started fitting the new pilot.
Happy New Year Wowak!
It looks like you are making great progress on this project! It looks great!
Lookin' good. Brian. Thanks for posting! Tom
Originally Posted by Wowak:
I don't plan to run command any time soon, but I'm fairly confident that when I do, I'll go TMCC/Legacy, not DSC. So my first idea is that I would replace everything with new ERR components, but that opens up a bunch of new questions, like can the ERR Cruise Commander with the new Railsounds chip drive the MTH smoke unit, or do I need to retrofit that as well? Will the Cruise commander even fit inside that small tender, or do I need to use the Mini-Commander? What are the drawbacks to the mini-commander? ERR's website seems to indicate that they're only suited for small track vehicles that are only moving their own weight, but the railsounds instructions show wiring diagrams to put them in a steam locomotive.
Dang all this electronics stuff is confusing. I like cutting stuff up with my hacksaw better.
Just keep in mind that while going the ERR route is definitely doable and give you TMCC command functionality, you're going to be fairly limited on availability of sound options, as Lionel limits the variety of sounds on the ERR equipment so you may have to be content with generic style sounds (in other words, sound effects not specific what you would hear on Reading/Camelback locomotives. With MTH's PS2/PS3, they have a much wider variety of sounds available, which includes Camelbacks they have released within the past decade, although I don't know offhand if they did any Reading Camelbacks.
At any rate, accuracy of sounds may or may not matter, just thought I'd throw that out there if it was.
Hi Wowak,
How fragile will the camelback be to handle considering much of its side structures are made of Styrene? You modelling is fantastic, and I admire your bravery when it comes to cutting up a die cast locomotive.
Originally Posted by Bobby Ogage:
Hi Wowak,
How fragile will the camelback be to handle considering much of its side structures are made of Styrene? You modelling is fantastic, and I admire your bravery when it comes to cutting up a die cast locomotive.
More fragile than a die cast model, that's to be sure. I wouldn't want to try to pick it up by the cab. The way the firebox is built up with styrene stock it's pretty sturdy. When I pick it up to move it around while working on it, I generally grab the cylinders with one hand, and the bottom of the firebox with the other. But compared to some highly detailed brass models, it's not much more fragile or difficult to handle. Compared to a 2025, it's very fragile.
Anyway, tonight I dusted it off and added the expansion link frame and crosshead guide support which I scratchbuilt from styrene stock.
From the "really slow progress" file:
drilled the holes to locate the headlamp.
I added boiler jacket banding and the footboard on one side of the firebox, and holy heck, it's starting to look like a locomotive instead of a pile of styrene and putty.
incredible transformation.
Will you keep this as a PS-1 or upgrade to PS-2/3????
I haven't actually decided yet if I'll upgrade it to PS2 or TMCC. I'm currently leaning towards PS2 but if I finish the cosmetic work before I decide I'll leave it PS1 until I make up my mind.
