Where do we go to from here.....

You might be aware that I am attempting to model aspects of the trains and railways of Vietnam.

I'm currently close to completing my first 'kitbash' of a DSVN gondola (open wagon) and have the plans to build a D5H and/or D13E class diesel locomotive. I have suitable chassis for both. One is a LifeLike SW9 for the DH5 and the other, an Atlas RSC4/5 for the D13E. As well I have a couple of US coaches that I plan to us as the basis for two of those green 'Chinese' coaches that DSVN still uses. Unfortunately my diorama hasn't advanced very much with track laying still to be completed.

All this is in 1:150 'Japanese' N scale. By using 1:150 I can use chassis which were made for the bigger US locomotives.

I realise that N gauge 9 mm track is wider than the metre gauge of most tracks in VN, and that I should be using 6.5 mm Z scale track, but that's the track I've got and it means I can use reasonably priced N scale chassis rather than the extremely expensive Z scale ones (if you can find them). Many Japanese railways are of course 3 ft 6 inch gauge and they use 9 mm track.

My primary modelling interest is modern Australian railways in N scale (1:160) and I have a layout to complete for that prototype as well. Not to mention that I collect Australian outline HO scale diesels as well, so there's not a lot of money to spend on the VN models. So scratch building and kitbashing appear to be the way to go.

There aren't any DSVN models to buy anyway, apart from the models of the German BR52 steam locomotives (TE class) which made it to VN but never ran anyway. A$450.00 is a lot of money to pay for a model that will just sit rusting on a siding somewhere!

I've also hunted out a couple of flat car kits in my shed which will pass as container wagons with a coat of light blue paint and a container on each.

My Kato Japanese boxcar is still as it was when I bought it, but I plan to attack it soon. Basically I'll file the details of the side and replace them with more Vietnamese style ones. Again it won't be a exact scale model but it should look OK. I still have plans to scratchbuild one of those green DSVN boxcars with the yellow stripes on the side. I'm in the process of creating some drawings, based on measurements from photos.

Until next time....