Caboose Hop

No freight today hope this does not become a trend.

Seems as a caboose hop has arrived at Quebec Jct....I think I see a few paying passenger in the caboose today...I hope this is an off day for freight as the price of coal just went up....George Dutka

What's in the Box No. 4

The kit is a nice wooden laser cut structure that includes some nice signs and awnings.

Bar Mills - Hinkle's Package Store

O Scale

Last fall I purchase this little kit for use on my O scale module. I plan to place it on the roadway across the track from the freight house. The structure can be used as any kind of store one can think of. It does have a bit of whimsical feel to it...as may of Bar Mills kits have. This particular kit is named after Pat Hingle a huckster usually dressed all in white on the old Andy Griffith Show. The kit includes some nice details such as mailbox, garbage pails, fire hydrant, broom and a really cool soda sign.  The walls are laser cut wood and the signs are nicely printed in the instruction sheets. O scale newspapers are also included to throw around the sidewalk which is also included. The instructions I feel  are really well done...now to get it built...stay tuned...George Dutka

A close up look at the detail package along with the laser cut door and windows. The details are seen on top of the roofing base.

W&Q Ry - Overall View

I have shown you many views of my On30 module over the past year but have yet to show you it overall. Here is a look of my 6 foot module that is now pretty close to being finished...George Dutka

Turntable - Another Look

I thought I should take a photo which shows you what the strip-wood walkway looks like on the turntable. I just used what stripwood  I had on hand and weathered it up a bit...George Dutka

W&Q Ry Turntable - O Scale

One of the elements of my On30" module is a turntable which is used to turn my Forney engine. I followed Dave Frary's example on his HOn30" C&DR Ry. but in a larger scale. I had an unused HO scale Altas bridge that seemed to fit my O scale Forney perfectly. This was a simple build. I used two aluminium tubes that fit inside each other for the pin. I ran two wires through and soldered them to the rail. Two T-bar and supports are glued near the centre and hand holds for the helper to push the thing around at the corners. The whole thing is painted grimy black with chalk weathering added. The last addition is strip wood walkways weathered and attached to the turntable and it is then good to go...George Dutka

The turntable has access on one end only. The rusty chalk weathering can be seen on this well used piece of RR necessity.

An overall view of my Forney on the turntable.

Wooden Skids - Osborn Models

Both the HO and O scale skids are seen here. Mine have the loads on them. I thought they looked very realistic.

Peter Mumby and I purchases two packages of Osborn Models wooden skids at the last train show I attended with him. One is O scale (which is not available any more but can be found from time to time) and a HO scale version. We decided to split them up and built some for both scales. On our last work session for this season Peter and I finished the day by trying our hand at two wooden skids. We built one of each scale. When finished they looked very realistic...more so then the resin and metal types I typically purchase. The HO scale skid looked good without any finishes applied but the O scale skid did need some stain and weathering.  Once we figured out what we where doing the skids went together very easy. The instruction sheet was not that easy to digest for two old guys like us. On the O scale model we distressed the wood a bit. We then used some Hunterline stain on both scale models followed by some PanPals and Bragdon Powders. I liked what the powders did to the skids in HO and the PanPals worked great in O scale...George Dutka

O scale skids

All that is include in the kits for both scales. Peter and I built two skids each. This project took about 20 minutes including staining and weathering. Now that we know how they go together we should be able to build them much quicker...if we don't forget by the fall.

Licence Plate Added

Plate is now added. The building in the background is my current project...Bar Mills Hinkle's Packing House. I think it will be located near the frt. house.

I finally got a plate attached to my pickup truck. I used a Maine 1942 version which was black and white. It maybe a tad bit bigger than it should be but I wanted to be able to read it. Think all is legal now...George Dutka