Arlo
@arlostrains.bsky.social
21 • he/him • Enjoyer of trains, builder of tiny ones • Professional electric traction apologist
Free Palestine 🇵🇸
Free Palestine 🇵🇸
The DART Silver Line opens today, connecting DFW airport to Plano in Texas!
In 2024 I was commissioned by Stadler Rail US to make a series of HO scale models of the new trains as a promotional item for the grand opening and employee gifts. Definitely one of the more unique things I’ve done!
In 2024 I was commissioned by Stadler Rail US to make a series of HO scale models of the new trains as a promotional item for the grand opening and employee gifts. Definitely one of the more unique things I’ve done!
October 25, 2025 at 3:46 PM
The DART Silver Line opens today, connecting DFW airport to Plano in Texas!
In 2024 I was commissioned by Stadler Rail US to make a series of HO scale models of the new trains as a promotional item for the grand opening and employee gifts. Definitely one of the more unique things I’ve done!
In 2024 I was commissioned by Stadler Rail US to make a series of HO scale models of the new trains as a promotional item for the grand opening and employee gifts. Definitely one of the more unique things I’ve done!
These models are built around the solid running 70’s era Athearn bluebox drives with a custom frame casting. You can see it has literally no track time whatsoever. I’ll be installing one of the modern DCC friendly gold motors and ESU Loksound into this soon!
April 29, 2025 at 4:58 PM
These models are built around the solid running 70’s era Athearn bluebox drives with a custom frame casting. You can see it has literally no track time whatsoever. I’ll be installing one of the modern DCC friendly gold motors and ESU Loksound into this soon!
Recently scored an old GK Locomotive Works Amtrak E60 new in box for less then $40 on eBay. Despite their age these models are actually really nicely tooled and with the few extra detail parts I’ve added and the frame/trucks painted it is very close to being on par with anything made today.
April 29, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Recently scored an old GK Locomotive Works Amtrak E60 new in box for less then $40 on eBay. Despite their age these models are actually really nicely tooled and with the few extra detail parts I’ve added and the frame/trucks painted it is very close to being on par with anything made today.
Perfect late afternoon sun on the SRTE today
April 15, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Perfect late afternoon sun on the SRTE today
Not terribly hard, I built a new motor mount from styrene that the motor is epoxied into. The original worm gear was pressed onto the shaft with a little CA for good measure.
April 10, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Not terribly hard, I built a new motor mount from styrene that the motor is epoxied into. The original worm gear was pressed onto the shaft with a little CA for good measure.
A quick commission done for @steem_deerMSR of Awdry’s MSR Atlas!
This was a simple kitbash combining a Minitrains Baldwin bodyshell with an Atlas 0-6-0. The chassis was remotered with a coreless can and the body repainted, decaled & weathered to match the Alfred I did before. Very pleased with it!
This was a simple kitbash combining a Minitrains Baldwin bodyshell with an Atlas 0-6-0. The chassis was remotered with a coreless can and the body repainted, decaled & weathered to match the Alfred I did before. Very pleased with it!
April 10, 2025 at 7:55 PM
A quick commission done for @steem_deerMSR of Awdry’s MSR Atlas!
This was a simple kitbash combining a Minitrains Baldwin bodyshell with an Atlas 0-6-0. The chassis was remotered with a coreless can and the body repainted, decaled & weathered to match the Alfred I did before. Very pleased with it!
This was a simple kitbash combining a Minitrains Baldwin bodyshell with an Atlas 0-6-0. The chassis was remotered with a coreless can and the body repainted, decaled & weathered to match the Alfred I did before. Very pleased with it!
Happy Conrail day to all who celebrate
April 2, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Happy Conrail day to all who celebrate
BART in Vermont?!! I finally got the E24 Lokpilot decoders in my Rapido trains BART set last week and ran it tonight at club, a simply outrageous amount of fun and best enjoyed running as fast possible ;)
March 27, 2025 at 4:31 AM
BART in Vermont?!! I finally got the E24 Lokpilot decoders in my Rapido trains BART set last week and ran it tonight at club, a simply outrageous amount of fun and best enjoyed running as fast possible ;)
All parts were throughly cleaned and degreased, primed and airbrushed with Vallejo Premium Acrylic Polyurethane paints. Custom decals were printed by Fusion Scale Graphics from my own design, and everything sealed with matte clear coat.
March 24, 2025 at 3:30 AM
All parts were throughly cleaned and degreased, primed and airbrushed with Vallejo Premium Acrylic Polyurethane paints. Custom decals were printed by Fusion Scale Graphics from my own design, and everything sealed with matte clear coat.
Painting was fairly straightforward. I didn’t repaint everything, mainly it was the boiler, cab and tender tank that were painted a weird dark gray color by LGB. I also painted the shiny tire edges on the wheels and the truck frames.
March 24, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Painting was fairly straightforward. I didn’t repaint everything, mainly it was the boiler, cab and tender tank that were painted a weird dark gray color by LGB. I also painted the shiny tire edges on the wheels and the truck frames.
Other than that the rest of the work was fairly minor, I added the missing front train line and brake hose, installed kadee couplers, lit marker lights and a hand sculpted engineer figure in the cab. I also replaced the dynamo with a more detailed metal casting and made cab curtains from sculpey.
March 24, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Other than that the rest of the work was fairly minor, I added the missing front train line and brake hose, installed kadee couplers, lit marker lights and a hand sculpted engineer figure in the cab. I also replaced the dynamo with a more detailed metal casting and made cab curtains from sculpey.
The LGB model is a very decent model of C&S B-3-C #4-10 it has one poorly done feature, the headlight. It’s undersized & looks dinky in comparison to the model. I designed a new headlight, bracket and a new smokebox number plate in fusion from blueprints & photos which I then had resin printed.
March 24, 2025 at 3:30 AM
The LGB model is a very decent model of C&S B-3-C #4-10 it has one poorly done feature, the headlight. It’s undersized & looks dinky in comparison to the model. I designed a new headlight, bracket and a new smokebox number plate in fusion from blueprints & photos which I then had resin printed.
Here’s one of my most recent projects, C&S 6!
This was a full repaint and detail job of a LGB C&S Cooke mogul. I’ve owned this model for years now and have always wanted to find the time to improve it.
More details in the thread below⬇️
This was a full repaint and detail job of a LGB C&S Cooke mogul. I’ve owned this model for years now and have always wanted to find the time to improve it.
More details in the thread below⬇️
March 24, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Here’s one of my most recent projects, C&S 6!
This was a full repaint and detail job of a LGB C&S Cooke mogul. I’ve owned this model for years now and have always wanted to find the time to improve it.
More details in the thread below⬇️
This was a full repaint and detail job of a LGB C&S Cooke mogul. I’ve owned this model for years now and have always wanted to find the time to improve it.
More details in the thread below⬇️
Another @waltherstrains sanding facility kit done for my Canadian client. This is the second one I’ve done and is essentially identical to the first one, so not much to say.
March 18, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Another @waltherstrains sanding facility kit done for my Canadian client. This is the second one I’ve done and is essentially identical to the first one, so not much to say.
E24 Lokpilot decoders came in so getting figures and DCC installed in my BART set today. Cant wait to finally give this a spin soon!
March 14, 2025 at 5:56 PM
E24 Lokpilot decoders came in so getting figures and DCC installed in my BART set today. Cant wait to finally give this a spin soon!
Another @waltherstrains building kit done for my Canadian client, this time Glacier Gravel Co repurposed as a Coal Mine head house! I was told to make this as dirty as I wanted and I am quite pleased with the result!
March 12, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Another @waltherstrains building kit done for my Canadian client, this time Glacier Gravel Co repurposed as a Coal Mine head house! I was told to make this as dirty as I wanted and I am quite pleased with the result!
Got a bunch of figures at a train show yesterday, so my BART set is getting some passengers finally. Makes for an instant improvement!
March 9, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Got a bunch of figures at a train show yesterday, so my BART set is getting some passengers finally. Makes for an instant improvement!
When you like traction every photo in there is your favorite, but I did find this one uniquely striking. Really excellent angle and shot composition
February 23, 2025 at 6:02 PM
When you like traction every photo in there is your favorite, but I did find this one uniquely striking. Really excellent angle and shot composition
Recently finished Bethlehem Car Works Central Vermont Baggage car kit. Really enjoyable kit that went together flawlessly, and I built it start to finish in less then a week while I had a cold a few weeks ago. Still needs weathering eventually, but not till the rest of my Ambassador consist is done
February 23, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Recently finished Bethlehem Car Works Central Vermont Baggage car kit. Really enjoyable kit that went together flawlessly, and I built it start to finish in less then a week while I had a cold a few weeks ago. Still needs weathering eventually, but not till the rest of my Ambassador consist is done
SRTE 5 is nearly complete, just waiting for couplers, a bell and traction motors to arrive.
February 21, 2025 at 10:34 PM
SRTE 5 is nearly complete, just waiting for couplers, a bell and traction motors to arrive.
Another SRT&E locomotive in the works, based upon drawings from Baldwin Westinghouse. Trucks should be arriving soon!
February 19, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Another SRT&E locomotive in the works, based upon drawings from Baldwin Westinghouse. Trucks should be arriving soon!
Very excited to show off this locomotive repaint I recently finished for @CobraMerciless (on twitter), West Coast 1067! This is a repainted BLI Light Pacific with a custom front light package and bell using Cal scale brass parts. The Mars light works with an Evan Designs circuit too!
February 3, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Very excited to show off this locomotive repaint I recently finished for @CobraMerciless (on twitter), West Coast 1067! This is a repainted BLI Light Pacific with a custom front light package and bell using Cal scale brass parts. The Mars light works with an Evan Designs circuit too!