Flyer" cars-..NH, LV, B&M, CNJ, PRR, RDG..$419. 2-car add-on $219MTH..CNJ, B&M, Erie, LV, PRR, NYC, NH, Amtk..$189-299K-line - PRR, Reading, NYC, LIRR, Amtk..$299-449Box Cars - 2 rail and 3 railAtlas..50'..ACL, BAR, L&N, MILW, RG, SAL, SF..$55-$60New..Wood Sheathed..B&O, CNJ, NYC, PRR, SP..$45-$50New..40' MEC, B&M, PRR, MILW, NYC , more..$25-$3950' plug..PLM, FEC, IC, CNW, Purina, BM, UP..$32-$5060'..DT&I, MKT, NS, CSX, 50th Aniv, B&O, EL,..$35-$47Pecos River..Erie, NKP, KCS, CBQ, NYC, WAB..$39New..C&O, B&O, WM; 50' w/end door SF, UP, NYC..$44Weaver..40'..ACL, ATSF, BAR, B&O, B&M, CBQ, CNJ,CGW, CN, CP, CV, D&H,DTSL, Erie, GN, IC, LV, NH, NP,NYC, PC, PLE, PRR, Rdg, SOU, WM, UP, more..$25-$3050'..BAR, CR, LV, PRR, SCL, SOU, UP, oldies...$25-$30Refrigerator Cars - 2 and 3 railWvr/Crown..NYC, B&M, PRR, LV, BAR, REA..$25-$32New..57' Mechanical...$27.95, with sound..$38.95Schlitz, Century, W/house, Hoods Milk, Squirrel Peanuts,Edelweis, Heileman,Dubuque, Monarch, Pyramid..$27-$30Atlas..Erie, MDT, Niblets, WP, Boote, Kraft, more..$55 & upCovered Hoppers - 2 and 3 rail••Weaver PS-2•• Bakers, Jack Frost, Wayne Feed, BoraxoRevere, Goiden Loaf, BN, CBQ, CNJ, CNW, CP, CR, CSXDLW, EL, LV, NH, NYC, PRR, Rdg, RI, UP, more..$25-$30Wvr C'flow or Grain..CR, LV, NYC, PC, PRR, Sask,Sunbeam, Amoco, Sclair, BN, UP, SP, RI, CNW..$25-$30Atlas..Ches, NYC, BN, IT, TPW, K-M, Sterling..$29-$39Airslide..LV, D&H, SF, CSX, PRR, UP, F'stone....$35-$44PS-4427..BN, SF, MILW, LV, BNSF, Wayne Fd...$50-$60Coal Hoppers - 2 and 3 railAtlas..ACL, CNJ, C&O, D&H, LV, NS, Rdg, WM.. $45-$55K-line...D&H, PRR, LV, CNJ, DLW, EL, Rdg...$40-$45Weaver..ACL, CBQ, Chess., Clinch'fd, CNJ, C&O, DLW,ICG, CR, NH, NYC, NW, PRR, Rdg, UP, VGN, WM..$25-$28Composite..B&O,C&O, D&H, NKP, PRR, Rdg, WAB..$25Tank Cars - 2 rail and 3 railWeaver..BN, GULF, Herc., Trusweet, Allied, ADM, ArmyEthyl, Diamond, Hooker, DuPont, W/hse,Bakers..$29-$35MTH..Tank Train, Domino, Propane, Englehard...$25-$35Atlas..Propane, ACFX, CNTX, Tech, Pfax, UTex,.$30-$50Flat Cars & Other Stuff!Atlas...Auto Carriers...TTX, NS, UP................$85-$99Pulpwood flats..ACL, C&O, D&H, Frisco, IC, L&N..$44-$49Front runners..VTR, Xtra, CSX, Burl, City series..$59-$65Weaver Flats..B&O, CSX, CR, Erie, LV, BN, UP..$20-$30Stock cars..CNW, Armour, PRR, Rdg, Erie, etc..$27-$32MTH Premier..Snow Plows..CR, PRR, NYC...$30-$40Flats/trailers-NS, BO, PRR, Rdg, CR, D&H, NYC..$25-$35Schnabel, Cranes, Jord. Spreader, dump cars etc....callK-Line Diecast Dbl-Stack $49.95. Coil cars.....$35--$4016 wheel flat w/load..B&O, NH, Rdg, EL, PRR, UP..$54-$59Gondolas - 2 rail and 3 railAtl/Ptsen..CNJ, N&W, PRR, GN, Rdg, C&O, NKP..$29.95MTH - NH, SOU, D&H, LV, RDG, PRR, UP, B&O..$25-$39K-line..45' diecast..PRR, B&O, EL, Rdg, CNJ, CR..$30-$45Cabeese - 2 rail and 3 railWvr..CP, B&M, IC, NH, NYC, Erie, LV, D&H, Rdg..$20-$35Atlas..BN, N&W, CR, DH, DMIR, RG, MEC, SF..$52-$60MTH..ATSF, BN, D&H, UP, PRR, Rdg, CR, NYC..$30-$60K-line..SOU, NYC, Rdg, PRR, CR, D&H, EL, UP, NKP.$42-$75Weaver cars w/Diecast Trks/Couplers, add $8.95The Public Delivery TrackPO Box 1035 • Drexel Hill, PA 19026610-259-4945 • pdt@gis.netO Scale Trains • 31

New! O Scale Reading Brass Locomotive & Passenger CarsAccurate Reading Series 2000 TurtlebackBlimp Passenger Cars: Perfect companions forthe G3; Authentic Reading Colors inside andout; Fully detailed and lighted interiors withyour choice of interior seat colors; Detailedundercarriage, Prototypical trucks.Set of 1 Grill car & 4 coaches... $1199 .95Matching 2 car club & lounge... $479 .95Available August 2002.Don’t Wait! Order Now!The Reading G3 Pacific — The last Pacific madein America! All brass construction, Pittmanmotor; Blackened drivers withBoxpok center; Choice of cab# (210 or 219);Directional lighting & lighted cab.2 rail... $899 .95 ; 3 rail w/sound... $999 .95Available September 2002.Also available: Factory Weathering!SGL Lines • 4017 Cory Lane, Chesapeake VA 23321 ph/fx 757-465-5566O Scale Trains • 33

Modeler's Shelf34 • O Scale TrainsAll photos this page by K. Jeb Kriigel

A SPECIAL SURPRISECALLALL NOWOW FOROR THESEHESE FINEINE SCALECALE OFFERINGSFFERINGSIN STOCKNOW!MERCURYPASSENGER SETCOMING SOON!Great Northern Y-1 Electric (Empire Builder)· Only 20 Built· Two DC Motors· Sprung Drivers with Steel Tires· Directional IIlumination· Working Pantographs· 56" Radius or Larger O Scale Track· Kadee Coupler Ready MountsSuggested Retail $899.95 + S&HGN Green Version also available for $799.95 + S&HBrass Mercury Passenger Set:· 4 Car Set: Combine #1001, Coach #1002,Kitchen/Parlor #1003, “Detroit” Observation Car.· Interior Detail with Seats· Overhead Constant Voltage Lighting· Needle Point Axles for Low Friction· Full Underbody Detail· Limited Quantity: (50 2-rail, 150 3-rail)· All Brass ConstructionSuggested Retail $999.95 (4 Car Set) Coming Mid 2003SUNSET MODELS INC.37 South Fourth Street · Campbell, CA 95008 · 408-866-1727 · fax to 408-866-5674 · www.3rdrail.com

INTRODUCING...ATLAS O SCALE TRACK IN 2-RAIL!With talent and imagination, the nation's most distinguished track manufacturer hasdeveloped the only U.S. prototype Track SYSTEM to come to O Scale. Each tracksection is precision-molded with quality craftsmanship and exquisite detailing.Featuring:• Code 148 Solid Nickel Silver Rail and simulated brown ties• American prototype ties and spacing with correct spike, and tie plate and boltdetails• Dark brown tie strip• Turnouts feature highly detailed metal insulated frogs and points• Metal frog can be powered if desired• UV compatible: great for both indoor and outdoor useDownload FREE layoutplanning software atwww.atlasO.comO Track System(Item #7052)*First Pieces AvailableITEM# DESCRIPTIONSTRAIGHT SECTIONS7050 10” Straight*7051 4-1/2” Straight*7052 1-3/4” Straight*7056 40" Custom-Flex Track With Simulated Wood Ties*CURVED SECTIONS7011 40.5” Radius Full Curve7012 40.5” Radius1/3 Curve7062 36” Radius Full Curve*7063 36” Radius Half Curve*TURNOUTS7021 #7.5 Left Hand Turnout7022 #7.5 Right Hand Turnout7024 #5 Left Hand Turnout*7025 #5 Right Hand Turnout*7074 Wye TurnoutCROSSINGS7080 90° Crossing7081 45° CrossingTRACK ACCESSORIES7090 Terminal Joiners (1 pair/bag)*7091 Nickel Silver Rail Joiners (16 pcs./blister)*7093 Insulated Rail Joiners (16 pcs./blister)*7098 Left Hand Switch Machine*7099 Right Hand Switch Machine*Visit your local hobby store today!ATLAS O, LLC • 378 FLORENCE AVENUE • HILLSIDE • NJ • 07205 • www.atlasO.comNorm’s “O”RETAIL STOREP.O. Box 14741 Roosevelt Trail (Rt302)S. Casco ME 04077Scale TrainsMAIL ORDERPhone: 207-655-2550Fax: 207-655-8550Web: www.normsoscale,comemail: info@normsoscale.comNew Limited Runs By Atlas and InterMountainExclusively for Norm’s “O” Scale Trains!InterMountain – “NH” 40' Box Car (rerun of Nat’l Conv. car)2 road #s, List: $48.95, SALE: $44.50AtlasO – FGE Reefer 2 Rail: $65.95; 3 Rail $62.952 road #s • Buy 2 or more take 5% offThese cars started asD&H red pulpwoodcars. When the MaineCentral received themthey simply paintedover the D&H markingswith black paintand assigned their ownmarkings. Atlas will36 • O Scale TrainsAtlasO – Maine Central Pulpwood Car, 2 road #s2 Rail $57.95 • 3 Rail $52.95Buy 2 or more and take 5% off!do the same with thesecars for us. This willbe one of the mostunique cars ever doneby Atlas. We are veryexcited about this specialrun for our store.You must reservethese cars from us.

Reader FeedbackComments on Paul BerntsenI recently received OST#3 the firstunder my subscription. I’m veryimpressed and will certainly be lookingforward to future issues.I was very interested in John Smith’scomments in Crapola from the Cupolaas I was responsible for his initial introductionto Paul Berntsen of The ModelCompany. I was also interested in hiscomments about the Santa Fe 2-6-2.While Paul may build differentlythan a Japanese or Korean builder hismodels run exceptionally well. While heno longer builds for the U.S. market, hehas gone on to build a number of custommodels for me including aWellsville, Addison & Galeton centercab.All my models run straight from thebox and do not need the coercing thatsome of the more expensive Koreanmodels need.It is unfortunate that Paul did not continuebuilding for the U.S. market. With afavourable exchange rate, a stable builderin a country where there are many modelersof U.S. railroads and a stable lowinflation economy many of the problemsimporters are now facing with Koreacould possibly have been avoided.Ian Munro, Wellington, New ZealandComments on Door and a Half BoxI received OST#3 and am verypleased with your new magazine. Basedupon the quality I’ve seen and yourcommitment to Gene Deimling and hisP:48 modeling as a regular feature inOST, I am enthusiastically sending youa subscription.Besides the subscription, I wanted tosend you a few comments directly onyour magazine. Our hobby includesmany different facets that appeal tomany different tastes. Personally, I enjoybuilding accurate scale models of specificprototypes, especially 1940’sfreight cars. This is why I chose P:48modeling over all the others (N, HO, S).Being relatively new to 1 ⁄4" scalemodeling, I was delighted to find Mr..Deimling’s “Door and a Half Boxcar”article. It is exactly what I am lookingfor in my hobby and should be an inspirationto many others to try O scaleand/or P:48 modeling.The Central of Georgia door and ahalf 40' AAR 1937 boxcars have alwaysinterested me, being among the mostexotic variations of the standardizedworkhorse boxcar design. I know of noother door and a half 40' boxcars. WhyCofGa chose this design is unknown tome, but I’d take a wild guess that CofGagot a good deal on left-over wartimeparts when many other railroads werealready ordering 10' 0" inside height(IH) boxcars with “improved” Dreadnaughtends. Most post-war 10' 0" IHboxcars had more modernized versionsof ends, doors, and roofs than the modelGene chose to build. (See “AAR-Style40' Boxcars” by Richard Hendrickson,Dec. 1989 Railroad Model Craftsman).CofGa had just received an order for350 “War Emergency” outside bracedboxcars that used essentially the sameroofs, ends, doors and underframes asthe 1937 design. These “War Emergency”boxcars were also 10' 0" IHwhich is probably attributed to restrictedclearances on the railroad.Gene’s model is outstanding and Ireally appreciated the “Materials List &Sources” at the end of the article. I dothink you could include the completeBody Shop info in the next one. A“Whodunit” like Buck Dean had withhis RC reefer review would also behelpful on all rolling stock constructionarticles, kit reviews, etc.But, what a really good constructionarticle like Mr. Deimling’s, or a good kitreview like Mr Dean’s, needs is a prototypephoto. As part of my own researchon the CofGa. door and a half 40' boxcars,I found two: page 44 of the October1991 Mainline Modeler, and page42 of the July 1991 Railmodel Journal.Either of these photos would have contributedto the completeness of the article.Noteworthy is the fact that CofGa#6450 shown in Railmodel Journal wasactually built around November 1944 aspart of AC&F’s lot #2700 (CofGA 6300- 6499) and had a different paint style inthe builder’s photo. This is very importantto those of us who are trying to beas accurate as possible in our dates andpaint styles.Perhaps Mr. Deimling’s CofGa#6719 of 1946 was part of a later AC&Flot number or came from a differentbuilder. I suspect the paint style is actuallyearly 1950’s and was changed afterthe original paint style was applied.Maybe Mr. Deimling could clarify?Also, the builder’s photos of CofGa#6450 show rib backed wheels and theMiner brakewheel housing is differentand smaller than the standard Ajax. I amunaware of an accurate 1 ⁄4" scale Minerbrakewheel housing. Again, perhaps Mr.Deimling could help.I sure would like to see him give aRed caboose PFE R-30-9 the full P:48treatment.Thomas D. SangerGene Deimling’s reply:Thank you for your praise of mywork. I am glad that I can share mymodeling with the magazine’s readers.Mr. Sanger is correct in that having aprototype photo is best when one canobtain them. I had used the two articleshe cites as source material for the article.The paint scheme depicted wasapplied to the car in question. Accordingto my sources, it was applied in theearly 1950’s. The Central of GeorgiaHistorical Society website, indicates mymodel is part of a Pullman Standard1945 lot with a number series of 6600 -6999. I understood that this lot hadsmooth-back wheels The Miner brakewheelhousing was scratchbuilt. I haveO Scale Trains • 37

several of the Red Caboose reefer kitsand intend to do some work on themsoon. It may show up as an article inOST. Stay tuned.Large Layouts UnderwayIt was with great interest that I read inOST#3 the Importer Roundtable. Lesteveryone come to the conclusion there isno activity in O scale, please let meassure you that is not the case. However,the forum did confirm my opinion thatmany of the hobbyists are busy layingtracks and spending smaller sums ontrack supplies rather than buying largeticket items. [For] the past year and ahalf it has been all I can do to keep upwith the orders. Presently there are manylayouts under construction with a greatnumber in the “large” category. Thetrend toward greater fidelity in models ismanifesting itself in trackwork.Lou Cross, Right O’Way Models(Ed. note: Mr Cross manufactureshigh fidelity scale trackwork products.)Liked Beginners Bash & RoundtableO Scale Trains #3 arrived in mymailbox today, and the magazine justkeeps getting better. Although I havejust taken a quick glance, the BeginnersKitbashing conversion was a nice articleand it goes a long way to show beginningmodelers that, yes, they really cando kitbashing and it will turn out okaywhile sharpening their modeling skillsas well. The Importer Roundtable was areal nice addition and I hope thisbecomes a regular feature as it gives thereaders a sense of being kept in the loop.Thanks again for giving the O Scalers aquality product and for delivering sameon time, every time.Pete KlickRemembering Our HeritageIt is interesting how some of our ‘elders’complain about the new field of 3rail scale. I have only one request thatthey remember from where we ‘O’ scalemodelers came from with an outside38 • O Scale Trainsthird rail running along the side of thetrack which was our AC ground. HO ledthe way to understanding the use of tworails with DC as the source of power. Wealso should remember that we startedout in a scale 17 ⁄64" to foot (which wasvery difficult to use when scaling amodel. Hence the change to the now1⁄4":1ft with 17 ⁄64" track (scale 5'). EvenMax Gray, who I had the privilege ofknowing, built his models with a slightlywider steam chest to allow for the 5'track so the cross heads would be properlylined up to the cylinder and thesiderods would miss them. Big clubslike the NYSME and others changedover and re-wired their layouts and anage of 3rd rail disappeared until now itshows up in the middle of Gargraves andother wooden tied track (even with themiddle rail blackened). We owe a big‘Thank You’ to those 3 rail scalers outthere [who have] given the importers thequantity requirement to get our 2 railversions down in price. You can seewhere the short runs end up pricewiseand as a ‘runner’ I want my engines torun which is model railroading to me.This is just one man’s opinion and I amsure it will be challenged. Remember thefamous expression from Model Railroader;“Model Railroading is Fun.”Vince Waterman, Trackside SpecialtiesMore Roundtable FeedbackI found the Importers Roundtable discussionin OST#3 interesting in thecomplete absence of any acknowledgementof the positive impact of 3-railmodeling on O scale. I was frankly saddenedto see the feeling O scale is causingthe hobby to grow and not therealization that 3-rail hi-rail is where onewould expect most of the growth of Oscale to come from. Norm of Norm’s OScale sounded almost apologetic of thefact he sells AtlasO plastic. I think youwill find that of the manufacturers thatsell both O gauge and O scale, the 3-railcrowd is a much larger audience.To downplay the possible migrationto O scale of this group is just stupid.Not to encourage them to go the nextstep in their quest for detail is foolish.To insult them that they “play withtrains” is really a poor way to encouragepeople to invest in O scale.Brass is over priced, over delicate,and overrated to many operators oftrains. Perhaps the reason so much [ofit] sits on shelves in it’s original “brass”version versus paint is only for “snob”appeal. As mentioned, from three feetaway, many a plastic car looks betterthen brass.The fellow from Overland modelsthat complained that Mike Wolf copieshis engines. Well, I think he copies GMand GE. Overland may be the Cadillacof O Scale, but I’ll bet there’s a morerobust group of Chevy buyers buyingMTH. I certainly will not spend $6000for an Overland Coal Turbine, but I didpay $1000 for MTH’s. If Overland’sTower A in O scale starts appearing inads as a painted model at a “reasonable”price, I might be interested. Or I’ll waitfor a better price from Maryland.Tom Grimason(Ed.: I believe the point Brian Marshwas making is that Overland spends thetime and money to go to GM and GE toget their permission and cooperation tobuild the models they import.)Likes the Hall of FameKeep up with the “Hall of Fame”articles, and add a photo when possibleeven if it is an old one. As a new Oscaler, I’d love to see who I owe thanksto for keeping O scale alive and wellprior to the days of RTR kits and easilyavailable parts, etc.Take care, and continued success!Don DissingerFeedback on Observations #3Enjoyed meeting you at the receptionin Chicago and having the opportunityto chat about O scale and your new venture.Some comments on your “Obser-

vations” column. The historian is still agood idea as is the Hall of Fame. HoweverI don’t know that there is enoughmaterial to run these continuously for agreat length of time. Why not alternatethem; Hall of Fame in one issue, Historyin the next. That doesn’t overload thebook with non-modeling stuff yet keepsan “O Scale Heritage” column going.The dealer Roundtable report from theMarch meet was very interesting. It putsa great perspective on the equipmentmarket today. Since the brass importersare doing only big engines it leaves theunder $1000 market open to Weaver,Atlas, etc., to come out with small andmedium size steam locos (and dieselstoo) that can only help the surge of interestin 2-rail O Scale.Article suggestion: There are still alot of the old AHM 0-8-0 Indiana HarborBelt kits (unmotorized) floatingaround. There are one or more for saleat almost every train meet. As built withthe AHM motorizing unit (very scarcethese days) they were not the huskybeast in model form that the prototypewas. Locomotive Workshop did offer amotorizing kit for a while that made itinto a decent pulling engine. How aboutan “upgrade” article on this engine.Either take the plastic kit and build it ona brass frame with decent motor anddrive or take an existing loco and putthat new drive under it. It seems to methis is the kind of construction articleyour magazine is aiming for. Mythought here is to get a decent locomotiveat a reasonable price. Another angleis that these have been built up into 2-8-0 types. Explain what it takes to do that.Bob Smith(Ed.: Anybody out there willing to dothe AHM 0-8-0 bash article?)Wants Trackwork ArticlesLooks like another good issue, buthope you get some articles dealingspecifics on layouts, like trackwork andscenery, especially smaller home type Oscale layouts, rather than big club jobs.Would also like to see an article on trackand track components available frommanufactures. Also how about moreinfo leaning towards the smaller Oscaler, who is limited to smaller fundsand resources.Mike Pierce(Ed.: Mike, we’re working on a trackworkarticle but it now needs to wait forthe Atlas 2 rail components. Next issuewill feature a small layout.)What We Need Is... More Track ArticlesMy issue [#3] arrived yesterday. Ibelieve it is your best issue yet. Ienjoyed the milk car article and theRoundtable discussion.I am a hi-railer. I run scale-sized,transition period equipment (40s and50s) for the B&O, C&O, and WM. I amalso in a modular club that has set upnumerous displays throughout the DC-Baltimore Metro area. Some of ourequipment is equipped with scale wheelsets and Kadee couplers.Things that would be helpful to knowinclude currently available track, how itcompares (Microtek v. House of Duddyv. old Atlas/Rocco track v. new Atlastrack v. 2 rail Gargraves), availability(how long does it take to fill an order?),availability of turnouts, and cost.What would be of immediate help tonew 2-railers and 3-railers alike wouldbe a guide to freight and passenger cartrucks, wheelsets, and where to orderthem. It would also be good to knowabout Kadee [couplers]. Which coupleris best for what type and make of carand, what is the best source?My suspicion is that if 10 percent ofthe 3-rail community decided all at onceto convert to 2-rail, today’s 2-rail industrycould not meet the demand. I haven’tseen that discussed anywhere. I alsothink that the 3-rail converts are notgoing to be the same breed as the woodand metal craftsmen. Nobody consistentlyhas that much time. We are goingto be more of the ready to run variety,sort of super-sized HO guys. We willlike to super detail and paint, but I thinkeven plastic kit makers have learnedthey need to sell their cars as RTR.So I guess where I am going withthis is that 2 rail is about to change fromthe way it has been. It will have to so itcan grow. Thank you for the magazine.Gary Matthews◆O Scale Trains • 39

O Scale Hall of FameFrank Ellison was an O scale modelrailroader with no equal. His approachto model railroading was unique. Hetreated the layout as a stage and thetrains as actors. He wrote articles aboutthe roles the trains played on the stage.Ellison was one of the first to describe acard order system in order to “direct”his trains. Throughout his modelingcareer Ellison authored 116 articlesabout model railroading and inspiredgenerations of modelers to come afterhim. Although he was first published in1940, his seminal work was “The Art ofModel Railroading” originally publishedin 1944 and reprinted in 1965 byFrank EllisonModel Railroader magazine.Ellison was not just a theoretician.He used the systems he described. HisO scale railroad, The Delta Lines, wasconstructed to facilitate operation, and, Iseem to recall it was outside third rail.One of Ellison’s legacies to thehobby is the scale mile or “smile” as hetermed it. The length of a smile dependedon the speed of the “fast” clock used.A train running at a scale 60 mph coversa scale mile in one real minute. It travelsa smile in one “fast clock minute”.Divide a scale mile by the clock ratio toget the length of a smile. Ellison liked touse the “five minute hour” or a 12x fastclock. Ellison called his model mileposts“smileposts.”Frank was elected to the O Scale Hallof Fame in 1995 at the O Scale NationalConvention in Teaneck, New Jersey.Three new members were inductedinto the Hall of Fame at Chicago thisyear. They are: Irv Athearn; Cliff Grandt(who passed away this March); and EdDuddy. Congratulations Ed! ◆Buy, Sell,TradeBuy-Sell-Trade ads are $5 for 30 words plusyour address information. Additional wordsare $0.25 each. Subscribers are permitted onefree ad per subscription cycle. All B-S-T adsare prepaid. You may send ads by postal servicewith a check or money order. Ads sent byemail or called in must use a credit card. Seeour contact info on page 2.FOR SALE: Nickel Plate/48: models,decals, parts for NKP O-Scalers. Warbaby cabooses, NKP-WLE 60 ton offsetside hoppers by Yoder, NKP-C&O hoppers,NKP Passenger cars. Sign on fornewsletter/mailing list. M David Vaughn,13732 Lakeside Dr, Clarksville, MD21029-1345WANTED: Espee Steam, MG, USH, Sunset,Overland, Westside, Precision,Lobaugh, etc. Any condition. Also brassdiesels, small to large, old and new.[hotrod57ford@hotmail.com] Albert EEspinosa, 316 E Camden Ave, El Cajon,CA 92020-4504WANTED: Key Alco RS-2. FOR SALE:Wall mount train display cases. 507-237-2782 Harold A Storm, 23633 491 Ave,Gaylord, MN 55334-202957' Reefer Review from page 20a second stirrup would hinder truckswing on tight radius curves, consideringthis car is rated for 24" radius.Sounds:Though I did not receive the soundmodel, Weaver is producing a soundsystem for both 3 rail and 2 rail versions.The sound should be the authentic,intermittent, diesel motor sound andrandomly rev up and return to neutral.In addition, three LEDs will be placedon the control unit/motor. For $15, thesound option is reasonably priced.Pricing:There are several options for this car,plastic trucks, die cast trucks, sound, nosound, 2 rail, or 3 rail, and you can mixand match to your liking. The MSRP is$33.95 for plastic trucks in 2 rail, andI’ve seen advertisements for as low as$21.95, a great deal for a car of thisdetail. The die cast trucks are a niceoption, but they do bump the price up.Overall:All in all, this model has been worththe wait. It has enough add on details tokeep both the 3 and 2 railers happy. Thedecision to offer a generic, low pricedsound option should also be a winner.◆FOR SALE: 2 Red Caboose GP-9’s, B&Osolid blue and Santa Fe Warbonnet. Builtup.$200 each or $350 for both, plusshipping. Call 413-772-2891. Doug Manson,PO Box 593, Bernardston, MA01337-0593FOR SALE: 50 year collection of O Scalestuff. Locomotives, rolling stock, kits andmagazines. Send email[dbray10@juno.com] for a free download.Send $3 for a list to: David L Ray,9507 Fairdale Ln, Houston, TX 77063-384140 • O Scale Trains

Check our updated,fully secure Web site regularly forspecials available only on the web:www.ronsbooks.come-mail us at:ronsbooks@aol.comRon’s BooksP.O. BOX 714, HARRISON, NY 10528YOUR ONE STOP BOOK AND VIDEO SHOP(914)967-7541 11AM to 10PM EST; FAX (914)967-7492 24HRSpecial Offer - DVD’s For RailfansA Century of Lionel DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27.25Above the Rails- Combo DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.25American Railroad Collection DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.25B & O Odyssey Vol 1 or Vol 2 DVD each . . . . . . . .25.25CSX Mountain Sub DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.25New York Central Indiana Division DVD- (Herron) CallNew York Central Reflections DVD-(Herron) CallUnion Pacific Big Boy Collection - DVD . . . . . . . . . .32.00VIDEOS:Allen Keller’s Great Model RRs. 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Equipment .49.50A History of RRs in Western New York - Dunn . . .31.50A Photo History of the Prince Edward Island Ry . .23.25Along the ET & WNC Vol 1 or 2 each . . . . . . . . . . .27.25Altoona Action: PRR, PC, CR Horseshoe Curve . .40.50American Car & Foundry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65.00The American Freight Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32.50American Passenger Train - Schafer . . . . . . . . . . . .32.50American Streamliner Postwar Years . . . . . . . . . . .42.00Anthracite Classics PRR, Rdg, CNJ, LV . . . . . . . . .18.25Appalachian Coal Hauler-Interstate RR . . . . . . . . . .27.00Atlanta Birmingham & Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33.00Atlantic Coast Line-Standard RR of the South . . . . 32.00Baldwin Diesels in Color Vol 1 A-G - Boyd . . . . . . .48.00BNSF 2002 Loco Review & Freight Car Dir. . . . . . .35.00Boston & Maine City & Shore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72.00Boston & Maine - Forest, River Mountain . . . . . . . .72.00Boston & Maine in the 19th Century . . . . . . . . . . . .18.25Boston & Maine in the 20th Century . . . . . . . . . . . .18.25Bridges 3000 Years of Defying Nature . . . . . . . . .18.25Bridging the Hudson -Poughkeepsie (NY) Bridge s/c 22.25Budd Passenger Cars Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 . .each 36.00Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh - Pietrak . . . . . . . .23.25Burlington Route - Early Zephyrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27.00C & O/ B & O Cabooses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15.25Caboose - Solomon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32.50Canadian Nat. Motive Power Review as of 6/30/99 29.25Canadian National Railway (Del Grosso) . . . . . . . . .35.00Canadian Station Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14.25Canadian Trackside Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21.25A Century of Rio Grande Passenger Trains . . . . . .36.00Classic American RR Terminals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32.50Classic Railroad Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36.00CNW Final Freight Car Roster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59.00Const. in Kingston-Canada Loco Co’s 1854-1968 60.00Critters, Dinkys & Centercabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26.25CSX Transportation Freight Equipment . . . . . . . . . .23.25Detroit’s Michigan Central Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.25E-Units: Electro-Motive’s Classic Streamliners . . . .20.25EMD’s SW 8 America’s Medium Switcher Choice 18.25Flxible Bus Photo Archive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27.25Freight Terminals & Trains (Droege) S/C . . . . . . . .40.00The Green Line - Cincinnati, Newport & Covington Ry 50.00Hamilton’s Other Railway (Cooper) . . . . . . . . . . . . .56.00History of J.G. Brill Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45.00Illinois Central Color Pictorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55.00Interurban Electric Locomotives (Baldwin) . . . . . . .30.00Lake Shore Electric Railway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54.00Landmarks on the Iron Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36.00Locomotive Terminals & Railroad Structures . . . .17.25A Logger’s Lexicon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45.00Logging Railroads of the Saco River Valley . . . . . .23.25Louisville & Nashville Steam Locos (Prince) . . . . .54.00Oldies But Goodies - Limited Quantities12 Historical NY City Street & Transit Maps . . . . . .33.00Alco Reference # 1 Builders’ Photos . . . . . . . . . . . .27.00American Locomotive Builders-White . . . . . . . . . . .15.25Bonanza NG Railroads-Klondike Mines . . . . . . . . . .18.25Captive Cabeese in America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.25Erie Railroad - The Bradford Branch . . . . . . . . . . . .23.00Katy Southwest - McCall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35.00Locomotive - Solomon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27.00Narrow Gauge in the Sheepscot Valley -Vol 1 . . . .35.00Norfolk & Western Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16.25NYC Subway Cars R1-R110 - Greller . . . . . . . . . . .45.00Passing Trains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40.00Pullman Paint & Lettering Notebook 1933-69 . . . .25.00Trains of America - Heimburger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40.50“WHAT’S NEW?”101 Projects for Model Railroaders . . . . . . . . . . . . .27.25A Colorful Look at Erie Lackawanna . . . . . . . . . . . .23.25Anglo-Chilean Nitrate & Railway Company . . . . . . .28.00Appalachian Conquest - C&O, N&W, VGN, & Clinchfield .27.00Atlantic Coast Line Dining Car Book . . . . . . . . . . . .23.25Baldwin Diesels in Color Vol 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48.00California High Country Narrow Gauge Railroads .36.00California Trolleys in Color Vol 1 San Diego & LA .48.00Capitol Transit-Washington’s Streetcars 1933-1962 . .60.00Central Railway of Peru & Cerro de Pasco . . . . . . .28.00Chicago & Alton Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45.00Climax Locomotives (Oso Publishing) . . . . . . . . . .61.50Colorado’s Joint Line - A Railfan’s Perspective . . .36.00Comprehensive Guide to Industrial Locos 3rd ed. .23.50Equip. of the Boston & Maine/Virginian Ry (2 books) .28.50Evolution of New York City Subways . . . . . . . . . . .45.00Field Guide to Modern Diesel Locomotives . . . . . .26.25Florence & Cripple Creek RR-40 Miles to Fortune .54.00Ghost Railroads of Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23.25Great Northern Pictorial Vol 6 Freight Operations .58.50Illinois Central Photo Archive 1854-1960 . . . . . . . .27.25In Search of Steam Donkeys h/c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49.50Island Timber-Comox Logging Co.-Vancouver Is. 36.00Locomotive Facilities CNW & CSt.PM&O Vol 1 . . .40.50Locomotive Facilities CNW & CSt.PM&O Vol 2 . . .44.50Milwaukee Road 1928 - 1985 (Scribbins) . . . . . . .54.00Monon Route - Hoosier Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45.00Narrow Gauge in the Sheepscot Valley Vol II . . . . .30.00New York City Trolleys in Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48.00New York Harbor Railroads Vol 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48.00Pennsy Pass. 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V.1 Coaches/V.2 Sleepers . . .27.00Railroad Atlas of N.A. - Prairies West . . . . . . . . . . .23.25RR Cities - Springfield, MA/Providence, RI (2 books) .27.50Rails Under The Mighty Hudson s/c 18.00;h/c . . . .27.00Railway Prototype Cyclopedia Vol 7 . . . . . . . . . . . .23.25Railways of Latin America in Historic Postcards . .32.00Rio Grande Color Pictorial Vol 1 1930’s - 50’s . . . .55.00Rockville Bridge- Rails Across the Susquehanna .27.25Royal Blue Line - Harwood s/c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21.25Sacramento Northern Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26.25Santa Fe Steam Vol 4 1200 series 4-6-2’s . . . . . . .23.25Seaboard Dining Car Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23.25Steam Loco Coaling Sta. & Diesel Fueling Facilities . . .18.25Steel Wheels Rolling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40.50Sudbury Electric & Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53.00The Engine’s Moan - American Steam Whistles . .36.00The Steam-Liners Streamlined Steam - Holland . .27.00Tourist Railways Around Belgium & Luxembourg 19.00Train Depots & Roundhouses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.00Traveling on the Pennsylvania Railroad - Rao . . . .45.00Two Feet to Tidewater-WW&F expanded edition . .54.00Uintah Railway Pictorial Vol 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47.50Union Pacific Locomotive Directory 2002-2003 . .23.25Western Pacific Color Pictorial Vol. 2 . . . . . . . . . . . .55.00West Virginia’s Coal & Coke Railroad . . . . . . . . . . .27.00Wheeling & Lake Erie - Ohio Coal Hauler Vol 2 . . .27.00The Magor Car Company (Kaminski) . . . . . . . . . . .51.25Mil. Rd Depots 1856-1954 Photo Archive . . . . . . .27.25Mil. Rd in Color V 4 - Iowa, MO, MN & Dakotas . .44.00Milwaukee Road Olympian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36.00Mullen Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.25Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Ry (Prince) . . .59.00NEB&W Guide to HO Frt Cars Part A (back in print) 27.00New England Classics Vol 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.25New Haven Color Pictorial Vol 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50.00New Haven RR Old Colony Div./Boston Div.- (2 books)26.50New Haven Rolling Stock Vols 1 & 2 (2 books) . . .28.50New Jersey Trolleys in Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48.00New York Central in Color Vol 1 (Doughty) . . . . . .48.00New York Central Color Pictorial Vol 1 . . . . . . . . . .45.00New York Central Color Pict. Vol 2 St. Louis-NYC .55.00New York Harbor Railroads in Color (Flagg) . . . . .44.00New York, Susquehanna & Western in Color . . . .48.00Northern Pacific Color Pictorial Vol 5 . . . . . . . . . . . .60.00Northern Pacific in Color Vol 1 1949-1959 . . . . . . .48.00Northern Pacific - Steam to Diesel h/c 40.50 . .s/c27.00Pacific Electric -Vol 1 Northern Division - Duke . . .27.00Pacific Fruit Express (Church) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68.00Pass. Cars # 1 Plans & Pictures, Wood & Hvwt. . .30.00Pennsy Electric Years in Color Vol 2 . . . . . . . . . . . .48.00Pennsy Steam Years Vol 3 (Pennypacker) . . . . . . .44.00Discount Prices & Never a Shipping Charge within the U.S.Pennsylvania RR Color Pictorial Vol. 1 or 2 each .45.00Pennsylvania RR Steel Open Hopper Cars . . . . . . .21.25Pere Marquette Revenue Freight Cars . . . . . . . . . . .32.00Pittsburgh & Lake Erie RR in Color Vol 1 1976-1992 .48.00Porter Steam Locomotives: Light & Heavy s/c . . .69.00PRR Color Guide to Frt. & Pass. Equipment Vol 3 .48.00PRR Diesel Loco Pict. Vol 6 EMD & ALCO Cab . . .23.25PRR Triumph I, II, III or IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .each 58.50Railroad Atlas of No. America: The Northeast (Revised);New England & Maritime Canada, or Texas each 23.25Railroad Atlas of North America- CA&NV; GLW;PNW; GLE; CO&UT; AZ&NM; Appl. & Pied.;So. East; Mtns & Plains; So. 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Trains Consists & Cars 1955-58 36.00Southern Pacific’s Coast Line Pictorial . . . . . . . . . .58.50Southern Pacific Historic Diesels Vol 5 - 8 each . .23.25Southern Pacific San Joaquin Valley . . . . . . . . . . .50.00Southern Steam Power reprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40.50SP Pictorials Volumes 11 thru 18 each . . . . . . . . . .23.25Steam Over Palmerston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40.00Steam’s Camelot-Southern/NS Excursions . . . . . .36.00Streetcar Days in Honolulu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27.00Sunset on the Sandy River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30.00Third Avenue Railway (F. Kramer) . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.25Trackside Around Buffalo 1953-1976 . . . . . . . . . . .48.00Trackside Around New York City 1953-68 . . . . . . .48.00Trolley Buses 1910-2001 Photo Archive . . . . . . . .27.25UP and Omaha Union Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23.25Unifying the Subways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17.25Union Pacific Challenger (Dorin) S/C . . . . . . . . . . . .18.25Union Pacific’s Turbine Era . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50.00Western Maryland Trackside With George Leilich .48.00Western New York & Pennsylvania Ry - Pietrak . .23.25Western Pacific Color Guide to Frt & Pass Equip . .48.00Western Pacific Color Pictorial Vol 1 . . . . . . . . . . . .45.00West Side Pictorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48.00When the Railroad Leaves Town h/c 36.00 . s/c23.25When the Steam Railroads Electrified . . . . . . . . . . .58.50Wood & Iverson: Loggers of Tiger Mountain . . . . .27.00World’s Greatest Steam Locos-C&O,N&W,&UP . .27.00RON’S COLLECTOR’S CORNERAtlantic City Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60.00C & O Power- Staufer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95.00Central Vermont 7 volumes - Jones . . . . . . . . . . .375.00Coach Cabbage & Caboose - McCall . . . . . . . . . . . .75.00Crooked & Weedy- Chesapeake Western . . . . . . . .95.00Colorado Midland - Cafky(signed) . . . . . . . . . . . . .235.00Colorado’s Mountain Railroad - LeMassena . . . . . .85.00Delta Route - Saillard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50.00Diesels of the Espee Vol 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50.00Engine Houses & Turntables- Canadian Railways .75.00Extra South - Reid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45.00On the Mainline - PRR - Alexander . . . . . . . . . . . . .75.00Otto Perry’s Pilgrimage - McCoy . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110.00Pennsy Power II - Staufer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95.00Pittsburgh & Lake Erie - McLean . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150.00Pittsburgh & West Virginia -Worley . . . . . . . . . . . . .95.00Railroads of New Jersey - Hyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60.00Rainbow Route - Sloan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65.00Santa Fe’s Early Diesel Daze - McCall . . . . . . . . . . .75.00Seaboard Motive Power - Withers . . . . . . . . . . . . .110.00SP Bay Area Steam - Demoro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65.00Steam, Steel & Limiteds - Kratville . . . . . . . . . . . . .100.00The Mighty 800’s - Kratville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90.00The Southern - Dorman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200.00Union Pacific Streamliners - Kratville . . . . . . . . . . .175.00West of the Great Divide - Turner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40.00We have many more titles in stock.Please send us your “want” list.Send $2.00 for latest list. All orders must be paid in U.S. funds. NY residents please add correct sales tax. Print your name, address and phone number. Creditcard users add card number and expiration date. Allow 4 weeks for delivery. For delivery outside of USA please add $8.00 for the first book and $3.00 for each additional book.Make checks payable to Ron’s Books. Only inquiries which include a SASE will be answered. Prices subject to change.WE BUY COLLECTIONSO Scale Trains • 41

Crapolafrom theCupolaJohn C. SmithPecos River BrassChapter IVWhich factory in Seoul should Ichose? That was the question of theyear. They all wanted my business.They were all the best. They all promisedto make me big profits. I had samplesfrom every factory and they wereall reject overruns.Then one of the courting builderscalled me and informed me that he wascoming to the USA and wanted to visitwith me in Texas. I never say never. Ofcourse, I would pick him up, be a greathost, and see what he had to show andtell. His name was Jun, Young Sik(Korean names are always surnamefirst) and the company was GangSanModel Co. I asked my mechanic anddraftsman to be with me when we methim and we were impressed. I guess wewere overwhelmed and impressed withourselves, playing in the big game, butnevertheless impressed.We had a great meeting. We askedlots of questions. His English was betterthan most Texan’s so communicationwas not a problem. He was friendly, andloose. We felt very comfortable from thebeginning. GangSan was a new companythat Jim Findley did not know aboutand did not tell me about. Three teamleaders who worked for Dong Jin decidedto go out on their own and start acompany. They were Lee, Ho Chul,Park, Nam Il, and a Mr. An. They hadthe desire to produce, but were tiredworking for Mr. Park of Dong Jin.(Dong Jin and DaiYoung were twocompanies from the 1970s run by brothers.I believe that neither are still in thebusiness.)Ho Chul Lee was the leader of thethree and went to Young Sik Jun tofinance the company. Jun already had abrass company and produced andexported brass picture frames and brassstatues of animals, among other thingsfor Korean sales and export to placeslike Pier One. Jun agreed to finance thenew adventure. With the existing factory,knowledge of the export trade andfluency in English, he was perfect. Hewas already working for GHB, Sunsetand Precision Scale when I started withthe firm. They had about 50 employees.During the 1980s, Samhongsa wasKing with about 500 employees. In1980, when I worked for Hallmark,both Bobbye Hall and Tom Marsh ofOverland Models worked with DongJin and Ajin. At about that time, Hallmarkdropped Ajin, and Overlanddropped Dong Jin, and that is when thelong empire of Overland and Ajin startedto gain momentum. Ajin soonbecame the second biggest factory inKorea, but I do not know how manypeople he employed.There were several other factoriesthen of about 50-100 employees,including FM, GangSan, DaiYoung,Dong Jin, M.S. Park, and ROK-AM,started by a joint partnership between aKorean (ROK) and an American,Richard Sharland (AM). Richard Sharlandowned several discos and Country& Western bars catering to AmericanGIs in Seoul. The model building venturewas just a sideline. There were alsomany very small companies of 10-20people and a number of subcontractorsthat did nothing but wheel sets, etching,casting, stamping, and other things allnecessary to the brass process. Most ofthe big companies were self contained.Despite the fact that I didn’t want todo any reruns of other people’s projects,Pecos River Brass’s first projectwith Gang San Model Company was aSanta Fe wood caboose. Of course, mylogic was that I wanted the caboose inO and N scale where it had neverbefore been done, but while there,doing it in HO at the same time. It wasa sellout in all three scales. My firstpainted model came in then in O Scalebut without lettering.I next went on with the traditionestablished and produced a Santa FeStock car series of Sk-Q, Sk-R, Sk-S,Sk-T and Sk-U in HO, O and N Scales.They were painted in O and N Scale. InHO and O Scale, they were a sellout. InN Scale, well I don’t know if brass Nscale cars were ahead of their time, oroverpriced, or undersold, or overbuilt,or WHAT. I should have seen the writingon the wall for N Scale and PRBthen, but I was determined. I had a handfull of very supportive customers whowere buying 25-40 of every freight car Idid. I didn’t have enough customers,and I just never learned what made NScale dealers tick.Everything was going well for PecosRiver Brass in the mid 1980s Through1986, I was on top of the world. Myquality was great, my projects were asellout, my hobby shop was doinggreat, my staff was terrific and it wastime to graduate from freight cars towhere the money was... HO Steam.RIGHT!◆42 • O Scale Trains

More O Scale Stuff from the B.T.S. Laser!E.B.T. Saltillo Station 46' x 38' Footprint#17123 $119.95Boot Repair 15' x 24' Footprint#17230 $34.95MoW Shed 22' x 29' Footprint#17501 $49.95Shotgun House17' x 52' Footprint#17300 $49.95Cabin CreekCoal Tipple#18105 $549.95All kits consist of laser-cut basswood, plywood,and card stock. All detail parts andsigns shown are included in the box.Ground cover and track is not included.P O Box 561 * Dept. OS32Seffner, FL 33583Phone: 813-643-1105Fax: 813-681-7326Celebrating over 20 Years of Service since 1979Web: www.btsrr.comwww.master-creations.comE-Mail: bill@btsrr.comS.A.S.E. for price list.$5.00 s&h on all US orders.Full Catalog - $5.00O Scale Trains • 43

Proto48 ModelingGene DeimlingModel railroading like much of lifehas experienced an explosion of informationthat has greatly improved thequality and accuracy of our models.Today, we have kits and ready-to-runcars and locomotives that more closelyadhere to prototype dimension, paintcolor and lettering schemes.Proto48 is the extension of this trendas applied to traditional O scale. It maybe helpful if I start out this column witha bit of history behind the Proto48movement.In the 1960’s a small group of modelersdecided to change the fundamentalrelationship of wheel contour and gaugein an attempt to create a more realisticmodel that would operate better andmore reliably than the traditionalNMRA O gauge standard. The focuswas on the joint operation of On3 modelswith exact scale wheels on the sametrack as NMRA contour O wheels. Thechange entailed the adoption of a scalereplica of the AAR standards used byfull-sized railroads. The wheel profilewas changed to a scale 5.5" in widthwith a scale flange depth of approximately1". The gauge was corrected to aprototypically correct 4'8 1 ⁄2" rather thanthe traditional 5' gauge used by modelerssince the scale’s inception. To moreaccurately identify this subset of Oscale, the new standards were referredto as 1 ⁄4"AAR scale or gauge.The first 1 ⁄4"AAR models were convertedO gauge or were built fromscratch. The early conversion workrequired considerable skill to machinenew wheels and tires or cut down the old44 • O Scale TrainsNMRA standard wheels and re-gaugedthem. You could not buy track gauges,profiling tools to cut the wheel shape oreven a set of published standards.The 1 ⁄4"AAR movement continuedthrough the 1970’s and into the 1980’swith little or no change. In 1984, animpromptu meeting was organized duringthe 1984 O Scale Convention inBurlingame, Calif., to establish a set ofstandards and to get them adopted bythe NMRA as an alternative to 5' gauge.One of the objectives of this movementwas to adopt new terminology to differentiatefrom previous efforts.The term Proto48, or simply P:48was determined to more fully expressthe movement as a concept rather than agauge differentiation. It was understoodto mean accurate scale dimensions inmodeling. This brings several aspectsinto the fore that often times are neglected.Track and roadbed become modelsrather than simple guideways. Detailslike tie plates along with rail joints,anchors, fishplates, and track bolts addto the visual experience. Switches couldbe detailed with scale bridles, frogs,guardrails, and by all means, flangewaysmade proportionate.These same ideas can be carried overto the rolling stock. Many commercialkits contain parts that are grossly oversizedwhich detract greatly from the finishedproduct. Scale hardware appliedto cars greatly enhances the visual credibilityto any model. If one desires tomodel dual gauge, there will be a visibledifference between O gauge and P:48.Proto48 would include On3 as a renditionof 3-foot narrow gauge and On2 as2-foot narrow gauge. Meter gauge andvarious broad gauges can also bereferred to as P:48 in the scale proportions.The naming convention used wassimilar to the P4 (4mm scale) movementin England. The NMRA subsequentlyadopted the standards finallyrecognizing a movement started 20years prior.Today, Proto48 is firmly establishedas an alternative to O gauge. A widerange of products is offered increasingthe pleasure of accurate model buildingand operation. You can purchasewheels, trucks, flex track, scale turnoutkits, diesel conversions, and evenProto48 steam locos. It is possible tomodel in Proto48 without even owninga lathe or the knowledge on how tooperate it. Firms offering this servicecan convert even steam locos. Protocraftand NWSL have developed drop-ingeared wheelsets to convert P&D,Weaver, Car Works and Atlas diesels.A visit to the Proto48 website willgive you more details about wheel andtrack standards, suppliers, photos ofmodels and some useful tips for modelersof any scale or gauge. The site isnamed the Proto Journal and can befound at http://www.protojournal.comWhile Proto48 may not be for everyone,it does offer an alternative to modelerto more accurately model prototypetrack and wheels. The concept of accuratemodeling can be applied to anygauge or scale. It just depends uponyour interest.◆

Buy/Sell/TradeWSM PRR Q2 4-4-6-4, C/P, OB Ex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,500.00OM NKP 2-8-4, N/P, Excellent, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,675.00USH UP 4-8-4, C/P 2-Tone Gray, Wtd, NOB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,495.00WSM PRR M1, Short Tender, C/P, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,375.00USH PRR K4 4-6-2, Late Run, C/P, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,250.00USH NYC L2a 4-8-2, Excellent, C/P, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,575.00PRB ATSF 4-6-4 F/P, New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,095.00USH ATSF 4-8-4 Tender, C/P, Not Ltd, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325.00MG PRR E6 4-4-2, C/P, NOB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,475.00MG SP MT4 w/Icken Gears, C/P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,895.00ALCO PRR StrLined K4, N/P, OB, Mint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,275.00OM NP A5 4-8-4, C/P, Mint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,895.00OM #0166 NP Z Class 4-6-6-4, C/P, Mint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,995.00USH AC12 4-8-8-2, C/P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,595.00LOB SP MK-6 2-8-2, Built, Ptd, w/PSC Tender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,795.00PSC PRR B-6, 0-6-0 w/Straight Cylinders, LN, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,450.00SS PRR I1 2-10-0, LN, 2-Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . each 1,150.00OM #04291 Amtrak F40PH, Ph 1, F/P, Not Ltd, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650.00CB PRR GG1, Green, Single Stripe, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,675.00CW H16-44 , C/P ATSF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,495.00OM #0561 ATSF FM “Erie Built” AB Set, F/P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,095.00OM #0561 ATSF FM “Erie Built” A Unit, F/P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,795.00(Above in ABA Set $4,550.00)MOM #0289/0291 F# AB Set, C/P D&RGW, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,495.00USH(KTM) GP35, Poor Paint, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375.00USH(KTM) FP45, C/P Amtrak, Fair Paint, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 555.00USH SD45, C/P SP, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 725.00Layaway AvailableJim HackworthMODEL TRAINS(and Subsidiary JH Consulting)2631 Edgevale Road, Columbus OH 43221-1113Phone:614-4514517 Fax:6144514557E-mail: jhmtrains@msn.comLSASE for Complete ListShipping 6% - $6.00 Min., $12.00 MaxOhio Residents Add 5.75% Sales TaxGet Real ProductionsPrototypical Model Railroad PhotographyThrough the use oflighting, smoke,fog, and steam, ourphotographs projectspecial moods andportray the romanceof the rails. Ourartistic images areall photographed inour studio and areunretouched foradded realism.• Prints • Calendars • Posters• Greeting Cards • Postcards • Custom OrdersCall or write for our color brochure.“Our photos make model trains look real!”Get Real Productions11 Out of Bounds RoadPalmyra VA 22963Voice: 434-589-2660 • Fax: 434-589-4898 • kjkriigel@aol.comConsignmentsSS FM Trainmaster, C/P SP Bloody Nose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,395.00OL GN 2-D-2 #5001/5002 Set, C/P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,495.00OM #0543 UP SD60M, F/P, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,095.00Duddy PRR GG1, C/P Green 5-Stripe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 775.00PSC#15011 2-Bay OS Side Hopper, C/P, Wtd, C&O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195.00OM#0020 50' Flat, C/P ATSF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295.00PL#300 PRR R-7 Reefer, C/P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295.00Priester C/Built Morrell Reefers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . each 159.00MG #120 TT Flats,C/P PRR w/USH RB Tks (30 available) . . . . . . . each 129.00PRB 60' Greenville Boxcars, Various Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . each 300.00PRB 62' PC&F Boxcars, Various Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . each 300.00SS Chessie Bay Window Caboose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175.00OM #0717 Reading Caboose, LN, N/P, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285.00OM#0752 NP Caboose, C/P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375.00Alco PRR N6a, C/P or N/P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . each 225.00PSC #15283 40' Boxcar, C/P State of Maine,OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295.00ALW ATSF Chief Pullmans/Diner/Observation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . each 475.00OM #0025 Bi-Level Auto Rack, N/P, OB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495.00PRB Flats, Tanks, Plastic Boxcars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Call4-Car CB PRR MU set, Klienschmidt5 Car CP Passenger Train w/MG 4-4-014 Car SS Congressional Limited Complete13 Car Lionel Smithsonian NYC 20th Cent Set12 Car PRB SP Daylight SetLionel Smithsonian NYC Streamlined 4-6-4Writeor callformoreinfoEstates/LiquidationsCollection ReductionsO Scale Trains • 45

EventsSeptember 2002Rhode Island, Warwick4th thru 8th, 22nd Annual National NarrowGauge Convention, Crowne Plaza Hotel at theCrossings, 801 Greenwich Ave (401/732-6000; $119/night). Trade show (all scales),clinics, contests, etc. Info: 22nd National NarrowGauge Convention, P.O.Box 80573, So.Dartmouth, MA. 02748; (508) 996-0174;Email[JEB143@AOL.COM] or[http://www.22ndnngc.com/]Florida, Sarasota7th & 8th, Florida O Scalers Meet — 2 railonly — Sponsored by the Sarasota ModelRailroad Club, Ramada Inn Airport, 8440North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34243, 1-941-355-7771, toll free 1-888-420-9704,room rate: $70.80. Features display andsales tables, door prizes, model contest, clinics,Florida O Scalers modular layout, SMRCClub layout. Advance registration fee of$25.00 includes Saturday lunch buffet andone six foot table. Contact Allen Novak, P.O.Box 1667, Tallevast, FL 34270-1667,anovak@ringling.edu, home: 941-351-9927,work 941-359-7583.Michigan, Holly7th & 8th, Detroit Model Railroad Club, Inc.Carrie Nation Open House, 104 N SaginawSt, Noon to 5:00 pm. Info: Edward MacDowell,DMRC, 104 N Saginaw St, Holly, MI48442; 248-634-5811.Indiana, Beech Grove (Indianapolis area)14th & 15th, Indianapolis Midwest O ScaleFall Meet, Holiday inn, 5120 Victory Dr. OScale, Proto:48, On3, On2, O Trolley/Tractiondisplays and sale. INFO: Jim Canter, 1203Rotherham Ln, Beech Grove, IN 46107-3323;317-888-8884; email [jcanternkp@aol.com].Oregon, Portland21st, 1st Pacific Northwest O Scale Meet (2-Rail & 3-Rail O Scale) hosted by the OregonO Scalers at St. John’s Episcopal Church,2036 SE Jefferson - This is an exclusively an Oscale event with 2 and 3-rail’ers welcome.Includes layout tours, a silent auction, clinics,train videos and dinner. - Fri 3 pm to 6 pm;Sat 9 am to 6 pm, dinner 6 pm; $12 advanceregistration, $15 at door. Info:Dick Bublitz,12803 NE 100th St, Vancouver WA 98682;email [rsbublitz@attbi.com].New Jersey, Merchantville28th, Cherry Valley Model Railroad ClubAnnual Fall O Scale Only Train Meet - GraceEpiscopal Church, Maple Ave & Center St - 9am to 1:30 pm; $4, spouse & kids under 14free; 1st table $16 (includes 1 admission),additional tables $12 each. Info: Cherry ValleyModel Railroad Club, PO Box 192, MapleShade, NJ 08052; Chuck Jacobs (856) 234-1898 or Dave Richter (215) 639-7290.October 2002Oklahoma, Oklahoma City4th & 5th, Southwest O Scale Meet at OklahomaCity Community College, 7777 S MayAve., Oklahoma City, OK, Hotel: Ramada Limited- Reservations: (405) 682-2211, Fri: 1:00pm to 4:00 pm. Sat: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.Info: George Wallace, 11937 Stratford Dr,Oklahoma City, OK 73120, (405) 751- 7649,Email [THUDCHIEF1@aol.com].Illinois, Vernon Hills11th, 6:30PM - 9:30 PM, (Doors open at5:30 PM for seller setup), Villa Park VFW Hall,39 E. St. Charles Rd. Villa Park, IL 60181(Located 1 mile west of IL Rt. 83 on St. CharlesRd.) Sponsored by the Prairie Scale ModelRailroaders. Admission: $4.00 (Spouses &Kids under 12 free with paying adult). Tables:$10.00 (One admission included with tablepurchase). Please limit items for sale to scalemodel railroad and railroad related items (NOLIONEL/TINPLATE). For more information or toreserve a table: Call: 847-702-0811 (leavemessage) or E-mail: info@psmr.orgMassachusetts, Gardner12th, Southern New England Model RR ClubO Scale Train Show, featuring 20’ x 70’ DCCOperating O scale layout. United MethodistChurch, 161 Chestnut St. 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM.Admission $5, Family Maximum $8. DealerTables: Before Labor Day, $15 (6 foot) and$20 (8 foot); After Labor Day, $20 (6 foot)and $25 (8 foot). Info: Bob Jones, 860-774-8622; P.O. Box 272, Ballouville CT 06233-0272, e-mail: bjmodels@neca.com, Web Site:www.snemrr.orgMaryland, Timonium12th & 13th, Double Show: The Great ScaleModel Train Show & The All-American High-Rail & Collectors Show, Maryland State Fairgrounds- 3 acres of trains separated intosections, Scale (by gauge) and Hi-Rail. Sevenhundred plus tables in the Scale area; 500tables available in the Hi-Rail/Tinplate section.The Harrisburg O Scalers will have their displaythere.November 2002Pennsylvania, Wind Gap2nd, Eastern O Scalers Swap Meet, PlainfieldFire Hall, 6480 Sullivan Trail, 9:00 am to 1:00pm. Info: EOS, PO Box 1781, Bensalem, PA19020; 215-639-3864; [www.EasternOScalers.com].Illinois, Rockford2nd & 3rd, 9th Annual Midway Village &Museum Center Model Train Show, 6799 GuilfordRd, Noon to 5:00 pm. Info: 815-397-9112; email [Fsm1019@aol.com].Ohio, Strongsville16th, Annual Western Reserve O Scale Meet,Holiday Inn Select, Strongsville (one exit southof turnpike on I-71 and Ohio Route 82), 9:00am to 3:00 pm. Info: Bob Boeddener, 32165Hickory Ln, Avon Lake, OH 44012; 440-933-7169.December 2002New Jersey, Pleasantville7th, 2-Rail O Scale Train Show sponsored bythe Tuckahoe O Scalers at the EpiphanyLutheran Church Hall, Franklin Blvd & TunisAve - Sale 10 am to 4 pm; Clinics; $3, family$5; tables $15 for 1st table, $12 for eachadditional table (supports O Scale Layout Projectat nearby Tuckahoe Railroad Museum;dealers checks payable to John P. Dunn, Sr.).Info: John P. Dunn, Sr, 38 E Revere Ave,Northfield, NJ 08225; (609) 484-8125; email[JDUNN8888@aol.com].Advertisers IndexAndersen’s Train Station 14AtlasO 36BTS 43Central Locomotive Works 14Chicagoland 10Get Real Productions 45Jim Hackworth Model Trains 45Harry Hieke 45HomaBed 14InterMountain 27Mickeys Model Works 22NCE Corp 43Norm’s O Scale 36O Scale Kings 39O Scale Realty 17Overland Models 15P&D Hobby Shop 10Pecos River BrassBCPrecision Scale Models IBCPRR Brass 17Public Delivery Track 31Red Caboose 33Rons Books 41Rich Yoder ModelsIFCRuss Briggs Design 17SGL Lines 33Stevenson Preservation Lines 17Sunset Models Inc. 35T Bone Models 17Tom Thorpe Curved Benchwork 1046 • O Scale Trains

Making Carmer"Push-Type"Uncoupling LeversEd BommerYou’ve seen them on freight carsbuilt from the 1910’s into the early1930’s. They were original equipmenton USRA cars. But how often do theyshow up on a model? Hardly ever!Known also as “Carmer” uncouplinglevers, they are long flat bars taperedand bent to shape, with a round endpassing through the eye of the couplerpin. About one third of their length isfrom the end of the handle to the pivotmounting on the car. The rest lies on topof the coupler.I found it best to make these as thelast detail parts put on a model. This isbecause the couplers, retainer line andbrake staff must be in place before fittingthem up.What you need to make a pair are:1. Two 2" lengths of .015x.060 flatbrass strip, Detail Associates #25302. Two 1" lengths of .022" diameterbrass wire, Detail Associates #WR25703. Nippers to cut the strip and wire.4. Two pair small needle nosed pliers5. A soldering iron or gun.6. A motor tool with a cut-off wheel7. A flat, fine needle file.8. Piece of scrap wood and a halfdozen modeling pins.9. A bit of fine steel wool.10. A #74 drill bit & pin vise.Clean the flat and round wire partswith steel wool. Make a jig as shown inPhoto 1 with scrap wood and pins. Thisis needed to hold the flat and roundbrass stock for soldering.Solder about 1 ⁄2" of the round wire toone side of the flat strip. Next, with thefile or Dremel cut-off wheel, carefullychamfer the corners of the flat stripwhere it meets the round wire.Measure 1 ⁄4" along the round wire andbend it up, parallel to the face of the flatstrip. Leave 1 ⁄32" after the bend and cutoff the rest of the wire. Smooth the cutoff end with a file or the Dremel wheel.Now comes a bit of fancy, fussy fittingbecause these levers bend in twodirections, sometimes at the same time!We will start with the brake staff end ofthe car, from the coupler to the handle.After that it will be easy to make a copyof it, bend for bend, to put on the oppositeend.Center the round part over the pin ofthe coupler on your car. Slide the couplerback and forth as you hold theuncoupling rod above it. Measure andmark the flat strip where the outer edgeof the coupler box is when the rod iscorrectly centered. This will be wherethe first transverse bend is made.Grasp the lever stock with two pair ofMake a jig out of wood to hold the parts whileyou solder them together.needle nosed pliers as shown in Photo 3.The bend mark is between the two tools.Now bend the rod slightly downward,opposite of the round end bend thatshould point upward. Next, at a pointabout 1 ⁄32" from this bend make another,angling the flat surface of the levertoward the car’s end sill. It must clear thebrake staff by at least 1 ⁄32" before meetingthe end of the car. This usually needs toDistinctive push-type uncoupling levers werestandard on many USRA freight cars.be “eyeballed” since it’s nearly impossibleto measure exactly with a ruler.At this point, make a compoundbend for the lever to be parallel to thecar end and also parallel to the part thatlies over the coupler. Measure another1/16” and bend it slightly away from“Hold the two pair of pliers as shown, grippingthe flat strip by its edges. Bend byslowly rotating one of the pliers to get asmooth transverse bend.”the car. This short flat stretch will bewhere the lever is to be attached to thepivot mount on the car.Now make a downward transversebend with the two pair of pliers at thepoint of where the lever bends awayO Scale Trains • 47

from the car. This will be a bit sharper,at almost 45 degrees. Now hold the partagainst the car again and mark wherethe end of it is even with the car side.Cut off any excess at that point. Adjustthe bend so that where the excess lengthpasses beyond the car side it will beabout 1 ⁄32" below the bottom edge of theside sill.With the Dremel wheel or the file,carefully taper one half of this length onboth edges. To do this with the Dremel,simply hold each edge against the flatsurface of the wheel. The tip of the handleend of the lever is about one half thewidth of the rest of it.Measure 1 ⁄8" in from the tip and makeanother transverse bend to bring thehandle up slightly, closer to a parallelposition. It should still point downwardand if fitted correctly the tip will beslightly below the side sill of the car.Also bend the handle so it is parallel tothe car end.Mark and drill a .022" hole in thecenter of the lever’s mounting area.With a scrap piece of flat strip, markand drill a .022" hole about 1 ⁄32" fromeach end. Bend one end of this pieceabout 3 ⁄32" in at a 90 degree angle. Temporarilyfit a piece of .022" wire as a pinand check the mounting of the uncouplinglever to the car. Adjust any bends,etc. until it fits as shown in Photos.Mark the bottom of the car wherethe mounting plate will be located.Glue and pin the mount into place. Itshould project about 1 ⁄32" beyond the carend. Now replace the uncoupling leverand its pin. Slip a strip of thin cardstock between the coupler top anduncoupling lever as a spacer. From thebackside, solder the lever and pin to themount with a bit of flux and just a touchof a tinned iron tip. Trim off any excessof the pin on either side. Remove thecard stock spacer. Do any tweakingneeded to get the uncoupling lever intoits final position.Now make up another lever and“Notice how the lever clears the brake staff,bends out for the handle andruns parallel to the car end.”mount it on the opposite end of the car.This one will go much faster, I promise!Follow the first lever as a patternand both will be alike. Yes, it’s a bit offussy work. But the pride is yours inknowing how to make a Carmer uncouplinglever and able to fit one up to anymodel needing them.◆Where The Eagle Meets The Chief!Sheraton Grand at DFW Airport • Sunday, June 8 thru Wed, June 11Hosted by Pecos River Brass, The Prime Time Model Railroaders & The DFW O ScalersContact the hotel at 972-929-8400. Ask for the O Scale national room rate of $92 sgl/dbl.NO parking charges. Room rates good for 3 days either side of the convention.Rates – Full fare (spouse & children under 16 free): $45 • Sale tables: $40 • Banquet: $45Activities – Trade Show/Flea Markets • Clinics • Model Contest • Layouts • Tours48 • O Scale Trains2003 O Scale National ConventionFor more information contact John C. Smith, Pecos River Brass, 560 E Church St,Lewisville TX 75057 USA • 972-219-0202 • john@pecosriverbrass.comPhotos by Dick Kuelbs

SONC Chicago Contest PhotosThis C&NW 4-4-2 scratchbuilt by Louis Bartigfeatured handmade drivers and a completelyequalized frame. The model uses very fewcommercial parts. It won Second Place in thesteam category losing to Mr. Bartig’s ownCB&Q 2-10-4 which was also scratchbuilt.Unfortunately, we don't have a photo of thatmodel.Daryl Townsend built thisCanadian National FPAmostly from scratch withsome commercial details.It took First Place in theDiesel category.Second Place Diesel waswon by Wayne Middletonfor a custom paintedIllinois Central E8.This branchline boxcar tocaboose by J. MichaelMiller won Second Place inthe Caboose category. It ismostly scratchbuilt withwith some commercialdetails. It has a fullydetailed interior.O Scale Trains • 49

This C&NWclass E5Pacific wasbuilt by AlfModine. Whileit didn’t place itis still a winnerin anyone’sbook.Lots of midwesternroads wererepresented inthe contest. ThisMilwaukee Road2-6-2 was built byEd Truslow.There were plentyof steam engineentries!There were twotraction modelsentered. Thissweetie wasscratchbuilt fromstyrene by RobertRobbins and itearned him FirstPlace in theTraction categoryand the VaneJones Award forBest in Traction.50 • O Scale Trains

Jim Zwerneman built thisMKT caboose fromscratch using styrene.Note the working windowsin the cupola. Thismodel won First Place inthe Caboose categoryIt has often been said thatgood things come in smallpackages and this little gem isno exception. Built by JimZwerneman, this MKT Sectionhouse won First Place in theStructures category and BestIn Show.Below: J. Michael Miller builtthis Gas Station which is nowowned by Ted Leach. It wonSecond Place in Structures.We will have more color photosof this beauty in OST#5.Okay, the last three photos aren’t of contest models but I thought youmight like to see them anyway. Immediately below is a powered Speederthat will be offered by Rich Yoder Models (see ad this issue). Goes greatwith that Section House above. Below that is the Weaver diecast 2-8-0. Ithought it looked great and I have one on order in the N&W scheme eventhought it isn’t correct. Finally, at the lower right is the pilot model for theNKP War Baby Caboose we mentioned in issue #2 to be imported byNickel Plate High Speed Products, 13732 Lakeside Dr., Clarksville MD21029. The pilot was built by Jim Canter. — Joe G.O Scale Trains • 51

Detailing a Weaver GP38-2“It’s not as hard as you think, and very satisfying when you’re finished”Richard A. Madonna Jr.It’s amazing what changes a fewyears have brought to the hirail community.It seems like ages ago we wereforced to suffer through a continuousstream of overpriced, under-detaileddiesels. The release of the RS-3 by BobWeaver of Quality Craft, quite possiblythe father of today’s hirail movement,was a wake-up call to the three railcommunity. Our 2 rail brethren alwayshad scale sized engines, but most 3 railerswere used to 1950’s “toy train”remakes. I was born in the 1970’s andso had no interest in the trains of myDad’s youth. I wanted trains that werescale sized, detailed, and prototypical. Ican remember the day in 1987 whenmy father drove me up to a large Bostontrain dealer, and seeing that RS-3 inNew Haven McGinnis colors, I couldnever look at a Lionel Alco the sameway again. Weaver followed up the RS-3 with the FA-2 and GP38-2. Weaver’sengines were good runners, true to52 • O Scale TrainsProvidence and Worcester is a 400+mile regional railroad in Southern NewEngland. The P&W’s motive powerconsists of second generation GP38’sand U23B’s. They have just begun topurchase GP40’s and even some 40-8’s.PlanningTo begin, do a little research on theroad you plan to model. Each road mayhave ordered with different features.Get an idea of the details, location ofhorn, plow, mu hoses, airlines, sunshades,etc. With the help of the internet,technical societies, pictures, and atrip down to the railyard, you can coverthe main areas rather easily. The P&W2010 was a former Conrail GP, so startingoff with a Weaver Conrail model isgreat, talk about being accurate.Getting StartedI would first recommend taking theengine apart. Note: Take care whenunscrewing and reassembling the bodyas the body plastic can break if thescrews are over tightened. Remove thescale, had fixed pilots, but lacked separatelyapplied details.Fast forward to 2002, and we’vecome a long way. We now have seethrough grilles, separate lift rings,windshield wipers, grab irons, andmore. This has caused the demand formany of the early Weaver engines todrop off. The chain drive models canbe had for around $100. At theseprices, this is the perfect engine to tryyour first kitbash and detailing projecton.Detailing a model carries a littlepride. It might not come out perfectlike a mass produced model, but it’s asymbol of craftsmanship, a conversationpiece, and a lot of fun. For manyof us interested in shortlines, you haveno other options but to redetail and/orkitbash.This article will describe my attemptto detail and repaint a Weaver ConrailGP38-2 into a Providence and WorcesterGP38-2, road number 2010. The

glass, cover the reverse unit and motorwith sandwich bags, and remove theWeaver coupler. I originally planned onremoving the stock paint, but after tryingWeaver’s Scalecoat remover onanother shell with “OK” results, I wentahead and let it stay Conrail blue.Weaver has provided plenty of moldedon details which need to go. Micro-Mark sells a nice plastic chisel toremove the molded on parts, and alsocan be used on painted kits to removedetails without ruining the paint. Thetool is a small pencil sized chisel withbeveled edges that cuts like butterthrough the plastic. I removed the liftrings, grab-irons, and door handles.Adding DetailsI was amazed to learn the wealth ofparts available, even parts specific todifferent railroads. Most parts are inbrass, and although they are not cheap,they are what separate a finely detailedmodel from a mass market engine. Ifyou are smart though, you can find aRed Caboose GP-9 body kit for about$49, and have parts left over to detailthe GP38. There will be some drilling,and you will need a pin vise. First lineup the parts and mark off the locationsto drill the necessary holes. Using a pinvise (a small drill holder), I drilled pilotholes to hold the parts, and started gluingthe brass parts in. I added grab ironsto the end of the long hood, and on thetop and side of the short hood. Lift ringswere added to the roof, along with alarge curved grab behind the rear fan.Door handles were added along withscale windshield wipers, arm rests, andsun shades. The pilots were dressed upwith scale couplers, mu hoses, trainline hoses, and coupler lift brackets andbars. I even drilled out the correctmarker lights and added plastic lenses.At first, adding the small parts was difficult,but with a little practice yourskills will greatly improve. I actuallyassembled 2 Red Caboose GP-9 bodykits in one evening over the Winter.PaintingI have not taken the air-brushplunge, and opted for Weaver’s ScalecoatII paint in spray cans for plasticmodels (Scalecoat II New HavenOrange and Testors Brown). There wasplenty and I was able to do almostthree. Masking was a little tough, butthe P&W has a solid white stripearound the middle of the engine, so thishid any paint bleeding. I didn’t go withflat black on the pilot and trucks, butinstead chose Grimey Black. It appearsto be gray, and I am not sure if I like itor not. It may end up being repaintedjust plain black. The couplers shouldalways be a rust brown (Even factoryrepainted engines have these rusty couplers).DecalsWith the aid of a PC and a colorprinter, you can try and make your owndecals. A little Internet searching, and Iwas able to find almost any decal Icould image, although they were all inHO. HO, how does that become O? Nobig deal in today’s world. Most of thesmall decal makers use computers fortheir decals and its easy to enlarge thedecals to O scale. I sent an email off toHighball Graphics, and for about $12 Ihad 2 sets of P&W decals in O scale.This was my first decaling attempt, so Ididn’t use all the right finishing agents,but I think it came out pretty good.Remember, even the prototypes getscratched and dirty after a while. Theynever look pristine for long. The stripeon the long-hood was a bear to keeplevel, but I am satisfied with the results.After decaling, I sprayed the entire unitwith Dullcoat, and let it sit to dry.Conversion to 2 railMy plan was to convert the 3 railengine to 2 rail. All that’s needed toconvert to 2 rail is: (A) remove thereverse units; (B) add scale 2 railwheelsets; (C) remove the 3rd rail pickup;and (D) reconnect the wires to themotor. Pretty simple and straight-forward.So I removed the reverse unitboard and started taking the sideframesoff the bolsters to remove the wheels.Watch out when removing the sideframesthough, as I broke one off. Icould have left them on, and just gentlypried out the old wheelsets and replacedwith the 2 rail. I thought about stayingwith 3 rail and TMCC, but am planninga layout with a 2 rail loop, and these aretruly scale diesels with no swingingpilots, so I thought these would be agood way to get started in 2 rail.Thanks to Jace Kahn’s advice from theO Trains list at Yahoo, I contactedWeaver who sold me the 2 railwheelsets for $20 per engine.ConclusionThis project has unleashed the hiddendetailer in me. I’ve taken it one stepfarther and have begun to chop a LionelNew Haven C-420 into a New Havenprototypical C424/5. Any engine willlook much better with a few added ondetails, a task that is rather easy to donow. Take out an old boxcar or cabooseand try removing and/or adding details.You may get bitten by the same bugthat got me.◆Supplies: Tools, Pin Vise & Drill Bits, Plasticchisel, Glue, Sand Paper, File, SolderingIron, Screwdrivers, Hobby Knife.O Scale Trains • 53

ObservationsJoe Giannovario, Editor/PublisherNews from the O Scale National Convention:Several congratulations are in order. The new inducteesinto the O Scale Hall of Fame are Irv Athearn, Cliff Grandt,and Ed Duddy. Ed was present at the banquet for theannouncement and was deeply honored to be included amongthe pioneers of O Scale. Ed owns and runs the House ofDuddy supplying track and craftsman kits to O scalers.The model contest winners were:Structures1st: Jim Zwerneman, MKT Section House2nd: J. Michael Miller, Texaco Gas StationTraction1st: Robert Robbins, Illinois Traction #2352nd: Alf Modine, North Shore #132Steam1st: Louis Bartig, CB&Q 2-10-42nd: Louis Bartig, C&NW 4-4-2Diesel1st: Darryl Townsend, CN FA22nd: Wayne Middleton, IC E8Passenger1st: Wayne Middleton, IC passenger train2nd: Wayne Middleton, NYC 20th CenturyCaboose1st: Jim Zwerneman, MKT Steel Caboose #10092nd: J. Michael Miller, Branchline CabooseThe 2003 O Scale National will be held in Dallas, Texas,June 8 - 11 and the theme will be “Where The Eagle MeetsThe Chief.” John Smith of Pecos River Brass outlined whatlooks to be a great convention. Watch for details in comingissues of OST. Meanwhile, mark your calendars for July 22,2004 for the national in the Washington, D.C. area, and June2005 for the national in St. Louis, Missouri.Rod Miller was elected president of the O Scale Kingsorganization by a 63% margin. Miller follows OSKer’sfounder/organizer John Smith (Pecos River Brass) into the hotseat. Forest Trent remains Secretary. The office of Treasurer isstill open to my knowledge. John Smith was given a plaqueexpressing the deep appreciation of the OSK membership forhis leadership in the founding years.Speaking of the O Scale Kings (www.oscalekings.org), Ihope that with the new leadership more manufacturers andvendors will join. I know a lot of people felt the OSKers wassomehow a personal marketing ploy by John for PRB, butthat’s just plain wrong. I’ve been a supporting member of theOSKers from the beginning, from before I decided to publishthis magazine. (I'm member #13.)Let’s step back a minute and review the purpose of OSK(taken from the website):“1. The promotion of O Scale to other modelers in themodel railroad community in other scales and 3-rail.“2. The promotion of O Scale to the public who might beready to become a model railroader, but have not yet made ascale decision.“3. The promotion of O Scale to the manufacturers, givingthem direct access to information on what products that the OScale community wants to buy. In return giving the O Scalemanufacturers a direct access to their already existing market.”So far, OSK has done a fair job of meeting objectives oneand two. OSK has exhibited at the York TCA meet, theNMRA national, at regional shows and has taken ads in all themajor publications promoting 2-rail scale train shows open tothe general public. Where OSK has been a dismal failure hasbeen objective number three, and largely because of personalitydifferences, and I think that’s really sad.Okay, now we have a new “el presidente” for the OSKers,Rod Miller, a well respected custom builder and thefounder/host of the O Scale West show. So, what is the excusenow guys? Every manufacturer of O scale equipment, everyvendor who sells O scale equipment should become a memberof the O Scale Kings to help promote O scale.The OSKers exists to push at the boundaries of the O scaleniche, to expand the market and draw in new blood. To dothat, OSK needs more horsepower, i.e., money, time, bodies.Volunteer organizations are all well and good but nothingmotivates people to do their best than when they are compensatedfor their efforts. We should think of OSK as a trade associationthat has as its only focus furthering 2 rail O scalemodeling. You should send the OSKers the $10 membershipfee because you want to help promote O scale, not becauseyou’re going to personally get anything from it. Send that $10to O Scale Kings, 560 E. Church Street, Lewisville, TX 75057And keep high ballin’!◆Errata from Issue #3Ben Brown lives in Massachusetts, not New York.Last sentence of Gene Deimling’s article should read;“...Richard Hendrickson’s article on detailing HO cars.”Errata from Issue #2Bill Wolfer write-up and photo by Bob Courtney of Texas.54 • O Scale Trains

O Scale Southern Pacific 4-8-4 GS-4 and GS-5Prototype photo courtesy of Harold K. Vollrath. Similar to PSC #17345-2.17345 S.P. 4-8-4 GS-4 with skyline casing and skirts. No paint. 17349 S.P. 4-8-4 GS-5, skyline casing & skirts. No paint.17345-1 Same, painted #4444 Daylight with large SP lettering. 17349-1 Same, painted #4458 Daylight with small SP Lines.17345-2 Same, painted #4449 Daylight as running today. 17349-2 Same, painted #4458 Daylight with large SP lettering.17347 S.P. 4-8-4 GS-4 with skyline casing, no skirts. No paint. 17351 S.P. 4-8-4 GS-5, skyline casing, no skirts. No paint.17347-1 Same, ptd #4436 black and graphite with large SP lettering. 17351-1 Same, painted #4459 black & graphite w/large SP.17347-2 Same, ptd #4439 Daylight cab and tender with large SP lettering.O Scale Milwaukee Road 4-6-4 F-6 and F-6a HudsonsPSC Photo of HO scale model.From 1930 to 1954, from Chicago to Omaha, to Minneapolis & Kansas City, these 4-6-4s pulled everything from the“Olympian Hiawatha” to suburban commuter trains. If your road is the Milwaukee, if you collect the finest brass models,PSC offers you the F-6 and F-6a Hudsons exquisitely handcrafted in brass and super-detailed per prototype.#17335-1 Milwaukee F-6 as delivered, boiler tube pilot, painted #6400, #6402 and #6409.#17337-1 Milwaukee F-6 as shopped, steel pilot, Box Pok, drivers, Mars light, painted #135 & #138.#17339-1 Milwaukee F-6a as delivered with boiler tube pilot, painted #4614, #4617 and #4620.#17341-1 Milwaukee F-6a as shopped with steel pilot, painted #141 and #142.#17343-1 Milwaukee F-6a as shopped for commuter service, generator on pilot, painted #143.Also coming In O Scale is the ABRAHAM LINCOLN FUNERAL TRAIN! The C.C. & C RR#13 Nashville 4-4-0 locomotive with two cars; The “United States” and The “Officers”.Fully Painted and decorated. Limited Quantity! See a PSC Dealer Today!All PSC O Scale Brass Models Feature; Prototype details per road number, full cab interior, lights,machined open frames, brake rigging, prototype valve gear, complete tender details and under bodies,sprung and semi-equalized drive system, ball bear gear boxes and drivers, etc..SEE A PSC DEALER TODAYAND ORDER THE PSC SUPER-DETAILED BRASS MODEL OF YOUR CHOICE!

New In Stock - from Pecos River BrassSANTA FE HEAVYWEIGHTS• 80’ Combine,• 60’ Baggage,• 60’ Storage Mail,• 70’ Fishbelly Baggage,• 80’ Horse Car,• 70’ Baggage Mail(2 versions),• 85’ Cafe Observation,FP Green or 2 Tone Grey.Large Selection of PRB Brass at closeout prices • Check website or send SSAE for list.AAR 50’ Plastic Double Door Box car available in 2 or 3 rail at new price of $40 each.Some kits are available at $30.SF Pass, SP, NYC, SRR, KCS, CB&Q, SF Frt, SSW, Erie, NKP, MP Express, Wabash, MKT & SF MofW.Coming Soon C&O, B&O, PM, WM, UP and PRR.Modular Railroad Structures by Pecos River are ALL IN STOCK.IN PRODUCTION NOW FOR AUGUST 2002 ETADRGW 1951 PROSPECTOR& ROYAL GORGENOW WITHLIGHTS &INTERIORSCALL NOW FOR RESERVATIONS.VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES.Check out our website at http://www.pecosriverbrass.comPecos River Brass560 E. CHURCH • LEWISVILLE, TX 75057Phone and Fax: (972) 219-0202john@pecosriverbrass.com • visit our NEW website at http://www.pecosriverbrass.com