Snow Blog Part 2 in G-Scale Land - 03-29-14

Catching up from when we had snow in the yard - Blog Entry by BOB


With the temperatures starting to warm up this will hopefully be the last time I post pictures of the snow.  I have been seriously thinking about building a larger shelf railroad in the basement so I hear the roar of the engines again.  If I knew the winter was going to be so bad I would have built the downstairs layout last fall instead of  when things started warming up again.  I am so excited to finally having a chance to run trains again outside. Hopefully I'll have pictures of the trains next time.

Snow Blog PART 1 in G-Scale Land - 03-22-14

We know it is officially Spring, but we thought we would catch up with some previous snow related blogs that Bob had written this year.

BLOG ENTRY BY BOB

Do not get me wrong, the snow is beautiful, it is just that it is
difficult to run a train. Ice has formed a one inch layer
and the snow has been packed downed.  Even if I took my
plow car outside, it would not get too far.  In previous years, I
have broken off the side mirrors, air horns, hoses and bottom
steps as well as busting the front coupler many times.  This
year I have decided to keep the trains safe inside. With early sunsets and the frigid weekend ending, taking photos
 outside have been difficult.  I had a break in the weather and
managed to take a few photos of how our town has been holding
up under this weather.

C.U.T.I.E.S. in G-Scale Garden Railway Train Land - Part 2 - 03-02-14

(BLOG ENTRY BY BOB)


As the winter slowly passes, I have been keeping busy painting figures for the spring.  Previously I mentioned finding girl toy figures called Mattel C.U.T.I.E.S. and started re-painting them.

(pictured below - CLICK THE PHOTO BELOW TO GO TO THAT BLOG) 

If you remember, I found a huge bag for a couple of dollars and now I have completed a few more.





The first girl in the red was originally holding a microphone but I thought an ice cream cone would look much nicer. 
The next girl will be a hit on the beach with black one-piece bathing suit with white flowers.

Center stage is our folk singer followed by a girl in a towel (not sure  where she fits into everything yet) and finally my aging rock chick.





I was able to use my metallic paint on the jacket of the first girl.  The second has hair that only Lisa Simpson would love. 
Center is our ballerina in white and pale pink. 
Next, the boxer with detailed shorts and boots.
And last, our punk rocker in tube top and camo pants.





I have also been working on modifying figures.  The first is Astrid from 'How to Train your Dragon'. I was not sure how a Viking would fit into the train layout so I started by grinding down her boots, the spikes on her dress and puffy sleeves.  I removed her axe and drilled out her hand to then a bouquet of flowers. I re-painted her to be ready for a high-school dance.  The next guy was a dollar-store find who came with a cello and a long flowing cape. I liked how his head, arms and legs moved. I painted his purple outfit into a black tuxedo.





These are historical figures in which the two in the middle are re-paints.





The first is a figure I received as a gift from my favourite train store owner - John from Winona Garden Railway.    I had never heard of Jimmy Flintstone JF figures and was excited to start painting the unfinished character.  I looked up pictures from the late 1970s show "CHiPs" to figure out the helmet and uniform colours.  The second was a gift from Larry G-Scale.  She was a North American Indian in which I grinded off all her feathers and re-painted her as a Rave Concert Dancer (as you can tell, I have never been to a Rave in my life). I have not figured out what to do for a shirt yet. 

So as winter continues and my outdoor track in encased in an inch ice and buried under a recent foot of snow, watching other G-scalers run trains in Texas, Florida and New Zealand (Photos & Postings found on the G-Scale Train Facebook Group) I am so eager to get back outside.