C&Sn3

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Layout Glance | 4 Comments - Click Here :

Taking an idea from Marty McGuirk's excellent blog about his Central Vermont Railway; I've now added a new feature to the blog that makes it an easy "one click" for readers to access information about our layouts. You can find these tabs just below the header of the blog.
If you would like to have your C&S/CC/South Park layout featured (regardless of scale), please email the statistical information, trackplan and any photographs by clicking on the Moderators profile on the right side of the blog.
Many thanks goes to Marty for this great new idea and format!

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Roper's Snapshot Saturday No.25 | 15 Comments - Click Here :

Many readers are correct about what goes on behind the scenes of the blog. L to R: Derrell P., Doug H., Darel L.

What's a dog supposed to do with those three clowns besides posting vintage photographs to occupy their time?

Courtesy Robert Boorman Collection.

Now you know why I do what I do. - Roper

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Plastic Boxes | 12 Comments - Click Here :

Derrell Poole - Here is a little something I’d like to share with you; I've been working on this project for a long time. The issue is how to store or transport Sn3 model freight cars that do not have “cool” vacuum formed inserts to keep them safe AND allows you to see the contents of a box without opening it.

I've invested a great deal in my models – by that I mean they are more than mere purchases that I plop onto the rails to fill up a train. I built most of them myself but even on the occasion I may buy something RTR, almost invariably I “adjust” them to my liking. You don’t just go to the corner store and pick up a half dozen circa 1910 narrow gauge cars. I put my engines in their designated “factory” boxes so why not my rolling stock?

The boxes kits come in are okay to excellent in many regards. If you buy PBL kits they come in plastic boxes that are almost ideal. Almost - at least in my estimation (they work great for many passenger cars but are too big for the freight cars). The absolute suuuuu-preme-o box for my purposes is the one the old Tomalco Kits came in. A C&S 30 freight car fits perfect. As you can see from the photos a house car with protective padding is quite at home in one of these boxes. And, if you like, you can put 2 Coal cars or 2 Flat cars in one of these boxes. They also work great for 40-foot freight cars in HO scale and naturally can adapt to HOn3 or even N scale if that is your poison. And they are quite useful for other things; Vicki uses them for her Reborn Doll hobby where she keeps eyes and paint tubs and hair and other doll things! (you have no idea how disconcerting it is to turn around and see a “live” baby lying on the couch staring at you!)

I had half a dozen of these boxes from old kits so I put as many C&S cars into them as I could. The rest were in either the PBL boxes or most were in the original pasteboard kits boxes… grrrrrrr! The inconsistency alone really bugged me. Plus when I wanted to know what was in the box I had to open it. Pasting little labels on the boxes usually meant the box was dedicated to that car, plus little tags all over everything is just plain tacky! All right, I AM new-rot-tic! So I started hunting for suitable boxes – preferably the old Tomalco type. I hunted Ebay, bargained with fellow modelers and even considered the PBL boxes. But when you want something specific – that’s what you want.

Finally, I have found a source for the very same exact Tomalco boxes complete with cap style lids. This means, no little knobby nubs to break off! But! ("But" is actually a four-letter word – grrrrrrrr, again!) But they are only available in quantity. You may not want to suffer the brain damage of finding a source or care to buy many more boxes than you need. I've already done this. I may need as many as 100 boxes. I'm not in the business of stocking and selling parts however whatever excess I have I'm offering to other modelers. Therefore, I’m offering these in quantities of 3 for 10.00 plus shipping. This is a special price on the C&Sn3 blog only. When I go to Ebay with them, the price will jump.

The boxes are brand new. They measure 6.75” long, 3.187” wide, and 1.625” deep. They are clear hard plastic with cap lids that come completely off. They are just the boxes – don’t expect foam padding, plastic wrap, or model cars with them. Shipping in the US will be by priority mail. I will ship 3 boxes in the medium Flat Rate box or 6 in the large Flat Rate box. If you want more than 6 then we will need to figure the postage on that basis.

To order click on the link to “7th Street Shops” found on the right hand side bar of this blog and contact me thru that website. Or email me direct. I only take checks or Paypal (include your Paypal email address. Please wait for an invoice thru Paypal).