My Old HOn30" Equipment

My first model railroad kit that I purchased and built back in the 1980's. Till yesterday this car has not been out of the box in at least a decade.

Back in the 1980's I spent a lot of time modeling in HOn30". I did not really have a lot available to work with. Our local hobby shop back then did not stock Maine models but they did get in Bob Jones SR&RL volumes when it first was published...which I quickly acquired. Most of what I could purchase for modeling Maine Two Footer I had to order by mail.

I originally purchased a Sandy River Car Shops, SR&RL boxcar no. 85. Using this car for measurements I scratch-build a few more. I had only been modeling for a few years at this point and really did not know were to look for details other than through RMC and MR. I used a lot of electrical wire bent to suit my needs and balsa wood found at our model plane store. Our local hobby shop did have a good stock of O scale detail parts for scratch-building but almost nothing in HO scale.

These views are of my model built way back then. Maybe a little crude to today's standard but nice to still have. Wordless Wednesday this week (and also next week) views some of my early scratch-building attempts. Looking back it is hard to believe some of my very first models constructed were actually scratch-built and in narrow gauge...George Dutka

This model when built did not come with decals. I used dry transfers lettering that I purchased at our local stationary store. This store is long gone and I am not sure if one can still get dry transfer lettering sheets in town.

Before I took this photo I have added a bit of PanPastels to the roof and to the sides. The top photo shows the car before any pastels are added. I thought the car was too red.