Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Railroad Model Craftsman 05 2009


Ilong ago discovered that there are some model railroaders who don't much like railroad passenger service. Their layouts offer no Amtrak or VIA service. They have no models of the Twentieth Century Limited, Super Chief, or even a lowly daily local or commuter run. They don't even offer their few potential Preiser or Woodland Scenics passengers a ride on a drover's caboose or an old combine tacked onto the end of a slowly moving freight. Maybe somewhere in the far reaches of Canada a mixed train or two still survives, but you would have a better chance of finding one south of the border, meaning south of the U.S.-Mexican border and heading towards Chile (way south). The former Quebec, North Shore & Labrador Ry., now Tshiuetin Rail Transportation,. Inc., still lists a mixed train between Sept-Iles and Shefferville, Quebec, on their internet timetable, and the Durango & Silver-ton Narrow Gauge R.R. had or still has a boxcar in the consist of some of its trains, but it is more of an express or baggage car.

N-Scale 03-04 2009


New from engine to observation, the stars of many postwar streamliners were the modern sleeping cars. Pullman had begun developing new accommodations in the late 1930s that would offer passengers complete privacy and still carry a miximum number of riders. Many of these innovations were brought together following the war, creating new types of cars like the 10-6 sleeper, with 10 roomettes and six double bedrooms- Complete but compact, the roomette provided a seat, foldaway bed, sink and toilet for one, at a lower fare. Couples, or people who found the roomette to small, could choose a larger and more expensive double bedroom with seating for two, upper and lower berths and an enclosed toilet. Overing two levels of service, the 10-6 was an ideal choice for the flagship trains of many railroads. Many were still in service when Amtrak took over most passenger operations in 1971 and remained in use for a few more years. This model is based on cars built to Pullman plan #4140 first delivered in 1949; with minor variations, similar cars were constructed for several railroads into the early 1950s.

Modeler's Eye Series 1 - Nakajima Night Fighter Gekko Type 11


The photographs presented in this book are those of "Type 2 Gekko Model 11" late production type, s/n 7334 (the 334th completed example), built by Nakajima. Following the end of WWII, the plane was loaded aboard the US aircraft carrier "USS Barnes" (CVE-20) and shipped from Yokosuka on November 16, 1945 to the United States Three other Gekkos were shipped to the US as well, but this is the only remaining example in existence. On June 15, 1946, the aircraft underwent its first test flight in the US. The code number "FE3031" was assigned to the plane, but this was soon changed to T2-N700. At the time, except for anti-glare paint on the top of the nose and inboard side of the engine nacelles, the aircraft was unpainted. The marking '700" was present on the vertical stabilizer. Following testing, the aircraft was stored with the Smithsonian Institute's National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC for many years. As the condition of the aircraft had begun to degrade, it was decided to restore the plane completely. This work was carried out at the Museum's 'Paul E. Garber* facility from September 7, 1979 to December 4, 1983, entailing a total of 17,249 man-hours of work. The excellence at the restoration process is quite in evidence in the photos which follow.