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A tale of two boxcars Locos and rolling stock
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Regular poster 290 posts RossA Regular poster 290 posts
RossA

D0F2890.jpeg 

This journey started innocently enough with a desire to have some custom decals printed for my HOn3 PC&N Ry, so I contacted Bill at Precision Design Company and he was able to quickly print and ship my custom decal order.

Bill’s decals are of the highest quality, they are crisp and clean and applied wonderfully. I highly recommend him and his service for custom decals.

I created my artwork using a home and student version of CorelDraw, while it did take a little bit of time to learn the basics, it’s worth it.
 

My boxcar was greatly influenced by the South Pacific Coast, Carter Brothers ventilated cars that carried the large round herald. Since I am modeling the 1880-1890’s car markings are much simpler than most modelers are used to seeing.

What? Why are there two boxcars numbered 102? Well I’m glad you asked...

As I worked on my decal artwork I remembered an old Tomalco Sn3 boxcar kit from 30+ years ago. It was one of my very first craftsman kits I had assembled but never painted. It had languished in its box all those years, ignored but never forgotten! 
 

As I was finalizing my artwork I remembered that forsaken boxcar and at the last minute copied one set of the decals and enlarged them to S scale and included them on my decal sheet. I would build the 102 in both HOn3 and Sn3. I had always been drawn to Sn3 and after I had a chance to visit and run a train over the late Paul Scoles PBR&N, I always knew that someday I would make the leap to Sn3. 

PC&N boxcar 102 has helped seal my fate.

Ross A
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Neil Erickson NeilEr Moderator 5,783 posts
Neil Erickson NeilEr

Paul Scoles PBR&N

Those came out great. I need another scale/gauge like a hole in the head but have been playing with S scale for about a year and like the size. Sn3 would combine the size and era I enjoy running and researching. Paul’s layout is (was?) definitely an influence as is the Slim Gauge Guild layout. 
 

Are you in Seattle?

Neil Erickson, Hawai’i 

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RossA Regular poster 290 posts
RossA

Troutdale

Hi Neil,

I’m in Troutdale, Oregon just East of Portland. I’ve followed your various modeling adventures and have always enjoyed your posts.

Sn3 really is the perfect size for modeling narrow gauge ( and my eyes aren’t getting any younger...)

Paul Scoles was one of my favorite authors and I think I have read everything he wrote. My wife wonderfully endures my hobby and when Paul started bringing out DVD’s she emailed Paul and purchased his DVD’s for me as Christmas presents.

For Christmas 2008 she again conspired with Paul and purchased his Operations DVD for me. Now that happened to be a very unusual year as we had a huge white Christmas and no one could go anywhere due to all the snow. So as soon as I finished watching the new DVD I got a crazy idea and emailed Paul through his website and let him know how much I enjoyed the DVD. Less than an hour later Paul responded to my email ! On Christmas Day no less! In the email he invited me to stop by if we were ever in his area and see the layout. Two weeks later we drove the 4 1/2 hours and received a private tour of the PBR&N. I was almost speechless and then Paul asked if I wanted to run a train, I almost passed out but managed to say that yes I would like to. It was an experience I will never forget.

Paul was a wonderful and most gracious person and I will never forget him. I will always try to be as giving a person as Paul, he is greatly missed.

Ross A
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