Monday, April 29, 2013

Productive Weekend

After a long week at work I decided to make one of my regular pilgrimages south to Dunsmuir for some "model railfanning" as Bruce Petty calls it, some good coffee and a few slices of really good pizza with my friend.  Proto trains were almost non existent thru the yard the few hours I was there, but the weather was Spring like and great for re-charging the batteries.

Major score for my fleet thanks to Bruce.  I offered to weather one of his Red Caboose/SPH&TS F70  plaster board flats. Proto and model info   In exchange he gave me an extra unit so I am now the proud owner of one of these unique flat cars.  According to Tony Thompson's bible on SP Flatcars, this version of the F70 was converted for other uses including ballistic sheet aluminum loads, railroad ties and other cool stuff. Give the area I am modeling, I may go with some sort of lumber load for a box making plant.  More model info here: Model images

If visiting Bruce and John Signor is not enough reason to go south, the local hardware store also boasts a small hobby shop and for the most part all the offerings are Southern Pacific themed with a few UP products to keep the local foamers happy.  I have to restrain my buying until I get more of the layout done, I don't want a bunch of stuff that has no business on the Orphan Spur.  The only major acquisition missing so far are the Reefers.  I think, given the short line nature of the route and the Packing Plant heavy theme, I will need to look at some of the PFE resin kits out there for something more specific and interesting to look at. I really want to cut open the doors and have them positionable...not working, but can be shown open or closed.  Ought to be an interesting project.

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