Weekend Update 10/1/17

[CNR5529]

I want to say it's the "Suffern Hoboken Interstate Transfer", and is a project by some friends of mine.

Confirmed! This car was part of a home road freight car swap, which is why it ended up here.

[davefoxx]

For that center building, have you considered getting four identical store kits and butting the front walls all together in a row? Cut off the decorative cornices and replace it with a one-piece brick section matching the picture. Then putty the seams.  I assume you're going to alter the store fronts to match the picture.

Nope. I'm lazy, and 99.99% of people looking at my model town won't know the difference.  I'm just trying to capture the feeling of the town of Aberdeen, because, like most of us, I don't have the room for a faithful rendition.  Oh, and I wouldn't model that picture exactly anyway, because it's more than thirty years too new.  I'm modeling the early 1980s, and I haven't come across any pictures from that era yet.  Truthfully, I have no interest into putting that much effort into building structures.  I'm just here to play with trains. 

DFF

[thomasjmdavis]

Nope. I'm lazy, and 99.99% of people looking at my model town won't know the difference.  I'm just trying to capture the feeling of the town of Aberdeen, because, like most of us, I don't have the room for a faithful rendition.  Oh, and I wouldn't model that picture exactly anyway, because it's more than thirty years too new.  I'm modeling the early 1980s, and I haven't come across any pictures from that era yet.  Truthfully, I have no interest into putting that much effort into building structures.  I'm just here to play with trains. 

DFF

Safer that way.  If you built an exact replica of the buildings, the one person who did know the difference would spend the afternoon making comments like "the door on Smith's Hardware was hinged on the right, not the left" and "the diner had 11 stools at the counter, not 12."

[Mike C]

Almost as bad is the "Regional Bus and Rail Company of Canton Ticino", in the Italian border region of Switzerland.  The official name is "Ferrovie Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi SA", reporting marks FART.  And, at least into the 1980s, those were prominently displayed on the sides of the electric railcars.  Sometime since then they changed to a nice white and blue paint scheme, probably because English-speaking tourists found the name too amusing.

And it's on the rear of the bus......

[delamaize]

Maybe... let me see what I can find out for ya.

Oh man, If he does sell Decals, I'm in. I will have to figure out a way to make it fit transition era, but regardless, I'm in! haha

[chuck geiger]

Nope. I'm lazy, and 99.99% of people looking at my model town won't know the difference.  I'm just trying to capture the feeling of the town of Aberdeen, because, like most of us, I don't have the room for a faithful rendition.  Oh, and I wouldn't model that picture exactly anyway, because it's more than thirty years too new.  I'm modeling the early 1980s, and I haven't come across any pictures from that era yet.  Truthfully, I have no interest into putting that much effort into building structures.  I'm just here to play with trains. 

DFF

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[nkalanaga]

Mike C:  Thank you!  The pictures I found of the railcars didn't show the initials.  It's nice to see that they're still using them.

I wonder if that's a diesel bus?  If so, putting the name over the exhaust pipe is a good touch.

[Rich_S]

Those old CC/Herpa trucks really aren't that bad, are they? 

Not if you consider a 1970 Lima F7A to be a good looking and running N scale locomotive. The Freightliner cab-over is probably the better of the two.

I have no idea what Con-Cor / Herpa was thinking of when they created this truck tractor

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

The Front windshield is way too large and is missing the center support. The door windows are far too small. The Mirror and bracket is too large, the Aerodyne sleeper is too narrow and they did a very poor job on the air cleaners. What manufacturer where they actually trying to copy when they created this truck? The thing looks like a cross between a Kenworth, Peterbilt and a GMC General. Another issue with both trucks, the full fenders over the drive axle tires are more European in appearance than American as most trucks in that era had quarter fenders.

Now on the other hand the North American moving van trailer looks pretty good, except the landing gear appears to be in the lowered position.  In my personal opinion, the best N scale assembled truck models on the market currently are Trainworx and Athearn. The downside is they all appear to be limited run items. 

[peteski]

Not if you consider a 1970 Lima F7A to be a good looking and running N scale locomotive. The Freightliner cab-over is probably the better of the two.

I have no idea what Con-Cor / Herpa was thinking of when they created this truck tractor

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The Front windshield is way too large and is missing the center support. The door windows are far too small. The Mirror and bracket is too large, the Aerodyne sleeper is too narrow and they did a very poor job on the air cleaners. What manufacturer where they actually trying to copy when they created this truck? The thing looks like a cross between a Kenworth, Peterbilt and a GMC General. Another issue with both trucks, the full fenders over the drive axle tires are more European in appearance than American as most trucks in that era had quarter fenders.

Now on the other hand the North American moving van trailer looks pretty good, except the landing gear appears to be in the lowered position.  In my personal opinion, the best N scale assembled truck models on the market currently are Trainworx and Athearn. The downside is they all appear to be limited run items.

All true, but even with all those flaws they have a "flavor" of a big rig. At least to my non-expert eyes. I suspect that many other modelers see it that way too.  There also is no denying that the Trainworx models are more accurate, depict specific prototype, and are exquisite miniatures. But that comes at a cost of what seems like outrageous amount of money (even after a dealer discount). And as you said, all limited runs. I see those more as a standalone collectible items (to be displayed in dust-free display case) than an item you plop by a dozen on a layout.

I really don't see anything wrong with gussying up a half-decent 20+ year old model to use on a layout. Just don't put one next to a Trainworx truck! 

[Philip H]

I really don't see anything wrong with gussying up a half-decent 20+ year old model to use on a layout. Just don't put one next to a Trainworx truck! 

Let the record show that on 6 October 2017, I @Philip H entered of my own free will into a philosophical and modeling approach with @peteski .  Further, let the record also show that by consenting to this agreement, both parties entered into a Model Railroad Frugality contract as drawn up and promulgated by @wm3798 under direct counsel of @davefoxx.

[peteski]

Let the record show that on 6 October 2017, I @Philip H entered of my own free will into a philosophical and modeling approach with @peteski .  Further, let the record also show that by consenting to this agreement, both parties entered into a Model Railroad Frugality contract as drawn up and promulgated by @wm3798 under direct counsel of @davefoxx.

ROTFLMAO!
I haven't laughed so hard for a long time!
I wish I could up-vote you a dozen times!

[mu26aeh]

ROTFLMAO!
I haven't laughed so hard for a long time!
I wish I could up-vote you a dozen times!

Don't worry, the rest of us will get it there in no time

[carlso]

I have been working on this for quite awhile and just completed for our State Fair show. Thanks to Mark Watson for the excellent blades. I do not remember who made the nacelle and prop spinner. I was very nervous about our club track curves and some "S" curves but am totally happy with its performance. Ran for hours with no problems, how unusual for a show.

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Thanks Mark for the saddles, you can see the action of the blade tips in the last section. Great work!

Carl

[nkalanaga]

Peteski:  I agree with you.  There is no comparison between today's models and the old Herpa/CC trucks, but at the prices asked for today's models, having a lot of them can get expensive, not to mention the limited runs, and thus limited availability.  For me, any oddities in the windows are irrelevant, because I wouldn't know an accurate truck window if I saw one.  As long as they look like something a driver could see through they're good enough for most viewers.

As for the sleeper, that style is too modern for me anyway, so I cut the top off, put a piece of plastic on for a roof, and it fits my era.

Besides, after almost 50 years, I'm used to having to rebuild stuff.  Even these are much better than the semis I kitbashed from Bachmann dump trucks in the 70s!

[wm3798]

Ah yes, the "close enough is good enough" theory of model railroading. 



You see high ride height, inaccurate detailing, clunky automobiles coarsely modeled and painted... I see three full auto racks with enough money left over to buy beer for the operating session.

Lee