General Discussion (Model Railroader)

I'm an HO-er and I'm sticking to it. But a local LHS is having an AS-Is sale of stuff collected over time and in one week sells or tries to sell it all off. bagged up goodies in whatever condition good bad or whatever, there it is for your evaluation. I found some Varney cars near good condition needing some TLC, some bagged parts, etc....

all scales included... and what do I do, 4 dollars for a bag of N scale track, a fairly good amount of track, plus in other bags some N scale cars and locos. I scan the bags over and pick out 2 that had the same engine in it, looks like bachmann Santa Fe F7's, the early kind.

on the other hand one bag had HO parts with an Athearn Trainmaster shell. It had kemtron parts in it with some siderod screws in it, I need those badly, its worth the other stuff.

Then I found a 12 wheel Athearn chassis, no shell, with motor not attached. no drive transfer pinions. It wouldnt run as is at all. But I have parts at home...

Bought the whole bunch, N-Scale and all.

laid some track down and tried one of the N scale F7's. Ran then stopped, light still on, reversed, ran,then stops, light still on.

Took it apart, checked the trucks, looks as if one of the gears is spread on the wheels, but the other wheel has the same design, with a split in the axle part. Well, the split is bigger on the bad one, the gears wont mesh, stops dead.

No wonder its in the As-Is sale.

I can pop the large gear out and it will freewheel but pick up power, the other truck was OK.

Missing front coupler. 

I tried the other F7, dead. Dead short however.

I open it, umm, the headlight slides right in with wire leads touching the weight sides..umm, really long wire leads, they were wrapped around touching whatever. I pulled the light out, straightened up wires, and tucked the bulb back in. Perfect runner.

Variety of cars and some truick and coupler parts, some cars perfect, others missing couplers or broken, I managed to interchange around and got all but 2 cars running. Flatcar will miss trucks till I buy new ones and a caboose needs a coupler, everything else perfect now.

made a tiny loop, 9 inch radius... runs... and surpised, that F7 can craawwllll....

Now to the Trainmaster shell and Athearn chassis. They looked like a perfect fit at the hobbyshop, getem home, try to snap the shell on, nopers, didnt work. 2 holes off slightly and chassis slightly too long in the end. ahh, I dremeled the corners where the shell wouldnt fit on the chassis, and drilled new pop holes for the dimples.

I dug in my parts boxes and found drive transfer shafts, and that rubbery motor mount.

No spring to snap onto the top the get power over, I solder wires on, guess what, it runs perfect.

pop the shell on, hey I got me a trainmaster unit, needs handrails and paint and decals.

It'll become an N&W lokie.

The N scale...I may make a 2x4 layout and give it to my Niece as a gift.

Maybe choose a 4x8 Spacemouse contest layout, maybe the winnar of it as a design? 

I think years ago I bought some N scale train set with an 0-6-0, I have no clue where that went...cant find it...

The only way I would do N scale is maybe have that modern pike but in N scale and the big cars dont take that much room. But its really too tiny, fixing the N scale cars, thats really trite!!

You are apparently suffering from a serious case of multi-scale-itis, but don't worry, it usually isn't terminal.

It never hurts to have parts onhand, and it sounds like you got more than that in the bargain. I wish my LHS would have a $4 grab bag sale. What brand are the F7's? Are they Minitrix? I had one that came in a set I was given one Christmas that is long gone now. It was a pretty decent runner, as I recall, but I think it all metal gearing.

You could use this as an inspiration to start a HOn3 logging or mine operation...  

I resemble that original post.  My disease is an addiction to fixing things.  I'll be at a swap meet or garage sale and see some old locomotive that needs a little TLC, since I know what to do, I'll buy it, fix it, and set it on a shelf.  Often, these are the wrong scale, era, or size for my layout, but they need a mom.  I can't bear to leave them there to decay, so I adopt them.  Some find new homes on eBay, but others simply adorn my shop.

I do the same thing with power tools and household fixtures.

If you're nuts I must be nuts, too.

SteamFreak wrote:

You are apparently suffering from a serious case of multi-scale-itis, but don't worry, it usually isn't terminal. I hate when that happens! It never hurts to have parts onhand, and it sounds like you got more than that in the bargain. I wish my LHS would have a $4 grab bag sale. What brand are the F7's? Are they Minitrix? I had one that came in a set I was given one Christmas that is long gone now. It was a pretty decent runner, as I recall, but I think it all metal gearing. You could use this as an inspiration to start a HOn3 logging or mine operation...

It's simple...use 'em or sell 'em!

If you want to try N...go for it. Sounds like you might have good a start.

Remember...your trackage has to be within the "N"th degree. HO is a little more forgiving. 

Rotor

ed: Whatever you do ...have fun with it!

shayfan84325 wrote:

I resemble that original post.  My disease is an addiction to fixing things.  I'll be at a swap meet or garage sale and see some old locomotive that needs a little TLC, since I know what to do, I'll buy it, fix it, and set it on a shelf.  Often, these are the wrong scale, era, or size for my layout, but they need a mom.  I can't bear to leave them there to decay, so I adopt them.  Some find new homes on eBay, but others simply adorn my shop. I do the same thing with power tools and household fixtures. If you're nuts I must be nuts, too.

Uh-oh... were we separated at birth?

Maybe we should start a support group, or sumpthin'. 

I was a die hard n-scaler for years (started in the early 80's ) As you can imagine there wasn't a whole lot to choose from and most any loco ran like crap. But I stuck with it. You can imagine how overjoyed I was when Kato started releasing dependable locos and Atlas started improving their rolling stock (I had JMC/ConCor cars on my layout that had mid 70's vintage). My ebullienciey reached a peak with kato's 2-8-2 Mikado. Finally! A reliable, well running steamer...in N gauge no less. Then came the divorce and subsequent move. My burgeoning, full basement wall spanning layout (that after several ill-startted attempts in apartments and rentals) in a house I thought I'd be in for years had to be abandoned in place. 8 years ago I dropped out of model railroading, sold all my stuff on ebay and pursued other interests. 

Now I'm back into model railroading but have switched scales (HOn3). I do however, look longingly at the new N scale offerings. Things that were never available when I was modeling it. Do I regret not doing n-scale anymore? No. I like HOn3 but there are times I envy n-scalers and all the options and things available today.

 -G-

Fellow club member I know was heavy on NYC with lots of steam brass. He switched to N, to more reliably model a local rail line. He was selling his steam at a swap meet not too long ago, I might see him this sunday maybe.

The thing about n scale its 2 foot gauge HO, Chicago has its underground freight tunnel network its on 2 foot gauge. I bought however this HOn3 mine train set to use, wrong gauge but its cool and can work and runs. I scanned ebay for N Brass, yeright, few N steamers in brass, more diesels. Yeh the ole fixit-itis. Stuff there people gave up on but I breathed new life into this stuff.

If the other N scale stuff is there I may buy them out and see what can be done, then toss it up on ebay. If there's serious N scale in my future I have to fit it into the right place as space is critical here. I'm doing big on my layout plans, every inch is valuable.

or give it as a gift to my niece, make a nice little layout, there ya go.

I don't see anything nuts about it at all. I only do HO now, but I caught myself thinking about some O 3rail stuff on E-Bay last night. Unfortunately, "thinking" about it is all I can do right now.

I had an N scale 0-6-0 layout about 30 years ago. Same thing! I'll be darned if I can remember what I did with it.

loathar wrote:

I don't see anything nuts about it at all. I only do HO now, but I caught myself thinking about some O 3rail stuff on E-Bay last night. Unfortunately, "thinking" about it is all I can do right now.

You and me both, pal!

Whenever I visit my LHS, I find myself drooling over the O scale 3-rail Atlas Pennsy boxcars and hoppers.  They're not technically "correct," but they look soooo good!!!

It's not just lack of cash, but lack of room.

I think we're all subject to "scale envy" from time to time.

I went ahead and bought more N scale as is stuff, engines cars in various states of condition.

F7 B unit ran, prolly needs lube and cleaning. It'll match to the A units, all santa fe (what else)

A GE uboat, minitrix I guess, wouldnt run. Note stuck on it said, "Bad Motor, nuthin" Opened shell, little light holder has no light and touching metal frame... SHORT!!!! Pulled it off, still no run. took motor out, took clips off motor that hold the brushes, ahh, one spring wasnt touching,pulled it out. Funny in this collection I got, a little packet of motor parts! springs and brushes! put good spring in one, other was OK, brushes were there. Snapped together, quick test... BLING!!! runs.

put it all back together and we gots anudder engine! Santa Fe no less again.

Next is a minitrix GP 40 or something, 12 wheeler exactly same design as U boat. Motor would not run, had a light and lit up. Popped the motor, tested, no run, checked springs and brushes, all good, no run!!!!

I hand turned the motor tested again...RUNNNnnnnnn, depower, try again...Noooo run...

held power leads on and turned motor...Ruunnnnnnn,then slow it stopped...nooooooo run...

turns out it has a bad spot, one set of armatures are not getting power. New motor time unless a teeeny wire can be soldered thats visible, but its new motor time.  Best bet is a can but I'll check on replacements..

Lastly is a power chasis no body. Rivarrosi N scale sumpthin, maybe a geep or whatever. Rustyness all over, nail stuck on motor. I threw oil all over it hand turned, was tight.

power...after playing around I got it running.

not bad for 50 bucks worth of stuff, 2 working diesels with a 3rd potential and some cars and parts.  

I threw this little bitty together to try out the N scale stuff I got. The decision, N scale is just too tiny for me. But I had a little fun ressurrectiong some N scale from a certain demise.  Someone else may get more fun out of it. Cars are really too light and need weighting. I'll see if I can find a motor for the one engine with the hald dead windings. If the hobbyshop still has some stuff hanging around I'll nab it to restore it the best I can. Then give it away as a gift or something.

I picked up another N scale bag-o-goodies, this one had a few cars then also this LifeLike Geep 

I dropped it on the track to test it, it was rather bad. Found wheels dirty with crud, I scraped that off (I took the engine apart, that was an adventure by itself)

After that tried it again, it ran much better, BUT, it just would not stay on the track, derailing.

I wiggled the trucks around, it felt like something was inhibiting its turning with some little "blink" of " I cahnt taern it any more capn, or she'll blow" Both trucks had this "blink".You could turn the trucks but you could feel this "blink"

I couldnt see any obvious obstructions doing this, the copper blade pickups? noooooo  BTW, it has all wheel pickup. The frame had indentations for the wheels to pass thru so it wouldnt..."blink"...whut now?

Looking harder (I had closeup glasses) the trucks have a detail that rises up slightly. Thar she blows. Popping the "rivet" that holds the truck down, I filed up the frame areas where the detail was rubbing on.

Put it all back together and put couplers on it. Lubed it up. 

Sweet running little geep now. No wonder the previous owner gave up on it. I wonder how many other LL N geeps are like this.

Pretty good looking one for N scale. 15 bucks for engine and a few cars. Nice deal...

jimk wrote:

Don't worry!  I run HO, Z, and G.  The more scales, the more fun!

DITTO! I run 45mm G, Gn15, and On30, all three indoors. Can't just choose one!