2012 O Scale National, Parsippany, NJ – News

Posted on July 25, 2012 by George Losse

A view of about half the vendor hall

The 2012 “O” Scale National convention was held at the Parsippany Hilton Convention Center, Parsippany, NJ. It was Hosted by the New York Society of Model Engineers. The convention featured over 300 dealer tables, 30 clinics, a model contest, a couple of bus tours and a number of home and club layouts.

What a difference a year makes, this year’s convention was well attended, well organized, and a good time. The NY Society were great hosts, announcing the beginning of the clinics and just being helpful. The Models on display were in a bright room. One thing that could have helped the ease of their viewing, the tables could have been a little higher like they are at a prototype modelers meet. I’ll post photo’s I took of the models tomorrow.

The availability of Proto48 parts was limited to a one dealer selling San Juan trucks, Rich Yoder selling P48 trucks and Steve Grabowski selling some loose wheelsets. That was disapointing and it teamed up with the P48 clinic being canceled because the speaker was not at the show. We missed a chance to show and talk about P48 products at this National.

There were a lot of “New” O scale items at the show as well as a lot of older models to choose from in the vendor halls. Here is a breakdown of the new stuff I saw:

Rich Yoder had pilot models of his announced ATSF Bx-3,-6 boxcars and SK-2 Stock Cars. He also had painted pilot models of his USRA 70 ton triple hoppers.

Bob Stevenson showed an updated Baldwin CNJ Double ender kit on his table. It was an upgraded version of the older LWS kit. He was also showing a C&NW 4-6-0 kit ready to ship.

Rails Unlimited had new resin models on their table of a C&O/NKP ’32 ARA Boxcar with radial roofs. They also had new MILW Road stock cars available.

Southern Car & Foundry was not at the show, but Caboose Stop Hobbies had his line of kits on the shelf including the new ATSF Bx-12 extended height boxcar, which managed to come home with me.

Key Model Imports had the pilot model for the SP AC-12. Stunning model, but thankfully not something I need for my railroad based on an estimated price around $6K.

Atlas O had some redesigned 2-rail trucks that people were talking about (shorter, more prototypical bolsters). Not something a P48 cares about, but the O scale crowd liked it.

RYM’s Bx-3 and SK-2

RYM’s ATSF SK-2 Stock Car

RYM’s Sk-2 pilot model

RYM’s Bx-3 ATSF Boxcar

RYM’s Bx-3 ATSF boxcar

RYM’s USRA 70 Ton Triples

RYM USRA 70 Ton Triple

A View inside RYM’s USRA 70 Ton Triple

Key’s AC-12

2012 Strasburg O Scale Show – April

Posted on April 16, 2012 by George Losse

Another Strasburg O Scale show is in the rear history books. This was a very nice show. It was their largest show so far, they added another row of tables in the firehouse and that was in spite of the fact that one of the bigger dealers had another commitment and could not attend the show. Don’t know about the attendance but it was solid most of the day and people were in a buying mood.

For me it turned out to be another milestone show. The last of over 800 feet of O scale flex track moved off my table at the show. Last year when I made the choice to move back to Proto48, I wondered how long that might take to move all that O scale flex track. Turned out to be just about a year.

Ben Brown was at the show thinning his collection down as he prepares to build a new Proto48 layout. Ben had some beautifully built cars and structures on his table that as he put it “were priced to move.” My thought was that he was selling them at a quarter of their value. In some cases they were they were beautifully built kits with full underbody detail for less then what other dealers in the show were asking for the basic kits.

Ben like many O scale modelers who have finished O scale layouts, had said that if they started over again that he would build their new layout in proto48, but he is the only one that I have known, that has actually done it. He has started a new layout in a new location and is modeling in Proto48.

Most of the usual suspects were at the show, and it was good to see them again. I do have to say that there were some new faces in the crowd. The HO modeler that was asking about O scale at the recent RPM meet was at the show buying O scale models.

I left the camera in the car when I first arrived, I thought I’d have some slow time to go back out and get it. I was wrong, so I don’t have any photos of the show to share.

2012 Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet – Valley Forge

Posted on March 25, 2012 by George Losse

The models of Reading open Hoppers that I displayed at the meet.

The 2012 Railroad Prototype Modelers Valley Forge took place this weekend. The show was located in Malvern, PA and was sponsered by the Philadelphia Division NMRA/MER. They had 47 clinicians and 50 clinics, layout tours and operating sessions scheduled over the three days of the event. There was also a couple of rooms for vender sales.

As always, one of the highlights of the event is the model room. A place to share models, both finished and under construction, with follow modelers. The event is usually dominated by HO modelers but there is a growing number of O scale models being shown in the room. A few years ago, I was one of two O scale modelers in the room, this years event had seven other modelers displaying O scale models.

I gave a presentation on “Modeling Reading Open Hoppers 1948-1956” during the meet. I had a full room in attendance and everything seemed to go rather smoothly. Thank you to all who attended.

One nice thing that grew out of the presentation, while attending another clinic the clinician, who had attended my clinic, turned to me to ask what O scale models would best represent the cars being talked about in his presentation.

As I was headed out on Saturday night an HO modeler that I’ve known for over twenty years mentioned that he really like the O scale displayed in the modeling room, stating that he could at least see all the details. I mentioned that there is an O scale show coming up in a couple of weeks in Strasburg, PA. He asked me to send the information so he could check out the O scale at the show.

A personal highlight for me was being able to sit down again with Bill Schaumberg for lunch again. Back in the 80’s, when I was drawing for RMC on a regular basis, we would get together about once a month when I’d deliver that month’s drawings. We often went out for lunch and great conversations about the hobby, the projects we were working on, or just what was happening in our lives. It was nice to do that again this weekend.

Reading N1sd P48 Driver Conversion – Part II

Posted on January 9, 2012 by George Losse

I cut off the steel tire from the Sunset drivers. It was a simple matter of cutting most of the way through the tire. This was done slowly and I kept checking my depth so that I did not cut through the tire and into the driver center. Next I inserted a screw driver into the slot. Give a little twist and the tire breaks free and there is no damage to the driver center.

Matt Forsyth, made the suggestions for this procedure and it worked great! Thank you!

This is the second time I’ve used a hacksaw on an O scale model. I have to say, it is a bit unsettling at first. But the after the first couple drivers, the rest of the 16 drivers went quickly and without trouble.

Next step new tires…..