Repetition

Many aspects of model building are repetitive. These might be details or processes used across several similar models, or many of the same details applied to one model. Sometimes I will procrastinate completing a model because of all the same small details that need to be installed. Like installing 36 small brackets on a gondola. Those are the brackets in the lead image.

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Brake rods

I’ve been building several HO scale resin freight car kits over the last several months. I’ve always had a problem determining the length of the center rod on the brake gear. I figured out a simple way to make these the correct length. I know if I’ve had a problem with a modeling detail, others have also experienced a similar issue.

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The extra stuff

Many freight car kits include a parts fret for brake hardware. Resin kits often include a Tichy Train Group parts fret seen in the above image. After I use the KC brake component and a couple other pieces, the fret becomes extra stuff. Once you have gone through several of these, they start taking up space.

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Photo gallery

A few years ago, I posted about snapping roster shots of the freight car fleet. This is a great way to practice photo skills and to document your fleet. With online photo galleries, it also eases sharing your models with the community.

I set up a Flickr photo gallery a few years ago and have been slowly adding images of completed and in-process HO scale freight cars. The gallery makes it easy to share photos to encourage others building the same kit. There are currently 89 images posted. I try to add a few new ones every month or two. It has become a personal model display.

I hope you enjoy the site and it inspires you to open a kit box and build something new.


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Westerfield Models kit guide update

One of the popular resource pages on this blog is the Guide to Westerfield Models for a 1920s model railroad. I had created this in 2010 to help modelers understand the availability of freight cars for 1920s era railroad modeling and to share details on the quantity of prototypes in-service that several models represent.

Since the last update in 2016, Westerfield Models owner Andrew Dahm has released a few new kits that needed to be added to this guide. I also added kit that was originally overlooked. Several of the listings have been updated with model images and a couple of prototype images have been switched out.

I hope the Guide to Westerfield Models for a 1920s model railroad will inspire your hobby efforts, especially if your modeling focus fits the 1900-1935 time period.


Thank you for visiting my blog. You can share a comment in the section below. Follow the instructions so your comment can be posted. All comments are reviewed and approved before they appear. Please share the blog link with other model railroaders. To subscribe to this blog, add your email address to the function at the bottom of the right column on the main page.