I suppose that since I started modeling by building cars, ships & planes, I've always been partial to models. And in model railroading, this is kind of important since you can't always find what you want for your layout. So the natural extension is kitbashing and scratchbuilding. Believe me, no kit is safe when i have my razor saw in hand! :)
I'd like to see the efforts of others along these lines so if you have a favorite or recent project, how about sharing with the rest of us? I'll go first to break the ice...
An old side door caboose from Model Die Casting was the basis of this snow plow. No, it's not exactly like the one that the Nickel Plate had but it does give the "look & feel" so it works for me. I don't let super small details get in the way of my modeling fun.
The finished product works for me but since I've completed this project, there's been no snow in the area to clear from the busy NKP mainline! :)
dlm
danmerkelI suppose that since I started modeling by building cars, ships & planes, I've always been partial to models. And in model railroading, this is kind of important since you can't always find what you want for your layout. So the natural extension is kitbashing and scratchbuilding.
Man after my own heart. As a boy many an allowance and lawn mowing earnings were spent at the local variety store buying models. Same is true today, except my allowance is bigger, but no pay for mowing the lawn. And although the variety store is long gone, my passion for model building remains strong.
Btw, nice work on the plow. Thanks and regards, Peter
I think these would count as kitbashing or scratchbuilding.
This is one of those old cheap Bachmann Plasser EM80 track cleaners that I modified to somewhat resemble a Plasser EM120 owned by Korail.
This is my current project. 3D printed SW1001, also for Korail.
-Peter. Mantua collector, 3D printing enthusiast, Korail modeler.
Most of my own kitbashing involves structures not rolling stock/locomotives. And there are (at least) two schools of structure kitbashing, one exemplified by Art Curren and his Kalmbach books (and older RMC articles), the other by Tony Koester and his Kalmbach book. Both focus on styrene kits.
Curren's goal was to use familiar and inexpensive AHM, Tyco, Revell, Bachmann and LifeLike kits and build them into utterly unrecognizable yet highly impressive buildings, utilizing the fact that really large factories and other such structures are as a rule a combination of repetitive patterns. His raw materials, and he had favorites such as the LifeLike Mt. Vernon Manufacturing, or the Revell enginehouse/bakery/publishing factory, would be piled up and the results looked just right (he experimented by putting actual kit parts on a Xerox machine and then play around with the paper parts) He was not particularly concerned with modeling any one prototype structure, but the results looked highly realistic and prototypically plausible.
Tony Koester's book by contrast generally has a prototype he wants to model, or at least closely approach if only as a stand-in until he can scratchbuild or acquire an exact model. But he too follows the Curren idea that really large buildings are a series of repetitive patterns and that kitbashing using small structure kits can get you there, or very close to there.
I can say, because I've tried it, that kitbashing using laser-cut wood kits is a bigger challenge because the material does not act like styrene and once you cut into a laser-cut wood kit's parts you've likely already jeopardized or even lost one of its nice features that being the way the parts fit together, tab in slot.
A number of my friends really prefer resin rolling stock kits. While they make modifications to improve accuracy (or change eras) I have not talked to any who have attempted actual kitbashing in the Art Curren (or Robert Schleicher -- who also wrote a good Kalmbach book on plastic modeling) sense.
Dave Nelson
Hi Dan,
That's a very nice plow! Everyone else's work is great too.
I absolutely love scratchbuilding and kitbashing. Here are a few of my projects, some of which you may have seen before:
My most complex scratchbuild to date is my rotary snow plow. The prototype was built in Goderich, Ontario in 1900. The design had some shortcomings so there was only one ever built. The plow blades rotate (I even made the gear box), and it has sound and lighting:
I am building a whole snow train to go with it. The cars are kitbashed but, in most cases, the only original parts are the floors and trucks. Here is the cook's car and the interior:
Scratchbuilt brass ladders. Boy was that fun!
Spare water car:
Here is my first scratchbuild. It's almost all brass. The only parts I didn't make are the wheels and drive system, and the fake engine:
This is the engine house for the critter above. It's mostly made from wood slabs that I cut out of a piece of pine:
This is a partially complete scratchbuilt engine house/machine shop. It was made for my first layout plan but it won't fit on the new plan. Oh well, it was a good learning experience:
CP shorty plow kitbashed from a Walthers Russel snow plow kit.
Scratchbuilt coal unloading trestle:
Small station scratchbuilt from styrene:
Scratchbuilt steam generating plant inspired by the East Broadtop Railway:
Scratchbuilt ice house made from pine slabs. The ice chutes are at the wrong height:
Kitbashed operating hydro rail truck with lighting:
Mostly scratchbuilt operating 'galloping goose'. The 'car' section is from a Jordan kit. It has lights and sound:
Kitbashed motor launch made from an Athearn yacht:
Scratchbuilt front truck for my McKeen trolley car:
Scratchbuilt pilot for the McKeen car:
I'd better quit.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Here's another one that I built from a picture that appeared in one of Tony Koester's books on structures. You will likely recognize the Atlas tower with a second story from another identical kit. Don't throw away the extra, left-over parts as they make a neat little structure as well. :)
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Now THIS one goes way, way back! Some of you old timers (myself included) may remember a book published by MR that was something like EASY TO BUILD MODEL RAILROAD STRUCTURES. I think it was from the late 50s or early 60s but the items there were anything but easy to build. Most of them relied on hand cut pieces; windows, doors, etc. But with a few substitutions of more modern things like Evergreen Styrene clapboard siding and Tichy windows, I was able to come up with this crossing shanty. In my mind, it is one of the best jobs of weathering that I've done over the years.
ENJOY!
My latest scratch building project was to add the coke ovens and byproducts plants to finish my steel mill.
https://combo.staticflickr.com/pw/images/spaceball.gif
The coke ovens
Great work everyone!
Bear, I love that boat! The canvas cover is amazing.
Dan, the crossing shanty is really well done! Great detail.
My latest kitbash and scratchbuild project was the the coke ovens and by products plant for my steel mill
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipNdztkgmUwk6gQkqF9LFBbdUZkWL2rf7UsRY7Ch/photo/AF1QipNsvvA0OAyKyj22MSZUypx1mPAPQCzjeHdieKeL
The byproducts plan
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipNdztkgmUwk6gQkqF9LFBbdUZkWL2rf7UsRY7Ch/photo/AF1QipPs5QCmnT2PSqO3bHxhVQ1Cf1j-pBTdntGTUMnb
Similar to above:
Load is not exactly scratchbuilt, but not built from a kit.
Other similar loads:
Nice pictures everyone! Great candidates for the WPF thread .
Simon
Hi caldreamer,
Unfortunately your pictures won't show on the forums because of the format you are using. You will have to use a photo hosting service like Imgur. Post your photos there and then you can link them to your MR post. There is a detailed explanation at the top of the General Discussion forum.
Thanks to others for sharing but I'm sure that there are a lot more kitbashers/scratchbuildiers ont there to share their efforts. C'mon, let's see 'em!
This one is from a more recent MR article. I've always liked the idea of a combination station & tower and this one fit the bil. It uses a ConCor station kit and an Atlas for the tower portion.
As always, ENJOY!
Dave:
Here are the links from dropbox.
The coke ovens:
https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/p/3478677/editpost.aspx
caldreamer Dave: Here are the links from dropbox. The coke ovens: https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/p/3478677/editpost.aspx
Editpost link apparently only good for author.
Lots of fun stuff to see in this thread. While challenging, scratch building is one of the most interesting and fun parts of the hobby.
Wharf, wharf structures and crates scratched, so too the hoist modeled after one seen on a pier at Pt. Arena, Ca.
Regards, Peter
caldreamerHere are the links from dropbox.
Hi caldreamer
When I click on the link I get an 'Access Denied' response.
snjroyNice pictures everyone! Great candidates for the WPF thread . Simon
What exactly is the WPF thread???
HO-VeloLots of fun stuff to see in this thread. While challenging, scratch building is one of the most interesting and fun parts of the hobby.
I really like your canning company structure. I'd like to hear more about it.
danmerkel snjroy Nice pictures everyone! Great candidates for the WPF thread . Simon What exactly is the WPF thread??? dlm
snjroy Nice pictures everyone! Great candidates for the WPF thread . Simon
Weekend photo fun?
Yes, should be popping up anytime now.
My current (and taking far too much time) Scratchbuilding project- the Bobtail Mill that stood in Black Hawk Colorado. Now sitting at 2700 pieces with lots to go. The stamps are scratchbuilt as well as the feeders- I still need to build the shaker tables. Some unconventional materials in here. The ore feeders used part of a disposable razor, beads were used for knob and tube wiring, the tappets, and also used some bead crimps. The pulleys are actually lego motorcycle wheels wrapped with styrene and painted. The stonework started as some scrappbooking paper on clearance from Hobby Lobby.
It is actually designed to sit at the end of the scene facing into the room with a clear wall. (It is only about 20% of the prototype mill) It does have full Led lighting with a Woodland Scenics hub hidden under the platform.
Here is how it will fit in the scene
Been a fun project but a bit tedious and long to do
Jim
drgwcsBeen a fun project but a bit tedious and long to do
drgwcs Been a fun project but a bit tedious and long to do I would suggest Jim, that your observation rings true for most of us who have attempted a kit bash / scratch build, and at some time or other during the process, wonder if we’ve bitten off more than we can chew!! Cheers, the Bear. BTW, looks good.
drgwcs Been a fun project but a bit tedious and long to do
Well I purposefully waited till last to build this for my Black Hawk scene as I knew I would bog down doing it- I did not however expect how long I would do so. I started the walls in January 2022..... ouch. Of course in the meantime I did a half of a portable layout for the club plus a bunch of other stuff. It has been on and off but more intense over the past few months- it goes in spurts. It is actually getting close but there is still a lot to do.
danmerkelcanning company structure
Thanks. Photos of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery in B.C. was inspiration, even if not having enough space to give the prototype harbor and facility justice. Still, a cannery makes for a nice harbor scene and rail served industry, not to mention good reason for a fun fishing trawler build. Majority of materials are basswood scale lumber and siding. Roof; construction paper strips with wet pigments weathering. Siding stained, followed by a coat of hair spray, then finish painted for some brush and masking tape 'chipping'.
Hi Jim and Peter,
All I can say is WOW!. You have both created beautiful works of art!
I fully understand what you are talking about when you say that you are bogged down. I have been working on a scratch built rotary snow plow train sine January of 2022. In addition to the plow and tender, there are two steam engines and six other cars that make up the train. Three of the cars are scratch built except for the frames, and three are kit bashed to varying degrees. The locomotives have custom sound recordings, and the plow has sound too.
I am currently bogged down. Most of the finishing work involves painting, and I have some problems with the custom sounds to sort out. I have tried to restart the project a couple of times but I continue to fall off the tracks. At first I was feeling quite guilty about procrastinating but I have gotten over that. The hobby ceases to be fun when you impose artificial deadlines on yourself.
hon30critter Hi Jim and Peter, All I can say is WOW!. You have both created beautiful works of art! I fully understand what you are talking about when you say that you are bogged down. I have been working on a scratch built rotary snow plow train sine January of 2022. In addition to the plow and tender, there are two steam engines and six other cars that make up the train. Three of the cars are scratch built except for the frames, and three are kit bashed to varying degrees. The locomotives have custom sound recordings, and the plow has sound too. I am currently bogged down. Most of the finishing work involves painting, and I have some problems with the custom sounds to sort out. I have tried to restart the project a couple of times but I continue to fall off the tracks. At first I was feeling quite guilty about procrastinating but I have gotten over that. The hobby ceases to be fun when you impose artificial deadlines on yourself. Cheers!! Dave
Well your snowplow has to be a success in creating the longest running thread on the forum incredible work and I appriciate your attention to detail. I took the cop out approach on one that I did recently that was standard gauge Colorado and Southern. I guess it could be considered a kitbash. I had a Aristo snowplow that I had picked up at an estate sale a while back. I think it was intended as a plow that had been converted to diesel. I grabbed a few materials I had on hand- a cheap motor, an older TCS decoder that I had to replace as it kept stopping the engine if ran at full speed. The rubber band drive parts were junked. For the tender I had an old Hobbyline shell that had been in my scrapbox for a while. It needed a floor and a fair amount of work. but fit the part. I did some tweaking with the decoder and it actually worked for this application. It is not a match to either of the C&S plows but does capture kind of the essence.
Any C&S standard gauge equipment is a kitbash- I also did a caboose out of a modified Roundhouse kit. These and redetailing and painting the Bachmann 4-6-0 here were a nice break from the Stamp Mill. I run these up at the club too- kind of ironic though- running a Colorado snow plow on a Virginia themed railroad set in the summer- works great on both my layout and the club- so great that there is not a bit of snow in sight.