Hi all! New to forum but returning to model railroading after a 40 year hiatus. Has Kalmbach [or anyone else] ever consolidated the locomotive and rolling stock drawings from the magazine into a book? And what about structures drawings? Did they publish them in a collection?
Kalmbach do publish the “Locomotive Cyclopaedia” with dimensioned drawings of locomotives in it. IVolume 1 (which I have) deals only with steam locos, but I believe Volume 2 deals with diesels and electrics (Can anyone confirm this?). There are also several Model Railroader publications dealing with structures, but you need to look at Kalmbach’s Web site to decide what you want. Being a transition era modeller (late steam) my copy of “Model Railroading Structures” edited by Willard V Anderson (1958) is receiving a great deal of study. Rolling Stock drawings - It’s a “dunno” on this one - anyone ?
Dennis
The answer to both questions is pretty much a “no”. Some of Art Curren’s kitbashing articles from 1990’s MRs have been reprinted in Kalmbach’s how-to books but the diagrams/plans from the classic scratchbuilding articles of the 50’s through the 80’s have not.
CNJ831
Thanks for the quick answers. Frankly, I can’t believe they don’t see the value of this old material. If they compiled it into a series like Locomotives- Steam; Locomotives- Diesel & Electric; Rolling Stock; Structures; etc., I’d buy the whole set.
What I really seek, and can’t seem to find, are quality drawings of trolleys [streetcars]. Anybody know of a good source?
Just Goggle
St Louis car company Streetcar Drawings
I have been very interested in building some brass steam locos and did a lot of searching on the internet. There is one book in particular that I would love to have, but for now will pass on. The book “1921 locomotive cyclopedia of modern practice” contains all the information one could want for the big steam of that time, and the copyright is old enough that it is now public domain. Unfortunately corporate entities won’t let you have it without giving up $30[sigh].The 1906-1909 book is also public domain and is available at google.books.com . It contains enough information to build a PRR Atlantic I think. There are several other books that would be of great interest to anyone wanting to superdetail their steam locos from that era, and I mean everything, including the measurements for the throttle bracket. If anyones interested I will list the titles I found most useful.
The Locomotive Cyclopedia had more than two volumes - I believe there were over 20. They also included drawings of freight cars as well. I don’t know if they’re in print anymore, but there are several book advertisers in MR and other mags - give them a try!![:)]
tm1:
The Cyc is great. There’s another pair of books called “Freight Terminals and Trains” and “Passenger Terminals and Trains” that are the ultimate manuals of steam era railroad plant and operations, both on Google Books. They are fantastic.
There just isn’t as much interest in scratchbuilding models as there was 40 years ago nor a need to do so. There are still a few folks who either like the challenge of building their own equipment or want something that isn’t commercially available, but I think those are a small minority of modelers. RTR has taken over the hobby. MR doesn’t print many scratchbuilding plans any more in their magazine. I doubt there would be sufficient interest in their old articles to make it worth it to them to reprint these.
This is a decided misconception that one all too often sees espoused on entry level sites like this one. Try seeking out some of the websites populated by more serious hobbyists and you’ll find that the majority of those participating are into the very same sort model construction practices that were prevelent decades ago. There are entire sites that are devoted specifically to those who build ultra-complex craftsmen kits and scratchbuilt structures. RTR may be the dominant situation among today’s newbies and hobby dabblers but it is in no way representative of how advanced hobbyists such as those featured in the pages of the magazines, or on-line with outstanding layouts, do the hobby.
CNJ831
You would like this one, trust me:
he sixth edition, which shows up from time to time is even better.
Thanks, I just got done downloading them. Now all I need is an old stadium to build one of each terminal[:)]. I think I’ve downloaded about a dozen of the steam era books now. They are some awesome books, and free to boot.
As for the scratchbuilding locos. There are lots of people , even on this site, that not only consider but jump right in on scratch building buildings (say that 3 x fast) and hand laying track with a million n two scale spikes and are proud and strive to be able to do this well. So why would locomotives and rolling stock be any different? I think some people are perfectly capable of doing it but are afraid due to the percieved complexity. That and buying all the parts and just fitting them together gets you an expensive locomotive. I have dabbled with boilers and cabs. It’s not that difficult. I have (no laughing, it can work) put a hunk of brass on a chunk of steel and put it in the woodburner to see if I could get it hot enough for casting, mostly for wheels. The steel was too think and acted as a heatsink I believe (4x4x1) and not placed efficient
tm1:
Definitely some droolworthy books there. Try “Broke Down” - instructions for engineers on getting their 1800s teakettle engines to limp home. Want to learn how to bring a 4-3-0 home? [:)]
Even apart from the scratchbuilding, of course, drawings are good. How about kitbashing or just plain dreaming? Anybody into steam, for instance, is going to do some kitbashing some day - you just can’t get everything for every RR. Drawings are fun to look at, and we usually get a good writeup now.
Brass has to get pretty hot to melt. You might try aluminum, though. 
I did try aluminum and that wasn’t a problem. From what I have read Al can be a bear with contaminants and how it needs to be done. I was (am) looking at building a backyard furnace when I get some time. They are fairly easy to construct if you stay away from steel as it takes alot to melt it (3500F). It’s not impossible, just hard on these little things. These things can use many fuels from coal to propane to used oil. I end up with 4gallons of oil every 4000 miles, which sometimes seems like every other weekend. One day…
Kalmbach did have a book collecting some of their construction articles from the 1950s. I have a copy stored in a box in my attic. Had articles on building a DC flat using molded plexiglass, a chlorine tank car that included a how-too on making the channel from code 100 brass rail and a file, and a Jones and Laughlin 10,000 gallon tank car, among others.
CNJ, let me first say that I think your pics/models/scenery is among the best we see on the forum. That said, I can’t agree with your statement as highlited above. I have been at this hobby since the '50’s, and have scratchbuilt structures and freight cars. I even put together a Walthers wood passenger car!! - and that was more like scratchbuilding than kit making!! In the '50’s, 60’s, and even 70’s, there were limited numbers of prototype cars available - pro
[quote user=“lvanhen”]
I would not call this site an “entry level” site - yes we have a lot of beginners, but we also have the seasoned pro’s like Dave Volmer, Grampys Trains, Selector, Tom White and so many others I can’t even begin to list all the names - and yourself!!
Many of our members ARE “advanced hobbyists”!!!
over!!
Just to breathe some life into what CNJ has said, check this thread out from Railroad Line Forums. That’s an MDC old time 2-8-0 chassis and a Mantua Big Six boiler. http://www.railroad-line.com/discussion/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14664 . Jeff Kraker (Coaltrain) is the guy who wrote an article about re-powering an MDC Harriman 2-8-0 that appeared in the May, 2002 MR starting at page 58. Here’s a link to his Photobucket site. Lots of construction photos are included there. Video of sound equipped finished engine: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwm0Xc9uIWs
One thing I will say is that the pics are are a lot more informative than any text could be. While a Mantua Big Six boiler was used, I think another route that would give good results for a similar engine would be to use the MDC 0-6-0 superstructure as an alternative.
Check out Max Magliaro’s website. He’s the one who used a Kato Mikado chassis and a GHQ Pennsy L-1 conversion kit to make a Pennsy I-1 2-10-0 that was featured in RMC about a year ago. http://maxcowonline.com/index.php?x=32&y=17 He also bashed an M1-a, but used two Trix K-4 chassis’ to create the running gear instead of the Bachmann USRA 4-8-2. Probably built it before the USRA became available.
Also check out Russell Straw’s N scale SP/T&NO models starting here: http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/585/page/1
My favorite is the GS-1 which was bashed from a Con-Cor GN S-2. http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showphoto.php/photo/33420
Need an HO scale 1880’s 4-4-0? Go here:
CNJ/Andre, I’m not saying there are no scratchbuilders out there, but based on what I see in NJ hobby shops over the past 10-15 years. There is the Model RR Shop in Piscataway, I believe one of - if not the - oldest shops in the US, and several other long established shops that no longer carry the quantity of Evergreen plastic, Plastruct, scale wood, and details they once carried. There is also the long steady decline in the number on companys producing these items. I’m “guessing” at the numbers from what I’ve seen, since there are no reliable figures as to how many are even in the hobby, as past threads have indicated. [%-)]
As to the “beginners” tag, it seems to me that 10 or so kids post over & over with poor quality pics, dumb questions, and use the forum as a personal e-mail rather than PMing their comments, as well as “atta boying” eack others posts. [:(!] (now watch me get censored for this!!) (I have had posts deleted because I have been “sarcastic” to one or two of them!!)
This has become an interesting dialog, and everyone certainly has, and is entitled to, their own opinion.
Any other ideas on this?[:)]
I agree that based on what is being carried in the hobby stores and train shows that scratch/parts building has declined. RTR is becoming the norm, first with locomotives, then with rolling stock, and now I am seeing more and more RTR structures. While parts are being made, they are carried being carried by fewer dealers. More and more kits are becoming low run, and kits are carried by fewer dealers.
Also, based on what I see in the hobby press, kit bashing appears to have surpassed scratch/parts building and kit bashing itself seems to have been surpassed by detailing. But all three appear to be in serious decline.
What I notice is that most model railroaders are using a lot of RTR to get their layouts up and running. I am sure there are still a lot of hobbyists for whom model building is still their main focus, but they are a minority. But this not unique to model railroading, I have seen a decline in craft shops in general. I think with many other entertainment options available, crafts of all types are just one interest among many for most people.
My hobby time is very limited, so I am focused on building a model railroad rather than building a collection of railroad models.
Enjoy
Paul