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I started making scale models at an early age - airplanes, military, cars, etc. But for me, static models never really cut
it. As kids, my older brother and I always gravitated toward models that *did* things - rockets that blasted off, slot cars
that raced around and around, and trains that trundled back and forth.
Model railroading stuck with me and has become a life-long passion, from humble beginnings of a hodge-podge toy
train set brought by Santa when I was 7, to the present where I've tightened my modeling focus to a specific locale
and timeframe - the Franklin Canyon portion of Santa Fe Railway's Stockton Subdivision, 1989 to 1995. Admittedly,
I also have a few 1980's-era models of interesting Santa Fe, SP, and UP equipment seen during my railfanning days.
The early 1990's is known as Santa Fe's "SuperFleet era" due to the iconic silver-and-red "warbonnet" locomotive
paint scheme resurrected in 1989. I have terrific memories of chasing hotshot intermodal trains led by silver-and-red
and blue-and-yellow Santa Fe consists threading through the canyon's curves, tunnels, and bridges surrounded by
the golden grass and oak-covered hills of Northern California's sun-drenched coastal range.
I've settled on a model-making philosophy I've dubbed "3-foot modeling":
If a model viewed from 3 feet away looks like its prototype, then it's good enough for me.
Sure, there's always some way to add more exacting detailing or more refined weathering to nearly any model, to the
point where the viewer must get within inches of the model to ever see such things. But I've chosen to not go to such
lengths, in most cases. Rather, my goal is to reproduce the overall experience I had on numerous "railfanning" trips
in years past - trains rolling by a few hundred feet away surrounded by the local scenery. Rarely did I get so close to
real trains that I could see every tiny little detail.
So if I ever get the opportunity to build my "dream layout", it will be focused on main-line railroad action embedded
in superb scenery. I imagine train operators walking along the layout with their trains, as if they're on a railfan trip
"chasing" a real train through the landscape. They'll have radio contact with a hidden dispatcher issuing Track
Warrant Control (TWC) orders, monitor the Absolute Block Signals (ABS) guarding the next length of track, and
perform meets with other trains at sidings since Franklin Canyon is single track territory. If I do a good enough job
of the modeling, perhaps they'll even forget the whole thing is HO scale. At least for a few minutes anyway.
Below is a selection of models I've made over the years. All are HO scale (1:87) unless noted otherwise.
Click on the images to visit each page. I'm adding new models as I complete them, so check back now and then!
it. As kids, my older brother and I always gravitated toward models that *did* things - rockets that blasted off, slot cars
that raced around and around, and trains that trundled back and forth.
Model railroading stuck with me and has become a life-long passion, from humble beginnings of a hodge-podge toy
train set brought by Santa when I was 7, to the present where I've tightened my modeling focus to a specific locale
and timeframe - the Franklin Canyon portion of Santa Fe Railway's Stockton Subdivision, 1989 to 1995. Admittedly,
I also have a few 1980's-era models of interesting Santa Fe, SP, and UP equipment seen during my railfanning days.
The early 1990's is known as Santa Fe's "SuperFleet era" due to the iconic silver-and-red "warbonnet" locomotive
paint scheme resurrected in 1989. I have terrific memories of chasing hotshot intermodal trains led by silver-and-red
and blue-and-yellow Santa Fe consists threading through the canyon's curves, tunnels, and bridges surrounded by
the golden grass and oak-covered hills of Northern California's sun-drenched coastal range.
I've settled on a model-making philosophy I've dubbed "3-foot modeling":
If a model viewed from 3 feet away looks like its prototype, then it's good enough for me.
Sure, there's always some way to add more exacting detailing or more refined weathering to nearly any model, to the
point where the viewer must get within inches of the model to ever see such things. But I've chosen to not go to such
lengths, in most cases. Rather, my goal is to reproduce the overall experience I had on numerous "railfanning" trips
in years past - trains rolling by a few hundred feet away surrounded by the local scenery. Rarely did I get so close to
real trains that I could see every tiny little detail.
So if I ever get the opportunity to build my "dream layout", it will be focused on main-line railroad action embedded
in superb scenery. I imagine train operators walking along the layout with their trains, as if they're on a railfan trip
"chasing" a real train through the landscape. They'll have radio contact with a hidden dispatcher issuing Track
Warrant Control (TWC) orders, monitor the Absolute Block Signals (ABS) guarding the next length of track, and
perform meets with other trains at sidings since Franklin Canyon is single track territory. If I do a good enough job
of the modeling, perhaps they'll even forget the whole thing is HO scale. At least for a few minutes anyway.
Below is a selection of models I've made over the years. All are HO scale (1:87) unless noted otherwise.
Click on the images to visit each page. I'm adding new models as I complete them, so check back now and then!
To learn more:
US Free-mo - prototype-based modular model railroading for those of us with no room for a home layout
Northern California Free-mo (NorCalF) - the ground-breaking Free-mo group I helped co-found
Modular Signal System (MSS) - the train signaling system I co-invented for modular model railroads
Scale Nature Company (SNC) - home of my Occupancy Bus Utility Board (OBUB) designed for the MSS
US Free-mo - prototype-based modular model railroading for those of us with no room for a home layout
Northern California Free-mo (NorCalF) - the ground-breaking Free-mo group I helped co-found
Modular Signal System (MSS) - the train signaling system I co-invented for modular model railroads
Scale Nature Company (SNC) - home of my Occupancy Bus Utility Board (OBUB) designed for the MSS
ATSF Ce-1 999131
(Centralia Car Shops)
(Centralia Car Shops)
ATSF GP60M 113
(Fox Valley Models)
(Fox Valley Models)
ATSF GP40X 3800
(Athearn)
(Athearn)
ATSF GP50 3843
(Athearn)
(Athearn)
ATSF GP60 4017
(Fox Valley Models)
(Fox Valley Models)
ATSF SDF40-2 5255
(kitbash)
(kitbash)
ATSF U36C 8761
(Atlas)
(Atlas)
Glen Frazer
Free-mo module
Free-mo module
Iona
Free-mo module
Free-mo module
Robinson R22
helicopter (1:72, Pavla)
helicopter (1:72, Pavla)
SP C-50-8 4665
(brass)
(brass)
PG&E trucks
(Boley, Trident)
(Boley, Trident)
Mail Delivery Jeep
(Roco / Trident)
(Roco / Trident)
Alameda Belt Line
S2 105 (Atlas, legacy)
S2 105 (Atlas, legacy)
Trona AS616 53
(Stewart, legacy)
(Stewart, legacy)
MSS: replace Optek
with ISE optical sensor
with ISE optical sensor
SP SW1500 2599
(Athearn, legacy)
(Athearn, legacy)
SP GP9e 3770
(Front Range, legacy)
(Front Range, legacy)
SP GP9e 3882
(Front Range, legacy)
(Front Range, legacy)
SP SD40e 7319
(Athearn kitbash, legacy)
(Athearn kitbash, legacy)
UP CA-7 25469
(brass, legacy)
(brass, legacy)
Legacy Locos
(old models)
(old models)
ATSF Ce-11 999821
(brass, legacy)
(brass, legacy)
ATSF Ce-1 999016
(Quality Craft, legacy)
(Quality Craft, legacy)
Apache Railway tank car
(Tichy Trains)
(Tichy Trains)
TLDX tank car on SP flat
(Roller Bearing Models)
(Roller Bearing Models)
San Jose, CA layout
(legacy)
(legacy)
Pleasant Hill, CA layout
(legacy)
(legacy)
Las Vegas, NV layout
(legacy)
(legacy)
Mojave
Free-mo module,
control panels
Free-mo module,
control panels
ATSF GP35u 2890
(kitbash, legacy)
(kitbash, legacy)
Santa Fe intermodal
trailers, containers, chassis
(assorted)
trailers, containers, chassis
(assorted)
ATSF MoW wheel car
(kitbash)
(kitbash)
SP covered hoppers
(assorted)
(assorted)
Plymouth 'critter'
(kitbash)
(kitbash)
SP SD40T-2 8385
(Athearn, legacy)
(Athearn, legacy)
UP SD40-2 3295
(GSB/Athearn, legacy)
(GSB/Athearn, legacy)
UP SD40-2 3690
(GSB/Athearn, legacy)
(GSB/Athearn, legacy)
ATSF GP30u 2711
(Front Range, legacy)
(Front Range, legacy)
ATSF SD45 5594
(Athearn, legacy)
(Athearn, legacy)
Other vehicles
(assorted)
(assorted)
United Parcel Service
trailers, containers, vans
(assorted)
trailers, containers, vans
(assorted)
Coca-Cola vehicles
(assorted)
(assorted)
ATSF business car 89
'William Barstow Strong'
(Samhongsa/Stewart)
'William Barstow Strong'
(Samhongsa/Stewart)
ATSF SD26 4674
(kitbash)
(kitbash)
ATSF SD40-2 5134
(Athearn)
(Athearn)
ATSF B39-8 7401
(Overland / Atlas)
(Overland / Atlas)
ATSF GP60M 152
(Fox Valley Models)
(Fox Valley Models)
ATSF GP60B 340
(Fox Valley Models)
(Fox Valley Models)
ATSF SDFP45u 92
(Athearn)
(Athearn)
ATSF DASH9-44CW 605
(Kato)
(Kato)
ATSF DASH8-40CW 807
(Atlas)
(Atlas)
ATSF SD75M 215
(Athearn)
(Athearn)
ATSF/MKCX SDF45u 5956
(Athearn)
(Athearn)
ATSF/SPSF SDF45u 5970
(Athearn)
(Athearn)
Note: I created many of the model photos here using Helicon Focus - learn how here.
ATSF 5-unit well car
(Walthers)
(Walthers)
Other intermodal
trailers, containers, chassis
(assorted)
trailers, containers, chassis
(assorted)
ATSF piggyback flat cars
(assorted)
(assorted)
TTX / Trailer Train cars
(assorted)
(assorted)
J.B. Hunt equipment
(assorted)
(assorted)
Modular Signal System
(MSS)
(MSS)
Auto carrier and autos
(A-Line, 4D)
(A-Line, 4D)
Star Wars ships
X-Wing game
(1:270, FFG)
X-Wing game
(1:270, FFG)
ATSF Burro crane
and MofW flat car
(Custom Finishing,
ExactRail)
and MofW flat car
(Custom Finishing,
ExactRail)
Model construction info on page
First, Second, Third place contest winners
Icon Key:
ATSF Ce-11 999751
(Athearn)
(Athearn)
ATSF Ga-152 gondola
with CarTopper
(MDC, Norscot)
with CarTopper
(MDC, Norscot)
ATSF tank cars
(assorted)
(assorted)
ATSF B23-7 6376
(Atlas)
(Atlas)
ATSF B36-7 7492
(Rapido)
(Rapido)
ATSF DASH8-40B 7413
(Atlas)
(Atlas)
ATSF DASH8-40BW 530
(Atlas)
(Atlas)
ATSF DASH8-40BW 555
(Atlas)
(Atlas)
Prototype-based Scale Model Making