Author: Kelly
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Proto 2000 GP30 to Kato Conversion
Testing The Proto 2000 GP30 to Kato Conversion Kit While testing the new Proto 2000 GP30 to Kato conversion kit I shot some video and put together this short operations video. This is my first video of this type, it was shot with an iPhone 13 in hand. Conversion kits are available in the FineScale…
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Converting a Proto 2000 to Kato Drive
HO Scale Proto 2000 to Kato Drive Conversion Frame Proto 2000 GP7 and 9’s are well known for fantastic detail but suffer from electrical pickup issues, cracked gears, and mediocre motor performance. To achieve perfect running Proto 2000 Geep’s for my layout I resolved myself to the fact that I would, at a minimum, need…
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Hardshell Scenery For Your Model Railroad
Sometimes an Idea Just Hits You… I was in my workshop the other day and as I walked past my drywall tools I spotted some fiber mesh drywall tape when a light went off in my head… Instead of plaster cloth, why not put down fiber tape and coat it with a hard shell covering?…
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Prototype Waybills
Operations on my layout have evolved from basic car cards and waybills, to switch lists, and now to what some call “prototype waybills”. Before I get too deep into this subject, let me state that “I consider prototype waybills to be an extension of the layout scenery” and nothing more. My adventure with prototype waybills…
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Turnout Control Inside a Scale Switch Stand
Push-button turnout control hiding in plain sight. Hidden inside this HO scale model of a Bethlehem Steel Co. Model 51 low-profile switch stand is a tactile push-button for local turnout control. Simply press down on the target to throw your turnout. A great solution to local control of a turnout without a control panel. What…
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Model Railroad Benchwork
Choosing a style of model railroad benchwork can be overwhelming. There are so many different construction styles and techniques along with other deciding factors such as building a permanent structure or building the layout so it can be moved. After building two other, permanently installed, versions of this railroad, I decided this time that a…
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Red Caboose GP9 Frame: Aluminum vs Brass
Red Caboose GP9 Frame in Aluminum vs Brass Aluminum vs Brass, I have seen some debate over the years touting brass as a superior frame material, but I have to disagree! My chosen material for machining GP9 frames is 6061-T6 Aluminum alloy and for good reason. Some argue that the brass frame being sold by…
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Prototype Wheel Stops
While exploring the Georgetown Branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad I ran across these wheel stops still strapped in place on a siding in 2019. The siding appeared to be used to unload oil tank cars in the 1940s to 1950s. Since I am modeling this exact location this is a must-have detail. Previously…
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