The "N" Crowd

[Anonymous]

I purchased a Kato P42 Phase III loco when they were first released. It was about that time that I stoped working on my layout and I just put the loco off to the side.

I just opened it up and found that it has knuckle type couplers (dah should have checked when I purchased it.)

Anyway, has anyone converted a P42 to rapido's? If so HELP. Maybe It would be easier if I convert one of my cars to knuckle/rapido config.

Dewayne 

 

[pcarrell]

Hey Chuck there is another solution to  N scale ground throws........try Z-scale ground throws ive heard that they look more prototypical but they may not be able to operate so i hope this answers your delima.

nscaler711 - do you know who sells z-scale ground throws? If so please pass on the info.

Thanks,

Peter 

And do they have enough throw to do the job?

[Metro Red Line]

Hey Chuck there is another solution to  N scale ground throws........try Z-scale ground throws ive heard that they look more prototypical but they may not be able to operate so i hope this answers your delima.

nscaler711 - do you know who sells z-scale ground throws? If so please pass on the info.

Thanks,

Peter 

 

Do they exist? I know for sure Caboose Industries doesn't make then. Maybe some Euro company does, but the design would probably look too funky for an American railroad...

 

[pcarrell]

Hey Chuck there is another solution to  N scale ground throws........try Z-scale ground throws ive heard that they look more prototypical but they may not be able to operate so i hope this answers your delima.

nscaler711 - do you know who sells z-scale ground throws? If so please pass on the info.

Thanks,

Peter 

 

Do they exist? I know for sure Caboose Industries doesn't make then. Maybe some Euro company does, but the design would probably look too funky for an American railroad...

 

I'm curious about that and if they have enough throw to acually close the point rails.

[bnsfncoal]

What does everybody use for track bumpers on their sidings? I'm looking for a few and want something that looks good. Doesn't matter if they need to be assembled or not they just need to look real.

Guy

[pcarrell]

What does everybody use for track bumpers on their sidings? I'm looking for a few and want something that looks good. Doesn't matter if they need to be assembled or not they just need to look real.

Guy

A friend of mine uses this method; http://www.telusplanet.net/public/crowley/track_bumpers.htm

I just do a dirt pile with some railroad ties in front of it.

[Anonymous]

Well I just got bite on eBay.

The seller listed 20ea sections of N guage flex track.

I received the track and guess what? It is HOn3 guage.

If anyone would like to trade 15 ea. of 30" N guage flex track (new condition) for 20ea. 19 1/4" HOn3 track. Please contact me. This track appears to be in new conditions.

I dont know what code it is but the ties measure 3mm x 27mm.

Dewayne

[e-mail]

Thats a zero in n0ssy and not the letter o.

[Anonymous]

Well I just got bite on eBay.

The seller listed 20ea sections of N guage flex track.

I received the track and guess what? It is HOn3 guage.

If anyone would like to trade 15 ea. of 30" N guage flex track (new condition) for 20ea. 19 1/4" HOn3 track. Please contact me. This track appears to be in new conditions.

I dont know what code it is but the ties measure 3mm x 27mm.

Dewayne

[e-mail]

Thats a zero in n0ssy and not the letter o.

What is the distance between the rails? If I remember correctly HOn3 runs on the n scale track so you may not have been burned from evil-bay. If the distance between the track is 9mm you should be ok. You may also want to post this in the main section for those ho guys that dont always read this thread. Just a thought,

Curt

[SOU Fan]

Well I just got bite on eBay.

The seller listed 20ea sections of N guage flex track.

I received the track and guess what? It is HOn3 guage.

If anyone would like to trade 15 ea. of 30" N guage flex track (new condition) for 20ea. 19 1/4" HOn3 track. Please contact me. This track appears to be in new conditions.

I dont know what code it is but the ties measure 3mm x 27mm.

Dewayne

[e-mail]

Thats a zero in n0ssy and not the letter o.

What is the distance between the rails? If I remember correctly HOn3 runs on the n scale track so you may not have been burned from evil-bay. If the distance between the track is 9mm you should be ok. You may also want to post this in the main section for those ho guys that dont always read this thread. Just a thought,

Curt

N scale track is not the same as HOn3. HOn3 track is wider than N scale. You just might want to relist it on ebay. Just a question how do you get spaces. whenever I hit enter when I hit post it shows up without any of the "enters" I put in.

[Anonymous]

There is a difference between "N" and "HOn3". The rail spacing for N is 9mm and HOn3 is 10.5mm.    

I don't understand the question about spaces. I just type it in.

I don't have a seller account on eBay thats why I'd rather trade it.

[SOU Fan]

I don't understand the question about spaces. I just type it in.

I used to be able to do that but now it doesn't put nay enters in it. I usually end my post with "-dekruif" and if I hit enter two or three times it still puts it next to the words. -dekruif(This should be 5 spaces down on the page)

[nscaler711]

well i think micro trains might sell z scale ground throws but im not sure i had heard it at a model train show and i dont think they operate they may be for show not operation. ( and this was a run-on sentence brought to you By Nscaler711) And Dewayne i have an p42 genesis from Kato i converted mine its pretty simple all you have to do is buy some off they're site and take out the knucle couplers and stick them in the little center pin on the pilot coupler mount its been awhile so my details are hazzy. Also NS2591 im too cheap to buy an pricey atlas loco.  

[SOU Fan]

Also NS2591 im too cheap to buy an pricey atlas loco.  

You can get a Atlas for about $40 to $50 if you watch eBay.

[nscaler711]

im dont have that kind of money yet im still in my teens. I dislike ebay i takes literally forever to wait tell the last few minutes on a train that has 6 bids on it when its three days from bieng sold. i could probably find a fan that i could just mount in front of the last two fans on my gp38-2 loco that is supossed to be a gp40-2

[Dave Vollmer]

I've decided that after my written PhD candidacy exams at the end of January, I'm going to start a new project.

I'm tired of holding my breath for quality N scale PRR steam engines.  The PCM M1b has been kicked down the road nearly 2 years now.  So, if I want any stable mates for my GHQ/Kato L1s 2-8-2, I'm going to have to build them myself.

I plan to convert a Bachmann 2-8-0 to a PRR H10s.  

How?  I have some old Minitrix PRR engines in various states of dismemberment.  The boiler, smokebox, and Belpaire firebox from an old Minitrix K4 will be cut down (already done).  The cab will come from my old Minitrix PRR B6sb, as will the switcher pilot.  As for the tender, that's tough.  The tender that comes from the K4 is a passenger tender and so is not really correct...  I've been playing around with an old Kato tender shell, extending the slope sheet and extending the coal bunker.

I was inspired by a December 1975 MR article by Gregg Mahlkov, whose kitbash of an Atlas 0-8-0 into an H10s can be seen here:

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showphoto.php/photo/8961/cat/1025

At least the Bachmann valve gear looks reasonably close and the chassis is DCC-ready.

[Anonymous]

I measured the hight of the rail and it comes to .0721" or about 1.85mm. I dont know if this is in limits for code 70 or 75 track or not.

[Anonymous]

How do I open the coupler box on a Kato P42 Genesis loco. The front and rear boxes are different.

[airwolf crazy]

Greetings,

I am new to this forum.  I am working on an N scale layout.  I will be reading the whole of this thread and looking for more of the threads on N scale stuff.

 

Christopher

[pcarrell]

Well Christopher, I see you've found the N scalers here!

Come on in and have a look around.  If you have any questions just holler, OK?

[nscaler711]

dewayne: all you have to do is take your fingernails  and gently pull up and the pilot mount should pop out of the pilot, but first its easier to take off the pilot, and do not use needle nose plyers it will dammage the pilot mount they are differnt yes but it my method works for both. also do you like your P42? i do its a B E A UTIFUL loco! Quick Question does Your P42 get noiseyat 75 scale mph? mine does cant figure out why though.

[Dave Vollmer]

Just won an N scale Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 on eBay...  $40!  Not bad.

It's going to be an organ donor for the aforementioned Pennsy H10 project.

Anybody know what's the best DCC decoder for it?  Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info. I'll try that. I also ordered the rapidos from Kato today.

I can't say anything about the noise as I am in the process of rebuilding my layout and I haven't ran them yet.

 

Thanks again.

[pcarrell]

Dave,

I used to use Digitrax DZ143 & 123 decoders exclusively, but lately I've been using the Lenz Gold decoders because of their smaller size.  The DZ's are much cheaper though, so if size isn't an issue then I'd go that way.  If you want to add sound then the Lez is the way to go because of it's compact nature.

And congrats on the Connie!  That's a great catch!

[Dave Vollmer]

Dave,

I used to use Digitrax DZ143 & 123 decoders exclusively, but lately I've been using the Lenz Gold decoders because of their smaller size.  The DZ's are much cheaper though, so if size isn't an issue then I'd go that way.  If you want to add sound then the Lez is the way to go because of it's compact nature.

And congrats on the Connie!  That's a great catch!

Thanks!  I've heard of several folks using the Lenz decoders for the 2-8-0, but they each used a different one and they're all OOP.  Seems Lenz decoders are very fleeting....?

[pcarrell]

Dave,

I used to use Digitrax DZ143 & 123 decoders exclusively, but lately I've been using the Lenz Gold decoders because of their smaller size.  The DZ's are much cheaper though, so if size isn't an issue then I'd go that way.  If you want to add sound then the Lez is the way to go because of it's compact nature.

And congrats on the Connie!  That's a great catch!

Thanks!  I've heard of several folks using the Lenz decoders for the 2-8-0, but they each used a different one and they're all OOP.  Seems Lenz decoders are very fleeting....?

And expensive!  Those Golds go for about $50 around here.  The DZ 123's go for like $17 and the DZ143's are like $23.

[nscaler711]

Dewayne:

If you use Dcc, digi trax has a decoder for your p42 loco the decoder is dn163k0a. 

[Chuck Geiger]

Here's what I have accomplished on the layout since Sunday. Working on a small front of the layout industrial area. Code 80 to 55 went well using Dave's idea of crimping the front of a Code 80 rail joiner and sliding the other end on and letting the Code 55 sit on the rail - It's the same height and then solder. The problem I'm going to run into: Caboose Industies 206S GT's are way too big for N scale. It's stupid. Where can I get Z Scale ground throws or does anyone make a more to scale N GT?

[Chuck Geiger]

I just made some bumpers and they look like the HO Tomar ones. Will send pics. Solder sucks, Iused CA.

[NS2591]

My Parents just told me that I could order the remaining 3 turnouts I needed to complete my Mainline. So they're ordered and should be here sometime next week! Whoo hoo!!

[Anonymous]

I'm not into the DCC side of the hobby so I'm wanting to know what you people think of various sound systems that are out there.

I have looked at the MRC items and I am thinking of maybe doing a "kit bashing" on one of the hand controllers. I was thinking about opening up the controller and tying in reed switches that would be placed into the road bed to control the sounds.

Anyone have any ideas?

Dewayne