Initial Ideas

The following is a collection of pictures, most I took during 1999 at various tracks around Texas. Some of my decisions and directions, in pursing the “riding scale” (as I prefer to call it), were based on my experiences with these particular pieces of railroad equipment…

Expect a delay, while the five pictures load. This page was created on 2/22/00, and revised 5/14/02.

The Mack

This is the first Cannonball “Mack” that I had seen or watched operate. It was at the SWLS meet in Annette in April, 1999. The engine ran well and pulled the two riding cars around the 4000 foot track nicely. It is powers by two 12 volt motors and one battery (seen inside the cab). As I recall, this particular loco was an original “Mack”, before the revisions and release of the current “Super Mack” engine. Unfortunately, I lost the owner’s name.

The Pumpkin

This loco is the prototype from ‘Cannonball’, dubbed the “Pumpkin”. A nice box-cab locomotive, with 2 or 4 motor option, using two 12 volt deep cycle, trolling motor/boat batteries. My short run of this engine was enjoyable. Its design and scale I gather are loosely 2”, a free-lance of a narrow gauge engine and box-cab mixture. This photo also taken at the Annette Valley meet. Geez, it sure looks really nice!

A Narrow Gauge Caboose

While pursuing my interest in Colorado 3 foot “narrow gauge”, I was lucky to find a model of a D&RGW “Long Caboose” in 2 ½” scale, during the Spring meet at the Comanche & Indian Gap. Here you can see the ‘big’ caboose coupled to a smaller, 1 ½” standard gauge flat / riding car. The caboose was built / owned by Kevin Doe, in Georgia.

Frolin and Robert’s SW-1500

Here I am, running Robert Chamber’s ‘Rail Systems’ SW-1500, a 1.6” scale loco. Wow, this engine has some power, glides smooth down the tracks and gives the scaled down feel of running a real loco. The engine is actually a dark green, but every photo I take looks black’ish? This photo was taken in late May at the SWLS meet in Terrell.

SR&CL “Two Foot” Diesel

This is diesel #25 of the Sandy Ridge & Clear Lake railroad in Michigan. This is a 3 ¾” scale diesel loco, built to model “two foot gauge”. The track is 7 ½” gauge, but the rail is 12 pound (the real stuff). Over 4000ft of main line down so far. The railroad is impressive, based on the photos and info from the web-site, plus the video footage I have seen of it. This photo is from their site. If you like narrow gauge or Maine Two Foot stuff, consider a visit to their web-site (and tell them Frolin sent you).

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