I thought it was another great issue. Loved the 4x8 layout. And I just saw those wind up zeppelin cars for sale in some catalog around Christmas time. Whole lot going on there. The urban layout was also a treat to see and read about. Great job on that coal tower!
“It Rained Last Night”, the article about making puddles was well done and timely for me. I’ve been planning to add some puddles and shallow water to my layout. Now I have something to go by.
Note to Dave Jacobs, the author of “It Rained Last Night” – I found your lost snake! He’s in the large photo on page 70. His head is about 1/2" from the bottom of the photo. Anyone else see it?
I’m looking forward to that motorized Zepp article - it’s noted in the coming attractions in the new CTT I got yesterday. I’ll spend my 2 hour late-night train ride home today perusing it.
Motorizing those novelty items are cool and make for great articles. A few issues back, someone took a Mickey and Miney handcar and made an add-on ore car to go behind them which housed a reverse unit. Not only was it clever, it looked awesome.
Enjoyed the NYC layout, written by Carp, who normally doesn’t do hi-rail pieces.
Another box story should be of interest to the collectors who would never think of running their trains, as it would drop their condition from Mint to Excellent. Good story tho.
The layout plan was fabulous, using the roundhouse.
The other layouts in the mag. were very well done as well.
Overall, I’d have to rate this issue as one of the better.
Also, Jim, thanks for solving the mystery of the lost snake. When walking thru a cornfield in Arkansas a number of years ago, I actually stepped on something squishy. Turned around and saw I’d stepped on a giant corn snake.
Jim, that’s right. I tried to create that little cart - to add behind a handcart that had lost it’s handles and characters… but mangled the job – but it was fun.
Re rain and puddles, I forgot to mention I’ve had good luck with getting the look of wet streets by using glossy paint and soft incandescent lighting - makes it reflect more clearly - think of when you see rain-on environments - things are usually a bit darker and you notice it most clearly on roads, sidewalks, roadside puddles.
I’m pretty good at finding snakes. Don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I used to walk my black lab in a wooded reservation. I can’t count how many times I’d be walking along and almost step on a snake, or all of a sudden, a “stick” in the path would suddenly start moving. My current home doesn’t have a big yard at all, but I must have more garder snakes than anyone else in town. I’m always coming across them in the back yard where it’s sunny, and once and a while, one tries to slither under the lawn mower. I don’t try to harm them, but I must admit, I don’t mourn their chopped up remains either! I don’t like snakes, but they do eat mice.
Good tip regarding wet streets, Doug. I’ll file that one away. The puddles article will be helpful when I make some gullies and small bodies of standing water.
Thumbs up to the new CTT, I thought the entire issue was great especially the NYC layout. I appreciated that layout because he also ran postwar which I saw a 773 hudson and a GG1 which really made my day[:)]. Would like to see more gritty urban settings in some of the future CTT issues, keep up the good work[:)][:D][;)].
alas, i have not recieved my CTT.[sigh] I do look forward to seeing the articles mentioned above. It might be close to 80 degrees down in these parts, but the snakes are out to spoil the fun. Killed a rattle snake in the backyard that was trying to entertain the dogs. Perhaps this will be a good idea for the layout, model snakes.
Dennis
I look forward to the moterized Zep article. I have two of these, one tan factory lithoed for Lionel Lines with windows and everything. It almost seems closer to something Marx would have done. The other one is silver with no markings. Unfortunately a friend sprung the spring so I wound really like to see the article as it was “a save” I was considering. Seems staightforward enough but I am interested in seeing thier solution. Mine was RMT Beep power.
These units were made by Shylling a European (German?) company that has done 3 rail before in the distant past.
Schylling. They make all sorts of toys. Their ‘tin’ repros are a hoot. I can’t believe they’re trying to resurrect pods… See http://www.schylling.com/ I’m not sure they make the Rail Zepp anymore.
They probably bought the POG license from elsewhere for some name recognition. They are probably cheap to make and get good mark up. I’m sure the marketing is based on being collectable like baseball cards, the idea is to get them all.