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

Another Diesel Fuel Tank Car Joins The Group

Being a sucker for a sale, and considering the fact we purchased one of the American Limited ATSF diesel fuel tank cars about a year ago, when I saw a Memorial Day sale on one of the Athearn 20,900 Gallon General Service Tank Cars lettered for  ATSF Diesel Service, I had to jump.  Might not be perfect, but it looks good enough for the Arizona Southern.

Equipment that represents what a railroad needs to keep things running is just as important as the revenue equipment we all know and love. Here is an image showing our latest acquisition.

Happy Memorial Day,

Write back if the mood strikes you, but most of all, Enjoy Your Trains!

John Huey

Brekina Mack RS700 Comes To AZSO

Seems that my love of the 'over the road' trucker crowd knows no bounds. In fact there are probably a lot more tractor-trailer rigs floating about in the train room than there are railroad equipment. One thing that is a bit rare out west were the Mack Trucks, like Athearn made.  We do have a fair number of the older Mack's, but the latter "R" series just never got seen out west as much as the Pete's, KW's, and the WFL cabovers.  Athearn's Mack's have gotten super expensive on the secondary market and now enters Brekina.

We picked up two of the RS700's recently, one painted black, lettered for the "Rubber Duck" tractor of the film Convoy fame. The other is in a beautiful metallic blue specced out in a very similar manner to the Rubber Duck version.

I suppose I'm a fool for the trucking industry, but not all of the customers in Arizona Southern territory have rail access. Having the trucking industry represented makes everything seem a bit more realistic.

That's all for now, write if the mood strikes you.

Best wishes,

John Huey