Buy anything cool lately?

Having a Pennsy vs. Conrail crisis?  I'm focusing on PA roads or those that operate here in the state like Reading, Erie, Lackawanna.  One of these days I'll see that beautiful Conrail that has my name on it.

Just picked up this little beauty today.  It's a Williams brass PRR T1 that is begging for some updates, so "reasonably" priced.  Will look good matched with my Lionel Reading T1 and GG1.  Neither of which I can run at the moment since my track isn't large enough... yet.

So time to lay down some 072 track!  Well, I'll have to build the tables first I suppose.

Anyone have experience with the Williams brass T1 and have updated them?

Deuce posted:

Jim Waterman posted:

Deuce posted:

Which one?

Pennsy never had E33's (only the similar E44's, which had a higher nose before the cab) - they went from Virginian, to New Haven, then to the Penn Central, after PRR was merged. Conrail had them and painted them like this one.

JIm

Even though I'm not a stickler for realism, I did figure that out in reading about the E33's ... and to be honest, it may play a factor anyways. The ultimate goal is to run some CSX, because that's what we see a ton of around here (Florence, SC has a CSX Division Office), so the progression from Pennsy to Penn Central to Conrail to CSX would work on the layout (with Amtrak thrown in for good measure). I suspect I couldn't go wrong either way, but the detailing on the Conrail appears to be nicer (the voltage warnings and sand fill placards). Pennsy definitely has the better logo, which I believe Conrail may hold the rights to (at least they sell merch from all the railroads that I believe were incorporated under the Conrail umbrella). Still on the fence, but good comments everyone ... even if @Apples55 called me a hobgoblin 

Simple answer.. Buy both!!!

Deuce posted:

 ... even if @Apples55 called me a hobgoblin 

 

Well, if I wanted to be nasty, I could have called you a Braves fan... or, heaven forbid, a Yankee fan   

Lets not get nasty fellas,. We're all friends here

Apples55 posted:

Deuce posted:

 ... even if @Apples55 called me a hobgoblin 

 

Well, if I wanted to be nasty, I could have called you a Braves fan... or, heaven forbid, a Yankee fan   

You wouldn't dare!

Got these in the mail today from Ebay. Weaver die cast trucks and couplers. Two sets...................Paul

mike g. posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

mike g. posted:

The post man brought this today! Thanks to Frank B. He threw in the Menards bag, carpenters pencile, and 2 2018 calendars!  Also thanks to pine creek Dave and Mark for Patting the word out for me! You all ROCK!

That was fast!  I’m glad you got it Mike!!

Thanks Mark, so am I, If it wasn't for you and Dave, I wouldn't have. With Dave posting it here and FrankTrain seeing it just made my day! Then when Frank threw in the little extras sure mad my week! Thank you to all of you! What a great group of guys!

Yes, Frank sure did sweeten the pot!!  Glad to be a small part, Mike.

Kirk R posted:

Having a Pennsy vs. Conrail crisis?  I'm focusing on PA roads or those that operate here in the state like Reading, Erie, Lackawanna.  One of these days I'll see that beautiful Conrail that has my name on it.

Just picked up this little beauty today.  It's a Williams brass PRR T1 that is begging for some updates, so "reasonably" priced.  Will look good matched with my Lionel Reading T1 and GG1.  Neither of which I can run at the moment since my track isn't large enough... yet.

              

So time to lay down some 072 track!  Well, I'll have to build the tables first I suppose.

Anyone have experience with the Williams brass T1 and have updated them?

Wow, That one sure looks great, Kirk!!

Thanks Mark.  I need to bring it to a larger layout to see how she runs until I get mine up.

Looks upgradeable (PS2/3, Command Control or TMCC; maybe some brass and some marker lights) but I'm starting out in conventional and will have to select a command environment down the road.

Just this week my 0-6-0 Dockside switcher US Army  for my G (One Gauge) train in the yard project.

Goes well with my other G scale Army and Marine Corp GP's .

Ain't real , but you get the idea. I seem to be lean more and more to the military toy trains.

Happy Happy Happy

Larry

Went to a small train show at the Scotland Community Center yesterday, close enough it was a short walk  !!  Arrived late but met some nice people, got some good info and bought a Marx tin RR freight station.  There was really nice old tin trains and toys there , too.  Saw some other nice deals but saving my $$ to build my layout. There were several Lionel O scale engines that were tempting. Learned there are several other shows coming up soon so it was worthwhile. I like RR  & toy shows.

jim pastorius posted:

Went to a small train show at the Scotland Community Center yesterday, close enough it was a short walk  !!  Arrived late but met some nice people, got some good info and bought a Marx tin RR freight station.  There was really nice old tin trains and toys there , too.  Saw some other nice deals but saving my $$ to build my layout. There were several Lionel O scale engines that were tempting. Learned there are several other shows coming up soon so it was worthwhile. I like RR  & toy shows.

It takes a lot of willpower to not purchase "Good Deals" when you see them at a train show.
If you can, post a picture of your Marx Train Station, love tinplate!

At Shows, hat I always remind myself is that there is so much out there and if you are patient, it will come up again.
I went to my last trains show and did not buy anything, a couple of prewar items were tempting but I passed up on them. Then I( reminding myself of all my projects that I need to complete.
Plus no one had the parts that I needed.

Larry Sr. posted:

Just this week my 0-6-0 Dockside switcher US Army  for my G (One Gauge) train in the yard project.

Goes well with my other G scale Army and Marine Corp GP's .

Ain't real , but you get the idea. I seem to be lean more and more to the military toy trains.

Happy Happy Happy

Larry

 

Looks like someone wants the neighbors to know, don't screw with me! I have been there and done that! I love all the military trains! Thanks for sharing Larry! 

Got my package from Scenic Express this morning. Almost next day service. Pic..............Paul

Jim Pastorius,

   Yes please post some pictures of your new Marx Tin RR Station!  Yep I have always like Train shows also.

Big Mike G,

   More than welcome buddy, glad to help out - OOO Raw!  Use Barry's O Gauge DCS Companion Book to set up your TR control with your side receiver for running your Conventional Engines.

Kirk,

   That great Brass  5505 Williams Engine just Screams for ERR to be run with Legacy Cab2 Control.  Send her to Gun Runner John for an ERR upgrade.  Would love to own one some day myself.

PCRR/Dave

Thought that was it for the day but this afternoon my package from Waytek electrical came. pic..............Paul

PCRR/Dave  She does scream for something better than what she probably has installed.  When she is in my hands I'll get over to Henning's and give it a test run as my track is too small still.. but I finalized the layout today.  Thumbs up to Bill H. over there as he had to endure an hour of newbie chat.

What I received today as well was a 5-piece 1979 Congressional set (15"), Lionel gatehouse and Marx tinplate switch tower for my future layout.  Got the kids the Area 51/Groom Lake Mining (aliens!) freight set.   

Time to get back to building my layout and what Paul 2 above just got looks to be what I'll need to get.

This was  advertised as an MTH sound/lights dummy, no cat. # & no box.  I am a sucker for Alcos so I bought it. Turns out it's a Lionel, the 1st of their stuff I have bought in many years, and it's really nicely done. The best part is it has the loudest toy train horn I have ever heard - I think I can wake up the neighbors !   It's only appropriate that it leads the pack in my tonight's lashup.

Sweet looking.  So somebody else got our MTH and are probably scratching their head.

Got these from national railroad worx 

Yes, indeed I did. Had been on the lookout for some Lionel 'PostWar Scale' F3's for awhile and they seem to be few and far between. I caught these on eBay last week for a decent price.  They are beautiful and very subtle in their presentation. Legacy engines and nicely detailed with the PW numbering but these have the second unit numbered 2374.  I have some K-Line 18" cars arriving for them on Thursday and will post photos next week.

So which one did I go with?

Deuce posted:

Which one?

I just did something I said I would never do: go to wireless train operation. Currently, I only own 2 DCS-equipped locos and 2 TMCC-equipped locos, but I see more in the future. What I'm looking forward to the most is running my prewar tinplate conventional trains with the remote. 

The big reveal!

Deuce posted:

The big reveal!

Very nice Deuce... now you've got to get one with command control pantographs   

Apples55 posted:

Deuce posted:

The big reveal!

Very nice Deuce... now you've got to get one with command control pantographs   

If they go on sale for under $150, I'm in!

Picked these up two weeks ago at Stockyard Express.  Always leave with more that what I planned and budgeted..........., but now I have the whole executive set, if that is possible!  Still waiting on my Railbox Cars.   Now, which SD70ACE's to order from the catalog.....................................................................

Both purchased from Nicholas Smith Trains.

Finished servicing my new/ old ATSF GP-9. Runs great now, growl and all.

Bob

Deuce posted:

The big reveal!

very nice Deuce.

Bob

My crane cars came from the Canadian Train club today. Pic..................Paul

Very nice Paul! I just bought an old one from a forum member, just waiting for it to arrive!

Deuce posted:

Apples55 posted:

Deuce posted:

The big reveal!

Very nice Deuce... now you've got to get one with command control pantographs   

If they go on sale for under $150, I'm in!

Augh!!  The suspense was killing me!!!   LOL. Big blue sounding good; and certainly sounds good!

My switches came today "YEAH" I can get back to track laying............Paul

Thaddeus posted:

Picked these up two weeks ago at Stockyard Express.  .............................................. 

Thaddeus,

Those double-door TTX railcars are really sharp. Nice baggage car, too.  Congrats.

Tomlinson Run Railroad

C. Sam, I can remember as kids seeing prisoners working along side the highways, loved the pictures of your trestle with the prisoners along the tracks.

Yez i did from big al 

Late 1930's Scalecraft PRR K4 running outside third rail for power.  The is Scalecraft K4 # 3 for me.  Might juts be my favorite loco.... Wrong drivers and all... Can't help it, I love K4's. 

Does a prewar Doorstop Kit built loco count as Tinplate?

Looks nice, Dennis. Are you going to convert it to center-rail pickup? I agree..........the K4 is just about the nicest-looking steamer around; second only to the NYC Hudson IMO

John

BlueComet400 posted:

Looks nice, Dennis. Are you going to convert it to center-rail pickup? I agree..........the K4 is just about the nicest-looking steamer around; second only to the NYC Hudson IMO

John

I agree that K4s of all kinds, postwar and modern, tend to look great and have great charm. The above prewar K4 also looks great to me.

Another reason I love  K4s is that that they tend to be more compact but still have enough size and heft to be good pullers and they run well on sharp curves (031 curves and 022 switches).  They also look great, especially the Pennsy K4 which is a classic. Top of the line scale K4s that require wider radius curves, are wonderful, but can't run on my long and narrow layout with sharp curves.

The K4 is my favorite steam engine.