Is this the best blog title ever?

 The Protocrastinator. "One who keeps putting off finescale railway modelling for no apparent reason"

Eight years after the last post about detailing the Weaver box car kit. (Which has progressed no further in the intervening time period, by the way). Comes a new post about a purchase that will hopefully spur my Proto-modelling on again.

For those reading this blog for the first time, or have forgotten about its purpose. It was started in 2009 to detail my efforts in Proto, or finescale model railroading. Originally the project was going to be in P:87 (finescale H0) but supply problems for point work and wagon wheels caused it to stall. So I got my model railroading kicks through more immediate "open the box" means in OO, HO, Z scale, T scale and even Busch H0f. All ways of getting something running quickly. I've built some successful, popular layouts in that time but still hanker after prototype fidelity in my model making. At some point, I'll be ready to build a finescale layout that incorporates much of what I have learned in the intervening years since I started this blog. 

I am also the editor of The Micro Model Railway Dispatch. A quarterly journal for those interested in building layouts in an area of less than four square feet. So if I could build a micro layout in P:48 that would be even better. The important thing for me with this project will be to show that Proto modelling is attainable even for the most average of modellers, for that is how I see myself. 

Way back in the day, when I first discovered the compromises that all commercial model railway scales take in order to mass produce models, and that there was a true scale alternative available. I knew I needed to try it. But back then it was very daunting. Mysterious words and phrases like "Hornblocks" and "compensated chassis" were commonplace. You had to lay your own track. Things have changed over the years, and I have much more experience. but I have never made the jump to true scale fidelity. Perhaps I'm still doubting of my skills. But I will never know unless I have a go.

So, what is the new purchase I alluded to at the start of the post?

What's in the box?

This!

At the Granite City Train Show in St. Cloud MN, I found this. A 2 rail Weaver RS-3. Looking at the packing in the box and its condition, this may have only ever been in display on a hobby stores shelves. I'm reliably informed by P:48 modellers that a simple wheel replacement is possible to get it running in the Proto world. If I'm going to have a P:48 layout, then I will need a P:48 loco. This looks like a fine starting point.

I've always had a soft spot for the RS-3 as a prototype, so I was immediately attracted to it. A quick check with my "Proto-mentor" confirmed that this would be a good locomotive to start off with, and money quickly changed hands between the vendor and I. 

What's the next step? Clearly I need to re-wheel it to the correct standards. Then I will need to lay some finescale track to run it on. What comes first? It's a chicken and egg situation.

I think you can stay tuned to this blog for a while to find out what happens next.