One thing I try to do is always have different types of projects going on of different levels of difficulty.

In this case, readers should easily recognize the models, they are Lionel boxcars decorated for the PRR. They had been probably built from the kit version of these models and came to me in not very good shape at that, with heavy paint and decals flaking off.

So in the summer I stripped the models (soaking in 90% isopropyl alcohol for days and scrubbing, repeated several times) and repainted them in a batch of boxcars using Scalecoat paint.

I did want them to be nice enough for the layout and used HO Microscale decals and Kadee couplers. Simple projects — they took a few months, but a nice break from more involved rebuildings and kitbashing.