Tom - 2010 End of Year Challenge

[Tom]

First off let me apologize for flaking out on the Summer challenge. Business has been slooooooow all year and just recently picked up big time, so the simple excuse is I didn't have the extra funds to do "Strickland Propane" in HO "right". At least not to the level I like to build things for my railroad. I ended up squandering away all of my money on stupid wasteful junk like elctricity, rent and groceries, so I didn't have any extra to committ to modeling for a while. I am still slowly digging myself out of the hole, so I'll be in much better shape to start it in the Spring.

But. Since this is a "procrastinators special", I have just the project, and finally blew the dust off of it last night. Though I model HO and On30, I have two of these Red Caboose Models O Scale 2 Rail GP9's to build and got to crackin' yesterday, so here is my hat thrown in the ring.

The Prototype:

   

The humble beginnings:

   

Progress as of last night (11-09-10):

   

[Tom]

Progress as of right now:

   

   

   

[Tom]

Forgot they Pyle light:

   

   

[Gary S]

Being in HO myself, that loco shell looks amazingly huge sitting on your workbench! So what are you planning to do with them once you are done?

[Tom]

Book case. I had an MTH DD40AX in O Scale and got into a financial pinch earlier this summer and had to sell it to make August's Rent. $400 too, i could have cried. They regularly go for twice that, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do....

This is going to be a nice replacement for that one. (Actually this one goes to a friend of mine, the other one will go on my book case)

[e-paw]

I think that you have the only O scale entry in the challenge. got any more pics?

[Tom]

Ugh, yeah, I have gotten as far as I can without paint and decals, but there lies the problem: NOBODY has EVER made Perlman green era decals in O Scale for the Western Pacific. I still can't believe it, but it's true. So, I need to go the custom decals route and have them made.

I have been dragged theough hell the past two weeks with a severe sinus infection, last minute business trip to Michigan (where I got the sinus infection) and the death of a family member and family feuds (complete with Jerry Springer-esque fistfights amongst family) and I just have lost a lot of valuable work time on it. I'm not giving up on the challenge, but at this point, unless I can figure out a way to stop a clock, it don't look good for the finish.

[nachoman]

I have been dragged theough hell the past two weeks with a severe sinus infection, last minute business trip to Michigan (where I got the sinus infection) and the death of a family member and family feuds (complete with Jerry Springer-esque fistfights amongst family) and I just have lost a lot of valuable work time on it. I'm not giving up on the challenge, but at this point, unless I can figure out a way to stop a clock, it don't look good for the finish.

C'mon, it wouldn't be a true "procrastinators challenge" if there weren't a few setbacks and roadblocks! I've been there, though. You have something pressing you need to get done, and next thing you are bogged down with antibiotics for a few weeks. Those are the reasons projects get put on shelves, and I think we should judge your hardships along with the finished product!