Chicagoland RPM 2019 - Part One

Craig Wilson had a large number of car with loads on display

This past weekend, the 26th iteration of the Chicagoland RPM, a.k.a Lisle, née Naperville, was held at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Lisle, Illinois. As has been the case since Mike Skibbe and his team took over stewardship of the event, it did not disappoint. There were many fine vendors, a large display of exquisite models, and many excellent clinics, plus the comraderie that make these events so special. 

As a vendor, my clinic-viewing activities are somewhat constrained, but I did manage to catch several, including the excellent offerings on tools by Ryan Mendell, a weathering tour de force from guru Hunter Hughson, and a very entertaining town-building presentation by the resident class clown, Clark Propst. It always amazes me that every event yields new and interesting perspectives on the prototype modeling side of our hobby.

I urge you to make plans to attend in 2020 if you were unable to make it this year.

Here is a sample of some of the modeling efforts on display.

Clark Propst not only brought the 2018 gift for attendees all built-up, but he also displayed the oil dealer featured in his clinic...

... as well as the 2016 & 2017 attendees' gifts' and a feed mill from his clinic

Jeff "the UN ambassador from S Scale" English displayed his built-up 2017 gift, in S scale, no less, with the correct Equipco power hand brake. In fact, this very car, CGW 92066, was interchanged on August 18, 1961 at Bellows Falls, Vermont, from the Rutland to the B&M. It was loaded with paper towels from Crown Zellerbach in Carthage, New York, and would have been interchanged by the originating road, New York Central, to the Rutland on August 16 or 17. The ultimate consignee was the Boston Army Base, served by the B&M

A Labelle tank car displayed by Alan Brotherton from Muscatine, Iowa

While I cropped out a little too much when composing this photo, you can still see how nice this Rio Grande AC&F box car is, a new offering from Cannon & Co.

Dick Scott presented this highly detailed Rails Unlimited resin offering, including many aftermarket parts. Rumor has it from a highly reliable source that HO scale modelers will have Rio Grande 50' double sheathed auto cars in 2020.

George Toman is working his magic on a pair of Artitec resin D-7 dozers

Lester Breuer has been quite prolific this year. He brought many models including this GTW single sheathed auto car from a Steam Shack/Funaro & Camerlengo kit

I failed to capture who built this attractive SP B-50-38. Help!

Jerry Hamsmith displayed this decaled and redetailed Atlas ballast car, decorated as it appeared ca. 1955

Jerry also showed off this custom cast resin model of a CB&Q FM-11 45' flat car, also as it appeared ca. 1955

This photo and the one below were of the old Jaeger "roll (literally) your own" corrugated pipe load, part of the joint clinic on loads prepared by Jerry Hamsmith and Ed Rethwisch. The model is a Sunshine resin kit, currently improved and in the process of being re-released by the GNRHS.

This is another of Ed Rethwisch's fine models. It is loaded with Artitec Massey-Ferguson combines on a Northern Specific Models/Speedwitch NP straight side sill flat car

This impressive Cudahy meat reefer was scratchbuilt by Joe Binish. Feast your eyes!

Clark Propst wasn't the only person to present a fuel dealer. Jared Harper brought this model of the Phillips 66 bulk oil dealer as it appeared circa May, 1943, in Eskridge, Kansas

Aaron Gjermundson has been hard at work making improvements to a Sunshine CB&Q single sheathed auto car

He is also using these ends to work on a couple Soo Line gondolas with Van Dorn ends. They are 3D printed parts from Shapeways that he modified slightly and then copied in resin.

More photos to come in Part Two...