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Category: Quick Reviews
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Quick Review: Bachmann HO Scale ACL-42 Amtrak Day 1 Scheme

Released in late 2021, this attractive model of an ultra-contemporary Diesel Locomotive represents the current day orders for Amtrak's new generation of long distance passenger units.  Models come equipped with DCC WowSound, or non-sound.

My model here is decorated in Amtrak's "Day 1" 50th anniversary scheme, however Bachmann also released road #300 & #305 in their 5 unit "Phase VII" scheme.  I'm still waiting to see what units #306+ will look like in the next standard Phase VIII scheme proposed.

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Category: Freight Projects
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Lowering an Atlas Pressureaide Hopper Bolster

The only model on the market in HO scale, this model site WAY to high.  You can see it in the coupler pocket.  Theory is that the model was developed for N scale, and upscaled to HO, leaving the deep coupler and tall bolster.

I head about this "issue" on the Modern Freight Cars List, found on Groups.io (...).  This discussion was about lowering the bolster.  Fortunately, with this Atlas release, it's "easy." Follow along.

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Category: Hints and Tips to aid Modeling Projects
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Contact Cleaner and Dirty Track

This article, is intended for the "clean track" gurus.  My intention here is to say, "Keep it dirty!" Why, read on!  Don't be scared of black buildup.

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Category: Painting Projects
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Modeling GECX 809

GECX 809, AKA the first ever GE wide cab locomotive (other than the BQ23-7).

This Demo unit spent time showing it's new "wide cab."  This cab never made it to a production locomotive, but still exists as is!  The paint scheme is quite complex, even though it does not look so.

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Category: Diesel Projects
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Nose Headlight for a Dash 8-40B

Recently I was asked to build a model of BNSF 577, a blue bonnet Dash 8-40B, with a nose headlight.  The Atlas model used, only came with the high headlight.

Moving headlights seems to be my specialty, but I usually end up having to move a headlight into the nose of an EMD product.  This would be my first GE move on a nose (I've done a move on a rear headlight on an ES44DC before).

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Category: Quick Reviews
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Quick Review: Rapido HO scale Flexi-Flo

Release in the fall of 2020, Rapido Train's much anticipated, and quickly sold out Flexi-Flo covered hoppers are a welcome addition to any 1964 to 2015 era layout!

Officially carded as the American Car & Foundry (ACF) PD3500 Covered Hopper, the name "Flexi-Flo" came from the New York Central.  More details on the Prototype can be read on Rapido's website: https://rapidotrains.com/products/ho-scale/freight-cars/ho-scale-acf-flexi-flo

The Model: Rapido expertly created the model in HO scale, sparing no details.  This isn't the first model of these cars in HO scale, with brass imports, and even AHM made a model during the 1970's and 1980's!  I've seen in the past a few modelers who have turned great replicas from the AHM version, and I even started one myself in the late 2000's.  Plano Model Products released a replacement etched walkway for these old AHM models.

The clear plastic allows for viewing of the model in the packaging, but Rapido includes a smooth, foggy plastic liner to separate the model from the clear plastic clamshell, so the model is hardly "visible."

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Category: Freight Projects
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Repurposing a Great Northern Covered Hopper for Modern Service

How to redo a factory painted model that doesn't fit your modeling era.

 

We all have models that are somewhat misfit to our interests. I was given a magnificent replica of a Great Northern 2 bay cement hopper by a well meaning relative a few years back. Though I model the modern era, I was touched by their generosity and could not bring myself to sell it or return it. I thought of several different ways I could work this hopper painted for a road 50 years defunct into my roster or layout. Static Display? Junkyard or abandoned? Whatever scheme I came up with felt unnatural and somewhat forced until I read an article on Patch-out modeling. Like a bolt of lightning the idea came to me to strip and patch this hopper as a car that had seen years of service.

 

I began by looking through many photos from http://rrpicturearchives.net/ as well as Instagram posts to gather a good idea of how two bay hoppers weather and fade as they travel the rails. What became apparent very quickly is that ACF hoppers such as this are frequently the target of graffiti artists for ornate and complex paintings. As I model the modern era, I was eager to include some prototypical (or perhaps proto-freelanced) graffiti in my manifest trains and focused my searches to include such prototypes that had been so decorated. I decided one side of my hopper would feature several paint patches and the other side would feature large graffiti exhibit and found according to prototype pictures.

 

 

With my photos picked out I set to stripping the famous rocky mountain goat and all accompanying graphics from the model.

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