Buy anything cool lately?

Well, my modeling skills aren’t what they used to be. But thank you, Lee. Very much appreciated.

@RailRide posted:

My latest Menards order:

That's a name you don't see in the Northeast very often. FedEx from Eau Claire, WI to NYC in 4 days. Menards' own tracking page only shows what's going on under their roof. Once it's shipped you go to Fedex's site for detailed progress. Or at least you would if you knew they were the ones handling your package. The Fedex tracking number is indeed displayed on the Menards tracking page, but it's unlabeled so if it's been awhile since your last order (or if it's your first), chances are you wouldn't know it was there.

The contents of the box:

The second green Menards 'billboard' boxcar (279-5345) was an error on my part--when I moved nine items from my wishlist to the cart, they didn't all add in on the first try. After my second attempt, I didn't notice one item in my cart had increased to 2 units. Oh well, it was still cheap..

---PCJ

Wow. Nice photos of all the boxes there, PJC. If you ever get around to taking out the contents, please post photos of what was inside. I’m sure many of us would like to see. 😉 😄

I think it was a "sneaky-way" to get more of their "advertising" on your layout.  LOL  Seems to me they should just throw in one of their Boxcars for Free if you purchase 8 other cars.  You know kinda like "take all the paint stir sticks you want".  When I bought my paint there, when I lived in the Midwest, they always said that.  They had the biggest Menards logo on them that would fit!

Oh forgot to mention.  Ironically 35 years ago when they opened their store in the city I lived in, they were not on a rail spur.  Got all deliveries by Truck.  At that time the 2 existing Local Lumber Yards in town, where still getting there wood delivered on Centerbeams.

@Yellowstone Special posted:

Since Lionel has never bothered to furnish its CA-4 cabooses with marker lights, I installed my own, even if not lit and just ornamental. So I used one of those plastic packing spacers from the inside of a Lionel passenger car box, cut out a couple of small rectangles with the Dremel, then sanded, painted, and installed a couple of small rhinestone jewels. The jewels were purchased off eBay, 5,400 in various sizes and colors, for under $10.00, shipped. Then simply glued them on to both ends of the cupola, where the UP placed them on their CA-4s.

Kind of crude and I could have done a more precise job with the cutting and sanding. I used Badger Model Flex UP Armor Yellow for the finish. The plastic was a little too thick, not a precision job, and a little over sized. But oh well.

Vern, looks great, awesome project! Sometimes is the little things that make all the difference!

Thank you, Scott.

@Yellowstone Special posted:

Wow. Nice photos of all the boxes there, PJC. If you ever get around to taking out the contents, please post photos of what was inside. I’m sure many of us would like to see. 😉 😄

I figured I'd get a reply like this.

Once I make room to unbox everything, I'll add photos.

---PCJ

@RailRide posted:

I figured I'd get a reply like this.

Once I make room to unbox everything, I'll add photos.

---PCJ

Very well, carry on. 😂

Now, as to what was in the boxes:

Ore cars. These match the width of the Lionel versions, in case anyone missed the discussion when these were first introduced.

Now, I didn't mean to order two of these. As mentioned above when I moved a bunch of cars from my wishlist to my cart, not all of them moved. So I went back to the wishlist and moved the missing ones. I overlooked selecting the green Menards boxcar a second time and did not notice that the quantity changed to 2 until after I had finalized my order. Oh well, they were cheap.

As for performance # 14366 only needed two axle ends to be popped back into their sideframe divots, after which the car rolls freely. #14271 will however need a date with a wheel puller. Note that the converted 1970's-era 2-rail Atlas switches I use on my test track have had their guard rails removed, and having no other switches on the loop, I don't know if the back-to-back spacing is ok on any of my older Menards boxcars, of which these two are part of.

The reason I ordered such a fanciful car is I have a "theme train" that I call the "O-Gauge Industry Special", comprised entirely of rolling stock that features O-Gauge industry players as a roadname. So, I have a number of freight cars with Lionel, MTH, K-Line, Williams (that one was a challenge to find), Weaver, AtlasO, and now Menards as a roadname. Being part of the O-gauge industry, Ross, OGR and CTT also make appearances .

CSX gondola and boxcar. Being of two different production runs on different years, the shade of blue is different. I'm hardly surprised

CP Rail and Soo Line gondolas. I did find prototype photos of both these paint schemes before buying. The SOO Line gon looks white in the website photos, but it's actually silver.

Southern gondola. I didn't look for a prototype photo for this one. I got it because it's a dead ringer for Bachmann's Southern gondola that appears in so many of their HO and N-scale starter sets. But it has an issue...

See that wheelset hovering above the railhead? I at first thought the truck mount was bent, but looking at this close-up, I see that the axle is just dislodged from its sideframe divot. I didn't look for this at first since the other gondolas were not so hot in the free-rolling department (the autoracks are the complete opposite despite having identical trucks). This irregularity is usually found in the diecast friction-bearing style trucks usually found on the boxcars. After I popped the axle end back in (which took a surprising amount of force, leading me to believe it came out of the factory that way), the car behaves normally on my trackwork.

Something that was asked a number of times when these were first introduced, but I never saw really answered was whether Menards' gondolas were scale width, since they seemed wider than your standard traditional-size gondola. Well, they definitely are wider than usual. Are they of scale width? If you consider a 2.5" width (10 scale feet) to be "scale" then these will probably pass the 3-foot rule, being only 1/16" short of the mark.

By the way, the coupler springs on the gondolas are really strong. You won't be 'kiss' coupling with these. Something must have changed tolerance-wise since these were made, since the performance of the couplers on my two autoracks is more or less spot-on.

And finally, the autoracks. These are very free-rolling, and a tad wobbly. I think a cardstock shim in between the truck bolster and carbody will tame this behavior, but I haven't tried it yet. I wonder if these cars are a test-run before making them in additional roadnames in a subsequent production run. In any case I'll be looking into getting decals to place in the blank panels, and if I'm able to do that, I'd certainly be open to order as many more as suitable roadnames will permit. This despite owning in excess of 50 of the MTH ones

_{(Nav links redacted...Forum rule disallows crosslinking one's posts within a thread)}

---PCJ

This should come as no shock to anyone here familiar with my model work and interests, but I just got this in the mail off of ePay, a 1941 tech manual for CONUS rail movements for Army unit:

It's written for the average solider for getting troops and equipment around via the rail network.

Picked this one up off the "Bay" from Norm's O scale. Have to fix the stack, but I got it at a good price, especially for one with scale wheels.

Also picked up a cow/calf switcher pair (not my layout).

I received the Boston and Maine RS-3 that I ordered from Trainz. Got the $10 promo discount too!

Engine is a MTH Railking w/ PS2. Needs a fresh BCR and lube and cleaning and it should be ready to roll.

Bob

Bob

It’s a purty one.

@RSJB18 posted:

I received the Boston and Maine RS-3 that I ordered from Trainz. Got the $10 promo discount too!

Engine is a MTH Railking w/ PS2. Needs a fresh BCR and lube and cleaning and it should be ready to roll.

Bob

Bob

It sure is going to look good on your Layout Bob!

Finally got myself an MTH UP Weed Sprayer set from 2000. Super happy with it.

-Eric Siegel

@ericstrains.com posted:

Finally got myself an MTH UP Weed Sprayer set from 2000. Super happy with it.

-Eric Siegel

Now that looks very cool! I hope you do a video on it!

Wow, I never heard of a Weed Sprayer, but I guess the real RR's need them, thanks for sharing.  For my part, I sometimes have to remove lichen from the tracks...does that count?  Eric, very cool stuff!

@Chuck242 posted:

Wow, I never heard of a Weed Sprayer, but I guess the real RR's need them, thanks for sharing.  For my part, I sometimes have to remove lichen from the tracks...does that count?  Eric, very cool stuff!

Not only weed sprayers, but railroads also have fire cars - to wet the down the grass alongside the tracks. IIRC they travel about 15 to 30 minutes behind the trains in dry areas.

BNSF Tank Car (non-Portable Water for Fire Train) (30-73493):

BNSF Fire Car (30-79529) - I've actually seen this one here in Spokane; on the other side it has "Spokane" on it:

BNSF Extended Vision Caboose (Command Car for Fire Train) (20-91583):

Patrick, thanks for the report.  You picked up a lot of nice rolling stock from Menard's.

Lee, I see Zone of the Interior on your manual.  What is the zone of the interior and would that mean there are other zones also?

Matt and Bob nice additions guys.

Eric I always thought the weed spray train was cool and I use to look for them on the Bay.  I was never able to land one and over time  had forgotten about it.  Nice pick up 22 years later.

Paul I had seen some of the MT fire cars before but never realized they also made water supply cars and command centers to assemble a whole fire train.

This has been a 'learning day' for me, and I just left a few comments in another thread saying something similar about Steam Engines.  Now, a weed sprayer and I 'fire train...complete with a caboose command car.  The wealth of information on OGR is endless.  I have enjoyed trains for 7 decades, but never so much as after hitching up with OGR.  Thanks everybody.

Eric just saw another post about the weed sprayer where it seems the board gave out.  Just a heads up.

@pennsyfan posted:

It’s a purty one.

@mike g. posted:

It sure is going to look good on your Layout Bob!

Thanks gents. I like the colors that the B&M used.

@Chuck242 posted:

This has been a 'learning day' for me, and I just left a few comments in another thread saying something similar about Steam Engines.  Now, a weed sprayer and I 'fire train...complete with a caboose command car.  The wealth of information on OGR is endless.  I have enjoyed trains for 7 decades, but never so much as after hitching up with OGR.  Thanks everybody.

Google UP weed train. They have a beauty.

Just for fun also search Loram Rail Grinder. Lots of fireworks. 👍

@coach joe posted:

Paul I had seen some of the MT fire cars before but never realized they also made water supply cars and command centers to assemble a whole fire train.

Now to find a "fire" loco

ROFL.

I have heard of non-potable water but not non-portable water.

Non-potable-water

@GregM posted:

ROFL.

I have heard of non-potable water but not non-portable water.

Non-potable-water

Same here. Wonder how they transport non-portable water in tank cars

@paulp575 posted:

Shouldn't that be "NON-POTABLE WATER"? Because in all reality a tank car full of water is by definition PORTABLE !

As to the subject of the post my latest acquisition is 9 unopened boxes of Life-Likes original mountain paper. It's always feast or famine with this stuff, don't see it for a long time and then BAM! someone has a pile for sale on EBAY. So I grab it when I see it and hang on to it for my eventual rebuild.

Jerry

@baltimoretrainworks posted:

Shouldn't that be "NON-POTABLE WATER"? Because in all reality a tank car full of water is by definition PORTABLE !

Jerry

Oh yes, it should be potable water.

Just like the TCA Philadelphia Convention Bi-Centennial Box Car (6-9779):

I went to an adult beverage store yesterday to get some of America’s oldest brew. While I was there I asked if they had any wooden boxes. They look much better than cardboard ones under the layout. The fellow brought one out and noticed the inserts. He said let me get them out of there. I didn’t want to trouble him any further. I said I’ll take care of it. When I got home I saw that I had a scenery item. Now if I had some room to put a creek in.

@pennsyfan posted:

I went to an adult beverage store yesterday to get some of America’s oldest brew. While I was there I asked if they had any wooden boxes. They look much better than cardboard ones under the layout. The fellow brought one out and noticed the inserts. He said let me get them out of there. I didn’t want to trouble him any further. I said I’ll take care of it. When I got home I saw that I had a scenery item. Now if I had some room to put a creek in.

Well Bob, looks like a little redesign is in order! Or you could paint them and make them tunnels for autos.

Just got this in the mail off eBay. I have a couple already but couldn't resist as it wasn't much...

It's impossible to date this to a specific year but it has to be from before the massive hurricane-induced floods of 1940 which permanently cut the railroad in half and ended the run at Cranberry, NC until the end of narrow-gauge operations at the end of 1950.

Had WW2 not happened, I think the line would have gone under in the mid 1940s at the latest.

Lee,

Your ticket looks to be in great shape.  Congratulations on the newest ETWNC addition.

I see that there was a special passenger class listed for clergy.  Plus a place to enter a clergy permit number.  I’ve never seen nor heard of that before.

It’s interesting to see.
Tomlinson Run Railroad

@TomlinsonRunRR posted:

I see that there was a special passenger class listed for clergy.  Plus a place to enter a clergy permit number.  I’ve never seen nor heard of that before.

It’s interesting to see.

The ET&WNC ran DEEP into the "Bible belt", so it's no surprise to me.

There are a bunch of churches in that area still, and my folks tell me they controlled every aspect of daily life to the 50s at least. It's one of the big reasons they were never church goers after they moved to Florida in the early 60s.

@p51 posted:

The ET&WNC ran DEEP into the "Bible belt", so it's no surprise to me.

There are a bunch of churches in that area still, and my folks tell me they controlled every aspect of daily life to the 50s at least. It's one of the big reasons they were never church goers after they moved to Florida in the early 60s.

Thanks for the background, Lee.  A casual web search turned up other train tickets showing a clergy permit and discount. One was for the Southern RR; another example could be applied across multiple central and western RRs.  One was from the late 1800s, another was from the 1950s.

TRRR

@PaperTRW remembered my WTB listing for a scarce LIONEL two car add-on set (NP NCL 6-39179) while he visited a Detroit area hobby shop and emailed me that the item was on display at the shop.  He then sent photos and contact info which allowed me to buy this exceptional set (so new the white wire ties were still on the trucks) w/ OBs, set box, and shipping carton.  And the shipped price was exceptionally reasonable.

It made its way to the club layout Saturday morning.

Thank you @PaperTRW.

Was scrolling through another Cabin Fever auction and a single lot caught my eye. Put in a bid, had no competition, and scored this lot of six Weaver boxcars:

The first two, Southern Pacific and Cotton Belt. These look to be a custom run, but for whom I have no info. The Espee box has a label declaring "SP-PIG #45224". The Cotton Belt car has no label. I suspect the same entity commissioned both.

However these were not the reason for my bidding on the lot. Below, see what really interested me--undecorated 50' boxcars:

Now, why would I be interested in these? I want to replicate the fictional car shown below, from the vehicle physics simulator BeamNG: Drive. It's not a 100% match (the car in the screenshot below has a door like Weaver's 50' plug-door boxcars), so either I'll live with it, or maybe said doors are available somewhere (or they can be 3D-printed). In any case these are much closer than the gaggle of unpainted RailKing 50-footers I acquired in one of the MTH warehouse auctions earlier this year, as those were unpainted black plastic.

Trivia: BNGX is a real reporting mark, but I've only seen it on hopper cars.

_{(Nav links redacted...Forum rule disallows crosslinking one's posts within a thread)}

---PCJ

Just got this in the mail, can't wait to read it. It's a 144-page softbound book about a well-known British "OO" scale layout. The book is written on the perspective that it's a real railroad, so I got it for inspiration for a book I'm planning just like that about my own layout.

Thumbing through this book, I see why it was written, it's a darned good-looking layout!

Ordered and received this Menards Hershey tank car last week. About two or three months ago Menards put out a low inventory for this car so I knew I had to grab it before it was gone. Very nice tank car IMO. It now looks like it’s no longer available at Menards.

Lionel 1615 Switcher & 1615T Tender Circa 1955-1957

First Menards building! Seen it in the O gauge Rail-Roading magazine. And had to have it. I think it looks great! You get a lot of bang for the buck. Great details, with the boarded and busted windows! The overall neglected look is fantastic! Almost abandoned but yet there is some activity going on. I can vividly remember seeing scenes like this as a little kid rail fanning with the old man. It goes perfect with a 80’s, 90’s, 00’s layout/scene.

@Jesse ferguson posted:

First Menards building! Seen it in the O gauge Rail-Roading magazine. And had to have it. I think it looks great! You get a lot of bang for the buck. Great details, with the boarded and busted windows! The overall neglected look is fantastic! Almost abandoned but yet there is some activity going on. I can vividly remember seeing scenes like this as a little kid rail fanning with the old man. It goes perfect with a 80’s, 90’s, 00’s layout/scene.

That's an interesting re-imagined version of the ubiquitous Atlas switch tower.