December 2024
Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all. We have reached the end of the year. What a year it was! Personally, my status after the divorce and family losses of 2023/2024 were put into perspective. The modeling bug bit me again and I began to start on locomotives again, and thanks to a couple of really great friends…I was able to survive the rigors of post-divorce and retirement; along with the inflation. I stated before that several ad-hoc customers online have likewise helped; as I have been reshaping my HO scale fleet. The newer stuff is more expensive; however, I find that I need less of each thing to be happy and operate the layout…while likewise substantially upgrading the quality of each piece of rolling stock; track; or locomotive. Even the electronics have been upgraded.
I have long wanted to put my cars in service with subtle weathering; and as I view the many photos and videos online containing finished pieces of rolling stock; scenery; and locomotives. I am likewise trying more airbrushing in painting the striping on the locomotives in lieu of decals being used; as I find this to be a superior looking finished product. So the next Blue Bird in Jenks blue will get the treatment. Tamiya makes a variety of masking tape in various sizes to allow me to accomplish this. Weathering will likewise be accomplished using a variety of methods; and I have learned a great deal from looking at the examples online to get both inspiration and tips or techniques.
I am going to start the Sedalia caboose project in the Spring and get it finished and on the layout…I will most likely have Stewart Graham of Graham Scale Models to help me with the plans. Stewart has completed several projects for me and I am likewise grateful for his expertise and efficiency.
The layout will resume as a modular plan as before with a height revision to 53″ above the floor for the lower level. I find this to be a superior viewing height; and a great operating height too. I still find myself wanting to look at the side of the trains as I am switching them in and out of spur tracks. It’s a really neat thing to look down the side of a cut of 25 ExactRail Bethlehem Quads and 3 Genesis GP15-1s’ shoving hard on the rear of the train!!!
I am preparing some articles for publication once again as well. Sharing modeling techniques and gathering information from the top modelers in the hobby is a great thing to cherry pick! The layout will be photographed as it continues to evolve…and the permanent location might be chosen real soon as I decide on where to finally put down roots for a while post-divorce.
I hope that all of you have a great holiday season; and wish you all the best in the coming year of 2025. There are some great MoPac items ahead for us this year…and I am sure those that follow the Missouri Pacific or other Midwestern roads will be extremely pleased!
See you next year!!!!
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