Buy anything cool lately?

@GeoPeg posted:

@Kent Locomotive Works - great price on the engines!!! Be sure to show the restored/semi-restored final products!

George

Don't worry, I will. Probably won't be for awhile, since I don't currently have a workshop and I've got a few major non-train projects to do too. Plan is to leave the b and dummy alone besides the portholes, but that powered will need a decent amount of work. Couldn't be happier with the price though, price was originally 125 for just the Santa Fes, but I know the guy so I got a better deal.

red

Purchased a Lionel prewar 636W streamliner M10000!  Needs lots of work but motor is fine.  This is the City of Denver(10006) one, which Lionel never called it an M10000, but it is.  Am now stripping it to repaint and repair but all the parts were there except for the whistle and E unit.  It had been painted once but poorly and with too dark brown for the roofs, so i don't feel bad stripping it.  Got a whistle unit from a friend for free but it is missing solenoid to activate the whistle!  I wont bother with an E unit since i wont be running it in reverse.

here are some photos, note proper brown on friend’s 636.  Also one screw hole was broken off engine bottom, used contact cement to reattach.  Still have to strip and primer observation car.  Lots of work to follow.  

Picked up the Lionel command controlled Bobbing Giraffe Head car with "tell-tale" at a good price for my Fastrack layout and hope the grandkids will enjoy it. The bobbing head can be controlled both remotely through a Cab1 or Cab2 and can also be made to bob up and down via a mechanical trip mechanism. The car also comes with sounds and front electro-coupler.

The "tell-tale" and trip mechanism are designed for use with tubular track and will not fit Fastrack. The solution is to separate the "tell-tale" pole from the plastic trip mechanism to use as a stand alone piece and then to fashion a new method to trip the mechanical arm underneath the car to make the giraffe head bob down just before it will strike the "tell-tale".

I cut and bent a piece of brass tubing to the length and shape of the plastic trip mechanism that comes with the car basically using the plastic piece as a template (basically a straight tube but with a gradual slope (ramp) at each end). I added about 3/4" extra on each end and bent it to mount straight down into the Fastrack edging. With the car on the track, I then measured how far out from the outside rail the tubing needed to be mounted in order to trip the mechanical arm and marked where each end of the brass tubing would mount and drilled a hole into the Fastrack at each end and trial fitted the tubing into it. Using the car, I adjusted the tubing to the correct height to trip the arm and CA glued each end in place. I then glued the "tell-tale" pole about in the middle of the length of tubing and it works great.

I also painted the pole and brass tubing flat black and lightly weathered each. If you're looking for something different that young kids will enjoy, I highly recommend this car, especially with the sounds.

I can't take credit for the design/solution to making this work with Fastrack. It was posted on the Forum many years ago and this is just one implementation of that solution. Thank goodness for the Search function.

It’s a good week for Post War at my house. Picked up an 1862 General set along with the Marx Western tin of my youth. Makes for a good Wild West show for my fantasy worlds fair layout!

looking forward to the LC version of the General due this year and wish I had bought the General set of a few year’s ago.

pdxtrains,  I too feel the need to get a 1862 set.  The MARX tin work is outstanding.

Bill

@Odenville Bill posted:

pdxtrains,  I too feel the need to get a 1862 set.  The MARX tin work is outstanding.

Bill

I'm kicking myself for not picking up the Five Star General set, which is really a nice one.

While I don't have the 1862 set, I have the following cars which I guess would be pretty close to the 1862 set.

Moving on Wed to a bigger apartment so don't have pics so please accept the stock photos.

6-9551 - Western & Atlantic Baggage Car:

6-9552 - Western & Atlantic Passenger Car:

6-9553 - Western & Atlantic Flatcar w/Horses:

6-31570 - Western & Atlantic Passenger Car # 1855 (included in 6-31569):

6-31571 - Western & Atlantic Passenger Car # 1858 (included in 6-31569):

6-35184 - Western & Atlantic Baggage Car:

And to bring up the rear of the consist -- 6-36657 - Western & Atlantic Caboose:

Not sure what I'd use for locos, but maybe any one of these will work?

30-1576-1 - Western & Atlantic 4-4-0 General Locomotive:

30-1807-1 - Union Pacific 4-4-0 General Steam Engine:

And finally this one: 30-1808-1 - Central Pacific 4-4-0 General Steam Engine:

Great pictures fellows, and I’ve been off the forum for awhile do to my CEO, wife, doing yard work, gardening, Honeydew projects and now that it’s summer, it’s going to be rainy days before I can get back to the layout. I did pick up the VL Billboard car just for fun. Happy Railroading Everyone

A big surprise came in the mail today, an ET&WNC spike recovered from work on the right of way just before you get to the first tunnel and covered Deck Bridge while heading toward Hampton from Elizabethton. the man who sent it to me is with the crew clearing the old railroad right of way to extend the hiking trail from Elizabethton (I assume with new bridges eventually). That line never had standard gauge tracks on it, so now I know for sure I have a 3-foot gauge spike from the ET&WNC!

I had bought a couple of badly-worn spikes a few years ago from when they ripped out the tracks downtown Elizabethton, and I was surprised to see those matched the one I just got. Clearly they came from the same batch. While I assumed the other two (which I had cleaned up and painted) were from the steam era due to how badly pitted they were, I know for sure this one is as it came from a spot that was nowhere near the dual gauge and was ripped up in 1951.

Front to back:
1. Spike recovered from the Doe River Gorge from the 'Hillbilly World' tourist operation
2. ET&WNC spike recovered from the right of way between Valley Forge and tunnel one heading toward Hampton
3. ET&WNC spike from downtown Elizabethton
4. Modern sample spike, chromed

My hands practically trembled at holding this spike. Very few remnants of track still exist from the 3-foot line on the ET&WNC and I'm very lucky to have this.

Lee, all the spikes are great!!

Picked up a MTH NYC passenger car from Ebay. There was a slight issue, but was a easy fix.

@leapinlarry posted:

Great pictures fellows, and I’ve been off the forum for awhile do to my CEO, wife, doing yard work, gardening, Honeydew projects and now that it’s summer, it’s going to be rainy days before I can get back to the layout. I did pick up the VL Billboard car just for fun. Happy Railroading Everyone

Those billboard cars are really cool.  Can you change the ads?

Looks like fun.  Thanks for sharing.

Mike

Mr Brown brought me these two boxed sets on the same day recently. Hafner Wyandotte streamline freight

and a Marx Walgreens Military "Combat" set. The . wyandotte is in vg condition with a rough but complete

OB. The Marx set is excellent, but missing a few pieces. The box say 60 pieces, I did not get that many.

The box is as close to brick as you can get, all inserts, tight corners. All track and transformer was included'

For Fathers Day, I picked up a set of Lionel E7's in the NYC light grey scheme.  I also picked up a set of 3 Vision line PFE reefers.  These arrived from @MrMuffin'sTrains.  I am looking forward to unpacking them on Sunday.

Believe it or not, I found a gorgeous, pre-war Lionel train set.  I obtained it from the original owner's son.  When the young man called me, the way he made it sound, I figured he would be bringing me an MPC set or some such thing.  Imagine my surprise when I opened this big, plastic storage bin and found this set.  Some of the old stuff is still out there......thank goodness!

Hope you are all doing well,

Allen Drucker

Wow, now that’s a great find. I’ll bet they didn’t realize what they had.

Just got this:

Due to my well known proclivity for all things D&H, I’m sure no one will bring up my recent comments about not buying any more trains....

When I picked up my MDT Reefers from Grzyboski’s the other day, I could not pass up this set of NOS D&H 15” aluminum passenger cars from 2003. I am weak... Mea culpa, Mea culpa, Mea maxima culpa...

I almost wish these were used... it took me nearly an hour to unpack the 6 cars, mostly due to each truck having two really twisted ties, the object of which I can not fathom!!!

Have to dig out one of my D&H PA’s and take them for a spin. Must. Stop. Buying. Trains...

Trainbros, I love it!!

Keep telling yourself that, Paul!  😉

@Apples55 those are LIONEL correct?

Would love to see close-ups since I've never seen a set before.

Beautiful set, congratulations!

@Mark Boyce posted:

Keep telling yourself that, Paul!  😉

At least twice a day (three times on days ending in “y”)

@Pingman posted:

@Apples55 those are LIONEL correct?

Would love to see close-ups since I've never seen a set before.

Beautiful set, congratulations!

Thanks Carl. Yes, they are Lionel - actually two sets... a 4-car and 2-car set (15313 & 29155). I passed when they came out due other priorities, but did pick up the PA AA set, so stumbling on these was a great stroke of luck!!! Here are close up photos of some of the cars - I think they are really sweet.

@Apples55 thanks for the photos.  These seem to share the same extrusion, interiors, etc. as the Texas Special cars I've heard about but not seen.  Definitely the high water mark for LIONEL 15" passenger cars.

@Apples55 posted:

At least twice a day (three times on days ending in “y”)

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Good thing they don't run on 027 😂😂

Very Nice Paul.

@RSJB18 posted:

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Good thing they don't run on 027 😂😂

Very Nice Paul.

Close, but no cigar, Bob... minimum O-31   As much as I like the 21” passenger cars I have (do you even have a 21” straight away??? ), the 15” cars do look nice on my O-72 curves. And the aluminum on the D&H cars is very sharp. As @Pingman pointed out, these are really a high water mark for Lionel.

Just received a couple of custom Alaska RR boxcars from a forum member.

Awesome. Great Price. Thanks

Paul, are you sure you're saying Stop. in your mantra?

Beardog49 some nice purchases.  Looks like you're missing the soldiers and a machine base from the Marx set.  I saw that ARR post and almost went fro the 25th Anniversary boxcar.

Added some MTH lighted Union Pacific cars to my collection. Hope to someday have an MTH General to go with it!

My package arrived!

Hi all, 2 boxes arrived today. One had these Bowser CN Roadrailers. The other had a CP switcher calf and CP high cube boxcar I’ve been looking for. Happy belated Father’s Day!!

  Proof that patience eventually pays off, arrived by mail this week in the shape of 44 tons in Lehigh Valley splendor.  
Tom

@FlyPlanes-PlayTrains posted:

  Proof that patience eventually pays off, arrived by mail this week in the shape of 44 tons in Lehigh Valley splendor.  
Tom

What a great looking engine Tom. Lehigh Valley had some beautiful paint schemes.

Gerhardt, Those are some neat trailers and containers I haven't seen before.  The CN now runs through our town after having purchased the Bessemer & Lake Erie, but I only see their engines along with B&LE engines and cars.  No trailers through here, they run iron ore, coal, specialized gondolas with steel loads, and tank trains.  Your trailers with the 'swooping' train look neat.

Tom, I love the 44 tonners, and yours in the LV livery looks sharp.

Two weekends ago I picked up a Antonio Consoli/Western Coil Burlington Zephyr.  With this latest addition, we now have a 9900 American Flyer Zephyr, 616W Lionel Flying Yankee, & 51008 Lionel Zephyr.  Interestingly, the only one that doesn't run is the 51008 which has a hot short that I can't find.

The Consoli/Western Coil has mismatched electrical connectors between the cars (see pictures).  I have no idea as to why this was put together this way.  If anyone has ideas as to how to replace/improve the connectors, I'm open to ideas.

Found a Williams Jersey Central FM Trainmaster.I got it for 85 bucks due to a missing side truck frame.Took care of that by finding one on the Bay. Runs great!  [url=https://postimg.cc/y3RkgXhJ][img]https://i.postimg.cc/J06JFpGQ/20210622-111810.jpg[/img][/url]

The side frame came today!

I was made aware 3 years ago that these even existed and from that point I have been all over the internet looking for them. I finally came a-crossed not one but 15 of these wonderful fronts. Today Santa came early and all I can say is CHOOCH!

Dave

My wife bought me the Alaska Railroad cupola cam caboose from Lionel. Took out the window and it works like a charm.