Comtrain goes H0! H0! H0!: September 2014

2014/09/21

2014_09_21

2014_09_21 a bit of a lull? Maybe too much RailPage :(

But yes things have been quiet around here, although several projects are on the go.

Work is continuing on the Branch line and thanks to some prodding from Graeme Schultz we even started experimenting with some landscaping (eh? scenery

Here we have laid some shaped foam on the flat surface to break it up a bit and then conered it with paper cloth, which has been glued down with white glue. The towel comes in large rolls from Aldi for a few dollars.

And using granulated paper mache product already impregnated with plaster , just add grout colour and water and spread it out with a trowel and smooth with your fingers. Better keep going before Graeme notices!

And after constant derailments and just frustration, I did rip up most of the track at Bullarto. (a long time ago?). Its time to run some trains and with Honeysuckle sitting on trestles, the branch line is the place to get operational. Just a few joins left, add the droppers and the branch will be able to run trains ( via the temporary connection near the scenery works).

Just three connections left. If I shut this thing down, I might get them done today :(

These two magnificent guards van were added recently. They are the best hand made epoxy pieces I have seen. Its a tribute to the skills of our young modellers who are using the modern equivalents of the old epoxy resins and creating strong accurately detailed beautiful HO models RTR to boot!!

Thank you Dave Luketic, you do great work, and show us old farts the hobby is in good hands. Dave is a Railway Man too, living the dream, and working close at hand. Thank you mate for my great vans.

Ok I am back in the Studio, and hopefully more to do today and in the next few days.
Cheers
Rod Young

About my Railway

The Australian National Railways was established by the Whitlam Federal Government following a commitment made in the 1972 election to invite the states to hand over their railway systems to the federal government. In July 1975 Australian National Railways was formed taking over the operations of the federal government owned Commonwealth Railways.

The state governments of South Australia and Tasmania whose railway systems were deeply in debt, accepted. During the next two years discussions between these two states and the federal government resulted in a number of staffing and operating agreements being made that resulted in all South Australian Railways services (except for the Adelaide metropolitan passenger network) and all Tasmanian Government Railways services transferring to Australian National Railway in March 1978, the latter being re-branded AN Tasrail.

At first Victoria declined to hand over its Railways, however a change of Government after Bolte retired meant Victoria could be absorbed into AN as well.
Despite doing everything they could to tarnish ALP leader Clyde Holding, The ALP were able to defeat Hamer who was seen to be just another Bolte, doing more of the same into the future.

Clyde Holding handed over Victorian Railways to the Commonwealth where it prospered as a division of AN retaining its VR colours until later when AN decided to re-brand it as V/Line.

My Railway thus reflects what could have been ;)
And of course National Rail (Pacific National) has no place in my little scenario. Australian National was never privatised and has continually taken East Coast loads off the Highways. As well many branch lines were upgraded and Whitlam's policy of decentralisation actually moved employment to towns with a ready pool of workers, which of course took the pressure of Melbourne which was starting to expand as bush kids moved away from the Country in search of education and employment ( just as Gough Whitlam envisaged it would do)
Rod Young

Comtrain goes H0! H0! H0!

2014/09/21

2014_09_21

Photographs

About Me

Time Line