Changes in the making

It has been a while since I last posted and things have changed. For various reasons I have decided to exit 2-rail O scale and move up to G scale. One factor was that I felt I was not going to have enough room in the basement and the layout of the basement was such that I do not believe I could model Lynden correctly. That and the main room in the basement is not going to be free for full utilization for another 10 years or so. I certainly could have gone backward into HO scale which would have given me the ability to model as I wanted but as I have noted the eyes and fingers are not so great. I do like to put models together along with painting them, applying decals, and weathering so HO was out of the question. So I am in the process of weathering and such on my current equipment to sell over the next 3-6 months.

Why G scale or 1/29th scale? I have an entire yard that can be used for a layout as the boys are not using the yard so much now as they are getting older. I can now create the Lynden track plan as it should be with no compression or things left out. The equipment options may not be as great as in HO or O scale but I can certainly scratch build the equipment I need. I already have a NW-2 on hand ready for paint stripping, then new paint, lighting effects added, motor and sound decoders installed along with on-board battery power. No track power and no cleaning track to maintain electrical conductivity.

I figure for the amount of dollars I would have to put into the O Scale equipment (accurate trucks and wheelsets) that I could attain G scale equipment at a lower price. One USA Trains 60 ft boxcar at $100 with accurate details essentially taking up the same amount of space as two Atlas O 60 ft boxcars at $70-$80 each that require new trucks/wheelsets that cost from $35 to $60 a pair, you do the math.

I will post more as I move along, especially of the work I will be doing on the NW-2.