Here’s what's up. We’re going to have a building challenge that we hope will suite everyone at every level of skill or modeling preferences. This one is all about building, refinishing or picking up where you left off. This will apply to anything railroad, structures, scenery, rolling stock, anything you can build new or refinish. You can only enter one category once, but you can pick as many categories as you want to enter, but each entry must be finished by the due date to qualify in the judging thread. Here are the categories:

• Scratchbuilt structure
  
• Kit build structure
  
• Kitbash structure
  
• Layout addition (structures, scenery)
  
• Diorama, (any kind but must include some track)
  
• Rolling stock kit build,
  
• Rolling stock rebuild
  
• Rolling stock scratchbuild
  
• Unfinished project (any not more than half finished)

• (your Screename) (challenge category) ’24 build challenge
  
• Document your progress in pictures. Remember, we like lots of pictures. If you’re not skilled with a camera, either give it a try or get someone else to take the pictures. Just as long as you are the one that’s doing the work, we don't care who takes the pictures.
  

• If you build a structure using Walther's modular parts and it follows one of their pre-defined plans, it is a "kit build"
  
• If you build a structure using Walther's modular parts and you dream up a unique structure, it is "kit bashing"
  
• "cosmetic changes" on kit builds can include signage changes or additions. More extensive changes such as adding roof details or lights takes it out of the realm of the intent of this challenge for kit builds, but not quite into the definition of kit bashing. I suggest these things be added after completing this challenge
  
• Scratchbuilding means that the basic or major parts of the structure is made from scratch and not kit parts. Small details such as lights, boxes, A/C units, window, door and fences to name a few can be from pre-made parts
  
• Rolling stock requirements are basically the same, a scratchbuild can be using existing parts you find around that are not originally made for whatever it is you're building
  
• Unfinished projects can be any of the other categories, but something you started and is less than half-finished.
  
• As usual, we will award certificates for those that complete their projects and for those that get a substantial portion completed. If we have enough entrants, we will run a voting poll to declare a winner in each category, otherwise, we will conduct a single voting poll for all categories combined. We will only include finished projects in the voting poll(s)

Central Railroad of New Jersey with F3A and F3B (Athearn Genesis) pulling a train past Golden Valley Canning Company and O.L. King & Sons Coal Company.

Penn Central Baldwin built AS-616 (Bowser Executive Line) pulls the scrap iron train pass the Golden Valley Canning Company and the coal dealer.

Lately I have been finding myself enjoying running what I call long trains of 25 or more cars. This is one of the primary reasons I went with a 16 foot plus layout. As everyone knows I also like to “railfan” my layout. At some point I began doing run-by photography. To me modeling is not just about the locomotives but about the whole layout and that includes the cars behind the locomotives and the scenery around them.

In the past I posted the run-bys as part of the weekly photo thread. Back then the trains were mostly under 20 cars and usually required three or four posts. Many times I felt guilty that with the number of photos and posts I could unintentionally be high jacking the thread. I will still post some teasers to the weekly photo thread but the run-by itself will be in its own thread.

I would welcome some feedback on this process as I move forward with it.

So now without further ado I present the B&O F7A and F7B 30-car run.

Baltimore & Ohio F7A number 4350 and F7B number 5475 are leading a manifest train from Elesmere Yard in Delaware to Eastside Yard in Philadelphia and eventually New Jersey. The engineer just called out to RG tower he is passing through Leiperville Union Sation.

Below is the link to the YouTube video of the Run-By
https://youtu.be/LKF3K0ff67c

L1. Baltimore & Ohio F7A number 4350 – Walthers Proto DCC Ready



L2. Baltimore & Ohio F7B number 4475 – Walthers Proto DCC Ready

It's been a while since we've had a challenge of any sort, a build challenge, scratchbuild, kitbash, or even a photo challenge. Is anyone up to get one started and if so, what would you recommend that we do????

WPMA-40's conductor having a chat with an employee at one of the warehouses in Whiskey Point.

Bruce

   

It was somewhat surprising when it was mentioned here in the Hobo Camp thread that Kalmbach Media Co and all it's magazines had been sold to another magazine company. I could not find anything on their website until I googled it, and then I found a link to their announcement. Google also lead me to several discussions on other forums and I could not find one comment that showed anyone was disappointed. A few folks were surprised that there was anyone willing to pick up these assets, and many voiced their opinions and stories about how bad things had gotten both on their forums and magazines. I tried to view the MRR forums but couldn't log on since they made those changes a while back and it was rare that I ever went there anyway. I did go to Firecrown's website and they show ownership of all those Kalmbach magazines with links to the Trains.com sites.

I'm still waiting for my June issue of Model Railroader, as are a few others. I'm also waiting for them to bill me to extend my subscription but I really don't have any interest in renewing. I realize that it's expensive to print a full-color magazine, but I have my limits on what I'll pay for an ever-smaller issue that seem to be dedicated to just a few well-known modelers and it appears that a few advertisers feel the same way.

What's your thoughts on this? Will it improve what these magazines offer? Will it enhance and possibly attract new people to the hobby? Or perhaps, is it a bad move and we can look for further lack of interest by folks who have never been in the hobby?

My only other comment is that it had to be a real shock to the Kalmbach staff to find this out on the day the change took place when you can be sure that management knew this long before then.

Penn Central GP-40's on the bridge approaching Leiperville Union Station. Locomotives are Atlas Master Locomotive Series, Silver version.

Hello,



here i will sum up my my experiences with modern US models or locomotives and cars in loose order. This was also my last willful big hunt for rolling stock. Because now i have more then enough cars and locos for my demand. Occasions not exemted. Now i can play my layout in:

- Classic steam era 1920's - 1930's

- Transiton era 1940's - 1960's

- Medival era 1970's - 1980's - 1990's

- Modern era 2000's up

Conditioned by my membership in FREMO and the Southwest Division (SWD). For this my layout is modular and portable. On conventions it will be a industrial area with some hevy traffic. We run our meetings and conventions in different eras, Antik (antique), Mittelalter (medival) and Modern. For each of the eras you have to provide your own rolling stock for your part of the big layout made of modules.
Sometimes at evilbay you randomly find occasions. Randomly because the evilbay search engines are still deadbeat; a systematic search is not possible.
So this high cube box car from Walthers, a second hand offer for a reasonable price "buy immediately". Which i did. It was in mint condition.



   

As with Walthers Gold Line you have to mount the grab irons by yourself. Naturally this car also was equipped by me with a 3-point equalisation. Also i painted the shining wheels black. Kadee Scale Head whiskers #158 were mounted too.



   

But the brake was only rudimentary. Only brake cylinder, air reservoir and triple valve were there. No pipes and no rods. The model in the background was my pattern to rig the brake system.



   

The underframe was separated. The two white pieces of plastic profile are part of my 3-point suspension.



   

The eyelet of the brake cylinder rod was drilled out. 0.3mm bronze wire will be used for rigging.



   

Then started rigging.



For those members which are not so familar with brakes, Ted Culotta's tutorial is still the best: http://www.steamerafreightcars.com/model...smain.html



   

The remounted underframe with completed brake rigging. With modern cars the brake rigging deviates in some points from those out of the steam era.

So some levers are not horizontal, but instead vertical mounted. This structure made out of black plastic stripes is such an bearing for a vertical brake lever.





   

And at least Darth Brush has striked.



Lutz

Good morning.
      This thread too is getting long so it was time to start a new one. The old one is here. Trains this day in the past

A day in the past could be a year ago. I don't have exact dates on some of mine, just the month and year on some, so they will have to do when the exact day is unknown. It is still an excuse to post some older pictures.
If anyone is modeling a particular Conrail unit from late 1976 to 1979 and needs a picture let me know, If I have one I will be happy to email it or post it if I have it.
Charlie