Model Railroad

Free-lancing for fun!

Leave a Comment / O Scale, Scratch Building /

 

Free-lancing for fun!

by Joe Zappa

It all started when a friend of mine decided she wanted to build a model railroad for fun.

She bought some track, a loco and a couple of cars… in On30, and started building a layout with some help from her nephews…bear in mind, she is 70 years old, but very young at heart !  Along the way she saw a little “bobber” caboose that she really liked and commented on, and right away I knew that I just needed to make her one.

I had a variety of materials laying around, and I love to scratch-build, so I put together some basic dimensions along with an idea in my head and jumped in.

Materials used for an On30 scale “Bobber” Caboose

The materials I used were very basic; some sheet styrene, some flat bamboo strips and some brass.  I laid out a basic floor and underbody, some walls and roof pieces in styrene, and decided on a diagonal planking scheme for the bamboo planking.  The concept is that of a “home brew” bobber that might have been built with various pieces laying around the yard at some little narrow gauge, short line operation.

The basic elements came together quickly. At this point I decided the car would have a simple platform on one end, and therefore needed some end railing…. out came the brass rod and soldering tools and I fabbed up something basic, with a little bit of flare. I know my friend would want something “cute” so I kept that in mind.

After laying out, soldering and test fitting, it was time to start the assembly and making the windows and trim boards…again using various bits of styrene I had laying around.

I also decided that a simple battery powered lighting set up for the end lanterns and an Interior light would be best in this case.  End lanterns…yes…some tiny LED lights, a bit of aluminum tube and powered by a watch battery via a small switch.  Simple enough.

Ok…moving on. I pirated a truck/wheel-set from a spares box, along with a coupler and got those mounted. Checked with my NMRA gauge and everything lined up nicely.

I know that my friend likes red, so I primed everything and airbrushed the basic red color and proceeded to weather the little car. Trim was done in white, and weathered with a little dust and grime, and a few rusty nail streaks. I added a chimney made from aluminum tube and some purposely slack support wires. I felt that since this was a humble little railroad, they probably didn’t always do the best upkeep !

A few simple decals were added and the whole thing was sealed up with a satin finish. I then added some window glazing made from clear plastic from some container or other, and made a little birdhouse to hang from the rear facia boards.  A small brass planter railing was soldered and put on the front, and a styrene planter box with some flowers for good measure.

Just a fun little freelance project built over a couple of days and is sure to make my friend smile !

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Rails, Smiles and Community: Southern New Mexico N Scalers Bring T-Trak to Life at Mesilla Valley Mall

Leave a Comment / Southern New Mexico N Scalers /

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – JULY 25, 2026

The sound of miniature locomotives rolling down the rails, the excitement of children watching trains make their way through a miniature world and plenty of smiles filled the Mesilla Valley Mall on Saturday as the Southern New Mexico N Scalers hosted their T-Trak Run Day. 

For railroad enthusiasts, families, curious shoppers and everyone who simply enjoys seeing something a little different, the event offered a wonderful glimpse into the world of N-scale model railroading and demonstrated that model trains are about much more than trains. 

They are about people, creativity, imagination and togetherness. 

What is T-TRAK?

T-TRAK is a modular model railraod system designed around individual sections, or modules, that can be connected together to create a much larger layout. 

Unlike traditional permanent model railroad, a T-TRAK layout can be assembled, rearranged, expanded and transported. Each modeler can build and decorate their own module while following standardized track and wiring specifications. When the module comes together, individual scenes become part of one interconnecting miniature railroad. 

This modular approcah is what makes T-TRAK so special

One person’s module might feature a small-town business. Another might represent a farm, a railroad industry, or even Noah’s Ark.Put them together and suddenly those individual creations become a living railroad community. 

It’s much like the real railroad itself: different places, different people, different stories but all connected by the rails.  

Perhaps the most memorable part of the July 25 Run Day wasn’t any one particular locomotive, module or scenic detail. It was the reaction of the people who stopped to watch. Their smiles when the train came around the bend. The questions of how the tiny structures were built. The childhood memories of their first train set.

There were people who simply stopped simply because they were walking from one side of the mall to the other an something caught their eye. 

For a few moments, the busy mall became a place where people slowed down, looked, talked and shared experiences with one another.

If the smiles and wonder seen at the Mesilla valley Mall that day are any indication of the future of model railroading, teh Southern New Mexico N Scalers are traveling down a very promising track. 

The trains may be small – but the friendships, creativity and community they create are anything but.

T-TRAK Togetherness
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