Chicago Show 2024 – New Models

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Just returned from the 2024 Chicago O Scale Show. Another great show!

There were some new models from various manufacturers at this show, as well as a host of used models. Here are some of the new models I saw at the show.

Twin Star Cars / Modern Era O Scale
Ross Dando had a sample of a Rock Island rebuilt USRA box car. The car looks great and should be released later this year. I’m looking forward to this kit!

Ross also had samples of the car that are available through the other side of his business Modern Era O Scale.

Southern Car & Foundry
Jon Cagle from Southern Car & Foundry had the last of his inventory of previously released models on his table maybe a half dozen kits at the beginning of the show. He also had samples of a possible car to be released later this year. We saw the casting for a Northern Pacific composite box car.

Jon was also showing samples of the masters of two different tank cars. One a two compartment car and the other a single compartment car.

Rails Unlimited
Ted Schnepf had a UP 50 foot composite UP A-40-1 boxcar. While I think this is a great looking car, it was retired by my modeling period.

I was interested in the “PS-0” ends as he labeled them. They are a Pullman Standard end that was used on a few different car. They developed the casting for the CGW kit-bask project car. These were also used on a class of B&O boxcars.

Lambert Locomotive Works
Dylan Lambert had available on Dave Vaughn’s table a couple of recent 3D printed cars. The PRR “Ore Jenny” Class G39 and the modern center beam cars. Dylan really needs be at this show next year if he really wants to produce models for the O Scale market.

Snow Day Today

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With a nor’easter coming into the area dropping snow, our offices were closed today. Almost felt like a little kid again wanting to go sledding.

This morning the workbench is full of models that were sprayed with Dull Coat on Saturday. The weather was nice enough to paint in the garage. Go figure.

I needed to seal the decals on my friend’s H21. I went through on shot gloss coat and dull coat on a few other models, 17 more actually. Most were cars I either picked up recently and updated the weight dates but others were lettered in recent months.

2024 Time to turn the page

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It’s time to turn the page on 2023. Enough of that year. Time to clean off the workbench and start the new year off fresh.

The weather guys on TV have been talking all week about SNOW today. Now they are saying just a dusting. Either way it is a good morning to finish cleaning in the train room and clear off the workbench and jump back into a couple of recent projects.

A PSC Bethlehem 65 ft mill gondola for the CRP and the RY Models PRR H21 in the background being done in a late 50’s paint for a friend. Both models have had a lot of cut and piecing together of the lettering. Both had one side lettered on each of the models. Then the workbench got a little cluttered and these two were on hold since the beginning of the Fall. Now the bench is clear and time to work one them again.

So I’ll finish my coffee in my Chicago mug, look forward to thoughts of the March Show and focus on 2024.

In Memoriam: Bill Losse

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My brother, Bill Losse passed away yesterday. I’m the youngest of six kids and he was number two in birth order. He was responsible for introducing me to most of what I enjoy in life.

He put a camera in my hands when I was five. He let me ride along in the car while he went out to chase trains. He introduced me to a lot of the locations that I would travel to later when I would go out on my own adventures. He encouraged me to build models, first with airplanes and later with trains.

The image I posted is from the early 80’s. We were trackside up on the former NYC along the Hudson River to photograph the Amtrak FL9’s.

This is the memory of my brother I keep going back to today. I will miss him.

In Memoriam: John Dunn

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John Dunn who most know as one of the promoters of the Strasburg O Scale Shows died peacefully at home on Friday Dec 12th after battling several serious health issues over the past month.

I’ve known John for over 20 years, he was a friend. If you ever attended a show or event with John you would have seen, John knew everybody. I was always amazed how many people that knew him and greeted him warmly. Not only did he know them, but he always remembered their names and had stories to tell about them. And John was a very good story teller.

I had the pleasure of driving to the Chicago Show a couple of times with John. He was one of the most upbeat people I’ve ever met. When it came to trains, John liked them all, HO, O Scale, Lionel, and prototype trains. They all brought out the little kid in him.

The above image was taken at Chicago. It was the Saturday late in the afternoon. After a good day of buying and selling, I asked John if he found everything he was hoping to see at the show? John mentioned that he was hoping to see an Overland Ferdinand Magellan Presidential Car. I smiled and told him to turn around, there was one on the table behind us. This was John’s reaction to opening the box to examine the car.

I will miss my friend.

In Memoriam: Dave Richter

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Dave Richter

Sorry to hear of the passing of Dave Richter.

Dave was the promoter of the  “Eastern O Scalers” series of train shows. Under his guidance it expanded from a small show in Easton, PA, to three shows a year, a Spring and Fall show in Wind Gap, PA and the August show in Denver, PA. Dave also was a dealer for Weaver Models, Sunset 3rd Rail and others. In retirement, he moved to Virginia to be near his family.

For those that didn’t know, he was a former long-time member of the Cherry Valley Model RR Club. That was where I met him.

TCA Eastern Division York Train Meet – October 2023

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Yesterday, I attended my second TCA Eastern Division York Train Meet (aka York). I had always thought that as a Proto48’er that these shows held little to no interest for me. I can say, I was wrong. While there are very few 2 rail O Scale models on the tables, there are some. I came home with two “new to me” brass cars from both the Spring show and now the Fall show.

In addition there were some building manufactures there, tool suppliers and also people you haven’t seen in ages. One them was Robbie Kimmey, who I used to see over at Fran Pfiel’s house. It was really nice catching up after almost 20 years. Robbie is shown here with John Dunn.

The York show is big and there are many halls. Below was just one hall and I was standing about half way inside the hall.

Altoona Model Works was there displaying their model offerings. I always liked their Brewery complex model.

As I said there were 2 rail models in the show. Here is an image within the Trainz display. Nothing on the table for a Reading modeler, but still great to see nice 2 rail models being offered for sale at what I always thought was a 3 rail tinplate show.

After walking around the show it was nice to go out for a nice dinner at the local Hoss’s Steak and Sea House. Walking into the lobby you are quickly reminded that we are in York, PA, the home of the Harley Davidson assembly plant.

Strasburg O Scale Show – October 2023

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Today, the October Strasburg O Scale Show was held. Attendance on both sides of the tables seemed good. Some of the usual faces that were not there in August were there today. I was pleased to see a number of new faces in the room.

There were a number of fine models in the room. I had been looking for one of the Pacific Limited C&O/NKP 1932 ARA boxcar for a number of years. Since I found one last year, this was the third show I’ve been to this year with one on the table.

There wasn’t as much for a Reading modeler, and even less for a Proto48 modeler. But there were plenty of fine models available in the room.

Rich also held the show auction to benefit the Fire House again this year. They managed to raise close to $1200 for the Fire House by auctioning off four items.

It was a good show, I had the chance to talk with a number of folks from various parts of the country and also buy and sell some models. It was a fun day even though the rain made it an adventure to get stuff in and out of the show. Hard to believe we have to wait all Winter now for another Strasburg Show.

Are We Too Hard On Ourselves?

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This morning I was studying diagrams and photos to try to see if I could find a simpler way to construct one of the Reading signature covered hopper cars, the LOb. I was looking to see if I was missing an option of a way to build them.

I opened one of the scans of a Reading Company builder’s photo of the LOb. When I noticed how banged up the ribs were. The ribs were reclaimed for 18 year old 70 ton quad hopper from the HTl and HTn classes. So they were not new. But look at the dents in the ribs.

Then I noticed a couple of things that made me laugh a little.

First, check out the bottom of the closest rib, it’s not cut square to the side of the car.

Next, check out how the board in the tack board on the frame is larger than the hold downs on either side. Would we consider rebuilding those details if it came out looking like that? Most of us would.

Next, look at the class stenciled on the car, “LOb”. The “B” is slightly lower than the “LO”. Even the stenciled built date doesn’t exactly line up level. As O scalers, we do not have as many options for decals as the smaller scales do. We often have to letter a car from bits and pieces of decal sets for different cars. Splicing a class together is common. I know I would have kept fussing with this one to make it line up better.

So are we too hard on ourselves? Maybe a little?