@mike g. posted:Steve, that is a great way to use a engine house! I took one of mine and turned it into a bar! LOL
That works!
There is an old round house by me that was converted into a restaurant/bar. You can still see where each engine facility was. I believe it was a CB&Q location.
@mike g. posted:Oh by the way Coach I agree 1983 is a great year! Thats the year I graduated from High School!
I hope you all have a great week!
KIDS 
@Dennis Holler posted:1937 236W passenger set
@Dennis Holler, Congratulations on that beautiful train! Your station scene in the background reminds me of an article by Ron Hollander in the January 2021 issue of Train Collectors Quarterly. He described his recreation of an illustration from Lionel's old catalogs. The illustration depicted nine 156 station platforms leading to a 115 station in red and cream, with the tracks running under the station. Hollander built his scene with 11 platforms and a larger 116 station over the tracks. Your scene looks very much like the catalog image and Ron Hollander's recreation of it.
John
@Stinky1 posted:Got my first autoracks from MTH. They look pretty decent on O54 curves. They are apparently a couple inches short of scale, but I think that helps them look good on my small layout.
Souple of Inches, so what, If they were a scale weight, your table would break. It' s the conseption that counts
My 'Hodgepodge Locomotive'. Acquired this handsome Premiere E8 from a forum member and it arrived today. Was able to find a 35 yr old (?) Weaver B unit that is a pretty close match. Weaver introduced these nice E8 units way back before MTH became a manufacturer. Mike then took over the tooling and improved it over the years. I have had the Lionel E5 Burlington dummy for some time now and had it custom painted into SR 2800. I like the shade of green on the new one rather than the older B unit - more subtle and 'classy'. :-)
Other than the couplers of the Weaver being way too long, these 'odd fellows' make into a fine 3 unit locomotive for the Southern RR.
@c.sam posted:My 'Hodgepodge Locomotive'. Acquired this handsome Premiere E8 from a forum member and it arrived today. Was able to find a 35 yr old (?) Weaver B unit that is a pretty close match. Weaver introduced these nice E8 units way back before MTH became a manufacturer. Mike then took over the tooling and improved it over the years. I have had the Lionel E5 Burlington dummy for some time now and had it custom painted into SR 2800. I like the shade of green on the new one rather than the older B unit - more subtle and 'classy'. :-)
Other than the couplers of the Weaver being way too long, these 'odd fellows' make into a fine 3 unit locomotive for the Southern RR.
Those are beautiful locomotives! Same for the bridge and layout. I like the work gang, too.
John
Thanks John for the kind comments. There's an interesting story about the convict gang below. Comes from a good book by Steven Little, once Mayor of Marion, NC. I saw him do a live reading enactment some years ago at 'Train Day's' in Old Fort NC. He dressed in 1800s period prison garb and told this story. Fascinating and highly recommended. It tells how the RR was built after the Civil War to connect the lowlands of central NC with the high country of Asheville and west. Elevation change was over 900' in under 7 miles.
@c.sam posted:My 'Hodgepodge Locomotive'. Acquired this handsome Premiere E8 from a forum member and it arrived today. Was able to find a 35 yr old (?) Weaver B unit that is a pretty close match. Weaver introduced these nice E8 units way back before MTH became a manufacturer. Mike then took over the tooling and improved it over the years. I have had the Lionel E5 Burlington dummy for some time now and had it custom painted into SR 2800. I like the shade of green on the new one rather than the older B unit - more subtle and 'classy'. :-)
Other than the couplers of the Weaver being way too long, these 'odd fellows' make into a fine 3 unit locomotive for the Southern RR.
That’s an impressive looking layout and the engines look perfect!
Jay
I got this MTH Southern SD35 w/PS2 off eBay a few days ago for a very good price. I have been looking for this model for a couple of years and finally got it. In mid-March I also Purchased a Norfolk Southern and UP SD50 with PS2 and a Southern Pacific SD35 w/PS3 which I was also looking for since 2020. Sometimes it's best to wait because you can always find what you are looking for.
@Chris3671 posted:I got this MTH Southern SD35 w/PS2 off eBay a few days ago for a very good price. I have been looking for this model for a couple of years and finally got it. ......... Sometimes it's best to wait because you can always find what you are looking for.
Nice engine. Yes, waiting does sometimes pay off!
John
I really didn’t want to buy these… not now, anyway
From 2003 to 2012, I regularly commuted on Metro North from Goldens Bridge in Westchester County to Grand Central and still occasionally ride the train into the city. When Atlas announced these cars (must be almost 2 years ago), I just never pulled the trigger mostly because I didn’t have an engine to pull them. Then, last year, Scott Mann announced that 3rd Rail would be making the P32 Genesis engine in the Metro North New Haven livery… Although I placed an order for the engine, I still never got around to ordering the cars. Then the cars anppeared and, almost immediately were hard to find 
Luckily, forum sponsor Nicholas Smith had a few left and I was able to get a cab car and 3 coaches. The cars are really nice - pretty heavy, detailed interiors (but no commuters!!!), and nice crisp graphics. I’ll have to check to see if any of the cars have a bathroom… first rule of riding the Comet cars - don’t ride in the bathroom car unless your sense of smell has died!!! Now I just hope that Jonathan @GG1 4877 is correct that the P32’s should be done in 2025. For now, I’ll have to borrow some motive power from MN’s MTA cousin, the LIRR.
@Apples55 posted:I really didn’t want to buy these… not now, anyway
WHO IS THIS AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH PAUL!!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@Apples55 posted:I really didn’t want to buy these… not now, anyway
From 2003 to 2012, I regularly commuted on Metro North from Goldens Bridge in Westchester County to Grand Central and still occasionally ride the train into the city. When Atlas announced these cars (must be almost 2 years ago), I just never pulled the trigger mostly because I didn’t have an engine to pull them. Then, last year, Scott Mann announced that 3rd Rail would be making the P32 Genesis engine in the Metro North New Haven livery… Although I placed an order for the engine, I still never got around to ordering the cars. Then the cars anppeared and, almost immediately were hard to find
I did my last review of the design drawings a week ago on the P32s. I'm waiting on corrections which I expect sometime in the next week, so this project is going forward! Not to get too far into the weeds, but I get questions from design like, "Do we have to do the nose hatch instead of the number board on the P42s?". Of course, the answer is "YES!" Once the P32 is finally correct it will go into tooling and then it's time to start doing the painting diagrams.
I am hoping the first run of Genesis locomotives make a good impression as now with the NYC, PC, Conrail, and MTA beach ball heritage schemes, there are some new paint schemes for a second run. I like the PC one the best. PC & Conrail MTA is a candidate for sure on the 2nd run FL9s whenever they come around again.
In all seriousness, the MTA Comets look great. There was a FL9 in MTA paint for sale somewhere I recall recently. It may have been this forum. I was interested as I don't have that one, but my wallet and by extension my wife, would not have likely approved. My train buying has been a bit intense this year.
Enjoy!
@Apples55 posted:I really didn’t want to buy these… not now, anyway
"... I’ll have to check to see if any of the cars have a bathroom… first rule of riding the Comet cars - don’t ride in the bathroom car unless your sense of smell has died!!!
Paul,
I thought you would want to model all aspects of these cars? Maybe you can have some Arttista figures at the platform holding their noses? 
Tom
Seriously, those cars are great looking.
FYI...Years ago, if it helps you, there was an F10 in Metro-North paint too, not sure who put it out, but it looked pretty good.
Tom
Am building a 'Mail train' plus some passenger revenue cars for my PRR K4 recently acquired. I caught this handsome Weaver RPO car (lower Right) from some years ago and the MTH Express Reefer on Trainz and realized that Lionel now has the tooling for these and that it matched a SR car I bought last year from a Forum member. Very nice units. Now I need a 72' PRR Combine to start transitioning to passenger equipment for it...
@RSJB18 posted:WHO IS THIS AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH PAUL!!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I am sorry, but the rest home says Mr. Appel cannot be disturbed (more disturbed???) for several weeks - or until the arrival of a pre-order. Please leave a message 😁😁😁
@GG1 4877 posted:I did my last review of the design drawings a week ago on the P32s. I'm waiting on corrections which I expect sometime in the next week, so this project is going forward! Not to get too far into the weeds, but I get questions from design like, "Do we have to do the nose hatch instead of the number board on the P42s?". Of course, the answer is "YES!"
I am hoping the first run of Genesis locomotives make a good impression as now with the NYC, PC, Conrail, and MTA beach ball heritage schemes, there are some new paint schemes for a second run. I like the PC one the best. PC & Conrail MTA is a candidate for sure on the 2nd run FL9s whenever they come around again.
Enjoy!
Thanks for the update , Jonathan. That is good news… but you couldn’t just leave it there. You just had to open the door to a possible 2nd run with all the anniversary schemes. While I like the very colorful PC version, as an NYC fan who really likes the lightning stripe scheme, I’d be in for one. And, as if that weren’t enough, you had to bring up a 2nd run of the FL9’s… still sorry I missed the first run and would definitely be in for one. Have I ever told you you’re a bad influence 
@PRR8976 posted:Paul,
I thought you would want to model all aspects of these cars? Maybe you can have some Arttista figures at the platform holding their noses?
Tom
Oh, Tom… as the respected author of a wonderful book on Metro North, you, of all people, must be aware of the malevolent malodorous MN bathroom cars - why would you wish that on anyone, even an Arttista commuter???
Uncle, uncle! 
Tom
Similar to the MTH Premier Central Vermont high cube boxcars purchased last month, I had been on the lookout for a long time for the MTH Premier Rutland coke hoppers. They came out in 2 sets of 4 in 2002 and this was the 1st time I had seen any for sale. The set I purchased has 3 of the 4 hoppers from set 20-90072. Sharp looking and will go well with my other Vermont themed rolling stock. Unlike the Central Vermont boxcars where I paid a premium, these were surprisingly reasonable and well below the current pricing for MTH Premier coke cars. Nice offset to get me back within range of my new acquisitions budget!
@Mooner posted:Similar to the MTH Premier Central Vermont high cube boxcars purchased last month, I had been on the lookout for a long time for the MTH Premier Rutland coke hoppers. They came out in 2 sets of 4 in 2002 and this was the 1st time I had seen any for sale. The set I purchased has 3 of the 4 hoppers from set 20-90072. Sharp looking and will go well with my other Vermont themed rolling stock. Unlike the Central Vermont boxcars where I paid a premium, these were surprisingly reasonable and well below the current pricing for MTH Premier coke cars. Nice offset to get me back within range of my new acquisitions budget!
Very nice, I also bid on these but didn't really need them. They were just too good looking not to throw a bid at.
I was looking for a flat car at this spring’s York to mount this fire truck on. I found this car with a damaged box and a deep discounted price. The truck was a pre-Covid bandit meet find. 
@ncdave posted:I was looking for a flat car at this spring’s York to mount this fire truck on. I found this car with a damaged box and a deep discounted price. The truck was a pre-Covid bandit meet find.
That looks very nice along with the other 2 Mack’s in the background.
Gene
@ncdave posted:I was looking for a flat car at this spring’s York to mount this fire truck on. I found this car with a damaged box and a deep discounted price. The truck was a pre-Covid bandit meet find.
Bought the same firetruck to put in Front of my scratch built Nevada City fire house No 2. Looks good on a flat car though
This one's not my fault......I swear......
I have to thank @leapinlarry for being a bad influence. Actually this was hard to say no to when coupled with the circumstances, I'm more than happy to help him out.
Lionel Legacy 4-4-2 E6s Atlantic - LIRR
Bob
Boy that Larry! Such a lovable bad influence. I guess that was from his friend's collection. Good job Bob, real nice engine too.
@RSJB18 posted:This one's not my fault......I swear......
I have to thank @leapinlarry for being a bad influence. Actually this was hard to say no to when coupled with the circumstances, I'm more than happy to help him out.
Lionel Legacy 4-4-2 E6s Atlantic - LIRR
Bob
Nice Bob, and it’s a Legacy! Larry just wanted you to be happy.
Gene
Thanks Joe and Gene.
Yes, this was in his friends collection. I looked at them when they came out but the price was way too steep for even me to rationalize. Hard to believe! 🤪🤪🤪
Been wanting a LIRR steamer for a while. From my research, these pulled freight and Varnish so now what to do.....
Bob
Thank you @RSJB18 Bob, so very much for giving this Lionel Legacy LIRR, even with whistle Steam, a great new home, and looking at the pictures it arrived at your station in great shape. I will have to confess, Bob has a great collection of smaller diesel switchers and that has rubbed off on me, now I have 5 small Lionel legacy switchers, and the SW1200 Sante Fe is from my friend Charles collection. Therefore I had to offer this particular smaller steamer to Bob, being that he collects LIRR. Here are some of my recent purchases. Happy Railroading Everyone 
@RSJB18 posted:This one's not my fault......I swear......
I have to thank @leapinlarry for being a bad influence. Actually this was hard to say no to when coupled with the circumstances, I'm more than happy to help him out.
Lionel Legacy 4-4-2 E6s Atlantic - LIRR
Bob
May you have better luck with that “not my fault” line than I do, Bob.
Beautiful engine (will that run on your O-31 curves???). And Larry ISN’T a bad influence… he is a prince among 3 railers
@Apples55 posted:May you have better luck with that “not my fault” line than I do, Bob.
Beautiful engine (will that run on your O-31 curves???). And Larry ISN’T a bad influence… he is a prince among 3 railers
Larry is a bad influence in a good way.
The engine is rated for 031 so it should be ok. The pilots and cab roofs are always the troublemakers..😎😎
@RSJB18 posted:This one's not my fault......I swear......
I have to thank @leapinlarry for being a bad influence. Actually this was hard to say no to when coupled with the circumstances, I'm more than happy to help him out.
Lionel Legacy 4-4-2 E6s Atlantic - LIRR
Bob
Somewhere on that engine, your name was engraved when it was manufactured Bob.
@leapinlarry posted:Thank you @RSJB18 Bob, so very much for giving this Lionel Legacy LIRR, even with whistle Steam, a great new home, and looking at the pictures it arrived at your station in great shape. I will have to confess, Bob has a great collection of smaller diesel switchers and that has rubbed off on me, now I have 5 small Lionel legacy switchers, and the SW1200 Sante Fe is from my friend Charles collection. Therefore I had to offer this particular smaller steamer to Bob, being that he collects LIRR. Here are some of my recent purchases. Happy Railroading Everyone
If you have to go Diesel It has to be Geep 30's for freight. But you need a PA/PB set for passenger
Larry, the Santa Fe blue and yellow war bonnet is always striking.
I don't know why but I always liked this scheme for the BNSF. Maybe because the cream isn't a traditional railroad color and the red pinstripes set it off wonderfully.
@RSJB18 posted:Larry is a bad influence in a good way.
The engine is rated for 031 so it should be ok. The pilots and cab roofs are always the troublemakers..😎😎
Don't I know it. I trying to situate the inner loop on my 4x8, I wanted to offset it just a bit so I could squeeze a K-Line station platform in between tracks on one side. To check clearance I used a K-Line Gunderson Husky-Stack on the outer loop and a RK Y6b on the inner. Even though I doubt I would ever run the Y6b on the inner loop I figured it would have the grates front overhang. I was thrilled when that overhang cleared the well car but that lasted only briefly as like you said the cab did make contact with the upper container on the stack.
Amazing how much stuff was squirreled away in MTH's warehouse . Yet another auction from their archives surfaced May 8 and I was there with a keen interest in prototypes and samples: As with my previous entries in this series, descriptions lie below their respective photos:
First up is this engineering sample of the Rugged Rails gondola. Two or three of these appeared in the auction. I figured I'd have the fewest competing bids if I picked the third one. The second one sold for a few dollars less than this one . Anyway, the handwritten tag indicates this is the first engineering sample, which was rejected. For what, I don't know but this happened Sept 1, 2000.
Next up is this engineering sample of the Rugged Rails hopper, noteworthy for being essentially a three-bay version of Lionel's famous "quad hopper". MTH's example is a "traditional-sized" version of a Pennsylvania RR class H30 hopper. Weaver Models did a scale version in their Ultra Line. For some reason, my camera (Canon Powershot SX100IS) wouldn't focus on the handwritten tag, attached to the car or not (unlike the other examples), but it read:
"RR Covered Hopper/ 1st Engineering sample/ Rec 9/18/00 / Approved w/corrections / See fax 9/18/00 T"
Interestingly enough, Lionel's 'quad' hopper has a little-known prototype. I've seen a photo on this very forum, but I can't find it right now (google image searches turn up the Lionel model or the five-bay H32 prototype).
Rugged Rails livestock car. Pretty sure this one is also an engineering sample, but the lot it was included in (along with a premier stock car, a coalporter hopper and woodside caboose) did not include any tags to that effect, This one sure seems to be an early version since one of the sliding doors keeps falling off its track (as shown in the auction photo 
), so maybe the tolerances are a tad off. I'll have to get out the digital calipers next time I have this one out.
Rugged Rails boxcar "first" engineering sample, which was approved mid-Sept 2000 according to the tag. This car, along with the other RR cars above, had a number of examples appearing in the auction as single-car lots (a single RR stock car escalated past what I was willing to pay, so I 'settled' on the example pictured above included in a lot with three larger cars). This one looks smaller than a 6464-style boxcar, but it matches the other Rugged Rails cars sizewise (other than the woodside caboose). Measurements will be forthcoming when I re-do my post illustrating the varying size of traditional 6464-style boxcars (Lionel, RailKing, Industrial Rail, K-Line, etc).
RailKing woodside caboose, possibly an engineering sample. I'm leaning toward "test shot equipped with trucks to make it more sale-able" . Why? The trucks have no pickup rollers, there's no interior wiring (although the bulb mounts and bulbs are present inside), and the handrails/grab irons are missing, as is the smokestack. Will it join my gaggle of unpainted cabooses? Yes. Will said gaggle of cabeese become part of a larger train of unpainted samples from these warehouse auctions? Sure looks that way . By the way, there's a larger "MT539" sticker on the roof, concealed behind the roofwalk.
Premier 40' livestock car. No tags on this one, but it kinda looks like an engineering sample owing to the modernized trucks with T-bar couplers (though now that I think about it, this car should have solid-bearing trucks). It was part of a lot that included the woodside caboose, coalporter and Rugged Rails stock car.
There were 14 cars in this shipment. I'll save the remaining eight for the next post (all Premier)
(Nav links redacted...Forum rule disallows crosslinking one's posts within a thread)
@John's Trains posted:@Dennis Holler, Congratulations on that beautiful train! Your station scene in the background reminds me of an article by Ron Hollander in the January 2021 issue of Train Collectors Quarterly. He described his recreation of an illustration from Lionel's old catalogs. The illustration depicted nine 156 station platforms leading to a 115 station in red and cream, with the tracks running under the station. Hollander built his scene with 11 platforms and a larger 116 station over the tracks. Your scene looks very much like the catalog image and Ron Hollander's recreation of it.
John
Thanks John, Yes, I got the idea from I think the 1940 catalog and it showed what you described. I basically just filled up the space I had with the two running loops around the edge. On retrospect, I placed the tracks a little too close together for parking 263E locos due to their wide cylinders. But I'll live with it.
@coach joe posted:Larry, the Santa Fe blue and yellow war bonnet is always striking.
I don't know why but I always liked this scheme for the BNSF. Maybe because the cream isn't a traditional railroad color and the red pinstripes set it off wonderfully.
I felt the same way about the BNSF since it came out, I even commented to Larry when he first bought it. An ES44AC just doesn’t work with my steam to diesel transition era.
Gene
@RailRide posted:Amazing how much stuff was squirreled away in MTH's warehouse
Very cool acquisitions! They would make a unique consist.
Over the years been looking for the Pre-war semi-scale cars in my budget. Got 2 together at an auction, well within budget.
This is the 2957 before clean up. This may have been why there weren't many bidders.
The only real problem besides dirt and oiling was a new wire for the light. No warpage. The light bulb was still good, looked original. After cleanup.
The 2954, needed a uncoupler rod and a brake wheel. Little more paint missing on this one.
Overall they look great to me.
Very nice...I have the boxcar and 2 of the cabooses, also. Unfortunately, the cabooses have the walkway warpage.
Tom
Wow @VHubbard. That caboose cleaned up nice. The box car looks good considering her age. Will you perhaps be pulling those with your trusty ol 226e? Kinda miss the old gal.
3 Mikes here - Top down: American Flyer #4501 Mikado, middle MTH 4501 Mikado and lower HO gauge 'Maggie Valley Southern' Mikado
The American Flyer is the recent acquisition arriving yesterday from CA. I've not seen any of the Lionel Flyer up close before and this is a very nicely detailed model of the 4501.
From Cabin Fever's MTH warehouse auction, 5/8/24, more undecorated samples. Descriptions reference the images above them:
First up is this 50' double plug-door boxcar. I think it's the first of its kind in my collection, painted or not. The plug doors do recess into the body when closed, so there's that. No tags were present in this lot other than CFA's tag for the lot sitting inside the car, setting up the possibility this carbody and the others in this lot (waffle-side boxcar and coke hopper) were fitted with trucks in anticipation of a sell-off.
Next is this 50' waffle-sided boxcar. Like the plug-door variant, this is the first of its kind in my collection, resplendent in bare blue plastic , Both of these rather large cars will be looking for some kind of packaging, as they're too tall for the usual trading-card boxes that will house the smaller cars in this group.
Another rather chonky specimen is this coke hopper. Not a stranger to my collection type-wise as I have a bunch of these in Norfolk Southern (and another ten-pack of 2024 reissues on pre-order ). Coke is lighter than coal and as such you can stuff significantly more into a hopper before the whole kit-and-caboodle reaches the 286,000 pound limit. For this reason coke hoppers are...significantly taller than typical three and four-bay coal hoppers (NS nicknamed theirs "High Top"), although standard coal hoppers can be found in coke trains, which the pair of NS four-bay hoppers from the Tony Lash collection that I won in the 5/1 auction will represent. Curiously, this one has what appears to be a standard coal load sitting in the car. Unsurprisingly it doesn't fit, but I have yet to determine what other hopper it might be for. Like the boxcars above, this one is too big (tall) for a BCW card-box so I'll have to figure out what I can put this one in.
Next up is this Premier bathtub gondola (Coalporter?). This is another first-timer in my collection, as surprisingly enough, I never pursued a dedicated coal train (other commodities were more interesting). This example appears to be a test shot (speculation) of an upgraded version as it has the holes for separately-fitted fine-wire rungs, but no such parts installed. It does however have the brakewheel+chain detail assembly installed, and trucks with sliding-bar couplers. Unlike the first three cars in this post, a BCW-800 box will fit this one,
Premier three-bay cylindrical hoppers. This pair and their bigger four-bay siblings below were part of the same lot. These appear to be engineering samples of upgraded-detail Premier cars as they have the fine-wire railings and rungs, not to mention the upgraded trucks with the sliding-bar uncoupling mechanism and brake-hose detail. No clue what the colored bands signify -- they don't look painted, and the cylindrical carbody is a single-piece molding near as I can tell.
Four-bay cylindrical hoppers. Same deal with the three-bay versions, these look like samples of the upgraded tooling, though the significance of the colored bands (and different-colored hopper gates) escapes me. At first glance, the bands made me think of modular tooling, as the black colored ends look identical to the three-bay versions, and the body appears to be a single-piece (although it could be three pieces with some awesomely precise fitting). Storage-wise, while the three-bay cars will fit (barely) in a BCW-800 box, these four-bay cars will require the extra-long BCW-930 card box (oddly enough, so do Lionel's Hogwarts' coaches)
(Nav links redacted...Forum rule disallows crosslinking one's posts within a thread)
---PCJ
@c.sam posted:3 Mikes here - Top down: American Flyer #4501 Mikado, middle MTH 4501 Mikado and lower HO gauge 'Maggie Valley Southern' Mikado
The American Flyer is the recent acquisition arriving yesterday from CA. I've not seen any of the Lionel Flyer up close before and this is a very nicely detailed model of the 4501.
Love the southern color scheme, but You gotta add the Eliso Feedwater heaters
@RailRide posted:From Cabin Fever's MTH warehouse auction, 5/8/24, more undecorated samples. Descriptions reference the images above them:
First up is this 50' double plug-door boxcar. I think it's the first of its kind in my collection, painted or not. The plug doors do recess into the body when closed, so there's that. No tags were present in this lot other than CFA's tag for the lot sitting inside the car, setting up the possibility this carbody and the others in this lot (waffle-side boxcar and coke hopper) were fitted with trucks in anticipation of a sell-off.
Next is this 50' waffle-sided boxcar. Like the plug-door variant, this is the first of its kind in my collection, resplendent in bare blue plastic
Another rather chonky specimen is this coke hopper. Not a stranger to my collection type-wise as I have a bunch of these in Norfolk Southern (and another ten-pack of 2024 reissues on pre-order
Next up is this Premier bathtub gondola (Coalporter?). This is another first-timer in my collection, as surprisingly enough, I never pursued a dedicated coal train (other commodities were more interesting). This example appears to be a test shot (speculation) of an upgraded version as it has the holes for separately-fitted fine-wire rungs, but no such parts installed. It does however have the brakewheel+chain detail assembly installed, and trucks with sliding-bar couplers. Unlike the first three cars in this post, a BCW-800 box will fit this one,
Premier three-bay cylindrical hoppers. This pair and their bigger four-bay siblings below were part of the same lot. These appear to be engineering samples of upgraded-detail Premier cars as they have the fine-wire railings and rungs, not to mention the upgraded trucks with the sliding-bar uncoupling mechanism and brake-hose detail. No clue what the colored bands signify -- they don't look painted, and the cylindrical carbody is a single-piece molding near as I can tell.
Four-bay cylindrical hoppers. Same deal with the three-bay versions, these look like samples of the upgraded tooling, though the significance of the colored bands (and different-colored hopper gates) escapes me. At first glance, the bands made me think of modular tooling, as the black colored ends look identical to the three-bay versions, and the body appears to be a single-piece (although it could be three pieces with some awesomely precise fitting). Storage-wise, while the three-bay cars will fit (barely) in a BCW-800 box, these four-bay cars will require the extra-long BCW-930 card box (oddly enough, so do Lionel's Hogwarts' coaches)
[Previous:] CFA MTH warehouse auction wins from 5/8/24 [1 of 2]-- [Next] some assorted freight cars from Cabin Fever 5/18 (upcoming)
---PCJ
Can't wait to see them with your Roadname on them
Patrick, BCW makes a two piece box, cover slides over the box, and it is taller. I put some pretty big loads on some Menard's 14-1/2" flat car, Jordan spreader, patrol boat, Siku 1:55 power shovel and used the two piece boxes for those cars. They're in storage right now but looking at the BCW web site they look like the vault storage boxes.
I've been on a bit of a buying spree lately and with the exception of previously posted "recent" purchases I've got no one to blame except my own little voices. No Brooklyn "accent", pure Bronx with a bit of a drawl thanks to my Dad who hailed from NC. So here goes.
Just prior to my trip back to Great Big Sand Bar of New York City our friends at Trainz were happy to sell me this Plasticville Turnpike Interchange toll booth, some side wall J vents, electric meters and battery boxes to add detail to the layout, a Tomar Alaska Railroad drum head and some CN intermodal decals that I was certain I needed but really didn't. Now there's no room for a turnpike on my 4x8 but I figure the toll booth can serve as the gated entry to any industrial facility, intermodal yard or military installation.
I found this Patton Tank model kit at Ollie's, a local discount chain. I really need to start assembling some models and put that military train together.
Then there was the previously documented trip to Nassau Hobby and some of their custom runs and that wonderful Weaver aluminum 20th Century Limited Pullman.
Upon returning home I started searching for some more LIRR items. Once again our friends at Trainz were happy to oblige. I found several items, two of which were still in the private car. When the first, a LIRR flat with a Northrup Grumman trailer, cleared I pounced, had it my cart but while continuing to shop I either took too long or did something wrong and that item was gone from my cart. But hey it was free shipping day so onward, here's that purchase. I really needed that little fire man figure for one of my projects, boy I've got too many of them, so he's what started this all.
A K-Line K671-3741 LIRR Classic Scale Ore Car
A K-Line KO-5008A Husky Upgrade Kit, hey 3 sets of die cast trucks for $45, I couldn't say no.
Seeing as how I drive a Dodge Charger Daytona and a Dodge Ram this set, at the price it was offered for was almost a no-brainer. Did I mention the free shipping? If I didn't buy it then I never would. Below is a comparison of the K-Line and Lionel ore cars. Seems like Lionel hasn't change it's tooling since the current crop is still smaller than the K-Line cars Looking at the load in the Lionel cars when I bought them I figured a quick spray with Rustoleum Stone finish Pebble color would liven them up. But now after seeing the K-line load, the ore in the Lionel cars will never pass for ballast. I thinkg some real stone needs to bee added.
That brings me to today. On the way out the door taking my wife to an appointment there was a package.
A K-Line K671-3743 LIRR Ballast Car in the same scheme as one of the Lionel ore cars from Nassau Hobby. After the appointment and some lunch a walk through another Ollie's revealed an even better selection of Atlantis model kits so the Howitzer followed mehome. I really need to start building, gotta finish the tack wiring first.
Another package awaited our return on the front porch. Some of that LIRR nostalgia brought on by Nassau Hobby's custom runs and considering Palisades Park was only like a 20 minute car ride away while growing up in the Bronx I just had to have this car that I didn't buy when they first came out. I was but still remember it well.
Wow Joe. Looks like I'm off the hook now.....🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Nice finds across the board.
Bob
Well you did escort me to Nassau Hobby but it would be too much of a stretch to lace any blame for this on you. And some how Paul never came too mind as I was hitting the BUY button on the computer.
Some more CFA auction wins, unrelated to the MTH warehouse for once Everything in this post came from a single lot. and for once, I got out to the driveway with the sun angle just right to light up the cars without undue shadows or late-afternoon yellow-ish light. (like what happened when I re-shot the first batch of European passenger cars last week along with the MTH warehouse cars...I replaced the original photos in that post as they were too dark for my taste)
Captions reference the photos above them. [Previous]-[Next] links at the bottom navigate to other photo posts I've made in this thread.
Lionel 6-17905 ADM tanker. This one sat in what I believe to be a store window for a long time going by the condition of the box. No placards found though...although being a corn-syrup (non-hazmat) tanker I wonder if they were ever included. There's a price sticker on the box indicating $76.50. A quick looksee shows this car currently going for $23-40 used. The auction win+premium+shipping came to $62.94, so I think buying all these separate via dealers/Ebay would come out a bit more if you consider shipping from individual vendors. These weren't the reason I went after this lot though.
Lionel 6-9856 Old Milwaukee reefer from 1975 according to the BLT. This is my first MPC reefer. I've never sought these out as a category, but it was part of the lot. The red/white Lionel box was in pretty decent condition, not shopworn-looking at all. The $39 price sticker indicates it probably passed through a few retailers since manufacture
A close-up of the reefer door showing how the plug-door effect is accomplished on these cars. The spring inside the track pushes the door into the pocket as it is slid shut.
6-9116 Domino/Amstar quad hopper from 1974. Believe it or not, it's only the third Lionel quad hopper in my collection (I do have two or three Menards versions). Also with a red/white Lionel box in very good condition considering it's right around 50-years old, it carried a price sticker of the same style as the reefer above for $27, so it's almost certain to have come from the same retailer.
K-Line K-6850 boom tender. I have a CSX version and a crane to go with it. No crane to accompany this one. Maybe the postwar one I acquired in the estate sale a few years ago...but then again there's the postwar work caboose for that one. Ah well, part and parcel of auction lots. This car for some reason is as dirty as the photo suggests. The box window is detached along the bottom, but that alone wouldn't really account for all that dust. This car's box carries a price sticker indicating it was put on sale (wherever that was) on 5/31/2016, for $15
K-Line K-90004. KCC Christmas boxcar from 1993. I think I might have one of these already, being that I was in the KCC from Day One, and have a decent chunk of the released KCC cars all the way to the end. One day I'm going to put them all in one train for giggles. This car came from the same retailer as the boom tender above, carrying a price sticker for $19.50 when it was put on sale 4/11/2014. Oh, and there's two reasons why I left the trucks turned in -- One, they're so tight to the body I didn't want to risk chewing up the bottom of the car (or breaking something) to get the couplers facing out and two, the styrofoam insert for the car is shaped to require that the trucks face inward. That's just plain dumb
Like I mentioned, at least some of these cars looked to have come from a storefront, going by the severely sun-bleached boxes shown here, both the front and left-end of the box.
Now by this point, given my other entries in BACL, you might be wondering what was it that made me go after this lot? It seems to consist entirely of generic freight cars that have nothing in common with the rest of my collection. So far, you'd be right. The actual reason this lot caught my attention is the cars below:
Oh no...more European cars . Two of them were inexplicably in this lot. They were probably tossed in as there weren't any other lots they fit in with. Even the lot desciption was mis-categorized as "HO scale". So I get to add Rivarossi to the list of manufacturers represented in my collection. This is another UIC 2-axle gondola, or "Belgian Open Goods Wagon"of the state-owned railway SNCB/NMBS, catalog number 7561. I did say awhile back that I was looking for at least one more of these, thinking I was going to equip them with an AHM knuckle-coupler conversion on one end and let them serve as "adapter wagons" for whenever I stick some of this oddball rolling stock on the end of a regular train. You know, for giggles
Same car, pictured with its box. The end flaps open downward, and this example insisted on demonstrating that by flopping open at every opportunity. Not so fun given that box insert (a polystyrene tray) is missing, allowing the car to roll about inside. I'll have to make up something out of styrofoam with my hot-wire scroll table.
Second of the two, also a UIC 2-axle "goods wagon", described as a "Type E" as is its catalog mate. This one is number 7560 of one of the Italian railway operators (the markings don't make it clear which one). A previous owner cut off the buffers on this one. I can't imagine these cars negotiating curves sharp enough to induce "buffer lock" (owing to their wheelbase), so the purpose of their removal remains a mystery.
Showing both cars with their respective boxes
I hadn't talked about this one before, but I got it from Ebay just before York. Currently it's holding the Mini-Commander and pickup rollers I hope to one day install within the British class 33 diesel I showed along with my MTH Challenger a few pages back. This is a Lima two-axle UIC 'open goods wagon' lettered for the French national railway SNCF, catalog number 6724 (yes, it'll get a clean-up).
The three wagons together. Now I have a total of four. That should be enough XD.
Being that one of these cars was missing its box insert, I wondered briefly if I was putting the proper car in the insert. I say "briefly" because the car didn't fit. Whaaaa? It wasn't till I took a closer look and compared the three that I found that one of the Rivarossi cars (the one that actually did fit) was actually a different model. I used to think Rivarossi had acquired some Lima tooling at some point (hearkening back to the Ebay lot I passed on thanks to its pair of "duplicate" Spatenbrau 2-axle reefers), but this car makes it clear Rivarossi went their own way with similar (but better detailed / proportioned) cars to its competitor Lima (they also had their own O scale UIC passenger cars, longer than the Lima ones). These comparison photos show Rivarossi on the bottom, a Lima on top. Note the discrepancy in carbody length...
Looking at the underside makes the difference even starker. Both cars came in Rivarossi boxes, so a head-scratcher there, until...
Then looking closely at the underframe, you can see the top car has "LIMA ITALY" molded into its underside, while the more detailed one has "Rivarossi Italy" molded in. This changes the identity of the top wagon to Lima, making the Rivarossi box into a substitute that happened to sort-of fit -- possibly explaining why the interior tray was MIA as the car didn't fit it. Consulting my 1976 Lima catalogue (I found a hard copy on Ebay) identifies this car as Lima #6722, marked for the Societa Veneta Ferrovie although some inscriptions don't exactly match. So that's how I'll identify it in my electronic records once I get around to adding these cars to the database. But I still have that one actual Rivarossi, regardless.
---PCJ
(Nav links redacted...Forum rule disallows crosslinking within a thread)
Had one of those "forgot a pre-order" moments. Got a call from JR Junction that the MTH Matt's Premium Utica Club cars were in last week. I ordered them a year ago almost to the day.
I bought both cars offered, with sequential numbers. I have a growing collection of Merchant's Despatch refers and a nice MTH PC SW 9 to pull them.
Bob
@RSJB18 Just did the the same thing with an RK Detroit Mackinaw RS3. The nice thing about an order a year old, the explanation to the CEO is 'yes I promised not to buy any new engines, but this was ordered over a year ago'. I do have another due in the 3rd quarter from Mr Muffin's an Atlas PS3 SD45. That might be it.... maybe .... ; )
Not holding my breath about you not buying any more engines. Besides you always need three SD-45's to make it look right
@RSJB18 posted:Had one of those "forgot a pre-order" moments. Got a call from JR Junction that the MTH Matt's Premium Utica Club cars were in last week. I ordered them a year ago almost to the day.
I bought both cars offered, with sequential numbers. I have a growing collection of Merchant's Despatch refers and a nice MTH PC SW 9 to pull them.
Bob
Maybe, but It do make a nice surprise, and a little work and you can have consecutive order cars
@coach joe posted:I've been on a bit of a buying spree lately and with the exception of previously posted "recent" purchases I've got no one to blame except my own little voices. No Brooklyn "accent", pure Bronx with a bit of a drawl thanks to my Dad who hailed from NC. So here goes.
Seeing as how I drive a Dodge Charger Daytona and a Dodge Ram this set, at the price it was offered for was almost a no-brainer. Did I mention the free shipping? If I didn't buy it then I never would. Below is a comparison of the K-Line and Lionel ore cars. Seems like Lionel hasn't change it's tooling since the current crop is still smaller than the K-Line cars Looking at the load in the Lionel cars when I bought them I figured a quick spray with Rustoleum Stone finish Pebble color would liven them up. But now after seeing the K-line load, the ore in the Lionel cars will never pass for ballast. I thinkg some real stone needs to bee added.
Coach - before adding some real stone, try removing the loads from the cars and placing on a few paper towels and then brushing on some india ink type weathering liquid and letting it dry and settle into the cracks and crevices. It might do the trick.
@Richie C. posted:Coach - before adding some real stone, try removing the loads from the cars and placing on a few paper towels and then brushing on some india ink type weathering liquid and letting it dry and settle into the cracks and crevices. It might do the trick.
Nice set, but Coach when was the last time you saw identical ore cars in a train? It would something to paint them all Rust-Oleam primer red, use the cheaper soldiering Iron add some dents and dings. and you might remember my suggestion some time back take the trucks and couplers , and the imitation loads out, line the cavity with clear wrap, leave a half inch off the wrap over the top, and fill it with fish tank gravel then pour diluted white glue in on top. that may take two or three applications. but when it dry's you have a load that can be taken out or put back in as you wish. with that extra 040 060 0r industrial switcher facing the hoppers and a bobler caboose on the back you are all set.
@Guttersnipe posted:Nice set, but Coach when was the last time you saw identical ore cars in a train? It would something to paint them all Rust-Oleam primer red, use the cheaper soldiering Iron add some dents and dings. and you might remember my suggestion some time back take the trucks and couplers , and the imitation loads out, line the cavity with clear wrap, leave a half inch off the wrap over the top, and fill it with fish tank gravel then pour diluted white glue in on top. that may take two or three applications. but when it dry's you have a load that can be taken out or put back in as you wish. with that extra 040 060 0r industrial switcher facing the hoppers and a bobler caboose on the back you are all set.
you mean like this......
First 2 are menards cars, the LIRR is from MTH. I customized the loads with fine floral gravel. They are removable.
Well, RSJB 18 Bob and Guttersnipe beat me to the punch with their new FX Matt cars, but I had also ordered from JR Junction the NYO& W milk cars. All came with nice detailing.
Just purchased this pw 2356 Southern ABA F3. Was listed as runs slow and struggles. Thought I'd take a chance, after 70 yrs I'm hoping it just needed some tlc. Pulled the shells off both A-units, to my surprise they looked unmolested and clean inside. I tried it out and found the front motor was binding. I took both motors apart, the original grease was hard like plastic, after cleaning, oiling and greased everything. After a couple hrs working on it, I put it on the track and she runs like new.
@Trussman posted:Just purchased this pw 2356 Southern ABA F3. Was listed as runs slow and struggles. Thought I'd take a chance, after 70 yrs I'm hoping it just needed some tlc. Pulled the shells off both A-units, to my surprise they looked unmolested and clean inside. I tried it out and found the front motor was binding. I took both motors apart, the original grease was hard like plastic, after cleaning, oiling and greased everything. After a couple hrs working on it, I put it on the track and she runs like new.
Kudo's to you, but look out some museum will want you to come restore stuff for them, and while that is quite honorable, it doesn't leave much Time for Railroading
@RSJB18 posted:you mean like this......
First 2 are menards cars, the LIRR is from MTH. I customized the loads with fine floral gravel. They are removable.
And they look great
While postwar doesn’t have the modern era technology, they are pretty easy to repair. Clean them up and lubricate and it’s as if they were just manufactured.
@Trussman posted:Just purchased this pw 2356 Southern ABA F3. Was listed as runs slow and struggles. Thought I'd take a chance, after 70 yrs I'm hoping it just needed some tlc. Pulled the shells off both A-units, to my surprise they looked unmolested and clean inside. I tried it out and found the front motor was binding. I took both motors apart, the original grease was hard like plastic, after cleaning, oiling and greased everything. After a couple hrs working on it, I put it on the track and she runs like new.
This is one of my favorite sets because my dad owned it as well. It's at my brothers for safe keeping. I have the PWC version. So glad you got it going again. It's a great piece in my opinion and yours looks very clean.
@Guttersnipe posted:Kudo's to you, but look out some museum will want you to come restore stuff for them, and while that is quite honorable, it doesn't leave much Time for Railroading
When someone says they wouldn't know how to work on the pw trains. I just say, if your familiar how an electric drill works, you shouldn't have a problem.
@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:While postwar doesn’t have the modern era technology, they are pretty easy to repair. Clean them up and lubricate and it’s as if they were just manufactured.
Yep, your right, the motors are basically easy to work on, some with their own little tricks. That's what amazes me, after 60 or more yrs w/some basic maintenance, most of the time they run like new.
@Guttersnipe posted:Nice set, but Coach when was the last time you saw identical ore cars in a train? It would something to paint them all Rust-Oleam primer red, use the cheaper soldiering Iron add some dents and dings. and you might remember my suggestion some time back take the trucks and couplers , and the imitation loads out, line the cavity with clear wrap, leave a half inch off the wrap over the top, and fill it with fish tank gravel then pour diluted white glue in on top. that may take two or three applications. but when it dry's you have a load that can be taken out or put back in as you wish. with that extra 040 060 0r industrial switcher facing the hoppers and a bobler caboose on the back you are all set.
I've used the fish tank gravel before. I had a Weaver Alaska Basic Industries hopper that was missing a load and used the gravel on to of a double layer of craft foam base. The hopper with the gravel is the rear, top and right hopper in the photos below, the other is a similar Weaver Hopper with the provided coal load.. The gravel worked well for a hopper load, not so good as a tender coal load, too big, and I suspect is more the size of the ore load instead of the ballast load. I do have a bag of Woodland Scenics "ballast" that I'll try. I always thought it looked too fine to ballast track but maybe it will work in the MTA ballast cars from Nassau Hobby.
@coach joe posted:I've used the fish tank gravel before. I had a Weaver Alaska Basic Industries hopper that was missing a load and used the gravel on to of a double layer of craft foam base. The hopper with the gravel is the rear, top and right hopper in the photos below, the other is a similar Weaver Hopper with the provided coal load.. The gravel worked well for a hopper load, not so good as a tender coal load, too big, and I suspect is more the size of the ore load instead of the ballast load. I do have a bag of Woodland Scenics "ballast" that I'll try. I always thought it looked too fine to ballast track but maybe it will work in the MTA ballast cars from Nassau Hobby.
There is definitely a difference between the loads in your hoppers. I filled my cars with the said rock to increase the difficulty for my engines on grades in first my original HO railroad, and in the Present O railroad. You should be able to find a grade of rock that is to you liking with the different ballasts and other products on the market, but I seem to remember from watching Toyman television that, coal for tenders is larger that ballast. Particulary one of his shows from Ely. Luck to ya
@Trussman posted:When someone says they wouldn't know how to work on the pw trains. I just say, if your familiar how an electric drill works, you shouldn't have a problem.
Love your answer, but have to say, in comparison, My First sister-in-law, couldn't boil water, without burning it and one of my best Friends wife us to say she use to be able to make Cheerio's but she lost the recipe
@John's Trains posted:Very cool acquisitions! They would make a unique consist.
It will indeed. Here are the other undecorated cabooses I have.
They will most likely trail a consist of other undecorated MTH cars in my collection, once I resume making videos.
---PCJ
Some of you just can't help yourself when it comes to political posts / comments. Let me remind you that we no longer allow posts that include pictures of product with a political nature / message. And I think you all know why. BUT in case you don't know why and you think you have a "right" to say anything you want on this forum, take a look at our terms of service found at the top of every forum page. We don't want this forum to turn into what too many other formats have become. I have deleted the posts immediately above that broke our political policy. Note that you could end up taking a LONG vacation from this forum if you decide to insist on such posts.
Thanks for your understanding, support, and cooperation regarding this matter.
@OGR CEO-PUBLISHER posted:Some of you just can't help yourself when it comes to political posts / comments. Let me remind you that we no longer allow posts that include pictures of product with a political nature / message. And I think you all know why. BUT in case you don't know why and you think you have a "right" to say anything you want on this forum, take a look at our terms of service found at the top of every forum page. We don't want this forum to turn into what too many other formats have become. I have deleted the posts immediately above that broke our political policy. Note that you could end up taking a LONG vacation from this forum if you decide to insist on such posts.
Thanks for your understanding, support, and cooperation regarding this matter.
Can I say Thank you
One more item checked off my short list of trains. Got an Areotrain, PS3 version. My first PS3 engine.
Low to no run time. Oiled and checked. Only found one problem. The pin in the engines rear pickup was coming out. I fixed that.
Then I found it was locked in nuetral. Got it unlocked with the correct horn/bell sequence and away it went. I don't have a MTH control system so I run it in conventional mode. Works well and I like that PS3 provides constant speed in conventional. 2 motors, but the rear one is much smaller than the front motor. I was concerned since there were reports Aerotrains don't pull well. It has traction tires and does well with the three cars it came with.
I added a weight box to add more than 13oz of weight. Pulls very well now.
It was too bad these trains weren't that comfortable, they were beautiful
@MichaelB posted:MTH parts has then in stock, I got like 6 of them some time last year. They only have the chrome ones, part #IE0000033 (25 cents each)
Thanks for the heads-up...I would've never thought truck springs were stocked as parts
Got my order in before the pause in operations while they move to a bigger facility. Just waiting to install them.
---PCJ
@coach joe posted:Patrick, BCW makes a two piece box, cover slides over the box, and it is taller. I put some pretty big loads on some Menard's 14-1/2" flat car, Jordan spreader, patrol boat, Siku 1:55 power shovel and used the two piece boxes for those cars. They're in storage right now but looking at the BCW web site they look like the vault storage boxes.
I finally got to look up your suggestion, and while looking them over on Amazon, I ran across BCW's "Quick Fold" box. About a half-inch taller than the standard boxes and equipped with a magnetic flap-lid. Peel off and expose four adhesive triangles on the flattened pack, then pull the ends to form the main body of the box. While this setup requires you to store the cars vertically wheels-down, the extra vertical clearance might still be worthwhile for cars that are just a tad too tall for the regular BCW boxes, like most scale cabooses or modern tankers.
I didn't see how to navigate to them from BCW's Amazon storefront so you'll have to search the name directly.
---PCJ
I wasn’t planning on purchasing one of the new Lionel SD50’s, buuut… back in April, I received two beautiful Reading & Northern boxcars from the TCA. Lately, I have been purchasing items from lines that run/ran in my neck of the woods in NE Pennsylvania, hence the box cars and a Lionel GP30 special run Reading & Northern which I had recently picked up from Grzyboski’s. Unfortunately, when I posted pictures of the box cars, one of the METCA mob suggested they’d look really nice behind one of their special run SD50’s called a “red head”. In a rare moment of weakness, I checked out the METCA website… WOW!!! Now, what the instigator does not know is that, when I was young, I was a red head. I really had no choice at that point
The box cars
And the red head. This is a very striking piece with very crisp graphics. It is a good runner and has great sound. METCA and Lionel did a great job with these!!!
Here is a short video of the engine under way…
@Apples55 posted:I wasn’t planning on purchasing one of the new Lionel SD50’s, buuut… back in April, I received two beautiful Reading & Northern boxcars from the TCA. Lately, I have been purchasing items from lines that run/ran in my neck of the woods in NE Pennsylvania, hence the box cars and a Lionel GP30 special run Reading & Northern which I had recently picked up from Grzyboski’s. Unfortunately, when I posted pictures of the box cars, one of the METCA mob suggested they’d look really nice behind one of their special run SD50’s called a “red head”. In a rare moment of weakness, I checked out the METCA website… WOW!!! Now, what the instigator does not know is that, when I was young, I was a red head. I really had no choice at that point
And the red head. This is a very striking piece with very crisp graphics. It is a good runner and has great sound. METCA and Lionel did a great job with these!!!
Rare moment?????? Really????????
That's a sharp looking diesel Paul. Nice to see you've cleared the showroom floor and are running trains again.
Bob
Glad I looked at this thread. Paul had showed us the nose on Front End Friday and I was gonna ask for this shot.
METCA mob? Was the instigator Don Vito? Being a former redhead myself I can definitely see you as a red head. Bet you got a lot of sunburn when you went to Coney Island.
@Apples55 posted:I wasn’t planning on purchasing one of the new Lionel SD50’s, buuut… back in April, I received two beautiful Reading & Northern boxcars from the TCA. Lately, I have been purchasing items from lines that run/ran in my neck of the woods in NE Pennsylvania, hence the box cars and a Lionel GP30 special run Reading & Northern which I had recently picked up from Grzyboski’s. Unfortunately, when I posted pictures of the box cars, one of the METCA mob suggested they’d look really nice behind one of their special run SD50’s called a “red head”. In a rare moment of weakness, I checked out the METCA website… WOW!!! Now, what the instigator does not know is that, when I was young, I was a red head. I really had no choice at that point
The box cars
And the red head. This is a very striking piece with very crisp graphics. It is a good runner and has great sound. METCA and Lionel did a great job with these!!!
Here is a short video of the engine under way…
Great looking consist and engine Paul. Is there a matching caboose for Tail End Tuesday?
For being a NYC/Conrail fan I sure have a lot of NKP. I do have a soft spot in my heart for the Mad River Museum in Bellevue which is where the real life version is preserved.
Last week, I received a couple of pieces from Mr Muffins. One a preorder, the other a kinda-sorta impulse buy : Look below the photos for their descriptions
First we have this 30-72234 BNSF gondola released the end of May 2024. This one is the kinda-sorta impulse buy, as I placed the order a day after the pre-order below came in. What did I get it for?
Coupled to it in this shot is the BNSF boxcar (30-74983) modded by MNP (Many New Products) to contain a track-cleaning mechanism. It comes with a pair of detachable rubberized discs that in turn carry stick-on pads that rotate against the railheads independent of the car's motion. I first talked about this one in the Fall York 2023 entry. One thing about this car is that there's no provision to store the pads when not in use as a track-cleaning car.
I had been thinking about getting an unmodified 30-74983 boxcar to perform this function, but I couldn't find any during a casual lookaround. I was considering a brown BNSF gondola on Ebay (or Trainz, now that I think of it) when an email newsletter from MrMuffins' on 5/30 alerted me to some 2024 releases, this car among them. It stayed in mind till right after I paid the invoice for the pre-ordered locomotive below, then after some thought, placed the order the following day.
After a two years in pre-order status, here we have MTH's sole remaining modern 6-axle freight loco. Why AtlasO didn't purchase this tooling is a mystery to me and some higher ups at the company (lil' conversation at York), but it's here, the 20-21742-1 BNSF AC4400. I pretty much got it to represent 'run-through' power appearing in my mostly Eastern fleet (aside from some UP locos), most notably NS, just like prototype.
A high-angle view. This time I actually remembered to install the snowplow...and turn the loco to face the sunlight so it can actually be seen. Aside from the 25th anniversary Dash 8 (which came with a broken plow, prompting me to seek a replacement from MTH parts & service), this is the only brand-new unit I've installed the plow on.
A low-angle shot
A closeup of the front insignia. I wonder about that AC44C4M designation, but I don't know the spotting features of the real one yet.
And a closeup of the rear of the long hood.
For some reason, all these photos will break if this post is quoted. (Also when I edit it, but I edit it a second time to restore the images)
---PCJ
Handsome catch, but the gon, needs a load of Pumpkins
@RSJB18 posted:Rare moment?????? Really????????
That's a sharp looking diesel Paul. Nice to see you've cleared the showroom floor and are running trains again.
Bob
Oh, Bob… you so misunderstand me… I have never, I say NEVER before fallen prey to a weakness from my youth. If I had, I’d be still running engines conventionally
@coach joe posted:...a walk through another Ollie's revealed an even better selection of Atlantis model kits so the Howitzer followed mehome. I really need to start building...
Your two visits to Ollie's, @coach joe, spurred me to visit my local store. I already have the Atlantis Sherman tank sitting half assembled but picked up the 1:48 Howitzer and the super cool Nike Hercules. The Hercules is 1:40 scale, but it might fit on a longer Menard's flatcar, and the missile by itself doesn't have any visual cues that would give away its incorrect scale. Or I could make it part of a Nike launch site if I can find a place for it. I grew up very close to a site in the Philadelphia defense area that was never upgraded from the Nike Ajax to Hercules, and I've been fascinated by the history of that system for some time.
But like you, I've got to finish building some of the kits that are sitting in the basement.
@John's Trains posted:The Hercules is 1:40 scale, but it might fit on a longer Menard's flatcar, and the missile by itself doesn't have any visual cues that would give away its incorrect scale.
Here you go John.
@Apples55 posted:Oh, Bob… you so misunderstand me… I have never, I say NEVER before fallen prey to a weakness from my youth. If I had, I’d be still running engines conventionally
Paul,
Conventionally, meaning pure and wholesome as Joshua Lionel Cowen envisioned them?
Tom (living in my prewar house, running my prewar trains)
@Big Jim posted:Here you go John.
Nice job Big Jim!
Beautiful!
Right on--------cool head
@Dave Ripp. posted:Great looking consist and engine Paul. Is there a matching caboose for Tail End Tuesday?
Sorry, Dave… missed your question. Unfortunately, no caboose for any Tuesday in the foreseeable future 
For the last couple of years, Gryzboski’s has been doing a number of Reading & Northern special runs (needless to say, I have a couple ). They have announced a few Lionel cabeese due in the fall and I’ve ordered two. Until then, I’ll just have to imagine an appropriate tail end!!!
@PRR8976 posted:Paul,
Conventionally, meaning pure and wholesome as Joshua Lionel Cowen envisioned them?
Tom (living in my prewar house, running my prewar trains)
Pure and wholesome, Tom??? “No adult beverages for you”
@MichaelB posted:MTH parts has then in stock, I got like 6 of them some time last year. They only have the chrome ones, part #IE0000033 (25 cents each)
Aaand finally installed the new springs. Glad I went this route despite how fiddly a process getting the new springs in, because the body screws on the Airslide hopper (at least the RailKing one) are concealed under the truck bolsters, and even with the truck cranked as far to one side as possible, you can only reach the screws with a really skinny screwdriver, like a jeweler's screwdriver with an extra-long shaft.
As a recap, here's the truck as I discovered it upon unboxing for photos of the stuff I acquired April 2024 York
And here it is after installing new springs sourced from MTH Parts + Sales
Not gonna sugarcoat it, this is a really fiddly job with repeated trial+errors to get the first one in, afterwards it took about 45 minutes to install remaining five eensy-teensy springs. I bought 10, assuming one or two would take off to points unknown, but I managed not to eject any into the Bermuda Triangle. How I did it was to run a length of ordinary sewing thread through the spring and tie a loose overhand knot to keep it from escaping, then with fingers plus the aid of a pair of angled-tip tweezers, worked the bottom of the spring onto the nubs in the bottom of the slot, then squeezing the top 2/3 of the spring a little while shoving it under the bolster (there's an indentation on its underside to retain the top of the spring).
---PCJ
From our friends at Trainz. A pair of ERTL delivery vehicles and the 1998 NLOE offering of a LIRR TOFC with the Grumman Tomcat trailer. Twist ties on the GMC sedan delivery and the both the Grumman T/T and the flat car made it evident that neither had ever been out of the box before.
And this is a must have if you've ever strolled east down Kingsbridge Road from the Grand Concourse, just before Kingsbridge met Fordham Road and stopped for some ice cream. Maybe the Kitchen Sink!
Some K-Line Plymouth parts that may come in handy for a future project.
And from TinMan3Rail, a track repair kit, a two track circuit breaker so that I can use my KW with my modern trains and a free engineers cap.
Nice vehicles to go with your intermodal Joe.
@Big Jim posted:Here you go John.
That is such a cool idea! My dad and one of my uncles manned Nike bases in the Pittsburgh area in the late 60's and early 70's, and I vaguely remember my dad taking me on a small tour of the radar site he worked at when I was a very young kid. I think I'm going to have to make one of these for myself.
It would look great running with this recent acquisition from Stockyard Express :
And speaking of Stockyard Express, also picked up this Christmas themed reefer. I'm looking forward to running it at the "Christmas in July" event my club will be doing next month. 
Andy
I'll definitely get one of these buildings when I have a layout with the room.
Nice haul of goodies. You are outpacing Paul for sure.
@RSJB18 posted:I'll definitely get one of these buildings when I have a layout with the room.Nice haul of goodies. You are outpacing Paul for sure.
Wait a minute… how did I get pulled into this??? And considering my BigBoy with the auxiliary water tender is just about as long as your layouts are wide, me thinks youz lawn-guy-lind guyz ain’t outpacing me. But it isn’t a competition after all
@Apples55 posted:Wait a minute… how did I get pulled into this??? And considering my BigBoy with the auxiliary water tender is just about as long as your layouts are wide, me thinks youz lawn-guy-lind guyz ain’t outpacing me. But it isn’t a competition after all
Not criticizing.....just pointing out the obvious when it comes to train procurement endeavors......
Not that I'm one to talk......
Just 'cauze my layout won't fit a BigBoy doesn't mean I can't find plenty of things that will.....
@Apples55 posted:Wait a minute… how did I get pulled into this??? And considering my BigBoy with the auxiliary water tender is just about as long as your layouts are wide, me thinks youz lawn-guy-lind guyz ain’t outpacing me. But it isn’t a competition after all
We all make choices!
@RSJB18 posted:I'll definitely get one of these buildings when I have a layout with the room.
Nice haul of goodies. You are outpacing Paul for sure.
As far as the building; I’m out of room for buildings; but I did grab a picture which I’ll print out and adhere to a foam board for a back drop.
I just picked up the Lionel Doodlebug from Trainworld.
I will test it at the train museum. 
My luck be with you
@Genemed posted:Good luck with it, I’ve enjoyed mine, lots of fun.
Gene
Gene,
I love doodlebugs and the PRR. What a great layout and video! Love the smoking, too, Thanks for posting.
Just in today, Lionel L&NE caboose. I purchased this waiting for the arrival of the Lionel Alco S2 L&NE #611. I’ve been reading and learning the works of the L&NE railroad along with the history of the #611. IMO, living in NE, it deserves some recognition on my layout. I also ordered a Labelle boxcar kit which will get kit bashed to fit over my Northeast track cleaning car with L&NE K4 decals.
Gene
Just purchased another Lionel 6-52013 Artrain t.o.f.c. When the Lionel 6-11718 NS intermodal unit train set came out back in 1992, this Artrain t.o.f.c. was said to be the ad-on to the set. With that being said, then there can only be 300 completed set.
Very surprised to win several items at the recent Cabin Fever auction.
I believe this Chicago South Shore Caboose was made by Weaver. This one showed up as a 2 rail version with full interior and lighting. The 3 rail version I've seen on the forum had no lighting and frosted windows.
Silly me thought I could easily swap Lionel caboose trucks onto this one. That is not going to work. May have to bite the bullet for a pair of Atlas or MTH caboose trucks or trade the 2 rail trucks and Kadees for a pair.
The 3R box says its designed to scale. It sure looks smaller than my other 3R cabeese. It is significantly shorter but is the correct width. Maybe just a different version. Grab bars are molded onto the car which is more of an indication of semiscale? What has me scratching my head are the 2R wheel sets - details seem a little at odds with the expectations for 2R and the interior lighting clearly made for 2R.
Still an nice caboose for my layout.
Things have finally settled down around most of the the house issues and I finally took time to photograph the items I purchased at the York Meet in April for The Penn American Railroad.
Locomotive Department
Santa Fe F3 ABBA (MTH Premier ABA 20-2485-1, B Unit 20-2485-3)
I’ve always liked the Santa Fe diesel Bluebonnet paint scheme but always seem to have other fish to fry and never got one. While perusing Vince’s Trains booth I saw it sitting on the table looking at me and The Voices agreed I should take it home. As a bonus they also had the matching B unit. SCORE!
This is a ProtoSound 2.0, 3 volt model. It will proudly be hauling freight on my eventual main lines.
Santa Fe 4-8-4 Northern #3751 Legacy Steam Locomotive (Lionel 6-11332)
This is another locomotive on my wish list that I have had my eye on, especially after moving to Southern California near it’s home rails, and Vince’s booth stuck again. I’ve passed on a couple versions of the #3751 for other items over the years, including the recent SF 2900 series 4-8-4’s, but the time and the price was right this time. And with Golden Gate Depot listing Santa Fe heavyweight coaches to be produced my Santa Fe steam passenger consist can come together. I can also use it to lead my excursion trains too, just like the real thing.
Along with Legacy control and Legacy Railsounds this beauty has Odyssey II speed control and whistle steam effect. It also comes with three different smoke stacks.
Reading Fairbanks Morse Train Master Diesel #861 (MTH Premier 20-21652-1)
This York trip seems to be unearthing several wish list items for me. And with the aid of The Voices I’ve been guided to the right places. Years ago I bought a set of K-Line Reading 18” aluminum passenger cars but didn’t have any power to pull them. Over the years I picked up a few worthy engines to haul them and the Train Master was the final engine I wanted for the set. Again I didn’t pull the trigger on any of the previous MTH and Lionel offerings of this brute. But my friend Pete at JusTrains had this recently released version in their booth that helped me finally right a wrong. The FM Train Master will look great hauling a commuter train to all the local towns even though the sound package is freight sounds.
This scale ProtoSounds 3.0 version has all the PS 3 and DCS goodies including being Proto-Scale 3-2 3-Rail/2-Rail Conversion Capable and DCC command control.
Intermodal Department
MTH Premier Flat Car “Erie” W/2 20’ Pup Trailers (Sherwin Williams) (Custom Run for Stockyard Express 20-95626)
More colorful Pup Trailers to ride the rails on my Pike. There are two flat car numbers but I only bought one of them. What was I thinking?! I didn’t see any left on Saturday.
MTH Premier Flat Car “Milwaukee Road” W/2 20’ Pup Trailers (The Florsheim Shoe Co.) (Custom Run for Berwyn’s Toys and Trains 20-95590)
No affiliation with Florsheim Shoes other than for nostalgia as my mother used to shop at a nearby Florsheim store when she would drag me shopping with her when I was a child.
Both of the above cars operates On O-42 Curves.
Rail Car Department
MTH Premier 50’ Waffle Box Car “Rock Island” (Custom Run for Berwyn’s Toys & Trains 20-93989)
With all the trains I have in my inventory I don’t have any Rock Island trains. I always liked The Rock logo, the blue paint scheme and, well, I like waffles! This well done MTH Premier scale waffle box car from Berwyn’s fills that void.
MTH Premier 40’ AAR Box Car “Elgin, Joliet & Eastern” (Custom Run for Berwyn’s Toys & Trains 20-99416)
This is another purchase fueled by nostalgia. In the very first N scale set I received one Christmas while in grade school it contained a box car that looked just like this. When I saw it at Berwyn’s booth the memories flooded back to my mind from that time, when I wondered what the heck EJ&E was!
(2) MTH Premier 50’ Ps-1 Box Cars w/Youngstown Door “Great Northern” (Custom Run for Berwyn’s Toys & Trains 20-99303 & 20-99304)
These looked so beautiful on display and I love the Great Northern Goat logo. The green paint shade is sharp so I had to get both car numbers! They also have a wood slat floor interior and they are the first MTH freight cars I own or have seen that includes 2 rail mounting spacers for 2 rail trucks purchased separately.
Lionel Jack Daniel’s Tank Car (Custom run by the TCA Metropolitan Division)
I believe this was made from the Lionel Unibody tank car (If Stu is watching maybe he can clarify). It will go nicely in a consist with my Jack Daniel’s TOFC cars I purchased previously or parked at the Jack Daniel’s Department 56 facility we have.
Cabin Car Department
K-Line “Spirit of ’76” Bay Window Caboose (K612-7600)
This patriotic commemorative caboose will be perfect for pulling up the markers behind my MTH scale Conrail Bicentennial GG1 during American patriotic holidays around The Penn American Railroad system to celebrate. The colorful scale caboose also has a smoke unit.
Electronics and Digital Control Department
DCS Handheld Remote Battery Compartment Thingy (Dave Hikel of Hikel Layouts & Trains)
I’m not sure of the official title of these parts but they secure the batteries in the DCS handheld’s battery compartment from shaking loose inside. It’s been a problem I hear with some of the remotes where the batteries shake loose and disconnect from the contacts possibly causing havoc with running trains. I personally haven’t had this problem but I figured why tempt fate? It fits securely on the batteries when installed when you close the cover. I noticed a few friends having these so I asked Dave for a couple. He didn’t have anymore at York but he mailed me a pair after he got home. Nice little insurance.
Real Estate & Buildings Department
Atlas O Suburban Passenger Station (Item #66901)
I had my eye on the Suburban Station for a while, and at the April 2023 Meet I saw one for sale but didn't grab it and forgot to go back to get it before the end of the Meet. So at the October 2023 Meet I made it a priority to pick one up. I went back to the dealer that had it, but of course they didn't have one and couldn't locate one anywhere at the Meet. It wasn't even on my radar for this April 2024 Meet, but The Voices guided me back to the dealer where I saw it last year and sure enough, there it was!! The Voices never fail me!
This station will be perfect to anchor the commuter rail station I want to construct for the layout. It will sit in the center of a raised station platform on one side while the other side of the tracks will just be a raised platform with some small shelters and lighting on both sides. It’ll be used by passengers for Amtrak trains, Penn American Railroad long haul and commuter trains and occasional excursion trains. I might add the MTH brick station to the mix also.
Apparel Department
It was time to add to my t-shirt collection of favorite railroads. Great for train shows, outdoor picnics, wedding attire, walking the boardwalk at the beach or having lunch at your favorite sports bar.
April's York Meet had great weather, good food, great friends and Traindiesel pricing! All in all, it was a good week in the big leagues!
@Traindiesel posted:Things have finally settled down around most of the the house issues and I finally took time to photograph the items I purchased at the York Meet in April for The Penn American Railroad.
Locomotive Department
Santa Fe F3 ABBA (MTH Premier ABA 20-2485-1, B Unit 20-2485-3)
I’ve always liked the Santa Fe diesel Bluebonnet paint scheme but always seem to have other fish to fry and never got one. While perusing Vince’s Trains booth I saw it sitting on the table looking at me and The Voices agreed I should take it home. As a bonus they also had the matching B unit. SCORE!
This is a ProtoSound 2.0, 3 volt model. It will proudly be hauling freight on my eventual main lines.
Santa Fe 4-8-4 Northern #3751 Legacy Steam Locomotive (Lionel 6-11332)
This is another locomotive on my wish list that I have had my eye on, especially after moving to Southern California near it’s home rails, and Vince’s booth stuck again. I’ve passed on a couple versions of the #3751 for other items over the years, including the recent SF 2900 series 4-8-4’s, but the time and the price was right this time. And with Golden Gate Depot listing Santa Fe heavyweight coaches to be produced my Santa Fe steam passenger consist can come together. I can also use it to lead my excursion trains too, just like the real thing.
Along with Legacy control and Legacy Railsounds this beauty has Odyssey II speed control and whistle steam effect. It also comes with three different smoke stacks.
Reading Fairbanks Morse Train Master Diesel #861 (MTH Premier 20-21652-1)
This York trip seems to be unearthing several wish list items for me. And with the aid of The Voices I’ve been guided to the right places. Years ago I bought a set of K-Line Reading 18” aluminum passenger cars but didn’t have any power to pull them. Over the years I picked up a few worthy engines to haul them and the Train Master was the final engine I wanted for the set. Again I didn’t pull the trigger on any of the previous MTH and Lionel offerings of this brute. But my friend Pete at JusTrains had this recently released version in their booth that helped me finally right a wrong. The FM Train Master will look great hauling a commuter train to all the local towns even though the sound package is freight sounds.
This scale ProtoSounds 3.0 version has all the PS 3 and DCS goodies including being Proto-Scale 3-2 3-Rail/2-Rail Conversion Capable and DCC command control.
Intermodal Department
MTH Premier Flat Car “Erie” W/2 20’ Pup Trailers (Sherwin Williams) (Custom Run for Stockyard Express 20-95626)
More colorful Pup Trailers to ride the rails on my Pike. There are two flat car numbers but I only bought one of them. What was I thinking?! I didn’t see any left on Saturday.
MTH Premier Flat Car “Milwaukee Road” W/2 20’ Pup Trailers (The Florsheim Shoe Co.) (Custom Run for Berwyn’s Toys and Trains 20-95590)
No affiliation with Florsheim Shoes other than for nostalgia as my mother used to shop at a nearby Florsheim store when she would drag me shopping with her when I was a child.
Both of the above cars operates On O-42 Curves.
Rail Car Department
MTH Premier 50’ Waffle Box Car “Rock Island” (Custom Run for Berwyn’s Toys & Trains 20-93989)
With all the trains I have in my inventory I don’t have any Rock Island trains. I always liked The Rock logo, the blue paint scheme and, well, I like waffles! This well done MTH Premier scale waffle box car from Berwyn’s fills that void.
MTH Premier 40’ AAR Box Car “Elgin, Joliet & Eastern” (Custom Run for Berwyn’s Toys & Trains 20-99416)
This is another purchase fueled by nostalgia. In the very first N scale set I received one Christmas while in grade school it contained a box car that looked just like this. When I saw it at Berwyn’s booth the memories flooded back to my mind from that time, when I wondered what the heck EJ&E was!
(2) MTH Premier 50’ Ps-1 Box Cars w/Youngstown Door “Great Northern” (Custom Run for Berwyn’s Toys & Trains 20-99303 & 20-99304)
These looked so beautiful on display and I love the Great Northern Goat logo. The green paint shade is sharp so I had to get both car numbers! They also have a wood slat floor interior and they are the first MTH freight cars I own or have seen that includes 2 rail mounting spacers for 2 rail trucks purchased separately.
Lionel Jack Daniel’s Tank Car (Custom run by the TCA Metropolitan Division)
I believe this was made from the Lionel Unibody tank car (If Stu is watching maybe he can clarify). It will go nicely in a consist with my Jack Daniel’s TOFC cars I purchased previously or parked at the Jack Daniel’s Department 56 facility we have.
Cabin Car Department
K-Line “Spirit of ’76” Bay Window Caboose (K612-7600)
This patriotic commemorative caboose will be perfect for pulling up the markers behind my MTH scale Conrail Bicentennial GG1 during American patriotic holidays around The Penn American Railroad system to celebrate. The colorful scale caboose also has a smoke unit.
Electronics and Digital Control Department
DCS Handheld Remote Battery Compartment Thingy (Dave Hikel of Hikel Layouts & Trains)
I’m not sure of the official title of these parts but they secure the batteries in the DCS handheld’s battery compartment from shaking loose inside. It’s been a problem I hear with some of the remotes where the batteries shake loose and disconnect from the contacts possibly causing havoc with running trains. I personally haven’t had this problem but I figured why tempt fate? It fits securely on the batteries when installed when you close the cover. I noticed a few friends having these so I asked Dave for a couple. He didn’t have anymore at York but he mailed me a pair after he got home. Nice little insurance.
Real Estate & Buildings Department
Atlas O Suburban Passenger Station (Item #66901)I had my eye on the Suburban Station for a while, and at the April 2023 Meet I saw one for sale but didn't grab it and forgot to go back to get it before the end of the Meet. So at the October 2023 Meet I made it a priority to pick one up. I went back to the dealer that had it, but of course they didn't have one and couldn't locate one anywhere at the Meet. It wasn't even on my radar for this April 2024 Meet, but The Voices guided me back to the dealer where I saw it last year and sure enough, there it was!! The Voices never fail me!
This station will be perfect to anchor the commuter rail station I want to construct for the layout. It will sit in the center of a raised station platform on one side while the other side of the tracks will just be a raised platform with some small shelters and lighting on both sides. It’ll be used by passengers for Amtrak trains, Penn American Railroad long haul and commuter trains and occasional excursion trains. I might add the MTH brick station to the mix also.
Apparel Department
It was time to add to my t-shirt collection of favorite railroads. Great for train shows, outdoor picnics, wedding attire, walking the boardwalk at the beach or having lunch at your favorite sports bar.
April's York Meet had great weather, good food, great friends and Traindiesel pricing! All in all, it was a good week in the big leagues!
Did somebody say jack pot, Can't wait to see the Diesels bring in the Streamline passenger train, the Switcher moves the combine and baggage car to the opposite end and turns the observation around and put it where the baggage car was, and the Northern pull the whole works back on the road heading the other direction. maybe we can convince the management to pass around, some samples of Jack to help us enjoy the show
@ScoutingDad posted:Very surprised to win several items at the recent Cabin Fever auction.
I believe this Chicago South Shore Caboose was made by Weaver. This one showed up as a 2 rail version with full interior and lighting. The 3 rail version I've seen on the forum had no lighting and frosted windows.
Silly me thought I could easily swap Lionel caboose trucks onto this one. That is not going to work. May have to bite the bullet for a pair of Atlas or MTH caboose trucks or trade the 2 rail trucks and Kadees for a pair.
The 3R box says its designed to scale. It sure looks smaller than my other 3R cabeese. It is significantly shorter but is the correct width. Maybe just a different version. Grab bars are molded onto the car which is more of an indication of semiscale? What has me scratching my head are the 2R wheel sets - details seem a little at odds with the expectations for 2R and the interior lighting clearly made for 2R.
Still an nice caboose for my layout.
The coloration seems to be a bit off, but i think I like it better than the real thing
Morning guys, sure is a lot of nice things out there and seems like you guys are finding all of them that you might need at this minute!
Suer sounds like the Lawn-I-land guys are making a run for more stuff! I wish you all luck!
I found this at an estate sale for $40
I have no idea of worth and not even sure if it runs, just thought it looked cool. There were some more tinplate stuff, but the CEO said no! LOL
That's a nice looking piece you've got there Mike. A little cleaning and it will be a star attraction. I hope she runs, or is easily repairable at least.
@mike g. posted:...I found this at an estate sale for $40
That looks like a nice piece, and at a nice price, Mike. The body appears to be in good shape, just a little dusty.
John
@Guttersnipe posted:The coloration seems to be a bit off, but i think I like it better than the real thing
Here is a photo I took of a CSS&SB caboose in their freight yard this spring. Lighting can change color appearance - from my memory I think the model is pretty close to the original.
Of course another CSS 2R RPO showed up in the same box. I almost let this one go but the other bidder quit before I did. This one is a Weaver Gold Edition RPO #504. I'll have to keep this one 2R as its too nice to change trucks. The wheels sets might be a little different from other 2R wheels I've had as these take the Ross turnouts OK. Of course maybe I did a better track laying job this time around. The weathering job is quite good and subtle to my eye. Another happy purchase.
Found another Wheeling Lake Erie diesel. Now I've entered the world of legacy Bluetooth.....no turning back now. Guess I'll wait a few months after base 3 is released to see how it does in the wild.
Also took advantage of Trainz 10% sale and got this mth 5 car spine set, added an ETD and Bob's your uncle! 
@RailRide posted:I wonder about that AC44C4M designation.
The AC44C4Ms are 20 rebuilt BNSF Dash-9s similar to NS's AC44C6M rebuilt Dash-9s. These rebuilds are basically AC4400CWs with upgraded electrical systems and GEVO cabs. The BNSF version has only 4 AC traction motors (hence the C4 designation), so basically, the BNSF AC44C4Ms are AC4400CWs with ES44C4 trucks. It's a pity that the MTH model doesn't have the correct truck details like Lionel's recently announced BNSF ET44C4s (one of which I have on preorder).
Just got this little guy back from the MTH tech. I have a friend give me it at a show back in February said take it, it’s yours. So I met up with the Tech at York and asked him to work his magic, 2 months later it’s here upgraded to PS3, new traction tires and a bit of tweaking. Nice little locomotive. 
@Dylan the Train Man posted:The AC44C4Ms are 20 rebuilt BNSF Dash-9s similar to NS's AC44C6M rebuilt Dash-9s. These rebuilds are basically AC4400CWs with upgraded electrical systems and GEVO cabs. The BNSF version has only 4 AC traction motors (hence the C4 designation), so basically, the BNSF AC44C4Ms are AC4400CWs with ES44C4 trucks. It's a pity that the MTH model doesn't have the correct truck details like Lionel's recently announced BNSF ET44C4s (one of which I have on preorder).
Then the designation printed under the cab must be a mixup (but from where?), since the model was always referred to as an AC4400CW (also states so on the box)
---PCJ
Marklin Amtrak Phase I passenger consist to go with my Marklin AEM7. These are aluminum cars with plastic trim pieces.
@ScoutingDad posted:Here is a photo I took of a CSS&SB caboose in their freight yard this spring. Lighting can change color appearance - from my memory I think the model is pretty close to the original.
Of course another CSS 2R RPO showed up in the same box. I almost let this one go but the other bidder quit before I did. This one is a Weaver Gold Edition RPO #504. I'll have to keep this one 2R as its too nice to change trucks. The wheels sets might be a little different from other 2R wheels I've had as these take the Ross turnouts OK. Of course maybe I did a better track laying job this time around. The weathering job is quite good and subtle to my eye. Another happy purchase.
You are correct about light (and age) of Paint, however I was referring to the aluminum blueish tint of the roof. Still like the model colors better.. one of the reason i model, railroads especially is to put my ideals on the model instead of the (moles and warts.) Wd all live in real life, fantasy helps keep us sane
@poconotrain posted:Just got this little guy back from the MTH tech. I have a friend give me it at a show back in February said take it, it’s yours. So I met up with the Tech at York and asked him to work his magic, 2 months later it’s here upgraded to PS3, new traction tires and a bit of tweaking. Nice little locomotive.
I see great things and many years of service
@John's Trains posted:That looks like a nice piece, and at a nice price, Mike. The body appears to be in good shape, just a little dusty.
John
With that kind of luck would you tell me the winning numbers in the next lottery
@coach joe posted:That's a nice looking piece you've got there Mike. A little cleaning and it will be a star attraction. I hope she runs, or is easily repairable at least.
I second that emulsion
@Donnie Kennedy posted:Found another Wheeling Lake Erie diesel. Now I've entered the world of legacy Bluetooth.....no turning back now. Guess I'll wait a few months after base 3 is released to see how it does in the wild.
Also took advantage of Trainz 10% sale and got this mth 5 car spine set, added an ETD and Bob's your uncle!
Love the Speed Lettering
Many months ago, I won a dozen K-Line aluminum tankers from Cabin Fever, a haul I nicknamed "Tankerpalooza" for its entry in this thread. Those tankers had been sitting on the back of the couch in my living room ever since receiving the shipment on 11/22/22 (yeah, it's been that long ) because I didn't have any boxes that fit them. The BCW card boxes I employed for many box-less cars didn't fit those cars owing to their height, and I got wrapped up in a project to slice up surplus styrofoam coolers to approximate the foam end cradles of the original K-Line boxes (I had not gotten around to attempt the same with the outer cardboard window box) .
Well, since then I found that the smallest of the K-Line aluminum tankers do indeed fit the card boxes. Barely. The larger 50' tankers do not, however owing to their larger-diameter tanks making them too tall to fit. Fast forward to 5/22, when @coach joe pointed me to BCW's two-piece "vault box". As I was perusing the listings on BCW's Amazon store, I noticed another new addition to their lineup, called the "Quick Fold" box. This looked like an ideal solution -- uncover a quartet of adhesive triangles, pull the ends and the box assembles itself. it even has a lid with a magnetic fastener. There's just one caveat... at 3.25" wide and 4.19" tall, they'd fit the tankers...wheels down. While that would technically do the job, the idea of having to extract the cars in that orientation led me to tour the suggested alternatives which led me to a generic variant that permits the cars to sit sideways relative to the lid:
The card box as it comes from Amazon, with the listing superimposed if you want to look them up. The white triangles cover pressure-sensitive adhesive that gets pressed against the extended corners of the flat box when you pull up the box ends under which the instructions are tucked.
...Remove the triangles, pull the box ends and press the adhesive against the corners. That's all that's needed to assemble them. The magnetic catches snap shut when the cover is closed. Can you play Samsonite gorilla with these? No. But they'll keep the car inside under normal conditions, and if you want stronger magnets, you could always glue additional flat rare-earth magnets on the lid (the actual magnets are on the box, the lid just contains metal discs)
The toploader box on the left, a standard BCW on the right. I bought a bunch of the latter in 3 sizes to finally box up a large chunk of box-less auction wins. At least they'll be stackable now. The MTH 50' boxcar and coke hopper will need some other solution since the magnetic-lid boxes only appear to come in a 13-ish inch length.
These boxes internally measure 3.25" wide by 4.25" tall. Here's the K-Line 50' aluminum tanker. While the 13.2" length doesn't quite accommodate the couplers on these cars, they'll fit if you turn the trucks against their stirrups.
The RailKing woodside caboose? Fits, even with that firecracker antenna atop the cupola
Premier N6 caboose? Fits
RailKing or Premier extended-vision cabooses? Fits and Fits.
Now, you may notice the excess room on either end of these cars. That might (will) lead to a lot of unintentional back-and forth motion. These aren't boxes for shipping, these are boxes for neatly stacking rolling stock on a shelf boxes. That unintentional sliding/rolling about while moving them around though....
The card-box vendors have thought of this...at least for trading cards. A number of vendors offer pre-cut foam blocks intended to fill space in your card collections, and these work equally well at keeping your rolling stock put. Above is how they arrive from Amazon...at least from this unnamed vendor -- others might pack theirs differently. This one packs theirs in a vacuum bag. There are 40 foam blocks compressed inside this package
Slice open the bag, and they quickly expand to full size. I have yet to fill all these boxes with my winnings, I'm designing post-it labels with all relevant info (including photos manufacturer logos, catalog numbers and maybe even UPC numbers) to stick on the box ends.
Now, there is one rather sizable elephant in the room -- These aren't cheap. The BCW quick folds come in a three-pack for a little more ($24) than what these cost, but either way they're still spendy compared to the standard white cardboard boxes. I only acquired enough of these to house the large K-Line tankers, and maybe a few more for the MTH cabooses needing the headroom. It's still a pretty bit of change, which may or may not be worth it depending on their usefulness and your budget.
---PCJ
Great finds fellows, I am making a deal on this older GE-EVO by Lionel… and possibly other new to me trains to… Happy Fathers Day all 
Larry I am so confused, is that your car full of new goodies or did you buy the GE-EVO out of the back of a van, no questions asked?
@coach joe posted:Larry I am so confused, is that your car full of new goodies or did you buy the GE-EVO out of the back of a van, no questions asked?
Good question Joe, I wondered the same thing.
Gene
@Guttersnipe posted:Did somebody say jack pot, Can't wait to see the Diesels bring in the Streamline passenger train, the Switcher moves the combine and baggage car to the opposite end and turns the observation around and put it where the baggage car was, and the Northern pull the whole works back on the road heading the other direction. maybe we can convince the management to pass around, some samples of Jack to help us enjoy the show
I did hit the jackpot. Or did I pay out a jackpot?! Either way I'm happy as I had no plan of what to buy at the Meet. As usual the trains just find me and The Voices confirm.
As for the switching moves, I can't wait to do that either! Your description sounds fun to do. As for the JD, that is reserved for Saturday evening departures. Extra fare, you know.
Lionel 1960s 736 Berkshire. Bought it for $ 120.00 at an antique store. Nice runner except that it sticks going forward. Could this be an issue with a thrust washer? There's some play in the motor commutator.
@Coach Joe, I’ll be placing some New, old stock, trains and things on the OGR For Sale forum in the next few days as I’ve had another friend go to his eternal home. The man that did all of my scenery for the Lionel Lines Railroad passed away several months ago and I’ll be helping them find new homes for these trains. Everything is new in the box however some were tested when arriving. Before offering the locomotives for sale, they will be tested. Happy Railroading Everyone 
I brought my new Lionel PA Doodlebug to my club. It ran
smoothly, sounded great and smoked very well.
Larry, sorry for another loss in your group of train friends. You are a true friend to help the families with the disposition of their collections.
Grandson loves Strasburg and last year we made a few open air cars to go with the Woodside car set. Came across, on the bay, some 3D printed Strasburg buildings and picked the up. Not placed on the layout yet, I think they’re going to fit well.
@Traindiesel posted:I did hit the jackpot. Or did I pay out a jackpot?! Either way I'm happy as I had no plan of what to buy at the Meet. As usual the trains just find me and The Voices confirm.
As for the switching moves, I can't wait to do that either! Your description sounds fun to do. As for the JD, that is reserved for Saturday evening departures. Extra fare, you know.
Extra Fare, is needed for all new Projects so I'm in, but It's still an addiction.
@Jim M Sr posted:Grandson loves Strasburg and last year we made a few open air cars to go with the Woodside car set. Came across, on the bay, some 3D printed Strasburg buildings and picked the up. Not placed on the layout yet, I think they’re going to fit well.
Grandson' s are like that, Mine happen to like the one In Perris California
Arrived! Added two Entenmann’s cars to my growing train line. Got some great deals from eBay!!
Yes, I did buy something cool:
![Atlas_O_scale__twenty-fot_refrigerator_container[1]](https://ogrforum.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/30713143917557772/filePointer/184720406352539068/fodoid/184720406352539064/imageType/LARGE/inlineImage/true/Atlas_O_scale__twenty-fot_refrigerator_container%255B1%255D.jpg "Atlas_O_scale__twenty-fot_refrigerator_container[1]")
An Atlas O scale twenty-foot refrigerator container last Saturday when visiting White Rose Hobbies in York, PA. Very friendly and welcoming place.
![Atlas_O_scale__twenty-fot_refrigerator_container[1]](https://ogrforum.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/30713143917557772/filePointer/184720406352539068/fodoid/184720406352539064/imageType/LARGE/inlineImage/true/Atlas_O_scale__twenty-fot_refrigerator_container%5B1%5D.jpg "Atlas_O_scale__twenty-fot_refrigerator_container[1]")
@coach joe posted:I love these cares, I just can't find any at a price point I can handle.
Then cars . . . I can't see where you could turn them down, Really good catch coach
I got in a kit for a model of the short McKeen car to go with the long version l am redoing after losing and substituting some trim, the RPO trailer, and the completed and posted McKeen bus. Others to finish when l get time.
Should have long McKeen itch scratched then.
Not a fan of the McKean for myself but would love to see the finish product. the History lover in me likes that kind of stuff
@coach joe posted:I love these cares, I just can't find any at a price point I can handle.
Yeah, they are always expensive. I got lucky, the eBay seller dropped them $20 a car then was nice to combine shipping. Made them much lower than individual prices on eBay. I've been to many train shows and they are never ever there (for me anyway). Its always a hunt but a fun one.
I am excited for METCA to release the Entenmann's milk car and caboose later this year.
Purchased and received a couple of items yesterday, finally got the chance today to get them out of the box and on the rails.
I've been wanting another western roads switcher, particularly Santa Fe, so I got a pretty good price on this Lionel Legacy Blue Bonnet SW1200.
The other item I received is a MTH passenger set. I've been wanting Southern Pacific San Francisco to San Jose Peninsula commuter Bi-level Gallery passenger cars from the 50's and 60's. I searched the web, called O scale dealers here and there and nothing exists, at least that I can find. So, I began a search for any Bi-level Gallery passenger cars in O scale and couldn't find anything over the past year. Finally, I found an MTH Rail King Amtrak Bi-level gallery car set from 2002, brand new in the box. 22 years old, never removed from the box! These cars are based on the Pullman Standard Bi-level gallery cars, which is perfect for repurposing into Southern Pacific commuters.
Here's a link to a photo of a freshly painted SP Bi-level Gallery car. The photo in the link is public domain, but I'm just gonna supply the link to be on the safe side. This is the later version of the paint scheme, if you can call dark grey a "paint scheme". LoL Yes, I saw them with my own eyes as a youngster and they were just as ugly in person! But they are history, and part of my history.
https://free-images.com/displa...ilevel_suburban.html
Here's some picks I took of the new MTH Amtrak Bi-level gallery cars from 2002.
These cars will all be repainted SP grey like in the link above. The hard part will be the Southern Pacific logo and car numbers. I have a nearby airbrush artist, she's going to see what she can do.
Unfortunately this set includes a control car, SP didn't use control cars on the Peninsula commuter trains. I'll live with it.
Wish me luck on the repurpose! Oh yeah, these have incandescent lighting which I will upgrade to LED strip lights.
@WesternPacific2217 posted:Purchased and received a couple of items yesterday, finally got the chance today to get them out of the box and on the rails.
I've been wanting another western roads switcher, particularly Santa Fe, so I got a pretty good price on this Lionel Legacy Blue Bonnet SW1200.
The other item I received is a MTH passenger set. I've been wanting Southern Pacific San Francisco to San Jose Peninsula commuter Bi-level Gallery passenger cars from the 50's and 60's. I searched the web, called O scale dealers here and there and nothing exists, at least that I can find. So, I began a search for any Bi-level Gallery passenger cars in O scale and couldn't find anything over the past year. Finally, I found an MTH Rail King Amtrak Bi-level gallery car set from 2002, brand new in the box. 22 years old, never removed from the box! These cars are based on the Pullman Standard Bi-level gallery cars, which is perfect for repurposing into Southern Pacific commuters.
Here's a link to a photo of a freshly painted SP Bi-level Gallery car. The photo in the link is public domain, but I'm just gonna supply the link to be on the safe side. This is the later version of the paint scheme, if you can call dark grey a "paint scheme". LoL Yes, I saw them with my own eyes as a youngster and they were just as ugly in person! But they are history, and part of my history.
https://free-images.com/displa...ilevel_suburban.html
Here's some picks I took of the new MTH Amtrak Bi-level gallery cars from 2002.
These cars will all be repainted SP grey like in the link above. The hard part will be the Southern Pacific logo and car numbers. I have a nearby airbrush artist, she's going to see what she can do.
Unfortunately this set includes a control car, SP didn't use control cars on the Peninsula commuter trains. I'll live with it.
Wish me luck on the repurpose! Oh yeah, these have incandescent lighting which I will upgrade to LED strip lights.
Great find; good luck on the repaint.
@WesternPacific2217 posted:Purchased and received a couple of items yesterday, finally got the chance today to get them out of the box and on the rails.
I've been wanting another western roads switcher, particularly Santa Fe, so I got a pretty good price on this Lionel Legacy Blue Bonnet SW1200.
The other item I received is a MTH passenger set. I've been wanting Southern Pacific San Francisco to San Jose Peninsula commuter Bi-level Gallery passenger cars from the 50's and 60's. I searched the web, called O scale dealers here and there and nothing exists, at least that I can find. So, I began a search for any Bi-level Gallery passenger cars in O scale and couldn't find anything over the past year. Finally, I found an MTH Rail King Amtrak Bi-level gallery car set from 2002, brand new in the box. 22 years old, never removed from the box! These cars are based on the Pullman Standard Bi-level gallery cars, which is perfect for repurposing into Southern Pacific commuters.
Here's a link to a photo of a freshly painted SP Bi-level Gallery car. The photo in the link is public domain, but I'm just gonna supply the link to be on the safe side. This is the later version of the paint scheme, if you can call dark grey a "paint scheme". LoL Yes, I saw them with my own eyes as a youngster and they were just as ugly in person! But they are history, and part of my history.
https://free-images.com/displa...ilevel_suburban.html
Here's some picks I took of the new MTH Amtrak Bi-level gallery cars from 2002.
These cars will all be repainted SP grey like in the link above. The hard part will be the Southern Pacific logo and car numbers. I have a nearby airbrush artist, she's going to see what she can do.
Unfortunately this set includes a control car, SP didn't use control cars on the Peninsula commuter trains. I'll live with it.
Wish me luck on the repurpose! Oh yeah, these have incandescent lighting which I will upgrade to LED strip lights.
Don't know about the SP gray, but great catch anyway. I see yoman service for the switcher
@WesternPacific- Nice finds Scott. I like the switcher.
Those SP coaches are nothing to write home about but look on the bright side.....no stripes to mask off and paint. 
Bob
Last Sunday I grabbed this Weaver B&O Wagontop boxcar at my LHS. It’s a super nice car but once I got home I discovered I already owned this road #.
That afternoon I made a post on the For Sale/ Trade forum seeking a trade. I was only seeking early schemes so I didn’t have high hopes. Sure enough I got a response same day. Talk about luck!
Here’s that new car. Thanks @dkdkrd!
Got my 746 loco and tender finally. Very low run time. It appears to have been a long time shelf queen.
All the usual shelf queen problems. Oiling, tender pickup wire replacemenent, getting things unstuck. Runs well now, whistles and smokes. Smoke unit appears unused, none of the usual smoke residue build up. Glad the smoke unit works since it is unique to this engine. 746 running and running with a whistle.
Yep! Got in a short Harpin McKeen car, and, another short McKeen RPO car, these in easy to finish resin vs. the much sanding plastic printed earlier versuon. He also provided photos of 48' McKeen passenger trailers that l had never seen before. These leave me wondering if there were McKeen combine baggage/pass., or other 48' configurations? Need to finish these to have a fleet of McKeens to handle short, low volume runs.
Colorado highrailer, I love the look and history of the McKeen cars. I hope you’ll post pictures of your progress if you haven’t already.
HO MONON RS2 diesel locomotive. With DCC & sound.
I’ve been playing around with the idea of engines that are different from what I have. I just purchased this. I made an offer of $40 less than asked. I then realized that there might be a more modern example and there was. I’m wondering if I made a mistake. I’ve since seen LC examples brand new for $10 less than what I paid of which would also include some shipping. Anyhoo I now own this supposedly LN in original box. LIONEL TRAINS 18353 - E-33 PENNSYLVANIA RECTIFIER W/TMCC & RS- 0/027- LN BXD- H1. Any thoughts. Will this 20 year old one of first run TMCC be as good as the new modern LC engine? Will it be better made, more pretty or not, less ……..?
@obxtrainman posted:I’ve been playing around with the idea of engines that are different from what I have. I just purchased this. I made an offer of $40 less than asked. I then realized that there might be a more modern example and there was. I’m wondering if I made a mistake. I’ve since seen LC examples brand new for $10 less than what I paid of which would also include some shipping. Anyhoo I now own this supposedly LN in original box. LIONEL TRAINS 18353 - E-33 PENNSYLVANIA RECTIFIER W/TMCC & RS- 0/027- LN BXD- H1. Any thoughts. Will this 20 year old one of first run TMCC be as good as the new modern LC engine? Will it be better made, more pretty or not, less ……..?
If it’s like the similar Virginian one made around the same time, it’s a solid engine. Sounds are decent and it runs well. The LC+ one gives you the addition of a can motor and speed control. No Bluetooth on it though. I also forget if the early ones are TMCC compatible.
@obxtrainman posted:I’ve been playing around with the idea of engines that are different from what I have. I just purchased this. I made an offer of $40 less than asked. I then realized that there might be a more modern example and there was. I’m wondering if I made a mistake. I’ve since seen LC examples brand new for $10 less than what I paid of which would also include some shipping. Anyhoo I now own this supposedly LN in original box. LIONEL TRAINS 18353 - E-33 PENNSYLVANIA RECTIFIER W/TMCC & RS- 0/027- LN BXD- H1. Any thoughts. Will this 20 year old one of first run TMCC be as good as the new modern LC engine? Will it be better made, more pretty or not, less ……..?
All depends on what you like and how hard it is to find. Those engines are supposedly averaging $250 sales price. If yours is the recently sold one on the bay, you paid a reasonable price with shipping in the current market. I have bought plenty of engines I decided later I did not want and eventually sold off. If this is just a case of buyers remorse, because you could have gotten a better deal somewhere else, just enjoy the engine but move on and chalk it up as a learning experience.
In this hobby, It's YOUR Railroad. you are the boss, you run what you want and if you don't care for it afterword, you can sell it. and buy something else. Personally I'm rolling stock poor and yet I will probably never sell a thing.
@RSJB18 posted:Picked up a Atlas RS1 in NYC Lightning Stripe from @chris a. He upgraded to a period specific steamer so this became excess in his fleet. Just what I need....another switcher. 🤣
My second Atlas with TMCC and railsounds.
Bob
You heard the song nice work if you can get it, Well in our case it's called restraint, and if you can get it won't you tell me how.
Nice score Bob. I really like those Atlas RS1s. I should probably start looking for one.
@obxtrainman- I have a bunch of earlier TMCC engines and they are all solid runners. They don't have all the features of Legacy but are still great. No issues like older MTH PS2 5 volt boards to deal with either.
@Guttersnipe- What is this word "restraint" you speak of....... Honestly I wasn't actively looking but when Chris posted it I jumped.
@coach joe- This is my second Atlas. The detailing is great (notice the chains on the trucks?) where else are you gonna find that? Too bad ALCO dropped the roof overhangs on the cab on the RS3's and after. It gives the body a very distinctive look.
Bob
yeah that is some kind of alien language, word. I avoided a swap meet just this last week because I knew that there would be something there that I didn't know I desperately needed
You know Bob at the rate you're going all you're going to have room for is switchers! Lol
@RSJB18 posted:@Guttersnipe- What is this word "restraint" you speak of.......
Bob
Restraint (noun): a device that hinders something's motion (often used during an intervention). You asked
@RSJB18, Bob, congratulations on acquiring the beautiful Lightning Stripe Atlas-O switcher diesel. I’m a fan of Atlas O products and have several of their diesels. I wonder when you’re going to stretch to the 031/036 curves to enable you to run the larger locomotives…. (No rush) I’ve had another friend to pass on and I’m buying his Lionel GE EVO Diesel and will display it here soon. Happy Railroading Everyone 
@Apples55 posted:Restraint (noun): a device that hinders something's motion (often used during an intervention). You asked
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I need one for my credit card......
@leapinlarry posted:@RSJB18, Bob, congratulations on acquiring the beautiful Lightning Stripe Atlas-O switcher diesel. I’m a fan of Atlas O products and have several of their diesels. I wonder when you’re going to stretch to the 031/036 curves to enable you to run the larger locomotives…. (No rush) I’ve had another friend to pass on and I’m buying his Lionel GE EVO Diesel and will display it here soon. Happy Railroading Everyone
I have the Lionel crossing gates. Not too complicated to up hook with isolated track. I love mine.
obx
@ScoutingDad posted:All depends on what you like and how hard it is to find. Those engines are supposedly averaging $250 sales price. If yours is the recently sold one on the bay, you paid a reasonable price with shipping in the current market. I have bought plenty of engines I decided later I did not want and eventually sold off. If this is just a case of buyers remorse, because you could have gotten a better deal somewhere else, just enjoy the engine but move on and chalk it up as a learning experience.
Not really buyers remorse on this one. Just curious as to the over all build of it. I believe this was released 2001. I’m just curious whether or not the newer LC is better built or the overall all appearance is better, worse, or comparable. No matter how I end up feeling about it at $296 with taxes delivered, it wasn’t a bad decision. I would love to see the LC example up close and compare the operation of both. Thanx for you’re input.
obx
Ok, i had been buying semiscale engines when i got back into the game, but quickly realized the lack of detail compared with the scale engines mattered to me. So thats all i have now. I understand some of the older mth premier engines are remade as railking. For the most part the newer engines seem to be better detailed than the previous versions, regardless of type.
@Apples55 posted:Restraint (noun): a device that hinders something's motion (often used during an intervention). You asked
When you aren't looking, actively or not, and you see something you didn't know you absolutely had to have, is when Restraint goes out the window
@mike g. posted:You know Bob at the rate you're going all you're going to have room for is switchers! Lol
Then is when you buy a one-to-one sixty-foot boxcar, pull the door off, and then adjoin to your house
I'm a toy train guy--not a modeler. I recently set up some folding tables again, and this time my scenery is going to be Lego sets. Harry Potter is the first theme. And after three tries over many years, I finally got a Hogsworth Express train that works: no derailing like days of old. For a LionChief set it's nice--and the recorded custom announcements are a lot of fun!
@ScoutingDad posted:Ok, i had been buying semiscale engines when i got back into the game, but quickly realized the lack of detail compared with the scale engines mattered to me. So thats all i have now. I understand some of the older mth premier engines are remade as railking. For the most part the newer engines seem to be better detailed than the previous versions, regardless of type.
I’m limited because of curve radius. I’d love to have a Legagcy engine or a few. Small layout with not a great radius on the curves. My two best looking engines are the K line 5343 and my 2002? Lionel T1 duplex. Those are the two longest engines I had to use for building the small layout. With some help from you guys maybe I can find a Legacy engine or two or five that can traverse my layout.
Obx
@WesternPacific2217 posted:….. I've been wanting Southern Pacific San Francisco to San Jose Peninsula commuter Bi-level Gallery passenger cars from the 50's and 60's. I searched the web, called O scale dealers here and there and nothing exists, at least that I can find.
Forum sponsor Public Delivery Track is doing a custom run of these cars. Three two car sets, six different car numbers.
SP Gallery Commuter Cars
@pdxtrains posted:I'm a toy train guy--not a modeler. I recently set up some folding tables again, and this time my scenery is going to be Lego sets. Harry Potter is the first theme. And after three tries over many years, I finally got a Hogsworth Express train that works: no derailing like days of old. For a LionChief set it's nice--and the recorded custom announcements are a lot of fun!
Trains is trains, It's what you want to get out of them that counts, If you nis happy then to heck with everyone else.
Speaking of Atlas RS, I found this conventional RS-D 4/5 on the bay for a great price. I did have to series wire the motor. Then, I rewired it so it would start in forward with cab first. I prefer it that way, and I believe Santa Fe did too. Nice switcher for the money!
I had been in the market for a Penn T1 Duplex and was watching auctions, and other sell sites, with both Lionel and MTH zeroed in. Had a good deal on one in FLA on the Lionel eTrak site, but it was sold before I could make claim. I got an epay email saying a seller had dropped the price on one I was watching, so I checked it, and it was acceptable, it was also the same one in my Trainz wish list, at a bit lower price. Trainz sells in both places, but the better deals are always on their website. My finger is hovering over the 'buy' key on my Trainz wish list, and in mid push, the ad updates, 'No longer in stock'. But, I had another one in my wish list that was about $40 higher which I was holding out on as the price was coming down. This time I did not hesitate since when these locos get within a certain price range, they go quickly, as I learned on missing the last 3 that have sold. So, my Premier MTH T1 is on the way with free shipping, happy with Proto 1 as I am a ZW guy, and this one was labeled as 'functional', where as the other was labelled 'as is'. I have bought several 'as is' locos from Trainz, and every one worked perfectly, but always good to know they confirmed that.
My Lionel E-33 Rectifier arrived today. Kudos on the fast shipping. I’m more than pleased with my investment. It couldn’t have very much track time on it. It looks brand new with the lightest of wear on rollers and traction tires. It’s loud on my test track. I need to oil, and grease it before taking it to the train room. As per my goal, it definitely doesn’t look like any of my other engines
obx
Well… seems like I done gone and did it again
First up are a pair of milk cars from Forum Sponsor JR Junction. I have been trying to “restrain” some of my purchases to lines that had a presence in my corner of Pennsylvania (with, admittedly, little success!!!). When someone posted pics of one of these, I realized that I didn’t have any O&W cars on my roster. The O&W had a branch line which ran from Cadosia, NY down through northern Wayne County to Scranton in Lackawanna County (not sure if they carried milk on that branch, but they do on my pike).
Then, I made the mistake of checking out Gryzboski’s website (one of my all too regular failings) and noticed that he had a bunch of Altas cars, and I just had to look (Mea Culpa) - looks like they plan on carrying Atlas going forward. Amidst the current offerings were a couple of local roads… D&H and Bethlehem Steel.
And while I was there, Joe mentioned that an engine I had ordered (and COMPLETELY forgot about) had come in - a Lionel legacy S2 in SIRT (Staten Island Rapid Transit) livery. While not local to me currently, having grown up in NYC, I had to add an MTA engine to the roster. Soooooo…
Finally, I received notice that two beer reefers for the good folks at the NJ HiRailers were arriving. Another wonderful job by the club!!!
As with all of the clubs prior offerings, they have some amazing graphics and NYC/Brooklyn connection.
So, taken in total, I have just added another complete train to my layout!!!
Well worth the investment Paul. Very nice acquisitions, my compliments to your Director of Purchasing.
YES! I did. Why is getting a deal on an older engine better than a pre-order new engine? I guess for me its the value. The idea that I got this nearly new JLC C&O H7 2-8-8-2 for 1k less than my WM #1309 2-6-6-2 made unboxing and first run even more exciting.
@VHubbard posted:6014 Wix boxcar checked off my Lionel Postwar bucket list. Finding them within my budget is what takes so long.
Some color discoloration from handling and display.
I used mild dish soap and an old toothbrush to clean an extremely dirty one. It’s still a little off white but looks great. No worries about the lettering.
This K-Line Plymouth switcher was listed on the bay as a Strasburg RR; K-LINE K2630-20 Strasburg RR PLYMOUTH Diesel SWITCHER #1 O-Scale. I knew it wasn’t because the Strasburg is black & red. I thought it was a good deal for repurposing. A plus was the O gauge couplers. I have been looking to replace one scale coupler on another engine and separate listings for couplers are off the wall. The seller’s only description was “runs great”. That was only partially true. When I ran it; it stopped immediately on a switch. I found that one roller was not extended at all. It looked brand new. I managed to coax it out enough to touch the rail; but it needs more attention. I already queried S&W about a spring. Maybe when I take it apart I can resolve the compressed spring. A surprise was, there was another set of Ogauge couplers in the box.
Congratulations @VHubbard - you have indeed found one of the "Holy Grail's" of the 0-27 boxcar collecting hobby. I have looked for years and also been unsuccessful. GREAT FIND!
Don
I didn’t buy these my Daughter brought them down when visiting over the W/E. She and my Son-in-Law own A1 Scranton Gold &Silver Buyers. He has alway been very generous when he finds items like this. My daughter said that she forgot one. I have never been a fan of the Lionel Mint Car; however I’m thinking that it would a great way to display these, two in each window. They are each a Troy oz. Of pure silver 
A custom painted Lackawanna F3 A-B diesel for $ 70.00; a very good price for good work. Handrails are wire. This was a dummy but I had a horizontal motor F3 mechanism that fit the body (repainted 2333). Draws 3.5 amps at 17 volts.
I picked up this NOS Lionel TM GG1 with operating pantographs .. Number 4916. It’s the first scale GG1 made by Lionel that I own. Thanks to @leapinlarry.
@PennsyMan, Wow, that’s a beautiful GG1, pulling a beautiful train on a really nice layout. The videos are so cool. The bridge scene looks so real. Happy Railroading Everyone
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
