Train Show Haul

The real question on your minds is not, tell us about the train show, it's what did you get at the train show, Bunkermeister?  Here's a start.

This item is a box car, before WWII companies often owned box cars to haul their products in and the railroads pulled them for a fee.

I collect trains from the Southwest USA and German wartime trains.

ATSF, Union Pacific, and Southern Pacific are prime route for me.

This black item is a re-railer.  Model trains run over it and their wheels are pushed back onto the tracks, they are disguised as train crossings.

Train cars from all over the country might be found in any particular region on any give day.

 A Liberty ship could hold 300 box cars worth of stuff in their hold.

A US Army Infantry Division in WWI used 30 box cars per day.

Train Show

This set up was a mining operation, it went from the top of the table down to the floor.  It makes for an interesting wargame possibility to play a vertical wargame inside a skyscraper or in a dungeon.

The detail on this mine was astonishing, the welding would actually flash like a spark.

I told MRS Bunkermeister, see how the little boy is totally fascinated and thrilled by these dioramas?  He his just like all the other men here, even those of us who are 60 or 80 or 100 years old.

A civilian halftrack, you don't see that very often!

This was very cool, it was a storm cloud with a tornado that would come down, spinning and then go back up  again.

Village

The train show had this large diorama set up with trains almost as an afterthought.

It is an American fishing village.

Nice water effect, notice the river flowing into the ocean.  Yes, that's a bald eagle snatching a fish from the water.

Rock being loaded onto a barge to for a breakwater or island.

Hard had diver ready to descend.  No air compressor in evidence so I suspect it will be a very short trip.

Train Show Airfield

That hanger in the background is sold as an O Gage building, yet works perfectly for HO.

I like the mixture of aircraft types, typical of a busy base.

Guards at the gate are ready for German or Japanese spies.

Of course, even in war, civilian train traffic still continues.

An impressive pile of naval power to be sure.

Train Show Airfield

Parked near the front end of the battleship are a number of WWII US Army trucks, armor and artillery.

There is also a small aircraft carrier, which in HO is still very large.

The dockside cranes are busy and there is another load of planes ready to be put on the deck.

An LST and Liberty Ship with destroyer make up more of the diorama.

Military loads on flatcars are everywhere to be seen along with civilian traffic.  

The hangers are very well done along with some kit bashing to make other airfield buildings.

Railroad service train cars are also present.

Train Show

This European train set up was probably close to 100 feet in circumference. 

This more whimsical train set up had giant dinosaurs attacking the city and various military weapons responding.

Here a dinosaur has a military helicopter in his mouth.

These guys used a mix of European and American buildings that I thought was very effective.

This HO scale battleship has got to be about the best naval wargame accessory ever!

It includes a whole pier, dock, tugs, cargo ships, aircraft and support facilities.

Mr. Diaz is responsible for all this naval activity.

Train Show

I went to a train show at the Anaheim Convention Center.

This simple amusement park set up shows what can be done easily and portable.

Carpet on the table top, store bought buildings and snap together track.

This set up was more elaborate, with boats and a background.

This European train, shooting past at high speed, was a sectional diorama.

LIghts, Inside & Outside

As the strange lights brighten up the sky, the Kreisleiter lights up his headquarters.

They have to report all such light immediately up through channels.

Are the Russians coming?

Do they have new way of lighting the night sky?

Why doesn't the Luftwaffe see anything on their radar?