Our Clever Forum Member CandO ( new photos added 9-29-11)

Just got back from the National O-scale meet in Indy and saw this post. WOW, Keith, you did a fantastic job!!! Wish I would have put together a Polar Express so that I could have a car like this!! Brian...I don't blame you being so proud to have this beautiful piece of art and craftsmanship!!

Thanks for the pictures!
Alan

Thank you very much Steve and Alan.
I'm glad that so many here like the finished product.

Simply gorgeous.

A Masterpiece !!

Eliot

Thank you Eliot.

Passenger Train Collector suggested that I should post some pictures of my Polar Express RPO, on this thread.
Jeff Sohn did the wonderful paint job for me...





...I then added "snow" to it...



...and TW Trainworx elf 4-pack(I added mail and Santa bag to them)...



...the little guys were then assigned to duty inside the RPO...









...and here is my K-Line operating milk car that I repainted in Polar Express blue...

Keith:

Thanks for posting the RPO photos. They are very appropriate to this thread. This makes this set very unique and it is again representative of your many creative talents.

Wow!!!! That just seriously got me motivated to start on the holiday layout. "hey honey were putting up the **** tree tonight" WHAT!!!
Well I tried I'll give it a couple more weeks.
But seriously CandO great job that is just stunning I really like the rpo and the elves sorting mail, well just great.

quote:

Originally posted by Passenger Train Collector:
Keith:

Thanks for posting the RPO photos. They are very appropriate to this thread. This makes this set very unique and it is again representative of your many creative talents.

No...thank you Brian.

quote:

Originally posted by LORDtryzAlot:
Wow!!!! That just seriously got me motivated to start on the holiday layout. "hey honey were putting up the **** tree tonight" WHAT!!!
Well I tried I'll give it a couple more weeks.
But seriously CandO great job that is just stunning I really like the rpo and the elves sorting mail, well just great.

LMAO!
Thank you very much.

I have been admiring your work and am remiss in not saying anything. What a fabulous job!

I also have to admit that I have not been a big booster of the Polar Express trains. I LOVE THE BOOK and the MOVIE, but for some reason just didn't get into the model train. Probably because they didn't seem realistic enough or something, but after seeing this I am a believer!!!

Awesome job!!!

Art

Art:

You have to pick up the book the Art of the Polar Express. It gives a comprehensive look at how this fabulous movie came together.

As far as the scale PE set, it is easy to be a fan with a train headed by the beautiful scale Pere Marquette Berk and some very nice passenger cars. Keith just took very good and made it better.

Keith,

I just stumbled on this post, although I've seen your Youtube Christmas posts previously. I didn't put the two together until now.  Our family are certified bell listeners. With three grandkids, we live the Polar Express at Christmastime.  We have three sets of PE trains.  I have both the 027 (with all of the add-ons) and the scale PE sets (with both tenders) and my grandson has a set.  BUT, after seeing your modifications, I don't know if I'll ever be able to look lovingly at my observation car again.  Ugh! Mine just became incredibly ugly.  What a fantastic job you did.  Your modeling skills are something to be admired.  Congratulations.  Can't wait to see your next project.  Leaving now to pack up my PE obs cars.

Ron, the newbie.

Excellent job Keith, you are becoming a master model maker for sure.

John

Brian,
That's a very nice car. It'll be a nice addition to your consist. Keith did a wonderful job with it. It's funny how even after this long that the PE train still stirs excitement in everyone. I guess your only a kid once and if your a kid into model trains you get the pleasure of being a kid all your life . Yep we're a pretty lucky bunch indeed .

David

David:

 

There is a strong message here. The PE experience evoked so many memories of just how wonderful trains and Christmas go together. The release of the scale 1225 and the related scale passenger cars gave rise to additional excitement above and beyond the original starter set. I don't see any let up to the interest in this combination.

 

Thanks for your comments, and as usual, I totally agree with you. It has been nice to get to know you better.

Ron,

 

Thank you so much for the nice comments.

I'm glad your family hears the bell.  The Polar Express and Polar RailRoad items are a huge part of my collection and I enjoy them a lot.  I like them the way they came from Lionel, but I enjoy changing things to better suit me.  Mine and Brian's observation cars are by far the most enjoyable and yet the scariest projects I have worked on in O.

 

Now, get those PE observation cars back out

Any thoughts of making a casting?

I would be very interested in one of these.  Very interested.

Keith should be a designer for Lionel or MTH. The man has MAD SKILLS!

 

Keith is absolutely the best. This project all started with the book, The Art of the Polar Express. For all you PE fans, this is a must have book. When Keith got his copy of this book and saw the designer's rendition of the observation car, he was off to the drawing boards to create a fabulous copy of what the designer intended the rear end of the observation car should look like. Keith and I shared many e-mails about his progress and I am so appreciative that he agreed to customize mine.

 

The other side to this story is the fact we would have never known each other nor would this project ever happened if it were not for this Forum. Many thanks go to Rich and Allan and all of the good folks at OGR for making this available to all of us.

JUST BEAUTIFUL WORK KEITH AS ALWAYS

 

THANKS, ALEX

Excellent work Keith!     Too bad you do not work for Lionel as a model maker. Your work is fantastic!  You are the best!   Please take care.