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PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR


The stock handrails on this RS-1 have been replaced with scale- sized handrails (above). Most of the end handrails (below center) were discarded. Only the center “Y” shaped piece was retained.


Prior to cutting the handrails from the stanchions, a drawing was made of the handrails to use as a template. The side handrails (bottom) received the same attention as the end handrails.


Realistic looking handrails for an HO scale Atlas RS-1


This change really improves the appearance of a fine model/Scott Lupia I


had the perfect shot. The lighting was killer, the diorama looked in- credibly realistic and the RS-1 was


detailed to within an inch of its life. So why the heck did this photo just look all wrong? Usually things like coupler trip pins or poorly painted figures make model photos look like, well, like photos of models. None of those prob- lems were evident in this photo. This photo should have looked too real to be a model. I would have been scratching my head for weeks on this one but for- tunately I had e-mailed the photo to a few friends and Don Spiro was able to enlighten me. The handrails on that Atlas RS-1 were thick, and I mean su- per thick. In scale terms it was like a 4″ drain pipe was used where a 1¹₂″ rail- ing was supposed to be. Well, I was re- lieved that I had my answer but was also uncertain about how I could fix this. I wasn’t happy with how they looked but these models are finished models and quite fragile. They don’t take too kindly to handling, let alone cosmetic modification.


A few moments later my computer 72 AUGUST 2012


made that annoying little sound it makes when e-mail arrives. Another e-


mail response came in regarding this photo, this time from master model railroader, Blake Tatar. Blake and I are kindred spirits when it comes to mod- eling things like this. He picked up on the handrail issue and offered a solu- tion. He advised me that .0125″ phos- phor bronze wire was the material I needed. I am not a diehard fan of wire handrails by any stretch of the imagi- nation. I always believed they would be delicate, prone to bending and difficult to paint. Blake assured me that the phosphor bronze wire would take paint well, resist deforming and be very re- silient over the life of the model. Throughout the years I have learned to


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