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!!
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!
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 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.
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.
I hate it when that happens. Maybe you could get it rolling with this.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
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.
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.
J.P.
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.
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.
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?
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??
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
ACY 203 wrote:A 2/3 size GG-1 body over C-C (Tyco) trucks (1977).
Jim
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 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..
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!!;))
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.
pcarrell wrote:So, does anyone want to buy a mint condition DeWitt Clinton set?
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:
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)
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
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.
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.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
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.
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.
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!
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Dave Vollmer wrote: I bought an PSC N scale brass PRR K4s on eBay for close to $750 while I was deployed in Iraq. I had it sent to my wife to hold until I got back. I guess you could say I wasn't thinking clearly at the time! It's a beautiful loco but didn't track worth a darn when it ran and then the motor burned out. Now I have no idea what to do with it. I can't sell it for anywhere close to what I paid. Do I try to rehabilitate it with more cash? Also, it's brass and now I'm in DCC, and brass requires special care in DCC to prevent short circuits.I wish I could send myself a "time e-mail" to the idiot-me who thought in 2003 that I was getting a good engine.
I bought an PSC N scale brass PRR K4s on eBay for close to $750 while I was deployed in Iraq. I had it sent to my wife to hold until I got back. I guess you could say I wasn't thinking clearly at the time! It's a beautiful loco but didn't track worth a darn when it ran and then the motor burned out. Now I have no idea what to do with it. I can't sell it for anywhere close to what I paid. Do I try to rehabilitate it with more cash? Also, it's brass and now I'm in DCC, and brass requires special care in DCC to prevent short circuits.
I wish I could send myself a "time e-mail" to the idiot-me who thought in 2003 that I was getting a good engine.
That is a beautiful engine Dave, and I think it's completely worth it to remotor it. It looks like it has an enclosed gearbox, making the job a lot easier. NWSL has motors for N scale, and a brass engine shouldn't pose any more short potential than a diecast one as long as all of your wiring, decoder, and motor lugs are well insulated. The cost and effort isn't that much when you measure it against your initial investment, and the enjoyment of having such a great replica of a K4.
N BRASS PSC PRR K4 4-6-2 F/P NO RESERVE
Milwhiawatha wrote: Iceman_c27 wrote:And then I was stupid enough to thought to Spectrum Dash 8-CW thinking they are 'DCC friendly' as it says on their website only to find that the motors aren't even insulated! D'oh! After some research on possible mods to convert to DCC, I decide to give up because there are too many mentions of milling machines and taking the brushes out of the motor itself.I have two bachmann Dash 8's that are DCC friendly tey even have the 8 pin plug in them. But I do have the same dash 8 you have that has the bulky frames an 4 screws keep it together with plastic screw holders on one side so they are dcc friendly. There is a website showing how to convert it for DCC but I dont remember the address. I would say run electrical tape over the side of the frame so they dont touch.
Iceman_c27 wrote:And then I was stupid enough to thought to Spectrum Dash 8-CW thinking they are 'DCC friendly' as it says on their website only to find that the motors aren't even insulated! D'oh! After some research on possible mods to convert to DCC, I decide to give up because there are too many mentions of milling machines and taking the brushes out of the motor itself.
I have two bachmann Dash 8's that are DCC friendly tey even have the 8 pin plug in them. But I do have the same dash 8 you have that has the bulky frames an 4 screws keep it together with plastic screw holders on one side so they are dcc friendly. There is a website showing how to convert it for DCC but I dont remember the address. I would say run electrical tape over the side of the frame so they dont touch.
I purchased old Hobbytown drive with Athearn GP9 shell on EBAY. Unit arrived in poorly protected package. The plastic shell was destroyed and the end of the Hobbytown frame was broken.
I contacted seller who said she was a recent widow and did not know much about her husband's model trains. I said I would identify cost of replacement parts but she said she would send a full refund including shipping and handling.
Later, a man contacted me who said he was helping seller with the ebay sales. He sent me a refund. A couple of days later I received full refund not once but twice. Both the recent widow and the man had sent a payment.
I contacted the seller and explained that he sent the extra money and told her I would send it back. She asked me not to send back either payment. She explained the man was her boy friend and she did not want him to know she sent me money, too. She thought the man would think that she was not good about handling finances. She was afraid he might think less of her. She was afraid that I might contact the man and asked me not to do that.
So I ended up with the two refunds.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU