A Return and Resinating

 I am somewhat embarrassed at my lack of progress as I re-read my last post (from January!). Of course there are reasons, none of which are of much import other than life’s adventures. Everyone is healthy with no significant challenges or issues. No sense dwelling on where the time has gone as we can only go forward.

My workspace, while compact, is all set up and is proving functional.  The picture below shows the arrangement, with most of my commonly used tools at hand.

As usual, all pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them

The space is well lit and the compactness actually helps minimize my tendency toward clutter. The open shelves house more tools, projects, reference books, styrene, wire and small commonly used detail parts such as grab irons, ladders, uncoupling levers, screws and the like.  More details such as doors, roofs, roofwalks, underframe and brake components, scenery and vehicle details are on the shelving with doors just visible at extreme left.

While I have not been building much, accumulating more freight car kits has continued.  There are two cabinets above on the wall filled with my kit stash, which now has some 240 styrene, resin and hybrid kits in total (yikes, this is the first time I have put that total down in one place!). I have been disciplined about sticking with my 1965 modeling period with a focus on the West and my interest in forest products industries.  Opportunities to pick up a few out of production kits from Sunshine, Speedwitch and other small resin kit makers have allowed me to stash some signature cars that I am very excited to have.

Given my current interests, as well the limited space for a small six foot switching layout, I am honing my focus on the cars that I want to build for both my historical interest as well as growing my modeling skills. As a result, I have been judiciously selling a few kits that no longer fit and am also selling some ready-to-run (RTR) cars, particularly when there is a kit I can build to replace them.  My space will only allow use of a handful of cars at a time, so enjoyable kits to build are a priority now.  Model building is the part of this hobby that I enjoy the most, and I am finding that historical research to construct accurate models with high fidelity is very satisfying.

Resinating

On that note, I have finally started on my first resin boxcar kit after an epic length of time procrastinating.  The kit, Funaro & Camerlengo (F&C) number 8400, of a Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) X37 single door boxcar, is sitting on the workbench in the photo above.  The prototype is similar to a 1937 design boxcar, with some characteristic Pennsy design features.  These were 40’ length cars with a 10’ 4” inside height. The roof has distinctive depressed panels at each end for car clearance, with a wooden roofwalk.  The sides have a unique alternating rivet pattern and most of the X37’s rode on PRR coil elliptic 2D-F19 trucks with both leaf and coil springs. Here is a prototype builders photograph.

You will also note the interesting two rung steps on each corner.  It is a very appealing car with its slightly out of the ordinary look versus other cars of the time.  The PRR built 1000 of theses single door cars starting in December 1939 and a large number were still on the roster in my modeling year of 1965.

Here is the kit on my workbench after removing it from the box.

In deciding on which resin car kit to start with, I considered a few factors, including having a one piece body with a fairly standard underframe, standard ladders versus grab irons, readily available decals and good prototype data to work from.  I do realize that there are certain challenges that come with most F&C kits, but so far it has been within my capabilities and I expect it will look decent when finished. Honestly, I also purchased this kit at a discount and would not be overly distraught if I messed up.  The kit is readily available and could be replaced if the worst happened, unlike many of my others.

I’m making progress this week on flash clean up and have ordered trucks and decals.  I will post in progress photos and commentary, including some enhancements, over the coming weekend.  For now, I wish all of you in the US a Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Holidays & A New Years Resolution or Two

 So much for plans and intentions!  This past year has been full of  life's curveballs and my batting average has taken a big hit.  Work and family have taken precedence while I have little to show for progress on modeling projects, although some key kits and detail parts have been acquired for existing projects and several (many) new ones have been added to the stash. My wife has accused me of being a collector and the current view would lead one to agree with her.  Time to change that and build something.

 On the plus side, we finally have our occupancy permit for the new house that I mentioned in June (!).  Moving has commenced and space is cleared for my modeling workbench.  Over the next couple of weeks I should be able to move the stored kits, supplies and such while setting up the space for active modeling, so my first resolution for 2024 is to build at least three resin kits before the end of June.  A Westerfield Canadian National long gondola (kit 7111) purchased in June of 2022 will be my first.  After that, there are a few one piece box car kits to choose from (RCW or Yarmouth first probably) as good next steps in building my resin "muscles."

The layout configuration is becoming clear, likely an L-shape shelf by the workbench with a pulp & paper mill complex.  This will be the Puget Sound Pulp & Timber plant, loosely based on the actual mill (later Georgia Pacific, now a park) on the waterfront in Everett Washington.  My space will only allow a compressed portion of the mill, but it will include switching for a nice variety of my cars.  I will cover much more about this plan in future posts.  

The potential for another layout that will be more operational and grandchild friendly has opened up in our loft space.  The intention is to have them build some nice basic cars (Accurail, etc.) so that they can see their handiwork as we play with trains together.  This is a great use for many cars that I purchased before getting the rivet-counting, super-detailing, prototypical modeling bug.  It also should satisfy my desire for watching some trains go around the loop.  I have a track plan from many years ago that may get adapted for this endeavor.  

Which leads me to my second resolution for 2024, to blog regularly.  For now, I am setting a goal of 15 posts in 2024, which, given my track record over the last couple of years, is plenty to aspire to!  

I really hope to get into a regular cadence of model building this year while working on the shelf layout to provide a place to enjoy completed cars.  Not going to call this a resolution, but rather a goal, with the pledge to blog helping to keep me on track.

Wishing all of you a very Happy Holiday season and all the best in the new year. 

Onward!

 Well, it has been awhile.  Life gets busy at times, with family, work and...stuff.  While I have not been getting many models built, there has been progress on other fronts with my hobby.  These developments have re-energized me to get back to it.

Most importantly, we started construction of our new home, where we will retire, late last year.  I have a few years of work left but we have decided to make the move now, rather than hold on to both houses.  My work has been remote for years so no change there.  What will change is that we are downsizing substantially.  I am fortunate that I will have a dedicated space for a workbench and a small shelf layout, as final arrangements for our living space have developed.  This was a bit uncertain until we were well underway with construction and a serendipitous change was made in the location of the washer and dryer in our laundry room.

In progress photo, no lighting, tile not yet grouted

This is the space, small but can be dedicated to a workbench on the far wall with an "L" shape shelf layout above and on the left side.  It is about 7' x 5' of wall space.  The washer and dryer were originally to go on the wall to the left, below the cabinets but the plumber, in his wisdom, installed the connections on the wall behind me in this photo.  What at first seemed to be a mistake became an opportunity to gain more room for my hobby than we originally planned.  

My shelf may be a bit lower than originally conceived, to allow room under the cabinets, but I think it will be ok.  I was strongly considering a proscenium framed shelf design so will see if I can incorporate the cabinet as the top of my layout frame.  The counter on the right will have the laundry sink at the near end, not yet built out in this photo.  

Finishing work continues on the house, and we expect to move in sometime in July.  I will be moving my workbench and all hobby materials once we are in.  It may make sense to build a new workbench in place in the corner with the layout shelf above.

As typically happens, building a custom home, even a small one, has been an "adventure."  Coordinating subcontractors and working through the questions, crises and compromises has taken up most of my "leisure time" bandwidth this past year.  It is nice to see the end of the tunnel ahead.

The Current State

 A popular phrase used in business these days is "current state," which refers to where the organization, or a particular process or practice in that organization, is now: the situation as it currently stands.  Defining the current state is usually step one in considering where the organization wants to get to.

In the case of my modeling and my model railroad, this is my current state:

Workbench (click image to enlarge)

My work area is well set up for my purposes, consisting of an old stamped steel topped wooden table with self-healing cutting mat and cardboard on top, a swivel arm lamp, soft jaw swivel vice, foam cradle and sheets for model work without damaging paint or details, and flat tile pieces for cutting and glue puddling surfaces.

The small drawers hold small detail parts like grab irons, ladders, rivets/nbw, brake wheels, couplers and screws, while the larger plastic drawers primarily hold tools, small clamps and jigs.  The ceramic mugs are convenient holders for frequently used tools.  Adhesives and the like are readily at hand.

Yes, I am a tool guy.  Jack Burgess has written extensively in Model Railroad Hobbyist and elsewhere of his appreciation for good tools and a plentiful variety of them, and I am an eager disciple of that philosophy.  The two blue handled Xuron specialty pliers sitting on the bench are recent purchases.  Future posts will indulge my interest in useful specialty tools of high quality, while rationalizing that tendency by demonstrating how it has improved my modeling.

Two in-progress models are on the bench; a Proto 2000 tank car nearing completion in a foam cradle, and an Intermountain Milwaukee (MILW) 40 foot box car.  I tend to work in bursts, completing a step or two on a model, then working on another while glue dries or creative energies are replenished.  

Not shown are additional detail parts stored in small plastic totes under the workbench, and a variety of styrene and wire in the desk drawer, along with measuring and drafting tools that come in handy.

Current Layout "Status"

The layout, on the other hand, is not as "developed" as the modeling workbench, as shown above.  The sheet of 2" blue foam was purchased some time ago, but has languished on the opposite side of the room from my workbench with no progress to speak of.  This will be the surface of the shelf layout, to be supported by future benchwork, possibly Ikea shelving.  Various other "supplies" and rolling stock (kits and RTR) are stored in boxes.  The plastic wrapped dark green material is fibrous furnace filter mats for evergreen trees, while another box holds scenic materials such as ground foam and some readymade trees and brush.

The goal is to work on the first shelf module during the rest of this year, even if it becomes a "practice" layout that gets reworked later.  I've procrastinated this step long enough.

I'm itching to put those completed models and sound equipped DCC locomotives on a track so I can advance the throttle and move a train, even if just a few feet.