RPO Newsbag
This is the Lowell Smith Signature Series and RailSmith blog, (or perhaps it's better called, ‘stories around the caboose stove’). Either way, bookmark this page for updates as they happen and check back regularly!
Pullman Tourist Sleepers – a colorful story!
This is a very exciting new series that is just now launching, and I want to tell you all about it! After World War II in the late 1940’s, the Pullman Company was busy building new streamlined cars for America’s railroads.  Their fleet of heavyweight cars were being used in secondary trains, as well as…
Read More »A Snippet of My C-636 Story
From a very young age I have always loved trains, and I had my first HO train set when I was about 7. I jumped into N Scale in the late 60’s with Postage Stamp, Bachmann, and ConCor. Living in Portland, Oregon I decided that the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway would be the one…
Read More »Stock Remaining
I love the fall! Â Actually, I love every change of season and in Portland we get each season to enjoy. Â Train season, of course, is my favorite! It is here! Â Â Once-a-year I release an American Fruit Packers car and this year is the 21st car and represents the 21st year of this series. Â Wow, time…
Read More »Ferdinand Magellan: Body Style A Smashing Success!
The Ferdinand Magellan is the first in this line with the brand new body style which Micro Trains made just for Lowell Smith Signature Series. The original Ferdinand Magellan railcar was built in 1929 by the Pullman Company as a private car. It was one of six similar cars constructed in two batches. They were…
Read More »Announcing the Ferdinand Magellan: Releasing Feb. 2016!
U.S. No. 1 This is one of those announcements that I have been looking forward to for quite awhile! Micro-Trains has created a brand-new car for my Executive Line Series.  This project has been in the works for a very long time, and the time has come for it’s unveiling. New car sides were created…
Read More »The Next Big Thing
As I am now preparing to go to the NMRA National Convention here in Portland, I am excited and amazed at what has happened since this great convention was here in 1994. Our club, Columbia River N Scale, was celebrating its 10th anniversary. My shop, The Hobby Smith, was in the basement and I was…
Read More »It’s all about the story…
I have been asked, “Have you always loved trains?”  The response is, “Yes ever since I can remember.”  I have memories of being small and having Grandma come to visit us in Chico, CA by way of the Shasta Daylight.  There are also photos of me in Gerber, CA standing on the platform of a bay-window…
Read More »Office Car Special Power!
Here is something different. I have set up to do a survey and would love to get your opinion. The Norfolk Southern’s Office Car Special has it’s own special power of F units. Running the complete train the units are run in A-B-B-A configuration. I have chosen the InterMountain Railway’s F7 for this as they…
Read More »And now for something completely different…
Words can’t explain how excited I am about this! A few years ago, I decided it would be fun to do something completely different by ‘testing the waters’ in a larger scale. Â It took some time to decide which company to use, as I was concerned for the quality of the finished product. Â Never seeing…
Read More »Teaser: Preproduction ‘Tiger Stripe’ RS-3
It is just like Christmas when a production run arrives here! Â The moment of opening the box, and gazing for the first time, a train that was probably thought of years before and took at least a year to produce. It is very exciting for me and I hope you feel the same way. …
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