I’m following an article that describes using a Roundhouse Boxcab shell on the chassis of a Bachmann 44 tonner.  I won’t repeat what I’ve done that matches the article, but will make a few notes as I go.

http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/2009_09_26_archive.html

Taking the shell off the power unit was easy—just unscrew 2 screws

I now have most of what I need for a new truss rod flat car for the Standard Gauge portion of the Great North Central.

Yes--it's a bunch of scale 12 x 6's, brass wire, planks, couplers, stirrups, and trucks.  The queen posts, turnbuckles, bolsters, and brakes are on order.  The photo is poor--sorry about that--but at least gives an idea of what I'm starting with.  If I have a chance later, I'll shoot for a better pic.

This is a planned diorama/photo site for a variety of railroad equipment.  The factory is composed of DPM sections, and represents one end of the building.  It might later become a flat on my railroad  It’s 4 stories tall, with car spots for 3 40 foot boxcars; the middle door is extra-large to allow for oversized machinery.  I have a few other sections that I could swap out with what's shown here. I don't as yet know what the factory makes--could be anything appropriate to Maine.

I decided to restart my small diorama for displaying various locos and rolling stock.  I thought that a dual-gauge piece of track would be interesting, but lack the skills for making it convincing.  Then I decided to embed it in concrete, so the ties are not visible—problem (I hope) solved.

After experimenting with a diesel engine mounted on a flatcar, the North Central (An amalgamation of the Sandy River and Rangely Lakes, and the Wiscasset, Waterville, and Farmington 2 foot gauge railroads) decided to build a proper 2’ gauge diesel switcher.  Enclosing the prime mover in the smallest practical hood, to give decent visibility, and using a small steel cab, the locomotive looked like it was built as a locomotive, not as a collection of parts thrown together.  (Or at least, the railroad executives thought as much…)

I just ordered 2 shapeways products for my next projects.  There's an HOn30 cab that's going to be part of a freelanced locomotive built on a Kato 11-107 chassis (http://www.shapeways.com/model/366117/fge-cab-hon30.html?materialId=61&l...)  and a pair of HOn30 passenger trucks. (http://www.shapeways.com/model/246618/hon30-passenger-truck-5ft2in-wb.ht...)

I have just started a freelanced HOn30 Class A Climax build--my first serious scratch-build project.  I hope my successes and (many expected) problems will help others, and that some ideas will come my way.  Main post below, so there isn't a huge first post repeated again and again.