I was surprised how much US outline HO there was to be seen on the trade stands, two traders LSWR and WESTERN MODELS were dealing solely in US models new/used respectively.
I picked up a couple of blue-box Athearn locos, an SW1500 and a GE 33b, which are perfect for a couple of upcoming projects.
The GE is great externally but in bad shape underneath, with pretty much all the components sprung loose inside the shell, but although the motor and all the clips are seperated, everything is there so it should go back together.
The main reason I bought it was to use as a donor locomotive for my rail-power Dash 8-40b build later this year because I picked up a shell, chassis and all the required detail parts for a song on ebay and this Athearn 33b is the correct model to supply the truck and gear components.
The SW1500 is in perfect condition, but the real reason I bought this one was because I purchased a modern RTR Athearn SW1500 shell recently, again a cheap ebay bargain, and I am hoping to adapt the chassis from this earlier version to fit the new shell. The new RTR version has seperate etched grilles, finescale handrails, interior, flush glazing and other details, so all it needs is some power. An initial examination of the blue-box chassis suggests that it will fit just fine, so heres hoping!
It was a long drive down to Eastleigh, but the show was a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to my next one.
Here are a few photographs of some of the layouts that attended.
Fort Myers - CSX/Florida East Coast/Seminole Gulf Coast
Hoxie Harbor - USA Docks scene
Blackrock Colorado - USA Modern Image
Garfield - US Car float (ferry) - small layout part of "No room for a layout"
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