Introduction

Armor35 specializes on 1/35 models of the Soviet Railways (Cоветские железные дороги (CЖД)) subjects, as well as workers and peasants of The Workers and Peasants Red Army during The Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. Woman Railway Worker is a resin figure of a TOƁÁƤИϢ workin' on the railroad.

Modellers have identified a void between warriors, weapons and civilians; with the growing number of 1/35 railway and other non-combat subjects, this CЖД worker should find a place in the collection of many modellers.

Woman Railway Worker, item 35134, expands the Armor35 series of railroad personnel and equipment. She represents a signaler, brakeman, yardman, or station agent, posed dashing forward with signal flag at ready.

In the box

Woman Railway Worker is cast with gray resin in three parts:

* Left arm
* Right arm
* Rest of the body

Casting is high-quality with no air pocks, mold seam marks, and almost devoid of flash. One arm has small ‘fins’ of flash, yet these are so small that rubbing it with my finger removed it. Surface texture is smooth and I found no sculpting blemishes. Each piece of my sample was still attached to its pour block.

Assembly should be easy. Armor35 apparently sculpts their figures as a primary body component and then positions limbs and equipment into the main part. In this way, the pieces mate together almost flawlessly and usually without gaps.

Armor35 packs this figure in their standard one-piece box. "Box art" is a photo of the assembled and painted model glued over a sepia tone images of equipment and scenes associated with the figure; on the back is an armored train guarded by an anti-aircraft team. A baggie contains the arms and the body is held in its own baggie.

Detail

Woman Railway Worker is sculpted wearing tall boots, skirt, single-breasted jacket and headscarf. There is not much detail on the simple garb yet what was sculpted is crisp: pockets; expansion seams; collar; seams on clothes and boots; buttons. I do not know if a Soviet woman railway worker would have collar insignia for her jacket. It does not appear any collar tabs were sculpted.

Facial features and hands are wonderfully sculpted. The face should be easy to paint with as much detail as one wants to attempt.

Her railroad equipment is a signal flag. It is cast as part of the right hand. It is finely sculpted. Perhaps too fine as it broke from the hand right after I photographed it.

painting and assembly instructions

None, except the box art.

Fit

Connectors between the pour block and arm-shoulder butt need trimming from the glue face. One must be careful trimming it away or one may carve away to much. Perhaps that is why there is a small gap at the shoulder of the right arm, and a small void on the left shoulder. Regardless, a little filler should cover those.

Highball!

Woman Railway Worker is an interesting and welcome subject for modelers of the Great Patriotic War-era who want a railroad as a component of their diorama or collection. Sculpting and casting are excellent. Detail is sharp.

This figure is versatile as she can be used for almost any scene. Remove the flag and attach a book, a switch, a glass, pitchfork – let your imagination run wild! I doubt that her outfit will be universally associated with a Railways worker. Thus, this figure can probably be used for almost any Occidental female of the era. As far as that goes, wearing an institutional style jacket, plain skirt, high boots and a headscarf – this figure could pass for many girls I see at liberal arts college campuses today; just remove the “I am employed” signal flag and replace it with a narcissistic selfie stick!

There are no significant flaws with this model, just minor flash on one arm, the fragile flag handle, and perhaps a minor gap at the shoulders.

Armor35 has created another interesting subject. Its versatility should make it attractive for modelers of the era, whether they incorporate railroad subjects or not. Highly recommended!

Please tell manufacturers and vendors that you saw this model here – on ARMORAMA.