2006 OCS modeling project

Good morning everyone & Happy New Year!

To start 2006 off right I'd like to formally announce a project that
Wes Reminder & myself have been working on over the last few months.
Together we've undertaken modeling the Conrail OCS.

This is a LARGE project involving cutsom made car sides, as well as
parts from numerous manufacturers & extensive kitbashing. Part of
the project involves documenting everything as a how-to series for
Conrail modelers. To date collectively we've got about 50 percent of
the OCS fleet either complete or in progress.

It is our intent at some point in the future (probably mid-year
dependent on manufacturer or other delays) to release something for
modelers in either book or CD form as a comprehensive guide to
modeling the OCS.

If anyone would like to join us in this project or would like to
share OCS information I invite you to e-mail me at
[email protected] Be sure to put OCS in the header, as well
as the number of attatchments if any are sent.

I would like to put together a database of people who are interested
in the project so as we get further into it we can share information.

Right now we're looking for the following to assist in the project:

-Drawings/plans of CR 5 "Boston"
-Service dates for CR 2,6,19 (this appears to be the same car which
was renumbered multiple times)
-Service dates for CR 23 (Baggage support car)
-Service dates for CR 25 & 26 which were retired in the late 1980's
-Service dates for CR 27
-Service dates & plans/drawings for CR 50 (Generator boxcar)
-Service dates, history, plans/drawings, & pictures for CR 47004.
(This car was initally assigned to the Conrail PD & later CR
Operation Lifesaver.)
-Service dates, history, plans/drawings, & pictures for PD-1, "The
Atlantic". (Assigned to the CR Police in north Jersey.)
-Interior photos of any or all OCS cars.

If you'd like to join in or have information you're willing to share
I invite you to drop me a line. Wishing everyone a Happy &
Propserous 2006!

A special thanks goes out to Astrosa for his invaluable assitance in providing information on passenger car modleing - HE'S THE MAN !!!!

-M.R. Snell

Taking Astrosa's advice I have an album up on webshots. Right now I have pix of Conrail 19, the first car completed. If this works & there is enough interest I'll put up a car a week until all are finished. Right now there are 7 done with 9 in various construction stages, as well as the E's.

Conrail 19: Built with an ECW business car core & scratchbuilt sides. An assortment of add on parts including trucks, markers, antennas, etc were used to finish the car.

http://community.webshots.com/user/CRNJDIV

Enjoy!

-M

Good morning everyone,

Model photos of the week: Conrail 12, Conrail 27, Conrail 55.

In upcoming weeks will be Conrail 9, Conrail 10, & Conrail 11.

These can be accessed at: http://community.webshots.com/user/CRNJDIV

Thanks for your continued interest in the project & Have a great day
everyone!

-M.R. Snell

Good day everyone,

Weekly update is Conrail 9, the theater car. The car was built by Wes Reminder & then sent to me & I did the finishing work. (Cross country project.....)

Photos can be accessed at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/CRNJDIV

Next week there will be photos of Conrail 10.


-M.R. Snell

Good day everyone,

Weekly update is Conrail 10. Photos can be accessed at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/CRNJDIV

Thanks everyone for your continuing support! Have a great day!

-M

Weekly update is CR23- the support car for the research equipment. Bashed from an Athearn car to make a "close enough" for the price model.

I also invite everyone to join us at the Conrail Modelers Resource website where articles on building the cars will be put into rotation until the modeling CD is available. Join in at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/conrailmodelers/

Public photos can be accessed at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/CRNJDIV

Thanks everyone for your support & Have a great day!

-M

Good morning everyone,

For those of you who have been awaiting an update on the OCS project I've posted Conrail 8 in pre-paint condition (partial primer, missing doors, diaphragms, & a couple of detail parts) at the webshots album.

This car was constructed from a Walthers paired window coach using Laser replacement sides & a roof from Eastern Car Works.

I hope to have the car into paint & completed in the next week & then I can give you some good pics. I lost several weeks due to an Alan Keller DVD shoot & some other issues that had come up.

For those of you who will be attending the RIT train show in Rochester later this month I'll be giving a clinic on modeling the OCS, showing several different styles of conversions that have been done. Also the OCS fleet built to date will be on hand for inspection, & I'll try to answer any questions you may have on building them yourself.

Have a great day everyone!

Good morning everyone!

Two more OCS cars are now complete:

Conrail 3- built from a Branchline coach using repalcement sides & a fabricated observation platfrom

Conrail 8- Built from a Walthers coach using replacement sides & a roof from Eastern Car Works.

Photos can be accessed at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/CRNJDIV

The next 2 cars will be Conrail 1 & 4. We are currently awaiting the arrival of new sides, which have been delayed by the manufacturer.

I'd like to start putting together a listing of people who would be interested in the modeling CD. Feel free to e-mail me at:

[email protected] & please put OCS in the heading.

Thanks everyone for your support & Have a great day!

-M

Good evening everyone,

For those who have been awaiting an update on the progress of the OCS project - Conrail 1 & Conrail 4 are now complete. These were constructed using a Walthers observation & replacement sides along with a roof kit from Bethlehem Car Works.

Pictures of 1 & 4 can be seen in the OCS modeling album at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/CRNJDIV

The next cars in line are CR 24 & CR 21 and I am still attrempting to find usable plans for CR 5 & 22. If anyone has access to these I'd appreciate hearing from you.

Enjoy & Have a great day!

-M.R. Snell