Buy anything cool lately?

Century Club RF-16 ABA set just purchased from a forum member is now the sexiest thing on my layout.   

Picked up a used Lionel Western Allegheny H10 for a song. Was returned once to a pawn shop. Took a gamble and all functions work perfectly including the cool swinging bell! 

N&W 1218 posted:

Picked up a used Lionel Western Allegheny H10 for a song. Was returned once to a pawn shop. Took a gamble and all functions work perfectly including the cool swinging bell! 

Great find!

Newest member of the roster... a scarce Lionel 6502 "red" flatcar with orange girder,

circa 1962-63. The 6502 was produced in red, black and blue with the red being most difficult. Not a very collectable item but very scarce.....

Tim Lewis convinced me a few weeks ago that I should stop buying engines for the time being and focus on buying rolling stock instead. I followed his directions and I did end up buying 4 pieces of rolling stock last week. Pictured down below:

The MTH ABB #204 Schnabel Flatcar is from eBay. The 2 Lionel Norfolk Southern Gondolas and Lionel Burlington Northern Caboose are from Mario's Trains. Everything works great and I am so glad that I decided to go with modeling a Schnabel train (sort of). The caboose works great and I have no issues with the wifi camera.

Although the Gondolas are not really ideal for the Schnabel train, since they are a lot taller than I was expecting and look a bit strange as buffer cars. But it gives the look of a Schnabel train pretty well. I plan on buying a few figures to put on the back of the engine, and in the ends of the caboose, to add a bit more immersion and realism. The Lionel Genset will most likely be the primary engine for this train, but I might also use my Lionel SD60E as well.

I do have one more engine coming next week, it was one that I could not stop thinking about when I saw it at The Original Whistle Stop when I was there on January the 18th.

StevefromPA posted:

Got some neat stuff online recently for my layout expansion. Unfortunately Missed 2 train shows for which I had been putting some cash away due to an illness and another head injury(deja by all over again- same as last year at this time). That said, just means more saved up for Allentown’s spring thaw or a great LHS/flea market- when I’m feeling better and have a ride. Before that- have to comment on some of the great stuff that’s been posted on this page!

@Mark Boyce that is a beautiful GG-1! Looks like it’s in awesome shape, one of these days I gotta get me one! Very nice! 

 

 

Steve, Thank you very much!!  It is nice and operates great on my straight away on this workbench.  Keep your eyes open, and you will find one!  Someone has one for sale everyday somewhere.

It looks like you have lots going on, and I can see where your interest in the GG1 comes from with the Amtrak electrics you have.  Me?  I just like the GG1. 

I'm sorry you are having health issues.  I have missed shows and layout building 2 winters also.  Last year it was 2 slipped discs in the lower back that damaged the sciatic nerves in the right leg.  That is a long if ever recovery.  This year I had the left knee replaced.  I am not complaining.  I would rather suffer with extremities than having head injuries!

I received my building kit from OGR today. Also got a few detail pieces to go with it.

Near mint Lionel Postwar 3650 Dark Gray Painted Version Search Light Car,

Lionel NS First Responders SD60 Engine, sealed in shipping carton.

I bought this bad boy 2 weeks ago off eBay. I saw one of these for sale at a hobby shop, a week prior to buying it, and I really wanted to get one for my collection after seeing it in person. So here it is! So far runs great, but I had to spend 1 - 2 hours to replace all the traction tires. Since they were cracked, I knew that getting in and thought it would be a fairly simple maintenance, but found out today that I needed to take the entire engine apart just to do the job. The job is done now at least, hopefully won't have to do that again...

I was 100% fine with having to do the work on the engine, since I also wanted to see the technology that was packed into the shell of this first run. Eventually I will buy matching passenger cars for this engine, but it's currently not a very high priority. I also have planned to upgrade all the lighting to LEDs at some point and even add in bi-color classification lights.

@Mark Boyce thank you for the well wishes- I appreciate that GREATLY. It’s like deja vu all over again(concussion on 1/7 last year and was out for 3 months). And holY Toledo- that’s awful. Back injuries and back pain, so debilitating. Just like you’re always using your brain, you’re  always using your back. And to hit the sciatic too? That must’ve been one heck of an accident and I hope, and it seems, your doing OK with it- at least in terms of being able to come and talk on the message Board. It’s far too easy to let physical ailments take-over, define who you are, and change you. The knee replacement stinks too, but compared to the constant nature of all that, I’m sure you were almost desensitized to that replacement. I empathize with the “long  if ever recovery” you mention. In terms of head injuries, last years was my 6th and worried me a bit being 28 years old. But I put in a lot of work in OT and Neuro PT to regain my balance, get my eyes working together(lol), etc... In August  I finally felt I was 90% of what I had been prior(doc says that’s the post concussion syndrome). So, yes, “long if ever” but like I said we can’t let that define us. Right now, i hate how slow my thoughts get slow and mundane things are marathons but I got a gift this time: B/c of acquiring so much more knowledgd about trains over the last year, this time I can enjoy my trains. It’s more difficult and takes longer to figure things out(ex.: not best time to expand my layout b/c it gets difficult to process how to temporarily store things,  what’s color grass do I want here, do I want to change my main town, etc...)  So, for long if ever- we just adjust, accept, and find other ways to be even better!

Bought this AS-IS from a dealer. It was tripping my TMCC Direct Lock-on when the shell was on, but worked fine when shell was off, but I think I traced the issue to the smoke unit wiring so working on that now. I have to reglue a bunch of windows that came out and fix the magnet on the front door, but other than that it actually works perfect and sounds really sweet. This isn't the Visionline version, but it does have the die-cast body and the full detailed cab.

It may not be prototypical, Matt, but it sure does look sharp regardless. Enjoy it. Those Gensets are marvels, Vision Line or not.

Speaking of things that felt it took longer than it should have. Bought these guys the other night. 

AIU and Z1000 are final pieces of the puzzle in terms of my track plan— finally made one I liked before Christmas. Laying the track isn’t hard- it’s all the rest.

Z500 isn’t new. Either Going to a variable input for a trolley/rdc or aux to TIU. My Aux power isn’t bad, but the 500 is more versatile & the breaker works great

I used a 135 watt PH-1(circuit breaker has been working great) on my last mainline and wanted to replace it with a PH-180 watt, then move the 135 watt to a second mainline. I was so shocked my LHS had the z1000 brick so I got it b/c it was there at a good price and I thought it’d have a good breaker...not the casd, however. 

Before I ask my question: 1st- yes I have and read the DCS companion 3rd edition(another reason I got the Z1000), 2nd i use TVS’s on the terminal and lock-one, 3rd- when I used my PW ZW, i always used a fast acting fuse btwn it and Fixed 1 input, 4th- spent a lot of time googling “barrel plug”, “barrel jack” “banana plug” fast acting fuse. All that said,

From what I read, there’s a fast acting fuse that can hook to the banana plug and then plug into the TIU input just like  you can put a fuse in a fuse holder between a Postwar transformer and TIU input. Can someone tell me the maker(s)/provide a link and/or make a recommendation? 

Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

steve 

BNSF-Matt posted:

Bought this AS-IS from a dealer. It was tripping my TMCC Direct Lock-on when the shell was on, but worked fine when shell was off, but I think I traced the issue to the smoke unit wiring so working on that now. I have to reglue a bunch of windows that came out and fix the magnet on the front door, but other than that it actually works perfect and sounds really sweet. This isn't the Visionline version, but it does have the die-cast body and the full detailed cab.

 

Matt- awesome pick-up! Like @Mikado 4501 said- the gensets are marvels. I love the design, the body, even without the smoke stacks, is just so much cooler, in my opinion, then your GPS, Dash’s, etc....The smoke output through the center stack is like concentrated bursts or chuffs from the stack of a steam locomotive but on a diesel. Just awesome. Post some videos when you get it running !

StevefromPA posted:

@Mark Boyce thank you for the well wishes- I appreciate that GREATLY. It’s like deja vu all over again(concussion on 1/7 last year and was out for 3 months). And holY Toledo- that’s awful. Back injuries and back pain, so debilitating. Just like you’re always using your brain, you’re  always using your back. And to hit the sciatic too? That must’ve been one heck of an accident and I hope, and it seems, your doing OK with it- at least in terms of being able to come and talk on the message Board. It’s far too easy to let physical ailments take-over, define who you are, and change you. The knee replacement stinks too, but compared to the constant nature of all that, I’m sure you were almost desensitized to that replacement. I empathize with the “long  if ever recovery” you mention. In terms of head injuries, last years was my 6th and worried me a bit being 28 years old. But I put in a lot of work in OT and Neuro PT to regain my balance, get my eyes working together(lol), etc... In August  I finally felt I was 90% of what I had been prior(doc says that’s the post concussion syndrome). So, yes, “long if ever” but like I said we can’t let that define us. Right now, i hate how slow my thoughts get slow and mundane things are marathons but I got a gift this time: B/c of acquiring so much more knowledge about trains over the last year, this time I can enjoy my trains. It’s more difficult and takes longer to figure things out(ex.: not best time to expand my layout b/c it gets difficult to process how to temporarily store things,  what’s color grass do I want here, do I want to change my main town, etc...)  So, for long if ever- we just adjust, accept, and find other ways to be even better!

* I know this doesn't fall under the buy lately topic, but I put it here to reply to Steve's comments.  Please excuse, as I'm not trying to start a diversion.

Steve, At 28 I feel so sorry for you and am praying for you!  For me it wasn't an accident, it was more wear and tear on a 63-year old body.  The disks slipped on their own from use, and that started the whole thing rolling!  The neurological problems were from two sources.  One was the damaged sciatic.  I had PT for 3 months on that.  The second that I had to see the neurologists for, ended up being a reaction to a medication, or so it is believed.  It went away. That is good.

As to the modeling, I'm waiting for my healthy sons-in-law to move some material for me so I can get started on the layout again.  The second wall will be an easy project even the way I am now.  That entails moving the plywood, Homasote, and Masonite on the right wall in the photograph over to the unseen left wall.  Then I can build the right wall like the center wall you see above the dormitory refrigerator.

rtraincollector posted:

Got it in today, ( My 65th birthday present to myself ( a little early, Saturday is my birthday ). Someone mentioned about the distance between the engine and the tender because of the draw bar length, unless some one shortened this one, I would think if you did the two would hit in corners. 

Bill I was going to reply to your post discussing re-thinking your layout to make sure you have space for that overhang .  Now that you've got the engine you can see for yourself.

The 'stuff" isn't cool, but buying it using Amazon Prime's Next Day delivery, with no shipping charge, is definitely "cool" for individual, low cost items I needed for layout work.  Today's item was this assortment of Scotch lock connectors for my feeders:

Last week it was solder for those feeders and J-B weld to repair (successfully) my rolling stool:

Back in 2015 I purchased this car thinking it was cool with all the different Lionel logos. Little did I know it was part of a set.

Well, after an inheritance receipt, I found all the remaining pieces.

Unfortunately most of them need their couplers repaired (don't open). Thankfully I have a local repair person who does an awesome job of repairing anything I bring to him.

Paulp575,

I have this set, thought about selling it, but there is just to much Lionel tradition displayed on it for me to bring myself to sell it.

Glad you were able to complete yours, Half the fun is in the hunt...

Jeff

paulp575 posted:

Back in 2015 I purchased this car thinking it was cool with all the different Lionel logos. Little did I know it was part of a set.

Well, after an inheritance receipt, I found all the remaining pieces.

Unfortunately most of them need their couplers repaired (don't open). Thankfully I have a local repair person who does an awesome job of repairing anything I bring to him.

Paul, this is one of the most fascinating, beautiful train sets I have ever seen.

Costco Union Pacific 4-4-2 Steam Locomotive Freight Set - from 1991.

New old stock arriving next week.  Have not found any photos of contents, but based on description I have a good idea, starter set with 027 locomotive and cars, tubular track with transformer.  

Photos next week.  Although I did pre-order the F3 Santa Fe LionChief+ 2.0 set from latest Lionel catalog, I am wary of buying  expensive trains due to my experience with zinc pest.  This set was $190 plus shipping - we’ll see how cool it is.

#18622 Union Pacific 4-4-2 Locomotive and Square Back Tender, #16226 Union Pacific Short Boxcar, 16528 U.P SP Caboose, #16336 UP Gondola with Canisters, #16408 UP Short Hopper, #12730 Girder Bridge, #12706 Barrel Loader Building Kit, #12714 Automatic Crossing gates, Steam Shovel Kit, 5 Telephone Poles, 14 Road Signs, 12 Sections of 5013 Curved Track 8 Sections of 5018 Straight Track, 90 Degree Crossover for figure 8 layout, Transformer.

Made another trip to the "Roundhouse" today and did some trading for an atlas RS-3, I could stay in that place all week!...Jeff

I have been accumulating some Chicago & Northwestern freight cars but did not have a CNW engine to pull them with. I just added this little K-line switcher to my layout. Most of the freight cars are Menards with a green Williams Boxcar and a K-line hopper and K-line caboose. I also have a nice Menards CNW caboose but this run has the red K-Line caboose I got with the switcher. 

Here is a little video of it moving some freight. The freight Santa FE on track 2 is a Williams with many Menards and some AMT/KMT freight plus a AMT/KMT caboose.

Dean

Bought these sometime back just never got around to post them 

Bought an MTH GP9 last week, and a set of ex PC Lionscale hoppers yesterday.

Since my layout is in renovation mode and I’m in a waiting period, I made a small floor layout tonight to see how American Flyer S Gauge  would like by O gauge(in terms of trains). I included items I picked up the last 2 or 3 days:

AUthenticast News Stand. Authenticast/Comet Metal Products, of which I know many of you are familiar, made some beautiful Masonite structures in the 1950s. Although accounts differ, Authenticast is The name used by Comet Metal Products prior to AC GIlbert’s involvement. I thought this was some cheap knock off till I did more research. The Hire’s rootbeer sign on the side replaces Phillip Morris.

my first Menards building! The Army field hospital came in the mail yesterday. Almost cancelled my order but I’m happy I got it.

While it’s Tin- it’s also Postwar, wind-up, western German. Maker unknown although a fellow forum member said it’s either Distler or HWN. This set was called a “3 in 1”- the passenger car comes off the frame to reveal logs underneath and then a Santa Fe box car can go over that. The BuiltRite cardboard house and Union station also came with this purchase. Grade crossing is something I bought last year.

Notice the soldier’s blue helmets? Fitting with a UN Jeep. I’ve taken to painting unpainted figures and altering others. Also, the phone booth on the platform and the red (Soda machine? refrigerator?) Next to the station are from the usually overpriced Lionel Pewter City Accessory sry. Finally, many people of Middle Eastern origins are waiting for the train. As I like to add a lot of different culture to my layout, I bought a bag of 25 of them for $8. Size is pretty good and the white garments allow for customizing.

And my second Menards building which came today- the strip mall! Thing is BRIGHT. Kind of wish I would’ve went for height instead of length but I’m not disappointed. Also, the Security car was a purchase from last week(don’t recall if I posted that)

Dollar store all lit up

Bought about 8-10 of these Authenticast/Comet track workers. Doing work on the other side of this temporary layout

finally, a video for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Steve, those are a lot of great purchases!  I like the field hospital.  Yes the strip mall is bright, especially in the video with the contrast with normal light.  It is a nice product for someone wanting a modern building.  There sure are a lot of strip malls everywhere, even in rural areas around here where I am surprised anyone would build.  That said, it could be plopped down on a layout most anywhere, not just in a town.

PW53inVa posted:

I have been accumulating some Chicago & Northwestern freight cars but did not have a CNW engine to pull them with. I just added this little K-line switcher to my layout. Most of the freight cars are Menards with a green Williams Boxcar and a K-line hopper and K-line caboose. I also have a nice Menards CNW caboose but this run has the red K-Line caboose I got with the switcher. 

Here is a little video of it moving some freight. The freight Santa FE on track 2 is a Williams with many Menards and some AMT/KMT freight plus a AMT/KMT caboose.

Dean

Dean- I love those K-line S-2's. Have you thought about wiring the motors in series? Judging by the handles on your KW(same as mine), your at 6 volts and that little bugger is zipping around the layout. I've re-wired all of my K-line locos and it makes a huge difference.

Bob

Finally found the KLine OScale Aluminum 21” Hiawatha Passenger Cars to go with my Lionel 261, 267 and my fantasy paint scheme engine.  They look really nice next to my Lionel cars which I just upgraded to LED’s from Gunrunner John. 

Was able to get NIB, the Baggage Car #1334, Maple Valley Parlor Car, #190, Coach #540, Superdome#55, Diner #121, and Observation Car # 188, the Dell Rapids. Took a long time to get these. 

Now maybe one more coach or super dome and it’s complete.

Love the fact that KLine populated the cars. The previous owner added a few figures to the Superdome, gotta make a few changes, but they look fantastic.

At the Greenberg Show in Edison, NJ, on November 30th, I bought two more streamlined steam engines:

Arrived early so here are photos of the Costco Union Pacific 4-4-2 starter set from 1991, which I posted about yesterday.

The tender has a sound making device that is new to me, a large wheel with a rubber "traction tire" driving a mechanical device inside the tender.  Have not run it yet, when spun by hand it sounds like marbles to me.  Overall the set is what I expected and the included accessories will help fill in the Lionel Display Layout type layout I'm building now.

Kelunaboy posted:

 

The tender has a sound making device that is new to me, a large wheel with a rubber "traction tire" driving a mechanical device inside the tender.  Have not run it yet, when spun by hand it sounds like marbles to me.  Overall the set is what I expected and the included accessories will help fill in the Lionel Display Layout type layout I'm building now.

 

The first Lionel train set we purchased for our son back in the 1970's had this mechanical sound in the tender.  We thought it was dried beans rattling around in the big wheel.

RSJB18 (Bob)

This is my first K-line switcher and I really like it. I think it is missing a little horn on the cab and maybe a bell. I might have to look for those, but no big deal to me. The 2 motors and 4 traction tires give it some pulling power. The KW you see is at present time not being used. The plan is to use it to power some of the Lionel accessories I have on the layout that still need to be wired up. I am running the main 2 loops with one ZW and the trolley line, which is storing freight cars in the picture, and a figure 8 with another ZW.

Thanks for the tip that K-lines can have the motors wired in series. I think the Williams engines can also be wired in series but I did not know that about the K-lines. I need to try that. Ready Made Toys has made a Switcher which I think is based on the K-Line but has a few more Led lights. K-Line made some great stuff for the conventional operators and I was sorry to see them go. Always enjoy seeing what you have done with your layout too. 

Thanks for looking and keep training.

Dean

It took a while and lots of research but I finally made the decision to purchase an APS-C mirrorless interchangeable lens camera.  I have been using various bridge cameras for several years with adequate results but felt it was time to give an interchangeable lens camera another try.  The last interchangeable lens camera I used was a Minolta MAXXUM HTsi Plus, that I still have.

Here is what I purchased.

I do not own any Nikon "F" mount lenses to use with the FTZ adapter on the camera at this time, but the FTZ adapter, when purchased as part of this camera kit, was less than a scale boxcar.  I may never need it, but I have it, if someday I purchase an "F" mount lens.

Below is one of the first pictures I took with the Z50.  Engine #5239 is a Norfolk Southern high hood GP38-2, an engine that I do not believe I had ever seen before, although I have taken pictures of many, many Norfolk Southern engines over the years.

Received my brand new Pennsy EP-5 today.  I think Williams did a nice job.  There is one small complaint, however.  The pickup rollers hit the brass contact on my OTC contractors, causing a short if I stop the loco on one of them.  The rollers are wide without a taper.  I wonder if I can replace the rollers with tapered ones ?

Not bought but still cool. So a local guy to me gave up on DCS and is staying with Legacy/TMCC, because he likes whistle steam on his steam locomotives. He had a couple PS1 Premier steam locomotives he was going to have converted to PS3 and bought the kits for them. Guy ended up selling them before the conversion. So I ended up trading some labor for these two PS3 steam kits. He needed two ABA sets of PS1 E8s converted to ERR cruise commander and Railsounds (four powered A units). Took me about 6 hours today but I got all four done for him and got two PS3 steam kits for my labor. I have a Premier Santa Fe 3460 class Hudson and Southern Pacific GS6 that need these kits. So the trade in labor for these kits was worth it. 

PS: Don't ask me to do upgrades for you. There are plenty of people on the forum who will do that for you. I'm not a certified tech for anything, I just enjoy doing these things for myself. If you are local in the Chicago area and need some help with a ERR or PS3 upgrade (i.e. you're stuck/can't figure something out when doing it) drop me a line. I'm more than happy to help you figure it out.

Neat Lou!!  I've done one upgrade.  It isn't hard, and the directions they send are great!

Mark Boyce posted:

Neat Lou!!  I've done one upgrade.  It isn't hard, and the directions they send are great!

I've done 12 ERR diesel upgrades with Railsounds and 2 PS3 steam upgrades. Neither were very hard if you follow the directions and plan along. Just need some heat sink compound, a soldering iron, and an anti static mat. It's mostly making sure you don't pinch wires and screw something up. If you're handy you can buy old conventional stuff and upgrade for less than half the cost of a new factory Legacy or PS3 locomotive. 

Lou1985 posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Neat Lou!!  I've done one upgrade.  It isn't hard, and the directions they send are great!

I've done 12 ERR diesel upgrades with Railsounds and 2 PS3 steam upgrades. Neither were very hard if you follow the directions and plan along. Just need some heat sink compound, a soldering iron, and an anti static mat. It's mostly making sure you don't pinch wires and screw something up. If you're handy you can buy old conventional stuff and upgrade for less than half the cost of a new factory Legacy or PS3 locomotive. 

Absolutely on all counts!

I got the caboose years ago, but I have been searching train shows and the online market for years looking for the matching Norfolk Southern - Illinois Terminal heritage unit ever since. Finally, she has been added to my collection.