Here's a quick review of some of the models I have built for the railroad. You
will notice that a lot of them are more modern, a reflection of my earlier focus on the
Diesel Era. The Missabe Railroad Historical Society offers most of the decals I used
in these projects. My first-generation digital camera is looking awfully grainy!
Click a photo for a larger view.
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This rack flat uses Keystone Locomotive Works end racks, applied to an
Athearn 50-foot flat car. I carved the brake stand off, and installed a brake wheel
facing down at the end of the car to simulate the collapsible brake wheel used on the car.
The MRHS offers decals for this car. |
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Roundhouse's Panel Side ore car was used as a base for this car.
Styrene strips were applied around the top. Not visible are the Kadee #5 coupler box
bottoms, cut in half and glued to the cast metal "hopper door" to simulate the
Morrison-Knudsen ballast doors that were applied to the prototype. The car is
painted yellow, and decals from the MRHS were applied. I sprayed the interior with
primer gray to simulate the dust of the limestone ballast. |
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Athearn's bay window caboose was the starting point for these modified
wide-vision cabooses. The Missabe applied and International Car "kit" to
convert several of their wide vision cabeese to bay window to clear the taconite loadout
pockets. I applied bits of wire to simulate the generator muffler on the roof. I cut
the generator door with an Xacto. Microscale's decal set was used to letter the
cars. |
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An Athearn 50-foot flat provided the basis for this MOW car used to
provide materials to clean up a derailment. Styrene was used to build the tool box
and blocking rack. A pair of spare trucks rides on blocking, and masking tape
simulated the canvas cover over the tool box. Black thread simulates the tie-downs.
The decals were pieced together from spares. A P2K 50-foot flat would look
better. |
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Again, and Athearn flat was used, and the tidbits added from styrene.
There is a boom cradle in the middle of the car - note the orange safety paint.
The prototype included a fuel tank in green, some sacks and spare cable. |
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An Athearn 50-foot Gon with styrene end bunks represents a common pulp car
used on the Missabe. The MRHS offers appropriate decals. A P2K 50-gon would
look better. |
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An Athearn (is there a repeating theme here?) wide vision caboose was the
start of this model. Spare windows were filled with styrene and putty. The
generator door was cut in with an Xacto knife. The generator muffler and vent were
added from wire and styrene, as was a cupola strobe (non-functioning). End racks
were made with wire. Microscale decals were used. |
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The Missabe had some outside braced gons that received end racks. I
cut off the underbelly of an Athearn gon, sanded the bottom smooth, added end racks from
Keystone Locomotive Works. Decals from the MRHS finish the car. I think I
over-weathered this one. |
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This Walthers 2-bay hopper was a whimsical hopper reminiscent of the
prototype 4-bay version, rebuilt in the 1970's from 1937 panel-side oldies. I just
applied MRHS decals. |
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Westside's Yellowstone has finally turned from brass to paint. Wow!
What a LOT of pieces! I put a Digitrax DH163 in it, and added a micro 1.5V
headlight. Its shown here pulling a Shoreham Shops C10 caboose. |
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An Athearn tank car, just painted and decalled, represents a contemporary
lube oil tanker that hangs around Proctor a lot. The decals are a mix of Microscale
and MRHS. |
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The Missabe bought gondolas from the EJ&E. Roundhouse had models
of the EJ&E gons, already in the right number series. I scraped the EJE off, and
dry-transferred DMIR on it, just like the prototype did. |
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Accurail makes this boxcar in Missabe paint already, but it is steam-era
white, and I feel like the brown is way too light. But, since this was to be a
modern-era car, I painted it maroon, and applied yellow decals from the MRHS. |
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An Athearn reefer, painted yellow, with MRHS decals applied. The
Missabe's reefers had a vent just to the side of the door. I used an old caboose
chimney, shortened. |
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Roundhouse makes the closed-panel covered hopper, similar to the Missabe's
last batch of these cars. Converted from cement service, the Missabe uses the cars
to carry dry engine sand. I used a Herald-King decal set, not discontinued, however,
the MRHS offers the correct set. |
