MODELING THE PENN CENTRAL ERA - JUST WHEN I THOUGHT I KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT TRAINS.....

I have a vast model railroad and train magazine library that stretches back to the 60’s, so it was surprising for me that in posting about my PRR/PC G-39 Ore Jennie project on an O-Scale 2-Rail forum, someone suggested and older article in Rails Northeast magazine.   What the heck is/was Rails Northeast?  Well it turns out that it was a railfan magazine published during the 1970s, into the early 1980s.   During my college years, 1984-1988, my railfan activities really picked up and the monthly, Railpace, another north/mid eastern railfan magazine (still published today) was eagerly waited on.   So it looks like I just missed Rails Northeast by coincidence of my age and interest.   

What a great magazine,  especially for anyone modeling the 1970s and early 80s.   Compared to Railpace, it lacks color photos, except for the cover sometimes, but inside is a good mix of railroad news AND drawings, maps, operational information and schedules,..etc..   A lot helpful to a model railroader.  

O-SCALE DIGITAL FABRICATION

I’m convinced, that as niche suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors continue to close up shop in the model railroad world, digital fabrication will be our salvation.  There are already a number of fabricators offering excellent parts and kits, in steel mill modeling, and On30.  In smaller scales, where Shapeway type parts are sort of economical, there is a vast array available.    Being a modeler that likes to build whatever prototype I want or see, laser cutters, 3D printers, vinyl cutters, CNC mills and routers, .etc just make things easier.   Having a robot cutting out your parts is time saving, and free’s you up for the more interesting assembly, and finishing, however, it’s not just about saving time cutting parts.  For me, where digital fabrication really shines, is in it’s precision, repeatability, and the ability to tab or mark precise part locations.   I’ll get more into all the details in future blogs, but to be sure, buying the machine is the easy part.  Without good CAD/CAM skills you’ll be handicapped quite a bit, although more and more 3D files are becoming available for free or low cost, so maybe not.    I have a laser cutter, two 3D printers - one filament and a new resin machine, and two CNC machines.   Again more on this in the future.  For now, a few O Scale projects I’m working on - an Erie DUNMORE Caboose, and a PRR G-39 Ore Jennie.  Parts are laser cut from a mix of acrylic, styrene, and Polybacker.