# Accessories for the Layout



## T-Man

I didn't feed the E bay Monster today. The old American Yardsale 2 bucks each.

One's man Trash is another man's Treasure

1:43 scale, Ok for the plugger, The perfectionists???


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## Boston&Maine

Some nice looking cars there, looks like one is an Olds 442... Are they true O scale, 1:48, or something different? It seems that I can not find 1:48 cars anywhere, except from MTH where they charge outragous amounts for them... I need to hit up a couple yardsales or a flea market some day, I have not done that for a while


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## T-Man

*Plasticville*

The other car is a Road Runner of 1970 vintage.

I'm showing a Plasticville Station, nothing fancy, but adds a retro feel to a layout ,a toast to the golden age of Rock and Roll and Lionel Trains.











Sometime you just don't get all the pieces, so model it a constuction in progress.Just a thought.


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## Boston&Maine

T-Man said:


> Sometime you just don't get all the pieces, so model it a constuction in progress.Just a thought.


I love that idea a lot T-Man... I tried responding to the picture in the gallery, but I am having trouble with that for some reason


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## T-Man

*Marx Switch Tower*

Of course,O scale made by Marx. the Switch Tower
Both men move, one steps outside. OOps I'm missing the steps.
Top Interior shot is in my gallery. B&M I haven't had any problem reply on the gallery.


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## T-Man

*Milk Platform*

I manufactured a deck using tin snips, and a dremel cutting disc for the tabs.The metal is actually a truss plate from a home improvement store.Buying repro pieces is just no fun.


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## T-Man

*O Scale Building*

I came across an old cutout book of paper buildings.
I added the images to foam core to make them durable. 
This is the first one.


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## tworail

Looks good. I have always wanted to do some of these again, I used to have some really nice ones on my HO layout when I was a kid. The one I remember the best was a farm setup, had a huge barn and all the outbuildings and a farmhouse I think. Looked really sharp when it was all put together.


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## T-Man

*Old Station*

Lionel Prewar Station number 137 built 1937 to 1942.


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## T-Man

The Local drugstore can surprise you. If you e bay, a lot of the O scale accessory vehicles come from dept. stores.


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## Boston&Maine

T-Man said:


> The Local drugstore can surprise you. If you e bay, a lot of the O scale accessory vehicles come from dept. stores.


So true, but a lot of that seems to be either 1:43 or 1:64... For the life of me, I still can not find any 1:48 scale vehicles in any stores near me


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## Lionel1062

I have found several 1:43 scale die-cast cars at the local Dollar General store. I am also a car enthusiast, and I collect models of what I drive (Ford Mustangs and Dodge Chargers). I tend to find them in the most unexpected places. I would start by hitting up the toy section in all of your local dollar stores, you would be surprised at what you might find.


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## T-Man

*Home made trestle*

WIth track increasing I needed to give my trestles a little needed advantage. So I increased the width for flexibility. The tunnel is 4,1/8 inches by 4, 1/8ths. THe home made trestle is 4, 5/8ths high. I copied the trestle height and check out the dimensions from a foam tunnel I have. The rest was cut with a coping saw and wall pappered with my paper O scale buildings cut to fit. I had to hide the widows though. 
I made three but I need only one for now.I used quarter inch plywood for the top for strength because the wood boards split along the grain. I painted the seams gray and printed in black and white to match.

On line there are many sites that have printable aides for backdrops etc. I thought of brick but just used what I had. Some I found were pay sites.










I just checked this thread has 600 views!. I don't remember seeing that many.


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## T-Man

Wallmart comes through with a 1/43 scale series. I had to go to a bigger store in Seabrook. It's the American Grafitti series. I guess I will have to take it out of the box sometimes. The other model they had was a 56 chevy. 

Some recent Finds

















1/43 scale


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## T-Man

*Marx Bell*

Through inspiration again. I was jealous of Ed's bell engine. So I got a Marx Bell Signal to satisfy my bell sound fever. Well, two actually.










Other neat things are the 253 Block signal and the 154 Highway Signal, and the Marx version to the right.
The link to make a track section operate the crossing signals.


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## T-Man

*New Project*

This accessory should be done today and will be posted herel It is a scale accessory that was a bright idea.

"Getcha Comics Heeeree! The Latest T-man, Fights for Train Rights. Oonly a nickel."


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## T-Man

*More Signs*


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## T-Man

*Hold the Bus!*

I have seen these in Oscale mags and found one today, at my LHS, RITE AID. I was lookinf at an old caddilac El Dorado, but the bus won.


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## Boston&Maine

It the bus 1:43, 1:48, or 1:64?


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## Big Ed

T-Man said:


> Through inspiration again. I was jealous of Ed's bell engine. So I got a Marx Bell Signal to satisfy my bell sound fever. Well, two actually.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Other neat things are the 253 Block signal and the 154 Highway Signal, and the Marx version to the right.
> The link to make a track section operate the crossing signals.


T Man what year is your 154 signal?

I got few the couple that need work I got in a junk lot.
The one complete I got for $11.00.
All of them work.


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## T-Man

Ed if you noticed they are well built. I am not sure how I bought them. One may have came with an F-3 set circa late 40's. One auction lot had a wide range if towers and signals. 

The reference has the 148 with screw bulbs made prior to 1950. The cross signs were cast wth raised letters.


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## T-Man

*O Scale Bus*

Wikipedia has the length of the average bus at 40 feet. 1/48 oe 1/4 inch for each foot is 8 inches the length od the model The scale width is just under 8 feet. The bus looks small since the lady is 6 feet in scale and standing on her own ground piece.

The bus was with the larger scale cars and the only one left.


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## T-Man

My latest is an aquisition from a doll show. A carved wood bear. Just had to have it.


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## tjcruiser

That could be Big Ed's black bear from his NJ thread!


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## Big Ed

tjcruiser said:


> That could be Big Ed's black bear from his NJ thread!


That's not a Jersey Bear, it's not mean looking enough. 
And it's Brown too.

A picture of the most ferocious thing in The Mini state! 
Run for your life if you encounter one of these in a dark alley, 

I captured one at Rhode Islands only truck stop in the state last week.



Do not attempt to capture this by yourself.......:laugh:


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## Big Ed

Then again this guy wrestled this while coming home from fishing.
Caught it on the dock near Providence, RI.

It might have my truck stop catch beat.:laugh:


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## tjcruiser

What the ...??? 

That's not a RAT on the dock, is it? Bloody huge, whatever it is.

We certainly do have our critters here in RI ... lots of coyote, nasty fisher cats, the occasional black bear, and big-haired people from Cranston. The former I can tolerate, though I try to avoid that last one at all costs! :laugh:

TJ


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## T-Man

Try Possum?


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## T-Man

big ed said:


> That's not a Jersey Bear, it's not mean looking enough.
> And it's Brown too.
> 
> A picture of the most ferocious thing in The Mini state!
> Run for your life if you encounter one of these in a dark alley,
> 
> I captured one at Rhode Islands only truck stop in the state last week.
> 
> 
> 
> Do not attempt to capture this by yourself.......:laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 3225


Well, I am going to call my bear.

BIG ED


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## Reckers

Nice stuff! T-Man, I really liked the building-under-construction idea. I recently was given a 1:24 scale 1956 T-bird convertible---turquoise and white, spare-tire cover on the back bumper. It's really pretty, but I don't know what I'm gonna do with it. *L* Has the giver's company name on the hood, trunk, and both doors.


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## zipper69

I've seen pop machines on some layouts. Anyone know where those came from? What website?


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## Big Ed

zipper69 said:


> I've seen pop machines on some layouts. Anyone know where those came from? What website?


What scale O?

I got some coke machines, along with cases of coke bottles.


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## zipper69

scale of "O"


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## Big Ed

zipper69 said:


> scale of "O"


Heres one http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_tr...+scale+coke+machine&_sacat=See-All-Categories

there's more hold on....

http://cgi.ebay.com/UPRIGHT-SODA-MA...ewItem&pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item51939d51c3

soda bottles.....http://cgi.ebay.com/SODA-CASES-qty-...ewItem&pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item563d7e6992

I have dealt with this seller and he is A OK in my book.

emty case with loose bottles?.....http://cgi.ebay.com/EMPTY-SODA-CASE...ewItem&pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item563d0b28a9

soda chest.....http://cgi.ebay.com/OPEN-TOP-TYPE-S...ewItem&pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item5193299563


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## zipper69

Thanks Big Ed!


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## Big Ed

zipper69 said:


> Thanks Big Ed!



Check these out Zipper not a bad price for them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vending-Machine...ewItem&pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item518da52674


edit...,
I thought that price was for 4 of them.


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## T-Man

Found this figure in a junk box. Right to scale. All business.


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## Big Ed

T-Man said:


> Try Possum?



I was going through T man old posts and saw that I never answered this. It is not a possum T. It's a wharf rat.
Big fellow huh?


big ed said:


> Then again this guy wrestled this while coming home from fishing.
> Caught it on the dock near Providence, RI.
> 
> It might have my truck stop catch beat.:laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 3226


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## overlander

Hey T-man . Loved looking at your buildings and accessories . I've spent the last month building my own buildings and I'm on my last one . Should be done in a week or so . I've also been buying up cars and trucks to place around them . Next - lighting ! There's a big train show next Saturday about seventy miles from here , so I'll be looking for Yard lights , crossing lights and those cool lights that sit along the tracks . I have no idea what those mean , but it doesn't matter too much . I'm not too serious about authenticity . Just about having fun with it and making it the way I like it . Cliff


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## Reckers

Great stuff, Bob! You're really creative---it's nice to see what you've put together, over time. I can't wait to get my stuff unpacked and get back into the game.


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## T-Man

This thread is a non standard O scale items. I prowl around looking for different things adaptable to O scale. I also covered the common plasticville with the wall missing. The obvious answer was " It hasn't been built yet" 

I am looking forward to when you are ready to post "tours" of your layouts.


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## tjcruiser

I'll put my Lego-building kids in the spotlight here:


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## Big Ed

Nice, don't they have any Lego people?

Need some to go with the buildings.


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## tjcruiser

Ha ha ... yeah, the kids have Lego people ... but mostly astronaut and Star Wars guys. Maybe we should have Darth Vader drive that old 221 streamliner ?!?!?

Cheers,

TJ


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## overlander

Not only cute , but show imagination ! Cliff


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## T-Man

I find Lego pieces scattered about the table. Hitch hikers that fell off.

My latest is a wife purchase. More green aliens.










Got a bag of them.


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## tjcruiser

... next to the glowing toxic nuclear waste car ... CLASSIC!

TJ


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## T-Man

You have to keep up skills so I used some gloss white and a sharpie for the eyes. The uniforms are a Mediterranean blue with violet collars.
It's just acrylic craft paint and fast drying.


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## T-Man

*Small Tiles*

My wife returned with some tile samples from a yard sale. The small ones were pried loose. So with clean up of the glue with a belt sander ,this is it.


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## tjcruiser

Looks like they're hauling a load from your beloved Granite State!!!

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn

Well, you've added plenty of weight!


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## T-Man

It does weight. Empty trains aren't fun.  
The large pieces would work for the tenders.


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## haphall

I love the Little Green Men. And Lionel and Lego together! When I was a kid, I had all that and a Marx circus and German Shuco cars running everywhere.
Ahh youth.


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## queensny

T-man where did you get the green aliens?

thanks


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## T-Man

The aliens were in a bag of 18 from a Savers Thrift store.

I found it Grab an Alien game Toy Story.










I had to paint them.


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## Big Ed

They would look good sitting in a couple of gondola cars.

Are you secretly working on an Alien train T?


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## haphall

I have almost as much tied up in PIXAR memorabilia as I do in trains. I've not seen that set of LGM before right now.


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## T-Man

I got inspired with the Olive drab color of the Marine 1684 byJoe 7034 I decided to paint some wood barrels. I mixed a brown with a forest green.


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## Artieiii

At $92.66 a barrel for oil that means that at 1:48 scale each of those barrels is worth about $1.90 /) /)


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## tjcruiser

Looks realistic / weathered. Are those _wood_ barrels ???

TJ


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## T-Man

Yes, they are wood. Do have a Mill Store near you? They have unfinished furniture and other wood crafts. I get barrels, and spools from them. A craft store may have them too.

Those little acrylic bottles are great. BY mixing incompletely you get shades of two colors, plus they are flat, not glossy. Neat huh!

Here is an unfinished one with a Lionel barrel.


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## T-Man

Artieiii said:


> At $92.66 a barrel for oil that means that at 1:48 scale each of those barrels is worth about $1.90 /) /)



Art, you must be an accountant.


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## gunrunnerjohn

Artieiii said:


> At $92.66 a barrel for oil that means that at 1:48 scale each of those barrels is worth about $1.90 /) /)


Uhh, the math on computing this is a little suspect. A "barrel" of oil is 42 gallons. I seriously doubt that barrel will hold 7/8 of a gallon!


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## Giants

Yes GRJ,
But don't you think the Oil in 1/48 scale would be 48 times more dense,
so the amount of Oil in the Barrel is still 42 Gallons.


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## gunrunnerjohn

Giants said:


> Yes GRJ,
> But don't you think the Oil in 1/48 scale would be 48 times more dense,
> so the amount of Oil in the Barrel is still 42 Gallons.


So, your locomotive at 1:48 weighs the same as the prototype, right? I'm impressed it doesn't collapse your layout, I know mine would not take kindly to 40-50 tons on it! :laugh:


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## Giants

ha Ha GRJ,
Well if we made our Locomotives 48 Times Lighter than Real Life then We would have to Have Stronger Base Boards.
700 Tons divided by 48 = 14.5 Tonnes


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## gunrunnerjohn

I think I'd need a stronger floor.


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## Giants

Agreed


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## Badwolf & Arizona RR

T-Man said:


> I didn't feed the E bay Monster today. The old American Yardsale 2 bucks each.
> 
> One's man Trash is another man's Treasure
> 
> 1:43 scale, Ok for the plugger, The perfectionists???


1:43 is definitely within striking distance of 1:48, and these cars are MOST WORTHY to be on an O-Gauge layout.

I like these a lot - wonderful find.

- Paul in AZ


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## servoguy

I think to compare barrel volumes and engine weights, you have to ratio them by 48^3 (48*48*48) and not just 48. Then the loco weights come out right. A Big Boy weighs in at about 1.1 million pounds. Divide by 48^3 and you get about 10 lbs. Seems about right. The model may be a little heavy because of the weight of the motor. The water in the tender and boiler is actually quite light compared to steel or zinc. The density of water is 0.036 lb/in^3. The density of steel is 0.29 lb/in^3 and the density of zinc is 0.27 lb/in^3. So the water in the boiler and tender doesn't weigh very much.
BB


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## gunrunnerjohn

I realize that Bruce, just pointing out that the original math was suspect.


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## servoguy

John, If you want something to really think about, how do you scale time? If we scaled it 1:1, then it would take as long on the model railroad for something to happen as it takes in the real world. That might get a little boring.
BB


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## Giants

Here Guy,s,
Read this on Fast Scale Clocks - http://www.layoutvision.com/id27.html


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## servoguy

When the movie makers use a model to make a video of a train wreck or some other event, they slow the time down to make it appear real. Wrecks with models occur too fast to look real unless the time is slowed down.
BB


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## tjcruiser

Time scales with the square-root of the scale factor.

TJ


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## servoguy

Sounds right to me.


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## Badwolf & Arizona RR

As far as "time scales" go, I trust only one source - THE DOCTOR.


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## T-Man

WHO????

I presume.


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## Badwolf & Arizona RR

_Molto Bene_


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## tjcruiser

T-Man said:


> WHO????
> 
> I presume.


I had to read that 2 or three times before I finally figured out "who" you were talking about! :thumbsup:


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## T-Man

I added some more small tins today.










This was my best find. The worn lady traveller. A prewar metal figure by Lionel. Spotted in this bag of tricks.











Kinda worn from travelling.









I aslo found some large figures 1/32 or larger one is an oiler.


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## tjcruiser

T -

Oh, man ... I'm jealous. I had admired your cookie-tin houses a while back, but when I went to find some like that (I think I remember you saying Walmart), I couldn't find any.

Did you buy this latest set recently? If so, where??? I think those are the coolest things.

And ...

You know, one of those figurine guys looks kinda goofy. Oh, wait ... it IS Goofy! 

TJ


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## T-Man

I find them at thrift stores. I also had a cast Hobo too. He is larger than the lady.










They come from two companies. These are 2.5 by1.5 by 3.5










This guy deals with them on line  if you want to know more.

These are small ones for HO. Larger ones exist for O scale. They are part of my typical background.


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## tjcruiser

Thanks, T. I hadn't thought about the thrift store route. We have a few in my area ... I'll poke around.

Cheers,

TJ


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## T-Man

The large tins are to the bottom left . The small tins are to the left,


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## Big Ed

You can fill them with your favorite cookies too, in case you get hungry working on the RR.:thumbsup:

T man needs more room for the RR.


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## gunrunnerjohn

Cool idea with the tins, I'd have never thought of that.


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## Big Ed

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Cool idea with the tins, I'd have never thought of that.


What? 
Filling them with goodies to eat while your working on the RR?

If you get them I know they will be retrofitted with LED's.:thumbsup:


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## gunrunnerjohn

Blinking LED's have you no creativity?


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## Big Ed

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Blinking LED's have you no creativity?





I was going to say blinking but then thought that blinking LED's would look out of place in the tins.

Maybe "flickering".:thumbsup:


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## Thesepaperwings

You need one of these!








I'm a little ashamed of this plug..........bust just a little.


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## sanepilot

*1/48 cars and trucks*

Hi,BM-How do I tell the scale of a car or truck if it`s not marked?? My son has a lot of cars and trucks in NIB condition.[ Poss. 2,000,no kidding}. Course the boxes are marked but I run into a lot of cars and trucks not marked. Will check with the boy.. I deal at the flea mkt. He`s runnung G scale trains..

tnx,sanepilot


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## gunrunnerjohn

Measure between the wheels.


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## tjcruiser

... or bumper to bumper, and then see what scale factor is needed to convert that distance to the length of the real car. Simple proportioning.

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn

Well, TJ, that's not always as good an indication. Take O-gauge for instance, it seems that there are cars from 1:43 all the way into the 50's, depending on who made them and when.


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## tjcruiser

I think he was talking about automobiles, rather than "train cars". Right?


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## gunrunnerjohn

TJ, that's a good point!  I missed that little fact.


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