I got my hands on a Blue Box depressed center flat, and I'm superdetailing it.

The first thing I had to do was drop one span bolster into hot water, and press it flat.  That worked out just fine.

I stripped off the paint using rubbing alcohol, with a toothbrush needed in places.  The car's going to be a DODX car,

I used lift rings and brass wire to make the train line that runs along one side of the car.  The molded on grabs have come off, and I've put new ones on.

I got a vintage Ambroid Outside Braced Caboose kit a few weeks ago, and started braving the project.  It will be an intermittent thing, spaced among other projects, as I don’t need the caboose in a hurry—but I got it at a great price—under $10.

Endings and Beginnings

I’ve been with a model railroad club now for a couple of years, but have to part ways; the travel is just excessive—I’ll still visit on occasion, I’m sure, but 70 miles each way is a killer.

I’ve scratchbuilt and kitbashed some rolling stock and a couple of locos, as well as a scratchbuilt boxing ring and punching bag, but, so far, all of the structures I’ve built have been pretty much right out of the box (or Woodland Scenics modulars—same thing, more or less.)

I always have too many projects ongoing, but thought I’d share one of my ongoing builds.  I got my hands, some time ago, on a pair of the old Roundhouse Climax shells, and decided to see what I could do with one of them.  I’ll be using a Bachmann 44 tonner mechanism to power it.

It's HARD to get a decent photo of something that's all black!

Building Murphy's Gym

After looking over the advice given to me by several people, I’ve formed some tentative plans on how to build Murphy’s Gym, unless something else comes along that’s better.

My working plans are to use JC Nickles as the gym building—or at least the façade. 

http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/Item/11700/page/1

I have a couple of the old Roundhouse Climax shells, and one (or perhaps two) are going to get mated to a Bachmann 44 tonner DCC Chassis.

The top pic is my starting materials…both got cheap at one point or other—total materials cost at this point, about $35 or so.  The lower one is progress so far.  (I know the pics aren't good--just a snapshot to show where I am.)

I have an old Bowser Interurban kit that I just got out.  It's going to beloing to my freelanced "North Central Railroad" as part of their standard gauge (or, per the line's slang, "Broad Gauge") division.  (Most of the company's track is 2 foot gauge including the old SR&RL and WWF as the main (or Maine?) part of the line.

to run, and show them off.  My basic plan is a 2 x 4 sheet, as shown here.  One small industry or museum center, an interchange track, and a spur that dead-ends at the end of a standard gauge line, allowing easy deliveries of new equipment.  (Also to show off the size difference.  The other piece of standard gauge track will hopefully be incorporated into a future layout.)

I am planning an Hon30 mini layout—a place to show off equipment and show off Hon30 in general.  I’m tentatively planning on building it on a 2 x 4 piece of wood, for easy portability.  The locale will be either northern Maine in the 1920’s or ‘30’s, or a current day railroad museum.  Ideally, it will be able to be redressed from one to the other.  Buildings will need to be easily removable

Hon30 mini layout, 2 x 4

Givens: