O scale show in Chicago March 14th

Well,

This is two weeks late and there have been some great reviews of the Chicago O scale show over on the 2 rail forum. I not only brought back a lot of nice trains from Chicago, but also the worst cold I have had in many years. Between dragging myself to work and trying to shake off this cold there has been no time for trains until this weekend.

I saw some very nice high dollar trains. This was my first visit to an O scale show, and it was well worth the long tip up the interstate. Here are a few pictures.

Terry Fushett and Mark Meeks from Memphis were at the show. They have developed a method to produce O scale passenger cars based a multitude of drawings they have cataloged. If I understand the process, a computer produces components for each car in plastic. All you have to do is assemble/ paint/ letter the car and add your own under frame, underframe details, and trucks. This is an over simplification of the process, but Terry and Mark had many interested folks at their table.

I picked up a very nice O scale smoke stack form Altoona Model Works. I also picked up a bunch of detail parts made from the old Walthers molds from Keil Line. Another vender also had a great selection of detail parts and I left a few $$ at his table.

I picked up the some nice rolling stock.

- A Weaver Troop Kitchen car, 3 rail - and yes, I check the frame and no sign of warping - for now. I paid way too much for it, but I do not see Weaver ever producing this car again.

- An Inter Mountain NYC drop bottom gondola, 3 rail.

- An Atlas NYC double sheathed box car, the CCC & StL version that I have been looking for. It was a 3 rail converted to 2 rail, and now it has been re converted to 3 rail.

I went Tank car crazy, since well detailed multi - dome tank cars are just not readily available in 3 rail O scale. I found a 2 dome and 3 dome tank car by US Hobbies painted and decorated. They were expensive, but they look great, and Atlas 3 rail trucks are now installed on each car.

The budget buster tank cars came from Norm"s O Scale. He had the Koppers 3 dome tank car by 3RD Rail and a Roma Wine Company 6 Dome tank car also by 3rd Rail. These cars will get their Atlas three rail trucks later tonight.

I am planning to go again next year, and take the wife. I will send her to Michigan Ave while I am at the show, and we will see who spends the most money.