Things that make me happy.

There are times when my interests and my clients desires come together.
This Speedwitch Media kit, #K118, is a SP A-50-4. The history provided in the kit instructions suggest that the prototype wasn't upgraded with AB brakes. However, well know and renowned SP modeler and railroad historian, Tony Thompson, wrote about this is a recent blog posting on his blog, Modeling the SP. In essence Tony found a number of examples of this class of car that did receive AB brakes. The paperwork that Tony shares has the actual car numbers of those cars converted.
All of this meant that I had to have a model of this car with AB brakes. I've developed an affinity for Automobile cars since I've started modeling the Wabash.
As it turns out Tony wanted the same thing and hired me to build his model for him. We had no photos or diagrams from which to determine the component layout, but we felt that the basic arrangement would serve quite well.

So away I went. A set of Tichy AB brake components, custom made brake levers and some trimmed turnbuckles for clevis' and we were in business.
Tony prefers to decal and weather his cars himself, so I painted the car and sent it to him.
His car is the top image.
It's interesting to see the differences in our weathering styles. Both make for very nice models.
His comment to me,

And thanks again for the fine job building it!

That makes me happy