New Bright & Other Inexpensive G-Scale

[chocho willy]

Know what you mean, but it's nice to see you back, Bill

[PVT Kanaka]

Welcome back!

[vsmith]

Last post, by me, was 10 years ago, so many names I wish were still active

[tgood]

Kevin G

NB did make turnouts but thay are very rare and most sellers want top dollar. Just keep surfing the net and look for good buys.

[vsmith]

Yes Scientific and New Blight are both 45mm gauge, but niether is compatable with brass track and beleive it or not, each other as well. The joiners on each are opposite the other, IOWs putting a peice from each together the joiners will hit each other. Crazy!

[SNOWSHOE]

I have seen the new brights a scietific trains but never knew they were compatable with the G scale.  I personally would rather use brass, plastic in my area would beak in no time.  If anyone has any pictures of these trains that were kitbashed into something more realistic I would love to see some of them.  The before and after. 

[cortelrb]

 I run new bright loco's (Have 4 of em) .  The only drawback is the rubber on the loco wheels eventually fall apart and I can't find replacements anywhere .

 I tried several sizes of rubber bands and sink washers but none really fit. Other than that, I find them more convienent to run them the Bachman and Aristocraft engines I have . Plus I don't mind if my grandkids drop them when thy're playing with me.

[Moosie]

I also find that the RC operated Big Haulers by Bachmann (4-6-0) .needs extra weight over the pilot wheels. Found the peel & stick weights work well here. 

[Moosie]

eToys sells Scientific/EZTec train track. It's listed as G Gauge-expansion train track for Coastal Express Train Set. Retails for $9.99 and you get 6 straight, 6 curved and a 90 degree cross over. Go to eToys.com and see for yourself.

MOOSIE

[REI]

I noticed on ebay a NB loco that runs on track power- thought all their stuff was battery only. Anyone have one of these?

 I don't have any but yeah, New Bright made a few models of electric train sets starting around mid 1990s. Most of the electric train set engines were given the more "modern" look from the 1920s or 30s. And there was one made that was a wood-burning 4-4-0 American from the late 1800s that had a large diamond stack and long, pointy cowchaser. That one was made in 1997. New Bright also made that hidieous "Holiday Express" product line that a lot of hobby web sites have been selling for quite a while now.

[baberuth73]

I noticed on ebay a NB loco that runs on track power- thought all their stuff was battery only. Anyone have one of these?

[REI]

I had the one engine eh... 2-6-2 i think it was just an engine no coal car would spin around and make noise... had that when I was like 5 or somthing, Got a new bright set from my grandma some years later. It had a engine/tender, boxcar and caboose, only thing left is the caboose and box car thats been sitting in my back yard for about 20 years, plastic isnt very faided and the wheels still spin

My sisters kid plays with the caboose every time he comes over so I'm thinking about picking up a set off ebay for him to play with on my tracks

 That engine you first mentioned is a bump-and-go engine.(can't run on tracks or anything)

By the way those pics at the top are my old layout photos before I moved. The layout at the new house is a bit smaller (about 10 ft. less) since it's located at my room, but the scenery has really improved with polyturf rug, more trees, and more lighting on the saition.

[Mr_Ash]

I had the one engine eh... 2-6-2 i think it was just an engine no coal car would spin around and make noise... had that when I was like 5 or somthing, Got a new bright set from my grandma some years later. It had a engine/tender, boxcar and caboose, only thing left is the caboose and box car thats been sitting in my back yard for about 20 years, plastic isnt very faided and the wheels still spin

My sisters kid plays with the caboose every time he comes over so I'm thinking about picking up a set off ebay for him to play with on my tracks

[vsmith]

The one I kept for a kids train I pulled the pilot wheel off just to keep the danged thing on the track thru switches, so removing the pilot only improves its performance, so does adding self adhesive tire weights to the inside of the boiler. If you add side tanks, add some weights inside, these locos are very light and adding a few oz of weight helps tremendously.

[Anonymous]

I was thinking about doing just that.. I guess my next load of scrap metals goes to buying one.

I
wonder how tough modeling a 0-6-0T from that would be. Could use boiler
and Cab thats there.. but it seems overscaled for what I have in
mind.... (think Thomas the tank, and your not far off, but without the
silly face)

 

 If anyone happens to be willing to help.. drop a line here.. I check back often

 

Thanks!

 

[vsmith]

Sorry Dwayne, I dont know of any source or diagram for these cheepies. Best I can suggest is get another one (cheap off Ebay or $40 for the whole set from KB toys online) openi it up and use that one as a guide to rewire the beasty.

On other engines I have taken apart with alot of wires, I always cut the wires midway so I can rematch the wire colors, if mutiple same coloring use masking tape with matching numbers written on each end, I then just twist connect the wires and use heat shrink wire insulation.

[Anonymous]

I had one of the New Bright engines, made a really bad attempt at a
kitbash and threw it away in disgust. (MOST UNDESIREABLE MISTAKE,
should ahve kept for parts at least).

 

Now I have a
Scientific Toys, RC train, and have made a much better attempt at kit
bash. to a small industrial switcher. Problem is, that I forgot which
wires go where, can someone take a minute and tell me (or draw up a
quick and dirty wiring diagram) of which wires go to which spots on the
circut board? and where those wires go.

 

Much apprecaited, and I cannot wait for spring to start laying outdoor track!

 

Dwayne Miller

MD & S Railways,

Akron, Ohio

 

[REI]

REI-

As I understand it you are coming to Oklahoma. If that is correct, "Howdy Folks" needs to be at the TOP of your posts. At the BOTTOM, it should say; "Y'all come back, hear?"

I'm not sure if I understand what you're saying but if you're reffering to my signature at the bottom of my window, that's a quote from the begining of the speil at the Walt Disney World Railroad.

[Semper Vaporo]

The best thing to use to 'size' the other objects is the door to the building.  I assume it is the door to the freight room of the station.  This door would probably be 7 ft tall.

Thus, the building is about 14-Ft from the door sill to the peak, which is about right.

The steps, below and to the right of the door, do not meet the national building code because the risers are 12-inches.

The water tower is 80.5-ft tall.  The rungs on the ladder are 3.5-ft apart.  The tank holds 167,000-gallons.

The red barrels on each side of the track hold 467-gallons.

The gauge of the track is considered "Broad gauge" at 7.5 ft.

The blue uniformed individual in the foreground has an arm that is 8 ft long.  The top of the hat is almost 4-ft in diameter.

 

[REI]

They're all G-scale.

[Anonymous]

 

Have to ask what size is the water tower as to the houses? Or houses to the water tower?

[CCSII]

REI-

As I understand it you are coming to Oklahoma. If that is correct, "Howdy Folks" needs to be at the TOP of your posts. At the BOTTOM, it should say; "Y'all come back, hear?"

[REI]

Well, for the record, the New Bright G-scale track is much better  than the Scientific track. That is why I chose to use NB track because they join better, are much stronger and durable than Scientific track, and they made more variety of track. Scietific only made one type of straight and curve track, on the other hand, New Bright made 2 types of straight track, long ones and shorter ones, curve track, crossing track with a post and a lever that lowers every time train passes, crossing track without posts and also used to rerail train (mine NEVER derail), left and right switchout tracks for putting them away in my roundhouse (storage facility), swith tracks for foward,reverse, or stalling and made a type of staition that looks really nice with a rustic, western look. There is one staition in my Railroad (so its not a comuter Railroad). And its the New Bright staition, I put two separate staitions into one to make the loading platform longer for the string of cars, here are pics:

[FJ and G]

why pay all that money for NB track? when you can get it nearly for free...

I'm helping a fellow build a strap iron railroad like they had in the 19th century. Using strap iron and sticks, you can cut the strap iron lengthwise (from construction projects) and silicone glue attach to sticks to make rails. If one of the straps becomes loose, it could puncture the underside of a passenger car and skewer some of the passengers, adding to the prototypical operation

 



 



 

the iron straps, btw, conduct electricity if using track power, but they do get rusty, adding to the rustic flair; so if you want track power, lightly grease the rails with oil; but less hassle with battery. For curves, cut angles and fit or simply cut curves in the straps

[REI]

I'm really interested in knowing if anyone else has New Bright G-scale battery trains and Scientific Toys trains. Anyone?

[Anonymous]

Another of many questions, no doubt, as I wander into the workd of graden railways.  On another forum I aksed for information regardig battery powered locos.  We'll see where that goes.  My quest today is about trak.  I agree that the plastic track looks like a very temporary solution and am going with metal track. 

I have a few sections of brass Aristocraft track.  Heavy and pricey.  At a train store in Jackonville, AL (Model City Models) I found some (stainless steeel?) track with no manufacturer name on the bottom - only 'made in China'.  It mates with the Aristo-Craft just fine, even though the ties are a bit narrower.  They are about 4.5 feet long.  Can anyone tell me the brand, or another source, so that I don't have to drive 100 miles every time I have a few bucks for track?

Best of the new year to y'all.

[ttrigg]

What he said
I am the self-professed King of Cheap in this group here.
Good Luck

OK Vic, if you are the King of Cheap, the I guess that makes me the King of Thrifty. Can't have two kings in the same kingdom!

bjohns67 -I'm so cheap-I'm not putting my two cent in,

All right you guys, what are you trying to do, scare the new guy off?

DO IT-maybe spend another $20 on track to double the basic oval . . . .  If you like it, don't spent anymore money on the toy/plastic stuff- start planning/saving for the better stuff-if you don't like it -you're out $50-or sell it on ebay -Welcome and good luck!

If you go the way Mark has suggested, then spend the time reading the many, many pages here dealing with track and the volatile question "which is best".  Determine your requirements and wants, and what the wife will like.  Then make your choice of Brass vs Stainless vs Aluminum & Sectional vs Flex.

You are already on your way to doing the most important thing,

Get Outside And Have Fun!

[Coogler Rail Line]

Just to throw my 2 cents in....I have been buying used LGB track.  Brass is Brass...

[markn]

Kevin-New Bright makes a "switch Track" and "points, or a turnout"-you can usually get them on ebay-but carefully check the photos and description-often a piece (straight) of track that New Bright uses to turn on/off the loco is referred to as a "switch track" and I am assuming you are looking for "turn-outs".  I have only seen their track in 4 ft dia.