The Fos Blog

New DVD Coming Soon

2011-09-19T20:09:00.003-04:00

Our newest and 10th DVD will be available around October 1st. This latest DVD, Robert Seckler's Dutchess & Hudson Valley Railroads, features the layout of an accomplished modeler and a good friend. Rob's approach to modeling is fairly straight forward - just have fun. Ultimately, that's the goal of any hobby - we're dedicating our time and effort for sheer enjoyment. Sure there are plenty of other motivating factors for spending hours and dollars building models but it's all rather useless if what you are doing doesn't bring you happiness.

Rob builds much of the layout with a group of his friends. Along the way his family has gotten involved as well. In the end it's been something friends and family can be a part of, share ideas, measure progress, sharpen skills and laugh their way through it.

Hopefully all of us can extract that kind of satisfaction from our modeling. If you feel you're falling short in that department, this DVD might inspire you get to your workbench and have a good time building and creating.

New Fos Work Shop

2011-09-08T11:36:00.002-04:00

It's taken a while but the new Fos Scale Models workshop is nearing completion. Stay tuned for more updates...

Watch The Closing Doors

2011-08-18T22:04:00.003-04:00

As I'm in between layouts right now, the theme, era and subject matter for a new layout are all up for grabs. Concurrently my basement is about to be available as our new workshop nears completion; a stand alone structure converted from a garage will house Fos Scale Models -leaving the basement wide open for a number of uses; one of which could be a large model railroad.

The dilemma as always is what to model as my interests vary from Brooklyn waterfront circa 1955 to modern day BNSF across Iowa to the NYC Subway. In fact my ideal layout is one that would be less than half a foot deep and only feature a cutaway view of the subway tunnels, perhaps with the occasional street level entrances to stations. Additionally a section of elevated subway would be on the list as well.

Of all the choices the NYC subway is at the top of my list for numerous reasons. One of which is that it's seldom modeled. Even with all the new subway cars available from Life Like; I've yet to see a subway layout grace the pages of the RMC or MR. Second to that, is that for me, the subway represents a home away from home; I've spent most of my life using the subway for one reason or another - from one of my first childhood memories at the age of three, on a street that was completely dug up as they built the subway in the open, to be covered when completed by the street to my high school years on Second Avenue & 57th and then later in life at various city jobs.

Of late, living in Connecticut for the last 6 years, my trips to NY are sporadic, about every three weeks, so I'm not using the subway as much - but it's even more apparent when I'm back on the Downtown 6 or the cross town shuttle, I feel right at home. It's like a good friend who even if you don't see in a while, you pick up right where you left off.

And I like modeling things that have meaning to me. The modeling becomes an extension of my life; a three dimensional, sentimental photo album. So, the more substantive the meaning, the more likely I'll be motivated to work on it.

But as usual my modeling habits can turn on a dime, subject to change. In the meantime, I'll be considering how I might make HO scale turnstiles and token booths.

New Kit Coming Soon

2011-06-02T17:44:00.000-04:00

Some door detail from our next kit due out in mid-June; stay tuned...

Almost there...

2011-03-08T21:04:00.003-05:00

The final details are being added to the diorama of our next kit...The _____ ______. We should have some more finished pics ready by the weekend, stay tuned...

New Kit In Progress

2011-03-02T09:22:00.002-05:00

The pilot model for our next kit is nearly complete. This kit features 4 individual businesses all in one structure to form a small mini block, about 4" x 9". We're looking at a mid-March release and will post more photos soon.

Also in the works for April, 2 new DVD's from our Model Railroad Masters series...stay tuned.

The Curse

2011-01-11T15:48:00.003-05:00

As it is with many established towns and cities, there are always a few structures worthy of inspiration that you can take back to your modeling workbench. Living here in New England provides frequent opportunities to discover some great old building that would make a great structure or at the very least a part of the structure could find it's way into my modeling or into a new kit.

Other treasures include simply a nicely weathered brick wall or cobblestone street. But once a discovery like this has been made, I somehow curse these finds with my ambition, " I should get a picture of this."

Invariably I will tell myself that I've found a really interesting building, maybe it's sitting precariously on the waters edge, clapboards peeling, shingles all askew...or maybe it's an old gas station, closed years ago but completely left as it was ten or even 30 years ago. All that I ask of myself is to take a simple picture. Easy enough; if I remember to bring my camera - which I almost never have.

So my curse is one of three scenarios; the building in question is simply demolished before I can take a photo. Or, the building, with it's peeling paint and sagging walls, is fixed up and repainted or it's stripped of any details like trim and corbels and smothered in vinyl siding.

Many an awesome structure have been condemned, destroyed or disfigured and I will take the blame simply because I uttered, " I should take a picture of that."

Case in point: the Mystic River Drawbridge. If you know Mystic, CT, you know the bridge. It's paint has been peeling for a longtime, often more rust than paint covers the bridge. I've been meaning to photograph it in it's deteriorating state. For one thing, a rusty bridge makes for a nice photo subject. For another, it's got some great examples of what rust and peeling paint should look like.

The town of Mystic has been planning to rehabilitate the bridge for some time, and now that time has come. One lane has now been closed as repairs have begun. I suspect they are interested in the bridge not falling into the river. Damn them and their safety concerns. Who wants to take pictures of a clean, well maintained bridge?

I'm kidding of course, as both a driver and boater who goes over and under the bridge I'd prefer it didn't fall on my head or fall into the murky river. And since my phone takes better pictures than my point and shoot camera, that I never remember to take with me, I now have a few photos of the rusty bridge. And if I discover any old relics that look like they'd make a good structure or kit, I won't hesitate to take out the phone and snap away.

Space Train

2011-01-08T08:45:00.003-05:00

As a both a big fan of trains and the space shuttle, it's a thrill to see them converge. The pic above is NASA's railroad carrying segments of the solid rocket boosters - the only way to move 150 ton pieces of rockets. It's interesting to see one of our oldest technologies come to the aid of one of the most modern. The trip starts out in Utah where they're manufactured and traverses more than a few rights of way to get to Florida, including Union Pacific and CSX. Track speeds are kept at a minimum, due to the fact that they are towing 5 million pounds of explosives. If you're interested in more details about this, read about it here:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/flyout/railroad.html

Scouring Pad

2010-09-23T20:15:00.005-04:00

I've been wanting to try a scenery trick from an article by Lance Mindhiem, where he used grey scouring pads as a last layer of scenery. Per his technique I cut some contour shaped strips and placed them at the very back of my scene. These pads are about 3/8" thick and provide just a small amount of implied distant scenery; extra depth in such a short distance. I think I could have tugged at the fibers a bit to make for a more ragged edge. I'll try that next time I use it. I found these pads in the sandpaper section at the Home Depot. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

River Progress

2010-09-08T19:52:00.003-04:00

The rocks have been colored and a first pass with scenery/vegetation has been applied. I'll be adding more trees. I've also added some gravel for the river bed. Next up deciding if I'll pour some Envirotex or just brush on gloss medium - I'm leaning towards pouring.

In order for this scene to blend in further, I think some rock work needs to be made towards the background, to tie in more naturally. As they are now, the ridge seems to be on its own. Just adding a small bit of rock at the end of the freight house helped visually, so a small section at the background could help some more.

New River

2010-09-08T11:51:00.002-04:00

Now that my layout no longer represents present day Iowa, but instead 1950's New England, I can freely add more rock work to the landscape. I extended the edge of the layout 4" to accommodate a small river with a fall. My intention was to give rock molds a try thinking it would make things go faster. After using just one, which I ended up burying, it just seemed easier for me to carve the whole length of the river in plaster. This way I could get the shape and mass I was looking for. The only thing I'm not happy with is that right now it looks tacked on - but I think it's mostly due to the fact that it's stark white; once it's colored and covered with vegetation it should blend in nicely.

Background...

2010-09-05T22:41:00.002-04:00

Have started working on some background flats...trying to work the opposite way I usually do. Most often I'll start the foreground scene first, which is a terrible idea, then get stuck as to what to do with the background and never get to completing it. This was a wall from a Downtown Deco kit. It's not the final placement and needs some wall details and some parapet capping.

Coal Bin In Progress...

2010-09-02T21:56:00.002-04:00

Added the covered coal bin to Palmer Ice...need to add some corrugated roofing and details.

Layout Expansion...

2010-09-01T17:36:00.002-04:00

Ever since I decided to change era's on my layout; I've been plagued with the fact that I didn't have space for a waterfront scene. I'd wanted to keep the middle of the room open, but finally gave in and added some bench work in the center. There's still enough room to get around. I just have to decide if I'll add a backdrop to the inside corner or just use structures and scenery as a view block....

Palmer Ice

2010-08-29T18:08:00.002-04:00

I'd been perplexed by this site on the layout for a while. If you're familiar with pics of my layouts previous incarnation, this was the location of the quonset hut pawnshop. I was thinking of filling it with a large structure, essentially shaped like the footprint of the lot. More than likely though it would have made the area seem smaller. With the addition of some coal bins to the right of the ice building and the freight house, I can make up several mini scenes. I'll save the larger structures in this area for the background...

TGD - New Limited Run Kit

2010-08-22T00:57:00.006-04:00

We've started our diorama for our upcoming large limited run kit for release this fall.For now we'll just refer to the kit as TGD. While we're including some waterfront scenery, it's not a waterfront kit. It's just what we prefer to model...in this diorama and others I've been using more and more oil paints to color scenery. Usually I would stain rock work with alcohol and ink and dry brush using acrylic browns and grays. But I've come to prefer oil colors as they just appear richer in depth and blend more naturally with each other. I've also use it to paint the darker areas of the water surface blending it in with the green acrylic latex paint.

The track has also been colored with oils. Primer is sprayed first, then the sides of the rails are painted rust - then raw umber for the ties. Once that's done a wash of thinner blends it all together.

The kit will be a multi-structure kit, with a theme related to some previously released kits...stay tuned.

Brian Nolan

2010-08-17T10:08:00.006-04:00

The passing of Brian Nolan has come to a shock to everyone in this hobby who knew him; I only knew him through meeting him at the shows, in particular CSS. I'd seen his work in the magazines as well and like most of us, was in awe of his talent.

Upon returning from a show one of the more lingering thoughts was that the next time I sit down at the workbench, I want to make something that looked as good as Brian's modeling. It hasn't happened yet, but as Brian would tell me in the few conversations we had about the subject, " Just keep doing it."

It's so important in any endeavor, no matter the category to find encouragement. Either from friends or family; positive reinforcement is vital to everything we do. It underlines our reason for being, our reason for doing whatever it is the heck we are doing in life. Encouragement helps answer the What's-the-Point question.

And here is Brain, who barely knew me at all, taking the time to tell me to keep at it and not just modeling. I'd share with him a couple of thoughts about how hard it is to make a living selling kits, his reply was the same, " Just keep doing it."

I've known people for years, friends or family, who've never offered that kind of reinforcement that Brain, essentially a stranger to me, offered in 15 minutes. It's a rare thing. He was a rare person; there are few like him. Which is why this is such dreadful news. We all need more people like him- we could all aspire to be more like him.

Flush

2010-08-15T19:42:00.002-04:00

Lately when I've been bracing walls I've been shoving a machine square against the edge of a wall and bracing. While it can certainly done by eye, it's not always a sure thing. Using teh machine square ensures less hassle later when the walls go up. I even run the square up and down the edge as if it were a tool, to push the bracing in place, nice and flush.

The walls in the pic above are part of our next big limited run kit due out this fall. Similar to Canal Street, but different. It will be a multi structure kit based on a single theme. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, we are working on a few DVD's. We've just finished Model Railroad Masters Volume 2. You can see a couple of mini teaser videos on our Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fos-Scale-Limited-Model-Railroad-Structures/113363023728?ref=ts

We're in pre-production on two additional DVD's that we are shooting this month; be sure you are signed up on our Email newsletter to get updates on these new projects.

No Excuse Structures

2010-07-24T17:04:00.003-04:00

I've been working on this section of steep streets, that cut across the layout at two angles. Visually it works well because it appears large than it is and it's easier to terminate and hide a street that hits the backdrop. But, the best part is that most of the buildings will only need two wall sections. Given the angle, there's no way to see one side and the second side is against another building. So I have no excuses for not completing this area in a short amount of time ( though I'm sure I'll think of one). Further back there are buildings that only need a complete front facade; even easier. The building in the photo is a small, nondescript wedge shaped building that sits above the rock cut I've been working on. More pics to follow.

Some New Roads

2010-07-13T15:32:00.002-04:00

This area towards the rear of the layout always bothered me on account of it being too flat. I had just planned to elevate the section via one flat plane; but that didn't seem to take advantage of the space. Since I already had a hill(left side) I started from there with a road leading up towards the background. From there another road, at an angle, back down. I also covered the existing road that went straight into the background.

This will provide a variety of opportunities for skewed, angled structures; a nice contrast for the straight road in the foreground. It also sets the stage for a nice rock cut trackside.

Reverse Progress

2010-07-10T18:05:00.006-04:00

I've got more done on the layout in the last 3 days than in the last 3 months....amazing what happens when you have some direction.

The lower pic is from "2010" on the previous incarnation of the layout...usually buildings get razed and parking lots are put in their place. In this case the parking lot was buried, replaced by Eleanor's Diner. The scene needs more work; more details, but it's on its way.

Street Progress

2010-07-09T01:06:00.002-04:00

Where the road sits was once a track siding, now shortened. It ends to the far right of the photo. I removed the rails at the grade crossing and filled it in with plaster. I added a sheet of masonite under the structures to cover some rough surfaces and start with a clean street. Eventually I'll paint the older pavement to match the new street once it's all glued in place. I have an empty lot between the Ludlow building and the liquor store - I'll have to come up with a new structure, most likely brick to break up the monotony of the clapboard buildings.

I may add a waterfront edge to the layout here, so I can add some buildings in pilings across the street. It would just be a matter of adding an L Girder made up of 1x4 wood...we'll see.

Turning Back the Clock

2010-07-08T18:31:00.003-04:00

The area I'm ripping up in the photo will be a lengthy bit of street. In the layouts previous incarnation I hadn't concerned myself with town like streets, I was trying to build as few structures as possible ( I succeeded in that...). Anyhow, I'll either include the track in the foreground, for street running or get rid of it completely. To get a head start I ripped a few structures off some dioramas - Ludlow, Army & Navy, the pawn shop and Pressman Radio. They'll comprise a block.

i'm also considering raising the area towards the back; more streets.

Ready, Set, New Mistakes

2010-06-06T16:07:00.003-04:00

I've finally started my 1950's waterfront themed layout; albeit a small one at 2'x 10'. It's sitting on some lightweight benchwork (as seen in our new video download). The benchwork is as minimal as can be - just PVC pipe and a hollow core door. It's not the kind you can stand on, but sturdy enough to hold some foam, scenery and some structures - trains too.

So now I'll have something to work on when I get stuck in the mud on my modern day layout. I think this can work out; keeping my interests in both eras alive.

I 'm ready to make some new mistakes; I love making mistakes, screwing up my layout and tearing sections out and starting over. This might not work for some people, maybe not for most. It works for me. By default anything I work on is always a blank piece of paper for which I can exercise my right to crumple it up and toss it in the trash. It comes from drawing, sketching. Working on a model railroad is replete with moments of precision, but I tend to let large brush strokes make decisions for me sometimes; as opposed to a measured, calculated one. When you work like that; sometimes the brush gets away from you - you can over reach.

So what? So you start over. I'm almost always having fun while doing it so it doesn't bother me to start a anew. I'm enjoying just seeing my marker lines on the pink foam, anticipating what's to come.

Since I've made so many mistakes and learned from many of them, I won't be trying to over crowd my waterfront. It's what tripped me up in the past. I've been drawing the same track plan for the last ten years with a list of must haves; car float, pier on pilings, pier with stone walls, low tidal flats, tug boats, etc...if I get one of those elements in successfully I'll be content. I'm going to try harder less. Do less. We'll see how that goes.

Today's Special: Chicken Carcass

2010-05-16T09:18:00.009-04:00

Whenever I can, I visit the World Trade Center site, as I did this weekend. I've been watching the construction progress from the beginning, since the early weeks of 9/11 when it was still a smoking pile of debris. It's been both a subject of interest for many reasons, some personal, knowing two people who perished in the attacks; one a college acquaintance, the other a childhood friend who became a fireman . Others are my interest in architecture and personal memories of my countless visits to the WTC as a child and beyond, including a first date with Anna Maria to the observation deck.

This weekend I came across a gallery that displayed the master plan model for the site, including the proposed new transportation hub for the PATH and subway trains. I'd been following the design progress of the station by Santiago Calatrava since it was announced back in 2004. At the time the design seemed like a breath of fresh air; the design was unlike anything built in NY before - yet at the same time the design appeared more appropriate for an airport than for trains. The roof appeared like skeletal wings; intentionally bird like.

The two wings could be separated, providing fresh air to the train station below; that I liked. Of late, the design has been diluted, modified and pared down. At one point it soared passed it's budget of $2 billion to $3.2 billion. What once looked like a bird ready to take flight , literally looks like a bird carcass picked clean. Impatience and the unfortunate practicality of commercial development have morphed what could have been potentially a dynamic and quite literally a refreshing civic space, into a disappointing boondoggle. The roof will no longer open or close. The two main entrances are merely insignificant slits, muting any sense of arrival or departure. Due to the current location within the site, commuters will have to walk almost two blocks of underground corridors to get in and out and instead of filtering through the main hall as you would at Grand Central Terminal, you'll be forced to walk the upper levels, passing the retail shops.

That last bit seems like some slight of hand by the developer, misconstruing a train station for a shopping mall. I understand it pays the rent and at Grand Central, the retail avenues helped pave the way for its restoration 15 years ago. But I'm sure there are ways to balance both the need for grand space and retail space , without being pushed into a cash register.

At this point though I'm glad any progress is being made. It'll be a decade , 16 months from now, since that dark day. It was thrilling to see over twenty stories already built for the new 1 World Trade Center Tower. At the moment it looks like a steel fortress - not unlike the Borg cube ship from Star Trek. Eventually it will be sheathed in reflective glass and will be a sight to see. The footprints of the former Twin Towers are now defined, being turned into memorial space, with simple yet effective reflecting pools.

I just wish that $2 billion dollars was being well spent. I'd rather see the temporary station stay as is and take that money and rebuild Penn Station, a space that took into account that people actually use it, enter and exit and arrive or depart, kind of like a train station.

The KitCast - Episode 4

2010-04-27T18:29:00.002-04:00

For each episode of the KitCast we'll be posting on our blog, any pertinent photos, info or links as discussed in the podcast...

Episode 4 of the KitCast is now available...in this episode I chat with Brian Bollinger of BEST Trains; we discuss how if in any way do model structure kits play a role in historic preservation.

Check out Brian's kits at:

http://besttrains.com/

I discuss my visit to John Elwood's layout (pic above) - more pics can be found on our Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=166106&id=113363023728

Also discussed is Pop Gracin's , a kit by Bar Mills Models:

http://barmillsmodels.com/

Thanks for listening to the KitCast:

http://thekitcast.com/

New Layout Plan

2010-04-19T18:45:00.002-04:00

Okay, I'm not tearing up my layout...but I came very close to this weekend...I visited some nice layouts this past weekend, via the Metro North Tour. In particular Bob Collet's and John Elwood's ( see pics on our Facebook Page). I was thoroughly reminded of what kind of modeling I really like to build...super detailed, 1950's steam / diesel era modeling...yet at the same time I'm very into this present day modeling I've been doing on my layout....so my first option was to just rip up any modern structures and details on my existing layout and start back dating it.

I quickly nixed that plan after reading the recent issue of RMC, where a modeler used PVC pipes to create easy, light weight but strong bench work for his modules. So I'm going to give that a try. I worked up a simple, waterfront track plan of 2'x 10' ( see pic above). Using those pics I'll work up a more refined track plan, by tracing the photo in the PC. I'll post that once it's done...and maybe get to that bench work this weekend.

Red Rock Fever

2010-04-15T21:38:00.003-04:00

That's what they call it when you get pulled in to the lure of Arizona, in particular Sedona. That's why we named our new kit series, Red Rock West, a series of narrow gauge, western themed structures. A few more are in the works for release later this summer.

We're always looking for a new direction to take our kits and this seemed like a natural step. After spending two weeks out there in November of last year, we couldn't help but be inspired to do something with what we saw. We hope you enjoy this new series.

Coming Soon....

2010-04-13T22:43:00.002-04:00

We've been busy as usual and have failed to keep up with our blog...apologies. Here's a quick run down of what's in the the works....The layout has taken a back burner at the moment as we work on new projects. Coming up next is the Carrolton Hotel, based on a prototype (pic of railing detail above) as well as a new DVD, which we are in the midst of finishing up. We've also begun work on our Limited Run kit release for the fall...it's in the sketching stage...within a couple of weeks, CAD drawings will be started....we've also been acquiring some new equipment, after the lathe a milling machine came next. Using a lathe on its own is like eating with a knife and no fork - the milling machine is a must. Anyhow, we've been playing around with those machines coming up with new patterns for detail parts. We've also been working on the KitCast podcast, check out the newest episode, episode 3 where we chat with friend and modeler Larry Baker. Lastly we've begun the summer's big project; converting our garage into a new workshop - our current below grade location just doesn't have the fresh air and daylight we'd like - hopefully by summer's end it will be complete...which means more room in the basement for trains...

A Hobby Within A Hobby

2010-03-29T19:22:00.003-04:00

There's always something new to be fascinated or obsessed with in this hobby. Lately I've discovered working steam engine kits. I've come to know them through a friend, Leo Terrien of Crow River Products. Leo is a master machinist and his steam engines are truly works of art; to me they're as serious a craft as any other. The precision involved is hard to fathom; four inch diameter cylinders bored to thousandths of an inch.

I also come across these engines at the nearby Mystic Seaport. Each seem to have their own personality and once they get under way; they're mesmerizing to watch.

Recently Leo fired up one his finished engine models, powered by an air compressor, and I was finally hooked. Very quickly a new lathe found its way into my shop. I'm starting off slow; there's a big learning curve. I picked the smallest engine kit out there. As small as it is, it's quite a challenge when you throw yourself into something new - but very satisfying. The flywheel above is the first part I tackled. It comes as a very rough casting, complete with ugly flashing and burrs. It's edges have now been faced and it's waiting for hole drilled in its center.

A benefit to having the lathe is being able to create masters for additional detail castings in our kits. As I said there's a big learning curve, so I don't expect much to happen very soon, but eventually I think we'll be able to increase the variety of details in our kits.

Above is the fly wheel from the engine kit, as well as a test for a vent detail casting.

Engine Facility

2010-03-14T21:49:00.002-04:00

I started the site work for this engine facility a few months ago and have finally started to work in some details. I picked up a Walther's kit that includes a fuel tank, hoses, etc... and will be using most of the kit. It comes with a plastic concrete bed for two tracks, but I'm ditching that as I prefer to use plaster, and it's a single track facility.

I didn't have the Walther's parts at the time I poured the plaster so I had to remove the area where the tank now sits. It looks better set into the ground than on top of it. I've been scouring magazines for photos of modern engine facilities ; I'm afraid on my own, I might add too much detail - I guess wood barrels are out.

The engine house is by Rix, pretty standard style. I'll try and make it interesting via weathering.

The small four track beyond is nearly complete; some more ballasting; details...the big decision to make is what building to model against the background...this is the area to the left of where the Home Depot is...

Mainline Modern

2010-03-05T22:17:00.002-05:00

We're releasing a kit in our new series, Mainline Modern. These structures will fit into nearly any era from the 60's until today. Our first structure is the Liquor Depot. It's design is simple and sparse, like so many in the real world. It's sparseness is what lends it self to realism. It's what I've been striving for on my modern day layout and I'm happy with the results. Not every one models the present day, but you may find a use for it, say if you model the Penn Central, or the Santa Fe in the 1970's.

These kits are different from our regular craftsman kit type kits in that the construction is all tab and slot; the corner trim is precut. It's a different kind of modeling experience.

We have a few more planned for the series, we'll keep you posted on what's next.

Yard Work

2010-03-02T19:46:00.003-05:00

I've finally started the yard area on my layout. I'd put it off because it meant dragging out that *%#@%!'n airbrush. I made it through unscathed, so did the airbrush - this time, if you don't count the verbal abuse.

I managed to get half the ballast down ( Fine Black Cinders) before I ran out. After promptly placing an order with Scenic express, I got back to work on adding some Details West switch motor castings. It's the kind of detail I'd always left out, but they're worth the extra effort. Then came some scenic foam, just a little, and prairie tufts...I don't know what I'd do with out these.

I've still got a lot to do in this area, but I'm happy with how it's coming along. I also started the engine service facility and have been gathering details.

More pics soon...

Big Box Protest!

2010-02-22T18:00:00.005-05:00

After yesterdays post about my adding a model of a Home Depot to my layout, I was surprised at the responses. Several were entirely against the idea of placing such a banal structure on my layout as well as why I would pay homage to big box atrocities. Some were perplexed as to why I would waste space on my layout to something many consider an eyesore. All were valid points.

Firstly I agree, big box stores are as boring as architecture gets. It's a sorry state of affairs out there. These buildings, literally made of styrofoam, offer nothing to stir the soul. They certainly lack the organic lines of Calatrava or the pragmatic order of Le Corbusier. Someone once said architecture is frozen music. If that's true, a big box store is the worst song ever; sung off key by some American Idol reject. At best they are just a roof and walls to keep stuff dry. So, please don't misunderstand my placement of one of these on my layout. It's no celebration.

When you consider what many of us usually model on our layouts; it's not much different. The best layouts that express and display a rich character and depiction of the world around us, usually do so through modeling run down, weather beaten buildings and vehicles. Often the goal is to model what most people consider eyesores.

A rusty locomotive, covered in soot. A weathered clapboard building falling apart, surrounded by junk ( really garbage). A crowded waterfront scene, with low tide exposing decaying trash...to me , the big box store is just another one of those eyesores, depicted in the modern era. Aside from us model railroaders, most people would object to the kind of "scenery" we create for our model trains. Modeling the Home Depot on a modern layout is just another extension of the big mess in the world; which is why it interests me. It's not unlike graffiti on a box car or a gondola filled with rusting scrap metal.

My goal when starting this layout was to create something as realistic as I could. While I plan on adding older structures, that have remained into the present era, I think a few very new ones do the job of suggesting time and place. I was very much inspired by the layouts of Pelle Soeberg and Lance Mindhiem; both of whom model present day. Within their layouts are modern structures like a common Shell gas station, or a simple produce warehouse that was nothing more than four walls , a roll up garage door and some signage. But it was this lack of detail that actually gave it character. It was a sparseness that appealed to me like a scene in an Edward Hopper painting.

Whether it works or not remains to be seen. At the moment I'm enjoying the process, which is always my first goal when modeling. I think once more of it is completed, parts will begin to blend in to an overall picture of railroading in 2010.

And since my modeling interests change like the wind, fear not. I keep a wrecking ball under my bench work. That Home Depot could be razed at any moment and I could backdate my layout back to the 1950's. But for now it'll remain, I have to get back to work on my HO model of a Chuck 'E Cheese...anyone have a small mouse toy I could use for the roof sign?

Home Depot in HO

2010-02-21T15:30:00.003-05:00

I had to get past the truck stop debacle. I couldn't leave it installed on the layout, not even temporarily - it's been removed for good. At the time it seemed like a quick fix and I thought I could make it work...anyway, the globe keeps spinning. Not a big deal, in fact it motivated me to get going on a background flat of the Home Depot.

I'd been wanting to build this for a while. In the beginning I thought that if I were going to model the modern era, I'd like to add structures that are seldom modeled. The Home Depot is an obvious one, and it certainly leaves no question as to what era it is.

It was a simple build, the walls are matte board painted with a sand textured paint. The doors and windows are from Rix. I made up the gutters and lights from styrene. I laser cut the Home Depot signage. I have some more details to add; some conduit, electrical boxes...I 'll also add a dumpster, pallets, etc...I'll have to drive around behind my local Depot and see what's there. I'll be adding more scenery once the model is finished. I glued it to a masonite base, once done I'll glue it down and add a chain link fence at the top of the embankment.

It certainly was a fun build. I plan on modeling another big box store to the left of the bridge; just not sure which one. Walmart? Target? Fortunately research is just minutes away...

3/4" Scale Walther's Kits?

2010-02-17T14:19:00.004-05:00

On our recent trip to Sarasota, Fl, we visited the Ringling Museum. It's a sprawling estate/museum; about 60 acres. One of the buildings houses an enormous scale model of the circus as it was setup town after town. Part of the model featured an industrial section of trackwork ( photos above), using familiar Walther's kits as part of the backdrop. It even used some of their also familiar backdrops - the only difference was that the entire model is built at 3/4" to a foot. So the track was about 4" wide. I am assuming they simply used the Walther's kits as a guide and scratch built their own. Some of them stood at three and four feet high. If anyone knows otherwise, please let me know. It was interesting to see ; but I am curious as how those structures came to be.

Thanks Again Amtrak, Really

2010-02-14T10:22:00.003-05:00

Yet another Amtrak journey is now behind us. We just returned from a relaxing week in Florida; apparently with fortuitous timing. On the outbound trip we were one of the last trains to get through Washington, D.C. before last weekends big storm hit. All other trains were cancelled. Not only did we make it to our destination, it was on time. Several mid Atlantic states declared a snow emergency. Airports closed. Amtrak pressed on.

While the snow howled up North, we enjoyed our mid sixty degree temps; there were one or two cool days down there, but nothing a heated pool couldn't fix...as a few suns set across the Gulf, news of yet another storm made it poolside. We certainly grinned ear to ear knowing that we were missing a snow storm back home.

Yet a third storm, this time down south, could potentially intersect with our return trip. We boarded train 98 on time; by nightfall when we made it to Georgia it began to snow, heavy and fast. It snowed all night. But we kept going. Undoubtedly, air travel had come to a halt.

We continued to plow through it, until a few miles south of Richmond, VA. A switch ahead of us was frozen shut and needed to be thawed out. That added a one hour delay. Upon getting to D.C., where we switched from diesel to electric, we got a glimpse of other trains passing us by, as well as our own as we passed some reflective glass - the sides were completely wrapped in horizontal icicles; the undercarriage was packed with snow - aside from the spinning wheel sets, you could barely make out any parts. It's amazing that we made the time we did. A few more minor delays; a passing CSX freight and a undercarriage inspection ( all the packed snow confused a equipment dragging sensor), added another 30 minutes to our delay.

Not bad for a 26 hour trip through a multi state blizzard; and Amtrak made it possible. Our last trip out west, 3 trains out and 3 back were all on time. This trip to Florida - all on time with the exception of weather beyond their control. Road and air traffic came to a halt. The trains, for the most part, came out on top. More importantly the people at the throttle, in the control center, along the mainline and handling passengers made it all possible. Thanks again for a safe, reliable trip.

Pic Above;Snow packed rails outside Union Station, Washington, D.C.

Greasy Nick's

2010-01-12T18:37:00.005-05:00

If you've taken advantage of our latest free kit offer, we hope you enter it into our new contest.(we'll be posting details soon). Just keep March 1st on your calender for submission of photos.

Greasy Nick's is named after a food joint in New Rochelle, NY; also called Leno's Clam Bar. The locals know it as Greasy Nick's - it's a roadside eatery that lives up to it's name, but the fries are awesome and the burgers come at you dripping with cheese. It's the kind of grease that's worth the pain. If you're ever in Westchester, NY be sure to find it; some info below:

http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Reviews/2012/greasy-nicks

Catching Up...

2010-01-06T20:36:00.002-05:00

We're in the midst of catching up on production of our Canal Street and Third kit, which is shipping a week or so later than scheduled. Our apologies for the delay. Our laser cutter suffered a small mishap during the holidays and getting a part at that time proved challenging. The part we finally received was defective, so a second one was ordered...of course when everyone was heading home for the holiday.... in addition to some other supply issues, also a challenge during a holiday. Needless to say we won't be scheduling ship dates around this time again! Hopefully your patience is rewarded when you receive the kit, several dozen of which have shipped as of today, and will continue shipping through the next week.

The Color of Things to Come?

2010-01-01T10:57:00.002-05:00

Firstly, Happy New Year! We hope you had a great holiday season and a satisfying, productive year at your work bench.

Naturally I've had Arizona on my mind since we returned from our trip last month. It was only a matter of time before I couldn't resist the urge to use some of the ten pounds of red dirt and sage brush I'd shipped back home from Sedona. In this case it was for a small diorama I built for a friend. I'd never taken a stab at coloring rocks beyond shades of grey, and it was necessary to match my carved plaster rocks with the finer dirt I sifted around the edges. When the match wasn't as close as I'd like, rust colored weathering chalks came to the rescue. Quickly I could see myself building some layout scenery like this, on a larger scale - it's very tempting to say the least. At the moment I'm committed to my Iowa based, present day layout but there's no reason to say, build a small module, maybe 2' x4'. We'll see.

In the meantime, we're in final production of our Canal Street & Third kit which will start shipping later this week. We've also been finalizing several kit ideas and projects for the coming year as well as starting our fourth DVD project , which may be available my the end of January or early February.

Stay tuned, here or on our facebook page for updates as well as our monthly newsletter.

Have a great 2010!

Back to the Background

2009-12-21T23:46:00.002-05:00

After several attempts at painting a simple horizon line; I give up. While I could be satisfied with a few layers of distant background trees, it's proving to be too much of a chore to paint after the scenery is in place....even though when I started this layout I swore up and down I'd do the background first, I didn't....anyhow I played around with some laser prints of photos I'd taken from a recent train trip. i'm happy with the results , and it's easy to blend the scenery with the bottom edge of the photo (applied with transfer tape). You can compare these photos with the June 2 blog entry:

http://foslimited.blogspot.com/2009_05_31_archive.html

Snow Day

2009-12-20T19:21:00.002-05:00

After shoveling 24" of snow, I headed straight for the workbench today. About a year ago I had acquired one of Stella Scale Models' Martin's Creek Station kit. I'd been meaning to build it since then and finally got to it and what a great kit it is. It's a resin cast kit; the roof is one single piece, as is the foundation and four walls. The fit of these parts is perfect and I had a great time building it. I modeled mine as a BNSF yard office; just added some signs. For my needs it works just fine; as I'm not adhering strictly to prototype.

If you haven't checked out this kit, or anything else by Jim Harr's Stella Scale Models, visit his site:

stellascalemodels.com/

2009?

2009-12-19T22:56:00.003-05:00

With the year winding down you'd think I'd have the foresight to choose or alter a billboard that will keep my layout in the present. But no. I suspect I was just happy enough to find a decent billboard via Google, it didn't even occur to me at that moment. Furthermore, my search parameters were " Iowa Billboard"; after countless clicks I'd forgotten I altered the search to just " billboards". The end result - I used a billboard set in 2009 for a Honda dealer in New Jersey, not Iowa.

I have no intention of changing it anytime soon. If nothing else, it'll serve as a reminder to look before I hit print. Eventually I'll find a new one. But it got me thinking, maybe I want to set my layout permanently in 2009. It's common practice in model railroading; set the scene and stick to it. Many modelers find it useful for pinning down things like signage, vehicles, motive power...

I don't think that's were I'm going with this layout. I like the idea of being completely flexible with what I can model. Besides, I consider this particular layout to be an experiment, maybe for something bigger down the road.

Eric Brooman's layout, the Utah Belt, has always been appealing for its up to date setting. As time goes by Eric updates his rolling stock and roster according to the present date.

So the billboard stays for now, at least for another 12 days or so.

The First Idea

2009-12-16T18:07:00.005-05:00

The Christmas holiday is upon us...for model railroaders the holiday seems to hold an extra morsel of sentimentality. The obvious reason; the train running around the loop of track under the tree or the displays in store windows. Just like the holiday cheer that comes once a year, its full might is fleeting. In a few weeks, after all the shopping madness, office parties and nutty relatives pay a visit, we'll revert to our non-holiday mode; or regular mode. It's too bad; I much prefer things when we're all in a good mood.

The same goes for trains. It's brief visit upon mainstream consciousness is just as fleeting. Come December 26th; the train gets put away. More so, the idea of train gets shelved yet again. It's not in our periphery long enough anymore to make an impact.

Having just recently taken a long distance train trip, I can attest to its continuing viability as a transportation alternative. I'd wager a bet my multi-day trip was more pleasant than any auto or plane trip you'll embark on during the holiday. What is disappointing however is that what I considered a enjoyable experience, could be even more so with the proper funding, but isn't.

It's certainly not for lack of technology. It's been around for decades; and with the right dollars the level of technology could be catapulted forward in leaps and bounds. It has after all, been shelved, year after year. There's no reason why we shouldn't be able to take a high speed train, 180mph plus from Chicago to Denver. Acela in the NorthEast is laughable, even ten years after its debut, it barely keeps a top speed of 125.

Funding is abundant if you ask me, not that I'm an expert. But, countless, perpetual highway projects are always flush with cash. It's shocking that as a population we're oblivious to the fact that most highway projects just generate even more traffic. The system as a whole, highways/cars, just doesn't work; it never will and it's incredibly costly to maintain.

While I gazed out the window for nearly 2,000 miles, it just underscored the obviousness of a truly elegant, unobtrusive solution...just 4'-8 1/2" wide - two rails...and hundreds of people or thousands of tons can move. The irony is that it's an idea over a century old - sometimes the best ideas are the first ones, or the ones right under your tree.

Have a great holiday! Spend some time with your friends and relatives; and then as soon as they go or when they're not looking or crocked on the special egg nog , sneak down to your layout or workbench and play with your trains!

The above pic, BNSF freight north of Raton Pass Dec.2, 2009

Background Fix

2009-12-12T17:34:00.002-05:00

The background in the bottom pic had been bugging me since I made it; since it was simply blue paint it looked quite flat. While just having a blue sky does add some depth - better than unpainted masonite, a little more effort could yield a better look. So I repainted the sky, this time with a band of white towards the bottom, about 3" . Then I applied a new band of blue that blended into the white, very simple. Dave Frary paints many of his backgrounds this way.

If you don't plan on using a photo background and want to try an easy, inexpensive way, this is it. No artistry required, just brush from left to right . It 's impossible to screw up....but don't do what I did; repaint after scenery is in place...what a pain.

For distant green fields I used an acrylic green and mixed it with the sky color. This immediately imparts a haze to the green.

Overall it's a subtle change, but does add the depth I was looking for. Give it a try.

Narrow Gauge Itch...

2009-12-02T20:13:00.002-05:00

We've been climbing around some rocks for days and days now, but we're heading back soon. If this trip doesn't get me building some kind of narrow gauge diorama, I don't know what will. After shipping back about 15 pounds of dirt and a box of desert sage brush trees, I'll have enough scenery material to start something. Between the landscape and the multitude of well preserved buildings, I've got the narrow gauge itch.

Anyhow, we'll be back up and running next week. We'll need a vacation from our vacation though, have spent most of the trip climbing; the pic above, taken after a 700 foot hike/climb. Amazing rocks...also, another pic from Jerome, AZ.

Journey to Jerome

2009-11-27T22:14:00.005-05:00

It's only taken me 27 years to get to Jerome, Arizona; but I finally made it! If you're not familiar with Jerome, it was for a short while, one of Arizona's largest mining towns. Copper was its main resource, producing three million pounds per month from around 1876 untill the mid 1950's. After that it quickly became one of the West's numerous ghost towns. Now it's a huge draw for tourists, who can wander the towns storefronts in search of souvenirs and local art. If you're a model railroader, you'd know it from John Olson's layout series in Model Railroader in 1982; Building a Railroad with Personality, The Jerome & South Western.

The layout was a standard 4'x8' but John created the illusion of a much larger layout, well detailed and rich in character which he imparted from his own talents as an imagineer at Disney as well as thorough research. I'd read those issues when I was 12 years old, but they left quite an impression. Aside from the fact that the layout appealed to me; realistic rock work and weathering, detailed structures - I was fascinated by this place called Jerome. At the time, growing up in New York City, Jerome Arizona might as well been on the far side of the moon.

Ultimately, John's article series made its way into book form which I immediately purchased back then. I still have the same book, yellowed edges; spine retaped - and I still go back to it, as the techniques are still among the best. Through the book I could visit Jerome, if only through John's photos. I'd put it on my list of places to see; some day.

Well today was the day! As we're travelling around Arizona, in particular Sedona, Jerome was a mere 40 minute drive away. How could I not go? One picture in the book that always stood out was John collecting a container of dirt to be used on his layout. Well today I collected a couple of pounds of Mingus Mountain dirt myself...

It was better than I imagined. From what I'd read, many of the towns buildings were built on the edge of Cleopatra Hill...more like clinging for their structural lives; amazing! It looked like a swift kick with your foot would send a building tumbling down. In fact after countless dynamite explosions in the mines, a good portion, like two blocks and two dozen buildings slid down the hill.

But so much is still intact. As you pass through the town, you come upon an incredible site - after some disastrous underground accidents, they turned to above ground strip mining - a large portion of the hill is just missing, gone, carved out by a giant. Actually it was a Marion steam shovel that could scoop out eight cubic yards in one gulp. It turns out it was a steam shovel that previously had helped dig out the Panama Canal. The actual shell of the unit is still on site.

Beyond the large hole in the side of the mountain is the Jerome ghost town. It's a bit propped for tourism, but it's a massive collection of old mining equipment - including dozens of automobiles and trucks, faded but very intact, from the '30's to the '50's. There's a working saw mill and a dozen old structures. If you're into detailed modeling, narrow gauge railroading and model railroading in general; your brain will pretty much fall right out of your head next to a rusting 1940's Dodge.

Needles to say I took numerous photos and all I could think about was tearing up my layout and building my own Jerome and South Western...

If you ever have travel plans that take you to Arizona, don't miss Jerome. Just have a good hold on your brain, it might make it's way down Cleopatra Hill.

Riding the Rails Again

2009-11-24T09:28:00.002-05:00

Here we are again,on an Amtrak train headed out West; the California Zephyr. As I write, we’re nearing Omaha, Nebraska. If you’d read about or last trip in May ’08, your probably asking why would you take the train again? Despite the delays and headaches and exploding catenary, it’s still, to me anyway, the best way to travel. It truly is the only way to see this continent in a relaxing epic kind of way – you can really appreciate its immensity and its diverse geography once you’ve covered this kind of distance , close to the ground. Since, leaving Connecticut, I haven’t looked away from the window.

I’ve brought all manner of distraction with me, for the so called “long ride”. I’ve got a few books, my laptop, DVD’s to watch, a few new train magazines, my sketch book, my ipod…but I’ve been utterly captivated by the ever changing landscaping flying by.

In the last 36 hours I’ve seen the coves and inlets of the Long Island Sound, the massive Hell Gate Bridge in NY and the view it affords of my old neighborhoods in Queens; we even managed a 15 minute visit with a good friend who was able to get down to the track at Penn Station to say hello and goodbye. New Jersey and Delaware went by in an instant; a blur of refineries and turnpike traffic. A stop-over in D.C. offered a nice break. While I’d been to the platforms of Union Station several times, I’d never had the time to visit this well preserved, grand station.

After D.C., we plied through Harper’s Ferry, an amazing mountainside town, I’d never been to. Through the outskirts of Pittsburgh, dormant steel mills littered the land like the set of an apocalyptic film. We awoke in Chicago, with a five hour wait between trains and perfect weather. In that time I was able to see Millennium Park and Frank Gehry’s Pritzker building, as well as several new skyscrapers that had been built since our last visit. After a stroll along the Chicago River, we headed back to the station and boarded the Zephyr.

And the window has its grip on me – how couldn’t it? A BNSF freight zips by almost every 15 minutes. We pass through countless yards and witness switching of all manner of freight car. It’s a great opportunity to see all kinds of weathering and trackside details, invaluable research for my modern day layout, which my last train trip inspired. Grain elevators, dozens of them, zip by – and none of them look alike. All the while, I’ve been snapping pics and sketching details I can use on my layout or in some future kit. The landscape changes often, also inviting new ways to model scenery on my layout.

Did I mention the locomotives? Growling, roaring, belching smoke; they’re just awesome to watch – whether they’re crawling through a yard or racing by with a hundred cars trailing behind, they are no doubt impressive, massive and unstoppable. Even Amtrak’s P42 pulling this consist of Superliners. It’s near seamless shell is simple, almost boring – yet the fact that once its wheels start turning and horn starts screaming, it comes to life; it deserves recognition. On top of that all three of our trains have been on time. An Amtrak first for me!

Anyway, you get the idea. If you like trains, to any degree – as a casual hobby, or a true fanatic, consider your next trip by train. You won’t forget it.

I see some blaring headlights ahead on the track next to us…back to the window.

(the above pic: backing into Chicago's Union Station)

There goes another one....

2009-11-16T10:35:00.004-05:00

Hard to believe another Craftsman Structure Show is behind us, the third no less. Needless to say, the fourth CSS event is already in the works. Jimmy, Scott and I are meeting this week to get things going; to see how we can improve the show some more. You've probably already heard either at the show or on the forums how great it was to have a small army of volunteers helping us out. It's worth repeating; thanks for the help! It made for a smooth, well oiled operation.

The fact that it's a three day show meant there was time to actually see the show, walk around and peruse everything. It was refreshing to see so many new products from the vendors. A couple come to mind...from Crow River Products was an O Scale Automatic Steam Engine (pic above). I had to pick this one up. I've been quietly getting interested in steam engines and thought this would be a great place to jump in, and the mini scene Leo created was a big inspiration. I'd like to replicate something similar. It's a detailed project, but small enough that I can see it actually getting completed.

Seaport Model works displayed some new work barges. Dave Krakow of Vector Cut brought a diorama based on a Bernice Abbott photo where nothing in the photo was left out - truly amazing. Lasermodeling 3 showed off their first new kit, an impressive 3 foot coal dock. Jim Harr of Stella Scale Models had his newest kit releases. Those are just a few examples. The best part about the show is seeing so much good work in one place and meeting up with so many people with a common interest.

So now time for a break...aside from shipping some outstanding orders, not much to do this week. Walking around the show, seeing all this cool stuff, I would say to myself, I should start a layout...then I remembered I did start a layout...it's just been neglected for a few months. So I dusted off some track this morning and held a brief operating session ( pic above)...and kicked around some ideas for what I'll do next. I'll keep you posted.

The Podcast Layout...

2009-10-30T18:50:00.005-04:00

...is nearly complete ( pics above). The layout is finally coming together; today Jimmy, Dave, Scott, Anna Maria and myself spent the day adding final touches. Mainly trees and details. The last items on the list include another structure, more trees and water.

The main draw back was that Dave' s bullet proof Lincoln Town Car was in the shop - he has the shag carpet in the back changed every year; he's always changing the color. Besides, on those sharp turns the hot tub water spills out - things get moldy. So when I arrived I had to help Scott clear out the picnic table from the backyard and paint a 20' yellow circle in the grass so Dave's helicopter had a place to land. It's flown automatically, except for today. Since Jimmy has been driving lately, Dave let Jimmy land the "Little Bird" as Dave calls it ( it seats ten people, usually super models). Jimmy used a special remote control he operates with some free software he found on the internet. This time he only clipped a few branches.

We were nearly blinded when Dave stepped off the chopper. He'd been to the optometrist and was sporting his new gold plated eyeglasses, and on the side arms where you usually see the brand name, it just said FRARY, all lit up with small LED lights. It was kind of tacky but I didn't say anything, he seemed happy with them.

His assistants Monica and Candy were no where to be found; we later found out Dave had fired them after he caught them sniffing Canopy Glue. Instead Dave arrived with his pride and joy, a white Bengal Tiger on a leash, he called Sparkles, after a stuff animal he had when he was a kid.

Scott didn't get much work done because he's afraid of any animal larger than a chipmunk. At one point I heard him crying under the bench work. He probably won't sleep a wink tonight.

CSS Draws Near...

2009-10-29T18:02:00.004-04:00

It's that time again, the Annual Craftsman Structure Show is just two weeks away. While I definitely think the elves here at the Fos factory could use a vacation, I'm certain our laser cutter does. It's an unbelievable work horse. Considering most goods and products these days are designed with built in, planned obsolescence, our Epilog cutter does not fall into that category. For a machine that is subjected to countless, repetitive moves every day - and ours runs 5 to 6 days a week - it doesn't show it. It just keeps doing what it was designed to do. I wish my PC would run even half as good.

So, we like to take advantage of it by coming out with more unusual, different structure kits. If time permits, we'll have a new HO kit ready for the upcoming show in Mansfield ( see pics above).

If you're registered for the show, you'll be able to see the diorama for our Limited Run Kit, Canal Street and Third. You'll also get to see and meet dozens of vendors and their models; like Crow River Products, Seaport Model Works, Rail Scale Miniatures and more. You can also attend clinics by some of the best modelers in the country like Dave Frary, Dave Revelia and Brian Nolan. On Sunday, you can tour some of the finest layouts in New England, that you may have only seen in the magazines like Dick Elwell's Hoosac Valley or Jimmy Deignan's Pennsy layout.

If you haven't registered and would like to head over to www.css09.com.

Podcast Layout

2009-10-22T19:35:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, we (Scott Mason, Dave Frary and myself) continued work on the podcast layout (pics above)that is going to be raffled off at the Craftsman Structure Show next month. All the proceeds are going to charity.

There's still much to be done; lots of scenery and detail items need to be added. Working with Scott and Dave has been interesting. We've been building it in Scott's garage, which means I have to wait outside for at least an hour before Scott wakes up; I always arrive early, like 7:00 AM, banging on Scott's door and ringing the bell. When Scott answered the door yesterday, he was still in his Looney Tunes pajamas. Jimmy Deignan had given him new pajamas with Thomas the Tank engine, but he never wears them. He says Tweety Bird gives him good luck...I then had to wait for Scott to finish his workout, he's been using an excercise series by Richard Simmons; Scott's very nostalgic. He watches the tape on Betamax. I tell him about DVD's, but he just shakes his head.

Dave arrives in his black town car. His driver promptly opens the back door, out pours Dave and his two assistants, Monica and Candy, they carry his totes of scenery products and tool boxes. While he works, he simply calls out, " Grey Ballast" or "Silflor Prarie Tufts", and it's handed to him. All the while he creates his scenery from a special hydraulic hoist that lets him almost literally fly over the layout. He wears special eyeglasses that have a Heads Up display to control it. There's a different one for each scale he works in...Dave also showed off his new necklace, it's his name, DAVE, about six inches across completely made of diamonds. It compliments his gold tooth. He's like a modern day Mr. T.

I stood humbly by, paving some roads wondering how I get mixed up with folks like this. But hey, it's for charity and I enjoy the work.

If you haven't already , go the Scotty Mason Show website (www.modelrailroadpodcast.com )

and pick up some raffle tickets, even if you can't use the layout, you could always donate it to a childrens hospital.

New Model Railroad Products

2009-10-06T09:23:00.006-04:00

While I enjoy reading the content of magazines and websites regarding model railroading, I also take great pleasure in the ads. It's probably the only instance where I welcome advertising so openly. While the average person is bombarded with 3,300 ads per day, I can't get enough info on new model railroading products. It's like reading the Sears Wishbook at Christmas, circling items you hope to get under the tree.

New stuff motivates me in my modeling efforts. The box car above for example, by a new manufacturer, ExactRail (www.exactrail.com )reminded me that I started a modern day layout in my basement and it probably misses me. Needless to say, I ordered one of these box cars. Check out their rolling stock - unbelievable detail.

I also discovered in the new issue of Model Railroader that Atlas is releasing the NRE Genset Locomotives in HO. Previously only available in brass, these Hybrid locomotives fit perfectly into my layout theme.

But no matter what you are modeling there's always something new. There are almost countless structure options. If you're modeling modern day railroading, just flip through the Walther's catalog and see the latest Ethanol manufacturing series. If you're modeling the steam-to-diesel era, check out new kits from both www.scottymason.com and railroadkits.com. Scott's released Laskey Cabinets, a super detailed mill. If you think you can't build it, think again, try one of his DVD's and you'll soon see how easy it is. Jimmy Diegnan has expanded his kit line on www.railroadkits.com by adding the Country Road Series. Roxberry Roofing, above is just one of several detailed kits on his site. Chances are you'll find at least a handful that you could use on your layout.

So no excuses! There's something for everyone, in every price range and at every skill level. And if you crave more info, check out Pelle Soeberg's new book from Kalmbach, Essential Scenery Techniques. You'll learn about new ways to model unique scenery like deserts , with the latest products.

And when I say no excuses, I'm also talking to myself. I get complacent sometimes and need a good kick to get me motivated. With all this new stuff the problem is where to start, not what to do.

Canal Street & Third

2009-10-01T19:13:00.007-04:00

While we're glad the diorama is finished and available for pre-ordering, working on it will be missed. It's just something that happens when you're working on a model for a while. It's a lot like traveling, getting to know a place. Once you get familiar and comfortable being there...time to go...I guess that's what pictures are for ( nice to have the diorama too.) All together, from sketch to finsihed model, it's been a year long journey. For six months, sketches were drawn and redrawn, some kept, some trashed. We spent most of the summer working on CAD drawings in between other projects. The models were started in July, again, off and on and finally the diorama was started 4 weeks ago. I realized if I had started the diorama earlier things would have moved faster.

Next time, I'll cut the foam base first, because once I had done that, buildings that I already completed could be put in place and some scenery could be added; doing that motivated me further because seeing just a small portion of it completed was all the incentive I needed to accelerate finishing it. An ipod packed with a zillion songs helps too.

At one point there were seven buildings, not five. Our goal was to provide as much value as possible and at the same time keep the price reasonable. The other two building designs we'll save for a future kit or two...

Before a single building was considered, I was set on the two converging streets to set the scene, as well as some kind of waterfront. Next came the boxing building, which went through a month of sketching. Once the over all shape and mass was decided, it was clear it would look best on a hill, adding to the overall height. Vernon's Boxing Club as it's called, comes from a town I used to work in, Mt. Vernon, NY. On the marquee we've posted an upcoming fight, Frary vs. Mason....I know who I have my money on, show him how it's done Dave.....included are some tiny posters as well, with a fight between Deignan vs Scholz......Baker vs Smith.....Weiss vs. Wolf.....While the upper roof was intended to be flat, a shed and additions were added, so it had a sense of shapes just spilling off the roof. This gave it a more natural look, and reduced the abrupt change in roof lines. We'd done a boxing gym as a kit before, JJ Hollender's back in 2004. Many modelers had missed out so we thought we'd give it a go again, without re-releasing a sold out kit.

Then there's the Peep Show Theater; we'll we had to add that. After doing a Bikini Car Wash, brassiere factory and a burlesque house, how could we not add some more mischief to your layouts? Besides we're just trying to portray, um, streets and cities as they are, you know, for the sake of realism. The research for this part of the kit was a real chore.

All kidding aside, while these are all freelance structures, a lot of research was done, just to keep things plausible. The mermaid bar is inspired by an old restaurant in Queens, NY called Neiderstein's. While it doesn't look much like it, it did have a covered porch like the one we've created.

Two of the structures complete our homage to one of our favorite films, Jaws. Despite seeing it at the age of seven (what was my mother thinking?), I still swim and go boating in the ocean and admire the film very much. Hooper's Oyster Bar, our previous kit is named after Matt Hooper, the Richard Dryfus character. In this kit, Brody & Martins Coal is named after Chief Martin Brody and the other structure, Quint's Fishermens Supplies, is named after the crusty captain of the Orca, who meets his demise in the mouth of the shark...

Normally, a structure kit such as this would yield a much higher retail price, however, as it's been an interesting time with the economy, we wanted to express to all of our customers that we truly appreciate your continued patronage.

After a week long Special Offer price of $249.95 - the kit will be $270.00. We feel that this is an excellent value considering that there are five structures included in this kit. (That prices each building out at $54.) Considering that two of them are rather large in size, you're getting a lot of Bang for Your Buck.

We're sincerely grateful for every kit purchased, it means a lot to us, as we enjoy what we do and you guys make it all possible, so from Anna Maria and myself, thank you & enjoy!

Canal & Third Street - Kit #150 In Progress

2009-09-21T11:47:00.003-04:00

We've been focusing on our next limited run kit these last few weeks; most of the design work has been settled on but constantly changes as the diorama is being built. If you've been keeping up with our facebook page( more on that topic later inthis blog), you've seen some teaser pics of this next kit. It's a multi-structure, multi-business, mixed media large kit. The diorama itself is 24"x 24", but each of the 4-5 structures are medium to small in size. You'll be able to seperate them, it'll be very flexible as to what you can do with the kit. We're modeling it as a waterfront scene; so far the kit is called Canal & Third Street, but these buildings are not entirely specific to the waterfront. We'll be including alternate signage for each structure, so you won't have to worry if you have a waterfront scene or not.

The scene we've set, depicts two streets converging at an angle; one is a hill, the other parallels the water. We've also added a track that cuts under the scene into a tunnel, and another behind two of the structures.

The structure in the pic above is Vernon's__________. We're not telling yet, but it's got a bit of a rambling roof, full of add ons and a large roof sign. Vernon's is modeled on the street with a hill, provided with a hydrocal stone wall foundation. You don't have to model it this way, but the option is there, it can easily be modeled flat.

That's what this kit is really about, flexibility.

Now, reagrding Facebook...we set up a Facebook page this summer, hesitantly. The jury's still not out whether or not we'll keep it up. My first inclination was that it would be a time killer, which to some degree it is. I'd rather be building a model or working on a new kit than keeping up with another internet time vortex...but on the other hand it's a good place for fellow Fos modelers to come togther, so that's where you come in, this Facebook page depends on both of us...but again I'd rather you, the modeler spend more time building than web surfing....if you've got pics of your Fos kits to post, we'd all love to see them in one place, please post away...like anything else, in moderation, don't get sucked into the black hole that is Facebook!

Let's just call it an experiment for now and see what happens. If you haven't been there yet, here's the link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fos-Scale-Limited-Model-Railroad-Structures/113363023728?ref=ts

Layout..

2009-08-22T09:26:00.003-04:00

Layout progress has been slow this summer, but I recently started detailing some small scenes since I haven't made time for bigger projects...any work on the layout is better than none at all...

Nail Holes & Volume 3

2009-08-14T19:33:00.005-04:00

Many of us who build craftsman structure kits employ the technique of adding rows of nails to our clapboard walls. Personally, I like adding this extra detail and I've done it so often not doing it feels kind of strange. It often turns up as a bit of controversy however, among modelers, whether or not nails would be seen on clapboard walls. So when I stumbled across this building at Mystic Seaport, I had my answer to this age old question - sometimes and generally on older buildings. Fortunately I had my camera with me and can put this issue to rest! But the real answer is, when modeling, do what you want to do and enjoy yourself.

The pic above is from a highway overpass we build in our upcoming DVD, Roads & Highways for Your Model Railroad. We've finished shooting today, with just some editing to do. It'll be available in early Septemeber. We'll post a video preview soon.

Our Next Limited Run / Christmas Kit

2009-07-23T20:10:00.004-04:00

We've been working on several projects this summer, one of which is our Limited Run kit to be released as our Christmas Kit. Last years H.T. Gordon's kit was a lot of fun for us to put together, so naturally we are using that as a stepping stone for this new kit. As always we're keeping it under wraps for now, you know the drill. But we can tell you it's a multi-structure kit with a variety of materials. And the big goal this year was to make it a great value, so we're trying to work in more bang for your buck. If all goes as planned we think you'll be pleased.

The above pic is as cryptic as it gets, a CAD drawing from the kit...I know it reveals nothing, but we had to put some kind of pic up. Think of it as a baby sonogram....still hard to make out what it is...But just give it time...we'll post more pics as the pilot model progresses. We hope to have it ready for ordering in time for CSS and shipping in December.

In the meantime, take a look at our latest kit, Rothman's Pawn Shop & Thornhill Liquors. The pawn shop is based on a prototype that stood on Eighth Avenue, in NY, in the 1930's. The Liquor Store is named after a character in our favorite Hitchcock movie, North By NorthWest, Roger Thornhill. If you haven't already seen the new kit, visit our site, you'll find a short video featuring the kit.

Public Enemies

2009-07-03T18:46:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite aspects of a good movie is the set design. It's not unlike scenery and structure building for model railroading. Through research and creativity, a plausible reality is created and viewed through a calculated perception; like a cropped photo.

The new Johnny Depp film, directed by Michael Mann, Public Enemies; features first rate set design. As with most Michael Mann films, scenes and buildings are portrayed with intense precision. The final scene, where Dillinger meets his fate at the Biograph Theater has been recreated so accurately, even rails were imbedded in the street for passing street cars. Most mediocre films would forgo a detail like this. But its inclusion creates a richer texture. Just like in scale modeling, it's the layering of detail that makes the scene.

From what's been said online about the set design for this film, the viewer will only see about half of the detail put into the sets. It's the sign of a good film, when the director's intention isn't showing off the money spent on the set, but instead, character and story. The background is just matter of fact, meticulously researched - but it's not the plot. 1994's Shawshank Redemption comes to mind; few people probably realize that the interior scenes of the cell block were a complete fabrication, and not shot in a real prison. Again, it wasn't about the set. But it still did it's job with subtle accuracy.

Public Enemies is like that. You're taken into the Depression Era 1930's and it all seems real; every block, every car and every costume. As for it being a great film, I leave that up to you. Personally I liked it, I like all of Michael Mann's movies; Heat, Collateral, The Insider, etc... he's one of the few directors that actually has a signature style, where the camera is always somewhere for a reason, the characters always driven towards something; for better or worse...and the sets are there as tools to support the story.

So, if you're a 1930's modeler or just appreciate some well crafted movie magic, check it out.

Have a Happy 4th of July!

Weather It

2009-07-01T20:51:00.003-04:00

We recently added some more Bragdon Weathering powder products to our site. They're individual containers of Light Rust, Soot Black, Weathered Brown and Lime Mortar White. If you haven't already tried Bragdon powders, consider them, especially if you're reluctant to try any weathering. With these powders it's easy to do. Just apply as little as possible at first and add more until you see the results you want. Even try it on scrap first. Probably the best advantage, for me anyway, is that I can keep Satan's little helper ( my airbrush) locked up in the basement where he belongs, with no food or water, or paint...my point - these chalks can give you that airbrush look without the hassle. Subtle fading of color or streaks of rust, it's the simplest and easiest way to age something. I haven't trie dthe Lime Mortar White yet but anxious to try, it looks like it'd be a great way to streak that white effervescence that leaches out of brick work. I'll keep you posted once I give it a go.

Good Smell, Bad Smell...

2009-06-29T19:48:00.006-04:00

So today we began work on what we are calling the Podcast Layout, a 4'x 8'

project collaboration by Dave Frary, Jimmy Deignan, Scott Mason and myself. The intention is to complete the layout before CSS and raffle it off at the show with the proceeds going to charity.

When I arrived at Scotts, so much preparation had already been done, each peice of benchwork wood was numbered and precut. Scott had even layed out a full brunch buffet in his garage. He'd prepared omlettes, fresh bacon, stacks of pancakes that could have filled a paint bucket - the garage smelled like deluxe home cookin'. There was even a red carpet in front of the buffet table ...it was like the Plaza Hotel meets IHOP. What a guy. I couldn't believe my nose and eyes...

....hmmm, OK I might be exagerating. So when I arrived, there was no wood and no delux Plaza Hotel breakfast. Instead, Scott and Dave and I took a trip to the local lumber yard, in Dave's truck. I got to sit in the middle, with Mom(Scott) and Dad( Dave) on either side. I think at one point I should have said "Are we there yet?". It couldn't have been soon enough. Dave explained to us before we got in that he'd left some fresh fish guts in a bag, in the back of the truck over the weekend - what an amazing smell. Powerful. Ripe. The kind that, even after you leave the truck stays with you. I can still smell it in the back of my head. It was almost as if he'd left fresh fish guts in the bag over the weekend...oh right, he did. Anyway, we got some overpriced lumber and headed back to Scott's garage where we unloaded the fish scented wood...which was fine, it's supposed to be a waterfront layout; very authentic.

Jimmy arrived soon after with a pile of track and turnouts for the layout. As Jimmy approached the garage he inquired about the smell.

A few hours later, four knuckleheads managed to complete some benchwork, some foam landforms in place and track secured. In the next few weeks we'll get to structures and scenery. As it progresses, I'll post pics here. You can also follow along on Dave's new blog:

http://tracksidescenery.blogspot.com/

Working on a 4'x8' layout sure brings back memories, the only other 4'x8' I ever worked on was my first layout, when I was 11. Plywood, wrapped with the grass mat, stapled. Single loop of track with one siding. Lots of green lichen. That's a great smell. Atlas telephone poles with plastic bases and that foam tunnel most of us had. Building kits by Lifelike and Tyco. But, at the time, that was the greatest thing on earth. I've never looked at another sheet of plywood without thinking about it.

_________________________________

The pic above is from Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts. Nice clapboard...

Leaves...

2009-06-14T20:17:00.003-04:00

...that's right I said leaves, five point broad leaves, the kind that grow on trees, plants and vines - now available for your model railroad. For years numerous scenery products have been made to simulate natural vegetation; from dyed sawdust to foam. The magicians at Silflor have created a true leaf shaped product that can be used to create vine like growth or can even be stretched over a tree armature. we ordered it from Scenic Express, it's item #930-21. They offer different seasonal varities/colors.

If you haven't ever purchased any Silflor products, or any of the new static grasses or grass mat materials, check out the website, scenicexpress.com. Using it will instantly elevate the quality of your scenery because of it's built in realism. You can see the contrast in the photo above, the foam shrubs to the right, look in fact like foam. Where as the Silflor product looks, well, like leaves. I still think there is a place for foam, it does add the variety needed to create realistic, dense growth. But for the bulk of my scenery. I'm incorporating as many of these new products as possible.

If you're looking for the Grass Master by Noch, that I've recently discussed here, it's been on sale at both Scenic Express and Micro Mark, for a reasonable price.

Farm Scene

2009-06-02T16:56:00.002-04:00

Since I've grew up and lived most of my life in the city, I've always preferred to model urban scenes. Often I'd wonder ,"what's the big deal about rural scenery?" Tall buildings, crowded streets and murky canals are what I aspired to model for years. I still do enjoy that kind of scene; one day I plan on using my Proto 1000 NYC Subway cars and build an entire layout of just tunnels to run them.

But lately, since I've embarked on this modern day layout set in Iowa and Illinois, I've come to appreciate some green open spaces. It must be the same reason I enjoy trains in general - the simplicity, two rails, the train and land as far as you can see. I guess it also comes down to the idea of "write what you know"; since we've moved to Connecticut from NY a few years ago, I've been around more open spaces, more nature.

Anyhow, the above pic is what I've been working on lately. This scene still needs work; I need to replace the tree to the right and work on the background some more as well as weather that tractor.

Avoidance Issues

2009-05-24T18:01:00.005-04:00

I've been avoiding one particular part of my layout ever since the track was put down. There are several areas that I have been avoiding, but this one in particular I was dreading any work on it what so ever. The reason being, there was less than two inches from the outside rail of a big radius to the wall.

If the track planning part of my brain was filled to capacity like it should be, I would have allowed for more space, at least four inches. But, somewhere between my Parietal and Occipital lobes, there's an apparent void...anyway, so there's less than two inches to deal with. At least an inch would be given up for right of way clearance, a shoulder of ballast..., so then there's an inch left. It's an area that hugs a river, the one shown in the previous post. I'd found a photo of the Upper Iowa River as I was looking for justifying the rock features I wanted to includein an Iowa scene - there aren't many. But in the North Eastern corner of the state, there is. The river is edged with an undulating rock face, almost a wave on its side. I used this photo as a reference and attempted to copy the overall shape.

So I started cutting a profile in one inch foam and placed it against the back drop. To gain some more space, I gouged out some of the foam at the narrowest point. This gouge would serve as one of the undulating waves; from that starting point I applied a wall of plaster, continuing the wave down the length of the curve and carved in a layered strata of rock. While it provided some depth, it wasn't enough; so I painted a sliver of landscape above the ledge, finishing it with vegetation. There's still a few more feet to go. Once it's complete, I'll post a wider shot of the whole scene.

Waterfall

2009-05-17T14:35:00.003-04:00

This week I managed to squueze in some time to work on the layout. I started a section that was begun almost a year ago. For months I just stared at this section, as if that would make it happen. The only thing that made it happen was actually doing it. It's like sketching and drawing, sometimes the blank page is intimidating...it's only when you realize that it's no big deal if it gets screwed up. The worst thing that could happen is that I would have ripped out pennies worth of plaster and paint; so what? With that attitude I finally began throwing down some plaster blobs and began carving rock, and once I'm past that part it gets easier. The work is satisfying, so that progress becomes addictive...I've been posting this progress on the MR Forum (http://kitforums.com/) and it's helped with each step, getting feedback from other modelers, instead of working in a vaccum wondering how this or that looks. Within just a few posts, modelers chimed in with thier knowledge of certain aspects of the project; from the type of rock in the region I'm modeling, to the fact that the rock behind the waterfall would be a little darker than the rest...all helpful and encouraging. And a great reminder - if I'm in a jam, the forum is there for assistance, like calling tech support, except that you get information you can actually understand and use!

In other news, our second DVD will be available the first week of June - Waterfront Scenery for Your Model Railroad. It covers some rock making/carving techniques for modeling a rocky coast, weathering seawalls at low tide, riprap walls, pilings and more, it also includes video reference of real world waterfront scenes ...we'll be posting a DVD preview soon.

We have started shipping Hooper's; if you haven't got yours yet, another batch is going out Monday, May 18th, and it'll arrive by weeks end.

Modeling Minute By Minute

2009-04-23T19:49:00.004-04:00

As I mentioned a few blogs back, I've started a small shelf layout/diorama to satisfy my need to model '50's New England. It's a narrow strip; a hollow core door six feet long by twelve inches deep. Something I can surely finish within a few months, though that's not the goal. I'm trying and re-trying some techniques, mainly rock making(carving) and waves and water. Since I live not to far from the shore and do as much boating in the summer as I can, I'm able to gather reference photos of some interesting coastal scenes. As is much of New England, the rocky coast can be found everywhere you turn. Sometimes with near fiberglass- damaging results if you're not paying attention.

Having kept a boat here in Connecticut and previously in Mamaroneck, NY, the Long Island Sound makes for some interesting tidal ranges. In Mamaroneck the tide can reveal up to nine feet of hidden rock and muck; here two to three feet. Whichever place, through tide changes, sunlight, cloud cover, storm damage - the same piece of geography rarely looks the same from day to day, sometimes hour to hour - even minute by minute. Last boating season, a perfectly sunny day in all directions turned to complete dense, fog in a matter of minutes - best to bust out the snacks, drop anchor and wait it out...anyway, this never ending change in scenery is a good thing in terms of modeling - you don't have to stick with a strict pallete throughout your scenery.

Color, texture - even wave action can be different from one area to the next. For me, this keeps things interesting and challenging, and I don't have to a be a slave to my pallete and materials. I can try new coloring for rock, add some crashing waves as in the pic above of the shelf layout - in other words, it's all pretty forgiving. That I like.

Modeler Gary Hoover's now dismantled Missouri, Quincy & Kansas model railroad featured desert scenery, the snow top Rockies, corn fields in the Mid West and the California coast- while this is not entirely the same idea, I was always taken by that concept, that you don't have to stick with modeling one type of scenery.

Since my modeling interests change very often, this appeals to me. And if you're in a rut, stuck on one type of scenery, you'll find with a little research, the same scenery can stand a little variety within itself.

Just Five Minutes at CSS Pays Off...

2009-04-10T19:46:00.004-04:00

...for me anyway and maybe it has for you. I'm referring to the Craftsman Structure Show last November, put on by myself along with Scott Mason and Jimmy Deignan. Anyhow, the previous year I had watched dozens if not a hundred or so modelers sit by Dave Revelia and Brian Nolan working on a variety of modeling techniques. In particular Dave Revelia painting figures. If you have seen his or Brians work, you already know that they create some of the most intriguing, super detailed scenes and structures. Their work truly is art - three dimensional paintings. Like many, I look to their modeling as the standard of detail and style I aspire to model myself.

So, at this years show I took a break from our table and watched Dave paint some figures, for about five minutes. I had never done any figure painting, save for a few cast metal demons and druids in my Dungeons and Dragon days when I was twelve.........so as I watched Dave for five minutes, he explained the basics of what he was doing and I was instantly intrigued - I had to try it myself.

Of course it took me several months and excuses to get to the point since then, to sit down and actually give it a try. I finally purchased some paints Dave recommended and ordered an Optivisor and some new brushes. I also made great use of Scott Mason's Painting Figures with Dave Revelia DVD.

My first attempt is pictured above, an HO Presier figure in a scene for an upcoming kit (May 1st). This is a Preiser figure I've used so many times I couldn't stand to see it again in the same color scheme; that's what prompted my repainting it. You know this guy, waving with the blue shirt and suspenders...so I took a whack it it. While the results are far from great; I can see how even just a little reworking of a painted figure can elevate a scene. No longer does the out of the box figure stand out; with just a few layers of color, shadow and highlights, the figure begins to blend in.

Needles to say, I'm hooked. I don't think I can ever just glue down a figure as is again. It would seem like a step backward. It has to have some repainting. Hopefully the more I do it, the more I will improve. The best part is it's extremely satisfying and only takes just a little more effort. It's really just a matter of sitting down to do it and getting the right tools.

If you haven't already, consider coming to the Craftsman Structure Show in November. I only spent five minutes taking in some new information and it's opened up a whole new door to my modeling. Imagine what you can do if you spend all three days focusing on some new techniques and ideas. And if you are interested in painting figures I highly recommend Scott Mason's DVD. Like anything else in modeling, once you see it happen before your eyes, the mystery is gone and you realize that it's some thing you could do yourself, or at least give it a try.

Battling Blue

2009-04-03T19:31:00.004-04:00

I rarely use blue paint on structures, but decided to for a change. For one thing I couldn't live with myself if I used white with green trim again, though I'm sure I will in the near future. It just seems to suit most structures as well as the landscape they sit in.

Blue paint itself, was rarely used in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Not so much a taste or aesthetic issue, it was a matter of cost. The pigment for Ultra Marine Blue was mined from a semi precious stone called Lapis Lazul. It was ground into a fine powder and mixed with resin. The next step was to knead it in linen bags where it sat for weeks in water until the pigment leached out. In the mid 1800's, Lapis Lazul was nearly equal to the price of gold.

So, rarely was it used on buildings; instead white was, being the cheapest and most prevalent color. But I decided to use it here on our next Quick Kit # 31, called Hooper's for now( due out next month). It's only being used on trim parts and windows. I decided if I were to choose blue, I would only do it if it were weathered heavily, lots of chipped paint. Plain, unweathered blue on a model railroad might be too stark a contrast and stand out more than any other colors, even red.

The blue I'm using on Hooper's is Polly Scale St. Lawrence Blue; it's a fairly modest shade of blue, not Royal or Navy. This shade inherently has a faded look to it, so half the battle of toning it down is already done.

So far I'm happy with the results and welcome the change of pallet.

Test Lab

2009-03-28T12:11:00.004-04:00

Here's what I really like about this hobby; when it comes to modeling you can do whatever you want. There's no limit to what kind, type, era, geography, etc...lately I've been having a staring contest between my modern day layout and some old clapboard structure from the previous layout as well as some kit models. While I'm enjoying modeling the BNSF and CSX immensely, I'm still craving something else. That of course is modeling the 1950's waterfront. So I've embarked on what I figured I would end up doing; modeling a small shelf layout/diorama where I can model a stretch of waterfront. I've started with what I had laying around - a 12" deep hollow core door to which I added an inch of rigid foam and started cutting away to create nearly seven feet of waterfront. A single length of track runs from one end to the other. Simple.

As much as it is a layout, I'm thinking of it more as a test lab, for new techniques ( new to me anyway) where I don't care too much if I screw it up - it's just a door! But I think what will happen as it's small enough that I can pay a lot of attention to it, I will endeavor to detail it as much as possible. If nothing else I will have a place to run some steam locomotives back and forth. The pic above reprsents what I've thrown togther so far, stay tuned.

The Next Scene

2009-03-19T12:45:00.004-04:00

When I first started laying out my current track plan, I was faced with the common dilemma of how to compress lots of railroad into 18" deep bench work. It seemed to be another one of those model railroading compromises I would begrudgingly live with. As things have progressed however, it's come to be a preferred working dimension, for several reasons.

-Firstly, it's very easy to finish such a shallow area. Which is great for me, as I can't always spare the time I'd like on the layout. And if there is one thing I've learned in this hobby, it's that motivation is fueled by what ever was just previously completed. Once I finish a scene and I'm satisfied, I simply want to see more.

-If I screw something up; either some new scenery technique I tried or a new track configuration comes to mind, I'm not hesitant to rip it up and start over.

-Since it is only a foot and a half, I tend to spend more time detailing these areas since it doesn't seem so daunting to finish it. Working on an 18" deep layout is a lot like working on a diorama; I think the mindset is somewhat similar. I think if I was building a layout four times as large, I could see myself taking some short cuts I would have otherwise not.

-Lastly, I like challenges, especially the design and planning kind. This definitely qualifies. Fitting all the features, structures and scenery on your wish list takes some thought, which is half the fun for me.

So, on to the next scene.

Mini Craftsman Kits...

2009-03-12T16:36:00.003-04:00

We've just released three small kits in our new Crafty's kit series. These kits are intended for beginners as well as those who are challenged with limited space on their layouts. Aside for waiting for paint and glue to dry, you could literally build these in an hour or so. The best part is they are priced within $20 and $30.

If you're trying to get a friend involved in building kits, this is a great way to introduce them into a fun and challenging hobby; without the intimidation of the bigger kits. Hopefully, these small kits will bring new modelers into the hobby - it's easy to picture someone who's never built a kit before, build one of these, step back and suddenly realize a great sense of satisfaction from their accomplishment and want to do more.

Grass Vs. Foam

2009-02-23T21:31:00.003-05:00

Grass wins. I can't imagine not using any of the new grass products out there, at this point. While there is still a place for scenic foam, for small clusters of bushes and vegetation, realistic grass like Silflor matts and static grass can't be beat. These products make it easy to model realistically; so why not do it? It does take a bit of a learning curve to get it right; like amything else it takes a few tries. Some balk at the price of Silfor matts; at prices like $29.99 it may appear costly, but those matts go a long way. They're meant to be pulled apart and thinned out. I picked up a pack of Prairie Tufts, probably costing about $30 or so, but they've lasted me over a year. Considering the option, the old trick of cutting paint bristles and dipping the ends into glue, only to watch the blades of grass fall over. Truthfully, I'd rather a horse kick me in the teeth than sit around making indivdual weeds...

Then there's Noch's grass master...I was always skeptical about this item, and at the same time envious - I didn't think it would work, but the results where right there in the photos - individual grass blades standing up straight, just like grass. Like the arguement for using wood, to model wood and dirt for dirt, why not grass for grass. I then found Dave Frary's demonstration on the Grass Master on Scenic Express' website; that was it, I was all in. While it's a bit pricey, the results are worth it. The resultant realisim derived from the Grass Master instantly elevates the quality of the scenery to a whole new level, with little effort. If you do decide to make the plunge, there are a few tips to be had as to it's use. In addition the Scenic Express video, Dave Frary goes into the how-to of the device on the latest edition of the Scotty Mason Show podcast at www.modelrailroadpodcast.com. And, since I'm near to modeling a landfil, I'll be needing a lot of grass to cover all that garbage. This is going to help immensly, I can't wait to get started.

To Count or Not to Count....

2009-02-18T22:00:00.002-05:00

...rivets that is. Rivet counting, as it is in this hobby, is the faithful dedication to the prototype. While this is certainly a worthy endeavor, striving to model from the real world as it is, it's not something I could endure. For one thing, in actuality it's just not possible. While many modelers have grand plans of modeling accuracy, there really is no way to duplicate reality in miniature to such standards. So, it's with a grain of salt that us non-rivet counters, should take any slights towards our in-accurate attempts at recreating a railroad in a smaller scale.

I certainly agree that following a prototype as much as possible, is helpful as a guide, but the moment selective compression, for example, comes in to play - accuracy goes out the cab window. Nine times out of ten industries served on a layout could barely fill the back of my Honda with goods produced, let alone a boxcar. If that's the case why anguish over whether or not a railroad had this kind of signal but not that kind? Haynes bumper stops or Buda bumper stops?

This year BNSF is retiring their SD40-2's. My new SD40-2 as pictured above, just made it to the layout with newly installed sound - I'm certainly not going to follow the prototype and retire my new locomotive and I won't lose sleep over it. Instead, even though I am modeling 2009, I'll continue to pound the rails with my SD40-2, hitting the horn as often as I can. If I faithfully followed the BNSF as it is, none of my layout would exist. I'm doing this for fun, not to be a slave to reality.

The reality is that I'm not modeling a mile for a mile, if that were the case the area my layout represents would be about 80 feet wide by about a half mile in length. If that were the case then I really wouldn't need a railroad to get goods to and fro - a single box truck could do the work of managing goods over such a microscopic area. Even donkeys could handle the transportation needs of this miniscule geography.

If we wanted to count some rivets, we should be gluing individual hairs onto the heads of our Presier figures. The figures themselves should each have an individual history just like locomotives. We would have to go to each town we model, go door to door taking note of who lived and worked where. We'd have to a know what clothes they wore, what kind of car they drove...

Our scale automobiles would all have working headlights and state-correct license plates...they should all have drivers inside and more importantly they should move on our layout just like trains.

Most of us model a particular season - if we stick to the prototype, shouldn't the seasons change? Change out those green trees in October for autumn colored trees, then rip all the foliage off and then dump fake snow on your layout and start all over again come Spring. Reak havoc on your thermostat and adjust it accordingly to duplicate the prototypes climate.

We strive to get accurate sounds in our DCC locomotives, why not smells? Burn a small lantern with diesel fuel for true accuracy or some coal. Too bad for me as I'm going to model a landfill; I'm sure the smell of rotting garbage will bring a closeness to the prototype to a whole new level.

Of course I'm suggesting extremes here, but you get my point. I fully respect the idea of rivet counting, I just don't think it's 100% possible, maybe five percent in the scheme of all things that can be modeled. And that's enough; it works for so many modelers and the results are worth the effort. It's satisfying to view a layout, yours or someone elses, and recognize the effort, research and determination that captures a slice of reality in miniature. And as I mentioned, the prototype is a great guide, your model railroading sherpa, so your not guessing in the dark.

But, if your struggling with whether or not you are being true to the BNSF or the Pennsy or whatever railroad you model, it's nothing to fret over. I'm doing this for one reason and one reason only; to have a good time. If someone balks over that fact that I'm running a retired locomotive on my layout, so be it, I'll just have to lay into the horn - that you can count on.

A Few Good Pens

2009-02-10T20:35:00.003-05:00

At the moment, we're taking a much needed vacation...so, our shop is closed until after the 13th. That's not to say that some work isn't being done.

When I travel, I travel very light. One of the few things I bring with me are a sketch book and a few good pens. While I am spending the week on a beach, far from New England's icy winter, it's a great time to focus on upcoming kits. No distractions. I'm able, with no technology other than pen and paper, to flesh out several new kits that we'll be working on through out the year. A sparse setting like a beach is perfect for work like this, it's much like the blank sheet of paper I'm drawing on - other than the occasional dolphin, it's clutter free.

As you may have guessed, I offer no indication as to what those kits will be. For one thing, more than likely some ideas will be dropped, some added and some combined. It's an ongoing process that changes daily, as I work on these designs every day, one way or another.

I've also been able to continue with some plans for my layout, sketching out some potential structures and solving some operational issues. One being that I've always enjoyed modern auto rack carriers, but never had a reason to buy them. Even as I've been working on the layout recently, it didn't occur to me that I actually could use them - until a few days ago - I guess the sludge level in my brain was high enough that I couldn't connect the dots so easily, proof that I needed a vacation....here's what this caveman couldn't figure out: I'm modeling present day. I'm modeling based on the idea that all the businesses and industries served by my railroad would supply or manfacture green, or eco-friendly, sustainable products as well as alternative energy. How could I possibly use triple rack auto carriers?

Hybrid electric cars, that's how. After I patted myself on the back for this moment of clarity, I quickly got online and ordered a couple from Walthers. So, I plan on modeling a Toyota plant that manufactures the Prius, even though they don't have a plant in Illinois or Iowa - it satisfies my issue with auto racks and works within the bounds of my theme. I'll have to compress this industry into some kind of background flat and accomodate at least two tracks...

That's it for now; back to the sketch book.

Subtle, Yet Steep

2009-02-03T21:02:00.006-05:00

Most of what I'm modeling, Illinois and Iowa is flat. My layout sections are only 18" to 24" deep, so the challenge is to work in subtle elevation changes; especially with regard to track. So I've been dropping some sidings 1/8" or 1/4", within two to three scale feet. The surface of the layout is rigid foam insulation on masonite, so I can't lower or raise track sections as you would with a cookie cutter type of construction with plywood. Most of the track is on 1/4" Homabed, homasote roadbed. My first solution to lowering a siding was to pave a ramp with scultptamold. While it can work, it's not the most accurate method. One night while feeding the woodstove with some cedar shingle scraps, I had my answer, even though it was quickly engulfed in flames...fortunately I have a left over box of cedar shingles in the garage.

Even if I didn't have the shingles, a wood shim would also work as a nice, subtle grade changer. It's quick and easy. However, I wouldn't recommend it for mainline grade changes, but for my purposes it works just fine. The shingle can be split by hand for width, and scored with a utility knife for length. In some cases you can even work in a bevel and/or curve where needed. They could also be used, I suspect, for automobile roads in some way.

As more of these mild grade changes are added, the landscape appears more natural. While it's barely noticeable in the photo above, in person it's more obvious, especially when a local freight takes a small dive or crawls up the incline. It's a tiny drama in the scheme of railroading, but still dramatic...and when you're not modeling large mountains or canyons, you take what you can get.

Gaining Weight and Blending In

2009-01-29T08:50:00.006-05:00

I've been trying to uphold my rule of no un-weathered cars on the layout, so I put my SD40-2 on the bench, It's not quite there yet. Unfortunately, to get it where I want it, I'll have to take the airbrush out of it's cage, if it's nice I might even feed it...while my weathering has improved, I still have a long way to go. But what's interesting is that even a quick dusting of weathering powder goes a long way. Of course it instantly loses that plastic look, but it also, quite suddenly, gains a few tons - a weathered car, just like a structure blends into the landscape.

One of the most important pieces of advice I ever received from an architecture teacher was this; the best architecture is easy to recognize, it should look like it came out of the ground - like a tree or layers of rock and sediment. He didn't literally mean buildings should look like trees and rocks of course, but simply suggested there's no need to fight the landscape that's already there. If you're going to put anything on that landscape, respect it by using the same language. The best, well known example is Frank Lloyd Wright's house at Falling Water (above). Falling Water blends in; it looks like it was meant to be there - like it was always there. This is not to say that some things shouldn't stand out or be prominent and in the case of Falling Water it does both; blends in and clearly has a prominent place on the landscape.

I know comparing Frank Lloyd Wright to model railroading is a stretch, but it does make sense, to me anyway. I guess my point is, if you've been building detailed structures and scenery, but not rolling stock, why not? It takes less than ten minutes to apply some weathering powder to a freight car or locomotive. Keep it simple; just use a dark brown or dark gray. You can't mess it up. To me a new locomotive out of the box is messed up and needs to be fixed, so whatever you do will be better than when you started.

Back From Springfield

2009-01-25T22:38:00.003-05:00

The 2009 Springfield Show has come and gone. It was great to see everyone who stopped by our table; thanks for stopping by. It was nice to hear feedback about our kits, even better to hear that many of you are building and enjoying them and getting them on your layout or entering them into contests. Keep up the great work! Both the Chinese Restaurant and Canavan's were well received; we'll post pics of these kits on the site soon after a much needed break( a day or two)...

Surprisingly, many of you are reading this blog; I thought I was the only one. Thanks for all the positive feedback regarding my building this present day layout. I've been very motivated about it recently, but the extra encouragement and inspiration really helps. So much so that I couldn't stop myself from acquiring some new locomotives and rolling stock while I was at the show. I also picked up some of my favorite scenic materials from Scenic Express; Heki Deco Grass (shown in the pic above and on most of our dioramas) & Silflor Grass Tufts. These materials make it so easy to achieve a realistic look instantly. I'll still use foam here and there, selectively or in the background, but I won't use it as an overall ground cover when there's such a superior alternative...

Across the aisle from Scenic Express was one of the most interesting items at the whole show - Hal Reynolds Turbo Tree. Picture a clear one half gallon plastic jar; hanging, inside, from the lid by alligator clip, a piece of Super Trees material. Below, a small 12 volt fan whirled a cloud of leaf material, like a cotton candy machine. Since the tree was sprayed with hairspray, the flying leaves attached themselves to the tree - brilliant! I didn't catch Hal's website, but I'll post it here when I get it. It's something you have to see to appreciate.

The Keokuk Secondary

2009-01-21T18:52:00.002-05:00

95% of track is now down on the my present day layout and I'm now able to sustain an operating session that takes about 45 minutes. The track diagram above is what I've come up with so far as to what industries go where. Two staging tracks now reside behind the backdrop of the recent bench work alterations. The track plan above is partial fiction. I'd read and re-read about the Keokuk Junction Rwy years ago in MR magazine (July1990). It's always appealed to me because of it's simplicity, one train a day, short freights, etc...but the Keokuk was absorbed by Pioneer Railcorp in 1996, so it no longer exists. Instead I'm assuming there's a parallel line that's owned and operated by CSX and shared by BNSF. Two staging tracks are it's source of freight, in from Chicago (CSX) and St.Louis (BNSF). As one of these trains arrives onto the scene in Peoria, it's left to the switcher to pick up and set out cars.

As I'm trying to stick to a theme for the layout; almost all of the industries served, are in some way related to renewable and sustainable products and alternative energy. I'm able to combine two of my interests into one. If you look at the diagram above, you can see this concept will offer a variety of industries and make for a unique, up to date modeling scenario.

One of my current challenges is where and how to model a large landfill...

Striping Roads...

2009-01-19T15:52:00.005-05:00

I've been attempting to keep all my roads to scale, not compromising the widths like I had in previous efforts...correct width roads (12' per single lane, 2' for shoulders) really enhance the scale of things as your eye is familiar with it, and when it's incorrect, you can tell something's off. Besides, they don't take up that much room.

Line striping is done by masking the road with painters tape( the 2" wide tape I used is excessive but that's what was on hand). Only the center mask needs to be cut, about 1/16" wide. Then, I use a yellow acrylic paint to color the lines. It's important to brush in the directon of the tape so you eliminate any chance of bleedng under the tape. Unintentionally, I found that using an inexpensive acrylic paint works well , the lines instantly appear faded.

The background painted against the wall is temporary, until I figure out what will work best.

Using the Big Yellow Eraser

2009-01-17T10:01:00.002-05:00

I've got lots of issues...with my layout. I should say the space my layout is in, is what I have issue with as it dictates all that goes on in there. Naturally that leads to compromise, and change often. That's why I keep my bench work cheap and simple and reusable. Whenever I work on anything, where I am making something, I proceed the same way as if I were drawing; if what I'm doing isn't working out I tear up that sheet of paper, or erase it. With bench work, my DeWalt screw gun is my eraser. It makes quick work of undoing what was done.

My recipe for bench work is, as seen above, not much...a 1x4 pine frame, 1/8" Masonite covered with 1" rigid foam insulation. As you can see most of the 1x4 is on it's second or third shift as I reuse nearly every piece I can from previous layout incarnations. Even the screws.

Last night, during our podcast with Scott, Jimmy and Dave we spoke about the possibility of my tearing up-giving up - this two layout idea....just not feasible if I want to get the most out of the space I have if I want to successfully operate my present day layout. So, seconds after the podcast ended I slapped a fresh battery into my drill and down came 12 feet of bench work reserved for my 1950's layout...2 hours later,12 feet of bench work was added to the Green Belt. All that remains to have continuous running will be a three foot section that will have to drop down in front of the door for access to the room.

Now I have to see what will become of this new found realestate, the main section of this new benchwork is 24"x 96". I 'd like to fit in a small yard and at least two or three industries. For that I'll have to hit the drafting table and get out the small eraser.

Service Road

2009-01-15T22:41:00.002-05:00

Even if modeling modern day railroading isn't your thing, you might want to take a look at Pelle Soeborg's work. If you read Model Railroader, you've no doubt seen his many articles over the last few years. One of the features on his layout that struck me was his use of roads , in particular service roads. On most layouts, if they are modeled, they're truncated. On Pelle's, they're actually a large feature. Even though it's a simple detail, the uncompressed size adds an instant realism that your eye recognizes. His automobile roads are even larger, ten feet or more. You'll see what I mean when you go to his site.

What it 's done for me is reinforce the idea that not only should I not try to cram as much as I can into a scene, but to model as little as possible when space is limited. Previously on last years attempt at a 1950's layout, my problem was that when I drew out my track plan I was trying to cram streets - a whole town - in a space less than 24 " wide. It just can't be done, not to the point where it doesn't look like a severe caraciture. I should have just ran a single road down the length of the layout or just cut one or two across laterally and gone from there.

On my Green Belt, my newly named present day layout, I'm planning at least one lengthy stretch of road, about eight feet long. I've already worked in two service roads, one is pictured above.

Take a look at Pelle's site if you have a moment...lots of lessons to be learned from him and his layout. Paste this link to get there...

http://www.soeeborg.dk/railroading.html

A Plan is Forming

2009-01-14T18:30:00.008-05:00

Up until recently I didn't have much of a plan or theme for my present day layout. Only a few parameters were set; BNSF and CSX would be the major road names and it'd have to be located for the most part in or around Illinois and Missouri, where both roads could legitimately be seen together. This is also made sense for me as I wanted to model grain elevators as I'd seen them on my recent train trip last summer. So the idea was to model it so CSX would drop cars here BNSF would take them away and vice versa. But I don't have enough room to truly make this work so it really needs to be a switching layout, representing a smaller zone geographically.

If you follow most of the kits I've done, you'll know I prefer to model subjects defined by specific themes. A theme or idea provides a spine to which everything else can hang. Without one it's just too random; a guessing game, especially when planning a layout. What industries would I model? How are cars moved around the layout and why. Questions I've learned to ask myself thanks to columns like Tony Koesters Trains of Thought in MR magazine - why is this car on your layout?

Once questions such as that are answered, the rest is easy, just implementation stands in the way. So, I've been fishing around for a concept that the layout would be based on - finally a compact fluorescent, energy efficient light bulb went off in my head - all the industries served on my layout would more or less be eco-friendly.

I could model industries like grain, coal, lumber - the usual and that could be fun. But since it's a subject I have great interest in; sustainable resources, alternative energy, recycled products and materials - it all makes so much more sense to me. So many questions were instantly answered by defining a layout concept.

-Right off the bat I could keep my grain elevators, they could process soybeans and corn. The corn could be sent to another industry on the layout, Ethanol processing- fortunately Athearn makes Ethanol Tank Cars.

-I wanted to feature some kind of food distributer, soybeans could go there, soy based products could be shipped out.

-Wind power is a big favorite of mine; I 've known about a company called Zoltek, they manufacture carbon products, specifally blades for wind turbines and they're located in Missouri. This kind of industry requires all kinds of raw materials, so that's another one to add to the list. I might even try and model some wind turbines for the layout, or at least include them in the backdrop.

-I've always been fascinated with landfills, I might model a portion of one, replete with methane vents that are diverted to power plants to generate electricity. That would be an interesting change from the usual rolling hill landscape seen on many layouts. A portion of it could be modeled in its final state covered in grass, another could be still open to receiving waste, lots of trash and birds...

-Instead of a coal power plant, a waste-to-energy plant could be modeled, receiving shipments from the garbage train.

-Another warehouse could be for a photovoltaics company.

-A MRR forums member had sent me the photos(above) of a great cardboard recycling facility. I plan on modeling it based on those photos.

So you get the idea. I can't think of anything more modern on a present day layout than the above. I'm even considering calling it the Green Belt; simple enough and to the point.

Fortunately the internet can provide plenty of research on the subjects to be modeled. I'm looking forward to it.

Investing in Infrastructure...

2009-01-13T23:11:00.002-05:00

..on your layout. I've been looking forward to starting this project on my present day layout for a while. After starts and stalls, I've finally begun. Since I'll have few structures, mostly just industries served by the railroad, I needed something else to define time and place. Everything about this layout is intended to be in complete contrast to what I usually model( 1950's), building modern day highways seemed like the right way to go. Ironically, I could be modeling highways in 2008 that were built in the 50's...but I'm interested in the newer highway construction, massive concrete supports, large spans...speaking of spans, I'm no civil engineer but I'm fairly certain the web height of the beams in the pic above is terribly inadequate. It looks like it needs to be at least twice as high. I'll have to look into that. If anyone knows what the web height should be for a 70 foot span of four lane highway, please email me...otherwise I'll be dangling myself over an overpass on I-95 with a tape measure...

I also need to add some concrete pads for the shoe plates to sit on...the concrete supports are made from actual concrete; anchor bolt cement. I read about this in a few articles by Lance Mindheim. In it he cast concrete culverts and loading docks. He didn't paint them as the color was already that of concrete, it looked great.

Mine however must be a different brand and dried a dark, gray- green color, so I painted it with a concrete color paint(Woodland Scenics Concrete), dry brushed it with white and added graffiti and paint outs; attempts to cover up the graffiti...even though I wasn't able to get that real concrete color from the real concerete, it certainly has the right texture. I built the molds using pick rigid foam insualtion, glued up with a glue gun. The foam has a slight texture and can be carved to show expansion joints.

Springfield Show 2009

2009-01-12T11:44:00.004-05:00

The big train show in Springfield, MA is in two weeks. It's a great show if you can make it, January 24th and 25th. We'll be in the Stroh building, same location as last year. We'll have one new kit, the Green Dragon Chinese Restaurant #QK29 and possibly a second, Canavan's...the pic above is from #K30,Canavan's. From the pic above you can guess there are no girls in bikini's washing cars, no burlesque dancers, sorry. More pics around show time...Note the kit number, K30, this is not a Quick Kit, and not a limited run kit, sort of in between.

Regarding the show, we will be accepting Visa & MasterCard and will be offering a 5% discount on all cash orders. Please stop by if you can make the show.

Ok, back to wrk, we'll see if we can finish Canavan's_____ _______.

Cheap & Easy, a Useful Tool

2009-01-04T11:55:00.006-05:00

Above is a picture of the one tool I have been using more than most, and it cost nothing and was made in about five seconds; a couple of inches of .20" wire taped to a four inch piece of 5/32" square wood. I use these wire sticks to apply glue where the smallest amount is needed, as in the sidewalk cracks above to which scenic material is applied with a tweezer.

It's also useful for applying glue to fill small gaps or to the bottom of figures to glue them in place. To apply rust bleeds and blotches to detail castings or rolling stock, I've been using it to apply small dots of Burnt Sienna or Raw Umber oil paints, dragging them down with thinner. (to see this used to great effect, check out Scott Mason's Weathering Freight Card DVD's). You could also use a nail, but the length of wood gives it a handle, a better feel more like a pencil, saw you can draw with the glue and just have better control.

If you use Micro Glaze or Gallery Glass for window glazing, you can also use it to apply the material into window panes.

If God is in the Details, the Devil is in my Airbrush

2008-12-24T10:34:00.005-05:00

...or maybe my airbrush has a bad case of kidney stones, maybe it just doesn't get enough fiber. Truth is I think it's possessed, clogged with hatred for me and my pursuit of model building. Now I remember why I hadn't picked up an airbrush in twenty years, I can't stand the things and the feeling is mutual. It's single, mean spirited goal is to rattle my nerves and put dark thoughts in my head as to what I'm going to do with it. Put it on the head of a rail and wait for a train to roll over it? Put it in the microwave oven? Toss it in the wood stove and watch it beg for forgiveness?

Then the compressor, evil's sidekick, who is lazy, loud and intolerable. Why would you be designed to vibrate so much and so freely that you could walk yourself across a table and throw yourself on the floor, taking all manner of paint bottles and cups with paint with you. If you want to hurt yourself, fine, just don't bring everyone else with you. Besides, I'm going to do some damage to you anyway, compressor. You're this close to being next summers boat anchor. I'll tie a cinder block to you just in case, to ensure you a muddy tomb amongst the dying kelp and rotting fish. Like I said, dark thoughts.

My intentions were utterly free of malice I'll have you know; I just wanted to paint some plastic walls white. I tried at first using a can of spray paint, but those buggers are just the airbrushes spiteful minions. Clogged spray tips. I even tried changing them out from other cans. Useless. Look at the photo above, that was taken in my workshop. Do you know how difficult it is to clean your layout of brimstone? And that sulfur smell?

So, I embarked on a painting session filled not with an even coat of Poly Scale Refer White, but a blood red event where growls and grunts became words I can't repeat here. The forces of darkness were against me. All I could recall was Hulk Smash!

But hey, it's Christmas Eve Day and I know that since before the dinosaurs, air brushes have worked fine, if you use them properly. I'm sure even the Geico cavemen can use an airbrush better than I. They must have read some cave painting wall that mentioned properly thinning paint. That's all it really takes and of course cleaning it properly after each use - never my strong point; you should see my paint brushes. Each one looks like they were used to scrub barnacles from an old boat hull or really bad teeth.

I could learn to respect the airbrush and all of its easily cloggable parts and passages. I could even grow enough, be mature enough not to beat my compressor with a crow bar. I might even evolve enough to bolt it to my work surface so it doesn't wander. I'll thin my paints until they're water thin. I'll take my airbrush apart after each use and clean it like a tiger leaves a carcas. But I'll always know that with every painting session, evil lurks and that I've made a deal with the devil.

Pizzeria Transplant

2008-12-18T19:06:00.003-05:00

We've barely had a moment to rest here in our workshop, preparing and packing Christmas orders and getting out HT Gordon's. HT Gordon's begins shipping this week, it's a big crunch but we'll get it done.

I did manage a small break, and work on the small scene in the pic above. The pizzeria is from our sold out kit Harrington's Bar & Enzo's Pizza, released in 2003. Unfortunately I dropped the original diorama, face down..Harrington's Bar broke the fall, sparing the little pizza shop. So it's been sitting on a shelf collecting dust...since I haven't built any structures yet for my modern era layout, I figured I could make it work some how. It needs some more details, a proper road sign, figures...but so far I likes the sparseness of the scene and it's the tone I want to see through the entire layout. The empty lot across the street will be the site of a liquor store/cash checking joint, with lots of signage and a few folks up to no good. It'll have to wait until after the holidays...

In the meantime we'll continue with kit production and shipping. Somewhere in there, we'll be working on the next few kits, hopefully at least one new kit will be ready for Springfield. The next kit is going to be a gr- ...almost gave it away....stay tuned for some unique, new, easy to build kits in January and February!

Two Layouts...

2008-12-14T13:04:00.003-05:00

I finally had a moment to work on my layout(s). It's been a while , probably since summer time...anyhow, this spurt was prompted by a couple things. First was a major cleanup of the layout room, wherein when I was done said to myself, "there's a layout in here, in fact there are two." The other was recieving two locomotives that I sent out for sound installations, once I powered them up, I was hooked again...If you haven't read previous blogs, one of the layouts features a modern day railroad, BNSF and CSX and the other a 1950's / New England / New Haven RR theme. Both are small, but satisfy my desire to model both eras. One of the best benefits is that when you get stuck on one, or are waiting for things to dry, you can jump on the other. In the photos above you can see I have been working on a muddy river scene in Iowa along a BNSF mainline, then jumped to some rock work on a New England harbor scene. If you've ever been in this dilema, where you've always modeled the steam/deisel era, and felt guilty when you felt like buying some Amtrak cars or an AC6000 locomotive, this is the answer. There are some compromises to be sure, but there always are in model railroading. My layout room is small to begin with, 11'x17'. The modern layout fits in the room like a U shape, while the 1950's era layout is only 2' x 10'. But my thinking was the modern layout would be sparse anyway, so easier to build lots of scenery. And the smaller layout more detailed but more manageable. I'll post some more pics soon, I have a feeling a lot will get done within the next few weeks.

Getting Ready for CSS09?

2008-11-17T10:39:00.002-05:00

Yes. The days right after the show are the best time to brainstorm ideas on how to make the show better than before. So, Jimmy, Scott and I will be throwing around ideas this week about what worked and what did not, as well as suggestions from those who attended. Now with two shows behind us, we have a better sense of where the show needs to go.

For myself, my favorite part of the show was walking the aisles, pondering what I could do next on my layout. I poked in and out of some of the clinics when I could, and took a moment to watch Dave Revelia paint figures. I sat there only for about three minutes, but to me, that was the best three minutes of the show. With every model I build I always feel the next one needs to be better and I'm still learning.

Observing Dave work defines a benchmark for me, beyond just saying to myself I need to get better at it. It requires some discipline I still do not fully posses - firstly, more patience. My problem is I often spend time designing the next thing, while building a current model, so if it takes to long I start to rush things; resulting in sloppy modeling that's no different in techinque than the last one. Second, I need to remind myself what my mother always told me, if you have the right tools you can do anything - I need to purchase an optivisor, some more good brushes and paints. Then I just need to set aside some time and have at it. So those three minutes were worth all the effort it took in preparing for the show. Those three minutes will define all of the next efforts of my modeling and beyond. Hopefully it will show. We'll see.

In the meantime, some rest is in order. The last three months have been non stop production, show prep, etc...right now I'm in a bit of a zombie like state; dead tired, but still walking around trying to do something...

So thanks to all of you who attended the show and stopped by our table. Special thanks to Norm Wolf, Angela Reed and Danny Head for helping us breakdown our display. Hope to see you all next year.

Texting? Are You Kidding?

2008-10-02T16:05:00.007-04:00

This photo was taken during our trip last spring, somewhere west of Albany, NY. I'm not sure when this wreck took place but it appears to be relatively new. Further down the tracks were several more cars and piles of wheel sets. I'm assuming it wasn't a big wreck regarding fatalities as I thought I would have heard about it in the news; not like the one recently in California where the engineer was, as confirmed today, text messaging while at the throttle. This is not only a terrifying idea, it's a tragic reality for the twenty five people who were killed and their families and friends. Firstly it's absurd to me that technology in 2008 could not have prevented this accident on one of our oldest inventions, the railroad. Even more perverse, is that modern technology, the ability to text message took part in the collision. Of course the cause itself is not the technology, but the person at the controls.

This is not the first time this has happened. Quite recently in the Boston area a few months ago, a commuter train collided with another; the engineer on her cell phone at the time. She did not survive.

So fine, people make mistakes and technology can't save us from everything. But what I'm also concerned with is the lack of outrage. Twenty five people lost their lives because someone was texting. No doubt it was trivial; "Hey what's up?" or "Do you want me to pick up some milk on the way home?" Whatever it was it could have waited. Nothing at that moment was more important than the job at hand; operating a train safely. I know we're all preoccupied with the economy, the election and so much more, but shouldn't this be a major concern?

It's bad enough NASA astronauts are flying the space shuttle drunk, but I don't drive a space shuttle, I drive a car. Every week there are a few occasions where I have to honk my horn to get the attention of someone not looking straight ahead, while they dial their cell phone. Recently in New York City, within the span of one week, there were three incidents where drivers drove up onto the sidewalks, mowing a few people down while talking on the phone. What's it going to take for something to be done? More enforcement? Public service announcements?

I'm sure there are many things that could be done, like mentioning it in this blog. The best thing an individual can do, is not dial and drive. It's possible this rant sounds like a lecture, preachy. Maybe. But I don't think so; if you were on a train, reading the newspaper after a long hard day at work and suddenly a freight train plowed into the car you were sitting in you'd think otherwise. If you were lucky enough to survive and witnessed, what I can only imagine as an absolute crushing horror, I think you would re-examine your driving habits if you found out that all of those people whom you chatted with on the train, sat next to; were maimed and killed because someone was texting a trivial message.

H.T.Gordon's...Nearly Finished

2008-09-08T22:18:00.002-04:00

We're finally at that moment were a diorama comes together; where figures and detail add action and story. Scenery and vegetation "grow" and begin to define a place. Vehicles and signs will be added next, defining time and place. One thing we can tell you about the kit is that it is a singles structure, but does have a dual function. Maybe we'll get into that by the next blog...stay tuned. Back to work...

The Belt House

2008-09-01T10:50:00.002-04:00

About a year and a half ago, Scott Mason took Anna Maria and I to see an abondaoned, but still standing nail factory in Wareham, MA. It consists of several out buildings, one of which is the shingled building above. I was immediately taken by the small structure on it's roof, a belt house. It's a small outcrop of the structure, built to accomodate belts to run machinery as well as access for maintenance and repairs. At some point I would have to use it in an upcoming kit and we were able to incorporate it into our new limited run kit, H.T. Gordon's, it's not a nail factory but a - hey, wait a minute, I'm not telling, I almost slipped there. The top photo is our version of the belt hosue on H.T. Gordon's....

H.T. Gordon's

2008-08-29T19:03:00.002-04:00

Above is a very cropped, very unrevealing photo of our next limited run kit, H.T. Gordon's. For the moment it's top secret. We always prefer a little anticipation before releasing a kit, so in the vault it stays. (Also what you are seeing is the only part of the structure that's finished.) I can tell you it's a structure we've been sketching for a couple of years now and was just waiting for the right time and right industry that would suit it.

At one point it was going to be a Pine Tar Soap factory, but the design for Decker's was being drawn at the same time, and that was that. So I have been sitting on this for three years or so, modifying this wall, changing that window arrangement until it just looks right.

I recently built a mock up of the entire structure and ended up staring at it for three weeks, looking at angles, views, what worked and what didn't. Mostly proportion is what I look at the most; balancing elements like exterior stairs, building add-ons, roof pitch...and including a variety of building elements. At this time I'm also sketching the site plan, how the building is going to be arranged on the diorama, what kind of setting...water? Main Street? I still don't know.

As I move on to the next stage of building I'll post some more pics of H.T. Gordon's.

DCC, DC, DUH.

2008-08-12T20:59:00.003-04:00

So, I've been quickly learning that HO locomotives are almost as hard to find as limited run structure kits. I thought I could just look on the Athearn or Atlas website and just order what I was looking for, only to find out that the runs are short, get sold out, discontinued and require reservations. I guess I haven't picked up many locomotives in the last couple of years and hadn't payed attention. I also have a habit of skimming text when I read ads, because this past week I acquired two new locomotives from Broadway Limited's Blue Line, a BNSF SD40-2 and a CSX AC6000, my seemingly walnut sized brain failed to read "DC Sound, DCC Ready". I was too excited by the fact that these locomotives were even available; I assumed they were DCC Ready with Sound. A slight distinction discovered when I tried to program them...anyhow, in the future I'll read more carefully., maybe take a Hooked on Phonics class... in the meantime I've sent them off to have decoders installed.

The above pic is from the layout, Photoshop background...once some more scenery is in, I'll take some wider shots. I'm also still trying to decide if I'm just modeling a region in Illinois were BNSF and CSX roam together, or model two areas, Illinois and New Mexico, even though they would be a few feet apart...

Outdoor Modeling

2008-07-30T18:23:00.003-04:00

We set up our outdoor modeling tent again this summer. It's great to be working outside. The only drawback is having to tote supplies back and forth. Still, it's nice to have canopy glue on windows drying in the sun in less than an hour and getting as much fresh air as possible when using paints and washes. We've even hooked up a 20 watt solar panel to run the laptop and lights. Here on the table you can see a few wall sections from our next Limited Run kit #140, due out in November, H.T. Gordon's...that's all we'll say about it for now. In the meantime, I'm headed back to the tent.

Rolling Stock Rules

2008-07-21T09:39:00.002-04:00

I'm trying to set some new rules for myself, working on both my present day layout and my 1950's layout. One of them is that rolling stock only goes on the tracks if it's weathered. In the past I've had 95% of the cars and locomotives on the layout remain as they were out of the box. This will also address another issue which is rolling stock accumulation. I have way to many boxes of cars and locomotives that are unweathered and unused. While i do need to build a fleet of modern cars, I have more than enough freight cars for my '50's layout. So it's just a matter of weathering those. And no new modern cars will be purchased unless the previous purchases are weathered. I'm not trying to pigeon hole myself with strict rules though, just trying to take a more methodical, organized approach to my layout building. My most recent weathering attempts are the two cars and locomotive above.

Welcome to Modern Times....

2008-07-10T23:30:00.003-04:00

So work's begun on my present day layout, some track is down; ballast too. I'm able to run my CSX MP15AC switcher around a bit. I started working in my first industry, a small scrap metal yard. I pretty much borrowed the idea from Lance Mindhiem's East Rail layout. It seemed like a quick, easy industry to model and it's placement fills an area between the track and the edge of the layout. I thought I had gathered enough scrap parts to make a decent pile, but clearly I probably need about 6 times what I have. I'll just keep adding more until it looks right.

Modeling the present seems, to me anyway, much more difficult then modeling the past. I suppose it because it's a language I have been working in. For instance, every time I begin to plan a building I'm thinking clapboard, beat up wooden fence, lots of details, etc...instead I need to be thinking sparse, metal siding, concrete block, some details...when I look at an empty space on my layout I can quickly visualize some ram shackle building crammed into whatever available shape I can. Fortunately all I need to do is leave the basement and go drive around and look at modern buildings and details for reference. I can't wing it like I would with the character driven, detailed buildings I'm used to. It's an interesting challenge for sure. There are times when I think this whole endeavor might be to boring, plain - but when I see examples like East Rail, I feel otherwise. More than anything I like the idea of doing something different in model railroading.

And when I get stuck, I'll get a jump on my 1950's layout just a few feet away. I'm looking forward to switching gears between each layout.

P.S. If you haven't checked out the new Craftsman Structure Show kit, visit www.css08.com.

And if you haven't seen our new video features on our site, check out http://www.foslimited.com/VIDEOS_ALL.htm It's new for us so bear with us with the shakey camera work...(we're getting a better tripod)....the quality will improve, hopefully.

Layout Changes...Again

2008-06-21T11:19:00.005-04:00

I've gone and done it again, I ripped up whatever semblance of a layout I had; for several reasons...firstly I was not happy with either the track plan or the peninsula configuration. Mainly the fact that the peninsula had no back ground. Since it wasn't populated with tall buildings or scenery, it failed to convey any sense of distance.

Another reason is that in the last six months I've changed my mind about certain things regarding scenes and selective compression. It seems selective compression doesn't work for me, especially when modeling in a small space of 17'x11'. I think I'm better off modeling a scene that is the same town or idustry for 8' to 12'. I've been looking at the work of Lance Mindhiem and Pelle Soeborg. Both of these modelers have done so much in such small space, and the results are much more believeable.

Another quandry I've been facing for the last six months is the fact that I want to model present day equipment, especially since our trip out west....so what to do....well, tear up your layout, around 3:00 am , that was my choice. It all came apart in about an hour. All of the bench work was saved and doing so revealed the solution to my problem. The original plan looked like an "E" more or less, so I pulled the center peninsula away leaving a "U" shape...

The U shape will become a modern day layout(CSX/Amtrak) and the 12 'peninsula will become a 1950's waterfront layout. This makes much more sense for me...The 1950's layout will feature more detailed structures and craftsman kits, smaller...it will take less time to complete and be more of a diorama. The modern day layout will be sparse, but larger and more operational.

I can't tell you enough how much of an influence Lance Mindhiem's CSX shelf layout http://www.lancemindheim.com/ and Pelle Soeborg's Danville and Donner Pass layout have become. http://www.soeeborg.dk/railroading.html Take a look at these, even if you don't model present day, look at the use of roads, how wide and expansive they are, they continue, on Pelle's layout, for ten feet or more. On Lance's layout look at the four foot long warehouse. The sparseness of it adds more realism without super detailing, which for me seems much more atainable as far as getting a layout(s) going.

Other than that we have a new kit out, the Mud Flap Cafe & Truck stop...this was fun to build, we hope you'll enjoy it too. The picture above is found on the internet, in case some of you want to get inspired and modfiy your truck stop kit.

Back from out West

2008-05-29T17:57:00.004-04:00

We've returned from our vacation a few days ago, still adjusting to being back. Aside from a few glitches with Amtrak, the trip was great. we took the train to Denver, then rented a car, completing a 2000 mile loop through Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and back to Denver for two weeks. When we weren't driving we were hiking at a few National Parks; Bandelier, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion and Arches. All of which are amazing worlds unto themselves. We could have spent a week in each...we hiked several miles a day, several times ascending the equivelent of a 50 story building, except in 90 degree plus heat with 3 liters of water on our backs.

So the train trip. While I'm a big fan of train travel, Amtrak just doesn't have it togther and I understand it's not thier fault. They've been underfunded since inception in 1971...anyhow, 2 hours into our trip, in the Sunnyside Yards in Queens, just three minutes from Penn Station, the pantograph blew off the roof of the AEM-7 locomotive pulling us. The amazing part was that we got to see it as the twisted wreckage slammed into the side of our car right where we were sitting completely in flames. It poked a hole in the roof, resulting in a leak a few rows ahead of us, it was raining. The short versions is ,it took over 4 hours to untangle us from the over head wires, the repair crew only armed with a hacksaw. The irony was we were stopped right in the heart of Sunnyside Yards, next to the mechanical shops and this was the best they could do. Additionally there were dozens of idle locomotives a few tracks over. why not just cut the locomotive loose and get another one? I asked the same question..."only ten more minutes." 4 1/2 hours actually...so we missed our connecting train to Chicago, they put us up for the night in a hotel across from Penn Station, the Hotel Pennsylvannia. I wouldn't take a mutant goat with the bubonic plague to this hotel...I've slept under dumpsters behind Taco Bell on the Jersey Turnpike that were more comfortable and cleaner....alright, exagerating there but you get the idea....we got through it, caught our train the next day to Chicago, and then Denver.

Coming back, waiting at Denver's Union Station our train was delayed 4 hours, needless to say we missed our connection in Chicago this time...there was no way we were going to stay in another Amtrak issued hotel. Fortunately there was another train that would get us a s far as Penn, where a family member was kind enough to pick us up and drive us to Connecticut, saving us an entire day.

But I must add that once on the train, it's a great ride. I brought several books to read but didn't touch one, I just stared out the window, nearly the entire time...so much to see. I took some pics, though not too many are clear, as the windows aren't clean enough. And while on the trip found lots of structures that might end up as kits in the near future.

The amount of train action is astounding, every other mile it seemed a freight was going by. Mostly BNSF, Union Pacific...some old BN units and lots of old Santa Fe paint schemes flying by. The coal trains were endless. Now all I want to do is rip down my layout and model the BNSF...

Decker's...

2008-05-07T20:53:00.002-04:00

Decker's Tar Soap has been on the layout for a couple of months now, and is in need of some more detail and clutter. Recently the road and fence where added, in the foreground will be a block of buildings that make up the bulk of the small town in this area. To teh right of Decker's you'll notice an empty spit of land that extends towards the track bumper. I plan on adding a small extension from decler's and an open loading dock. Right now it seems a bit sparse...once the town buildings start to sprout I'll feel better about the scene, right now it's a little anemic.

In other news...we'll be briefly closing shop for vacation, from May 5th to May 22nd. Any orders placed on line during this time will be shipped after we return...