Thursday, September 12, 2013

New Project, New Distraction

I'll admit it, I model in several scales which owes to the number of stuff closets in my house. I try not to get too worked up about it and knowing that I am in good company hardly give it a thought, until I go looking for something. As some may know, I work for Micro-Trains Line as the Design Engineer and have access to way too much cool stuff. I used to think HO was the distraction...but now N scale is. I've come to appreciate what both scales have to offer and I think building in more than one, has it's advantages. HO is for my detailing mood, and N is for my "get it done and running" mood. It also helps living in reduced quarters as I am at the moment, to enjoy the best of both without any more frustration than necessary. So my Distraction at the moment is developing a N Scale layout for publication and to use at shows for MTL. Modeling PE is my focus, so reverting to a smaller scale is not that much of an issue. Motive power, the kind I want, is not as easy to find without some degree of conversion or modeling. So far, no one has done a Baldwin 616 which would be the main hauler in my 160 world, but I can get Atlas Vo1000's and now, really nice Bachmann/Atlas Alco S Switchers and Bachman 44 tonners so all is not lost. I still harbor dreams of the ultimate Orphin Spur layout, but the that will happen when I have the space to do it right...and some help!