Gee after 55 years in the hobby where should I start? Well youth has it ignorance.My dad advised me not to buy one and I did anyway..That was the Lindberg SW1 with the spring drive..I think that tops the list.
Nelson,That is indeed a beautiful K4 and well worth the price of a new motor..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Eddie_walters wrote:I agree that the PSC K4 would definitely be worth repairing! Have you tried contacting PSC? They might be able to repair the loco to the original specification, thus preserving any collector's value - also they might have an idea why it doesn't track well.
Dave--I agree with Eddie: contact PSC and explain the problem. About a year ago, I purchased one of their Rio Grande 2-10-2's in HO, and after running it for about five hours, the wiring shorted out. I sent it back to them with an explanation, and they not only repaired it, they corrected it so that the wiring would NEVER short out again. Their service department is superb, and the locomotive runs like a Swiss Watch. And all it cost me was shipping. Had the loco back in 2 weeks.
Believe me, they stand behind their product.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Iceman_c27 wrote: You guys in HO are so lucky to get eerything with those 8 pin plugs! I recently got a Precision Craft E7B with those plugs just found they are the next best thing to plug--n-play decoders. BTW, I model in N. And I think you are right, I think the newer versions do have isolated motors. The problem with those older N Dash 8's is that the motor contact is actually the motor brush holder and in order to een solder the wires to the motor tabs, you need to take the tabs out of the motor and hence the whole brush and springs got to come out otherwise the motor mount will get melted and they also said in the conversion that the spring will fly out blah blah and I just can't be bothered anymore because you also got to modify the shell to accomondate the decoder blah blah. I think I rather spend the 3 hours required for a train operating session.
You guys in HO are so lucky to get eerything with those 8 pin plugs! I recently got a Precision Craft E7B with those plugs just found they are the next best thing to plug--n-play decoders. BTW, I model in N. And I think you are right, I think the newer versions do have isolated motors. The problem with those older N Dash 8's is that the motor contact is actually the motor brush holder and in order to een solder the wires to the motor tabs, you need to take the tabs out of the motor and hence the whole brush and springs got to come out otherwise the motor mount will get melted and they also said in the conversion that the spring will fly out blah blah and I just can't be bothered anymore because you also got to modify the shell to accomondate the decoder blah blah. I think I rather spend the 3 hours required for a train operating session.
Ice I didnt know you modeled in N scale I automatically thought HO for some reason. I believe the older spectrum of mine actually have wipers for contact to the frame. I really wish my desktop was up and going to get the info on this. But like you I decided the work would out weight the achievement of getting it to work on DCC so I'm using it as an static display until i decide to work on it.
BRAKIE wrote: Gee after 55 years in the hobby where should I start? Well youth has it ignorance.My dad advised me not to buy one and I did anyway..That was the Lindberg SW1 with the spring drive..I think that tops the list. Nelson,That is indeed a beautiful K4 and well worth the price of a new motor..
Gee Brakie, you mean we have something in common? You get into the hobby and I get into the hobby and we both make the mistake of buying a Linsburg S1 spring drive as our first loco--only I did it 53 years after you did.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
The entertainment value that we've gotten from L'il Guy has been well worth the expense. Especially since you made the investment and we got all the entertainment.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley wrote: The entertainment value that we've gotten from L'il Guy has been well worth the expense. Especially since you made the investment and we got all the entertainment.
I was going to tell you that I watched your video on YouTube and enjoyed going though all the subways. But after your remark, I'm just not going to tell you.
Thanks for the advice about my K4s. Once I've recovered from building my H10s 2-8-0 in N, I'll consider the K4s project.
Here's what she looks like on my layout:
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
Dave Vollmer wrote: Thanks for the advice about my K4s. Once I've recovered from building my H10s 2-8-0 in N, I'll consider the K4s project.Here's what she looks like on my layout:
Dude, you have gotta get that running, as soon as you've recovered from your TCSD (Trashed Consolidation Stress Disorder)
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
8500HPGASTURBINE wrote:I would say buying a LIFE SIZE complete box car truck for $50.00. I do business with a place that rebuilds them with new wheels and rebuilds wheels & traction motors for high speed engines. They delivered it to my house, unloaded it in the back yard. After 3 years I wish it was moved, but never had the desire to get it done. Everytime i see it I could sream.
I hate it when that happens. Maybe you could get it rolling with this.
pcarrell wrote:So, does anyone want to buy a mint condition DeWitt Clinton set?
Milwhiawatha wrote:I have 4 of the silliest / stupidiest purchases.1. I was going through ebay looking for a decent SD40-2 couldnt find any in my price range that were Athearn so I found an American Diesel (I Believe that was the company). Paid for it it came and it was all there just runs like junk no flywheels so now it sits in the box never to see daylight till I figure out how to install a better motor and fly wheels maybe even new gears in the trucks.
I have 4 of the silliest / stupidiest purchases.
1. I was going through ebay looking for a decent SD40-2 couldnt find any in my price range that were Athearn so I found an American Diesel (I Believe that was the company). Paid for it it came and it was all there just runs like junk no flywheels so now it sits in the box never to see daylight till I figure out how to install a better motor and fly wheels maybe even new gears in the trucks.
I gotta disagree with you fellas, I have 2 or 3 of those and they run better than a lot of my newer stuff(translated:JUNK).
I personally have a collection of Hi-F drive Athearns. Not sure if that qualifies as a silly purchase or not, but remember this, they were replaced for a good reason! Ever tried to replace those bands on the trucks (if you own even ONE of these units, the answer is YES)! I'd like to know just how many hands they thought we model rails had down at the Athearn factory! That's bad enough (now comes the part where my purchases were silly) but I have over forty of these rubber band eating monsters! And remember, model railroading is fun and relaxing.
(I do still enjoy them a great deal!!;))
ACY 203 wrote:A 2/3 size GG-1 body over C-C (Tyco) trucks (1977).
Jim
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
I started to acquire engines and rolling stock for my yet to be completed layout and in the process acquired a Frisco F3 A/B unit. It is a great looking unit but for a fleeting moment I had though Frisco was a West Coast name.
How do I now rationalize this unit among Santa Fe and Great Northern units? Anyone up to a trade?
Probably a Dockside switcher from AHM back in 1969 and maybe a few 98 cent freight cars. They all had the Horn Hook couplers and were really junk at its best. When better junk was made, TYCO was there.
Who knows why we order models we could never use??
I just got a Rio Grand RS-3 off eBay....I'm modeling a North East Ry...It's done up in yellow and black, so I guess I could redecorate it as an early, albeit factious, Erie Lackawanna scheme by just changing the name on the side and adding a diamond on the nose.
J.P.
don7 wrote:I started to acquire engines and rolling stock for my yet to be completed layout and in the process acquired a Frisco F3 A/B unit. It is a great looking unit but for a fleeting moment I had though Frisco was a West Coast name. How do I now rationalize this unit among Santa Fe and Great Northern units? Anyone up to a trade?
jep1267 wrote: I just got a Rio Grand RS-3 off eBay....I'm modeling a North East Ry...It's done up in yellow and black, so I guess I could redecorate it as an early, albeit factious, Erie Lackawanna scheme by just changing the name on the side and adding a diamond on the nose. J.P.
That's interesting because I bought 2 of the D&RGW RS-3s for my freelanced railroad to go with a ABBA set of P1K Erie F3s also with a black and gold paint scheme. I decided I could never repaint a loco as well as it is done by the factory so I decided it was easier just to redo the logo and roadname. I feel like a cattle rustler rebranding the cattle but it works for me. My freelanced railroad runs through much of the same territory as the Erie so theoretically in my world, the Erie doesn't exist. Someone might ask why not just model the Erie or the E-L but I wanted the freedom to run according to my rules and build places that didn't exist. My railroad is actually a composite of several railroads that operate in northern NJ and southern NY.
jecorbett wrote: That's interesting because I bought 2 of the D&RGW RS-3s for my freelanced railroad to go with a ABBA set of P1K Erie F3s also with a black and gold paint scheme. I decided I could never repaint a loco as well as it is done by the factory so I decided it was easier just to redo the logo and roadname. I feel like a cattle rustler rebranding the cattle but it works for me. My freelanced railroad runs through much of the same territory as the Erie so theoretically in my world, the Erie doesn't exist. Someone might ask why not just model the Erie or the E-L but I wanted the freedom to run according to my rules and build places that didn't exist. My railroad is actually a composite of several railroads that operate in northern NJ and southern NY.
Jecorbett - I agree the factory paint jobs can be tough to cover up, maybe a "rebrand" is the way for me to go too due to the black and gold scheme is close to the EL.
For the time being my railroad is a composite too (I like the idea of running rules my way also)however, the Caldwell (NJ) branch of the EL ran paralell to the street that the house I grew up in is on so I would ultimately like to do a layout that includes this. The line was abandoned in 75 and the rail bed is now a hikeing/biking trail that I ride my bike on regularly.
SteamFreak wrote: 8500HPGASTURBINE wrote:I would say buying a LIFE SIZE complete box car truck for $50.00. I do business with a place that rebuilds them with new wheels and rebuilds wheels & traction motors for high speed engines. They delivered it to my house, unloaded it in the back yard. After 3 years I wish it was moved, but never had the desire to get it done. Everytime i see it I could sream.I hate it when that happens. Maybe you could get it rolling with this.
What with my mother recently passing away, I don't laugh at a lot of things lately. But, Nelson, you cracked me up with that one!!
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
I would build a small cantelevered "bobber" style caboose on it!
-G
Modeling the city of Grimey, perched atop the Black cliffs, overlooking the steam service yard at Sooty junction. The G,B&S - the Grimey, Black & Sooty railroad.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Medina1128 wrote: What with my mother recently passing away, I don't laugh at a lot of things lately. But, Nelson, you cracked me up with that one!!
Sorry about the loss of your mom. I'm glad it at least got one laugh!