The following is a list of projects I will be undertaking over the up and coming years in 1.5" Scale...
To start with, a small Bobber Caboose. Due to space, I will stick with (at first) small cars. You have to first realize one thing though, "small" cars are still 2' 6" long and weight in upwards of 80 to 100lbs. My first car will be a kit sold by Mountain Car Company. It is a short, 2' 6", 2 axle Bobber Caboose. It will be painted to match the LGB Uintah Caboose and constructed with the capolla on the end like the example on the right.
After the construction of the Bobber, I will go with my first metal car. Both the Ore Tipper and Bobber are made of wood, the Wagon Top Boxcar shown below is Aluminum and Steel. This car is help together by some 4000+ rivets, it will be a time consuming car to build. The results should be beautiful though.
At this point I plan on leaving kits behind. Although they are nice and simplistic in that all needed parts are included, there is a very limited number of kits offered. My first entirely scratch built metal car will be a 33,000 gallon Whale Belly Tank Car.
I will also be constructing a standard Stock car out of wood. The difference that will set this Stock car apart from the others is the detailing, which will include cattle and a cattle sound generator within the car.
Another of my favorite cars is the classic PFE Reefer, otherwise know as the Pacific Fruit Express. These cars existed in the 1940s and 1950s. They were used to transport produce coast to coast. Again, like the Stock car, this car will be entirely scratch built out of wood.
Now, on to the big stuff. When I mean big, I mean big. A Union Pacific Class 4000 BigBoy in 1.6" Scale. The engine will be around 20' in length, and weigh in at just around 6000lbs fully fueled and ready to go. Very few BigBoys have been constructed in this scale, only about 4 or 5 around the world. I hope to construct the sixth. I anticipate once started, this project will take upwards of 10 years to complete, but the results are worth every minute.
