Manufacturers Room
The Sn3 Symposium provides an opportunity for the manufacturers and suppliers to showcase their newest offerings, and also a chance for the modelers to get rid of some of that excess cash that we all seem to have (yeah...right!). Here are some pictures of some of the things that I was drawn too. Unfortunately, there were so many products shown that it was virtually impossible to provide photos. Evergreen Scale Models had their new Styrene Modeling book available, and Fred Hamilton from Northwest Short Line had some beautiful 0.88 wheelsets available. Also, for those that may have a OMI Sn3 model that they wish to regear and remotor, NWSL has made up an idler gearbox kit complete with a specially machined axle with shouldered ends that will fit into the existing OMI bearings and drivers...neat stuff! Those that attended had the opportunity to see the results of this conversion, as Bill Adkins brought his SM&S (ex-C&S) 2-6-0 over to help out on the CR&Y during the Symposium. In a another room, PBL had their Chama display set up with one of their new little Shays dutifully chugging back and forth, and some production models of the new Chili Line passenger sets. BEAUTIFUL stuff, as usual.
Anyway, here are a FEW pictures...
Photo 1 - News from PBL is that these steam shovels with be ready soon, like late summer.
Photo 2 - Here is another view of the shovel and a dozer that I forgot to ask about! Anyway look for an ad for the steam shovels in the next Gazette, I think?
Photo 3 - Backwoods Miniatures is offering a brass kit for this neat little 0-4-4-0 articulated locomotive.
Photo 4 - I believe that this model was displayed at the NNGC in St. Louis as well. Backwoods Miniatures' Peter McParlin completely disassembled an old OMI ditcher and then installed several motors in order to make an operating model. I was totally enthralled: it digs, it lifts the boom, it turns, and then the bucket opens and the material is dumped into the little ore cars that you can see in the background!
Photo 5 - Clint Crow (CC. Crow) is moving into S scale! Above are some test shots of a roundhouse that he is working on, which will be offered as either a brick or stone structure - or maybe even a blend, such as the Gunnison roundhouse! (HINT) Look for a release date later this year - I filled out a questionaire, by which Clint assured me that he would keep me posted as to a release date.
Photo 6 - The "Old and the New", as offered by Railmaster Exports. The little 4-4-0 was running in the same fashion as John's larger models....sweetly. John offers an extensive selection of other products as well as locomotives, including figures, automobiles, etc. - and a WP&Y extended vision caboose to stick behind the diesels.
Photo 7 - Bill Banta was there in force, with a large display showcasing his many models. 'Roger's Repair' is a re-release of an earlier B&S kit, but with many upgrades as detailed on the sign in the background.
Photo 8 - This is only one side of the Banta Model Works display! To the extreme left is a structure that many of us are familiar with, thanks to Tom Troughton; but now we can ALL have a Cimarron Mine, thanks to Bill! In the foreground are some laser-cut scale cabinets, for fitting out those structures in the foreground with cabinets, shelves, display cases, etc.
Photos 9 & 10 - Are closer views of parts of the Cimarron mine complex, by Banta Model Works.
Photo 11 - As seen in the far right of photo 8: Close up of the two structures, Granite City Bank and Assayer Office.
Photo 12 - Not shown in the overview of the Banta table is this first look at the NEW Silver Plume house that they should have ready soon thanks to the help of Tom Troughton, MMR.
Photo 13 - Not in the manufacturers room, but worthy of note. Gill Bennett gave a clinic on Backdrop Painting and this was the end result. Pretty good for only 1 hour work as it is about 3' x 5'. He made it look easy enough that everyone should have a backdrop like this! The internet address in the picture www.xmission.com/~tedyork is for a RR that has these backdrops.
These are all the pictures that I took, which unfortunately, do not do justice to the many manufacturers who were there. Thanks to all of you, who brought so many tempting things to entice us with!
Back to MAIN Sn3 Symposium page.
jim
Updated July 17 -
Pat
February 28, 2001
