More Newbee Qustions and an update

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ARTHILL

We've "come a long way baby". Been a good run. Maybe next year we can get something finished. I got the Boyd lumber camp for Christmas. I will try to send you those plans as well.

H, yeah. We both kind of dropped the ball on that one.

I gave you an incorrect list last time. I'll [try to] get you the correct list for you to choose among again. Then, we'll get you the plans.

[ARTHILL]

We've "come a long way baby". Been a good run. Maybe next year we can get something finished. I got the Boyd lumber camp for Christmas. I will try to send you those plans as well.

[SpaceMouse]

Lil Guy was my first Loco. Still haven't put a decoder in it so I don't run it much. But I have a cheap MDC with his name on it.

[Anonymous]

Whew.. some things do come back to life.

I recall the switcher that came from Ebay way back when. =)

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainfreek92

whow look how far you have come a year later i thought i would bring this back so you could see how much you have learned!! you are a big help man good luck with your empire!![^]

Almost embarassing. I have two days left in my rookie season.

[warhammerdriver]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cefinkjr

Indiana, PA ?!? That's almost in my old stomping grounds. I was born and raised in Charleroi (about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh on the Mon River).

Charleroi????????? No kidding! Born and raised in Monongahela. (Well, born in New Eagle, but that's really part of Mon City anyway)

My brother was born in Charleroi.

Anyway, back on topic--great bunch of people here willing to answer questions. I've asked a few and have a bunch more coming.

[trainfreek92]

whow look how far you have come a year later i thought i would bring this back so you could see how much you have learned!! you are a big help man good luck with your empire!![^]

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cefinkjr

Chip:

Had enough answers yet? [^]

All of the replies to this topic and to your other posts re-confirms my belief that model railroaders are, by and large, a great bunch of folks.

I can always use more answers. It's the coming up with the right questions that is hard.

QUOTE: Indiana, PA ?!? That's almost in my old stomping grounds. I was born and raised in Charleroi (about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh on the Mon River). I know you can find lots of good advice and assistance from the model railroaders in Pittsburgh if not closer. And you just have to visit Bud's hobby shop -- that's A B Charles & Son on Liberty Avenue in Dormont -- there is none better anywhere.

Chuck

I'm a transplant from California. The one thing that I notice around here is that they have more towns around here than I have baby Cherry Barbs in my fi***ank--and I've had 6 batches that I know of in the last 3 weeks. Pittsburgh is about an hour and 15 minutes away. I found a hobby shop that has just opened. Their selection of train stuff is small, but they say they can order anything for me. One guy that works there says he has a 30'x50' HO layout at his house. Next time I go over there I'm going to ask to see it. Take my son and get him excited.

[cefinkjr]

Tom

It might not take an atomic device to bring that coaling tower down but I recall asking at the time why we hadn't demolished it. I was told by someone in the MoW-Structures department that removing it had been considered. But, with full knowledge of how it had been built and how much reinforcing steel is in that tower, the cost of the explosives required and the likely damage claims from the surrounding neighborhood would be prohibitive. That tower will probably still be there when nobody has any idea what its use was.

Chuck

[tstage]

Chuck,

Thanks for the sentiments. I cross over the Collinwood CSX overpass a couple of times a week. You know, that huge, cement, coailing tower is still standing - tall and proud. Someone told me once that it would basically take an atom bomb to bring the monster down. Is that true?

Tom

[cefinkjr]

Chip:

Had enough answers yet? [^]

All of the replies to this topic and to your other posts re-confirms my belief that model railroaders are, by and large, a great bunch of folks.

Indiana, PA ?!? That's almost in my old stomping grounds. I was born and raised in Charleroi (about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh on the Mon River). I know you can find lots of good advice and assistance from the model railroaders in Pittsburgh if not closer. And you just have to visit Bud's hobby shop -- that's A B Charles & Son on Liberty Avenue in Dormont -- there is none better anywhere.

Aside to Tom Stage: I've been in Texas since '88 but I'm still a Steeler fan. As for the Brownies, they moved to Baltimore, didn't they? [}:)] (Sorry, couldn't resist that.) Because of that, I root for Cleveland whenever they play the Ravens. Stealing a football franchise should not be rewarded. Besides, I lived out near Collinwood when I worked for the NYC in 1967 and 1968.

Chuck

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GaryA

Is there any lettering on the bottoms of these locos? I think Lindbergh was made by Mehano in (former) Yugoslavia. The switcher looks like an SW900 to me.

Gary

I haven't got them yet. When I do, I'll take some better pictures and let you know about the lettering.

[Anonymous]

Is there any lettering on the bottoms of these locos? I think Lindbergh was made by Mehano in (former) Yugoslavia. The switcher looks like an SW900 to me.

Gary

[tstage]

Chip,

3-4% is steep but, with an engine and only two passenger cars, it shouldn't really be a problem. With grades for a crossover on a 4 x 8' layout, you almost don't have much of a choice.

Try, if you can though, to have as much of your grade climb on the straight sections of track as possible. Curves only make the climb even harder for the locomotive. 2% or less grade is what you should normally shoot for - unless you are running a logging Shay.

Tom

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tstage

Chip,

Your grade is going to be a bit steep for the over and unders but you should probably be okay, as long as you aren't pulling too many cars up the grade.

Tom

I was thinking aboout that. The train my son will use is just the engine a coal car and two passender cars. But the eleveation won't be a full two levels on the upper loop. There is no need. It just needs to be high enough to cross over the track in the one spot. I'm figuring a 3-4% grade.

[tstage]

Chip,

Indiana, PA?!? I'm familiar with Indiana, PA! Home of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Jimmy Stewart. I've been there a couple of times - most recently back in April. There's a company in your town named Ardiem Medical, Inc., that we have had a working relationship with for over the past 14 years. Great company and terrific people to work with - EVEN if thery are...STEELER fans! - [:)] (At least you have something to cheer about football wise. It's PAINFUL here in Cleveland. [:(])

Looks liike a good plan. Your grade is going to be a bit steep for the over and unders but you should probably be okay, as long as you aren't pulling too many cars up the grade.

Tom

[SpaceMouse]

Might as well show you my planned layout. Remember, this is for a 7-year-old autistic kid--so I tried to think of what would be fun for him. His train is the Hogwart's special.

There are three basic levels shown in the diagram below. The top most is the top one in the diagram. The next level is the next one down and the ground level is the inner loop. Hogwarts will sit in the center of the circle on a hilltop.





The top loop circles Hogwarts and goes underground at the turnout to connect with the lower level. The middle level connects at the tunnel and returns to the lower level. The lower level goes underground beneath the upper tunnel. The bottom of the diagram will be London Station. I have since decided to add turnouts at the right edge of the outer loop at the top and bottom of the diagram for future expansion. This was designed for 18" radius curves, but I have a little more flexability with the flex track.

[Anonymous]

I think the SD is an Athearn loco - It looks like an SD40T-2 with "snoot" nose to me (they made these with long and short noses). You'll need Kadee #37 couplers (take a look at their website under "conversions" to find out how to fit these) and a set of handrails to finish it off, as well as paint and decals. You might want to super-detail this one to get it closer to the prototype - take a look at www.railpictures.net for photos to work from, and www.detailswest.com have many of the parts you'll need. This takes time but as you'll have to paint and decal this one anyway it would be worth putting in the extra hours. As I understand it, SD40T-2s were built for the Southern Pacific and possibly the D&RGW - they were taken into UP stock after these roads were bought and surviving units are now operated by smaller companies. The T designation refers to Tunnel motor - these units were built with relocated radiators (and possibly air intakes?) to avoid them overheating while working hard in tunnels.

The smaller loco might be a Model Power (Mehano) product - they made EMD SW switchers for a while and it doesn't look like an Athearn product to me - all Model Power equipment came with horn-hook couplers fitted though swapping to Kadees is easy enough - take a look at www.kadee.com under "conversions" for some very useful instructions on what couplers you need and how to fit them. Hope this is of help!

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cefinkjr
1) These are models of Diesel locomotives. More specifically, they what look to me like an SD40 road freight engine (the larger one) and an SW9 switcher. Someone else may correct me on this but that's close.

Yes that is close, but not 100%. See the square block on the back of the larger unit, and how it has a vent down low. They moved the vents down there so the locomotive wouldn't be sucking hot air when it went through a tunnel. This is therefore an SD40T-2 or SD45T-2. From these photos I can't see the other vents well enough to tell. It looks like the hoods might be a bit to wide which would make it an Athearn brand model.

The switcher is definitely an SW but it is not a SW7, SW9, or SW1200. All of these had two exhaust stacks. I would say because of the single stack, funny hump right in front of the radiator, and short body length, that it is an SW1. Possibly a Walthers brand model.

[Anonymous]

Get Model Trains step by step. It has a DVD in it to show how tho build the WGH(World's GReatest Hobby) Layout. ALso it has 7 other track plans for different scales(the size of the models in relation to the prototype). THey are all rectangle plans from the carolina central on a door to 5x10 in Large scale. Most are 4x8 in HO or O Lionel. The DVD shows how to lay snap track, build Scenery and benchwork the table.

Good Luck,
Dan

[tstage]

SpaceMouse,

Looks like you did pretty well! I'm not familiar with Lindberg.

Chuck did a good job answering your questions. One additional note on DCC. The entry level into DCC is getting cheaper. Bachmann just came out with their E-Z Digital Command Train Control system. (MSRP: $100) I've seen it as cheap as $80, and that was at my local hobby store (LHS). It's possible to find it even cheaper on the Web.

Realistically, it only has about 1 amp of power so can only run 1 - 2 DCC equipped locomotives with decoders. (A basic decoder will run you around $20.) I'm still in the building stages of my layout so I eventually plan on going the DCC route. If you want to learn more about DCC, go to Tony's Train Exchange. (This is a good resource page to place in your bookmark of your browser.) On the main page, there's a list of topics, with one called "DCC for Beginners". Here's the link:

http://www.tonystrains.com

A direct .pdf print out of "DCC for Beginners" is at this link:

http://www.tonystrains.com/download/DCC-for-Beginners.pdf

Lotsa a things to consider and learn, aren't there? SpaceMouse, you're doing a good job and asking questions. That's how you learn. Don't ever think that your questions maybe too "newbie-ish". We've all been there and we are all STILL learning.

If you are ever unsure or want to learn more about a "potential" purchase (e.g. off of e-Bay), just fire off a question to the forum and someone will answer it one way or another. Just don't want to see you get burned on what appears to be a presumably "good deal". It's happened.

QUOTE: Originally posted by cefinkjr
As I said before, your biggest problem with asking questions will be in getting the people you ask to shut up.

Chuck

I guess I've just verified Chuch's axiom.

Tom

[Anonymous]

Chuck,

Fill me in on the show in Plano! I live in Lubbock, but get to the DFW area every now and then.

[cefinkjr]

WOW!! You do have some pretty basic questions that need answered. My first recommendation would be to add your location to your profile so that someone in your area can volunteer their assistance. Alternatively, you might check the profiles of people who reply to your posts, find one or two in your area, and reply directly to them. I've never met a model railroader yet who didn't like to answer questions about their hobby. Your real problem there will be getting them to shut up.

Second recommendation: Look for a train show in your area. For example, there is a pretty good one every year in Plano, TX (close to me). It's on January 15th and 16th this year. This train show (and many others) will have modular layouts on display, vendor tables where everything even vaguely related to railroads is sold, and lots of people who know more about some aspect of model railroading than anyone else. Go to one of these train shows and ask lots of questions.

Now, as to your numbered questions:

1) These are models of Diesel locomotives. More specifically, they what look to me like an SD40 road freight engine (the larger one) and an SW9 switcher. Someone else may correct me on this but that's close.

2) You shouldn't be seeing numbers like 4-8-4 with these engines. That is a steam locomtive classification indicating 4 wheels in the lead truck, 4 drivers, and 4 wheels in the trailing truck. This type is most commonly called a Northern but it probably had more alternative names than any other type. The 4-8-4 classification is part of Whyte's Classificiation system (there are others but they're not as widely known).

3) DCC stands for Digital Command Control. This is a fairly high tech system for controlling model engines where a constant voltage and a coded signal are applied to the rails. A decoder in each engine responds only to the commands encoded in the signals addressed to it. This is a fairly expensive system to get into but, for a model railroad larger than the minimum, it's probably the best way to go. For now, I'd stick with conventional DC control where all engines respond to the voltage and polarity of the track they're on. Multiple engines obviously will require division of the track into electrical blocks with separate controls.

As I said before, your biggest problem with asking questions will be in getting the people you ask to shut up.

Chuck

PS: "If you ask a German what time it is, he'll tell you how to build a watch." I am very German in that regard and I think most model railroaders must have some German ancestry.

[SpaceMouse]

First of all, with your help I made a few purchases on eBay. I picked up about 100 feet of Atlas Silver Nickel track--mostly flex and it came with a Bachmann Santa Fe locomotive and 10 cars, and a power supply and some cork, connectors, nails, and tools. I also picked up a MRC Tech II Power 1400 and some more EZ track to let my son play with his Hogwart's Special while I get things rolling.

I also picked up a couple engines--don't know if they are good bad or ugly. Thought you guys might know something. They are Lindberg and that's all I know.




So my questions.

1.) What are those things?

2) I see numbers with the engines like 4-8-4. What do the numbers mean?

3) What does DCC mean?