SANDSTONE CANYONThis is a method of creating a “Tough Skin” scenery shell that is lightweight and less messy than plaster. I now use a two-layer process with spray foam in between the back and front paper. The foam allows some density for planting trees, fence post and whatever for stability. Every now and then at …
From the Kalmbach book; Bridges & BuildingsArticle by; Frank TitmanThis coal barge was to go with the car dumper that the author built in a preceding article. My model has a cardboard hull, deck, holds, and pilothouse. Strip wood was glued to the floor and used for the other trim. I built it for a …
The hump yard looked like this for over ten years with just ballast for scenery. This would be correct for the dry Southwest and I left it that way so my customers could see the HO “fine” ballast colours of #1222 yard mix and #1152 Empire Builder overlaid in the foreground. This is the first …
You must admit, those brass engines host a lot of detail. I bought one to see what all the ballyhoo was about them. My first curiosity was to compare its performance against those die cast clunkers. Second, is the detail applied neatly? Third, Is it worth the extra money over reworking one of my clunkers? …
Campbell’s kit # 382 Country Barn is truly a western horse or small milking parlor type suitable for a ranch. Its bright red paint has faded to a pale orange and the roof is showing its age. Notice how the siding boards are very rotten next to the ground. The project took about eight hours …
I had an Icehouse, but it was too wide for the available space on the layout. This structure measures 4″ X 18″ and three Reefers can be spotted for icing at a time. The story behind this structure is as follows. My oldest son and I were in Durango Colorado, visiting with Ruth and Leo …
Continue reading “Scratch built Ice House and Loading Platform”
Using photos for a cartoon strip require close ups that keep everything in focus. Flaws in the model work now show up dramatically such as the unpainted wagon spokes, shiny cloths and the right shoulder of the man not glued in place properly. To make the characters larger in the picture box, you need to …
After a couple of years of hiatus, the relocation of Bootjack AZ is underway on my upper level. I keep expanding with scratch-built structures that resemble my extensive line of the Campbell Scale Models buildings. In the view below are six structures with Campbell shingles on the roofs. This water tank and tool shed were …
The model railroad industry has gone in almost complete denial that thousands of us still run with DC throttles. An exception is MRC with its various transistor power packs. They also make a walk around a unit called the CM20 of which I have for my mainline cab and could now use a second one. …
The family of train crews are back together again after a long absents and posed for this picture. Pictured are Engineers, Firemen, Brakemen, Conductors and Dispatcher. I also learned how to make pigeons out of brass with one of them on the Geep cab.
