Cardboard Christmas

Found some "Shell" toolbox stickers that would work for making some company signage for the filling station:



Made the lollipop sign using a bit of matt board, some cardstock, and a piece of 1/4-inch dowel. Also, found a sheet of advertising motif decals in the bit box...slapped a "Shell" logo on the front of the pump.

Looks great!!

You might remember this effort to craft a Hornby-style level-crossing for the clockwork tinplate from a few months back, using a catalog pic of a 'OO' version found on the net:



Both of the first two attempts proved unsatisfactory for a number of reasons, primarily aesthetics. I looked at a few prewar tinplate gates at York back in April, coming away with a few new ideas.

I made a bunch of changes on Rev. 3.0, including some basic sloping for terrain purposes on either side. I used a friend's recommendation for reducing the grade of the approach, requiring the depth of the piece to be quite a bit greater. Fortunately, I think I can still use the gates I cut for Rev 2.0.

Here's a mock-up for Rev. 3.0, one side only:



The 'OO' version being quite a bit smaller in profile, the pic can be deceiving. It would be tough to achieve that flatter appearance in 'O' without significantly expanding the footprint. Here, there's just not enough ROW to accommodate a deeper approach. The approximate dimensions of Rev. 2.0 were 2" x 5-1/2"; the dimensions of Rev. 3.0 are 3-1/2" x 9". Both are 3/4" high. I'll have to make another for the opposite side, then I can start working on the planned sheet-metal base.

Paul...

I'd say "You nailed it"...I guess you'll have to make a track side guard/level crossing guard house to go with it...I'll be watching...

Howard...

Good suggestion, Howard. Hadn't thought about that.

Paul

Made a version of Hal Carstens' wayside station project that appeared in the March 1952 issue of Toy Trains magazine:



It reminds me of the trolley shelters along the Baltimore Transit Company line in Catonsville, Maryland. Some of them are still standing, now serving as shelters for the bus line. Anyway, fairly simple project (although I made it a bit more complicated with a few changes).

Back to the level-crossing...