Merry Christmas all.  No card, but a cool video of this years CP Holiday Train


Regards  Rob

https://fosscalemodels.com/collections/limited-run-kits

Latest update looks good Tom.  The concrete colour is a nice contrast to the walls.
If you run out of the Floquil aged concrete, Tamiya Deck Tan is a good alternative concrete colour too.

Wow Tom,  very frustrating trying to get that turret right.  Looks like you got there in the end.
You must have a lot of patience.  I really like your little level.  I just usually eye ball things.

I've built DPM's corner turret building, and whilst fiddly, was no where near the problems you've had.
I also did a kitbash combing 3 of the DPM Reeds books as one building, so had 6 sets of bay windows.  That took some work.

Looks great Greg.  Glad we are able to see the continuation of this build that was started over at the other place.
All the structures have come up great, as we always expect from you. As usual you lighting lifts to the next level.

I like how you have incorporated the front bootleggers structure to the rear one. I actually like it more than the original FSM placement. Seems to make more sense.

For those not familiar, here is how the original design was done.

Great progress Tom.  Warped walls are always an issue with older resin kits.
After heating, sometimes they just revert back to being warped.  The plastic has a kind of memory.
Bracing seems to be the only solution.

To paraphrase Maxwell Smart:-  A warped wall is a fools frustration.

Looking forward to seeing these builds.
Look very similar to the DPM kits, of which I have built many in N scale, so will be interested in your techniques Tom.

I know George Sellios also used a lot of Magnuson kit of the F&SM.  Rod Stewart too.
So you're in good company.
 

I intend to post some ongoing photos of various train shows I go to in Melbourne.
I guess this sub-forum is the most appropriate.

So to start with, this is the most recent show I attended and also exhibited my Mexican layout.
Weekend of 15 - 16 March 2025.  Because I was exhibiting myself, I didn't get to take as many photos as I would have liked.  But it gives you an idea of what we are modelling downunder.

My mini Mexican layout.  On30 & On18






Back of the layout


Colinville Riverland Railway - by Colin Konig. OO9 scale








Avebury by John Hunter - British O scale










Cheakamus Canyon - Canadian railways  HO scale






Happy Town - N scale






Illyum Wye - Colorado RGS HOn3


Port Franklin - Grampians Model Railway Club - On30














And a couple more of my Mexican layout - On30

Looking good Dave.
Hope the roofing comes out OK.  I know you've been frustrated with this kit, but I'm sure it'll all come together nicely.  Just time & patience with the shaping.

Was a great show.  Probably the biggest train exhibition of the year.
Over 36 layouts on display. Mine was the smallest individual display at 6' x 2'.  Plus some dioramas.

This one also incorporates some other hobbies too. RC:- tanks, ships and cars outside.
Last year they also had drone racing.
And upstairs they have some quirky hobbies, mainly collectables. Old retro 1980's computer games, ham radios, old cameras, Lego, etc.

Here's a Youtube video someone did.  Very nice.  My layout starts at 33:40 mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbL_YlzrRUA

I'll post some pics over on the Layout forum for the rest.  I actually was too busy to get many photos.

I had all the 1980's ones, 10 years complete, and many other years, of model railroader.

A local hobby shop used to have a vast collection of these 2nd hand magazines.
I went to them to offer them for free.  They told me no one wants the old ones and they had just disposed of 6 pallet loads from their stock, and a lot more to go.
I even offered them to local NMRA members, no takers.

I ended up cutting out any articles I wanted, usually only a few pages out of a whole magazine, and now keep those in a folder.
The rest of the magazine just went in the paper recycling bin.
Of course all those articles I did keep, are barely looked at, so they'll probably go in the bin eventually too.
The articles I mainly kept where by or about, Malcolm Furlow & George Sellios.

The layout with the new extension on the side


The layout with the new extension on the side








Back of the layout with the new extension on the side


















Back of the layout with the new extension on the side

Here's some shots of the layout & extension at the train & hobby show last weekend.
Was a huge success, and although mine was the smallest display there, a lot of folks said it was their favourite. Not just because of all the details, but the three trains running on three levels is not something they have seen before.
Locos ran all day without a break.  Not sure if they are supposed too, but no problems to report.
I do want to build another couple of small locos so I can change them around sometimes. Probably use some OO donor.

Thanks Philip

Hi Larry. On18 is actually becoming very popular in the O scale NG world.
On FB there are a bunch of guys doing a challenge at the moment to do an On18 "layout" on a 12" bucket lid.
They are coming up with some great ideas & themes.  Dave Meek, Gary Beatty and others are involved

Just on the track.  If the ties wont be visible N scale track should be OK, just remove every 2nd one.
But if you want ties that are closer to O scale, use HOn30 track.  The ties are bigger and have correct spacing.  That's what I used on the On18 portion of my Tequila Ferrocarril layout.

Here is HO, HOn30 & N scale for comparison