Being on a very limited hobby budget for awhile, I've been spending some time fixing up old "junker" cars. In fact, I found an old box of junked train-set cars from my youth. Ralph's caboose thread and Foulrift's upgraded cars inspired me to look through the box and see what I can fix up and use. I propose a "fix up an old train-show junker" contest. Rules could be to take a used freight car (no unbuilt kits or new cars) and upgrade or detail the car. This could be anything from a simple weathering job to a complete kitbash into something else. Anyone interested?
Now this is a great idea!
Only thing is, I won't be able to participate right now because all my efforts need to be on finishing my train room. I hope alot of Gauge members take on this challenge though. C'mon guys, let's see what you can do!
I wanna be in. I had no luck finding any junk boxes at the last train show here. There is another coming up, after I peruse the junk bins I will update my status in this thread...
We haven't had a build challenge in a while. If you want, we could start this as an official contest. Let me know and I'll set the rules up and let you review them first.
On second thought, maybe I can find the time to participate.
If we get enough people interested, I say let's go for it. We shouldn't have a lack of participants - as I notice many on here like to upgrade their rolling stock. In fact, I have an old junker bachmann tank car sitting beside me now that I wonder if can be made into a respectable model.
nachoman Wrote:If we get enough people interested, I say let's go for it. We shouldn't have a lack of participants - as I notice many on here like to upgrade their rolling stock. In fact, I have an old junker bachmann tank car sitting beside me now that I wonder if can be made into a respectable model.
Let me work up the details and I'll get in touch with you before we ever get it going.
Can I try and upgrade/detail a tyco car that came with a President's Choice train set? Will that work?
nachoman Wrote:Being on a very limited hobby budget for awhile, I've been spending some time fixing up old "junker" cars. In fact, I found an old box of junked train-set cars from my youth. Ralph's caboose thread and Foulrift's upgraded cars inspired me to look through the box and see what I can fix up and use. I propose a "fix up an old train-show junker" contest. Rules could be to take a used freight car (no unbuilt kits or new cars) and upgrade or detail the car. This could be anything from a simple weathering job to a complete kitbash into something else. Anyone interested?
I'm interested... How about bashing a new car into something else????? Us people in the "Big Scales" can't leave anything the way we bought it...
tetters Wrote:Can I try and upgrade/detail a tyco car that came with a President's Choice train set? Will that work?
That is exactly what I am talking about!
ngauger Wrote:I'm interested... How about bashing a new car into something else????? Us people in the "Big Scales" can't leave anything the way we bought it...
My thought was for people to take a used car, or a car of lesser quality that they would not normally run or use on their layout, and upgrade it into something useable. The end result need not be a piece of rolling stock or a piece of active rolling stock. Examples would be Jeffrey's rusting 0-6-0 by his loco shop, or taking an old junker boxcar and turing it into a MoW shed. My thought was a challenge using junker or lesser quality cars that people already have laying around, or used cars that can be had for less than 5 bucks at a swap meet.
Could that also include re-doing a very old "upgrade"? I have a Tru-Scale crane, that I did a "backdate to steam" on, more years ago than I'm willing to admit to, and it could use a "remake".
nachoman Wrote:My thought was for people to take a used car, or a car of lesser quality that they would not normally run or use on their layout, and upgrade it into something useable. The end result need not be a piece of rolling stock or a piece of active rolling stock. Examples would be Jeffrey's rusting 0-6-0 by his loco shop, or taking an old junker boxcar and turing it into a MoW shed. My thought was a challenge using junker or lesser quality cars that people already have laying around, or used cars that can be had for less than 5 bucks at a swap meet.
i see what you're getting at
Neat idea!! I was only asking since I have a few hoppers I want to bash into 4 smaller "single truck" hoppers.. they run now, but I need short cars for my mines and the 4' diameter curves i have.. I can always think of something else
but i would be creating something out of wood, then... not using plastic, since everything i do seems to be wood or Styrofoam now
The hopper I'm talking about is in this picture here
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Sumpter250 Wrote:Could that also include re-doing a very old "upgrade"? I have a Tru-Scale crane, that I did a "backdate to steam" on, more years ago than I'm willing to admit to, and it could use a "remake".
Sounds like people are getting the idea! This is exactly what I am talking about. Take something from your junk box or that can be obtained very cheaply and that isn't usable (to you) in it's current form, and modify it in a way in which it becomes useable.
ngauger Wrote:i see what you're getting at Neat idea!! I was only asking since I have a few hoppers I want to bash into 4 smaller "single truck" hoppers..
Sure, as long as it is something you already have laying around that you wouldn't otherwise use as-is, I think that is a perfect idea. I'd just rather this not turn into a general "kitbashing" contest where people go to the LHS specifically for this challenge and pick up a $25 freight car in order to modify it for a specific prototype.