Pick your poison 2024 build challenge:

[ezdays]

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)

Let us know here which challenge(s) you are going to enter. We will keep things open so you can enter at any time before the end of the challenge, but it would be nice to know ahead of time who is going to be competing and where. This is the thread where we will keep track of these things, so I'll post a summary of who has entered which categories.

Start a new thread (or threads) as follows:

• (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.
  

The contest will begin  June 1, and end the first day September,. That gives us all three months to take our vacation time and actually work on and complete the projects.

To answer a few questions ahead of time, just by definition:

• 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)

Remember, let me know in this thread what categories that you are entering so I can keep track, then open a new thread here for each of you entries. The last time we ran a similar challenge, we had quite of few people enter, we hope the same holds true this time.

[TMo]

I'm in!  Layout addition, please!  Considering the contest rules, I will not be going dark on the build and will post to my contest page as requested!

Tmo Layout Addition '24 build challenge

[ezdays]

I also have a layout addition. I built a couple of log cabins a while back, my intent was to place them in a park for historical display. This may not be a difficult project, but it will get me back onto my layout.

[ezdays]

Entries are as follows:

Scratchbuilt structure

Kit build structure

• Jim Currie
  
• tomPM
  

Kitbash structure

Layout addition (structures, scenery)

• TMO
  
• ezdays
  
• tompm
  

Diorama, (any kind but must include some track)

Rolling stock kit build,

• tompm
  

Rolling stock rebuild

• Jim Currie
  

Rolling stock scratchbuild

• Jim Currie
  
• ngauger
  

Unfinished project (any not more than half finished)

• Jim Currie
  
  

[nachoman]

I am in - not sure what category, though!

[jim currie]

well I'm Gona jump in with both feet.
kit build  my boy presented me with a stock yard kit in several large pieces the other choice would be the ice-cream shop
rolling stock  rebuild that will be my helium cars 
rolling stock  scratch the pile driver its only about half done
unfinished project  the 1930's house its been sitting half-finished for several years

[TMo]

well I'm Gona jump in with both feet.
kit build  my boy presented me with a stock yard kit in several large pieces the other choice would be the ice-cream shop
rolling stock  rebuild that will be my helium cars 
rolling stock  scratch the pile driver its only about half done
unfinished project  the 1930's house its been sitting half-finished for several years

Both feet, hands, head, neck and torso!  You get the plunge award for the day, Jim....

[ezdays]

well I'm Gona jump in with both feet.
kit build  my boy presented me with a stock yard kit in several large pieces the other choice would be the ice-cream shop
rolling stock  rebuild that will be my helium cars 
rolling stock  scratch the pile driver its only about half done
unfinished project  the 1930's house its been sitting half-finished for several years

Very ambitious Jim, I've updated the entry post, good commitment my friend....

[tompm]

I still have not settled on what I am going to at this point. I was thinking of doing a Lundy Studio building kit but I am not sure if I am up to that level of work. I know I want to do some rolling stock kits but again I need to choose which ones. I could also throw in the bridge area section of the layout upgrade.

[ngauger]

I'm going to try something completely different......
I'm going to 3D print and assemble a railroad car.
Possibly a box car

[ezdays]

I'm going to try something completely different......
I'm going to 3D print and assemble a railroad car.
Possibly a box car

Okie-dokie, I'll just add you to "rolling stock, scratchbuild".... That's great, can't wait...

[tompm]

I am finally going to commit. Okay maybe partially.

I will be doing a one or more kit build structures. The likely candidates are subway entrances and a yet to be chosen building.

Layout addition: The bridges area.

Rolling stock kit build: Many to choose from.

Unfinished project (any not more than half finished): I need to go through the piles and see if any fit the bill.

[ezdays]

I am finally going to commit. Okay maybe partially.

I will be doing a one or more kit build structures. The likely candidates are subway entrances and a yet to be chosen building.

Layout addition: The bridges area.

Rolling stock kit build: Many to choose from.

Unfinished project (any not more than half finished): I need to go through the piles and see if any fit the bill.

Got ya down for 3 out of 4

[nachoman]

It's been a bit of a brainstorm to figure out what to do, as the micro layout I am working to complete has little room left for more structures or scenery.

BUT - I have a bunch of half-completed HOn3 boxcars I began about 10 years ago that need completing.

Or I am considering a very small triangular layout extension to turn a rounded corner into a square corner - to include a cattle pen.