I am new to this forum (any type of forum for that matter) and have just stumbled onto this thread. I know that it is old and a lot has been said about the quality of the model and the lack of rolling stock, but I feel compelled to add my 2 cents. I bought a Casey Jr about a year ago on eBAY. I was, and am still, delighted with the appearance. My layout sports a custom CK Holiday, EP Ripley, Ernest S. Marsh and an Accucraft Lilly Belle, but it is always Casey Jr. that gets comments from visitors. Usually. "He's so cute!" That being said, It is one of my favorie engines.
I run it on a separate line from the other larger engines and so its scale is just perfect. The operational quality of the product however was wholly unacceptable. The "growling" of the gears could be heard over all the other engines and the music system and the waterfalls. It was also woefully underpowered. With the weak motor and light weight, it could not pull more than one car on dry track and not even itself on wet track (close to waterfalls). My solution was to remove the motor completely so that it is a free rolling "toy". I concealed a Hartland motor block in the calliope and a second motor in the "Wild Animals" car. I have not shot any closeup pictures of the calliope yet as the pipes and smokestack have not been made yet. I need to find a friend with a lathe or break down and buy one myself. The filagree and sculpture on the rolling stock were molded in polymer clay and then silicone molds were made of them for reproduction. Attached are a few photos.

AWSOME! It's weird looking at another model Casey Jr. ever since I built the whole train in Gn15 scale!

Can't wait to see your Holliday, Ripley, and Marsh!

I agree, that Casy Jr. train is awesome - great work!

You've got a LOT of talent, Dave!

Sam, here are the locos. Fred Gurley and Ward Kimball are in the works.

You need to get that layout in a magazine, Dave.

Yeah, what he said!

If I ever get going on my live steam I want to do, I'll have to get the funds to hire talent like this to do some stuff for me!

WOW Very well done! I like the Disney influences in the layout. Can't wait to see the Kimball (when its done)!

BEAUTIFUL! that Retlaw I looks great too, I want to see the rest of the rolling stock looks like you got some holliday cars there too!

TM

All in favor of a new thread devoted to Dave's railroad say I.
C'mon you got compliments out of some of the top modeling members.