Quite a few small towns remember their railroad past.? Eyota MN, where I last served, even had an annual "Railroad Days" festival each August.? They are still along the old C&NW "Alco Line" (later DM&E, still later CPR) and once had a parallel CGW right of
way.
When they came to find something suitable, no good C&NW (or CGW) cars could be found, so they settled for an ex-SOO caboose.
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That's a good little display for hundreds of tiny towns.? Around here many small cities have set aside their depots, but to raise the needed cash to keep them painted, etc. they will put on an event.? So now you have a dozen of
these along with the various, TTOS, NMRA, etc.putting on shows of some kind. ?? They're generally small events but eventually those volunteer efforts run out of steam, the local folks have seen the displays many times and the clubs who setup up the RR's get
too old for the setups!
I've dragged my family much further out West with our little tent trailer.? On the way up to NG territory after about 900miles, we'll end up in a small city right at the NM/TX border.? The campground is filled with X=ATSF reefers
scattered about, the now. BNSF mainline is within walking distance so that helps too (if you can sleep well).?
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
On 2/5/25 9:14 AM, Jamie Bothwell via groups.io wrote:
Just for fun, I went searching on Google Maps for the boxcar. If you're interested, here it is.
Jamie Bothwell
Bethlehem, PA
On Tue, Feb 4, 2025 at 8:38?PM Nick Kinnear via
<nick.kinnear= [email protected]> wrote:
You are correct Jace.
--
Nick Kinnear
Plainview, MN
|
Mike,?
? ? ?Are these s/s Eagle etchings available from the same firm in the UK that produced the brass MP doghouse???
Lindsey Neas Route of the Eagles....??
This is for the Mopac guys in S scale.
I just received the stainless Eagle etchings and the MP buzzsaw logo decal and the T&P diamond logo decal to go on the etching.
These are forPA,E and rear of the observation car.
Mike Swederska
--
Mike Swederska
Meramec Valley Lines
Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16
Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!
|
On Sun, Feb 2, 2025 at 03:46 PM, Anthony Salvate wrote:
do you think they would consider producing turnouts?
?
?
Have you considered EMPIRE TRACKWORKS?? (scale only)
--
Ed Loizeaux
Los Altos, CA
|
Re: Any future S efforts....
On Sun, Feb 2, 2025 at 12:21 PM, Hans von Draminski wrote:
And where is track I can buy for a normal price?
Have you spoken with Empire Trackworks recently?? (scale track only)
--
Ed Loizeaux
Los Altos, CA
|
That's a good little display for
hundreds of tiny towns.? Around here many small cities have set
aside their depots, but to raise the needed cash to keep them
painted, etc. they will put on an event.? So now you have a dozen
of these along with the various, TTOS, NMRA, etc.putting on shows
of some kind. ?? They're generally small events but eventually
those volunteer efforts run out of steam, the local folks have
seen the displays many times and the clubs who setup up the RR's
get too old for the setups!
I've dragged my family much further out
West with our little tent trailer.? On the way up to NG territory
after about 900miles, we'll end up in a small city right at the
NM/TX border.? The campground is filled with X=ATSF reefers
scattered about, the now. BNSF mainline is within walking distance
so that helps too (if you can sleep well).?
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
On 2/5/25 9:14 AM, Jamie Bothwell via
groups.io wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Just for fun, I went searching on Google Maps for
the boxcar. If you're interested, here it is.
Jamie Bothwell
Bethlehem, PA
On Tue, Feb 4, 2025 at 8:38?PM
Nick Kinnear via <nick.kinnear= [email protected]>
wrote:
You are correct Jace.
--
Nick Kinnear
Plainview, MN
|
Re: BTS BL-2 (X2)--just thinking--danger perhaps!
On 2/5/25 10:31 AM, Jerry Poniatowski
via groups.io wrote:
I toyed with the
idea of making a frame out of sheet brass, but once finished, it
wasn't necessary.? If the resin ones fail, brass is still an
option.?
A very excellent model Jerry!
Your thought along the line of creating a metal
frame and tossing the resin frame reminds me of the V&T SP
flatcar that I built.? Metal was inside the resin frame, and now
after 20years, it also seems to be holding up.? I wonder what
techniques were used?? My only negative thoughts might be, when
drilling into the resin and your bit suddenly hits the metal
(brass/steel/whatever) might result in a broken bit--something
that should only happen once!
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxxrd
|
Thanks, Jerry...your review has relieved most of my reservations about purchasing these. Great looking model, btw.? The ones I get will become FEC (Florida East Coast) units in a 1957-appropriate scheme.
John D
John,
?
I have assembled and painted four of those BL-2 kits and personally have found the shells themselves to be very well done.? The fine details in the original kits were brass, such as the fans, MU hose fittings, horns, etc. all from BTS.? The only weak spot, in my opinion was the frame which was a very thin resin casting.? But once assembled to the body shell, which is very thick, the unit is quite robust.? I toyed with the idea of making a frame out of sheet brass, but once finished, it wasn't necessary.? If the resin ones fail, brass is still an option.? The unit pictured has been in service for a number of years and MANY hours at shows and on my home layout pulling a consist of short (4-6) passenger cars or freights.? After all, they were meant for Branch Line service.? BTW, the EMD power trucks and motor were purchased from American Models, and have proven themselves to be next to bullet-proof.
?
I'm glad you were able to find a few of the kits anyway!? Good luck in your endeavors.? Knowing what kind of modeler you are, I'm know they'll turn out great.? Keep us all informed, will you?
?
Jerry Poniatowski
Brighton, MI
?
 ??  ?
 ? 
|
This is for the Mopac guys in S scale.
I just received the stainless Eagle etchings and the MP buzzsaw logo decal and the T&P diamond logo decal to go on the etching.
These are forPA,E and rear of the observation car.
Mike Swederska
--
Mike Swederska
Meramec Valley Lines
Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16
Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!
|
John,
?
I have assembled and painted four of those BL-2 kits and personally have found the shells themselves to be very well done.? The fine details in the original kits were brass, such as the fans, MU hose fittings, horns, etc. all from BTS.? The only weak spot, in my opinion was the frame which was a very thin resin casting.? But once assembled to the body shell, which is very thick, the unit is quite robust.? I toyed with the idea of making a frame out of sheet brass, but once finished, it wasn't necessary.? If the resin ones fail, brass is still an option.? The unit pictured has been in service for a number of years and MANY hours at shows and on my home layout pulling a consist of short (4-6) passenger cars or freights.? After all, they were meant for Branch Line service.? BTW, the EMD power trucks and motor were purchased from American Models, and have proven themselves to be next to bullet-proof.
?
I'm glad you were able to find a few of the kits anyway!? Good luck in your endeavors.? Knowing what kind of modeler you are, I'm know they'll turn out great.? Keep us all informed, will you?
?
Jerry Poniatowski
Brighton, MI
?
 ??  ?
 ? 
|
Great link, Jamie.
Ben Trousdale?
|
Just for fun, I went searching on Google Maps for the boxcar. If you're interested, here it is.
Jamie Bothwell Bethlehem, PA
On Tue, Feb 4, 2025 at 8:38?PM Nick Kinnear via <nick.kinnear= [email protected]> wrote: You are correct Jace.
--
Nick Kinnear
Plainview, MN
|
|
|
Since my posting, I have managed to locate at least two BL-2 kits that I will likely purchase. But once I received them and review them, depending on the quality of the shells, I may still choose to have a new and improved, 3D printed shell produced.? I have no doubt that professional quality printed resin shells, such as what SMMW can produce, would most almost surely be superior to anything produced previous. I am hoping I won't feel the need to go that route, But having never seen a BL-2 model before, I have to reserve judgment.
John D
In the near term, preserving scratchbuilt patterns and casting copies in resin will be viable for small runs. It would be valuable to locate and preserve these and other patterns from the past 20+ years. Surely there are many such that are dormant in someone's basement or storage locker.
?
I also think about the patterns for the RDC shells and other products sold by American Hi-Rail (Tom Hodson) in early 2000s. And some other products from that era.
?
In the longer term, of course CAD and 3-D printing will make older patterns worthless.
--
Mark Charles
Ann Arbor, Mich. USA
|
On Wed, Feb 5, 2025 at 05:11 AM, Mark Charles wrote:
I also think about the patterns for the RDC shells and other products sold by American Hi-Rail (Tom Hodson) in early 2000s. And some other products from that era.
A lot of Hodgson's patterns were HO models (like the RDC, Athearn's HO models were the pattern.)? There was a chemical process (which I don't understand) that he used to expand the mold to S Scale.
?
Rich G(ajnak)
|
In the near term, preserving scratchbuilt patterns and casting copies in resin will be viable for small runs. It would be valuable to locate and preserve these and other patterns from the past 20+ years. Surely there are many such that are dormant in someone's basement or storage locker.
?
I also think about the patterns for the RDC shells and other products sold by American Hi-Rail (Tom Hodson) in early 2000s. And some other products from that era.
?
In the longer term, of course CAD and 3-D printing will make older patterns worthless.
--
Mark Charles
Ann Arbor, Mich. USA
|
You are correct Jace.
--
Nick Kinnear
Plainview, MN
|
Peter,
I saw the 100% increase in the number of visits to the website between December and January and the 50% increase in the number of unique visitors...if I'm reading the data correctly.? ?That's really exciting!? Does the data you have access to provide any information about what specific pages saw significant increases in visits?? ?It would be interesting, and useful, to know if the increased visits, and visitors, are looking for information about AF/HR or scale.? I tried to do a little analysis from what's posted in the Members Only portal but only one month's data on page visits is posted.
?
One thing that's curious is that the NASG's RMC campaign has been running for a long time, entering it's fourth year now, so it seems less likely that it generated such a huge increase in visitors and visits month to month.? The NASG ad campaigns in Model Railroader and? Classic Toy Trains were far less comprehensive...simple 1/2 page ads in four issues of each of those magazines.? ?If those small ads drove the gigantic increase in visits to the NASG site, then the significant costs to run those ads might be justified...and would warrant the BOT approving funds for more MR and CTT.
?
Bottom line, the increase in visits to the site is encouraging but any information that would shed light on what actually drove the increase and what aspects of S the many, many new visitors had interest in, the better decisions the BOT can make going forward.
?
I think I'm safe in saying that anyone who has ideas for what the NASG can do to promote S should contact their regional VP, get their support for the idea and then help the VP take it to the BOT.? Then, most importantly, be prepared to do the work to get the idea implemented.?
Brooks Stover
|
All aboard Mike!? Please take look at the playlists when you have a moment. Austin?
On Tue, Feb 4, 2025, 6:56?PM Mike Swederska via <MikeSscale= [email protected]> wrote: HI Austin,
I just subscribed to your channel and clicked on the bell.
?
I am not a flyer guy but just an all around S guy. So I will enjoy your videos when you post them. Thanks for the channel.?
--
Mike Swederska
Meramec Valley Lines
Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16
Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!
|
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Show quoted text
Thank you, Austin. Mighty kind words!
And, conversely, I visit your YouTube channel routinely, and when I see
you feature a specific car or engine, I make a link to your YouTube
video for that car or engine in the NASG web site's "Product Gallery"
section, so hopefully you get some traffic from that.
- Peter.
On 02/04/2025 04:43 PM, Austin Birkey via wrote:
> Peter...I mentioned using the website to solve a wiring issue I had
> not previously encountered nor did I have in my references.
> I'll be putting a YouTube together on this project and will include
> not only the reference I used but show how to find schematics....the
> engine is a 336 Northern.? Any video I do one one of these engines
> sees a good amount of traffic. Hopefully I'll drive more towards the NASG.
>
> And thank you again for the tremendous work ...dare I say
> transformation...you have made to the website.? It really is the one
> place to go for all things S!? Well done! ?
> Austin
--
Peter Vanvliet (info@...)
owner, Fourth Ray Software
Houston, Texas
(personal web site)
|
The NASG, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) "Educational" non-profit corporation,
so it is able to accept donations, and for U.S. residents, the
donation may even be tax-deductible. Contact a member of the NASG
BOT for more info (I'm not a lawyer).
- Peter.
On 02/04/2025 05:43 PM, John Degnan via
groups.io wrote:
GREAT
NEWS!!!
?
So, with
that said, I have a suggestion...
With all
of these advertising campaigns going on... would it be
possible for the NASG to run a RAFFLE to go along with it??
I'm talking about a raffle to win a FREE freight car???? I,
for one, would definitely be willing to purchase and donate a
(non-AF) ('scale') freight car, or two, to this cause!? And I
challenge ALL other S scalers to do the same!? If the NASG
would take donations from us for a few months to see how many
of us will donate to this cause, these donations can be the
prizes for the raffle!
?
Or better
yet... maybe a few of us could team up to purchase one (or
more) diesel locomotive(s) to donate to this cause of
PROMOTING OUR SCALE!?!? Anything to entice people to come and
give S a try is wort it to me!
?
Challenge
issued!
?
?
John D
Scaler164
--
Peter Vanvliet (info@...)
owner, Fourth Ray Software
Houston, Texas
(personal web site)
|
Bob Werre
John Degnan
Jerry Poniatowski
Ben
Tom Lennon
Nick Kinnear