Insanity????

[Anonymous]

I just spent ( Not including the curing time) About 3 hours fixing a Lehigh Valley 6476 hopper.
The molded platform that the truck rivets to had broken completely off leaving a hole the size of the post that the truck sits on.
This car if it was in mint condition according to Greensburgs book would be worth $6.00 Give or take.
An then after I completed the repair had to put it behind a 2065 steamer and a BUNCH!! of cars to make sure that it's gonna hold for the long haul.
Can any one else relate to this constructive use of time?Or have I gone completely off the 027 deep end?
I'm Curious ,,,,,

[ben10ben]

I can relate fully...to me, the amount of enjoyment had fixing it is worth far more than the monetary value of the car, and I sure would rather work on fixing what I already had rather than buying a replacement.

[brianel027]

NO, not at all. Remember, you don't go to college and study Toy Train Repair 101 to learn this kind of stuff... you learn it the hard way, by actually doing it.

I once rebuilt (literally from scratch) a burned out MPC Alco locomotive. Sure, I put a lot of time into it. But what I learned from that experience still helps me to this day. So I'd say the time I spent years ago was well spent!

In recent years, I have spent time building my own locomotives that look at home on an 027 layout because no out there in train manufacturer land makes them or even wants to consider making them. At least so I once thought until the RMT Beep came out and has been proven to be an outstanding success.

[Back2Trains]

I've spent a lot of time repairing (or attempting to) things that had no real monetary value, but the experience is both fun and relaxing. Even better, once in awhile the skills so learned are put to use building or repairing something that really IS worth something. Keep it up. Experience is priceless.
Jim

[Anonymous]

I guess where this started is when I was a kid in the middle to late 60's there was the end of the Lionel empire and little to my understanding at that time a MPC buyout was comming.
There was no place or no one to repair or get parts for what I had at the time, SO,
Being the little gearhead that I was (am still am) learning to repair with what I had.
I just couldn't bring myself to Through any kind of a train away!!
I still can't, Call me semintel ,,,,But I just can't do it!
Gotta' Fix it,! It's a challenge!

[Anonymous]

Hey, Penn Central, I like that photo you linked to. The N-8 is a neat cabin car and the two single chime horns nested into that GP30s cab roof notches are WAY COOL.

[Anonymous]

What's insane about 3 hours of enjoyment?

Dennis Brennan

[3railguy]

Model trains often have sentimental value to them and it's easy to spend more hours fixing them than what they are worth. There is nothing wrong with that.

[mpzpw3]

I decided to run a train around the Christmas tree this year. I didn't have enough track to make an oval, so I headed off the the train store for more track. Much to my suprise, the track I needed was priced above suggested retail! They sell used stuff, and I found a bag of used O-gauge track for $15.00. The bag contained both an RCS and UCS sections, along with 12 curves and 12 straights. I spent about 3 hours cleaning the track, and assembling a larger circle under the tree, which works perfectly. Time after time I read magazines and posts on forums that there is no reason to use old track, as new is cheap. How much new Lionel O-gauge track could I have bought for $15.00? Restoration and repair is always worth the time in my opinion!

[Anonymous]

I kinda figured that I wasn't the only one, But I was courious as to how many would respond,,,,,,,My wife thinks I'm nuts,,,,,,,,,girls,,,,,,,If it wasn't for the s-- I'd have a much bigger layout.
johnblair; Those two horns placed where they are is a sign of PENNSY!!!!! ownership somthing to be proud of in my book!