Casey Jones High Railers runnng trains.

Thanks for the photos Richard. You may be as disappointed with your new Cab Forward as you think. Lionel did a superb job with this engine.

Passenger Train Collector,

I am very pleased with my Lionel cab forward. The level of detail is outstanding and it is one great runner.

The brass  model of the cab forward was quite a work of art. Folks from all over the country send their brass engines to Phil for repair, or just to make them work "out of the box." There seems to be two kinds of people who by brass engines- those who collect them for display and those who run them. Apparently  if you want a bass engine to run you need to have them re motored and re geared.

Richard

PLEASE READ THIS IN ITS ENTIRETY BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS AND COMMENTS!!!!

is the assault on 2 rail never going to end???? there are some locomotives in 2 rail that need to have adjustments made. the custom brass bipolar was a prime example, where it needed to be re-geared and re-motored. most US Hobbies, Max Gray, Westside and others may need adjustments at most but I have dozens of the above locos that other than lubing them up run perfectly. Many 2 railers have the locos redone by Stu Kleinschmidt and Rod Miller, Jerry White etc mostly to say that it was done by them. Not to say that those don't run perfectly would be an understatement,and i own several of those myself. but i have some brass locos that are over 40 years old that have there original motor and they still run perfectly. i am sure that there are many 3 rail locos that with their electronics packages that are now relegated to shelf queens.

why is it that so many 3 railers have to take pot shots at 2 railers. we are all in o scale and the more we band together the more products become available in our scale.  just like the 2 railers that take pot shots at 3 railers need to remember that this is a hobby not life or death let people enjoy their hobby and leave negativity out of it.

Richard G how many 2 rail locos do you own that you have experience with?

69nickeycamaro,

I did not intend to start a debate over 3 rail verses 2 rail. I have made `no disparaging comments about 2 rail or brass engines.

Let me clear a few things up.

1. I believe all of the members of the Casey Jones High Railers were fortunate enough to see Lewis Ertz's West Tennessee Central Railroad here in Memphis before it was torn down. All of us were  taken back by the level of detail and craftsmanship we observed on the WTC. My only regret was not having the opportunity to see Mr Ertz's massive collection of brass engines and rolling stock. All  most all of the collection had been sold long before we saw the layout for the first time.

2   Had I seen the WTC 20 years ago I really believe that I would have gone the 2 rail route. As it is now I am too old and my investment in 3 rail O is far too large for me to go over to 2 rail.

3. I had the opportunity to attend the Chicago O scale show a couple of weeks ago. I was amazed by the quality  and beauty of the brass engines and rolling stock I was privileged to see. I even picked up some brass freight cars to convert to 3 rail because those types of cars are simply not available in 3 rail.

4 Finally I do in fact own one 2 rail brass engine and several 2 rail freight cars, some of which are brass.

I purchased this engine and the 2 rail rolling stock in order to have a train to run on the WTC when it was moved to Central Station. Those plans never materialized, but I am a proud owner of a 2 rail brass NYC K 5 and several very nice 2 rail cars.

We are considering building a small 2 rail modular railroad.

If you really believe that I, and I dare to say many others on the 3 rail side of our hobby look down upon or fail to appreciate the 2 rail O scale  genre of this wonderful hobby then I can only say you are very mistaken.

I am sorry if my remarks about brass engines offended you in any way.

Take care and happy railroading.

Richard

Looks like lots of fun.  Nice locos, too.  That K5 is gorgeous, by the way.

Richard G read in your post that I responded to:

      "There seems to be two kinds of people who by brass engines- those who collect them for display and those who run them. Apparently  if you want a bass engine to run you need to have them re motored and re geared."

       you made a glittering generality in that comment yet your defense to my comments doesn't address your negativity to o scale 2 rail brass engines.

       i am not trying to antagonize any 3 railers with my point of view of the hobby(2 rail) i have owned 3 rail before i was born my grandfather bought me a Lionel set for Christmas in Nov 1948 I was born July 1949 so i have been a 3 railer for longer than i have been alive. i liked the scale size of 2 rail so in 1976 bought a US Hobbies PRR K4. went back to 3 rail for a time because no place to run the 2 rail. now that i have a 1000 sf area I'm back to 2 rail. i'm building a layout and will run all my brass trains. i had about 60 3 rail O scale loco and have sold most of them off. so if you want to go 2 rail i wouldn't let age or investment hold you back. i do warn you that if you build a 2 rail modular layout that might cause you to jump into 2 rail.

69nickeycamaro

Thanks,

My comments were not intended to be negative towards 2 rail modelers.

Do you remember the Crosby, Stills and Nash song" Almost Made me Cut My Hair?" Weil after seeing the WTC for the first time I remarked to a friend that seeing the WTC "Almost Made Me Rip UP My Third Rail."

Later,

RG

Thanks Lee,

I need to go over to a friends house and purchase some trackage rights and run that K5.

Richard 

now you are talking but be forewarned that 3rd rail may become a fleeting thing!!!Richard nothing personal its just that there are so many here who spread the myths that 2 rail is more expensive than 3 rail, many bargains at Chicago meet B&O Em1 brass 650, n&w y6 for 900 and many more all easily in the price range of Lionel and MTH. track and cars more expensive go to atlas website and answer your own question there as well as the cars about 5.00 more. another myth is space requirements sure you can run 21" passenger cars on 027 track but how good do they look same with locomotives. and the reverse curve deal 30 bucks and the problem solved!

Very cool videos & photos. Well done.

Thanks Gary,

I spend a lot of time in Three Rivers Michigan in the early 60's. My grand parents moved up there for a while. We would take the City of New Orleans to Chicago, transfer over to the NYC and my grand parents would pick us up in Kalamazoo. I have lots of fond memories of my visits to Three Rivers.

Thanks for looking at the photos.

Richard

It's not just the iPhone...all smartphones do this.

You must hold the phone horizontally (before you start recording) in order to get widescreen video. Holding the phone vertically causes the effect you see here, and it's widespread enough to have its own name: "Vertical Video Syndrome".

---PCJ

Beautiful layout and great vids!

Peter

Thanks PDJ,

Now I understand.

Peter,

We appreciate the comments. Plans are in the works to "get us out of the oval" with the addition  of an "S" curve and possibly an "L".

Richard

Hi Richard,

Great pictures and video's, thanks for posting !!!!!!

Alex

Thanks Alex,

Richard