Maine Central Switchers

 Hi folks. Well it has been some time since I last posted and I am still in a bit of  low motivation level when it comes to model railroading. I did not attend the last 2 local shows with my On30 group, however I did do an On30 decoder install for  a member of our group ( On30 Forney - Soundtraxx TSU1100 decoder/ with keep alive) as well as participate in a friends operations sessions on his home layout twice this fall. That being said I wanted to post something , so I thought that I would post a picture of what i currently have for switchers on my MEC layout. I currently have a Proto 2000 S3 and an Atlas  Alco HH660.  They are both DCC equipped ( but not sound). I was the original owner of both of these locomotives and was lucky enough to have the friend that I sold them to, resell them back to me a couple of years ago. I have an order put in for a new Atlas S2 that was originally announced a coupe of years ago, but the release date keeps getting delayed with the latest date being Feb 2023 ( we shall see). I ordered a non DCC version , which I will install my own sound decoder in once I get it. Once I get that one, I think I will be good for switchers. Here's a look at my current small switcher fleet. Till next time....

Freight Car Friday

 Hi folks:

Well the hot humid dog days of summer are upon us and as mentioned in my last post, time for Model Railroading is limited to any days where the weather is not good ( few and far between it seems). Recently on one of those days, I put together a lumbar load kit from American Model Builders for a Proto 2000 freight car flatcar that I had acquired a few years ago. The kit was easy to put together and because it was laser cut, the only tools need were and xacto knife to separate the parts from the wooden sprues and some yellow carpenters glue. It went together in under an hour or so. The Proto flatcar is decaled for Toronto Hamilton and Buffalo ( TH&B). I bought it from a second hand dealer at a local train show ( was part of an estate) -I think I only paid 5 or 6 dollars for it. It wasn't in perfect condition, - it was missing the brake wheel and a stirrup step and coupe of handrails. Fortunately I had a few left in a TH&B gondola kit that I built and so was able to use those. I also added an American Model Builders laser cut wood deck which I stained with a couple of coats of india ink / alcohol mix. Because this car is now approx 20 -25 years old, it is not the most top of end models, but still looks nice to my eye and with the new lumbar loads, will create some visual interest when on my layout. Till next time...