HELLLPPP! I know nothing and I need to get him a train....

[Anonymous]

I do have to shed a secret to you all here though....Keith does have to put up with me. I'm an insane music teacher. I tend to be very flakey, forgetful and inconsiderate at times.....so I really do owe him this for putting up with every single day. :-)

:-)

[Anonymous]

Definitely going to get the Bachman EZ DCC controller from my hobby shop....I'm hoping maybe I can exchange the one I bought yesterday....but if not....it still will get used some day.....

[Anonymous]

Turnouts...........ohhhhh GOTTA have that!!!!!

[emdgp92]

We've created a monster, folks :p

Just wait until they start kitbashing Reading freight cars, and staring at the pictures on the Fallen Flags site!

[Anonymous]

What are the exact spects of my Reading Stewart FT A-B diesel

1. powered A only
2. DCC installed
3. DSX decoder

What am I missing? I want to be sure I order the right thing. What else do I need to tell Tim?

[Anonymous]

What does kitbashing refer to? What is the fallen flags site?

or shouldn't I ask....i have tooo much on my mind right now.....

[Anonymous]

although the caboose is my personal dream...i guess I"m gonna have to put that off for a bit....tooo much info to take in....i might actually after I have purchased the loco start searching around the area or ebay for my caboose....anyway, be in touch....I"m actually off now to my hobby shop again.......

Tess

[emdgp92]

The Fallen Flags site has many railroad pictures: http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/.

They're organized by railroad. Sometimes, there are little extras such as track diagrams or locomotive manuals thrown in. For example, I think there's an E7 diesel manual on the New York Central page.

Kitbashing is the art of taking parts from one model kit, parts from another kit or two and 'bashing' (combining) them together to make something that's not available.

[Adelie]

Kitbashing is what you do when you are trying to put together a kit and it is not going well. It involves a kit and a sledgehammer. Oh wait, that is my definition. Actually.....

Kitbashing is taking one or more kits and modifying them by adding parts, deleting parts, modifying parts, or taking parts from other kits to wind up with the structure or model that you wanted rather than what the original kit was supposed to look like. In essence, you are building what you want from a kit that offers some of what you want.

The term fallen flags is for railroads who are no longer with us. Might have just gone away or been bought by and merged into another railroad. Regardless of how, the livery is now gone.

[Cthetrains]

quoted from Adelie:
Kitbashing is what you do when you are trying to put together a kit and it is not going well. It involves a kit and a sledgehammer. Oh wait, that is my definition. Actually.....

that's called stress relief....but I recommend it be restricted to low-cost items.

I just hope we know as much about landscaping our lay-outs as we do about rolling stock..otherwise, we're all in trouble..as for me..I'm more into the wiring/mechanical/operational aspect..(usually the one who breaks things)

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by piccolotess

What does kitbashing refer to? What is the fallen flags site?

or shouldn't I ask....i have tooo much on my mind right now.....

Yeah that might be going off the deep end.

Basically Kitbashing is where someone takes a model similar to one they want and "bashes" it by cutting or adding parts from other kits together in a way that was not originally intended to create the model they desire.

Fallen flags is a term used for Railroads that are no longer in business. So in this case the Reading is a "fallen flag". There are actually many sites in the cyber world for fallen flag railroads. http://www.northeast.railfan.net/rdg_rstr.html

QUOTE:
What are the exact spects of my Reading Stewart FT A-B diesel
1. powered A only
2. DCC installed
3. DSX decoder
What am I missing? I want to be sure I order the right thing.

The type of DSX - Every picture I can find of the Reading FTs have the two single chime Wabco horns. Unfortunately I think these sound like a sick walrus. In the old days Soundtraxx had clips on their web site where one could go and listen to these, but no more... sigh. Here is a substitute. You can go to this page click on the pictures and listen to the horns esp. notice the one marked F and see the "single" over in the description. http://www.phoenixsound.com/sound_library/american_diesel/american_diesel.html

The options are:
825201 EMD 1st Gen Wabco Airhorn
825202 EMD 1st Gen 3-Chime Leslie
825203 EMD 1st Gen Nathan Airhorn
825204 EMD 1st Gen Wabco E2 1-Chime
825205 EMD 1st Gen Nath M5 5-Chime
825208 EMD 1st Gen Nath P3

[tstage]

Tess,

Tell Tim you want:

1. Stewart Reading FT A-B diesel - You will probably have a couple of road #'s to pick from
2. Powered A-unit (given) - You gotta have a motor somewhere.
3. Unpowered or Dummy B-unit (for speaker,baffle/sound decoder)
4. DCC control/DSX sound - Tim will know what to do.

Tess, ask Tim his recommendation for the Reading FT air horn. As Walker (Texas Zephyr) already mentioned, locomotives had destinct air horns. The Reading FT will have to be matched to the correct DSX sound decoder.

Also, make sure you tell Tim that since you are planning on getting the Bachmann E-Z Command system, you won't need him to wire the FT up with the 5-pin connector to switch over from DC to DCC afterall. Other than that, Tess, you are good to go. [tup]

Holler if you think of anything else...

Tom

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by piccolotess

and a fact about me........I love antique and more retro items......i collect more specifically antique postcards......that's my hobby where I like to blow lots of money........I prefer finding cards from early 1900's postmarked....real photos of towns they way they were 100 years ago

Yea!, so do I. Aside from being a "train nut", I collect early 1900's holiday , as well as Coney Island postcards. Also have a lot of early towns and city photos in 3-D, called stereoview cards. Ever get into those? Joe

[Anonymous]

Sounds like Tess has gotten a lot of good advice from you fellas and gals(?). Anybody suggest a gift sub to MR or MRC along with the hardware?
I skipped from page two to five ss missed that.

[Cthetrains]

oh..DUH...leave it to the uncle to find the lost piece of the puzzle..good suggestion, Mike

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by emdgp92

We've created a monster, folks :p

Watch she is so into cabooses, she will go out and find a real reading caboose to mount in their front yard when they finally get one.

HE HE HE

[Anonymous]

One other thing while I'm at it. Tess, save all this correspondence and keep a journal of your adventures buying model railroad gifts. This summer write up an article and submit it to Model Railroader for publication in the November 2006 issue. You might as well make some money off the hobby since you are spending it.

Speaking of caboose collecting why not take a trip to Strasburg to see the railroad and the museum then stay overnight in a real caboose at that hotel.(can't think of the name)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by unclemike

One other thing while I'm at it. Tess, save all this correspondence and keep a journal of your adventures buying model railroad gifts. This summer write up an article and submit it to Model Railroader for publication in the November 2006 issue. You might as well make some money off the hobby since you are spending it.

If MR isn't interested, Railraod Model Craftsman probably would be. They like to put things like that in their DEC. Issiue. Which comes out in November so people have time to read it and go buy.

James

[Anonymous]

i know I've got wonderful links here that many of you have sent.....to be honest I haven't had the time to look at them all...I will most definitely over my christmas recess....but here's a question. Anyone know the best site for something like a reading lines historical time line?

Several people have probably already sent something that would be great already but still a bit overwhelmed here. :-) Promise to soak in everything eventually.....

[tstage]

Tess,

No timeline...yet...but here's the Brief History link from the Readingrailroad.org web page: (I'm assuming it's NOT about undergarments. [:0])

http://www.readingrailroad.org/reading/rdg_history.html

Tom

[Anonymous]

Thanks Tom....thats exactly what I need to know!!!!! haha he'll be hearing me recite your exact words to him. :-) Tomorrow at least. :-) I was able to make arrangements to get EZ Command system....they didn't have it there so LHS is ordering it for me....I'll be exchanging it for the other controller.....woo hoo! How exciting!

[tstage]

Tess,

Do you know if it comes with the instructional DVD? Mine did but the newer one that was $50 didn't. Not a problem. There is a manual that comes with the Bachmann that will answer any questions.

Tom

[Anonymous]

Actually, Joe....no i don't get into the stereoview cards.......I mostly collect Lancaster, Reading, and Millersville State College postcards (present day Millersville University--where I graduated).....and other locations where I've traveled...I prefer buying the 100 year old postcards in remembrance of places I've visited....although I do buy the new ones found in gift shops. :-) I am thinking about getting in holiday postcards....but that tends to be pricey at times..........but well I might just consider trains instead.........wait....I should stick to the paper....definitely a bit cheaper.....oh well.

[Anonymous]

Uncle,
Been to Strasburg several times....Once as a kid....and then once a few years ago....and funny thing....neither time did I actually ride a train! haha....anyway, I only live about an hour away from there....and work about 20 minutes from there. :-) Keith has already mentioned on numerous occassions that we'll be visiting there sometime.....right now I have to pretend not to really have any interest....and gosh I absolutely know nothing about trains!!!! (h\aha....maybe 2 days ago that was the case....hehe)

[Anonymous]

Tom,
Not really tooo too concerned about an instructional dvd.....it would be nice but well....but keith will figure everything out I'm sure. It drives me nuts how good he is with everything!

Tess

[Anonymous]

Tom,
I just took at look at your layout.....soooo awesome! I can't wait to do stuff like that..........wait.......noooo.........I can't wait till Keith starts doing some of that..........haha
Tess

[Anonymous]

Quote: If you are up for a bit of a challenge, I think it's Eastern Car Works that sells a caboose kit that actually includes details to make any Northeastern caboose, including Reading. It's a flat kit - so getting the carbody square is the real challenge.


Okay, here's the other thing.....at the LHS I was curious about having someone make the caboose for me....I'm very serious about it.....he said he would look around....I was trying to understand that email, Tom from your friend Randy....the only way to get a matching caboose is buy building one? Didn't someone say something about another company's being the same as Readings but diff colors and just needing to be painted....the LHS guy said something about some northern company being repainted to look like Readings....but I might have misunderstood something...so what do you think about hiring someone to build a caboose for me? I know it would cost me....but how cool to say "I had this made for me because I'm insane and would not settle for a cabooseless train"

[Anonymous]

This isn't the caboose I'm looking for is it?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6585770823&fromMakeTrack=true

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by piccolotess

Tom,
I just took at look at your layout.....soooo awesome! I can't wait to do stuff like that..........wait.......noooo.........I can't wait till Keith starts doing some of that..........haha
Tess

Uh, huh! The ugly truth seeps out....[(-D]

Tom

[Anonymous]

It looks like Tess has the bug. She may be end up being the railroader in the family.

Tess, I hope your boyfriend gets as excited as you. One word of caution. Don't overwhelm him with too much of your own enthusiasm and knowledge at first. He'll need a little time to catch up with you.

You sound like a lovely, thoughtful young lady. I'm sure if things with your boyfriend don't work out, you will have them lined up here. [:D] Good luck, and have fun.