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James McDonald

@jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social

390 followers 700 following 410 posts

Musician, historian, and fabricator. I play drums (ska, reggae, cumbia, punk), write history (lots about trains, but also food and convenience), and build all sorts of things from models to theater sets. Mostly model train posts these days.

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Reposted by James McDonald

Metro @wmata.com · 9d

A bittersweet farewell to our 2000-series! 🚇

Today, we removed the final one from Greenbelt Rail Yard. These trains were first introduced in the early 1980s, operated nearly 200M miles, and carried more than 775M passengers.

Now, we’re making way for our 8000-series! 👋

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Reposted by James McDonald

Eastern Standard Time @estmusic.bsky.social · 10d

Our next show is this Saturday in Newport News. One Love Reggae Music Festival!! Come forward!

Poster for One Love Reggae Music Festival. Black background with text in yellow, blue and white. Texts read: Oct 4, 5th annual One Love Reggae Music Festival, 11am to 9:30pm. Free admission. Coastal Fermentory & Ironclad Distillery. 206 23rd Street Suite B, Newport News, VA. Bands listed: Eastern Standard Time, Rio, Cultivated Mind, Lost Soul Society, Nature’s Child, Trevor Daniels and The Reef, Young Lions, Lionsbridge, Native Dread, Josh Craig.

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · 11d

This is very true, unfortunately.

James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · 12d

I’ve been trying to organize an oral history project at the RF&P HistSoc for these same reasons but it’s quite a task to undertake. Progress is slow.

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · 12d

IC is really under-appreciated, and this bubbles over into model production.

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · 12d

Wow

James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · 17d

I cycled thru many scales before landing on HO as my primary. Nowadays I mostly restrain myself from purchases outside of HO unless they’re from pre-1990 Eastern Europe. Then I’ll buy TT or N stuff.

James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · 17d

It’s always sat poorly with me because its “humor” posits that an interest in trains and being on the spectrum are things to be ashamed of. Neither are.

James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · 17d

CE-15 is at the B&O RR Museum in Baltimore, although its design is a little different. I feel like the Detroit Photographic collection has a pic of a clearance car but not being that into MoW I don’t think I ever paid it much mind.

Reposted by James McDonald

Eastern Standard Time @estmusic.bsky.social · 21d

Our next shows…

Flyer for Eastern Standard Time showing bass player with an expression of delight and hand raised like a claw. His fingers point toward the text listing upcoming shows, which are September 27 Oktoberfest at Five Mountain Brewing in Shickshinny, Pennsylvania and October 4 at One Love Reggae Music Festival at Coastal Fermentory in Newport News, Virginia.

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · 24d

I’ll look for the reference. I think it was the subject of someone’s electrical engineering dissertation. I mostly remember it because the document had real photos glued into it.

James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · 24d

It’s been years since I read about it but IIRC at one time the PRR had (or planned?) a substation over the tracks in, I think, Philly. Maybe that approach would free up room?

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · 26d

Back from @supernovaska.bsky.social . What a great weekend!

Reposted by James McDonald

Iron Genesis Models @irongenesis.bsky.social · 26d

Reminder, that if you want an HO scale model of the first 4-2-0 built, the Experiment of the Mohawk & Hudson, you can get a 3D printed kit on my shop here: 3dptrain.com/products/183...

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Reposted by James McDonald

bluebeatoftheday.bsky.social @bluebeatoftheday.bsky.social · 29d

Next at Supernova, Eastern Standard Time

Eastern Standard Time, a ska ensemble, on stage

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · Sep 10

That bed looks amazing!

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · Sep 8

FWIW one of the early executives of the M&PA came from a WB&A predecessor. Also, if I can play along, maybe add in the Chesapeake Beach Railway to the system.

James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · Sep 8

I thought to myself “ok, that’s a *really* niche reference; but this being bsky, maybe I’ve found someone else who knows late 80s East German music.” Accidental laughter is also good tho.

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · Sep 8

Stille Invasion?

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Reposted by James McDonald

Jacqueline Antonovich @jackiantonovich.bsky.social · Sep 7

As an icebreaker, I asked my college students, "If you could time travel to any decade in the past, where would you go?"

Dear readers, I'm sorry to say that the overwhelming majority said the 80s. The 1980s.

When I asked them why, they said, "seems cool!"

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · Sep 5

16 years ago today, CSX 8201, CSX 8509, and CSX 8803 were heading west through St. Denis, MD on their way to Jessup, MD to pick up a transfer run to Baltimore. 8201 was L&N 3573 built in 1974, 8509 was ex Seaboard built in 1983, and 8804 was originally Conrail 6373, built in 1977. My photo.

3/4 color wedge photo of three diesel electric locomotives passing under a signal bridge on a multi-track railroad line. Green trees make up the background.

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · Sep 5

diameter, but I can’t afford such machines. So I print what I can and scratchbuild on top of it. For really high end finish work (like the 25 cars I mentioned earlier) I’m hoping to outsource.

James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · Sep 5

That sure looks nice. My printer is an Ender 3-something. It struggles with detail at HO scale. I can’t get scale board grooves out of it. Same for a few other filament printers I’ve tried. I’ve seen 3D prints using liquid resin that have much greater fidelity including grab irons at scale 1/

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · Sep 5

I’ll never give up scratchbuilding but I augment it with 3D. My own printer is not good for finish parts. Ok for interior bits. Images attached of boxcar roof superstructure traced from prototype plan and as printed. This will be sheathed with styrene roof boards too small for my printer to render.

Image showing bed of 3D printer on which a boxcar roof printed in purple plastic rests after print completed.

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James McDonald @jamesdmcdonald.bsky.social · Sep 5

I’m encouraged that 3D printing is reaching the delta of quality and affordability ever more quickly. I bought a 3D printed boxcar kit the other day that was not much more involved to assemble than an old Athearn blue box kit. Scarcely any details to apply. 2/

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