Just found a set of city trackwork pics that are so uneven that I wonder if they can be negotiated at all. I can supply the link to anybody who wants to extract them for the page because there is some questionable material at the bottom. Just write me: pipopak at yahoo dot com.

Ever have an urge to build a car, but haven't quite been able to find any dimensions, let alone an article on building or kitbashing it?  Well, I thought I'd show what I do (or rather, put myself through!) to build a car without much to go on.  This isn't to say that I've got it all figured out, but instead I hope it will stimulate some discussion that we all might benefit from. 

OK, what am I going to model?  Here's a picture of the prototype:

I bought the Model Builders Software Video for Windows. So far I haven't built anything and it does have a learning curve. Not a hard one but it does have it's steps and you need to learn them.

I'm not in the Model Building stage right now but I did a test of the soft ware and there are a few ready to build sample structures you can print out in your scale and then assemble.

I've been experimenting with weathering trucks on my rolling stock and wanted to share methods I've hit upon that are easy and produce what I consider to be reasonably realistic results.  Here is my step by step for those interested in trying the technique:

It's been a while since I posted and update on the Hudson and Hartford but there hasn't been much of anything to write about. And there is good reason for that. I've been busy with other activities most of which haven't been pleasant. But we all have to do things we don't want to do and the first of those things has to do with the fact that my wife's mother died last March and we have found ourselves having to empty her apartment and give the keys back to the landlord. That task wqas finally completed about 2PM yesterday afternoon.

The Central Vermont received new MOW offices and warehouse space in Montpelier.

The local super was so pleased, he ordered  all the trucks cleaned and polished up.

I think I heard him mutter "take that, Fithers," under his breath....

Construction continues on the Henderson Building. Since the last post all cutting, fitting, filling, painting, mortar lines, and weathering on the outside have been completed. I've also added the interior window treatment and I'm presently working on the lighting (thus the wire hanging out)

Spent some time digging through the Washington Northern historical archives this morning and found a couple of period ads preserved.  Quite the find!    (It was fun to put together)

First a travel poster from October of 1962.

Then we have a magazine print ad that featured GM Motors Electromotive Division as it appeared in magazines on the west coast in 1947.

Take a look at this video about replacing trackwork at Church and 30th St. San Francisco MUNI

http://vimeo.com/15780202

and specially at the "unprototypical" tie layout on the switch right at front center.