scratchbuild supplies

Sometimes it is fun to build something completely from scratch, eventhough 'ready to roll' dominates the market, and not everyone likes (or has the time) to scratchbuild, or kitbash.

Yet from time to time there's something I'd like to try, but it's not always easy to get the parts you need.
Thankfully Model Junction has recognised this too, and they're slowly expanding their range of scratchbuild materials. They've recently added Plastruct, and Evergreen styrene items.

Pay them a visit, order something, and make it worthwhile for them to keep sufficient stock in house, we can all benefit from that, and not having to rely on foreign orders here in the UK.

Model Junction Scratchbuild supplies

OUPS......

I thought I was nearly ready to apply dullcote to the shell and start weathering, but then I discovered something:

 I used the wrong WINGS!

They should be a bit bigger,these are second gen diesel size (low short hood),  looking through my drawers I don't have any in stock, so I've ordered the correct ones.

What confused me is that the illustrations that came with the pack showed these applied to a high hood diesel too... 

I need an eye test...

Winter scenery operations

I recently came accross this video. You might be familiar with it. It is filmed on Mike Confalone's Allgash layout.
It shows his very convincing late winter scenery. Looking at it , you can almost feel the near 0 degree temperatures, and makes a nice change from the usual summer grasses and blossoming trees you see so often.
Also nice is the ALCo RS , with a nice engine sound, it made me want a model like that too, beaten up and weathered of course :-)

Happy New Year

Hello all, I hope you've had a good christmas and wish you a very happy new year.

This new year has started fairly good on the hobby side of things for me.
I've replaced a series of turnouts on my home layout to improve the looks and the performance of the trains.
A mix of Peco and Shinohara was replaced by Code 83 Peco turnouts in US outline, while previously there were European style there too.

Secondly I've been working on one of my locomotive projects , a commuter GP9. I've detailed the shell and have now airbrushed it with a light grey primer. I'm hoping that I can continue painting this weekend.
Here's a picture of it so far:

Another thing I've done is add two more links in the useful links section on the right. One is Clevermodels, which is a site where you can order and download cardstock models and building textures, and the other is a similar website with many freely downloadable textures to print on photo paper etc, also useful for scratchbuilding various buildings. You find this under 'textures for photo modeling'.

Hopefully this is useful for you.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

The picture says it all, painted by the infamous Tom Newsom.
Thanks for all your visits, comments, and I wish you Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

http://newsomart.com/gallery.php?gallery=6

Two GP15-1 in action

this weekend I managed to install a Loksound select direct DCC decoder in my second GP 15-1 locomotive.
I also gave it the same LED upgrade as the first one, so both of them now operate with nice bright headlights, smooth running thanks to the excellent motor control of these ESU decoders, and decent sounds.
If anything, the sound of the horn is the only minor criticism I have about the sound project inside these decoders. I know that ESU is working on upgrading the recordings though, so as soon as they become available, I'll upload a new sound project in both locos, which then also will include the correct nose gong sound instead of the current bell.

New Logo for the NMRA British Region

Last year or so, I reported that the NMRA (National Model Railroad Association) had redesigned their logo.
The British Region (a region of the NMRA based in the UK, and one of the oldest regions outside the USA), decided it would be good to update theirs too, to show the family link with the parent organisation, and to give it a fresh new look.
It has now officially been accepted and it is pictured below.  I am reposting it to give it exposure, and introduce it to a wider audience.

Oh and shameless plug etc, Membership of the NMRA-BR doesn't have to be expensive. You can be a member starting as low as GBP 14,- per year.  Go here for more details: http://www.nmrabr.org.uk/interested-in-joining