Finished up a LaBelle passenger car.
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Very nice work. What's the story on LaBelle?
bigtruckpete posted:Very nice work. What's the story on LaBelle?
Google is your friend.
WOW! That looks great!
Labelle has been around for years and still has a website. They produce very nice craftsman kits of early 1900s passenger and freight cars. I built a couple of the freight cars some years ago. These make up into very detailed models with a little patience.
Really nice. I have a coach caboose I bashed from a LaBelle combine kit, but not that nice. I like that roadname, too, which I could use. Once at least two places in Wisconsin, I think LaBelle is now in Montana? I don't know of they still offer that CB&Q coach caboose?
Very nice work!
Did LaBelle ever release the Chapel Car in "O" scale?
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VERY, very nice, indeed!!! Gets the ol' wanna-build-sumpin' blood flowing for sure!!
Here's a couple wishes for LaBelle' future production:
1) A model of the funeral trolley Descanso which has had a really interesting life, including being a railfan's refuge at Summit atop Cajon Pass (the less dignant, but no less important/memorable portion of its life) for many years, and its current celebration, restored at a rail museum in CA.
2) A model of an old wooden 'coach' morphed into a roadside luncheonette with interior, signage, and a cook's nook building attached. I believe Stoney Creek did a kit of this sort (long gone, too pricey for moi on the secondary market!). LaBelle could surely do one justice with their woodworking, wooden passenger car expertise!
Of course, I request these on behalf of fellow O-gaugers, knowing full well that the (
) How Ordinary population would be the larger market. C'est la vie.
FWIW, always....
KD
KD,
You might want to eMail you desires directly to Rick Steele, owner of LaBelle Wood Working, as I don't think he has much time for viewing internet web sites.
I want to get a couple of passenger car kits, but it all comes down to availability of trucks, the only trucks I saw on their site were for On3.
Between trucks and decals it can be a tough go of it. Maybe the pendulum will swing and we'll start seeing more genuine O-scale offerings that cost less than the car they go under.
(fact)
BobbyD posted:Very nice work!
Did LaBelle ever release the Chapel Car in "O" scale?
Yes. It was a limited production run - could have picked one up at the last Chicago meet but I decided I had more than enough projects to last me forever.
dkdkrd posted:Here's a couple wishes for LaBelle' future production:
1) A model of the funeral trolley Descanso............
2) A model of an old wooden 'coach' morphed into a roadside luncheonette with interior, signage, and a cook's nook building attached.
Call or e-mail Rick at La Belle. But good luck on that - I tried to get him to just scale up the La Belle line of traction freight trailers that he produces in HO now more than 5-6 years ago -- nothing.
1) There are several examples of funeral trolleys - I know I have a few pictures of them in my files - future project tbd.....
2) Easier to just get a Le Belle kit off eBay or at a meet and DIY that project.
Bob Delbridge posted:I want to get a couple of passenger car kits, but it all comes down to availability of trucks, the only trucks I saw on their site were for On3.
Between trucks and decals it can be a tough go of it. Maybe the pendulum will swing and we'll start seeing more genuine O-scale offerings that cost less than the car they go under.
(fact)
I think you might be able to get the trucks from Wiseman Model Services, but they are certainly show up on eBay and the O scale meets.
Truck lack is the problems with the CB&Q coach caboose, but not restricted to that, or to only LaBelle, for sure.
LaBelle kits were fun to build. I didn't know they were still making them. Trucks maybe, but decals are becoming a problem.
Thank You for your replies.
I use MTH 19th. century passenger car trucks. Same one's they use on the Premier woodside passenger car sets.
Alphabet decals are available from multiple sources. Microscale is what I used, but old Champ, Walthers, current production Clover House dry transfers are some sources I can think of right off hand. You may have to do it one letter at a time, though.
mwb posted:dkdkrd posted:2) A model of an old wooden 'coach' morphed into a roadside luncheonette with interior, signage, and a cook's nook building attached.
2) Easier to just get a Le Belle kit off eBay or at a meet and DIY that project.
Martin,
Re item #2....I know....You're absolutely right. I've been pondering that for some time now....watching LaBelle items go by on that dreaded auction site. I can/could do it. I just need to get my mojo back for that sort of project. If I told you it took Dad (first crack at it!) and me (after a 45-year 'break') 50 years to complete an HO station model project shown in a 1956 issue of Model Railroader, would you get a clear picture of my...'problem'? And I left HO long ago!!!!
(My conscience looking at that 1/3-done project gathering dust, that pile of old musty-smelling basswood, that dog-eared copy of MR stuffed in the box, holiday relatives asking whether I ever finished Dad's 'project-gift', no cajones to give it to the circular depository next to the work bench, etc., etc., etc!!....AUGHHHHHHH!!!!! NOW may I have some peace of mind, Dad?!!!...and rest for your departed soul!)
Ergo, prospects for a scratched #2 above?.........I should live that long!
KD
NICE work.......I have a few in my stash......
Yo, guys!.....Re the lack-o'-trucks issue...
Agreed.
However, I see some real hope worthy of a concerted campaign. The name of the beneficiary of our prodding is....Kadee Products!!!!
Of course, they've long been into the HO trucks market......excellent diecast metal products. Then a couple years ago they released a couple new GORGEOUS diecast trucks in.....G!!! scale!!!
Are we gonna just sit here and let them get away with bypassing us in the O scale/gauge legion??
NO!!!! We're going to give them positive encouragement (with an occasional wedgie!) until they 'knuckle' down (pun-complementing their EXCELLENT, standard-of-the-industry O scale coupler line
) until they take up the slack in providing high quality, American-made diecast O gauge/scale trucks....passenger, freight, O2R, O3R, On?R.
Well, besides......there are 'street/alley rumors' that they've been thinking/working on this for some time. Time for RESULTS!!!!.......eh, what?
Soooooo......next time you're at a show where the Kadee folks are holding forth....or if your blogging urges get the best of you on this topic....give 'em some positive schmooze!!
Couldn't hurt.....might help.
And, no.....I, for one, do not want any more plastic truck kits!!!.....I don't care if they have metal wheels, or not!.....I want American Made, Non Zinc-Pesky-Pest, Die Cast Metal, Well-Detailed, Affordable-by-more-than-the-one-percenters, Free-Rolling, Never In Short Supply...O scale/gauge railroad car trucks.
(please, Kadee?)
KD
I like your idea of a great metal truck at affordable price....just do not see it happening.....
AMCDave posted:I like your idea of a great metal truck at affordable price....just do not see it happening.....
Yes. Sort of like demanding a Lambo for the price of a Yugo......
And, I actually prefer the plastic Athearn trucks with IM metal wheelsets - they roll forever... Now if they had only done a few pass trucks!
I thought I provided a source for die-cast metal trucks in my above post. Oh well...
As for freight, I too prefer the Athearn trucks with metal wheels.
Truck sideframes would be an ideal product to design and produce on a 3D printer.
Dale
