Looking back and looking ahead

NC&StL XM-31 kitbash - model and prototype

2019 has been a year of change for me. The move to Brooklyn has been a good thing for me, both professionally and personally. However, it also meant a lot of weekends spent shuttling back and forth to and from Connecticut. I did not have nearly the amount of down time (= modeling time) as I had hoped. Within the last couple months, things have mostly stabilized and I now have a good working area set up and am able to regularly spend some time with modeling projects again.

I am not a huge believer in New Year's resolutions. However, I do believe that taking the time to put something down in writing makes it a lot more likely to happen. So, as an exercise in that philosophy, I have assembled a list of railroad projects to accomplish in 2020. Without further ado, here they are:

Layout

I will have a more expansive post on this in early 2020, but my goals are simple and are also quite modest. The drawing above illustrates the footprint and a smattering of industries/structures that need to be located. At this point, I do have a clean slate, with the benchwork up and insulation foamboard in place.

• Identify the optimal orientation of structures to utilize the available space
• Create a trackplan to support
• Lay the track
• Complete at least three structures

Walter E. Frost, Vancouver, BC

Freight cars

This is a more ambitious list (several of the things that I list to complete as kits are things where I created patterns awhile ago and then they have languished.) Complete the following (a number of these have appeared in my series of kitbashing clinics presented within the last two years; clicking here will take you to all of my clinic files, including the kitbash subject matter):

• NC&StL XM-31 (kitbash)
• FGEX 10800-series rebuild (scratchbash)
• Oscar Mayer (NX) reefer (kitbash)
• RF&P USRA 50-ton box car (modified Tichy)
• PFE R-40-4 (Tichy)
• ATSF Bx-34 AAR Duryea underframe box car (parts offering)
• CNW PS-1 auto car (patterns and kit)
• SAL AF-4 PS-1 auto car (modified parts/kitbash)
• CN&L single sheathed box car (patterns and kit; prototype photo above)
• CV 40000-series single sheathed box car (patterns and kit)
• MILW 271500-series 50' single sheathed auto car (patterns and kit)
• SP A-50-11 auto car (patterns and kit)
• SP A-50-15 auto car (modified parts/kitbash)
• SP A-50-17 auto car (modified parts/kitbash)
• PFE plywood sided R-30-9 (scratchbuilt side pattern - 2020 St. Louis RPM project car)
• CGW 1937 AAR box car (2017 Chicagoland RPM parts set)
• GM&O GSC flat car (modified Exactrail)
• LS&I PS-1 box car (modified Kadee)
• NKP and MSC 12-panel PS-1 box cars (modified Kadee)

There are other freight car projects, but this is more than enough to get started and several I am not prepared to discuss yet, let alone list here...

American Car & Foundry photo

Decals

• Dow/Great Western AC&F chlorine tank car (see above)
• Union Oil of California tank cars
• Ethyl anti-knock compound tank cars
• Shell Chemical tank cars
• NC&StL XM-30/31/32/34/35 'yellow band' box cars
• NKP 12-panel PS-1 box cars
• Mississippi Central 12-panel PS-1 box cars

Publishing

• Prototype Railroad Modeling, Volume Five
• Steam Era Freight Cars Reference Manual, Volume Four: Gondolas (this is a reach goal!)

Time to get busy...