Thoughts On Weathering Basic Gondolas

 Exactrail turned out some shorter 42'-6" gondolas with corrugated sides a few years back, These are faithful models of the Southern Pacific G-100-7 class, 900 were built by Gunderson starting in March of 1965. In or around 1984, SP started a rebuilding program on these cars, they became class G-100-7R, and many saw service into the 1990's.

 Of course, unless one is modeling a car fresh from the paint shop, a little grunge is in order. Gondolas are not immune to a filthy rusty lifestyle as they get all sorts of loads. Just using dusty shades of weathering powders add depth and thus realism to such equipment. Any model will benefit from such treatment, the plainer models most of all. Below is an as built G-100-7 from Exactrail in HO Scale. This model features some judicious applications of flat coat, weathering powders and pastels. This leads to a subtle 'used' look without things looking like they need an overhaul.

The same model type shown below, less the placards, demonstrates painting circa 1984, it's the G-100-7R class. They were assigned a different number class of SP 800000 after rebuilding. There is little to go on, but images taken in the early 1970's have no placards showing, so I doubt many had that feature by that time. Any info on this group of cars is most welcome. Reply below if you have anything worth sharing; that's how the hobby grows.

Gondolas are an incredibly versatile freight hauler; lumber of all types, scrap metal, rocks, canisters, rolls of wire fencing, pipe, large machine parts, coiled steel rolls, copper ingots; basically any commodity can ride in a gondola.

I'd be surprised to find any common carrier railroad that did not use gondolas in regular service. Here is another sample of a model made by Mark Ala, its from his favorite road, the Rio Grande.

The interior has been weathered along with the exterior, which makes for a good look, also the load is low enough to show off the work that has been done. Compare Mark's model to a photo of the same class car on the prototype, pretty decent I think. Subtle weathering is best.

I hope this tiny bit of rambling train chat was of some use to the readers. It's good to talk trains. It's also good to share them with our fellow modelers. So why not share on here as well? Just a thought.

Thanks for reading this far, write back if the mood strikes. Most of all, Enjoy Your Trains!

Best Wishes,

John Huey

CEO Arizona Southern RR

Bored vs. Board

What is one to do when their love of the hobby exceeds their disposable funds by many levels of magnitude? Well it seems like the right time to detail some of the equipment already on hand. I mean if ya got em, then go ahead and detail em. This brings us to the title, Bored vs. Board, as in lets detail a bulkhead flat car's wood to make it look a little more used and abused. Messing with the cars boards will keep yours truly from getting too bored. There are several bulkhead cars waiting similar attention in my back stock.

The ends seem to be the most noticeable as far as obvious damage goes. They can be seen easier loaded or empty least ways while the car is in motion.

The deck is at the mercy of several factors, loading and unloading methods, dunnage, stains, and broken or crushed boards, not to mention the weather.

Over all, the car, once completed, should look well used, but not so much so that it's next logical stop is the scrap yard. Someplace in between seems best. Oh and thanks to Mark Ala for today's subject BN flat car; it looks good.

Thanks for reading this far, write back should the mood strike you.

John Huey

CEO Arizona Southern RR

 

The First Post Tariff Items Are Ariving!

 A while back, and that translates into, I have no real idea as to when, I pre-ordered some Rapido 1970's era repainted 40' PFE reefers. Well when all was said and done the price per car only went up about $5.00. Not nearly as bad as I'd been led to believe by some of the online reporting. Is this a rerun of Y2K?

 

Then I got an email from Lombard Hobbies saying a trailer and and a Ford stake bed had also arrived from Athearn. I guess when it rains it can really pour at times; even a little hail too. But again I'm glad this vendor offers 'no up front payment' reservations.

 

Both Ford truck and Cotton Belt trailer were not much more than originally quoted, so again, all is well, and so far, the hobby sky remains solidly intact. 

All this is just a quick update that perhaps may help some of us not fear the direction the hobby is going. Manufacturers are trying, at least so far, to keep pricing in the ball park of where it was, and that is a good thing. This bodes well for the future, or so I hope.

 

Thanks for reading this far, and as always, enjoy your trains!

John Huey

CEO Arizona Southern RR

 

A Brave New Hobby?

It's amazing the changes a few months can introduce.  A life long hobby can be thrown into chaos by current events; purchasing, special orders, and such go from a 'just in time' waiting game to a maybe never game with the writing on a piece of paper somewhere. Like most things in life, an average individual has little chance of influencing things that they are subject to. This is nothing new.

I've sent a couple letters to our betters, contacted a friend or two to perhaps do the same, and so far it's a wait and see game. 

I understand that the powers that be want more manufacturing to return to the USA, but honestly, MADE IN USA says two things to me: Overpriced and Lesser Quality. Sorry, but that observation comes from decades of personal retail experience. Not just in model trains either, this ugly situation seems all too common.

Destroying the previous "flow" of the model train hobby will only hurt the poorer members of society, both here and abroad, while perhaps increasing the profits of certain manufacturers and placing products out of reach for many.

I have some special orders out there, and I have no intent to cancel them as long as the pricing stays within reason. Hopefully calmer heads will prevail and things can return to something at least slightly recognizable.

We need to support our vendors, makers, and the hobby in general if we are to come through this mess together.

Thanks for reading this far, write back if the mood strikes you.

John Huey

CEO Arizona Southern RR