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Many modelers at one time or another think about a camera car for photographing their model railroads. I know I have on many occasions.
There are many versions of this type of car scratch built from box cars, Flat cars, to Locomotives. You can see just a few of the many, from what I have shown below.
Micro-Mark and other companies sold cameras for our use at one time, and many have stopped selling them since. Then modelers starting using hand held cameras, iPhones and Key chain cameras mounted onto flat cars. I found the perfect 1-inch cube size movie camera, that can be mounted on any rolling stock you wish to use, and get a movie of your layout as the device rolls down the track. It is a very interesting, and different visual, of your railroad that you would not otherwise see.
A back story for those interested;
SWEETWATER COUNTY – Frontier-era cameramen once roamed the west in special railroad cars configured as traveling studios called “photo cars.” Photo cars were converted cabooses, fitted out with a small studio, a skylight for illumination, a darkroom, and living quarters for the photographer. Historians believe the first was J.B. Silvis, who began traveling the Union Pacific tracks in his photo car in 1870. His photo car made frequent stops, with people all along the line eager to have their pictures taken. Business was brisk and Silvis could make $100 per day. His success did not go unnoticed by the criminal element. In Evanston, Wyoming, in 1881, he was awakened in his car one night by a burglar armed with an iron bar. Silvis shot the intruder, who fled.
MDC-Roundhouse came out with a kit of this photo car, an HO scale 34' Overton combination car lettered for Union Pacific Railroad in the white "J.B. Silvis Photographers Car" paint scheme. This car was made by Model Die Casting, Roundhouse as item number 3108, and it is now out of production. Model shown below.
For my project, I decided to mount a camera into the nose of a Bachmann Spectrum undecorated #81401 model. Also, I’m using Preiser #10089 HO Leisure Photographers, Scene Master #949-6077 Camera Crew, and Faller #180443 Park Benches on the rear outside deck of the camera car. Following along with the build construction progress, and pictures, you will see what I will come up with for my use as a camera car. Until then, thanks for looking and following along with this build.
As far as the Camera I will be using for my camera car project, there are many videos, and operating information instructions, about this SQ 11 Mini DV Camera for your knowledge off the internet if interested in more camera information.
This is a summer time build, so it will be a lot slower than my usual builds. I’ll get to it as time, and motivation kicks in. Thanks in advance for following along, and offering your thoughts and suggestions.
There are many versions of this type of car scratch built from box cars, Flat cars, to Locomotives. You can see just a few of the many, from what I have shown below.
Micro-Mark and other companies sold cameras for our use at one time, and many have stopped selling them since. Then modelers starting using hand held cameras, iPhones and Key chain cameras mounted onto flat cars. I found the perfect 1-inch cube size movie camera, that can be mounted on any rolling stock you wish to use, and get a movie of your layout as the device rolls down the track. It is a very interesting, and different visual, of your railroad that you would not otherwise see.
A back story for those interested;
SWEETWATER COUNTY – Frontier-era cameramen once roamed the west in special railroad cars configured as traveling studios called “photo cars.” Photo cars were converted cabooses, fitted out with a small studio, a skylight for illumination, a darkroom, and living quarters for the photographer. Historians believe the first was J.B. Silvis, who began traveling the Union Pacific tracks in his photo car in 1870. His photo car made frequent stops, with people all along the line eager to have their pictures taken. Business was brisk and Silvis could make $100 per day. His success did not go unnoticed by the criminal element. In Evanston, Wyoming, in 1881, he was awakened in his car one night by a burglar armed with an iron bar. Silvis shot the intruder, who fled.
MDC-Roundhouse came out with a kit of this photo car, an HO scale 34' Overton combination car lettered for Union Pacific Railroad in the white "J.B. Silvis Photographers Car" paint scheme. This car was made by Model Die Casting, Roundhouse as item number 3108, and it is now out of production. Model shown below.
For my project, I decided to mount a camera into the nose of a Bachmann Spectrum undecorated #81401 model. Also, I’m using Preiser #10089 HO Leisure Photographers, Scene Master #949-6077 Camera Crew, and Faller #180443 Park Benches on the rear outside deck of the camera car. Following along with the build construction progress, and pictures, you will see what I will come up with for my use as a camera car. Until then, thanks for looking and following along with this build.
As far as the Camera I will be using for my camera car project, there are many videos, and operating information instructions, about this SQ 11 Mini DV Camera for your knowledge off the internet if interested in more camera information.
This is a summer time build, so it will be a lot slower than my usual builds. I’ll get to it as time, and motivation kicks in. Thanks in advance for following along, and offering your thoughts and suggestions.
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