Good morning
It's the spirit of giving season again already. Yet another year winding down as they seem to go by so quickly. With that said, the whole past year of 2022 can certainly be considered as lately. Anything new for your layout or added to your roster this year?
Watcha got?
I'll start.
A more recent score was the great deal on these ore car shells.
A bit excited about trying my hand at painting and detailing them. It'll be cool to have some different cars for the upper ore mining horseshoe.
What about you...
Did ya get any good goodies for yourself lately?
TF
I certainly did. At TrainFest this year a spent a lot on track, buildings, rolling stock, a loco, NCE equipment, shirts, mugs, hats, magazines, dvds... A lot. I will have to add some pics to my Flickr page but some items are already pictured.
Its the most spent in one event/trip since I got back into the hobby in 2019, by FAR. Required some long conversations with my wife, and I'm sure there will be some penance to observe before all is done. But at least I have what I need to finish track and actually run trains - for the first time in 30 years!
Andy
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Milwaukee native modeling the Milwaukee Road in 1950's Milwaukee.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/196857529@N03/
I recently purchased the J&J Tool Company from RDA miniatures. This is a wonderful resin kit of a cut stone building.
It has been on my "Buy List" for quite a while.
-Photographs by Kevin Parson
This is going to be beautiful when assembled.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I got myself a Blue Goose Hudson from BLI a couple of months back, but not related to Christmas. This Christmas, it's a Toro snow blower. I'm 70 finally, and have a heart condition. I can't shovel the local heavy snow any more. So, for a Toro I have waited long enough.
I am thinking of the C&O 2-8-2 that BLI will bring on line in the spring. Other than that, my big next hope is for Jason et al. to announce they're going to go ahead with the Canadian Pacific H1-b project, and that I'll eventually have my CPR 2816.
I purchased three Bachmann 'Thomas & Friends' carriages.
IMG_2488 by David Harrison, on Flickr
I repainted one in Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway livery. (It has had a second coat of paint since this photograph.)
IMG_2494 by David Harrison, on Flickr
The other two happen to be in Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway livery, local to the area I model. Therefore I weathered them a little.
IMG_2495 by David Harrison, on Flickr
All three are 'in service'.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Haven't gotten ANY goodies for myself lately and I'm feeling very bad about that.
Mark B.
I'm rounding the corner on finishing the basement after almost 2 years of working mostly solo on it. Just painted this past weekend and I'm installing the lights this week. Flooring might start this weekend.
Does "the train room itself" count as a goodie?
Got some more knowledge for myself from working with my train mentor. He showed me how to setup my DPDT to work with Tortoise switch machines. That's priceless.
One Rapido Baggage-Dorm and six Rapido Manor Sleepers have just arrived at PWRS for me. Next time someone in the family is heading that way they will get picked up.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Hello All,
Yes, I did!
I have an Athearn Blue Box Cow and Calf TR unit that keeps shorting/frying decoders.
To remedy this I purchased several SMBJ16CA-13-F 600W Surface Mount Transient Voltage Suppressors.
According to a recently published article in the National Moder Railroad Association magazine, these should remedy the situation.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
I went to a train show a couple weeks ago and I saw a Scaletrains ES44 in Citirail DCC/Sound. As I got closer to it, a crazy thing happened. It called out my name shouting "Neal! Neal!" I had no choice but to buy it...
Two items over the last six months, both Santa Fe coaches from The Coach Yard.
First, the Santa Fe "pendulum" car, a first attempt of a tilting mechanism to allow higher speeds in curves. Santa Fe had only one of them, because the tilting mechanism did not work well.
https://www.brasstrains.com/BrassGuide/Pdg/Detail/16062/HO-Passenger-Name-Train-The-Coach-Yard-TCY-1289-2-SAN-DIEGAN-Atchison-Topeka-Santa-Fe-CHAIR-CAR
Second, a Santa Fe "partitioned" coach. The Santa Fe had three of them built in 1947 for the Texas Chief. They were the only Santa Fe passenger cars with a vestibule at both ends, and they had a partition in the passenger compartment, to provide separated entrance and seating for black and white passengers, as still required by law in Texas and Oklahoma in the 1950s.
https://www.brasstrains.com/BrassGuide/Pdg/Detail/15906/HO-Passenger-The-Coach-Yard-TCY-0456-Atchison-Topeka-Santa-Fe-COACH
JW
nealknowsAs I got closer to it, a crazy thing happened. It called out my name shouting "Neal! Neal!"
I thought that only happened to me, glad to know I'm not losing my mind after all.
A week and a half ago I got two Rapido Amtrak F40PH locomotives, retiring my not-so-accurate Spectrum models from 1992.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
Good evening
Sounds like you had a Heyday at TrainFest Andy. Dug deep in that wallet of yours but I'm sure ya had a blast finding all that good stuff. Now you get to enjoy it.
J&J Tool looks like a nice kit and a great project Kevin. I'm sure that will be a fun build.
The Blue Goose Hudson with the new recruits coming this spring, sound like some nice additions to your roster Selector. I'm glad you're getting your new Toro this year to make that driveway easier. "Haven't you done without a Toro long enough"?
Enjoy seeing the Thomas cars David. You did a excellent job on those and they look great with the others.
Sorry you didn't get any train stuff this year Mark and hope you get some for Christmas
Of course the new finished basement & Train room counts as a goodie NittanyLion. That even sounds like a Greatie to me, if there is such a word
You're right that a mentor is priceless KassKaboose. Bet you're glad getting the Tortoise switches done. Had a mentor from my train club show me how to do a distressed paint job. Wouldn't have had a clue otherwise.
Sounds like you have some great Passenger cars down at PWRS Brent. Too bad you don't have UPS doing the Rural Route and down that long driveway of yours. Now you'll be stuck with anticipation. Always worth the wait though
The Athearn calf and cow sound cool jjdamnit. Have a set of CB&Q's and really like those. Hope the voltage suppressors do the trick for ya.
Well, been having posting problems again. Wanted to post a pic of another new recruit this year. Maybe later.
Thanks for sharing all the great stuff gentleman
I got this Proto GP9 in the CP Rail multi mark scheme. Then I also got a Soundtraxx decoder and put it in an older Proto 2000 GP9 in the Canadian Pacific maroon and grey scheme.
Well, I don't have any interesting photos to show, and it will be a while before I start building, but a few weeks ago I stopped by Custom Model Railroads and purchased two six stall roundhouse kits for the 12 stall roundhouse on the new layout.
And a few weeks before that, I found two more NOS Proto2000 undecorated PA/PB sets on ebay, all less than $50 per powered unit.
Looks like bad weather and no work tomorrow, guess I will be forced to build some benchwork and wire some more lights.
Sheldon
ATLANTIC CENTRAL I stopped by Custom Model Railroads
I used to be local to them and saw their display at Timonium. I didn't think they had an actual shop.
For those of us who like roundhouses, here is theirs:
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
They don't have a store, they have a factory where they make the kits and build layouts for people. I know the guy, so I just called and asked if I could stop by.
I have 2 of 4 benchwork sections up now, but the goodies were some preorders that finally came in, a Bowser M630 in local shortline WNYP paint, and some Atheran refridgerated cars for the served cold storage/food distributor on my layout, and I found the cars to complete my "layout sized" local OC&T excursion train. (Con-Cor released their version of the passenger cars for that line years ago, and while shorter than correct scale would be, I upgrade them with body mounted KD's and metal wheels to operate well. Since they are a bit short, the whole consist can fit in the planned sidings and yard. And they fit me perfectly, as I am also a bit short, at 5'7". )
I also picked up a Bachmann S2 (along with decals and paint)to repaint as one on the OC&T that pulls said excursion train.
No pictures yet.... Layout first!
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
My most recent acquisition was toward the end of October, a "new-old stock" Proto 1000 RS I picked up on ebay for $48 (+ shipping).
Tried it on DC first, wouldn't run hardly at all, because of old, cracked gears. I had some wheelsets on hand which I changed out -- the old wheelsets literally fell apart in my hand as soon as I lifted them out of the gear case.
The bearings for the worm gears squealed, some oil fixed that.
I put a Soundtrax non-sound decoder into it, same size as the original light board, so everything fit without too much tinkering. I re-used the original incandescent bulbs because they looked just right.
It runs great, smooth and quiet. Not like the big ones! (by the time I got on Amtrak's old RS3's, they were gettin' old !)
I've too many engines and cars as it is now, so future buying will be very selective. I'll have to choose carefully.
I wanted something from the old New Haven because it was an RS2 (or 3) like this on which I got my first ride on a locomotive back in Georgetown (CT) around 1957 or so. There was a small yard there and at age 7 or 8 I'd walk two miles down the road to see the train switch the yard. There was the Gilbert & Bennet wire mill, and at the time there was road construction going on and a lot of bluestone was being brought in by rail and loaded into trucks which passed by my house.
The truckdrivers would see me walking, stop and give me a ride home in their Mack Thermodyne dump trucks -- it was great for a little kid. Can you imagine a kid that age doing stuff like that these days?
Well, in any case sometimes I think those railroad guys should have chased me away. Because I ended up spending a lot more time on engines later in life...!
Hear ya on that one Neil Scaletrains is finally doing another run of an N scale model as they're in high demand. The used ones have been selling like hotcakes for three times what they were new. Have had my eye on one that will be released this spring. Its been screaming my name so there was just no other choice but to buy it
Looks like some beautiful Santa Fe passenger cars to add to your Fleet JW. Nice!
Enjoyed watching your Amtrak's running on that huge layout of yours Chatanuga. Looks like you have some smooth operations going for ya.
Sure got that straight JD. Life's too short not to take some time and enjoy this wonderful hobby of ours. Some great looking CP's you got. I've always liked the purple on gray paint scheme.
That 12 stall roundhouse will be magnificent Sheldon. Don't you just love the new (quick & easy) LED disc lights? Had seen that you chose the ceiling grid that installs directly to the rafters for max headroom. A nice feature. Great idea staggering the 2 foot T's, to make things easier if you ever have to change a ceiling tile out
Sounds like the benchwork sections went well Ricky. I'm probably anticipating the pre-order locomotives arrival time as much as you did. Counting down the days here.
Also became quite a bit more selective on purchases OldEngineman. Have acquired more loco's & rolling stock then probably needed but then again, the more the merrier, Right? Nothing worse then having problems with a used locomotive and finally quit buying them for those reasons as well....
Remember the product ArmorAll, how it made vinyl look brand new? But the vinyl would crack if you quit using it. Often wonder if it's the same scenario with older locomotive gears and some types of lube that were used.
My two new E5A recruits, (bottom) purchased a couple months ago to complete my CB&Q Silver Streak set.
KATO knows exactly what they're doing when they sell you a passenger train set with two empty slots. They know that you will buy them because they're missing. They also know you'll buy more cars with all that extra pulling power
A lot of neat stuff here again. Thanks for sharing
NittanyLionDoes "the train room itself" count as a goodie?
Yes it does!
And... I am so jealous.
I am getting closer, but the train room refinish has not even begun yet.
I picked up a second brass 1050 class ATSF Prairie. Now I can model 1139 which is on display in Dodge City, KS (my current residence) and 1080 which is displayed in Brownwood, TX (close to my hometown).
OldEnginemanI put a Soundtrax non-sound decoder into it, same size as the original light board, so everything fit without too much tinkering. I re-used the original incandescent bulbs because they looked just right.
Be careful about turning off the headlight if you stop the engine for any length of time OE. Several of my early Life-Like DCC conversions, before there were any decent "white" LEDs, I melted some of the shells due to the heat buildup from the incandescents.
Regards, Ed
I picked up 6 Tortoise switch machines on the Bay. No pix, y'all know what they look like. Already had 2, that makes for 8 of the 24 switches on the layout, to replace my homemade manual pull-rod-link-n-lever setup. Dan
Nothing major...2 Athearn (Blue Truck) Ready Mix Concrete Co. Mack B Cement Trucks. I love train shows. I only removed one from it's wrapper so far.
PC101
That's cool your modeling the ATSF Prairie's from where you grew up and where you live now Tin Can ll. Only have one, but those brass locos are nice.
Need to get 4 of those Tortoise switches myself Dan. Plan to use the hand of God but 4 of the 20 turnouts are out of reach. I'm sure I'll eventually get tired of pulling the layout out from the wall to walk around back.
Some neat looking cement trucks PC101. Like the old school cab's on those. Need to find some 50's lumber trucks and a couple fork lifts for the planned lumber mill I'll be building. Most I've seen have been a bit too cheesy so far.
My favorite non steam loco's are the SD40-2's. The last Milwaukee Road, KATO run of these are high in demand and hard to find new. The used ones even sell quick.
Didn't want to experience another case of auction remorse Paid to much for these, but wasn't gonna let another set get away like the last ones did.
Thanks for the shares guys
Still waiting for two new railway wagons to arrive from Medway Queen Preservation Society. I sent payment for them a couple of weeks ago, but our postal staff are on strike, so no idea when I shall get them.
Hi TF,
Dianne tells me that she has got me something train related for Christmas that she thinks I will love. I haven't a clue what it might be.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!