Recently learned a lesson...

[Anonymous]

Over the years, I've always kind of frowned at what I call "home made" rolling stock, which in my book is when you take a factory item and change the paint job and decals up on it into what you'd rather have. Others might call this kit bashing and so forth. I've always prefered factory made, or forget it!.
Recently I tried finding an Amtrak phase III baggage car, but guess what, they don't exist except in phase II and phase IV... So, I bought a phase II and put phase III decals on it and it turned our really well.
From now on, I'll give second thought to doing my own when I'm looking for an item and can't find it.
Who says an old dog can't learn a new trick...

trainluver1

[Anonymous]

That's often what scratchbuilding and kitbashing is all about - making something that is not commercially available. Then you have a unique model that you won't see on hundreds of other layouts.

I'm interested in MOW equipment, especially the ones operated by Canadian Railways - CN and CP. I wanted a short snowplow for each road, but they are only available in expensive brass. So I took Tri-Ang then later the better Walthers Russell plows and shortened them. Changed details, wings, etc., added road specific details, paint and lettering. Now I have CN an CP snow plows that are "close enough" for me and hardly look like their original Russell origins.

That's what the hobby is about to me mostly - making models.

Bob Boudreau

[rogerhensley]

Yep. Been there and done that.

For some samples of what some folks have done to fill that spot in their roster or a need of the layout, you might want to check out the NMRA's Scratchbuild Showcase/Kitbash Korner pages. You can get there from the NMRA home page at: http://www.nmra.org/

There are a number of examples of projects, some for judging but most just to fill a need.
[:D]

[Doug Goulbourn]

That's exactly why I enjoy this hobby of ours. To me it's very satisfying to be able to say that "I built it" whether it be scratch-built, kit-bashed, or just painted and lettered.

Doug

[AntonioFP45]

It's part of the fun!

Trainluver, years back as a teen modeler I had a similar attitude.

Once I learned out to paint and decal, wow! My view turned 180 degrees!

[Anonymous]

I model a small, private industrial railroad. I have quite a few old diesels that I have completely repainted and marked for it. And I have many pieces of rolling stock that I just "slapped on" my railroad initials and numbers, in various ways, over the original markings of the rolling stock.

Since I have that small fleet of old EMD switchers, I'm thinking of a way to make them custom to my railroad. Add and/or change head lights, make some change to the hood to allow for some change I made to the engine/cooling/braking/generating. etc etc.
Some physcial change that you would only see on my railroad.

Ken

[dinwitty]

I'm trying to aquire hopper cars for my layout, Virginian and N&W, and well, I dont want to do major decaling and paining especially when their available, but I have a bunch of N&W decals and I can alter-repaint other cars to match.

I made a couple of custom cars for the club layout weathered up and all custom lettered, they look good!.

This hobby is about building and putting together, RTR? blah...
I put together some all wooden kits.

[Anonymous]

Maybe when I successfully install a decoder in one of my locos (fried 2 in a row so far), my attitude about DCC will change...?

[Anonymous]

Ken,

TCS decoders have a goof proof warranty...Food for thought.

[rrinker]

What are you trying to install decoders in? It sounds as if you maybe haven't isolated the motor properly.

--Randy