Why no FreeLance N scale models?

[delamaize]

I got a few more cars painted for SBL. The covered hopper is a Bachmann ACF Center Flow Conditionaire cheap car I ended up with when I bought a lot of "junk" for kit bash fodder. I actually have 2, but im keeping one as is. It still needs MT couplers. The other is another Intermountain mechanical reefer, same as the one I did for Paul at PNP trains a week ago. I was so happy with how that one turned out, I decided I needed one for myself.

Im having so much fun with this! Decaling and painting up some stuff is making my idea feel more real, and helping me get things rolling for other stuff.

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[N Scale Train Boy]

I have always been an N scaler and a freelancer. Slowly building up a fleet of my railroad's cars and locomotives. I've recently finished one of the railroad only two 6 axle locomotives, SD40-2 1700, GP7 700 (The first EMD locomotive on property), a 50' 2 door boxcar, and a 50' PS 5344 Per Diem boxcar. I model '75-'85. The Geep and 2 door boxcar were photographed on John Valachovic's Racquette Lake Railway layout. I hope to push Chris at Home Shops to make more N scale freight cars, especially more modern ones, as I'd buy a bunch of them. Here's hoping.

[delamaize]

Im sure you guys are sick of the SBL stuff by now, but I got the rest of my stuff that was slated for black decals painted and decaled.
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Wood side caboose with the old logo, and a transfer caboose. Wide vision caboose was part of the previous batch
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Pennsylvania H30 covered hopper, acquired by SBL. This is a Traincat kit I built a long time ago, but never painted until now.
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RS2 #31 with a smaller old logo, different from the sister loco, RS3 #30.

This is so much fun.

[fcnrwy23]

Just finished a second, MRT GE Dash8-40B.



I run a MRT-themed train, whenever I attended a public show. With the other "N scale" club that I am with.
The Capital City "N"Gineers..

Jerry G.

[delamaize]

Woo More SBL Content! I'm sure you are all excited!!

So painted and lettered more modern boxcars for trade to Jim Younkin's MB&S and Tyler Whitcomb's Tenino Western.

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This one was an Undec, that I painted and decaled. This one ended up on the MB&S

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This was a Railbox that I removed the lettering on, and put my own stuff on. Tyler was at the ops session on the MB&S a few days ago, so I sent it home with him.

I got this picture from Jim today, SBL 6745 is already putting in work on the MB&S.
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This is really cool to me, the MB&S is an awesome layout, and Jim is such a fantastic modeler, and person as a whole, and I'm trilled to know a part of my simple railroad is now part of his legendary line. I'm really looking forward to seeing pictures of 38143 on the Tenino Western earning it's keep.

[fcnrwy23]

Yep, it IS COOL... 

I Follow the progress of the MB&S and Tenino Western, when I see them in print... 

Jerry G.

[fcnrwy23]

I also, have another train that is truly, "Freelanced"...



This is "The Christmas Train" that I run... (and just ran it, last night at our Club's Annual Christmas Party).
It started out as, doing the engine (#1225) for a friend to run at shows.  The engine turned out so well, I decided to keep it FOR MYSELF..
I made her another one, a Heavier unit out of a Kato PA..
Then, realized I needed to add to it.. The graphics come mostly from Microscales, three Christmas decal sets.

Jerry G.

[fcnrwy23]

For The United States of America's upcoming, Semiquincentennial

I know of 13 Shortlines and Regional Railroads, that have painted "Sesquicentennial themed" power.





I figured the FCN should get into the act, this time around... 





Jerry G.

[jpf94]

I was at the Colorado RPM a couple weeks ago and one of the vendors, HomeShops was displaying some of their ProtoFreelance models.  They had some neat models of some of the classic model railroads, like Virginina and Ohio locomotives and Cat Mountain and Santa Fe boxcars in HO.  But their N scale offerings were rather limited.  I asked the owner of the company about that and he said that they hadn't gotten a lot of response to their initial N scale offerings.  It's a small company so they can't do a lot of speculation, they need to be fairly confident that a project will sell before they invest a lot of resources.  One of his comments was that in the modern day railroads, with only a handful of major railroads, he sees a lot of (HO) modelers bringing in Freelance equipment for variety.  But that's not happening in the N scale world, apparently. 

I remember a bunch of years ago, I got some of Lee's Laural Valley hoppers, and I've lettered other cars for the railroads I've operated on in my local area.  But I guess I'm one of the only ones doing that.  Is anyone else here interested in this concept?

Bill Kepner
Ft Collins, CO

The biggest issue is really they have made no real effort to do N scale.  The 4 cars offered previously were really niche cars.  It's also a scale bias, the principles at Homeshops are all HO modelers so they would focus on that which makes sense.   If they did their modern car releases in N I'd have a bunch of them.   

[fcnrwy23]

Yes, N-scale seems to have very few "Freelancers" when it comes to rolling stock. Compared to those "HO" lines.

The only ones, locally (for Me) are the one's, that I, personally had had a hand in creating..
Fellow modelers would see mine and show some interest...

Wendy M's Badgerland Southern


Greg U's GJUX


Ron W's Poogy Line



Skip A's SJCR


Just to name a few.

Jerry G.