John Kepshire's 027

[Tom Kepshire]

Three shots of Monon equipment on my brother, John's, Lionel layout. In the past few months, the layout has expanded and is more detailed. I have invited him to join our Board. He is a member of the Society. John also models in G scale in his backyard. Also Monon. John also shares my sense of humor when it comes to modeling.

[Tom Kepshire]

My brother has a great sense of humor. Here is Grandpa's trains. Notice the guy with the cane??

[Tom Kepshire]

The President makes a run to Phil's Diner. He must like take out.

[Tom Kepshire]

A Monon themed layout, in any scale just would not be complete without a Rider Car. This is one that John built starting with a train show bargain flat car.

[Tom Kepshire]

John sent me these and asked if I could post them. This Express car is one of his latest paint projects. I sent him a photo a while back of one and he decided to re-paint one of his cars. Since I, sort of, was the inspiration, he assigned it #82455, which is special to me. He knows it is not prototype, but that is a way he honors family. Yep, his home layout also boasts a trailer park, with burnt out trailer/ meth lab and good old boys and their racing type cars.

[Joe Land]

I like the HO engine on display as 1/8 scale...

[Ron Marquardt]

The old saying "Model Railroading Is Fun" certainly applies to John Kepshire's G Scale and 027 layouts.  One outside for summer and one inside for winter.  I had the pleasure of visiting John's home last summer and we had a great time.  If I can get John's brother off his duff, I hope to do it again this summer.  / Ron

[Don Kuhlman]

Both great layouts!  And I love John's sense of humor!

[Tom Kepshire]

This is the picture that inspired John to convert and old IC boxcar into a Monon Express car as pictured previously. I believe this photo is of models and posed outdoors for the shot. I have no other information on where, when and by whom. It was in one of my files.

[Tom Kepshire]

I like the HO engine on display as 1/8 scale...

It is an N scale engine Joe. For a while, John had an Kiddie Land amusement park on the layout and had an N scale train made to look like a park train. He bought it at a yard sale and the loco finally gave out. He modeled a N scale Rick Berg as engineer too.

[Tim T Swan]

This is the picture that inspired John to convert and old IC boxcar into a Monon Express car as pictured previously. I believe this photo is of models and posed outdoors for the shot. I have no other information on where, when and by whom. It was in one of my files.

Wow, Tom!  Great photo.  But I think these are REAL!  Albeit it preshly painted, bu real none the less.  Modelers have always found it difficult if not impossible to replicate that "crinkling" in the steel car sides you see here.  /Tim

[Tom Kepshire]

I just based my opinion on the lettering. It did not look like any of the other photos of the cars that I have seen. If I get time, I'll check through and see if I have any other photos.  There was an article about building and painting 250 and 251 in THL Volume 8, No. 4 but no photos of the prototype cars.

[Tom Kepshire]

Here is one that I found. Boxcar 635 although some of the paint is faded.

[John Kepshire]

Hey Everyone:
   Thanks for the comments. When "Buzzy" asked me for some photos I didn't know exactly what he was going to do with them. I've been sending him regular updates on what's new on the "Northwest Indiana cat-Proof Railroad" (ask Buzzy about that one) as I complete each new project. What the heck......it keeps me outta the bars and give me something to do besides sitting around the house thinking about my cancer.
   As Buzzy says I do have a rather "warped" sense of humor. Much of the stuff I've built or detailed really can't be put up on line for fear of offending one PC group or another. That's about all I can say except that if you're ever up in my neck of the woods and would like to take a peek let me know and I'll be more than happy to give you the grand tour.

[John Kepshire]

To Everyone:
    Just to let you all know I'm not one of those 100% protypical modelers who goes beserk if the cars don't follow proper sequence or the numbers of bolts aren't right on in the wrong place. For those of you that don't know I was a firefighter/paramedic for nearly 40 years until cancer claimed both of my adrenal galnds and 75% of my kidney function. I was forced to retire from a job I loved to death and had nothing to do except sit around the house and wait for my sentence to be committed. SO I decided to get back into building model trains for FUN and to keep my mind occupied. The express car is NOT accurate, neither is the rider car or any of then other MONON roling stock. But you know what, I really don't care. Building them was FUN and took me back to a time so very long ago when Buzzy and I used to walk over the the Lowell depot or watch the locals pick up or set out at Globe Industries. Those days are no more than fond memories of a dying man now. Enjoy the photos and my sense of humor if you like.....and if you don't or if you can't live with trying to decide which car or unit I was tryingt o model than don't look at the photos.
John Kepshire