Sam, Wow!! "Featuring radio greats such as Don Ameche and Betty White and was Sponsored by the Great Northern Railway," I'll have to listen in. My dad often spoke about radio shows like Fibber McGee and Molly, The Shadow, and others. Thank you!
"HONGZ" stands for HO scale, N scale, G scale, and Z scale.
Post your non-O scale stuff here!
Mark, don't remember much about radios but I think I was around 5 when we got our first TV. I remember a test pattern, most of the day.
==========================
New delivery:
C&O L-1 4-6-4 streamlined.
The engine is by BLI and is one of their hybrids (boiler and tender are brass with cast frame). I'm a sucker for multi-colored engines plus a dealer was selling them 25% off. These just came out this month so I'm surprised such a large discount was on them.
Videos:
I believe this was a passenger train but, with no C&O passenger cars, it's pulling vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid freight cars. With the traction tires, it had no problem pulling 30 freight cars.
Skykomish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iorLxmq0AXI
Leaving Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAUqWz87Ju0
The standard long narrow box where engine and tender are already connected.
Also, the usual sturdy plastic case for the engine and tender.
Parts list, nice brochure on the full size engine plus manual.
First, to the programming track.
Select the appropriate decoder.
Load in the new address.
Use the 'throttle' to insure all is functioning, correctly.
New roster entry done.
Paint job very well done. Yellow and red are difficult to 'shoot'.
'Stainless steel' looks great.
Nice cab detail plus cab 'curtains' plus functioning deck plate between engine and tender.
Brake detail. A drop of oil on all moving surfaces were applied.
Nicely detailed tender, although one can never see that stuff. Double speakers.
A good 'smoker'.
Tye.
Basin tunnel.
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Sam, I know we did not have a TV when I started first grade, because other kids talked about TV shows I couldn't watch. We did have a second hand TV by the time I was in second grade when John Kennedy was assassinated.
The C&O Yellow Hudson looks great!!!
New delivery.
Made by Con-Cor back in 2005. I wasn't aware of them making this item but 'stumbled' upon it on ebay. Back in 2005 they listed for $450 but I found a lot of them for sale from around $300-350. I consider the full size 1934 Zephyr iconic in the history of railroading.
This one appears like it was never run.
Comes in a nice box with foam.
Lots of documentation in the box including exploded parts list.
There is an 'add-on' car that Con-Cor also made.
Has one motor driving both front engine trucks. It's DCC ready and has holes for a speaker. I don't keep diesel decoders so I ordered a TCS one and should arrive next week.
Tower truck drives and 7 pin connector for each car.
Center car. They are all nicely painted plastic.
Second car's end.
Last car. No bottom detail but not needed as this train sits very low to the rails.
The cars have interiors and lights.
7 pin connectors.
Coupling of cars uses a 'draw bar' (right in picture) and a pin (left in picture).
Nicely detailed with windows and hand rails and covers on the trucks. Headlight and marker lights have LED's.
Second car.
Tail light has an LED as well as red LED's in the marker lights.
I could only run it a few feet using DC but it runs just fine, nice and quiet. Very nice job by Con-Cor, especially being 15 years old!
The Zephyr and M-10000 completes two iconic train sets. This M-10000 is by AHM and brass. Con-Cor also made the M-10000. Of the two I would recommend getting the Con-Cor version. The AHM has only the front truck of the front engine powered and the last truck of the observation car powered which required me to put in two decoders plus I had to 'play' with it to get it to run well.
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Video from inside the train plowing through low hanging, snow covered branches.
Burlington 1934 Zephyr decoder install:
Videos:
Skykomish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzW-YNTg33A
Leaving Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aIvgag7_og
Decoder install.
Fortunately, instructions indicated out to remove the body shell since there were no screws showing on the 'bottom'.
A cell phone green plastic tool used to separate bottom from top shell.
All electrical components are in the frame. Nice that it has a circuit board.
I left the circuit board intact and used it as the basis for connecting the TCS 1533 diesel decoder with keep alive.
Interesting in that the wires were not soldered but held to the circuit board (CB) via some plastic tabs. There were red and black wires going from each truck to the -/+ sides of the CB.
Front side.
Rear side.
I removed the red and black wires going to the CB and soldered the red and black wire extensions from the trucks to the red and black wires on the decoder.
A black and red wire went from the CB to the motor. The wires were removed from the CB and soldered to the grey/orange wires on the decoder.
The motor is already insulated from the frame plus the frame is plastic anyway.
Before getting too much done, put the engine on the programming track to see if motor works and goes in the correct direction.
Since there is no number on the engine, just left it as 3.
Throttle test.
The blue and white wire from the decoder was soldered to the CB where the old red/black wires were located from the trucks.
I was getting some shorts when connecting the two cars to the engine. Turns out the cars also pick up hot and ground side and were connected to the CB so I had to cut the wires in the front engine and also connect them to the red/black wires going to the trucks. I didn't have to connect the passenger car wires to the engine but that gives me more contact points (ie two more sets of trucks) to get electricity to the decoder versus just two trucks on the diesel unit.
The tail light wasn't lighting so had to find out which wires went to the tail light (green, yellow), cut them and just routed them to the front headlight LED. All the LED's are a 'blue(cool) white' color; not sure if diesels have warm white but I left them 'as is' since I didn't want taking a chance on scratching any paint on the observation car.
There are holes in the bottom of the frame for a speaker but pretty shallow and looked like it was hard to access so I just put a sugar cube speaker at the rear of the engine. The diaphragms have gaps in them so the sound will escape at that area. I just taped the speaker to the CB.
The decoder and 'keep alive' were also taped to the CB.
All runs well.
My GNRW historical society sent me a nice 11"X17" picture of a R-2 2-8-8-2 and their first engine 4-4-0 so I framed it. I almost missed it as it was folded in half and both back sides are white and, initially, I thought it was just some 'filler'. I've never seen this picture, before.
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How to transport a full size steam engine.
The Zephyr is great, Sam!
Thanks, Mark.
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New delivery.
Milwaukee passenger station by Walthers. I happened to see the station in a recent 'flyer' that Walthers sent me. Great Northern had two large passenger stations; one in St. Paul and one in Seattle that had clock towers. This station doesn't match GN's station but can't get picky when wanting an 'imposing' passenger station. The Milwaukee station was a 'natural' pick for Walthers since they are based in that city.
This is a 'just release' plastic kit and it is huge. Box measures 20" X 14" X 7" and weighs 124 oz or 7 3/4 lbs.
The depot and train shed dimensions. Two sheds included. Would be nice if they sell the sheds separate to make them longer.
The depot is over 2' long and almost 2' to the clock tower. The two sheds are almost 4' long.
Two plastic bags of parts: one for depot (left in picture) and one for the sheds.
Other sides of packages.
Multi page instruction manual. Usual 'blow up' list.
The station will be on a raised platform at the end of the passenger yard.
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5 part series (so far) on building a large layout:
Includes building the 'building'.
There are parts before and after the videos that are non-railroad and can be 'skipped'.
Pretty cool.
Metal and track cutter: pretty cool. Didn't know they made this.
New deliveries (engine and electric motors).
Rapido came out with a nice CP Royal Hudson and I was thinking about purchasing it but I found a Tenshodo Royal Hudson 4-6-4 at a very good price so I bought the Tenshodo, instead. The engine was made in 1971. The open frame motor will need to be replaced. The engine's paint is in excellent condition. A lot of times these engines are left in the original foam without adequate plastic sheeting cover and the paint gets damaged. Another nice thing, being able to install my own decoder, is I like having my engines all having the same decoder so functions are all 'standard'. Plus, it's easier for me to add functioning marker lights and running lights. GN interfaced with the CP along several points of the mainline.
The headlight is the only light on the engine.
Paint jobs with narrow lines are difficult for me to replicate as the factory paint jobs are excellent.
Looks like some test running was the only thing this engine has ever done. Not bad for a 50 year old engine!
Just noticed that the tender trucks are functional with real springs. Seems unusual for such a small tender to have 6-wheel trucks!
I've only got one other CP engine; the T-1 Selkirk, 2-10-4, imported by Van Hobbies in 1976. I purchased the engine already painted and they did a nice job of painting it.
The February, 2021 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman has an article on re-motoring logging engines.
I ordered about a dozen of the motors recommended in the article. They are pretty small at only about 15X15X18MM. Not sure when I'll get to these projects but, at least, I have the motors.
I've got 7 logging engines that may need re-motoring should I install decoders versus staying 'DC': 3 Shays, a Climax, Heisler, Vulcan and a Sierra (ex-Weyerhauser) 2-6-6-2.
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Fellow railroader stopped by to 'run trains' 
Moving nothing, to nowhere, on time, everyday!
That was a good 4 hours 'spent'.
N&W J video at Chumstick Canyon trestle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PJisSsE3qE
He wanted to operate the logging railroad, first.
A shay picking up some loaded log cars to take to the 'mill'.
Traversing the double 'switch back'.
Loaded cars in yard ready to be delivered to the 'mill'.
Some switching on John Allen's 'time saver'. Picking up cars to put into the yard to be picked up by the GN 'local' train.
A very early GN gon.
Before Dave arrived, I had to PM the logging railroad. Got all the track cleaned.
Had one short in the upper yard that took about 30 minutes to 'figure out'. A turnout was the problem.
The rails just past the frog were touching and some rail nippers were used to cut the 'gap'.
Dave wanted to run the new 1934 Burlington Zephyr train. The train is by Con-Cor.
Hillyard.
I ran the N&W J passenger train. The train set is by MTH. Engine and tender are cast metal.
Chumstick Canyon trestle.
Chumstick canyon trestle.
Hillyard.
N&W Y-3 2-8-8-2 freight drag. Engine is by Custom Brass with a TCS 1517 decoder.
Skykomish.
I was wondering what happened to my 'switch man'. He's been lost for about a month when he 'fell off' the switch engine. Glad I took this picture as he's on his head next to the shrubs on the right! I just 'planted' those shrubs and they must be too close to the track and knocked him 'off'. I hope he doesn't expect 'back pay'!
Tumwater canyon trestle.
Chumstick canyon trestle.
N&W A 2-6-6-4 freight drag. Engine is by United (PFM) with a TCS 1517 decoder.
Seattle's switcher engine 'shuffling' freight cars into the yard.
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CPR 4-6-4 Royal Hudson decoder install:
Videos:
Skykomish: Tenshodo installed a yellowish bulb and it has a nice realistic 'glow'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO2u8MiRIM4
Tye:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1TQ-jEDWuY
Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ADQ8XIWlvE
TCS 1517 decoder install:
A large lead weight was removed from the tender and 'speaker' holes were drilled into the bottom plate.
I'm partial to the old PFM speakers as they have great low bass sound. The connector above the speaker is only a 4 wire connector. I couldn't find how to remove the front smoke box and didn't want to damage the nice paint so the original incandescent bulb was left in the headlight.
Decoder and speaker along with the 'keep alive' all fit inside the tender. The tender light was at an usual location and, for fear of damaging the paint, I did not install an LED in the tender's headlight. Tenshodo uses some highly reflective glass 'diamonds' so, with the proper light shining on them, they appear to be lighted.
A rectangular hole was cut in the front of the tender to route the decoder wires.
I thought a resistor was needed to keep the bulb from burning too high but the resistor was too high and had to be removed. I used a single prong connector to connect the hot side of the bulb to the frame for ease of PM. The ground wire was attached to the boiler at the factory.
I wasn't sure if Tenshodo soldered the front boiler cover to the boiler so I didn't take a chance of 'hosing up' the paint job. Also, without access to the interior, no marker LED's were installed. Also, with no access to the inside of the boiler, no running LED's were installed.
Programming track. Used some alligator wires to ground the boiler to the frame to test the headlight.
Using decoderpro via SPROG to update the decoder;
in this case, a TCS WOW 101 steam.
Clicked on 'Open Comprehensive Programmer' to get a more detailed description of the model.
Pertinent data inputted.
Then to the 'basic' screen for engine address.
Click on the 'throttle' to insure all is working correctly.
As usual, the motor wires had to be swapped for correct direction of travel! Only 4 wires needed instead of the usual 8. Red and black for ground and power to the headlight and fire box LED and orange/gray to the motor. Some tape to protect the motor leads from grounding out on the brass boiler.
A 'one wire' connector from frame to boiler for the headlight since it's incandescent.
Usual full mainline test, both East and West, of the engine.
No CP cabeese so used a GN caboose.
Hillyard.
I was watching an old VHS from the late 1980's of my GNRW layout. These are pictures of a stopped video so quality is lacking.
A lot of the 'green' that was on the layout has, virtually, turned beige after '30 something' years!
The trees seem to have kept their original color.
There were around a dozen railroaders at the operating session but I couldn't get a good picture of all of them but did get a few:
Father Dale. He's a fellow GNRWHS member and lives in the Cincinnati area.
Phil Barnett passed away last year. He modeled the Erie.
Bill Warrick passed away a good dozen years ago. He was in Monroe and had a real nice UP layout.
I don't remember this fellows name but I'm sure he looks older, now!
Tim (don't remember his last name).
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I'm sure Dave had a great time running trains.
That is nice you have the VHS from all those years ago.
Mark,
VHS is 'out of date' but, even if they are old, they still produce a picture. I've had a couple DVD's that degrade over time and can no longer be viewed.
=============
If I was rich:
Sam, I can hear Tevye singing, "If I were a rich man..."
Finished 'road testing' the CP Royal Hudson:
Added some 'bullfrog snot' to the insulated driver side for more traction.
Wet
Dry.
Cut new foam for the box as the old was 'trash'.
Well the engine ran fine but, with the low humidity of 19%, I had a few out of gauge sections. The wood shrunk from loss of moisture but the metal rail didn't!
Fortunately, it was all in the upper staging track.
The back set of tender trucks were lifting off the rails.
This turnout stock rail got out of gauge. Being right over a big gap was where the problem was. No ties were used in the staging yard.
Chumstick canyon trestle.
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A nice PRR O gauge layout:
Durango and Silverton winter run just last month:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCQJBB9i0BE
Another winter excursion held last month;
Sam, some great videos. I want to thank you for sharing them with the rest of us!
Virginian Railroad video.
For not being a large system railroad, it had some impressive steam and electrics.
New delivery.
UP Veranda turbine.
The engine is by MTH and engine and tender are cast metal. I saw that Athearn was bringing out this engine but, then, I saw it's not due until December 2021 and having the patience of a 9 year old, I purchased the MTH, instead. I really wasn't expecting to find this engine but, by chance, I saw it on ebay and got it at a very good price plus the engine has never been run.
Video: My camera battery 'died' so it is a short video.
Leaving Tye.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqlY7EfBQA8
The engine was made in 2010; amazing it has sat in the box that long! I've bought a few other MTH engines this old and they have performed excellently so I was comfortable buying an 11 year old engine.
Usual box colors. MMM, ages '14 and up'; I just qualify!
Brand new with original packaging.
Like the Athearn, only the center set of drivers are powered so only get 8 wheel drive.
There are two wires for the tender light.
The wires insert into two female ends on the engine. MTH comes with remote couplers. These can be replaced with Kadees but I think I'll leave them on the engine, for now.
With the cast superstructure, she comes in at a hefty 2.6 lbs.
Using decoderpro via SPROG to input data into the decoder.
I had trouble loading in the engine address of 70 although I've had no trouble with the other MTH engines. Initially, I used the 'full PS3'.
Selected the 'comprehensive programmer' screen.
Filled in the engine data.
Selected the 'basic' screen and inputted the engine address. Address 70 should be the 'short' address. I even tried 'long' when the 'short' didn't work.
Did a 'write full sheet' and came back 'OK' so decoderpro said all's 'good'.
Since address '70' didn't take, I 'reset to defaults'. That went back to '03' and that worked but still wouldn't take '70' on a re-load.
I tried just 'PS3' but that didn't work either for the new address of '70'.
What usually works is programming the address via the throttle. Again, inputting '70' and screen said 'good' but nada on the new address so I just ran it with address '03'.
Lots of lights: headlight, mars light, marker lights, number boards, cab interior.
The railings are made of plastic. I'm always impressed how the factory paint jobs are so 'crisp' on the narrow stripes especially since yellow and red paint are the most difficult to 'shoot'. My paint jobs with stripes always has some 'bleeding' which can, usually, be remedied with some water and a toothpick before baking the engine.
The back railings and brake stand were bent inward. They move easily but unable to keep them vertical: probably from sitting in a box for 11 years! Some thin CA should fix that.
Tender light.
Also, a walkway light on the back of the engine.
The tender doesn't have the usual 'see through' walk boards that is prevalent on most contemporary engines made today.
Nice engine detail. The vent has a smoke unit in it. It was smoking when I, first, started up the engine but after adding more fluid, probably too much, it stopped. I know the unit is working since I could hear the fan working as the last noise when I shut down the sound system. The smoke should start working after the engine runs for awhile.
A nice access hatch that is magnetically attached. Smoke and volume controls plus via function keys.
Road test. I was optimistic and put 30+ cars on but had to reduce it to around 18. Even with the weight, having only 8 powered wheels wasn't enough to pull a lot of cars. I noticed that the Athearn is 'built the same way'. I'll have to add some 'bullfrog snot' to the drivers.
Tye
Hillyard.
The other UP turbine on the roster is the Scaletrains 8500 turbine. With 12 wheel trucks on the A and B unit plus all powered, it has no trouble pulling 45 cars.
Wilmar.
I really like your taste in motive power.
Nice Hi-rise building kit.
The builder made a lot of extra details, exterior and interior.
New delivery.
NYC Dreyfuss Hudson 4-6-4. This is an iconic as well as an historical engine as it was the first steam engine to be streamlined.
Videos:
Leaving Seattle: I've got a 14 NYC car passenger set that this engine should 'pull' but, I was lazy, and 'went' with some freight cars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mI1kxhH_XE
Leaving Tye: Engine just makes it up the short grade.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x4kcqvKK8o
Leaving Hillyard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sCYNlixys0
The engine is by MTH. Another one that was made in 2009. The engine and tender are cast metal. I was looking for one of the BLI hybrids that was made a few years ago but found this one at a very good price.
Another engine that sat in the box for 11 years and never run.
Extra driver in case one doesn't want traction tires.
Very heavy at over a pound.
Surprised the tender weighs so much at almost a pound. Will have to disassemble and see if MTH added lead weight and remove it.
Total weight comes in at a hefty 2.2 lbs.
Oiled all the 'oiling' points, ie, axles, side rods.
This is very unusual. MTH has 3 running board lights, one over each driver. Except on a very high end 3000 dollar plus big boy that had this, I'm about the only one that ever adds running board lights.
Truck contact detail. No coupler ever mounted.
Pretty cool. MTH allows one to add a front coupler. Leaving that off as the front looks too nice without a coupler.
Extra parts. It just occurred to me why they supplied an extra deck plate (which I'll explain, later). I find the supplied plastic couplers tend to rack under heavy load so I install the metal Kadees.
Another cool item: No wires between engine and tender. They use a 'split' contact on the tender shaft.
The engine has 2 wires along each side of the drawbar.
One more nice item: smoke and volume easily accessed from the tender top under the removable water hatch.
One negative: MTH isn't consistent on what each function does, even on their own engines. Should be able to reconfigure the functions but that's for 'another time'. F3 is not a good place for 'engine startup' as, I believe, most decoders use that as a secondary whistle; at least on the TCS 1517 decoders that I use.
Onto the programming track to input the new data. Again, I couldn't input the engines address into the decoder.
Selected the MTH FULL PS3.
'Comprehensive programmer' screen.
'Basic' screen.
Bottom of screen said 'OK' which should be good. Just noticed the Programming mode is 'Direct bit'; I remember someone saying to use the other option, which I believe is 'Type', so I'll try that, next.
Engine data loaded into decoderpro.
Test via the throttle didn't work with engine number 5452.
Move engine number back to '03' and all's good; go figure!
A very nicely done engine by MTH. I'm impressed by their 'work'. That paint job is excellent.
Here's the running board lights over each driver; cool.
Nice cab detail. Here's where I can use that short deck plate. The engine has a very long deck plate for when the tender is connected to the farther hole in the draw bar. I tried to connect the tender on the next hole but the deck plate interfered with that option. It should look nice having the tender close to the engine cab.
They even painted the dials, etc.
I like how the tender skirting 'hangs' over the tender trucks.
Impressive detail on the 'back end'.
Never seen 'doors' over the coal load.
And they're functional. Again, cool.
Functional cab hatches.
I closed the center hatch so one doesn't see the circuit board!
A very nice engine. MTH did a good job.
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It looks great!
Thanks, Mark.
=========
NYC Dreyfuss Hudson by MTH updates.
Took the tender apart to see if MTH added lead weight: nada. The cast tender shell is very heavy.
The decoder. Pretty hefty size, probably, for the smoke unit. Has two speakers.
That's nice: I'm guessing that large capacitor is a 'keep alive'! I don't believe that BLI has a 'keep alive' as 'standard' for decoders!
No wires going to the tender light; everything is on the tender frame.
Put the new smaller deck plate on the engine. It's pliable plastic so just bend, slightly, and insert end pins. Cab, also, has curtains which I didn't notice, previously.
That looks much better, but can it handle my minimum 48" radii?
Close but very scale on a 48" curve. Will have to test on the entire mainline, yet.
One circuit breaker to the St. Paul yard was shorting out: found two rails off of a turnout touching. The 19% humidity has presented a few problems. Normally, winter humidity is in the upper 20's to upper 30's.
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NYC Dreyfuss Hudson finished road test and PM the layout for Saturday's ops session.
Had derailments at one spot in the upper interchange/staging loop. Track out of gauge due to a spike missing; easy fix.
Finished testing the Hudson heading West on the mainline.
The 'close coupling' of engine and tender works on the layout. The picture is on an 8' curve but worked on the 48" curve which appears to be the sharpest radius that can be used for the 'close coupling'.
Chumstick canyon trestle.
Did some more mainline testing for the ops session. Sixteen passenger cars is always a good test! I like using one of the 3 sets of diesels that I have to test the mainline as they can cover the mainline at a much faster speed than the steam engines which takes about an hour to 1.5 hrs to cover the same distance. The BLI diesels are the first road diesels made by EMD being the E-1.
Skykomish.
Chumstick canyon.
Nice models by BLI.
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E-1 is another one of my favorites. I love that clean sloped nose.
YEAH: IT FINALLY WORKS!
Got the addresses loaded into the MTH NYC Hudson and UP Veranda turbine that have 11 year old decoders.
A friend of mine suggested using just two digits. The Hudson engine number 5452 got address 54 and the UP Veranda with 70 got the obvious...70!
They would not load via the programming track with decoderpro via SPROG.
Instead I had to use the throttle, click on 'PROG' button until 'PO' (mainline track with no other engines on that track), dial in 54/70 respectively for each engine; throttle came back 'good' and did and 'exit'. FINALLY.
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New delivery.
N&W passenger cars.
Normally, I'll wait until an item goes 'on sale' but since these are MTH and they are 'closing down' this year, I figured it was best to reserve these ahead of time! Good news is that Scaletrains bought the MTH HO and S gauge products.
Two coaches and a diner.
Very nice boxes for passenger cars. A 'little better' quality packing than my old 1970's AHM passenger car boxes! If I remember, correctly, I believe I heard that packaging takes up 8-11% of the price. Why it's good to always keep the original packaging. Unless the price is right, no box discourages me from buying a brass steam engine.
They are packed like a steam engine is packed. Nice foam and secure plastic 'clam shell' with sleeve plastic plus some soft plastic sheeting around the passenger car.
Outstanding workmanship. I'm 'partial' to the semi gloss (satin) look.
Details that I couldn't duplicate if I painted these; like the silver around the windows! Separately applied wire hand rails; nice.
Even has air hoses around the couplers.
Nice underbody detail. All lighted with interiors.
Diaphragms and cut bars.
The 3 cars went into the N&W J with the other 6 cars. The whole train is my MTH.
All cast metal MTH engine with smoke. I picked this set up a couple years ago at a very small train show. I wasn't expecting to find anything but went just to 'get out of the house'. I've been looking for N&W cars but not the engine but the seller had the whole train for sale for what I wanted to just pay for the cars: a 'no brainer', plus the entire set was brand new. This is another engine that I consider historical.
I bought this N&W J several years ago. With a nice MTH J, it will probably be awhile before I paint this engine. I even have the hard to find J decals for it.
Needless to say, the passenger terminal is full!
Three train sets are 'blocked' behind other trains, ie, Burlington's Zephyr, UP M-10,000 and Milwaukee's Hiawatha set. Last Fall, I expanded this yard. Now I wish I would have added one more track for those 3 last sets!
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Nice 'drone' videos of full size trains.
GNRW operating session.
Of course pizza first. And finished the day talking trains and eating orange cream cycles that we had when we were kids!
Tonight was mostly passenger trains.
Joe getting some SF PA's ready for a passenger run while John's B&O EM-1 passenger train is by passing the freight yard.
Joe backing the PA's to the passenger yard while Dave engineers an N&W J passenger train leaving Tye.
B&O EM-1 passenger train at Skykomish.
N&W J passenger train at Marias pass.
Alan's UP big boy freight drag at Glacier.
N&W J at Havre.
SF PA passenger train bypassing the freight yard.
Dispatcher's panel indicate which blocks are occupied, the designated signal colors and which direction the train is moving along with turnout direction.
UP big boy freight drag leaving basin tunnel while B&O EM-1 passenger train is at Marias pass.
B&O passenger train on Chumstick Canyon trestle.
B&O EM-1 passenger train at Glacier.
SF PA passenger train at Havre while B&O passenger at Waverly.
UP big boy waiting for the B&O to pass at Waverly.
Dave's N&W J passenger train at Waverly.
Thought I'd show this duplicate as I, accidentally, hit a button on the camera that gives multiple takes of the same picture in different modes.
John in junction Tower BS (basement steps) next to the Swan River logging railroad.
N&W J taking water at one of four functioning water towers.
UP big boy at Chumstick canyon trestle.
B&O EM-1 at Waverly while UP big boy leaving Havre.
One of the functioning water spouts went 'south' so some '5-finger' fixes were needed.
Dave's N&W J entering main yard throat while B&O EM-1 is at Marias pass.
D&RGW F-7 diesels passenger train at Marias pass.
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Some 'after operating' session repairs.
The B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4 was shorting only at one spot on the layout.
After checking wheel gauge I took the leading and trailing trucks off and no problems. Put the trailing truck on and no problem. Put the leading truck on and problem. Found that the insulated wheel was contacting the bare brass cylinder head where the paint has chipped off. Put some paint on the cylinder heads to verify that was the problem.
Leading truck.
Cut half the screw hole away and soldered some thin brass sheet stock to the existing truck lead and drilled a new hole about 3/32" back from the old hole.
Trimmed away the excess material and filed it flat.
All better. The layout is minimum 48" but there must be a momentary spot that is a little smaller than 48".
The 'U' yoke disengaged from the operating water spigot. All fixed.
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Updated the identical Westside B&O EM-1 2-8-8-4 lead truck.
This morning I did the other engine. This should, also, explain why just this one set of engines (and no other engines) would derail on one curve in the Cascade tunnel. I'm guessing the lead truck bound against the front of the piston housing and caused the lead set of drivers to derail. This could be the cause of a derailment on any steam engine with a lead truck.
The old 'sleep on it' trick almost work. After fixing the lead truck, last night, this morning I was thinking I could just unsolder the two pieces of brass connecting the trucks to the extension arm but...
nada; the overlap is too small to move the two pieces out from each other (center section soldered at the 'factory')
Same procedure as last night: all's 'good again in the universe'!
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Some more post ops PM.
Had to fix another 'S' curve in the recently installed passenger yard with 'ready made' track.
These engines stopped running yesterday but are fine today: go figure. They do take awhile to start; must be a lot of momentum plus all 4 are powered plus they were pulling 13 lighted passenger cars.
I run all passenger trains to the upper return loop to get them back to their original 'front to rear' order.
Had a few shorts due to 2 rails contacting each other at turnouts. Some carpenters glue should 'do the trick'.
Why I run the train to the return loop and back. This one car derailed 3-4 times when next to the engine. Couldn't find anything wrong with it. Normally the 2nd last car when back to it's respective spot in the passenger train.
Some PA's to 'reverse' the B&O passenger cars.
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Just running trains!
C&O L-1 4-6-4 Hudson streamlined; hybrid by BLI with smoke.
Skykomish.
Tye
Hillyard.
Havre.
Wilmar.
Waverly.
Wilmar.
Glacier.
Chumstick canyon trestle.
Some of the vintage metal Athearn/Varney and wood Silver Streak/Ambroid freight cars.
Not vintage but nice 'loads'.
Vintage.
Havre.
Marias pass.
Tye
Skykomish.
Seattle's yard throat.
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After lunch train running.
CP 4-6-4 Royal Hudson. A Tenshodo model made in 1971 but just purchased recently.
Skykomish.
Tye
Hillyard
Havre.
Chumstick canyon trestle.
Glacier.
Wilmar
St. Paul
Coaling station I purchased last Fall and put it in the upper staging loop (only place left for buildings!).
In case you're wondering: yes, with the layout in the basement, you can control the train from 'upstairs'!
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