Well, I’ve finally gotten around to doing a deal for an almost new AccuCraft Climax - steamed just twice. Seemed the lucky owner couldn’t cope with the somewhat wacky looks of the design, unsurprising really here in England, where nobody has ever seen one in the tin.
You’ll recall, probably, that the model caused a bit of a rumpus when it first appeared with its novel wood ‘tile’ decking, due to a screw-up in the CAD that left the planking going in the right direction, but the grain of the wood at right-angles to it. Luckily, I recaledl reading over on another forum - one that I’ve left - that Jonathan Bliese had a set of overlay veneer ‘planks’, originally intended to improve the plastic-y appearance of the AMS flatcars, so I wrote to him this afternoon, when I knew the deal was done and dusted, to see if he had any left. If he doesn’t, well, the somewhat baroque look will go unnoticed over here in yUK, where nobody but a few of us would be any the wiser if it was paved with mosaics of unicorns and flarps.
I’ll be lining mine out to take away the rather rather bare and austere looks, and lettering and numbering it to fit in with its role as another MPU in the Port Orford Coast RR Extension here in yUK. The Oregon Lumber operation must surely be the longest short-line on the planet, reaching, as it does, from Port Orford OR to the borders between Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire, almost 7000 miles away, here in dank UK.
All we now need is for AccuCraft to produce the missing loco style - the Heisler, and the roster will be complete.
Needless to say, videos will be done, and posted, and celebratory marionberry pie will be otted.
Watch this space!
Best to all.
tac, ig & The Port Orford Boatlift Boys
