Taking This and Making That

[Dave Farquhar]

Boxcar bodies are dirt cheap at train shows since often they have no collector value. The cheap plastic 4-wheel Marx boxcars fall into the same boat and are even cheaper when the fake plastic trucks are damaged. Those Marx cars have the hole in one end and tabs in the other to take a frame once the fake trucks are removed (the scribe-and-snap method works fine) since the tooling for them was based on the tooling used for the 8-wheel cars.

I make frames for them out of wood (basswood is fine; here in Missouri this time of year you can buy clementines and they come in wooden crates that can provide wood for this too). Just measure the bottom of the boxcar, cut a wooden rectangle to fit, then glue a small wooden block where the screw to attach the body to the frame would go. Then I can drive a wood screw through into this block to hold it in place. For tabs, I use stiff paperboard of an appropriate thickness, and stiffen it further by soaking it in glue. Shim it to the right height with more paper or thin strips of basswood. Then I drill pilot holes for the trucks, attach fender washers between the wooden frame and the truck, put a dab of grease on the truck, and attach the trucks to the frame with wood screws.

Voila! Dirt-cheap runners. The costliest part is the trucks, but sometimes you can get a good deal on loose trucks at shows too. I recently made an O27 boxcar out of an American Flyer S gauge boxcar body I got for $2 at a show.

[ChiefEagles]

This needs to move up again. Some great ideas. Bet there are more.

[ole1]

A couple of other bits and pieces: An egg shape fishing sinker with a small ring glued on each end make 20 lb propane cylinders, caps from eyedrop bottles make lamp shades/reflectors and leftover wood veneer makes great shingles.
Ole

[FJ and G]

thx Jim,

All are weeds. I picked the weeds in the fall when they begin to dry out.

Other weed shots…



hey, these tracks are abandoned!

[Jumijo]

David,

You're a very talented modeler, and I am in agreement that making it yourself is more fun. What did you make your trees from in the water tower photo? I've have pretty good luck with weeds and dried flowers.


Jim

[FJ and G]

Almost all of my stuff, including track, is made from this and that.

Why?

It's fun and less costly (but more time consuming).

Switchstand made from copper plumbing parts and Romex grounding wire. It works too.



Water tower made from PVC covered w/coffee sticks; victrola motor inside pulls up the spout connected with USMC dogtag chain, powered by HO pak. In background is a shed made from Industrial Rail crane car cab.





window made from telephone keypad



window made from computer vent



Oil refinery made with ice cream container, parts from thrift shop models, a Tampon case, fence material is clotheshanger rod attached with Micheal's screening material. Small Tank is HO tank car.





But haven't learned the secret in making spam.

[Jumijo]

There's only one paved road on my layout. I used gray paint for that, but I was amazed at how realistic it looked after I drew some cracks on it with a pencil. What a transformation! A subtle one, but one that does make a huge difference.

I've also been using landscaping stone dust as tallus and it looks just right.

Jim

[Anonymous]

Hi there now that i finally figured out how to post pics on here will be sending a few soon.[:)]

[Jumijo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by richardsushi

Old roof shingles make the perfect paved roadways for a street or highway, and seat cushion foam when painted make perfect mountains.[2c]

I think you mentioned the seat foam before. I'd love to see a photo of how it turned out.

Jim

[Anonymous]

Old roof shingles make the perfect paved roadways for a street or highway, and seat cushion foam when painted make perfect mountains.[2c]

[Jumijo]

Recently I made a tunnel and needed a portal for each end. Store bought portals were ok, but didn't look exactly like what I had in mind, so I decided to make my own from left over 1" foam insulation. After I cut out the opening, I carved mortar lines on the face with a pencil. Once painted and weathered, they look incredible and didn't cost me anything. I was also able to cutomize them to make them look exactly the way I wanted.

Great tips, guys! Love those oil filters, John. Chief, Medical tape used to come on metal spools that when painted, would also make great gondola loads. Not sure if they still sell the tape that way though.

Jim

[csxt30]

I have a few projects in the works. The real tall red oil fiters are for a diesel loco, that will become a fuel facility someday for a friend here in LGB. The smaller filters will work for 0-gauge. Then I have a pipe nipple mounted horizontile on a couple bases I found somewhere, to be used maybe for an air supply in a yard. Then there's the long plastic piece that is from windows that makes for a makeshift bridge. Could glue balsa on the sides & thin verticle pieces like some trestle bridges have. Makes for good temporary bridges , too. Contracters sometimes throw these extra pieces away. O-gauge track fits perfectly inside.
Thanks, John

[ChiefEagles]

Not from train shows but from trash. Carpet tubes make great grain silos. The plastic tubes from the middle of your adding machine tapes make great coil looking loads. I have a million tiny plastic Albuterol bottles that I used when I had pneumonia in a nebulizer. They make wonderful milk cans or the like. Tubes from wrapping paper can be used. Cans from food can be used. I like the one about the corrigated light bulb boxes that can be used. Someone give me some more ideas.

[dwiemer]

Jim,
Do some searches here and other web forums for kitbashing. Also, check the article list for CTT. The log cabin can also make a great office for a lumber operation. The cape cods could be joined to make a station, but you would need to do some cutting and glue work. I think your only limitation is what you can imagine. Whatever you do, share the photos for the next guy.
Dennis

[Jumijo]

I bought some builtup Plasticville structures at a train show last weekend with the intention of sprucing them up and maybe using them for something other than their original purpose.

I bought 2 Cape Cod houses that I think are really too small for homes, but would work well as railroad service buildings. A few of them grouped together would make great vacation cottages.

A log cabin kit would make a great antiques or gift shop. There are many similar log style structures that are used in that manner where we vacation in NH. Kitche, but cool. These would also make great vacation cottages.

The hospital could easily be turned into a factory or any type of municipal office, a power company, etc. I was going to turn mine into a Lionel factory, but since my wife is a nurse, I'll pay homage to her by keeping it a hospital, but I'll paint it and detail it to make it look more realistic.

Does any one else have any tips for turning train show trash into treasure?


Jim