A N&W 60' Boxcar Joins the RR

 Greetings from October 2024, where the time goes I have no idea. Just celebrated the first anniversary of the heart event of 2023, and thought something very different from the usual fare to be in order.

The only equipment longer than 54' are the SP 60' flats and bulkheads, the current layout plan just works better with shorter cars, so 40 and 50 footers rule our roster. Every once in a while though, something comes along that causes the rules to be stretched a bit. Tangent recently released a 60' auto parts car in one of my favorite paint schemes, so it just had to head to Arizona.

I'll be removing the 'FORD' service code marking as the car has been put into a more general service by 1976, and that makes it perfect for AZSO. Attached is an image purloined from the TANGENT website, I'm too lazy to get out the camera and set up a background right now.

Just wanted to drop a short note to the list, and this was about all the time and material that I had.

Thanks for reading this far, write back if the mood strikes, we'd enjoy the conversation.

Best wishes,

John Huey

CEO Arizona Southern RR

A.I. may be the end of us all.

A.I. has its good side, and it has a neutral side, but what many miss is its more nefarious side; a side that can lead one into an addiction tailored just for one's own tastes.  Last week, I searched for a Brekina CL-9000 COE to round out the collection that at some point will grace the planned truck stop or back roads of the next layout. I found one that was a bit pricey, but then a discount coupon showed up and the rest is history. Ahh, both the good and the neutral sides of A.I. illustrated.

Next, allow a few days to pass, the shipping minions do their thing, and the new tractor arrives in perfect condition; it looks better in person than the photos indicated. One great tractor model!  But, almost without breaking stride, ad's begin to creep into the old online search results, ads for Brekina while searching for totally unrelated items. That aforementioned nefarious side begins to appear. Not only did the Ford CL-9000's show up, but the Mack RS-700's did as well. Nefarious!

If a second CL-9000 was not bad enough, another Mack RS-700, one in a pleasing paint scheme, showed up with the Ford. Who was I to argue with fate?  One can't have too many good looking truck tractors after all, right? So one more Mack is enroute to join the others already in hand.

Of course, all will need a little bit of help before being placed into service. The Mack might be turned into a shorter single screw, less sleeper, and used in gravel hauling service; only time will tell.

Thanks for reading this far, as always, feel free to write back or comment should that mood strike you. We'd love to hear from you.

Best wishes,

John Huey

CEO Arizona Southern RR

1978 Ford CL-9000's From Brekina

Just when I thought it would be safe to browse the old interwebs again, Brekina releases a tractor that not only fits my time period, but is one I actually sort of liked considering that it's not one of the BIG four; Pete, Mack, WFL, or KW. Most of the released paint jobs in this run are fairly boring, but one sort of pushed my color pallet button, so an order was placed, and it is on its way. This tan scheme just looked like it would work for an owner operator in the desert, or so I'm thinking.

Not much else to report right now. Still working on sorting out the train room's issues with space and layout area. I'll be in touch when there is something more to report. 

Thanks for reading this far, and feel free to write back should the mood strike you. Best wishes,

John Huey

CEO Arizona Southern RR

Loco For Moloco? Just Might Be The Case.

 Holy Lawn Sausages, this year is over half over and all I've gotten done is making payments towards the medical bills, and squirreling away a few freight cars wanted for the new shelf layout idea. Seems that my tastes have been looking into ever increasing quality and prices, yet I still have cars without all that jazz that are just as loved by yours truly. The latest "fancy" car is a BN 50' Boxcar from Moloco, and it's a real humdinger!  See:

Hard to believe HO freight cars are now costing more than the first Athearn engines purchased when entering the hobby fifty years back. Yet the details and the craftsmanship make paying those prices seem like a good return on investment. Considering the price of duplication, and the reality that doing it myself will never happen in the years remaining, it's money well spent.

Of course no 'off road' equipment seems to make it home without a little something for the SP as well, so these very modern (in my world) cars are making the trip as well as that BN car above. We've even ordered a couple of new kits from Walthers for a newly planned industry on the shelf layout; only time will tell that tale as I hope it all comes together sooner rather than later.

That is all for now, write back should the mood strike you. We'd love to hear from you.

Best wishes,

John Huey