I'm so proud! :)

[jacon12]

This probably doesn't mean much to anyone but me, but I'm so proud. I passed my first milestone in HO. I put together an Athern blue box boxcar and I did it without breaking it..

I've never modeled before, well... toyed around with 0-27 stuff on a shelf layout around the computer room, but it was all rtr. I've been thinking about doing an HO layout now that I'm retired and while in a local hobby shop yesterday, I bought the boxcar and 4 sections of Atlas code 83 track. I knew just from looking that this was vastly different from the big O scale things I have (a couple of locos and some cars), but it didn't hit me as to just how different until I picked up the boxcars coupler and realized how very small and almost dainty it was compare to it's larger cousin. How in the world these stay coupled to another one is beyond me at this point. It looks like the slightest movement up or down and it will come uncoupled. I'm much more used to the seemingly massive couplers like this..

I think the first thing I'd need to do is put on a better HO coupler and hope for the best.
Anyway it was nice putting the car together and even if it never sees service, I'm sure I'll find a spot for it some where.
By the way, are there any O scale modelers on this forum at all? I'm just curious.
Jacon

[twhite]

Jacon--I'm not into O, though I really admire that scale (talk about HEFT!). But congrats on the HO reefer--Athearn makes nice kits and they're easy to super-detail if you get the urge. As to the couplers, if you want to upgrade, Kadee #5's will pop right into the draft-gear box with no trouble at all. They're virtually trouble-free. And even though everything looks delicate in HO, those cars DO stay coupled (well, most of the time, anyway, LOL!). In answer to your question, there are a few O-scalers on the forum--you'll probably find them pretty quick, now that you're on.
Tom
[:D][#welcome]

[AntonioFP45]

Jacon,

Way to go! It does mean something! You're modeling and having fun!

That's what it's all about! [:)][:D][8D][:I][swg][C):-)][4:-)][tup]

[howmus]

Jacon, welcome to the world of Horribly Oversized! Once you get into HO and are used to the size, I think you will find it is a good compromise between size, detail and ability to run a lot of railroad. I tried N and loved the amount of railroad that I could run in a limited space but very soon became frustrated trying to scratchbuild and detail. I admire very much those that can do such great work in the tiny scales. Have fun, I bet soon you will love working in HO!

[rexhea]

Nice going John. I told you HO wasn't too small. [:D]

REX

[egmurphy]

QUOTE: ...but it didn't hit me as to just how different until I picked up the boxcars coupler and realized how very small and almost dainty it was compare to it's larger cousin. How in the world these stay coupled to another one is beyond me at this point.

You ought to see N scale couplers.

Congrats on the milestone. Nice photography too!


Regards

Ed

[jacon12]

Thanks everybody. I was just in the LHS this morning and there was another customer there that has been doing N for quite a while and he was about to move to HO. It's funny, I was standing there thinking HO is so tiny and will be hard for me to adapt to and he was standing there thinking HO is sooooo HUGE and now things were going to be much easier!
I appreciate the encouragement!
Jarrell

[simon1966]

Jarrell, my boys and I really like the Blue Boxes, they are not too challenging, but allow you to quickly build up a fleet of freight cars. My guys love to weather them and get them all grimy looking. I don't mind because they are not so expensive, but are rugged enough for them to have fun with. I started with these models and then found myself wanting more of a challenge, so moved on to the Accurail line and then the Branchline and Proto 2000 products. You picked a great time to get into HO model building, there is so much veriety on the market.

[Anonymous]

Sigh. That is a GREAT job assembling the car. Awesome work! Milestones always need to be celebrated.

I myself have a few of them athearn kits laying around in boxes having just finished a fleet wide metal wheels/kaydee coupler retrofit.

Now.

I dont want to be the one that points out something I noticed in the picture above. But to me it is such a stand out that I would not be any help if I stayed quiet.

Here we go... you sitting down?

Problem: Entire roof (ends are also the same as the roof peice) are just a ittle too high.

Resolution: The roof need to be placed into the carbody proper and the coupler box tabs need to be lower to hold the coupler boxes properly.

Solution:

Take the roof, notice the middle tabs have air gaps that fits the molded holes in the very top center of the car body above the doors.....

The sides of the car needs to be spread apart just a little bit. Then you can "snap" the tabs into the holes and fit the roof more "snugly" into the entire vehicle.

If done correctly the tabs that are at each of your couplers will go down into the proper position to "hold" the coupler boxes.

Try it. But carefully. Have a knive handy to erase the "burrs" that probably will develop in the roof tabs. Dont force it, be very gentle.

Good Luck!

[on30francisco]

I model in On30 and HO. On30 is O scale narrow gauge equipment that runs on HO track. On30 offers the best of both worlds: the heft and detail of O scale and the convenience and economy of HO.

[JohnT14808]

jacon12...Way to go!! I am with you on the kit building....so much fun. The Athern blue boxes are a great way to go, and as others have mentioned, as you get experienced you can move up to the more difficult kits. But be forwarned...some of these kits require special tools and LOTS of patience. I made the mistake of getting a couple of Roundhouse tank car kits for my Boy Scout troop when they were working on their RR merit badge, and NO ONE could assemble the kit completely. This particular kit had very fine walkways for the top of the car that were impossible to remove from the plastic sprues without totaly destroying the walkways.
After going through my Micro-Mark catalog I found some special tools and very tiny saws that allowed me to finally separate the walkways from the sprues. So some kits can be a real challenge. Glad you're having fun!!

[Anonymous]

Jarrell, congrats on the accomplishment. A job well done. I am also an Horribly Oversized modeler. And [#welcome] to the forum.

Robert