Operating Night@VMRR

 Last Friday night entailed a visit to Valley Model Railroad Club to let a few pieces of equipment run the cobwebs out and see a few old friends. Some of the best overhead wire work I've ever seen in HO scale is the handywork of Mr. Bob Opal. Some of you will recognize this name, Bob has been an influence at Illinois Railway Museum for many many years. I know a thing or two, but Bob is a walking model railroad encyclopedia.

 He gave me an idea to fix the sketchy drive in FVT&L 34. This electric loco is painted for my fictional Fox Valley Traction & Light Co. Painted out of spray cans at age 14 and kitbashed from a Roundhouse diesel, this is what I did before I had the kind of scratch to buy brass models. In these pics you will see some of Bob's wire work.

FVT&L 34 and 28.  28 is a Fairfield Models Pittsburgh Railways Jones car. This was my very first brass model. Painted as the FVT&L's training car, the story behind it was Pittsburgh actually had its own designated training car, x10, so I didnt see it as that far fetched of an adaptation.

 The one on the right is in Pittsburgh colors, same model.

  The Indiana Railroad Highspeed car saw some run time too. This is an ancient Bowser/ Penn Scale. Still debating a repaint before details and decals. Its getting repowered too. Watching it go at a scale 100mph might be interesting for the kiddies, but it drives me nuts.