Welcome to Pacific Coast Trains! Please enjoy this collection of scale model photos, reference materials, and other railroad-related and scale model topics. I've also thrown in some of my travel photography, an offshoot of taking a lot of train pictures.
The site contains information on scale modeling (HO scale railroad, and 1/72 aircraft and armor): kit reviews, in-progress builds, and finished models, as well as prototype photos. I have also dabbled with painting miniature figures, mostly fantasy/Dungeons & Dragons style, of both plastic and metal.
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My primary hobby interest is model railroading, but also railfanning the prototype. This site includes: prototype photos and some of my favorite locations; and pictures of HO scale models, both of my own collection as well as some that are for sale. |
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I've rediscovered an interest in military modeling, primarily smaller scale (1/72). I enjoy aircraft and armor, and tend to like the more colorful schemes. I also have some photos of prototypes as well. |
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Another outlet of free time is painting miniature figures. I work with 25mm figures, from a variety of manufacturers. I'm inspired by a lot of great work by others! |
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An offshoot of learning to take better train pictures, I've kindled an interest in photography in general. I have been lucky enough to travel overseas extensively, and would spend a lot of time walking my destinations, looking for interesting photos. |
I have created this site in part to share techniques and results. You can see more about various techniques here. In general, I believe that anyone can learn to produce outstanding looking models that resemble the prototype cars/vehicles/whatever that are seen in the wild. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who have helped me, and regularly read/re-read those sources which provide guidance and inspiration. the amount of talent producing phenomenal models is hard to believe. Even after years of this, I still am learning, and as products and techniques are developed, I'm hungry for more.
I develop certain styles and approaches that I go back to again and again, and it does tend to make my models look somewhat alike. That's why incorporating new techniques (while fun) is a valuable way to provide variety in modeling, which is more like what we see anyway. Sure I'll do a few cars in a very similar style, but am consciously trying to mix things up as well. This is supposed to be fun after all!
I now live in the San Francisco Bay area, which itself has a number of interesting railroad destinations. Some of my favorites include: Oakland (Jack London Square and the UP yards just north and south of it); traffic up and down the Peninsula; the freight yard in Martinez, CA; and the coast lines up in Pinole, CA.