Hi all I've spent the last couple of weeks speed-modelling and weathering a batch of my unused freight cars to help provide sufficient rolling stock for a Pennsy layout - Westmoreland Junction - which is due out at Tyneside (UK) show in a couple of weeks. The layout has been built by members of the Newcastle Model Railway club, but they're a bit short of freight cars, so I'm taking both the 1930s stock from Sweethome Chicago and some 1940s stuff I had lying around. First up is a Pacific Mountain resin kit of a Baltimore and Ohio I5-D caboose (ballasted with concrete) Jon
Next batch of cars are some Bowser X31 series 40ft boxcars and a couple of X32A 50ft cars. The models are repainted models from Bowser, redone with Speedwitch decals. The cars had been either SAL, T&NO or DTI but I wanted to do at least some Pennsy cars. Although weathered, I have not added any underframe detail or grabirons yet, but will return to these cars after the Tyneside show. (Apologies for the condensation on the lens) Jon
A few more finished tonight - a Tichy flat car, Roundhouse milk car and Funaro Phaudler milk tank car Jon
Fantastic work. It looks to me like you have 2 miscreants- the fingers of the second visible behind the boxcars.
Next up for some weathering treatment were a boat load of gondolas of varying types. First up are some Mill gons with some sort of casting loads - these were made from the bits of plastic tube that till receipt paper is wrapped around at store checkouts. Ask a friendly storekeeper to keep them for you. There are 3 tichy composite kits and a P2K example Jon
Next up are some more P2K mill gons with rolled steel loads (Walthers), seated on a wooden carrying frame. Can anyone clue me in to how they were actually transported? Jon
I've also been working on a whole load of 40ft composite and steel gondolas from Walthers P1K, Accurail, Details West, Red caboose and intermountain, although most of them will be running empty due to time constraints. Jon
Last few shots of gons before I start blitzing 30+ boxcars. I set up an eighteen foot train of my overweighted freight cars and was happily suprised that the USRA 0-8-0 pulled away smoothly from a standing start - handy, because each of the 14 fiddle yard tracks appear to be at least that long. Jon
Fabulous work and photography again Jon. I was also pleased that Alan Curtis Distribution made an appearance.
First batch of 1940s boxcars. Although these did'nt require much work to get them ready for the show, some are still missing the odd grab iron and or stirrup steps, but they should pass muster in a moving train. There's still some debate about which Erie herald is correct Jon
I've been working on a few more freight cars tonight, starting with a few reefers from Cannonball, Trix and C&BT. 2 sides of the same car Jon
Some really nicely done cars in your train Jon; not overly weathered however noticeable. Thanks for sharing them with us. Glen
