Image of the Month

I was in Hearne Texas yesterday on the way to College Station to see my new grand daughter :) and of course had to do some rail fanning. I have seen this station before but wanted to get some shots of it. It is a 1901 MP/SP station, it is unique in that is was built between a cross over main line giving it a triangle foot print. I plan on taking more measurements and eventually scratch build this beauty. Nice work by the team that restored this truly incredible structure.

New Clinic

I just completed a new clinic for our NMRA division meeting. I thought I would share my techniques related to weathering. Here are some of the examples that I built to show the techniques I used. Depending how how heavily you want to weather, you can utilize different techniques.
If you are interested in joining the NMRA or happen to live in the Dallas Metroplex area, please contact me at lsrnmra@hotmail.com

Image of the Month

A nice Edison video of some railroad action from the turn of the last century. Shows front end shots, brakemen on top of cars, crossing flagmen, semaphores.... Well worth a watch.

Road to my MMR

One down, 6 certificates to go for my Master Model Railroad Certification.

My next will be Master Builder - Structures.

Image of the Month

I was researching this car after I purchased the brass version of it. Apparently Southern Pacific in the early 50's sponsored this car for blood donor campaigns. It was was converted from the SP observation car 2903.
...from the Journal of American Medical Association in 1952...
"A specially equipped railroad blood donor car, named "The Life Line," was dedicated in San Francisco in November at a ceremony sponsored by the Southern Pacific, which built and will operate the car over its lines, and by the Irwin Memorial Blood Bank of the San Francisco Medical Society, which will staff the car and supervise the extensive blood procurement project. A. T. Mercier, president of the railroad, dedicated the car at the conclusion of a morning program. The principal address was given by Dr. John W. Cline, San Francisco, President of the American Medical Association. Keys to the car and passes with which the staff can travel on Southern Pacific lines to and from duty aboard the blood donor car were presented by Mr. Mercier to Dr. Paul M. Aggeler, president of the Blood Bank Commission."

From my workbench

As I said earlier, I am back from the LSR convention in San Antonio. After last year's Best of Show Novice, I really wanted to see how I performed against the pro's. Entering the contest room, I was not disappointed, there were several models there and each was world class.I entered 3 categories this year, displays, passenger cars, and maintenance of way. When it was all said and done, I placed first in displays, first in passenger, best overall kit, second in maintenance of way, participation award (for most overall points) and best of all, show most popular for the passenger car. I was elated!....I have posted pictures of the blacksmith car and passenger car here during the build so I will not show them again.

My display this year was a huge project, it consisted of 3 Sierra West Kits of which I kit bashed the Eureka Engine House and Logging and Tractor Repair Sheds. The wood cutters kits sits on the side of the diorama. Each of these are complete with full interior and custom lighting. Here are a few shots...

Side View Engine & Machine Shop Side

Tractor & Logging Repair Side

Through The Trees Inside Engine House

Tractor Repair Shop

Engine and Machine Shop

Wood Cutters Shack on the side

Until next year in Lubbock Texas, LSR Convention 2011...

The LSR Alamo Rails convention was a blast!

Well I am back from the LSR convention held by the folks in San Antonio. What a blast it was! Many thanks to the crew from SAMRA for a great time and very well run convention. I spent many hours in the contest room, going to clinics and visiting some really cool sites in San Antonio. One of the days was spent at the Wimberly, Blanco, and Southern live steam railroad. My first trip to such an event and I am totally hooked on it. This railroad was off the charts in quality, here are a few pictures of the locomotives there....

The detail on these locomotives was amazing.

Disney's Lilly Belle

Prepping for the run.

Blowing down after a day of running.

A wonderful day and convention from beginning to end. I faired really well in the contest room as well, stay tuned for the next posting from my workbench for the models I built for the contest this year.

Image of the Month

This is an interesting photo of what appears to be a road gang showing how versatile the Model T actually was....

Lone Star Region Convention

Sorry I have not been posting a lot of late, I have been really hitting the workbench attempting to have some models ready for the up and coming Lone Star Region Convention. It is being held in San Antonio the first week of June. I encourage any NMRA members to head over, it promises to be quite a convention this year.
Here is the link and hope to see you there....

Image of the Month

The miles this gentleman as seen...

From previous postings you know I am a huge O. Wilson Link fan... here is another one I really like, by clicking on the image you will be taken the Link website, a must see for all rail fans....

Cool Tips - The Bottomless Thinner Jar

I thought I would start a new set of postings that involve cool tips and tricks for the model railroader so watch for more in the future.
My first tip is really cool, it really helps when painting using thinner base paint by brush... just click on the image and it will take you to youtube, just promise to come back to my site when your done :)...

thanks to ModelManTom for this one.

From my workbench

Well, I am finally done with the rolling stock AP for my Master Model Railroad certification. The last car that I have just completed is a Southern Pacific 1904 Pullman Business Car. "Virginia Ann"

I built this from a Labelle kit from the 60's (Labelle is still around with some really nice wood kits). I have never built one of these kits and it was certainly "old school" but I enjoyed it none the less.The kit did not come with an interior and I with the requirement that the model be super detailed I focused my efforts there. I designed the model to be primarily a display model however it is road worthy. Both the roof and side wall are removable by the use of some tiny hangers mounted on the car. Rather than putting the interior wall that would block the view of the room, I built it out of plexi-glass yet I hung the doors regardless. It worked out well, giving the sense of that a solid wall is there.

Aft is the smoking room and dining area, with pivoting chairs reading lights and conversation. The walls have pictures and a SP route map. Note the lamps on the table are actually plugged into the wall outlets...Next is the Rail Officers sleeping quarters, night stand, dresser, and a change of clothes draped over the edge of the bed...

The galley is next replete with stove, pantry, pots, pans, cutting board, rolling pins, even the kitchen sink and bar of soap.

Last on the car is the head, toilet, mirror, sink, toilet paper and towel...

A couple of more shots....
This was a fun kit and finally completes my first AP certificate!

Product Review - Bakatronics

Recently while looking around the net for some lighting circuits I ran across Bakatronic Electronics. They have some really awesome circuits that I have since purchased. Some of the kits that I now have are the lighthouse, ultimate welder, and buoy circuits. I also plan on purchasing several of the LED illuminator kits, this module generates a sequence of preprogrammed patterns of lighting that turn off and on at various time. Say you have a structure with several rooms, typically when you power up the lighting the whole structure lights up at the same time. This module will delay some of the lighting in each room to give the impression of people turning on lights in the room at different times and gives the "lived in" look.

Here is video of the lighthouse circuit (the most realistic on the market as I can tell)



So if you in the market for some cool circuits I recommend Bakatronics, you can buy the kits to assemble yourself or for a nominal fee they will assemble it for you.

I give Bakatronics 5 lanterns

From my workbench

As part of my MMR Rolling Stock AP, I am required to build a total of 8 cars consisting of 4 different types and it must include 1 passenger type car. Of these 4 have to be scratch built, the remaining can be kits that are "super-detailed".


The following cars are 5th, 6th, and 7th of the required eight. One train that I have been wanting to model is a bridge pile driving train. So I built one.

Southern Pacific HO Pile Driver #90


This pile driver built from a late 1960’s early 70’s Paige Industries kit. It is based off a 1890’s pile driver that has been upgraded during the 1940’s The kit did not include under carriage details, trucks, end seal details, grab irons, fueling ports, search light, and couplers. The kit itself consisted of scale lumber, scribed siding (which was not used) metal castings and line.



Besides the kit components, I took certain liberties, I installed a complete brake system, light and appropriate conduit, figures, replaced all of the line provided, added over 2 dozen bolt heads, coupler release rods and chain. I added the work lamp and lens and appropriate conduit. To compliment the fuel tender car, I added connections for water and oil. The tension lines provided were not to my liking and were replaced. Also I elected to use board on board construction rather than the scribed siding provided.

Southern Pacific HO Pile Driver Tender #7

This car is completely scratch built using scale wood, window glazing, corrugated metal, duct tape (pump belts), solder, shrink tubing, and various SS limited details to construct the pump assembly. I used Grandt line windows. The car is built primarily using board on board construction. Build time was approximately 40 hours.

I installed a complete brake system, figure, coupler release rods and chain, grab irons, marker lamps and lens. pumps, pump drive motor, belts hoses, cabin door, cabin contents, welding tanks and chain. Bolt heads and various hand made elements were used. This was my first attempt using the mineral spirits paint peeling technique and it worked very well.

This fuel tender and supply car was built to work in tandem with the HO pile driver I have built. The car is used as a supply car for the MOW train as well as fuel delivery system that from the locomotive tender to the pile driver steam engine. Neither formal plans nor photos exist of the car in real life; it is purely conceived in my mind.

Southern Pacific H0 Piling & Bridge Timber Car #78


This car is completely scratch built using scale wood, SS limited detail parts and Grandt line bolt heads and scale chain. The car is built primarily using board on board construction. The pilings are meat kabob skewers. Build time was approximately 10 hours. I installed a complete brake system, figure, coupler release rods and chain, grab irons and chain. Bolt heads and various hand made elements were used.

This piling and timber car was built to work in tandem with the HO pile driver MOW train. The car carried the pilings and bridge timbers that were used during construction. This combined with the fuel and supply tender that I built had all the necessary materials (sans rail) to complete the bridge. Neither formal plans nor photos exist of the car in real life; it is purely conceived in my mind.


Well, only one more to go, the passenger car, currently I am building a 1904 Southern Pacific Executive car with Interior, its just about done, stay tuned...

Image of the Month

I have always been a fan of Disney and Ward Kimball. Ward was one of Walt's "nine old men" and Walt himself said of Ward and only Ward was a genius. He transformed Mickey from the original mouse portrayed in 1928 Steam Boat Willy into the Mickey we all know and love. He also created Jiminy Cricket to name a few.

Ward and Walt

However, one of Ward's passions was railroads. As you know Walt Disney was quite a railroad fan as well and Ward is the one that rekindled that interest and this was one of the keys motivations that would later become a new concept called "Disneyland".
Ward had one of the worlds greatest train collections as well as he built a full sized railroad in his back yard! Ward called the Grizzly Flats RR, it consisted a station, fire station, water tower, windmill and even a engine house. He ran 2 steam locomotives and several narrow gauge rolling stock. I truly fascinating man.

Original photo of Wards Grizzly Flats RR and Engine House

When Ward passed away his wife Betty began to donate his railroad and in one of the most incredible toy train auctions in history, liquidate his collection.

Since this time, I have been collecting Wards railroad related items. In my search, I was absolutely fortunate in obtaining Ward's Grizzly Flats Engine house plans as seen here. They are fascinating in that they contain his notes and and how he wanted to have this built.
Dated from 1939 and 1940

These drawings will be proudly displayed in my train room.
I will continue to search the planet for items that were once owned by one of the most influential railroad hobbyist of the 20th century.

Ward, you are missed...