Welcome

Thank you for visiting Phil's Narrow Gauge. The cars and accessories found on these pages are built in 1:20.3 scale now recognized as F scale and represent Colorado Narrow Gauge. All cars and parts are individually manufactured in my shop.

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Effective September 14, 2014 and for the Foreseeable Future

I have no kits in stock nor do I plan to manufacture any in the near future other than what's posted in the current update. Any kits produced will be of a limited run nature. No kits will be produced for the sake of having kits on the shelf for random purchases. After 16 years of doing just that, it's time for me to focus on my projects with the occasional run of a new kit. Watch for updates.

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November 1, 2024 Update

Summer chores are done. Still need to roll the snow blower over from the garden shed to the garage, attached the blade to the 4X4 and place all the snow stakes along the driveway.

I am working on finishing the new laser interface to convert my old technology controller to the new tech laser power supply. More to come......

I have received a new 60 watt power supply as well as a new 60 watt laser tube. Both CO2 type. As I stated in the last update, my old setup is 20+ years old and incorporates a lot of old technology. Namely, it's on or off, no engraving or communicating with alien life forms. My old supply had built in milliamp meter and adjusting potentiometer for adjusting the current flow to the laser tube. If you over drive the tube, you shorten it's life or just destroy it. The new supply has an external meter with adjusting pot and a test button to fire the laser. I'm adding a water flow switch with this setup. Before I used a visual approach watching the cooling tank for water flow and a thermometer implanted in one of the fittings to monitor water temperature. Water flow switches aren't expensive and since I'm going through this rebuild, figured I should add one to be on the safe side. If water fails to flow through the tube (cooling), it will shut off the high voltage to the tube. The new supply does not have an on/off switch. They're designed to be in a laser cabinet that has a master on/off switch. My interface has to have an AC on/off switch with fuse protection. My old supply has a DB-9 plug from the controller, the new is screw lugs. I've ordered parts I didn't have on hand and am working on a schematic drawing to build the new interface. All this in between summer property chores.

I'll take pictures to post for those moderately interested in laser cutting machines. Mine is home built and not a commercial, off the shelf unit. The cutting bed is 2' by 4'. Pretty much all home enthusiast machines only have a 16" by 24" cutting bed.

For those on the caboose list, I will not be including any instructions in the kits. You will need to download both part 1 and part 2 from the caboose page and save them on you computer. They are in color and in pdf format. If an error shows up, I do correct the instructions and exchange the pdf file on my site. Be sure to download or re-download the files just as you start the assembly to be sure you're using the most current set.

I sold out of all 7/8ths kits last fall. Once the last caboose kit ships, I will inventory freight truck hardware to determine how many more flats, box 85 and box 147 I can produce. That will close out the 7/8ths project.

With ISP's doubling down on unwanted emails and spam, frequently philsnarrowgauge.com emails end up in your spam folder. If you email me and don't get a response, check your spam folder. I answer ALL emails that aren't trying to sell me swamp land. Sometimes, when I respond, the receiving ISP will return a message to me that my email has been blocked for xyz reasons. I'll try a couple of times and then move on. If you're emailing me via your work email, unless you own the company, the IT department could be blocking me.

Another important item. I can't control shipping cost. I have kept my product line sale prices close to straight line. Material cost have gone up and in some cases, I have had to increase my prices but no more than 20% over the past 24 years and only the Harpstands in the last 10 years. The small flatrate box I use for small orders has just increased from $9.45 to $10.20. FedEx Ground has also increased shipping for kits but is still the cheapest method available. Fortunately, the post office has introduced Ground Advantage as a shipping alternative which is a little cheaper than priority mail but takes a little longer to reach the destination. It does have tracking and insurance.

Another cost that is increasing is processing fees for PayPal and credit cards. I will discuss payment options with you as orders reach the shipping stage. I prefer bank transfers first and personal checks second as there is no fee attached......as of yet. I am quoting a small processing fee if you are using PayPal or a credit card. It's either that or I increase the price of all products or implement a S&H fee. Either of those increases would not be fair to those paying cash. Inflation is everywhere........ I'm trying not to be part of it.

Annual trip to California for taxes and family/friends visit is complete. Sure glad I don't live there anymore. $2.80 a gallon of gas here, $5.50 there.

RPO 66 Update

Many are asking the status of the RPO. My initial plan was to do the RPO and then move to the 7/8ths kits. The covid disruption of everything in the spring of 2020 changed those plans. I couldn't get masters made for it so started working on the trucks for the 7/8ths cars. As delays persisted, I began work on the actual 7/8ths kits and just "parked" the RPO project for a later date. I am a one horse operation. As I like to say, one dog, one bone. The RPO project will happen, I just can't say when. Producing kits is secondary to my other responsibilities. While many of my colleagues have bailed from the manufacturing scene, I'm doing my best to hang in there another couple of years.

I have all 50 spots signed up for an RPO kit. At present, I have 6 on the waiting list should any of the 50 change their minds. We'll see how that works out. I have almost all the brass masters I need for the RPO. I do need 1 more of the side steps laser cut in brass. Also need the time to make spin casting molds and silicon molds for the resin parts. I'm now thinking the fall of 2022 at this point. The 7/8ths project I took on is proving to be bigger than anticipated.

A change to this site is now in effect. I have moved the limited run short passenger cars from the Future Projects page to Rolling Stock > Freelance > Short Passenger. They are now fully retired. In the place of the short passenger cars is a new button for the SR&RL 7/8ths kits I'm working on.

7/8ths Update

I've added a "7/8ths SR&RL" button to the main bank of buttons at the top of this page. A few were having problems finding those kits.

All the 7/8ths kits are sold out at this point. I will be making a few more flats and boxcars but the 7/8ths project will be concluding in the next few months. I do think I have reached the saturation point of those wanting 7/8ths kits in the SR&RL flavor.

Hope all are staying healthy and happy.

This page was last updated on 11/01/2024

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