Post by brucearcher on Jul 9, 2024 17:07:41 GMT -8
Hi All!
The current prices of N-Scale equipment have reached a point with me, of being too expensive. So, what is one to do? We call ourselves modelers do we not?
While working in a hobby shop part-time, I managed to purchase several N-Scale collections I managed to sell some items, but I have a lot of early, poorly decorated cars. These do not fit my time period (Conrail to the Guilford rape of the D&H, and the 50's on the LNE), nor the area ( the northeast) of my planned layout. So I have started to strip and redecorate these cars. It is quite easy as there are still many brands of paint and decals available. Plus if you have your own road ( I do, the Delaware and Atlantic) you can literally run any car you want. New trucks and couplers these older cars are quite servicable.
Since I model the Delaware and Hudson, there are other issues put in my way. For example, Atlas makes a nice RS-3. But it is wrong for the D&H. I have to change the headlight to a large single bulb, relocate the horns, add the dynamic brakes, and repaint the Lightning stripe scheme as the paint and plastic greys do not match. The Atlas RS-11, and U23B, and the Kato U30C are all the wrong phase and have some paint issues. I also made GP-39-2s before Atlas made theirs with a simple conversion ( and saved the $100.00+ price). The list goes on.
The same goes for freight cars and vans. I wanted wooden vans, and I had to make them. They are not 100% correct but are close enough. Unfortunately, most of the freight cars decorated for the D&H are in error, either in the model or decoration.
As I look at the images posted here, I see I am surrounded by modelers. And if you have not taken stripper, or saw to plastic, go ahead. It is FUN!
Remember, build what YOU want, how YOU want!
Bruce Archer
Delaware and Atlantic N-Trak
Modeler of the D&H and LNE
The current prices of N-Scale equipment have reached a point with me, of being too expensive. So, what is one to do? We call ourselves modelers do we not?
While working in a hobby shop part-time, I managed to purchase several N-Scale collections I managed to sell some items, but I have a lot of early, poorly decorated cars. These do not fit my time period (Conrail to the Guilford rape of the D&H, and the 50's on the LNE), nor the area ( the northeast) of my planned layout. So I have started to strip and redecorate these cars. It is quite easy as there are still many brands of paint and decals available. Plus if you have your own road ( I do, the Delaware and Atlantic) you can literally run any car you want. New trucks and couplers these older cars are quite servicable.
Since I model the Delaware and Hudson, there are other issues put in my way. For example, Atlas makes a nice RS-3. But it is wrong for the D&H. I have to change the headlight to a large single bulb, relocate the horns, add the dynamic brakes, and repaint the Lightning stripe scheme as the paint and plastic greys do not match. The Atlas RS-11, and U23B, and the Kato U30C are all the wrong phase and have some paint issues. I also made GP-39-2s before Atlas made theirs with a simple conversion ( and saved the $100.00+ price). The list goes on.
The same goes for freight cars and vans. I wanted wooden vans, and I had to make them. They are not 100% correct but are close enough. Unfortunately, most of the freight cars decorated for the D&H are in error, either in the model or decoration.
As I look at the images posted here, I see I am surrounded by modelers. And if you have not taken stripper, or saw to plastic, go ahead. It is FUN!
Remember, build what YOU want, how YOU want!
Bruce Archer
Delaware and Atlantic N-Trak
Modeler of the D&H and LNE
