I’ve been working off and on for well over a year toward completing a Nason Gas-Electric. I was thinking I had more of a series going, but Part I was a look at the instructions, with a look at the body at that point (here). I had long wanted one of these with the Coach/Baggage/RPO configuration. This one came to me with the body essentially complete, but nothing else.

The instructions were very helpful as I made the underframe. My goal was to make it visually as close as possible to the instructions, and in that regard I was successful. I used as many original Nason parts as possible, including the big turned brass brake cylinder and the die-cast steps.

But also, of course, I had to work out a drive, seen below. The floor is J-C floor stock, modified with an open area and a portion of an Athearn frame to hold the drive truck. The motor is from an AHM SW-1, and that is connected to an Athearn road Diesel drive truck, modified for OO as I have described in this site several times (here for example). The unpowered truck is a single “orphan” truck that I think Bill Johann modified, he took a Scale-Craft truck and drilled out the bearings to take modified Athearn Diesel wheels. I figured it a good choice for electrical pickup, and I used modified SC sideframes on the drive truck as well to match visually.

Then there has to be a way to mount that to the body. The original builder of the body had left a place to thread a big screw into (between the baggage doors) and eventually I figured out if I made walls for the interior I could use those to hold the body at the correct height and the big screw would hold it all together. I decided as well to add the passenger seats, the car only seats 10! I still need to add the walls for the bathroom, and the frosted window.

For the body it was also helpful to find online information on Columbus & Greenville M-77, as it is of the same prototype generally, a Brill product of 1928 (more on that here). One command decision I made was to not use the correct style of vent, I couldn’t see a simple way to make them and opted to use brass HO castings purchased on eBay. The roof otherwise I detailed to match the instructions and the C&G prototypes. (And who knows, maybe someday I may 3D print some of the correct style vents?)

As to lettering, I opted to go bold and used a largish font for my Madison-Quincy-Southern. It will be clear to all this model was finished by me!

For now think I’ll call the car done. There are some small details that were left off the sides by the original builder. I did not correct that issue before painting, which was a mistake, and I’m inclined to leave them off at this point, they are not very noticeable. Also I really should add some foot straps below the baggage and RPO doors. Always more can be done. It runs well and suits my layout very well, I’m pleased with the results.