Another O-27 creation, new addition as of 11/18/2021

Never ever sell anything.....LOL

Clever. 
Alan

Nice work Lionelski. One of my motivations for doing similar projects is that you often cannot buy the parts for these items for less than a potential selling price. A pair of those postwar AAR trucks (especially with working operating couplers) is going to be at least $10.00 from most parts vendors - provided they even have them.

Here's an idea for your consideration if it suits your thinking: I often browse through toy departments and check out bubblegum vending machines for small figures that are usable on our 0 gauge trains. I've got small Disney, Looney Toons, SpongeBob and Minion figures that are suitable size wise. It's been a while, but I've bought these figures for 50 cents out of vending machines. A couple years ago, Walmart had blister packs of Minion characters... a topic that got some attention here on the forum.

If Lionel made one of these cars with Bugs Bunny figures on it, they'd be selling them for $80-$90.00... a far cry from the $10.00 you were asking. Never mind that train cars with these figures on them are a real crowd pleaser, especially with kids.

I recently took a Pepe LePew figure that I got from a pencil, where his tail was wrapped around the pencil. I mounted the figure on the train table with his tail wrapped around the funnel of a smoke unit instead of a pencil. When I throw the switch, smoke rises from his tail. A simple operating accessory that takes up very little space on a layout, and yet still gets smiles from visitors.

Very nice!

brianel_k-lineguy posted:

I recently took a Pepe LePew figure that I got from a pencil, where his tail was wrapped around the pencil. I mounted the figure on the train table with his tail wrapped around the funnel of a smoke unit instead of a pencil. When I throw the switch, smoke rises from his tail. A simple operating accessory that takes up very little space on a layout, and yet still gets smiles from visitors.

 

Love this idea Brian. I can smell Pepe from here.

LOL

Thanks for the comments Dan and RSJB18

Great way to re-purpose and make something new to be enjoyed again out of something old.

My best train buddy is a huge fan of the trotters and is nostalgic for the long torn down Roosevelt Raceway that used to be here on LI.  He also collects Mint (bullion) cars.

I was glad to paint and decal this car for him.  Except for the white lettering/numbering. I printed the decals. 

I'm lovin' the way the logo window decals look like holograms.  I don't really care for the white car # but I can't get it off without damaging the paint, and I don't have any left over to touch up that spot. Oh well, he was thrilled so so am I.

This week's creation:

Great work John. I have fond memories of Roosevelt too. OK so maybe not the losing money part....

Bob

Lionelski posted:

My best train buddy is a huge fan of the trotters and is nostalgic for the long torn down Roosevelt Raceway that used to be here on LI.  He also collects Mint (bullion) cars.

I was glad to paint and decal this car for him.  Except for the white lettering/numbering. I printed the decals. 

I'm lovin' the way the logo window decals look like holograms.  I don't really care for the white car # but I can't get it off without damaging the paint, and I don't have any left over to touch up that spot. Oh well, he was thrilled so so am I.

 

That is really nice work!

Bob & Sean,

Thanks for the kind comments. If interested some of my other repaints are shown in the FAQ section on my website (link below).

I would have bought it, always looking for PW stuff that I don't have

John, I had a hunch you were printing your decals on a laser jet. I looked at your "home" page and see that is so. I've tended to stay away from doing that because the color saturation is not nearly as good as screen printed manufacturer made decals.

I can see by your tank car, the colors are somewhat muted. Did you select those colors as they are, or were the original colors you saw on your computer screen more vibrant than what you got as the finished product?

My other question is are you using a blank decal stock made specifically for use in a laser jet? I've tried using blank Microscale stock and wasn't at all happy with the results. I've since read there are specific blank decal sheets designed for use in a laser jet printer.

PS: Your granddaughter nailed it... that is with the drawing of grandpa!  That's cute.

Imaginative and interesting work--always enjoy the new ones.

Suggestion:  Edit the thread's title to include the date on which you add a new project.  Doing so makes it much easier to follow your projects.

brianel_k-lineguy posted:

John, I had a hunch you were printing your decals on a laser jet. I looked at your "home" page and see that is so. I've tended to stay away from doing that because the color saturation is not nearly as good as screen printed manufacturer made decals.

I can see by your tank car, the colors are somewhat muted. Did you select those colors as they are, or were the original colors you saw on your computer screen more vibrant than what you got as the finished product?

My other question is are you using a blank decal stock made specifically for use in a laser jet? I've tried using blank Microscale stock and wasn't at all happy with the results. I've since read there are specific blank decal sheets designed for use in a laser jet printer.

 

PS: Your granddaughter nailed it... that is with the drawing of grandpa!  That's cute.

Hi Brian,

Manufacturer made decals may be better, but can you buy one-offs for projects like mine?

Those were the colors I picked for the tank car, those decals were printed on clear paper so that lettering would be in the car's color. 

The decals on the Roosevelt Raceway "Mint" car were printed on white- I wanted the bright orange background. The window decals were printed on clear decal paper, lowest quality on the printer, for the hologram look.  

To avoid "silvering", it is best to apply decals over a gloss base. After painting and decaling I overspray everything with Testor's Dullcoat - I only like shiny trains if they are tinplate.

I buy Laser Jet decal paper (comes in clear or white) from World Paper, you can find it on Amazon or EBAY. If printing light colors, either apply to a VERY light background or use the white backed decal paper and cut out your design. 

I love the pic my granddaughter drew, it was 9 years ago, she is 14 now - thanks for the mention.

Thanks Carl, glad to hear that you enjoy seeing these projects - they are fun to do.

Good suggestion about adding a date for future projects

John nice work on all three.  The RR bullion car is way cool even though I only remember the tack for the flea market.

Ever notice how resourceful freight lines can be with old hoppers and gondolas? Well I did and copied them with two broken gondolas from my junk box and two good gondolas. No damage to the good gonds, and the new tops are removable.

Thanks for the photos of the repurposed 6462's (?) and for the date in the edited thread title.

Lionelski posted:

brianel_k-lineguy posted:

John, I had a hunch you were printing your decals on a laser jet. I looked at your "home" page and see that is so. I've tended to stay away from doing that because the color saturation is not nearly as good as screen printed manufacturer made decals.

I can see by your tank car, the colors are somewhat muted. Did you select those colors as they are, or were the original colors you saw on your computer screen more vibrant than what you got as the finished product?

My other question is are you using a blank decal stock made specifically for use in a laser jet? I've tried using blank Microscale stock and wasn't at all happy with the results. I've since read there are specific blank decal sheets designed for use in a laser jet printer.

 

PS: Your granddaughter nailed it... that is with the drawing of grandpa!  That's cute.

Hi Brian,

Manufacturer made decals may be better, but can you buy one-offs for projects like mine?

Those were the colors I picked for the tank car, those decals were printed on clear paper so that lettering would be in the car's color. 

The decals on the Roosevelt Raceway "Mint" car were printed on white- I wanted the bright orange background. The window decals were printed on clear decal paper, lowest quality on the printer, for the hologram look.  

To avoid "silvering", it is best to apply decals over a gloss base. After painting and decaling I overspray everything with Testor's Dullcoat - I only like shiny trains if they are tinplate.

I buy Laser Jet decal paper (comes in clear or white) from World Paper, you can find it on Amazon or EBAY. If printing light colors, either apply to a VERY light background or use the white backed decal paper and cut out your design. 

I love the pic my granddaughter drew, it was 9 years ago, she is 14 now - thanks for the mention.

I like that tank car John I see my advice to you how to prepare a subject before putting decals on is working

lee drennen posted:

 

 

 

I like that tank car John I see my advice to you how to prepare a subject before putting decals on is working

Thanks Lee, glad that you like it, it looks even better in person.  I'm running it now on a unit train of 13 of Lionel's chemical tank cars pulled by my Postwar Virginian FM Trainmaster. Pulling up the rear is a caboose I painted and decaled several months ago to match this engine.

I had silvering issues about 5% of the time with my custom paint projects. Thanks to your advice I now realize that it only occurred when I applied decals over a flat finish such as a primer that was the color I wanted, requiring the need for decal removal and re-application of a new one to get it right, sometimes twice. 

No issues with the "Mint" car or the tank car painted in gloss before decaling.

Sounds great John glad I could help. What’s next on your list? 

I posted this in the "just having dome Fun with our Railroads" thread yesterday, but I think that this is where I should have posted.

There's Gold in them there hills!

So, I was runnin' my Postwar Alaska RR set and said to myself: "Self, that Alaskan hopper sure looks empty". Know what?  I agreed with myself this time.

I therefor went about to makin' a gold load for it. Looks pretty good next two the two modern era Alaskan Bullion ("Mint") cars IMHO.

From 2 broken cabs comes this new creation. Can you guess which Postwar F3 this will follow behind???

Nice job on the caboose.  I made that same caboose about 30 years ago.

Lionelski posted:

brianel_k-lineguy posted:

I recently took a Pepe LePew figure that I got from a pencil, where his tail was wrapped around the pencil. I mounted the figure on the train table with his tail wrapped around the funnel of a smoke unit instead of a pencil. When I throw the switch, smoke rises from his tail. A simple operating accessory that takes up very little space on a layout, and yet still gets smiles from visitors.

 

Love this idea Brian. I can smell Pepe from here.

LOL

Marx flavor smoke from Megasteam wpuld work.  Also an area around Pepe with wilted plantlife!

Dominic Mazoch posted:

Lionelski posted:

brianel_k-lineguy posted:

I recently took a Pepe LePew figure that I got from a pencil, where his tail was wrapped around the pencil. I mounted the figure on the train table with his tail wrapped around the funnel of a smoke unit instead of a pencil. When I throw the switch, smoke rises from his tail. A simple operating accessory that takes up very little space on a layout, and yet still gets smiles from visitors.

 

Love this idea Brian. I can smell Pepe from here.

LOL

Marx flavor smoke from Megasteam would work.  Also an area around Pepe with wilted plantlife!

Everyone needs a Great Northern Railway caboose.

Nothing I liked out there with that PostWar flair so I printed decals, painted, and made my own:

John you just keep pumping out hits. I really like your GN paint job.

@coach joe posted:

John you just keep pumping out hits. I really like your GN paint job.

Thanks Coach.

This is my 13th custom painted and/or bashed caboose, all to match PW Lionel engines, none have a true prototype:

Warrenville RR, Rock Island, Western Pacific, LIRR, Norfolk & Western, Milwaukee Road, Union Pacific, Erie Lackawanna, New Haven,  Virginian, Illinois Central, Wabash and now Great Northern.

I love projects!

A couple new junk box builds.

Last month I completed a flat car made from an old tender frame to carry a load of Jim Beam wooded cores cut from Bourbon barrels that I received at their factory tour in Kentucky a couple years ago. A pic of this car is attached.

You may recall that in the past I made several extended cabooses, each  from two Lionel SP type cabooses. These builds are referred to earlier in this thread.

A pic of this creation is also attached.

No pix John.......must not have really happened.

@RSJB18 posted:

No pix John.......must not have really happened.

Odd.

Attached, again here.

Nice!

Thanks RSJB18,

Here are a couple pics of other Lionel SP caboose stretch projects I made. I love F&F (Fun & Free) projects!

As someone here's tag line reads "SCROUNGE!".

So, I needed a caboose to match the Lionel Post War New Haven 209 Alco pair I bought at York.

I made this guy from a $5. junk box find at the First Frost Allentown meet:

Looks awesome! JohnA