I seem to have become a dumping ground for coworkers who are downsizing their lives and moving, either out of state or to smaller homes. Today a coworker dumped 5 boxes of HO gauge stuff in my lap. 5 older power supply packs - still in decent shape, so I can make use of them, if only for non-variable power for accessories. A bunch of old Tyco and Bachmann freight cars (not sure what to do with these, honestly). Two old Tyco (?) C6xx locomotives (one broken, one working). A trio of older Bachmann (cheapy cheap) GPs. Some nickel-silver switches and track. 2 Bachmann EZ-Track switches.

So...

I work for a local big box store that shall remain nameless...

Today, one of my regular customers came in and handed me a box. He is moving, and is trying to find homes for some things. He knows me as a fellow model railroader, but I have a bit of an issue. The box contained 6 O scale standard gauge freight cars. 2 40' boxcars, 2 40' Reefers, a tank car, and a wood-sided caboose.

After much tinkering, may I present Greyhaven Tramway #6:

The 30" gauge Grayhaven Tramway (GHT, though sometimes painted on locomotive tenders as GTH with a larger T so the G and H nestle under the top of the T) started out as one of several industrial shortlines that ran across the Faux Islands atoll.

So, as noted by the pictures I posted yesterday, I have a Magic Trains Krauss I'm working on. Well, early this morning I discovered that the Magic Trains locomotives were designed with code 100 rail in mind. The flanges are WAY too deep for the code 83 rail I'm using, so I'll have to disassemble the locomotive and grind the flanges down. This is NOT a project for the near future.

So, having been delayed and sidetracked by a great many other projects, I have finally managed to get my first scratchbuilt passenger car mostly completed!

Hi all,

   So, as noted in my blog here, I've been scratchbuilding freight cars. Lots of fun, very theraputic. Anyway, trying to build a passenger car now. The frame is done, the sidewalls are good, but I'm trying to figure out how to make arched supports for the roof.

  My current plan is to take some stripwood, boil it for a moment to soften the wood fibers, and wrap it around a piece of PVC pipe until it dries. In theory, the boiling water should make it easy to bend the wood, and when it dries, it should stay curved.

The FICT now has a "standard" boxcar style. 16' long, wood-framed, inside-framed boxcar. Mind you, it wasn't until I took this pic that I realized that all three are even-numbered... Still, three boxcars, all built in a similar style. This style is the most modern version of the line's wooden boxcars, renumbered 140-169 by the new owners. There WILL be a "steel" boxcar as well, eventually, which will be numbered 170-199, and then fill gaps in the existing run as modern steel boxcars replace older cars.

I'm looking for feedback on a numbering theme for my narrow gauge railroad. Right now, This is the numbering theme I'm going with, but I could use some feedback on whether this will work:

01-15: 2-axle (0-B-0) electric freight motors (01-10 are box motors, 11-15 are newer centercabs). Current units already modeled: #12 (0-B-0 centercab motor)

16-30: 4-axle (0-B-B-0) electric freight motors (mix of box motors and centercab units, numbered by age). Current units already modeled: #18 (0-B-B-0 centercab motor)

Vacation continues, and more work is done on the boxcar. It has a roof, grab irons, brake wheel, vent doors on the ends and some details on the door. Still to be done: stirrup steps, roofwalk, paint, lettering, and "distressing" of the finish.