Boxcab for a friend

I'm the sort of idiot who never (and I mean, never) takes time off from work. An extended holiday weekend like this one for Thanksgiving gets almost as close to a vacation as I typically take. So, I usually look at the time off as a chance to really be able to focus for an extended period on a given modeling project, or two, or three, or nine, or twelve, well, you get the idea.

As is typical of my particular brand of stupidity, one project begets another, which begets another, and so on.

I was looking through old back issues of the Narrow Gauge Gazette for a different project and came across an old favorite article. The article, from the Nov/Dec '92 issue describes an ON30 boxcab locomotive. It's based on a prototype from a Mexican narrow gauged mining company's operations. Neat little thing, single truck, single pantograph.

Anyways, I've been thinking about something like this for a friend. I semi-promised this person a long time ago that I'd build something for him, time and other things had put us both on different paths, but the last couple months I've run across him on a frequent basis and some of our mutual current interests will continue our seeing each other. All of which simply served to remind me that I had promised him something so long ago. As luck would have it,, this is the perfect thing.

So, I had come across the article on Monday, had the idea percolating in my noggin for the last couple days, and got up bright and early on Thursday to start. All sheet styrene, an old NWSL power block (gauged for 45mm), bunch of Ozark Miniatures handrails and grab irons. Slightly modified/Americanized LGB pantograph. Oversized and also somewhat modified Bachmann couplers, not my choice but since this is for someone else, built to his needs/standards.

Still needs a few finish details, and paint of course. The "lettering" is just a test sample for sizing of some custom decals I made and will print up and apply once we're done. The person this is for , his name is Allodi, hence the Allodi Electric. Numbered #34, because in lieu of any set numbering pattern, as a die hard Chicago Bears fan, what better number to use than that of the late, great Walter Payton ?

Not bad for roughly two days work, of course it helps a heck of a lot to have everything you need lying about with no other set purpose for it all. Follow up before the end of the weekend (and hopefully better photography) once it's complete and painted.