railings & what else doesn't bother me!

Nice diesels!

Do you by any chance have any MTH GP38-2s in CSX,in the YN2 scheme? The 2 road numbers I remember,were 2769&2788.

As you can easily figure,I model CSX,plus the predecessor rail lines that now compose CSX.

Thank you,

Al Hummel

Well stated Joe. As long as your happy with them then that's all that matters. I have all steam and feel the same way. Though soon I want to find a brass steam engine I can rebuild.

Have fun that's the important thing. At least you don't have that third rail. Lol

Ralph

No, that's one of them I don't have yet. There's quite a few I missed. The blue is boring to some??

 

Yeah, well I do have that extra rail under the tree!

I do have three? Atlas models in O (that B&O is one). I do like their detailing overall. They run good for me.

 I also do G as seen above. All my trains get MTH boards installed. I've tried a lot of other brands in DCC.

The neat thing is the folks who are worried about this sort of thing are mostly 3- railers, which means there is more and more pressure on Lionel and MTH to produce highly accurate models for 3-rail track.

 

I am with Joe - I could not care less whether the hand rails attach on the deck or the side.  I cannot remember things like passenger car window arrangements, so I am happy with converted K-Line.  But I sure like accurate track and couplers, even if it is 5' gauge.

 

To each his or her own, right?

Glad to see that you posted your models and it makes you happy. People are content at different levels of modeling. Like I stated in other post - "Some like art of the masters others are happy with paint by numbers. We all have Our own level. I hope you find the guy looking for the castings. He sure must have upset you. I personally would never use them in my modeling as I enjoy working in brass and that is even on rare occasion.

I do enjoy the CSX Theme! The solid blue is my favorite. Better than the Grey Ghost or the Hockey Stick Schemes! Stephen

 

Darn, Joe,

 

You keep trying your best to get me to scratchbuild a MP15dc in 1/29th scale...a nice Manufacturer's Rwy loco would work.

 

I'm glad you posted a thread with these pictures.

 

Jeff C

 

Thanks for sharing!

Glad I can drool on the computer at your engines again. ;-)

I scabbed together that CSX #138 from a duplicate MTH 2 rail NKP diesel too.

You've blocked this member.

 

If I was after perfection, I would have to have the right track dimension too. I would have switched to P48. I'm not sure I could claim perfection with anything less. I do admire the people that strive for perfection. They raise the whole hobby to a higher standard. Maybe there's not many of them left? I feel that's the reason Lionel left their two rail attempts, decades ago. Besides common sense business practice that is. I still wonder how many of their "Smithsonian" 2 rail models were sold? How many modelers had their two rail track? Was it P48??

 I think O gauge 2 rail track captures the look I'm after well enough. I notice everyone has to make some compromise. They are still toys. Some things you just can't scale down without losing.

Nice work Joe.

I know I will take a "beating" again from die hard modelers,but I too would like to see things modeled well regardless of era.

There's so much O scale has to offer. Prototypical ground throw switch stands with working targets go back in railroad history-way back,but there's just no action from model companies.

In more modern eras,from 1975 to the present,single & double safety shelf couplers of the E style coupler,came into existence. Actually the single shelf coupler started out in 1968,but the double for tank cars became a safety mandate in '75 with all tankers having to have them installed by 1978 if my history serves me correctly.

The F style coupler is built with a lower safety shelf & dates back to the 50s according to Kadee. It also has a double shelf coupler style available,the SF model.

 The H style safety coupler for passenger cars fits in there too,but am interested in freight being a modern day modeler,so am unsure of dates for that coupler.

If some of us that feel the same,don't keep subjects going that need addressing,those items will die.

I'm on board with Lionel modernizing their models,too. They've got GREAT scale models,that could rival any MTH or Atlas model,but they've got to make these models adaptable to Kadee style coupler body mounting & trucks that can be changed over to 2 rail scale.

This is just my 2 cents worth.

Thanks,

Al Hummel

Gourgeous CSX model! Thanks for sharing

I know what you mean-I just look a t my CSX 4750s sitting on the track!

Al Hummel

Alan, That is being addressed right now by a private modeler in G scale. He is making his own version of the shelf coupler.

 I thought that USA trains has their own version already in 1/29 scale though. Their tank cars come with them.

http://www.usatrains.com/usatrains42moderntank.html

"Die-cast metal coupler with special     tank car feature"

 So I would have thought that O scale modern tank cars would have them by now. There's always a compatibility problem of couplers in all the scales. I'm not sure how many modelers in O scale would commit to a special coupler on just their tank cars if they didn't work well with other existing couplers?

 I would be into it!

I contacted a modeler who has made an E dbl shelf coupler styled after a standard Kadee coupler-it looks GREAT!!

He's having trouble finding a production company though.

I'm looking for a model like the Protocraft model,only I hope a modern style E coupler with the double safety shelfs would become available. Kadee sayings if requests keep coming in,they'll do a Kadee model,but just not now.

I've seriously looked at getting materials to "jury rig" upper/lower shelfs out of&think it can be done,it's just the matter of securing the metal materials & getting them sized correctly.

The Protocraft coupler got me going in O scale,thinking the shelf coupler was a sure thing. Here was a coupler that could be activated with side cut levers or magnetically.

Talking to Protocraft,I found the maker's modeling the 50s & doesn't think the modern era in O scale's worth the investment cost,which I've come to find that most modelers in O are modeling the 50s-mid 60s.

The Protocraft will couple to Kadee & Atlas couplers,but some "5 fingure" handwork is required.

I've found by taking a poll on the shelf couplers,most modelers don't even know what I'm talking about.

Beginning to look like it's back to HO where all that's commonly available.

 

On a different subject,do you think a 40'x25' area is REALLY big enough to make O scale trains look like they "belong"? I'm trying to avoid an "oversized" looking scenario,meaning the train looks cramped for the area it occupies. My 40' shelf looks good,but as I have appliances to dodge,I will have to have about 3 major islands for industry. HO trains would look great there but O scale has me looking long & hard.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Al Hummel

Joe, lookin good as usual.  I'm ok with the railings but those blue trucks gotta go.  I don't recall ever seeing blue trucks on a prototype.  I may be wrong but I've never seen it.  LOL

 

BTW, do you power your 2 rail O scale with AC or DC?

 

Rick

Alan, I'm not the guy to talk to as I'm still with bare plywood! I've seen nice layouts where the tighter curves are masked with mountains, hills, or buildings. I also like the more urban tighter areas or industrial where the prototype is in a tighter space anyways.

 Rick, I switched the G scale to DC but it worked well with AC. The O gauge has always been AC for me.

looks like it's blue to me

What scale people hold those handrails again?

I'm so confused by O gauge.

 

Joe,  yep.  Looks blue to me too.  Guess I've just seen too many black trucks.  But, that's cool.

 

Rick