James McDonald
@jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social
Musician, historian, and fabricator. I play drums (ska, reggae, cumbia, punk), write history (lots about trains, but also food and convenience), and build all sorts of things from models to theater sets. Mostly model train posts these days.
Anyone want to start a new band? Specifically a duo named after this old soap?
November 1, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Anyone want to start a new band? Specifically a duo named after this old soap?
16 years ago today, CSX 8201, CSX 8509, and CSX 8803 were heading west through St. Denis, MD on their way to Jessup, MD to pick up a transfer run to Baltimore. 8201 was L&N 3573 built in 1974, 8509 was ex Seaboard built in 1983, and 8804 was originally Conrail 6373, built in 1977. My photo.
September 5, 2025 at 9:11 PM
16 years ago today, CSX 8201, CSX 8509, and CSX 8803 were heading west through St. Denis, MD on their way to Jessup, MD to pick up a transfer run to Baltimore. 8201 was L&N 3573 built in 1974, 8509 was ex Seaboard built in 1983, and 8804 was originally Conrail 6373, built in 1977. My photo.
I’ll never give up scratchbuilding but I augment it with 3D. My own printer is not good for finish parts. Ok for interior bits. Images attached of boxcar roof superstructure traced from prototype plan and as printed. This will be sheathed with styrene roof boards too small for my printer to render.
September 5, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I’ll never give up scratchbuilding but I augment it with 3D. My own printer is not good for finish parts. Ok for interior bits. Images attached of boxcar roof superstructure traced from prototype plan and as printed. This will be sheathed with styrene roof boards too small for my printer to render.
For over 25 years I drew train pictures for the screensaver program Traffic but I stopped drawing about a year ago to finish school. Suddenly, today, I started up again. Here are some CM&StP 28’ boxcars in 1880s-1900s versions. Scale is 10px=1 meter.
September 2, 2025 at 12:22 AM
For over 25 years I drew train pictures for the screensaver program Traffic but I stopped drawing about a year ago to finish school. Suddenly, today, I started up again. Here are some CM&StP 28’ boxcars in 1880s-1900s versions. Scale is 10px=1 meter.
Not a euphemism.
August 31, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Not a euphemism.
Saturday’s #ModelRailroading. The Ma&Pa boxcar (rear) is ready for paint. The Milwaukee Road boxcar (gray, 2nd from back) needed sill steps (since added) but is now ready for paint & I finished the brake rigging on the Union Line and CRR of NJ boxcars (3rd & 4th from back, respectively). Progress.
August 24, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Saturday’s #ModelRailroading. The Ma&Pa boxcar (rear) is ready for paint. The Milwaukee Road boxcar (gray, 2nd from back) needed sill steps (since added) but is now ready for paint & I finished the brake rigging on the Union Line and CRR of NJ boxcars (3rd & 4th from back, respectively). Progress.
Finished rigging the brakes on the Ma&Pa boxcar. Now I just need to find some weights that fit within all the baffles I used to hold the body square and I can get this thing looking like a freight car. #ModelRailroading
August 16, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Finished rigging the brakes on the Ma&Pa boxcar. Now I just need to find some weights that fit within all the baffles I used to hold the body square and I can get this thing looking like a freight car. #ModelRailroading
For months I’ve just started new #ModelRailroading projects whenever an active project hits a wall because of lack of parts, tools, etc. In the last week a bunch of supplies showed up so I spent time today pushing old stuff forward.
August 3, 2025 at 1:39 AM
For months I’ve just started new #ModelRailroading projects whenever an active project hits a wall because of lack of parts, tools, etc. In the last week a bunch of supplies showed up so I spent time today pushing old stuff forward.
Here’s a plan for the Union Tank Lines car in one of the previous photos. Depending on what time you’re modeling, the UTL cars had either a fire engine red tank, or a green one.
July 31, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Here’s a plan for the Union Tank Lines car in one of the previous photos. Depending on what time you’re modeling, the UTL cars had either a fire engine red tank, or a green one.
Here are a few inspirational examples.
July 31, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Here are a few inspirational examples.
Time for some light Saturday afternoon reading.
July 26, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Time for some light Saturday afternoon reading.
Update on the CNJ boxcar kitbash. The kit’s original roof core was wrong for the prototype so I scaled a new one off a prototype drawing in Blender and 3D printed the new part. Photo shows a test fit. It’ll need some clean up before I can use it but pretty happy with the result. #ModelRailroading
July 12, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Update on the CNJ boxcar kitbash. The kit’s original roof core was wrong for the prototype so I scaled a new one off a prototype drawing in Blender and 3D printed the new part. Photo shows a test fit. It’ll need some clean up before I can use it but pretty happy with the result. #ModelRailroading
Hey #ModelRailroad folks: anyone have a good source for N scale queen posts? I’m building a Chicago & Alton boxcar with truss rod ends (see pic) and the posts on the prototype look more like something from a different scale than any of the beefy parts sold for HO underframes. Ideas?
July 6, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Hey #ModelRailroad folks: anyone have a good source for N scale queen posts? I’m building a Chicago & Alton boxcar with truss rod ends (see pic) and the posts on the prototype look more like something from a different scale than any of the beefy parts sold for HO underframes. Ideas?
Hit another #ModelRailroading backlog waiting for parts to arrive so, yes, gentle reader, I started building another freight car. Starting with a LaBelle 34’ boxcar I’ll make a Wabash RR car from the 50451-50945 range. When new in 1885 they had a striking white livery and were assigned to the 1/3
June 9, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Hit another #ModelRailroading backlog waiting for parts to arrive so, yes, gentle reader, I started building another freight car. Starting with a LaBelle 34’ boxcar I’ll make a Wabash RR car from the 50451-50945 range. When new in 1885 they had a striking white livery and were assigned to the 1/3
I don’t model traction, but I’m totally tempted to build a shelf-style point to point mini layout just to build and run this. I mean, just look at those driver’s cabins! #ModelRailroading
June 4, 2025 at 11:40 PM
I don’t model traction, but I’m totally tempted to build a shelf-style point to point mini layout just to build and run this. I mean, just look at those driver’s cabins! #ModelRailroading
Since my last answer was a tad unserious here are a few images for some inspiration
June 3, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Since my last answer was a tad unserious here are a few images for some inspiration
Modeling update: finally found sufficient weight for the PRR XA boxcar & moved to placing the roof carlines. Will need to 3D print its new roof next. The CNJ boxcar is turning out to be mostly scratch built at this point and the Ma & Pa car is waiting on new queen posts to arrive. #ModelTrains
May 21, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Modeling update: finally found sufficient weight for the PRR XA boxcar & moved to placing the roof carlines. Will need to 3D print its new roof next. The CNJ boxcar is turning out to be mostly scratch built at this point and the Ma & Pa car is waiting on new queen posts to arrive. #ModelTrains
But wait, there’s more. Way off in the background hidden behind the building is one of the two giant Mansur & Tebbetts Implement Co boxcars. At 60’ long they were almost twice the length and 2’ higher than ordinary boxcars; so large that they generally could never travel east of Pittsburgh.
May 16, 2025 at 10:06 PM
But wait, there’s more. Way off in the background hidden behind the building is one of the two giant Mansur & Tebbetts Implement Co boxcars. At 60’ long they were almost twice the length and 2’ higher than ordinary boxcars; so large that they generally could never travel east of Pittsburgh.
Nice loco and train but what’s that lurking over there to the right? A Union Switch and Signal Company tool car. Cool!
May 16, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Nice loco and train but what’s that lurking over there to the right? A Union Switch and Signal Company tool car. Cool!
Update on my work on the BTS PRR Xa boxcar. A few details needed an update for 1904. I turned to 3D modeling for the beaded double roof and the 20 ton archbar trucks. The decals from K4 arrived today. Slow progress, but progress. #ModelRailroading
May 7, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Update on my work on the BTS PRR Xa boxcar. A few details needed an update for 1904. I turned to 3D modeling for the beaded double roof and the 20 ton archbar trucks. The decals from K4 arrived today. Slow progress, but progress. #ModelRailroading
More on the PRR XA boxcar kit. It’s going together very nicely. I’m so used to warpy, cantankerous resin that it almost seems like this kit would construct itself if I stared hard enough at it. Pro tip: Legos make amazing tools for clamping and ensuring right angles. #ModelRailroading #ModelTrains
April 29, 2025 at 10:01 PM
More on the PRR XA boxcar kit. It’s going together very nicely. I’m so used to warpy, cantankerous resin that it almost seems like this kit would construct itself if I stared hard enough at it. Pro tip: Legos make amazing tools for clamping and ensuring right angles. #ModelRailroading #ModelTrains
I'm waiting on some supplies to arrive to continue the Ma & Pa boxcar I've been working on so maybe it's time to turn what's in photo 1 into what's in photo 2. #ModelRailroading
April 26, 2025 at 5:16 PM
I'm waiting on some supplies to arrive to continue the Ma & Pa boxcar I've been working on so maybe it's time to turn what's in photo 1 into what's in photo 2. #ModelRailroading
A little breakfast time #ModelRailroading work today. In the background are the beginnings of layout for decals that I’ll eventually print and apply to the boxcar in the foreground. Just roughing out the letter forms first.
April 21, 2025 at 12:38 PM
A little breakfast time #ModelRailroading work today. In the background are the beginnings of layout for decals that I’ll eventually print and apply to the boxcar in the foreground. Just roughing out the letter forms first.
Oh yeah, F&C instructions are always, erm, impressionistic. Sometimes I wish I set my project a decade further in the past because I could run the shortest of the shorties. Like this champion here, which likely didn’t make it to my modeling year of 1904:
March 30, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Oh yeah, F&C instructions are always, erm, impressionistic. Sometimes I wish I set my project a decade further in the past because I could run the shortest of the shorties. Like this champion here, which likely didn’t make it to my modeling year of 1904:
Sitting in on drums tomorrow night with @ladyhatchet.bsky.social @duniabest.bsky.social and @aramsinn.bsky.social for a fun sound clash of ska, reggae & dub! Another great Blue Beat DC show at Wonderland. #ska #reggae #dub
March 12, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Sitting in on drums tomorrow night with @ladyhatchet.bsky.social @duniabest.bsky.social and @aramsinn.bsky.social for a fun sound clash of ska, reggae & dub! Another great Blue Beat DC show at Wonderland. #ska #reggae #dub