Procrastination on vintage Pola building kit

[Albert in N]

I bought and built one of these back in the early 1970s and probably traded it off at a train show.  In 1992, I found this kit and bought it to build for my layout.  Somehow, I never built it and moved to a different city.  The other day, I thought about a freight station for my layout and I found it in my stuff.  It is marked "made in Western Germany" like my first one.  Then I ordered better cement (did not want to use tube model airplane glue again).  Now I have no more excuses to finally build it after some 28 years.  Time will tell.  At least with shelter in place (covid 19) there is more time at home. 

[Mark5]

That's a good kit.

Mark

[Ed Kapuscinski]

It really is a classic. I've got one myself for the eventual "I'm gonna find a use for this" day.

Don't feel constrained by the base, either. You can always make your own.

[Doug G.]

Covid, Schmovid. It should be built just because.

Doug

[muktown128]

I think I have this kit stashed away somewhere.

Maybe this could be the next challenge...

Fits in with the recent interest in retro...

[Albert in N]

   Yes!!  The interest in retro has almost inspired me.  No, I don't miss the days of numbers omitted from diesel number boards, headlight bulbs either too dim or shining thru the windshield, and Rapido couplers.  My problem is probably laziness.  Already assembled, painted, and detailed structures are offered by various manufacturers.  Otherwise, assembled buildings are cheap at train shows, garage sales, or estate sales (sometimes on consignment at the local hobby shop).  Anyway, my favorite thing is running N scale trains or tinkering with locomotives or rolling stock.  That Pola freight station will look good on my modest layout, displacing the Bachmann "Sunnyvale" passenger station.

[John]

I've had a Pizza Hut kit that I have been meaning to build for the last 20 years .. factory air

[bman]

I built that kit for our club. As mentioned it is a good one. It now resides on one of the club Ntrak modules stashed in a trailer.

[nkalanaga]

"I don't miss the days of numbers omitted from diesel number boards"

On the other hand, I've long been glad that most of mine didn't have printed number boards.  Modeling the early BN, I have a lot of GN/NP/CB&Q locos, and they ALL have to be renumbered for BN.  Blank number boards are much easier to renumber.

[Rossford Yard]

I would think a separate board on a model railroad chat board would be very popular and relevant......if anyone ever got around to posting on it.

[Albert in N]

   This is Railwire and threads are supposed to go in unpredictable directions.  It is OK to chase rabbits.  Anyway, I love factory illuminated (light up) diesel locomotive number boards!!  I would rather build a plastic building kit or change out a toilet wax ring than decal number boards.

[DKS]

I've built more of these kits than I can count, and bashed the living daylights out of some. It's one of my very favorite vintage kits.

The last one I built was straight--no mods at all.



http://davidksmith.com/modeling/layouts/nrf2-2-3.htm

[Albert in N]

DKS, that is gorgeous with outstanding workmanship and weathering!  Yes, that is a classic.  When I finish this kit, it will replace the Bachmann "Sunnyvale" passenger station.
 
Regarding my obvious distaste for adding decal numbers to diesel numberboards, the problem is evenly cutting and trimming the original numbers, setting them, and hoping that the clear dull coat paint brush does not move a decal or that the paint does not eat part of the decal.  This photo (with a cheapy $70 camera) shows an early Kato Santa Fe F7 with decals on a solid cast (not light up clear plastic) numberboard. Other than out of camera focus, the decal numbers are OK even though I installed them.  The black Atlas Frisco GP7 has factory numbers on the lit numberboard and is nice!  The red Atlas Rock Island U25B had numbers changed with decals.  Note that the numbers do not light up plus a few gaps and a little uneven, plus square cut decals do not completely fill the oval number board. (you need to scroll or use finger on Pad screen to magnify).  The U25B was one I bought at a train show from a skilled modeler (note snow plow added, but virtually impossible to do decal numbers right unless they are consectutive and on oval numberboard background).