Author: Henry

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Hickory Train Show June 13th 2020

hickory nc train show
Hickory Train Show

Location
Hickory Metro Convention Center
1960 13th Ave Dr SE
Hickory, NC 28602

Date and Time
June 13, 2020
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

The 18th Annual NC Railroad Expo will be held June 13th, 2020 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Hickory Metro Convention Center. ShowMyHobby.com will be there with several tables of great G, HO, N, O and S scale model railroad trains and accessories for sale. Items available from ShowMyHobby include Steam and Diesel engine locomotives, train cars (assembled and kits), tracks, buildings (assembled and kits), trucks, trailers, semi-tractor trailers, track-guides, train ornaments, and other model railroad accessories.

This is an excellent opportunity to get into the World’s Greatest Hobby of model railroading or to add to your train empire or collection. ShowMyHobby has roadname signs and placards, lapel pins, engineer hats for both children and adults, plus tons of modern and older era trains and automobiles. Grab your spouse, the children and even a neighbor or two and come on over to the Hickory Train Show. The concession stand will be open with hotdogs, BBQ, chips and drinks.

Admission is $5 for adults and teens over the age of 12. Mask are highly recommended and social-distancing procedures are in place.

ShowMyHobby.com shall be a vendor in attendance at the train show. Cash and plastic are acceptable forms of payment (payment using plastic credit and debit cards incur an additional 3% processing fee). PayPal app users can pay using the app. Currently, there are over 120 items available on the ShowMyHobby website. There will be over 500 items at the show. Items sold at the show will take precedence over items sold online during the day of the show. Most of our items are in original boxes or packaging and are in great shape. Many of our items are new, old stock or opened-boxed items. Some items have been slightly used. At passed shows, we have allowed testing of locomotives. During this show, no testing will be allowed and items will not be allowed to leave our area without payment. Please limit your handling of items to a minimum prior to your purchase.

ShowMyHobby is located on the last isle on the left about 3 rows back, 2nd column from the wall. I will be wearing one of the Blue & White Denim Engineer hats that we sell (provided it doesn’t get too hot to do so). The isles are 12 foot wide with plenty of space to move around and practice social distancing.

The Hickory Train Show is sponsored by the Alexander Chapter- NRHS. ShowMyHobby.com helps promote the show to increase awareness and participation.

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2020 NC Asheville Fletcher Train Show

WNC MODEL TRAIN SHOW

Date: February 28 – February 29, 2020
Location(s): WNC Agriculture Center – Expo Building
Address: 1301 Fanning Bridge Rd, Fletcher, NC 28732
Sponsoring Club Website: WNCMRR.org

Hours: Friday, February 28, 2020  Noon to 7 PM
Saturday, February 29, 2020 9 AM to 5 PM

Free Parking, Admission $6.00 per day Children under 10 FREE with Adult
8 working layouts with over 200 vendor tables.

ShowMyHobby.com will have several tables at the 2020 Train Show this year. We should be located towards the back just in front of the model train layout exhibits. We will have a lot of NEW and Used trains in excellent condition. We encourage you to come out and bring the family to this event. It doesn’t matter if you’re a train lover, modeler, or railfan, you will have a wonderful time viewing the the exhibits and seeing some of the latest and greatest model railroad items on the market plus a few antiques and older stuff too. Marvel at the spectacular things related to the World’s Greatest Hobby!

I will be there offering most of the train items listed for sale on this website plus hundreds of other items that haven’t been listed yet. I have a lot of modern era model railroad trains and accessories in HO scale, N scale, O scale, S scale and G scale. I accept CASH and ALL Plastic Credit or Debit cards. We have items ranging from $2 up to $1200 with the average price being $20 to $150. I have Ready-To-Run items and building kits. You will find a lot a great items to choose from. Additionally, I am accepting train and train related consignments that are mostly like new N scale and HO scale items up until 7 PM on February 25th. If you have trains or train related items that you wish to consign to be sold, let me know as soon as possible. Here is a link to a previous show ad that was held in Gastonia last year: https://charlotte.craigslist.org/wad/d/belmont-get-your-trains-sold-in-june/6885619709.html.

All consigned items need to be received by 7:00 PM on Tuesday, February 25h. Apply using the craigslist link above. You can view and print a spreadsheet to list your items or download a spreadsheet to list your items by clicking this link and attach it to your craigslist email application for the quickest response. View, Print and Sign the Consignment agreement.

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HO Seaboard Air Lines

Being a model railroader from Belmont, North Carolina, it would be neglectful of me to not collect and operate one of the main lines that used to run through even my hometown. Seaboard Air Line’s main line ran from Richmond via Raleigh, North Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia to Jacksonville, Florida, a major interchange point for passenger trains bringing travelers to the Sunshine State. From Jacksonville, Seaboard rails continued to Tampa, St. Petersburg, West Palm Beach and Miami according to Wikipedia (you can read more via this link).

I recently acquired 2 InterMountain Railway Company FT-A and FT-B Seaboard Air Line units, model number 49228 as a set with road numbers 4021 and 4121 included. These are DCC equipped units. I paired them with 2 previously purchased unpowered dummy Life-Like Proto 2000 FB-2 Units. The detailing on all these locomotives is extremely good.

I have an interest in putting sound in at least one of the units if not all of them over time. Therefore, these locomotives are being considered as yet another HJR project. Today, October 31st, 2019, I just want to get some of the pictures online and maybe even a short video so that InterMountain can see the units I’ve written to them about. I will return later, add more pictures and videos, along with an Atlas SAL switcher that I have, and update this page on the progress of getting a full SAL train running.

March 12, 2024. I noticed a couple weeks or months ago that somehow the Seaboard Coast Line passenger cars started showing back up for sale. They are NOT for sale anymore as I purchased them from the consignor. I have ordered and received a lot of upgrades for the SCL passenger car set plus added some additional cars. It may take me a while to bring you up to speed. For now, though, I want to delete the active listing for the sale of the items and move the content of that product listing to this page, because it lists the original 9 passenger cars and provides some individual pictures of the cars. It also has an early video of the trains running on my Libraryville layout.


Here we have a Used Athearn Seaboard 9-piece Passenger set.  The cars are equipped with truck-mounted sprung Kadee couplers and Seaboard Coast Line’s Silver with Black lettering paint scheme. This set also comes with 1 bonus Silver and Brown Seaboard Coast Line boxcar (actually making it a 10-piece set)

The passenger cars are made of sturdy injection molded plastic.  They come with low-profile wheelsets that have 2 metal wheels on one side of the truck and 2 plastic wheels on the other side of the truck.  (This is done to accommodate acquiring power from the track should one wish to upgrade these cars with lighting kits.  Additional customization will be needed to do that as well.)

This set is used and ran very well on the MMRR layout during the Asheville Train Show in March 2018 as well as on my Libraryville layout (featured in the video).  Some of the cars in this H O scale passenger set were also run for about 30 minutes during the Gastonia Train Show in July 1st, 2018.

Note:  There is some visible glue on some of the cars especially where the windows were glued into place when the kits were assembled. This doesn’t affect the performance of the cars. They still look good rolling on the track (as you can see in the video)

Below is a list of the cars included in the set.  Bev-Bel painted these cars using Athearn stock passenger cars.

ManufacturerItem No.Car Type, Name or Road#
Bev-Bel Corp Streamline Coach Passenger Car #6005
Bev-Bel Corp5910Baggage Car #6050
Bev-Bel Corp5911Baggage Car #6203
Bev-Bel Corp5912Streamline Coach Passenger Car “Seabring”
Bev-Bel Corp5913Tapered-End Observation Coach Passenger Car #6401
Bev-Bel Corp Vista Dome Coach Passenger Car “Atlanta”
Bev-Bel Corp Streamline Coach Passenger Car “Miami”
Bev-Bel Corp5916Streamline Coach Passenger Car “Ocala”
Bev-Bel Corp Streamline Coach Passenger Car “Tampa”

The Bonus Car, SCL 50-ft Box car #821600  by Bev-Bel from RoundHouse Kit #1207 with .039″ wheelsets, is not one that I purchased from the Consignor, so that car is not part of MY SCL Passenger Train Set.

NOTE: This set includes 9 passenger cars. A locomotive did not come with this set. As mentioned above, I acquired my locomotives separately.

Athearn EMD GP38-2 Seaboard System (SCL) Diesel Engine HO scale pulling 9 Passenger Cars

Original Photo Gallery of the 9 Seaboard Coast Line Passenger Cars:

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In the beginning …

HJR was browsing ads on a popular website and a listing caught his eye. The listing was for the sale of an N scale layout complete with locomotives, cars, controller, buildings and accessories. HJR responded to the ad and made arrangements to drive the distance to take a look at the items that were for sale. Upon meeting Mr Lonsway, a deal was struck and HJR acquired the majority of Lonsway’s N scale collection.

These photos are from the ad listing:


HJR packed his vehicle with everything he could carry filling it to the top. Mr Lonsway was kind enough to deliver the layout. Initially, HJR was mostly interested in everything except the layout simply because he didn’t really have a place to put it plus he already had 3 existing N scale layouts (MoTrack, HJR DeskTrain, and Dell Box Tester). So HJR decided to put the layout itself in its received state without any buildings, controller or accessories. He first offered it to fellow members of the Metrolina Model Railroader club. Shortly after that, HJR launched this website and the Atlas Code 55 Lonsway layout was among the first items to be offered on the site. HJR set a time frame as to when he would offer the original layout at a price close to what he acquired it for. The following pictures are those taken by HJR and placed on a sales flyer for promoting the sale of the layout:

Several months passed without anyone choosing to buy the layout. HJR decided to invest some time and money into making the layout more functional and attractive to other modelers. He told club members that if they waited until after he put his time and resources into the layout, the sales price of the layout would go up drastically to reflect the value added and the costs of the materials that makeup the layout. Thus begins the HJR Lonsway Pike layout project.


In the published articles related to the HJR Lonsway Pike layout on this website, pictures, videos and storytelling will lead you on the journey from where HJR acquired the layout through its eventual completion. This journey will take years to unfold. The story and snapshots you experience here will compress that time and hopefully give you an enjoyable and entertaining insight into a few aspects of the World’s Greatest Hobby of Model Railroading and a front seat to the remodeling, enhancing and playing of the HJR Lonsway Pike. This publications will also be used towards applicable NMRA Achievement Awards to which HJR will be applying. Because of the desired format that the NMRA Evaluators prefer to see, page comments on this project and other sections of this website are not allowed. Eventually an area where comments can be left may be provided. For now, sit back, relax and enjoy the presentation. Return periodically to view updated content. In September 2019, HJR will launch a crowd funding campaign towards finding a permanent facility to house the HJR Lonsway Pike and other model railroading projects that the public can visit, view first hand and even operate. Your support and donations are greatly appreciated.

HJR feels that Mr Lonsway did a great job on the layout and therefore honors Mr Lonsway by bestowing his name as part of the official name of the N scale model railroad known as the HJR Lonsway Pike. HJR is extremely grateful for the original building and contributions that Mr Lonsway made to the layout.

HJR points out some of the wonderful features of the original layout that Lonsway contributed:

  • Construction of a light-weight Luan 7-foot x 3.5-foot layout table for the bench-work.
  • Applying a 1 inch thick Styrofoam base on top of the bench-work.
  • Building a mountainous scene using rock molds.
  • Building a mountain with very realistic scenery details.
  • Using Atlas Code 55 track and matching colored brown ballast.
  • Creating a very realistic looking lake with creek bed.


HJR thanks Mr Lonsway for selling him the layout and the majority of the rest of his N scale collection which included many buildings already assembled, scenery materials, paints, Union Pacific locomotives and passenger cars as well as freight cars. Mr Lonsway also provided extra track, the original rock molds, turnout switch machines, and a Digitrax Zephyr DCC controller. As of August 22nd, 2019 when this article was written, all of the items in the Lonsway purchase have not yet been cataloged. When they have been, that list will be made available.

The issues that HJR had with the original layout are as follows:

  • The layout contained 2 disconnected loops.
  • The combination of using Atlas Code 55 and Atlas Code 80 tracks did not account for the rail height differences causing less than acceptable train running performances.
  • Although a town was being added to the layout it wasn’t yet complete which may have dissuaded interested parties from purchasing it.

The next post will explore how HJR dealt with the issues that confronted him on the layout.

HJRSLonswayPike

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HO HJR SOFTWARE 50′ CSD Boxcar

HJR SOFTWARE (HJRS) is a small computer-business in Belmont, North Carolina. The HO 50′ CSD Boxcar will be an advertising piece for that business. In the real world, HJRS doesn’t have any need to have a real locomotive or any other real train car. As a model railroader, I create layouts that represent fictitious locations. As a hobbyist, I operate model trains. I’m a member of a the Metrolina Model Railroader’s club. Since I spend a good bit of my non-working hours operating model trains, I feel it would be a good way to continue promoting my computer business by placing the company’s name, phone number, contact information, etc. on a complete set of trains. When I joined the train club, I mentioned it might be a good way to help supplement the train club by allowing local businesses to advertise on the club’s layout like sponsors. For many reasons, the club doesn’t like this idea and so it hasn’t been implemented. However, for my own layouts, I choose to incorporate the names of things that are dear to me and HJRS is just one of those things. On one layout I have streets named after family members, business buildings with my own family name on them, etc. In 2018, I decided to make an entire HO scale train set consisting of a locomotive and 7+ cars. The Plus is growing. Some of the train cars were already made cars that were not in the best of shape representing whatever road names were originally on them or they needed a lot of repair. I decided to paint those cars a unique way. Other train cars I built from kits and painted them to be part of the HJR SOFTWARE Train Set. When the CSD offered a box car, I decided to dedicate that car as one of the HJRS train cars and the first one to actually receive the HJRS logo and other signage.

The CSD Boxcar project started the 3rd week of June, 2019 when I attended the CSD meeting where incidentally, I also received the NMRA Golden Spike certificate (I will blog about this eventually). Participating CSD members received the undecorated 50-foot boxcar shell as we were taught how to use a airbrush. For many, this was just additional information to a skill they were already quite familiar with. Although I have several airbrushes, as of late, I haven’t been able to put my hands on them (I’ve misplaced them). I only attempted to use them twice and not with very much success. I did however have some success with buying a Testor’s aerosol airbrushing kit and painted a custom-built covered Hopper for the HJRS Train Set several months earlier. The airbrushing sessions was a real treat for me and I learned quite a bit. Now if I can just find my airbrushes I might be able to use them better henceforth.

I didn’t take any photos of the unpainted boxcar shell when the CSD handed them out to us. I did take some photos after the airbrushing session and then again almost a month after the decal session. Those photos are in the gallery listed below:

On or shortly after the last CSD session in this series, I will post additional photos and comments on the finished boxcar. Now that I have the first set of HJRS decals printed out, I will also be applying the decals to the other train cars in the set and creating posts for those projects as well.

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Consignment Sales Event – Gastonia Train Show

I had a very successful train show at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in early May. Several people consigned their items to be sold.

On June 8th and 9th, the 2nd Annual Charlotte Area NC Rail-Strava-Ganza train show will be held in Gastonia, NC at the Gaston Conference Center at 145 ML King Jr drive. I am accepting train and train related consignments mostly like new N scale and HO scale items. View the craigslist ad using this link (Link outdated – replaced with internal link): https://charlotte.craigslist.org/wad/d/belmont-get-your-trains-sold-in-june/6885619709.html.

All consigned items need to be received by 2:00 PM on Friday, June 7th. Apply using the craigslist link above. You can view and print a spreadsheet to list your items or download a spreadsheet to list your items by clicking this link and attach it to your craigslist email application for the quickest response. View, Print and Sign the Consignment agreement.

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Henry’s NMRA Rolling Stock Car Standard Scale Weight Calculator

I’ve created a model railroad train rolling stock car standard scale weight calculator.  Use this to determine the standard weight (as defined by the NMRA) of rolling stock cars.  This calculator is very useful for someone building or modifying model railroad train cars.

Henry’s NMRA Rolling Stock Car Standard Scale WEIGHT Calculator

Published 12/05/2018.

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ShowMyHobby Goes Live!

On January 12th, 2018, ShowMyHobby Goes Live and makes its first appearance on the Internet.  The first couple of pages were quickly developed to highlight a few items that would soon be displayed at the Asheville Train Show in March of 2018.  All but one of those items were deliverable during the show.  Several of the items were sold.  During most of the year that followed until late October, the website remained dormant.  In late October, efforts to revamp and enhance the website restarted to get it ready for the Christmas Holiday Season.  Preparations were made to upload pictures and information related to my hobbies to the website.

Feel free to look around.  I hope you enjoy what you find here.  When I open the site up for users to join so that they can upload and share their own hobbies, I hope you’ll return and participate.

Thank you kindly,

Henry

January 12th, 2018.