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Equipment on the N-scale "Pokey"

My equipment is a fairly good representation of the units that have traversed the "pokey" over the years. Everything from steam to diesel can be found on my roster.  From a large N&W class Y6a 2-8-8-2 (Rivarossi),  right up to modern power like the new SD-60 from Atlas, all shine the rails of the n-scale Pocahontas Division. There is a mix of  Alco and GM products; including GP-9s, SD-45s, F-7s and RS-3's, RS-11's.  These units are painted in a variety of schemes reflecting the history of each road, show-casing three time periods;  the late fifties, the mid-sixties and the year 1982 to present. I have one or two visitors to the layout as well, a Clinchfield U-boat and  SD-40, plus a wayward SD-45, custom painted in EMD's demonstrator colours. The Clinchfield units represent interchange traffic, although the two railroads only exchanged cars at St.Paul, Virginia, a hundred or so miles from Iaeger. I am also a big  Clinchfield fan, so I had to work this road in somehow. I also own a couple of  lease units from HATX. Although more common  here in Montreal, I figured they can be used during a period of increased traffic.

I have over 35 units on my roster plus 280-odd pieces of rolling stock. My freight cars are from a mix of manufacturers with Kadee trucks and couplers installed. Atlas and Roundhouse cars are  predominant but I have acquired many Micro-Trains and other odds and ends from companies like Bachmann, Lifelike and Deluxe Innovations. The bulk of my freight cars are coal hoppers, 60 are Atlas three-bay units. The other 45 or so are Roundhouse, Micro-Trains and other odds and ends. I plan to acquire more of the new Deluxe Innovation Bathtub gons as time and money permit. The rest of my of rolling stock are boxcars, auto-racks, grain hoppers and TOFC flatcars. I recently completed a computer inventory of my system and now realize how easy it is to keep track of everything when its on a diskette. I have  pledged to up-date my inventory everytime I add a new piece of equipment.

My collection comprises a large number of custom-painted units and cars. I have become quite handy at air-brush painting and really enjoy modeling particular units.  I jumped into custom painting when I realised many NS units were not available from manufacturers because of both N&W and Southern's use of the high-hood on so many of their diesels. My first high-hood conversions were on  GP-38's by LifeLike.  I experimented next with a Kato SD-45!  I took my time and am quite pleased with the results. I next attempted a GP-35, when GHQ announced their high-hood conversion kit. Great I thought, until I saw the price sticker, I decided my work with styrene was convincing enough and I will continue with my cheaper conversions for now.  I now have two GP-38's, a Southern SD-40, an NS SD-45 and two GP-35's with  hi-hoods. By adding bells, new horns, plows, antennae and other detail parts each unit takes on an individual character. Over half of my current roster are custom painted units, most sporting the 'thoroughbred' paint scheme.

I also like to weather my units using a combination of air-brush , dry-brush and chalk effects. I really enjoy seeing my weathered locos and cars emerging from a tunnel bearing a coat of soot and road grime. Even a light coat of weathering makes everything appear a little more real.  Weathering our tracks, scenery, buildings and trains help make our minature worlds a little more convincing.

Custom Painted and Kit-bashed Units on the Pokey

vcrysler@videotron.ca

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