Little Engines

Here's a scene from my old HOn30 C & DR Ry. I love the size comparison between the narrow gauge engine and a rather small HO standard gauge engine. The little engine was a 0-4-0 converted to a Forney by adding a passenger truck under the tender. I still have the engine almost 50 years later and it still runs, but not very well compared to today's MiniTrainS.

Another cherry pie

I've been doing a lot of painting lately. Mostly with acrylics. I love still life painting and food. So here's another cherry pie. The first one I painted was on a clock face. This is a different pie. Nine inches by 12", acrylic.

Another diorama from the EXPO contest

Here's another diorama submitted to the EXPO model contest. These are judged by popular vote (unlike other contests). This is only part of this exquisite boat yard. The run-down boat on the cradle of the marine railway looks like something Popeye would own.

Really nice modeling!

2015 Model Railroad EXPO

This year's Model Railroad EXPO was a wonderful event. Almost 400 of the World's best modelers came to the Hilton in Scranton, PA. The hotel is next to Steamtown. 

The models and dioramas on display were the best that I've seen in a long time. The contest room had almost 80 models and it was hard to vote for the best ones. 

Here's an HO model of Rockport, Massachusett's Motif #1 that I shot in the contest room. I don't know the builder because voting was popular choice secret ballot.

Next year's show will be north of Boston, a few miles from George Sellio's Franklin and South Manchester.

Static grass in O scale

Here's a close-up from the Nantucket display I built over seven years ago. The grass is flocking from a static gun. 

The shrubs were made using Scenic Express Cellulose Canopy Foliage. I sprinkled Noch leaves over the foliage to add color and texture.

I'm sad to say that the railroad has been taken down by the Museum to make room for a new display. 

New MiniTrains HOn30 rolling stock

MiniTrains has added this "American" style rolling stock to its line of HOn30 equipment. These will look great behind the  new Fiddletown engine.

The Fiddletown Project

The HOn30 Fiddletown & Copperopolis display for MiniTrains is complete and on its way to Germany. It took a year, part time, to build the display. Like most model railroads the structures were the most labor intensive.

The landforms were made from bead board. The crumbly white styrofoam that most scenery builders hate - I love the stuff. The rocks are thin sections of the Scenic Express foam rocks.

I'm putting together a construction article for the Gazette so you can read all about the construction process. So stayed tuned.