It's been too long

It's been way too long since I've updated this blog so here it is.

My latest purchases are 2 newly released kits from Railway Recollections: the steam launch kit and 24 foot passenger combine with the monitor roof. I have no pictures yet, but you can see them here if you have a facebook account and "friend" Barry McClelland: https://www.facebook.com/barry.mcclelland.77/photos.

Barry has released several incarnations of the 24 foot box car: combine, coach, excursion and baggage cars. There is also a 24 foot caboose with baggage style side doors.

The steam launch is similar to the one once offered by Sheepscot Scale Models but now out of production. Frenchman River (http://www.frenchmanriver.com/Pages/HO/Boats/steamLaunch/steamLaunch.html) also has one still available.

There is a distant picture of the completed Sheepscot kit in my post from April 2008: http://hon30.blogspot.com/2008/04/latest-linekin-bay.html

Barry's kit is more like the Sheepscot kit as the cockpit is curved. The Frenchman kit has a square cockpit. Barry's is a little longer than the Sheepscot kit.

If you can only buy one steam launch kit in HO scale, I recommend Barry's kit as it looks more "classic" and the hull lines are more graceful. The Frenchman River kit has a more utilitarian look. There may be room for both on many layouts.

Check out Mount Blue's expanded offerings in HOn30. He now has a conversion kit for a diesel and SRRL cabooses. These bring the total HOn30 rolling stock kits offered to 19! 6 of them are WW&F kits.
http://www.mountbluemodelco.com/HO.htm

Other projects on the workbench:

Railway Recollections Sandy River Box car A. (Yes, I know it was on the workbench back in 2008)
Aru Models Porter 0-4-0 kit No. 72
Mt Blue SRRL Boxcar No.s 87-99
scratch-built China Station
China module scenery

Here's an old picture of some of my locomotives.

From left to right are the AHM Baldwin saddle tank shell on a Fleischmann 0-4-0 mechanism, an MDC/Athearn 2-6-0 with a laser cut wood cab (Small Scale Logistics out of production) and the ubiquitous Frary & Hayden Trix FM switcher conversion with the AHM Plymouth cab.

RS Laser Kits Re-Releases Steven's Creek Kits

In case you had not heard, RS Laser Kits (www.rslaserkits.com) is re-releasing the Steven's Creek HO scale Maine narrow gauge building and rolling stock kits. These are very nice, prototypically accurate laser-cut kits. The potato house and Randolph depot are already listed for sale on the HO structures page.

Here's also a sneak peak at an HOn30 passenger car kit in development:
http://www.rslaserkits.com/images/HOn30_pass_car.jpg

If you're interested in this kit drop them an email (sales@rslaserkits.com) to let them know.

Train Troll has released an HO scale WW&F crossing sign kit. This is not yet posted on their website, but it is available if you email them. I will post pictures in the next few days.

Al sent me this link to pictures of his HOn30 layout, the Dixie Creek Central: http://s1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb325/AlSandrini/

Enjoy the scenery and HOn30 rolling stock.

More pictures to come of HOn30 and Maine 2 Foot Live Steam at the Huckleberry Railroad Days.

New Source for HOn30 Kits?

Some of you may know about Shapeways.com, an internet site that will print 3D models from 3D image file uploaded to the website. The Shapeways company provides the website, the order taking, payment collection and the printing services, but individuals upload their own designs to the website and offer them for sales in exchange for a "royalty" for each item sold.

I have ordered 2 locomotive kits and expect them tomorrow. I'll evaluate and post pics of the kits once I get them. I'll also evaluate the service.

I would recommend checking out Teebee's shop. Tom has several HOn30 kits there. Here's the url: http://www.shapeways.com/gallery?mg[search][shop_name_search]=Tebee%20Models

I have no financial connection to Shapeways or Tom. I mention this because it could hold some promise for HOn30 modelers.

Updates

I am sorry to leave this blog so long without an update. I am still here and modeling in HOn30.

If you went to the last National Narrow Gauge Convention you could have bought one of Mount Blue's new laser-cut HOn30 Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington box cars kits. This builds into car # 309 which survives still at the WW&F museum. This is very exciting for those of us (myself included) who are WW&F fans. They are available on-line also at mountbluemodelco.com/HO.htm.

I have one of Mt Blues SRRL box cars under construction (see photos in a previous post) and can highly recommend them. The 309 kit will have details included.

Railway Recollections is releasing a 42 foot steam launch on HO scale that will be perfect for harbor scenes. It looks similar to the out-of production steam launch that Sheepscot Scale models released over 10 years ago, but being cast in high-quality resin will be of better quality. I have seen pre-production photos of the engine detail and it is superb. The packaging is being completed now so I expect it will be released in the next few months. You can buy direct via email: barry@railrec.com or ask about it at Train and Trooper: www.trainandtrooper.com. This is a different kit from their 38 foot launch/tour boat.

New HOn30 Climax Kit

There's a new HOn30 Climax kit on the market: http://www.loggingcars.com/clmxa.htm
While I have not seen this kit in person, it looks like a nice kit to build. It requires the LifeLike SW1500 chassis and possibly some detail parts. This is a good way to make your version unique.

Future HOn30 Product from Mount Blue Model Company

The image here is a HO scale version of Mount Blue's SR&RL O scale box car kit, kit # 17.
This kit is for future release so you won't yet find it on their website: http://mountbluemodelco.com/

This will likely be a semi-kit without details. This way it will be less expensive and the builder can add details to their liking. Please e-mail Mount Blue to express interest in this future kit at info@mountbluemodelco.com.

Barry at Railway Recollections has updated his web site with pictures of new Maine HOn30 box car, gondola and flat car kits. Click on the link at left to go there. If you model the early Sandy River or Billerica and Bedford these will fit your layout perfectly. The box car/baggage cars are unique and would add interest to any model railroad. I have several of Barry's kits and they are nicely detailed and easy to build.

Stevens Creek HOn30 Lasrer Cut Monson Box Car Kit

The Monson box car kit is now back in stock! Get them now! It's very cool that this is run number 4 for this kit.
It is very encouraging to see this HOn30 kit supported so well. The quality of this particular kit and the current popularity of laser cut kits must be factors in this.

Stevens Creek Monson HOn30 Box Car Kit

These are all sold out for now. If you are interested email Ken at scm@hon3.com. The next run of these depends on interest received via e-mail. The run that just sold out was the second run.

Stevens Creek Monson HOn30 Box Car Kits

Word on the street is that the excellent Stevens Creek Monson Hon30 box car kits are almost sold out. I have one and would highly recommend this kit. I have not built it, but I have scanned through the instructions and it looks like a well-designed kit that will yield a great finished product. It consists of laser cut plywood. It allows you to build 3 different versions that all match the prototypes.

Use this link to get good views of the kit parts and the assembly process from the manufacturer: http://www.hon3.com/MonBox/index.htm

I don't know if a second run will be done. If I find out I will let you know.

I do have several Stevens Creek kits and am very happy with them. I did meet the owner at the 26th NNGC last year and he's a great guy.

P.S. I have no financial interest in the manufacturer or this product. Just a satisfied customer.

Updated Links at New England Scene

I see that Jim has updated the links page on his New England Scene website. Check it out along with his building kits. The most interesting link is for a Hon30 Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes No. 19 2-6-2 kit in brass from Victors Scale Models. It's out of my league, but fun to look at.

Worsley Works also has a new rail bus kit in 009, the T&D 4mm Saloon kit. It's a brass etching that will require the builder to add other cast details but it looks like fine start to a kit. Here's the link to the manufacturer's web page for this kit: http://www.worsleyworks.co.uk/Image-Pages/Image_NG_Irish_TD-Inspection_Saloon.htm

I know 009 is a little larger than 1/87 but I'm willing to overlook it.