Taking the Workshop in the Road -- Cheshire High School Spring Show 2020

There is nothing like Train Show Season.  While there are no set dates or times that limit exactly when train shows take place in my are we normally see them start around the fall (September/October) and end in the spring. They can very in size from large multi room and even buildings (ie: the Big E Train Show) to a single room in a hotel banquet area.  Regardless of the size of the show I normally am there ether as a visitor or assisting some friends sell items and carry boxes. Very rarely would you find me selling anything of my own. However this year that is going to change!!!

This coming weekend is the annual Spring Model Train Show located at Cheshire High School in Cheshire CT. This is one of the larger small town shows in our area filling the schools gym, both their cafeterias and parts of the hallways. This is always a packed show with Vendors, Layout groups, Local Hobby Stores, and tourist Railroads.  The Cheshire show has become a special show for me for a few reasons. Its only about 10 min drive away from home, it is a great place to catch up with some friends in the hobby and it is where I got to meet a amazing family that sets up a large kids area for free.  They set up a large toy train set for kids to play with and drive trains around, with supervision of their parents of course. But its one of the few places where kids can get their hands on the trains and hopefully is the thing that gets them into the hobby and help it grow.

Here is Justin's set up from the Winter Show

 I have become their "Mr. Fix-it" and help maintain the trains and track. ( They can sometimes take a beating over one day of work!!) But it started a wonderful friendship with that family and I am very grateful that I happen to bump into them at the show.

But I'm getting a little off topic. The main reason why I am excited for this Spring's show is that for the first time ever!!!  Artist794's Workshop is going on the road!!!

 Over the last few weeks I have been 3D printing examples of some of the models I have created in a range of scales (N,HO,S,O,G) in order to promote what I have been doing and hopefully sell a few items to fund some more future projects.  Here are examples of what I am planning on bringing to the show:

Both of my printers hard at work for the past few days

G scale R,A,W posts compared to S scale R,A,W posts and Mile markers

HO and N scale mile markers and W,A,R posts drying in my UV chamber.
The solar powered turntable helps make sure they get a even exposure to the LEDs

If you have ever wanted to see a 3D printer in action your in luck as I am planing on bringing one of my printers as well to print a few more parts throughout the day!  If you are planning on attending the show and want to stop by and say hi! I'll be in the cafeteria on the right near the kids area along with a few of my Model Railroad friends. (they have many toy train and real railroad items for sale as well check them out!!) Hope to see you there and make sure you stop by Justin's Kid City area as well.

Until Sunday, See you real soon!!!

VRR 0901- Building an HO scale Spaceship!!

So I have a confession to make......I cant find my HO scale 3025 right now.........It is lost in a box that I haven't unpacked yet or its back at my parents home......


BUT NEVER FEAR!!!!!  I have another project to work on while I try to locate that box. I have mentioned before that I am partial to steam engines when it comes to models and real life trains. However I do have a soft spot for a few diesels, especially those that I have worked with and on. 

Down at the Valley they have a small collection of General Electric 80 Ton Locomotives, including the star of this project and as far as we know prototype to the class, Engine 0901.

While it has the same overall size and power it definitely dose not share the same shape as her younger sisters. 

0901 on the right

She has a shorter and squared off hood design and makes different noises as she rumbles down the track. One engineer compared it to a spaceship as it chugged up and down the line. But spaceship or not she is a Valley Engine and make it a contender for HO scale modeling in my book. There is only one little,  tiny, itty-bitty problem about that........no company ( to my knowledge) has made an HO scale 80 Tonner......

What to do, what to do.....well I did what most would due in this day and age, I googled it!! and actually found a article someone wrote about modeling a U.S. ARMY 80 ton GE locomotive. If I find the link to the article ( may have been taken down) I will post it at the end of this post. But the main point is that they used a Bachmann 70 tonner body and motor as a base. I measured 0901's length in real life and scaled it down to HO scale and they are right only off by about 2 inches or so. Close enough in my books!!

So I have wheels and a motor but I am going to need to create the body somehow.. I can try building it out of plastic card or something similar but I want there to be some details. If only there was some why i could draw it in my cpu and print it out in 3D?!?!??

Oh wait!!! I think I have just such an printer I got for Christmas. So using some nice photos I found on Lee's Facbook Page. (If you like the VRR you should really check this out!!) and measurements off the actual 0901 I started.

The start of my Madness: 2 CPUs, calculator, engineering paper,
pencils, and the HO scale 70 Tonner.

Boo, our new little kitty, decided he was going to help me as well....
By getting in my way.

And after a few hours of work here is what I have so far: 

Not much but its a start.  Now enough talk and back to modeling. But until then; See ya real Soon!!!