T
his month in text and in video, we are featuring the
models of Kim Hornbaker, Austin Kassmeyer, and
Mike Budde, plus some cool industrial structures
fresh off the boat and new to the U.S. market.
he video includes a prototype runby, along with a proto-
type Ice cream structure out in the field that matches a new
prebuilt model recently shipped to hobby shops.
We start with “The Blade Masters,” Kim Hornbaker and Austin
Kassmeyer, who have cast wind turbine blades from a hand
carved master, making for a fabulous looking and working unit
freight train fresh from the Siemens plant. Kim will take it from
here and explain his endeavor in his own words.
“The idea generated from the fact my youngest daughter
worked for the Siemens plant in Fort Madison, Iowa. She told
me they were going to start shipping them by rail. I took a day
What’s neat column - 2
1: Kim Hornbaker and Austin Kassmeyer load their cast wind
turbine blades onto special unit-train flat cars.
2
off from work to photograph the first train leaving the plant.
After seeing these cars in action, I decided this would be a cool
prototype to model.
“As I was hand-carving a model blade, I realized I needed to be
able to have these operate on 30” radius curves on my layout.
I experimented with length of the blades and modifications of
spline cars so this could be achieved. After several tries , this
finished model of six Con-Cor five packs and 12 wind blades
will operate on 30” radius curves.
“The shows in the Midwest I have attended have let me meet
people who say 'this is really neat,' or “I haven’t seen this load
in real life, alone in model form.'
”There is real satisfaction in knowing I have the only models of
these, and built them myself.”
MRH-Feb 2014
