This is our third issue at the new site. We have decided to include some photos of Proto48 layouts. People often ask to see examples of layouts done to Proto48 standards. There are a number of layouts being built and more planned. There are lots of new products coming out that make it easier to work in Proto48 standards.

The old Proto Journal website has been abandoned. The URL has been linked to a porn site by some lowlife. We have no control over what people do to the old site.

• "Photo Gallery" has several new photos of fine ¼" scale models and layouts
• New products that are usable by Proto48 and standard O (rolling stock).
• We have updated local shows and stocking dealers this issue.

WHAT IS PROTO48?
Proto48 is a refinement of the traditional O gauge railroad modeling. It uses wheel and track standards of prototype Association of American Railroads (AAR) scaled to 1/48 of their actual size. It is in effect a scale replica of the AAR standards used by full-sized railroads. The wheel profile was changed to a scale 5.5" in width with a scale flange depth of approximately 1". The gauge was corrected to a prototypically correct 4' 8 ½" rather than the traditional 5' gauge used by modelers since the scale's inception. To more accurately identify this subset of O scale, the new standards are referred to as Proto48.

Proto48 runs on wheels that are nearly the same as HO scale RP-25. Quarter-inch scale models have more mass and will track better than HO even using a similar wheel profile. Proto48 models will not run on standard O gauge. Standard O gauge models can be converted over using wheels and trucks readily available from several suppliers. Steam locomotives will require more work to convert. There are suppliers who offer conversion services to assist individual modelers. Go to our "Suppliers" section to learn more about sources of modeling material.

The emphasis in Proto48 is on scale modeling. The concept can encompass the total model railroad or simply a car or a locomotive. It is about making a scale model. Getting the wheels and gauge right is part of the picture.

Thanks,
Gene Deimling
Editor, The PROTO48 Newsletter

 

What is New in Proto48?

Local Shows with Proto48 Content:

• Indy Show
  17-18 September 2004 Indianapolis, IN
  James Canter hosts this two-day event. This year there will be five Proto48 layouts open for tour after the show. The opportunity to see five Proto48 layouts within a few hours drive of the show is a unique opportunity. The show has the usual selection of dealers, traders and clinics to fill you time and to empty your pockets. Contact James Canter for more information jcanternkp@aol.com
• O Scale Nationals
  This year the show will be held in the Washington, DC at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City. The dates for the show are July 22-25th. One of the key layouts on tour will feature Western Maryland steam in Proto48.
• O Scale West
  February 2005, Santa Clara, CA
  Show is held in the Santa Clara Convention Center that is adjacent to the Westin Hotel. The show features clinics, layout tours, and lots of sellers. Jim Harper presents a clinic on Proto48 for those interested in getting information from a long-time modeler. www.rodmiller.com/osw.shtml
• Chicago Midwest O Scale Meet
  March 2005 Arlington Heights, IL
  The show is held at the Sheraton Convention Center in Arlington Heights. The show has a huge selling floor, operating layouts including a Proto48 modular display. James Canter usually hosts a meeting for Proto48 followers. Hill's Hobby & Collectors Shop sponsors the meet.

Stocking Dealers:

Supplier News:

American Switch & Signal
1945 N. Hwy 300 West
Winamac, IN 46996
574-946-7667
This is a new and exciting line of very high quality Proto48 track components for Code 125, 138 and later Code 100 rail. The parts are cast in nickel silver and have very crisp detail and accurate dimensions. You can click on this link to obtain a .pdf file of the catalog with ordering information.

Clifton Backshop Services
8122 Valley Run Drive
Clifton, Va. 20124
Pat Mitchell has started a new service for those who want to build a new Proto48 layout. The service entails the fabrication of a sub-roadbed made from ¾" birch plywood, California Roadbed homasote strips, flexible urethane tie strips and all standard turnouts. All you need to provide is the original drawing, rail, spikes and ballast. Pat has been building a new large layout and has cut the construction time by two-thirds. The tie strips are made from urethane and have tie plates and wood grain. The material can easily be spiked like sugar pine. The tie plates are set up to take Code 125 and Code 138 Right O' Way rail. The pictures shown below illustrate the detail found on the strips. Pat suggests that you contact him for pricing and production time. He is also interested in finding out if enough people want to buy the tie strips separately. The turnouts are available in #4, 5 & 6 frogs with #7, 8 & 10 coming this summer.





Rails Unlimited
126 Will Scarlet
Elgin, IL 60120
(847) 697-5353 or 5366
Email: railsunl@foxvalley.net
Web site: http://user.foxvalley.net/~railsunl/
Ted Schnepf has an extensive line of urethane kits for cars like the Milwaukee Road horizontal rib boxcars, express reefers, milk cars, meat reefers , stock cars and others. All in all he offers a wide range of moderately priced car bodies with generic detail sets and decals. Ted has released models of the Milwaukee Road and NP stock cars. They are short cars running between 36' and 38' in length.

Keystone Model Works
Web site: http://www.keystonemodelworks.com
The latest word from Keystone is that their long-overdue Pennsy 2D-F8 50-ton truck will be out this year in plastic and brass. They show a lot of new cars in brass being imported. Pennsy equipment was universal and could be seen all over the country. The PRR fleet of X-29 boxcars was larger than most railroads total count of freight cars.

Chooch Enterprises Inc.
Web site: http://www.choochenterprises.com/html/ultra_scale_ii.html
Mike O'Connell has released all of his passenger cars and is nearly sold out. The 14 year quest to do this project has resulted in some really beautiful cars.



Chooch has release their latest boxcar in the Southern Pacific B-50-15a with rebuilt sides. This car was unique in that the road replaced the wood sheathing with steel. The cars wore a number of color schemes including the standard #11 metallic (oxide red) and their famous black Overnight service scheme. The cars are the usual single piece urethane bodies with specialized plastic metal and urethane details parts. The kit is #670.

Next in line after this release will be the AAR War Emergency 53'6" flat car. This was an extremely popular car used by 19 roads with many of the cars ending their careers in maintenance of way service in the 1980's. The car will have a one-piece urethane body with custom plastic stake pockets and other details.

Protocraft
18498 Half Moon Street
Unit 203
Sonoma, CA 95476-4835 (707) 935-7011 (voice message)
protocraft48@yahoo.com
Website: www.protocraft48.com

After several years of hard work, Norm Buckhart has just about finished with his new home north of San Francisco. He will be getting back to running his Protocraft operation again. Norm has all of his Proto48 items in stock. He has an extensive line of wheels, driver centers, and diesel conversions along with tools to aid in modeling.

RL Design
14123 206th St. S.E.
Snohomish, WA 98296-3947
Rick Leach continues to bring out more has expanded his line of O scale decals to include several new lettering set for the San Juan Car Company Fowler boxcar. Rick has released new Rio Grande and Rock Island sets for the Fowler car. These sets are really beautiful with even the smallest letters and numbers are readable. He now has sets out for Southern Pacific cabooses both steel and wood, G-50-9 through -12 general service gondolas. Rick is busy preparing lettering sets for Southern Pacific automobile cars starting with the A-50-9 thru A-50-11 steel single sheathed cars. I have included a photo of a SP A-50-9 to give you an idea of the type of car lettering that is in the works. He will follow this with lettering for AAR double door 40' cars later in the year.

RL Design decal sets range from $10 to $11 per set with a $4 shipping charge.





San Juan Car Company
P. O. Box 1028
Durango, Colorado 81302
Phone: 970-385-5256
Web site: http://www.sanjuancarco.com
San Juan is busy working on the next standard gauge freight car. The latest project will be the Southern Pacific class G-50-20 and G-50-23 general service gondolas. The former is a steel-sided car and the later is a composite. The G-50-23 was extensively used in sugar beet service. The car shown above had its sides extended in the middle 50's to increase the cubic load of sugar beets and wood chips. The cars were built in 1949 even though they look like the USRA gondola produced by Intermountain several years ago.

The next project beyond this is likely to be the Rio Grande 50' double sheathed wood car. You might have noticed that they now have a website with more information about their products.


This update posted: 6/6/2004