Author Archives: George Losse

2011 Cleveland O Scale Show – November

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I got back from The Cleveland O Scale Show last night. From New Jersey, it was an eight hour drive one way to the show but it was well worth it. This was my second time attending the show. The show’s size is not as large as Chicago, but  is close to twice the size of the O Scale shows back here in the East. Attendance was good and people were buying, maybe not the most expensive stuff in the room but they were spending money.

One of the really nice things about the show was the the show’s producer was walking through the hall during the last part of the show and asking some of the dealers not to start to pack their materials up. How many shows that were advertized for 9-2 really end at noon. This show ended at 2pm. This work out well for me, as I had a pair of larger sales within the last twenty minutes of the show to attendees, not dealers.

Again, I had my O scale track out on the table and it continues to find new homes. I noticed most of the track sales were smaller, guys buying one or two bundles at a time. Still, I’m glad it’s finding new homes. The first of Protocraft/Micro Engineering P48 flex track to start to replace it should be arriving this next week.  Since more of the O scale flex track sold this weekend another order for the P48 flex track will be placed shortly.

I also had the chance to meet some people I’ve only emailed with before. One of them was Lee Turner. You may remember Lee as the man that produced some resin kits in the past. I have a couple of his kits myself. He had some very nicely painted models for sale on his table. More importantly, Lee mentioned he is currently working on an LV wrong way boxcar. I hope he is able to find the right caster to produce the car, that’s a car I’d like to have on the layout.

I got to talk to some of the members of the Youngstown Club while I was there. They were one of the few tables I bought from at the National and they had another model on their table yesterday that managed to get me to dig into the wallet and take it home.

There was a nice mix of guys selling some extra stuff, brass dealers, parts guys and others selling off collections. There was also a mixture of guys selling scenery materials and buildings. I had a good time selling some of my extras and brought home some new models and parts for this winter’s projects.

2011 Strasburg O Scale Show – October

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This past Saturday there was a Strasburg O Scale show.  It turned out to be a nice show, well attended, with a lot of stuff moving off the tables. I know I came home with a lot less stuff then I started the day with.

I was very happy to start the sale of my O scale track at the show. I was surprised that my Old Atlas Black-tie flex track sold before the new Atlas flex track and even the Micro Engineering flex track. I did sell some of the Micro Engineering code 125 at the table. 

I also sold off the second tender to the Sunset Y-3’s I bought last year. So now there is no turning back, the two Y-3’s have to become Reading N1’s.

Some of the prices on the models on some tables were high at the show and some were down right steals. Rich Yoder had some PRR locomtives on a side table from his imports and he had some give-away pricing on them. One of them was close to half of what I sold an Sunset PRR H10 for at the National.  There were also a number of good buys at the White Elephant table.

 

Protocraft’s General Casting Corp’s 41-N passenger truck

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Protocraft’s General Steel Casting 41-N Passenger Truck

Imported By: Protocraft
MSRP 07/2013 $109.95/pr.

Description:
I have to say that one of the highlights of the National was getting to see, in person, a pair of Protocraft’s 41-N passenger trucks. These are a work of art.

I talked to the man from Wasatch Model Company, who imported them for Protocraft. These trucks are made by the same builder that does the fine line of  Wasatch O scale trucks. I began to realize, I need to make the purchase of these trucks sooner than later. As with everything O scale, buy them when they are around, they may not be run again, and they almost always will never be the same price the next time around.

I have seven of the SGL cars, which I found at a very good price without a box about a year ago. Who needs the box anyway? They started out as a three rail cars, SGL imported both. From what I’ve read about the cars, the two version were the same except for the trucks and couplers.

So when I got home from the National, I ordered the seven pairs I needed to convert my cars. They arrived on Saturday. WOW!  This is the detail level that I got into O scale for back in the 80’s.

I set a pair under one of the passenger cars today and the car sat a little high. I think a little work to the bolster and they will sit exactly where the railroad wanted them too. Now I just have to dig out the Reading Company diagrams for these cars, to know the correct height they need to be at.

NMRA Proto48 Specification:
I measured the trucks and find that they are within NMRA spec. Here are the measurements and I’ve added their measurements to the NMRA S-4.1 Proto48 Wheel Standards

Check Gauge Back to Back Wheel Width Flange Width Flange Depth
Specification Range 1.124 1.134 1.100 1.112 0.115 0.120 0.024 0.028 0.022 0.026
Protocraft General Casting Corp’s 41-N
passenger truck, double insulated axles		 1.132 1.108 0.115 0.024 0.022

Plus and Minus… Opinions: On the plus-side:

  • WOW! Lots of WOW factor!
  • They are a Museum level model all by themselves.
  • The trucks measured up fine against the NMRA Specification.
  • To say they roll well is a bit of an understatement.
  • The trucks do look very nice, they capture the look of the prototype based on the photos and drawings I’ve seen.

On the minus-side:

  • Some day I may think of a minus for these trucks….
  • Only thing I can say is that when they run out at Protocraft, Norm has stated that  they may not be run again. If they are, they will never be priced this low again.

Overall:
If you are running this style of Passenger truck on your equipment, buy these trucks. You will not be sorry.

Prototype: Reading Tank Car in West Milton

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Broadside of the Reading Tank Car in West Milton, PA

Reading Tank Car in West Milton, PA

Here ar two views of  a Reading Tank Car I found in West Milton, PA back in the early 1980’s. I don’t remember too much from the day other than the conical rivets that this tank had.
 
I’m not 100% sure of the car number or class of the car. It is different than the color image that Bob’s Photos sells of a class TMd #90964. That car has pipe fittings for the 90 degree bend in the handrail. This car has a much broarder curved pipe. Car #90964 is stenciled “BLT 6-40” which place this on a flat car that was converted from a box car in 1940.
 
I did shoot some detail of a round house and scale building that day. I’ll post them when I get them scanned.

Layout Visit: Warner Clark, 2011 O Scale National

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Warner Clark in front of his layout.

In posting about the layouts we visited during the National, I’ve saved the best for last. Warner Clark has built a Proto48 railroad that is a wonferful joy to see. Just like the other two basements, Warner also has a large basement, but he chose to only use a small portion of it for the railroad. Warner explained while we were there, “I wanted to finish the railroad in this lifetime.”

While the size of the railroad may be modest, the modeling is not modest at all, it’s first rate. There were no unfinished models displayed on the layout. Instead we saw finished scenes and finished models. Even with the new addition under construction, there was a greater level of finish to the modeling. Everything fit together to tell different stories.

Warner has also embraced some modern layout design concepts of modeling between the fencelines. Most of the railroad is on a shallow shelf around the walls. A new area of a town is being built on a second level over the backside of the railroad.

The next day we saw that O Scale Kings was using images of Warner’s layout to promote O Scale in their booth. Proto48 being used to promote O Scale.

I should point out that I went to the National with three other guys from the Eastern Pennsylvania. We talked about Warner’s layout a lot on the drive back and since returning. His layout was a wonderful example of what can be done with Proto48 and O Scale, but so often isn’t.

We have all said the San Juan trucks have enough detail to be a model by themselves, Warner did it.

A wider view of the wheel service area.

The details make the scene.

I’ve seen bigger NKP scenes, none better.

This is modeling between the fences on a shelf at its best.

The most photographed part of Warner’s layout for a reason

A longer view of the junction scene.

Beautiful track work!

A simple scene that captures the feel of two different railroads.

I’m not a fan of gates to enter a rialroad, but this one was nicely done.

Warner’s sense of story telling comes through in this scene with the police car.

Layout Visit: Jeff Lang, 2011 O Scale National

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Jeff Lang speaking to the visitors at his layout

Next on the list of Open Layouts on the Wdnesday was Jeff Lang’s layout. It is a standard 2 rail O Scale layout under construction featuring PRR Prototypes. Some scenes in the room are nicely finished and other while under construction are coming along nicely.

This was another large basement. I made the comment while visiting that a basement that size would scare the hell out of me. How can you fill it in one lifetime? Jeff is a part of the Round Robin crew that includes Jim Canter and Warner Clark and about ten other guys.

The layout design is a series of outer loops with a newly constructed urban area in the center.

One of the nicely finished scene on Jeff Lang’s layout

A nice grade crossing scene

The new urban scenes begin to take shape on the Center section of the Layout (on the right.)

Michael Rahilly and Matt Forsyth watch as Jeff (in background) starts out a freight with a pair of Sunset N1’s on the head end.

The yard in the city scene can easily be reached from the isle.

Another Northampton & Bath car, no wonder they are hard to find in the east, they are all in IN on layouts.

The city scene starts to take shape with new track work in the streets.

While not complete you get a good feel of what this scene will be.

Layout Visit: Jim Canter, 2011 O Scale National

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Jim Canter (far right) speaks to the crowd during the visit.

As I mentioned in my post about the 2011 O Scale National the Proto48 meeting became a Proto48 layout tour. The first Proto48 layout on the tour was Jim Canter’s “Nickel Plate & Plywood” railroad.

As Jim described the Proto48 “Nickel Plate & Plywood” railroad which has been under construction for ten years had recently had major changes made to it. Also the double track mainline had been spiked down in the last couple of weeks. Which I thought did speak very well of Jim’s Tie Strips which were used on the mainline. The layout is a classic design which seemed to be more for rail fanning trains run than operating.

The layout room is very large, larger then some of the clubs back here in the east. The benchwork was very solid and there were nice built-in display cabinets under the benchwork, That should look very nice when all the scenery is finished in that area. A nice crew lounge (where Jim is speaking above) was located in the middle of the room with the layout on the walls behind it.

The center of the room has the beginning of a nice city scene, an engine facility and a large yard. But what I observed while there, the yard might be to deep to comfortably work. On an empty section of yard I tried to reach in from the isle, I could only reach about half the tracks that the yard had, also the throat of the yard was positioned to be out of reach from the isle also. Maybe these are things that have yet to be addressed in the revisions of the layout.

The layout did have the mainline running, and Jim was a great host. Answering questions and trying to meet the needs of the visitors while having to tend to the issues of hosting an O scale National the next day.

The scene on the outside walls at the bottom of the stairs

Solid benchwork. Also you can see the Tie strips on the mainline.

The Engine Facility displaying a number of Jim’s models

The Yard scene in the middle of the room

Some of the models in the yard scene.

Another Pacific Limited NYC boxcar on the layout.

2011 O Scale National, Indianapolis, IN – News

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There were a couple of new O Scale products displayed at the show:

Southern Car & Foundry’s New ATSF Bx-12 raised roof boxcar

Jon Cagle of Southern Car & Foundry had the pilot model for his new release the ATSF Bx-12 raised roof boxcar on display at his table.

SC&F CP “Minibox”

Also on Jon’s tables for sale were his kits of the Canadian Pacific “minibox” all steel boxcar. I was very glad to see so many of those kits go home with the show attendees. Jon also had a sample of an upcoming tank car on display. The frame castings were great!

I need to learn more about tank cars so I know what was running in my modeled area during my modeling period. Jon also put on a great clinic where he talked about how to build his kits.

Early sample of SC&F new tank car

Details for the Tank car

Another new product was on display on Bob Lavezzi’s table, a sample from Weaver Models of the upcoming release of a PRR class H30 covered hopper. I was impressed with this car. On the heals of their successful B&O M-53 wagon top boxcar, it looks like Weaver might have hit another homerun with the H30. Bob mentioned that the reservation period for this car should start sometime this Fall.

Weaver’s New H30 covered hopper

Roof detail on Weaver’s new PRR H30

Even though Protocraft was not at the show, John Paultz of American Switch and Signal had a set of their 41-N passenger truck at the Proto 48 convention. It was beautiful and just what I need under my Reading passenger cars. John also had his turnout casting for sale at the show, I will be using them on my railroad. John’s detail parts are also available through Protocraft.

Protocraft 41-N Passenger Truck

2011 O Scale National, Indianapolis, IN

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A View of the Proto48 Meeting at the O Scale National Convention

The 2011 O Scale National was held during the week from September 21st thru September 25th in Indianapolis, IN. Communication is not always what it should be and 20/20 hindsight is always better, I wish we would have known at the time that this National was put on Jim and his crew late.

When I go to a National, I’ll admit I want to be entertained by the local modelers. I look forward to seeing their layouts, attending their clinics, and seeing their modeling. Each area of the country that the Nationals have been held in sees the world differently. At the O Scale  National each we get a chance to see that area through the eyes of the people in that region. We get the chance to see common sceans modeled as they are remembered.

The first day had Proto48 meeting and a layout tour. We were invited to Jim Canter’s layout where we saw a large railroad under construction. It also was a great display for his track sections as they were being used throughout his layout. I look forward to seeing the eveloution of that layout.  We also had the chance to see a real jewel of a Proto48 layout, Warner Clark’s layout is worth going to Indianapolis to see on it’s own. We also attended another layout that day even though it was not a Proto48 layout. We visited Jeff Lang’s layout fine layout.

Before we headed out we had the chance to see some examples of On3 layouts that fit on the tables. We also had the chance to talk with one of the Proto48 suppliers, John Paultz of American Switch and Signal. He showed off a turnout built with his parts and talked about the development of his product line. One thing that really looked great on his display, besides his parts, was his use of an N scale Cab Industries ground throw. I spoke with my local suplier who was sitting next to me during the meeting and have some on order now.

The next day, there were good buys on the trading floor to be had. The time spent with the modelers who were there was very enjoyable.

Reading Modeling Myth #2 – Reading Cabooses all had Taylor Trucks

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Reading NMf 90723 sitting in Tamaqua

 

One of the common Reading Company Myths is that all of their cabooses road on Taylor Trucks.

Based on the 1957 roster, the following is a breakdown of how many of each type of truck were under Reading Steel caboose in 1957. Turns out there are more Birdsboro Bettendorf style trucks under the Reading Cabooses than Taylor trucks.

 

Andrews 25 9%
Taylor 114 40%
Birdsboro 148 51%
287 100%