2017 Strasburg O Scale Show – April

This past Saturday was the Spring Strasburg O Scale Show. Rich Yoder and John Dunn put on another fine show. The had over 90+ tables of O Scale materials for sale and they had 111 people through the door, not counting the vendors.

Terry Terrance gave demonstrations on 3D printing. He had a $200 machine and was making a phone booth as the demonstration piece. Rather then have this set up like a clinic Terry kept demonstrating the machine over the coarse of the show. Guys would sit in and ask questions while the machine kept working. This was set up just across from where we were set up so I got to see the crowd that sat in at different times during the morning. There was a nice steady flow of people all morning interested in find out more about the whole process.

From a modeling update, there were a number of interesting models at the show. There were Pacific Limited, Keystone, Precision Scale, as well as Yoder freight cars on the tables. Also there was a nice selection of both high end and regular guy locomotive models at the show. Something for every budget.

For the Reading Co. modeler, there was a Weaver G1 and a couple of SGL G3’s. There was also number of Reading diesels in both the 60’s Green and Yellow second generation paint and the olive green of the first generation locomotives.

In looking at older posts about the shows I noticed that I hardly ever put images of the people that make up the shows. Time to change that, so here are Bill Nesbitt and Buzz Burnley, first photo; Mac (Michael Macewan) second photo; and Carl Jackson, third photo.

2017 Chicago O Scale Show

Just returned from the 2017 Chicago O Scale Show. All I can say is the show gets better every year. There were many new models at this show as well as a host of used models and those from estate sales.

Some of the new models were on Bill Davis’ tables. He had three new Single Track 139′ Lattice Truss bridges with two on display. One was straight and the other two skewed left and right. They don’t fit my modeling area but they were very nice.

American Scale Models also had more variations of the Erie cars he has been importing.

Norm Buckhart of Protocraft had production samples of two new Greenville Gondolas on his table. These looked really nice. They should be available later in year.

Ted Schnepf of Rails Unlimited had a new resin stock car kit of a CB&Q stock car. The car is available as either a built up body (you add the details) or a flat kit.

Two new kits were on Marvin’s tables. First up was the Southern Car and Foundry New Sand Springs RY Co. kit. It is a beautifully cast model of a prototype that had four cars on the roster in 1952 (my modeling period). I wanted to support our manufacturers but the chance of ever seeing one of four cars out of over 700,000 boxcars on the rails in 1952. SC&F is talking about doing the composite car of this design. If they do I will be ordering that car.

The second new car was the Glacier Park Models AC&F GS Gondola. I did not get back in time to pick-up one of the new gondolas before they sold out what was on the table, I will get one, I’ll just have to order it.

I did get to attend one of the clinics, Lee Turner filled the room with people who wanted to hear about how he paints and weathers models. He was great, sharing lots of good advice from his experiences. My only wish was that it was longer. Lee is very generous in sharing his knowledge and skills.

I’ll post more on the layout tours and the trip later this week.