News: Recent News
This page shows a listing of news entries from the past month or so. Click photos to visit the web sites.
Christmas Layout by Jim Strompolis
Jim Strompolis shared a couple of photos of his 2025 Christmas AF-based layout. The photos are a bit blurry, but you can still get a good idea of his wonderful set-up. Lots of lights!
Ross Ames Builds A Test Stand
Buying a locomotive test stand can be expensive. Ross Ames shows how he built one from scratch for his Sn3 locomotives. The concept can be used to build a standard-gauge version as well.
Introducing Diorama Hobbies
New to this web site, Diorama Hobbies produces interesting layout and structure detailing parts. The company is located in Colorado and sells unpainted 3D-printed items. A few items are shown here, but they have too many to list them all (click on "Catalog" at the top of their page to see everything). Not everything is available in S-scale.
Concrete Truck Kit
Mike Fyten has created a 3D-printed kit for a concrete truck. Contact him via e-mail if you are interested in one or more of these unpainted kits.
Start an e-mail message (mike@kvrr-usa.com).
Reefers Product Gallery Revised
The Product Gallery section of this web site has had its refrigerator cars sub-category fully reviewed and updated. All known S-scale reefers are now listed, with all of the photos and information that we have been able to find. I want to thank Bob Hogan for not only providing a good number of photos, but also helping me to untangle the history of the various product lines, many of which changed hands over the years.
Jettie Padgett
Jettie Padgett, of Plant City, Florida, passed away on January 14, 2026, just about a month shy of his 85th birthday.
Most everyone in our scale knew of, or knew, Jettie. Jettie joined the NASG in 1983. In 1984, he was one of the members of the NASG's "Brass Car Committee" who commissioned Overland Models to produce two S-scale brass hoppers. At that time, Jettie was an employee of Overland Models. Jettie and Billy Wade started SouthWind Models in 1985 to produce S-scale brass models. Billy left the company in 1996 taking with him the brass parts portion of the business to supplement his company B.T.S. Jettie focused on producing ready-to-run engines and cars. He produced box cars, cabooses, flat cars, PRR hoppers, milk cars, the PRR scale test car, many light- and heavyweight passenger cars, NYC & PRR express reefers, various steam locomotives (and separately-available tenders), tank cars, separately-available caboose, freight, and passenger car trucks, and transformer loads. Not only that, Jettie was commissioned by the NASG to make the official S-scale standard-gauge gauge that we likely all have sitting on our workbenches. S-scale is certainly blessed to have had Jettie in our ranks.
We offer our condolences to his family, and his many friends.
The photo is courtesy of Bill Lane, when Jettie operated on Bill's layout. It was taken in 2013. See the YouTube link to Bill's video taken during Jettie's visit.
Micro Engineering's New Web Site
Micro Engineering has officially launched their new web site. And, for the first time in Micro Engineering's history, they now list S-scale flextrack.
2026 NASG Convention Locomotive (updated)
For the first time ever, the 2026 NASG Convention will have a "Convention Locomotive". View the page to read all about them, and to see the restrictions and deadlines. Due to the short notice of this project, we are announcing it now, to be able to have them produced by the time of the August 2026 Convention. Other Convention details, including a Convention Car, are forthcoming.
Update:
The project is a GO! Thanks to all of the early commitments, the 2026 NASG Convention group is happy to announce that the minimum has been reached and the project is officially going to happen. If you have not yet ordered yours, follow the links to get your name on the list as well.
Bob Board
Apparently Bob Board, owner of Bart's Pneumatics Corporation, and the very large "All Aboard Railroad" American Flyer layout, has passed away recently. The layout page on his web site disappeared a month or more ago, and now his web site's home page states that his property is up for auction in March. Bob's 24' x 46' all-AF layout featured A.C. Gilbert and GarGraves track and tons of trains. It was a fully-scenicked and detailed layout that had just a bit over two thousand feet of mainline track! He opened the layout during each Christmas season for all to enjoy. Classic Toy Trains recently put together a downloadable book called "S Gauge Masters of Hi-rail", which is a compilation of some of their S-scale hi-rail layouts they have featured in their regular magazine, which included Bob's layout. So far, no known video of the layout has been found. A visitor in 2022 shared a couple of photos on the OGR Forum web site (see second link). Bob's layout was featured in episode 310 (season 3, episode 10) of the PBS series "Tracks Ahead" (2013).
New Web Site Feature: 3D-printer File Sharing (updated)
By request of both designers and those wanting to print 3D models, a new feature has been added to the NASG web site to facilitate the sharing of .stl files. Please contact me at webmaster@nasg.org if you are willing the share your STL files. The link below will take you to the page. This new page is normally accessible via the "Product Gallery" section of the web site. There is a quick-link near the top of that page. Another link can be found farther near the bottom of the main Product Gallery page in a new sub-section called "3D-printer Files".
Update:
Robert Fuhst has offered his designs via the new .stl files that have been added.
NASG Caboose Holiday Special Sale (updated)
The NASG Company Store has a limited-time Holiday Special Sale on its NASG Commemorative Car Program's Caboose. If you buy 5 of these cabooses (or, cabeese!) not only do you get the standard 30% discount, but you get free shipping. Offer good until April 30, 2026 or while supplies last. You must order 5 (or more) of the NASG Cabooses. If you add other cars to your order, shipping costs will apply to those. The web site's shopping cart will automatically recognize when you have added 5 or more cabooses to your cart.
Wrapped Lumber Loads
New to this web site is a company by the name of Hopper Hill Hobbies. Owner Thomas Vaughan hand-builds solid-wood wrapped lumber loads in N- and HO-scales, and he is now expanding into S-scale as well. Please note that their S-scale offerings aren't listed on their web site, yet. Fellow S-modeler, Mark Charles, ordered some to examine them and was impressed with them. His was a scale 60 feet long, 11 feet tall, and 4 feet deep. They should be a perfect fit for the Pre-Size Model Specialties' centerbeam flat cars.
Stuart Gordon
Long-time member of the NASG, Stuart Gordon, passed away on December 26, 2025. We offer our condolences to Stuart's family and friends.
Commercial Building by Frisco Factory
These are 3D-printed, molded-in color but unpainted models, available fully built or in kit form.
New Structure Kits by Monster Modelworks
Larkspur, under their Monster Modelworks brand name, has recently released three new S-scale kits. These are laser-cut wood kits with realistic 3D, laser-engraved brick textures. The kit's parts are unpainted. Completed models shown in the photos.
Rural Barber Shop by Homestead Scale
This is a 3D-printed, fully "built" model, arriving as shown in the photo, ready for primer and painting.
January/February 2025, 2026 Dispatch PDFs Available
The public version of the January/February 2025 issue of the NASG's Dispatch is now available. Also, the members-only issue of the January/February 2026 Dispatch PDF can now be downloaded via the "Members Only" portal.
2026 NASG Annual Member Car
We are pleased to announce the 2026 NASG Annual Member Car. This year's car is the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac (RF&P) 40-foot box car. The RF&P was a 113-mile railroad that connected Richmond, Virginia to Washington, D.C. The railroad lasted from 1836 through 1991. Its slogan was "Linking North & South". The railroad carried both passengers and freight, and served as a bridge or through line. The tracks are still in operation today, but are owned by CSX Transportation.
The box car was built in 1952 and features the paint scheme it had through the early 1970s. The models will be produced for us by American Models. They will be available in with either hi-rail or scale wheels and couplers, as per usual. There will be two road numbers produced. Our models will have blue doors, tall ladders, and a roofwalk, as shown in the prototype photos. A model with this paint scheme has never been commercially produced in S-scale.
The prototype photos are courtesy of George Elwood, owner of the Fallen Flags web site, and the photos were taken by Leroy Dozier in 1967; used by permission.
Some logistics:
Active NASG membership is required to be able to purchase this car.
If you order one car, the road number you will receive will be determined at shipping time, based on availability. If you order two cars, we will attempt to provide you with one of each road number.
Please note that if you order four or more of these cars you will get duplicate road numbers and you will be asked to contact NASG Company Store manager, Chris Crnich, to first obtain an additional shipping charge.
If you pay online via PayPal, your method of payment will be charged right away. We do not know when American Models will fit the production of these cars into their schedule. If we learn anything about that, we will keep you informed via this web site. If you prefer to pay by check or money order, contact NASG Company Store manager, Chris Crnich (companystore@nasg.org).
Click either photo below to select your version (hi-rail or scale) and to place your order.
2025 NASG Convention Cars Re-run
The 2025 (last year's) NASG Convention Car was so popular during the "pre-order" phase that we received more pre-order payments than we had commissioned from American Models. To satisfy the shortages, we commissioned American Models to do another small run. Those who pre-paid for their cars, should have already received them or will receive them shortly. Do NOT re-order if you have already ordered yours but haven't received it yet!. So, the second run gave us a handful of additional cars that are available now. Please note that they are in very short supply and can be sold-out at any moment. You can place your order for a car via this web site and pay via PayPal, as per usual. If you want one and you want to pay by check, please contact Roger Gerhart (NASG Treasurer) immediately, so he can set one aside for you. Roger has them in stock, so he is the only one that can give you availability information.
Caveats:
- First come, first serve! (based on e-mail date/time or PayPal payment date/time)
- Hi-rail or scale option may not be available, based on demand.
- Desired road number may not be available, based on demand.
Start an e-mail message (treasurer@nasg.org).
New Construction Equipment by Diecast Masters
3000toys.com announces these models.
Chipotle Restaurant by Frisco Factory
These are 3D-printed, molded-in color but unpainted models, available fully built or in kit form.
Brian Nicholson
As reported to us by fellow Canadian Jim Martin: The S Scale Workshop is saddened by the sudden loss of valued member Brian Nicholson. In addition to being an expert modeler (see the March/April 2017 NASG Dispatch), Brian was a talented musician who enjoyed entertaining locally in the Montreal area pubs. A long time employee of Pratt & Whitney Canada, Brian was an aviation buff, golfer, outdoorsman, birder, and expert nature photographer. Brian appeared hale and hearty when most of us saw him this past summer, but he was taken from us in early December by a rapidly moving cancer. Among his last words to his social media friends: "I've had a great life! I'm still positive and continue to find joy every day. Enjoy every day. You just never know." Rest in Peace, Brian. We offer our condolences to the Canadian team of S modelers and to Brian's family.
Be sure to see all, or other, products announced over the past year via the main News page.