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Some thoughts on scratchbuilding


Getting started is a personal journey/Bob Walker


lot of us have interesting stories about how we came to the hob- by, and many of those tales re- volve around the Christmas holidays. A gift of a train set often leads to a life- time interest in trains, both model ones and real ones. In my own case, from 1954 to the Christmas just past, every one involved model trains. Even the scarey one overseas in 1968 (thank you, Bob Hope!) brought several maga- zine subscriptions and an HOn3 D&RGW water tower kit. That year cards and letters from home were more important than most can imagine, and the hobby magazines brought some respite to that horrible place. Trainsets still seem to be big busi-


A


ness, so I guess the tradition continues. In my case it was Lionel in 1954 at age ten, and later an Athearn HO set in 1958. I stayed a model railroader all through high school and college, taking time out for girls and cars, like many of the rest of my gender. In my case the cars were mostly for chasing trains. It is a good thing my Dad had a fast one– and that’s all I’m going to say. Coming of age in the western sub- urbs of Chicago in the late 1950’s and 1960’s was as fine a time to grow up as there ever was. There were steam trips running somewhere close almost every month. My closest circle of friends were mostly young railfan/modelers in those days. Now my closest friends are old railfan/modelers, and they are the same people. It seems that the friends you make in this hobby are friends you make for life.


My first attempt at building from


scratch, which took place in 1956, is best described as a learning experi- ence. I attempted to construct a ¹/₄″ scale wood caboose from a sanded- down (very much sanded!) yard stick. I won’t go into what a botch job that was. I knew nothing of scribed wood or cast detail parts. Once I discovered the local hobby shop and those who loitered there, life changed forever. That yard- stick caboose almost drove me from the hobby. What an eye-opening experience it was. Art’s Hobby Shop in downtown Downers Grove was a hole in the wall by most retail store standards, dimly lit and probably not all that clean. I


58 came to love the place.


Scratchbuilder’s Corner


Through the kindness of older friends and the hobby press I discov- ered a whole new world of possibilities. In that era, everyone had a Revell en- ginehouse, most had a Revell depot,


Working with plans (top) plus wood and plastic materials develops a modeler’s skill. Some commercial parts, such as windows (aboveand opposite)and doors, are well worth pur- chasing, but basically a structure is little more than a box made of siding, trim and a roof.


MARCH 2012


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