Get off your backside and do some modelling!!!!

Working long hours Monday to Friday, I rarely do much modelling during the week.

 I then find myself unwinding at weekends instead of doing modelling -which probably explains my cheque book approach to modelling – I just do not seem to have the time, nor, to be honest, the skills.

 I read blogs by Gareth Bayer and his recent excellent set of Rail Yard models, Steve Jones and his loft adventures, and Nigel Burkin and his amazing modelling efforts, and I am filled with shame!

It has even been over a week since I wrote anything here, or on the RS Tower blog! Shameful.

This week at work, a colleague was listing all the gigs she had seen recently, plus the lucky cow has tickets to see Razorlight at the end of this month. Reading her gig list, I realised I had not listened to some of my albums for months. Conveniently, my music player is my PC in my modelling room!

So, this weekend has seen me messing around with upgrading coal cars and repairs and detailing to some locos. These adventures will eventually appear here!

 So, thanks Em, you gave me a kick up the arse without realising it!

EMD SD60 Series – The Saviour of EMD / GM

It is really difficult to fall in love with today’s GM products – the SD70 family has mutated from the stonkingly gorgeous SD70M, the peak being the flared radiators and modified cab as found on UP and NS, to the utlitarian SD70M-2s. 

GM has sadly traded rugged good looks for greater ease of maintenance, and function has won over form! Utilitarianism over aestheticism! Disgraceful, but highly practical!

But it was the SD60 family that really started things off, and attempted to rescue EMD from the debacle that was the SD50! The SD60 did much more than just revolutionise the appearance of US diesels, it helped usher in the next generation of AC traction, plus delivered the EMD 710-series diesel engine to the rail market.

The SD60M family for me is one of the finest US diesel designs around. Subtle differences make for wonderful opportunities for us modellers.

The SD60 is available in HO form from Proto 2000, now part of Walthers, in both standard and M cab versions, and from Athearn in RTR format as a standard cab, though rumours abound of a M cab version coming.

The P2K version can be found on many shop shelves, and all over Ebay, but as far as I am aware, is not currently in production for Walthers! (Come on Walthers, get your finger out!)

I will now start a series of articles looking at the various SD60 variants, and the modelling possibilities offered.

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Welcome to US Railroad Modelling in GB !

This is intended to act as an area for articles of use to modellers of North American Railroads in GB.

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