Over the years, I've fallen into the "prototype fidelity", "specific detailing", "model everything like it was a foreground model", card carrying "rivet counter" mentality. Basically, it's not worth doing if it's not worth doing well. No matter how large or small the project happens to be - be it an SD60M, the flange lubricator that it travels over, the grade crossing that it passes or the Mack tractor that's waiting for the train to pass and the gates to rise - it's all worthwhile to me, and it deserves (begs!!) to be modelled.
Many folks within the hobby of railroad modeling tend to see (and only focus their modeling talents on) just the trains. Track, scenery, structures, cars, people, etc., are all of secondary importance (and honestly, they look like it!!). The "Why didn't you go the extra mile with everything else?" question crosses my mind plenty of times. I don't ask it much, because I'm pretty sure what their answers would be.
To Make a Long Story Short...
After displaying some of my container/chassis projects online, someone stated that, "I now need a truck to pull it."
Indeed!!
Fast Forward to Today...
I find myself at the bench working on a pair of Masterbilt Models Mack Vision tractor kits. These kits are outstanding!! The clarity of the detail is impressive, and with a little filing and trimming of some casting flash, everything fits very, very well. This is the first time that I've worked with a resin kit and thus far, it's been a very enjoyable experience.
The following describes the beginning of a great experience for me - hunkered down at the bench with the primary goal being to create something cool, learning more about a specific prototype and having fun every step of the way. Yeah, there's some work involved, but that's what it's all about. After all, this IS modeling, right??
At this point, I've attached the cab to the sleeper, fit the hood/bumper assembly to the frame and the cab, removed the mudflaps and am in the process of fitting the side fairing/tank pieces. For those of you who haven't yet worked with resin kits yet, the material does work differently than styrene plastic. Resin is harder than styrene, but is also more brittle. Don't think that you can hack away with a #11 blade like you can with plastic - it ain't gonna happen! Careful filing, scraping and sanding seems to be the rule with resin, and with patience, great results will be the norm.
Again, the resin parts, decals and photo etch in these kits are superb!! Once the flash is cleaned up, everything fits as it's supposed to. I'm always impressed when a group of individuals come together, plan and put together a kit like this. The results of their efforts were evident when I first opened the packaging. Thanks guys!!
Masterbilt Models is online at www.masterbiltmodels.com . Please stop by their site, it'll be worth your while!
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