Even the competition gets some attention on the odd occasion.  I have been on a freight car weathering binge and the latest victims are my small fleet of CP gondolas.

https://hudbayrailway.blogspot.com/2021/08/cp-gondola-weathering.html

Finished up the major portion of concrete standing areas for the Pulp & Paper Mill today.

This is a three step prep.  When you want to convert from one style of decoder to another, this procedure might work well for you too.

A clip type decoder holder is a convenience for the locomotive manufacturer.  The first thing I do is to cut the “ears” or clips off the decoder holder with a pair of flush cutters.  Next I might file the cut area flat if I intend to use Walthers Goo, silicone gasket sealant or rubber cement to attach the new decoder that way.

As I've mentioned in other posts, I'd been struggling a lot since our move over whether to backdate to the early 1980s or continue with the IAIS, and I've reached a decision that would allow me to potentially do both if the pull to backdate becomes too strong at some point.  Since this rural line saw very few changes between the 1980 loss of the RI and my May 2005 era, I can move back-and-forth between eras by doing little more than swapping out equipment and vehicles.  However, since I'm much more of a fan of the UP than I am of the RI, I decided that a sligh