Tom’s Corner
Tips, techniques and commentary from Master Model Railroader Tom Piccirillo
One of my favorite hobby activities is rebuilding old model railroad equipment that I have acquired over the years from friends, estate sales, and flea markets. I think it’s really cool to transform what appears to be a pile of junk into a high quality model. So, the time came to restore a beat-up O scale brass model of a Pennsylvania P54 coach that’s been in storage for about 35 years.
Tom’s Corner
Tips, techniques and commentary from Master Model Railroader Tom Piccirillo
Back in the 1960’s, when I was a teenager, I used to ride my bike several miles to view the annual model railroad show at the Central Jersey Model Railroad Club in Westfield, NJ. Although I liked watching the huge O scale steam and diesel locomotives hauling their heavy trains down the main line, I found myself highly fascinated by the operation of the model trolley cars that plied their way from one town to another on the layout . . . over, under, and around the main line tracks. I was hooked. Modeling O scale traction was to become my life-long passion. Collecting electric current from the wire suspended over the tracks in order to power the cars was the ultimate in realism, and I had to prove this could work in reliable fashion, even in model form.
Every chainmaille artist owns at least two different pliers and each has his/her own preference for brand and style. Having had the opportunity to meet with many different artists and designers, we’ve isolated three essential Xuron® brand pliers for chainmaille work.
Somerset County Traction System’s huge interurban combine had been in the shop for two months. “Ol’ number 36” (as she is affectionately called by the shop crews) was being rebuilt from the rail up. She got new trucks, new motors, new underbody equipment, new seats, new lights and a new paint job in brilliant Traction Orange. Finishing touches involved installing the handrails . . . now that the paintwork and lettering were complete.
