TWO NEW ENGINES ARRIVED THIS WEEK

Great photo work. Great locomotives, enjoy.

Congrats on the new locos.  Nice!  Good photos, too, as Marty observed, and a nice layout too, lots of realistic detail.  I love it.

Nice all around.  Great job on the Fastrack!  You have a track plan you can share?

Nick, is MTH calling the GN an SD-45?

A blinking top light and lower front lights?

Very nice.

MTH has it named SD45 on the box.  We have a photo postcard of the real #400 and it says its a SD45 also.  I compared the photo to the engine and its reel close to the engine except the blinking light on top.  Our layout is not prototypical so it does not bother me to much, plus its hard to pry my son away from the controls to run it.  

I don't know about blinking lights, but that is indeed an SD45, as is the original "Hustle Muscle". You can tell by the flared radiators on the sides of long hood.

Greg, the only plan I have is a hand drawn one.  I plan on doing one with SCARM or SCRAM, what ever that program is.  Here is a photo of the Hand drawn one.  The green line is the upper and is all O-36 curves and switches.  The blue and pink are lower lines.  The blue line is all O-48 with one O-36 turnout, the second one leading into the little yard.  The pink is all O-60.  The table is 6 by 11 ft and follows the curves of the O-60 on the left side.  All sidings are blocked to park extra engines.  The lower lines are powered by a MTH Z-4000 conventionally and the upper with a MTH z-1000.  Clear as mud, hope it is easy to follow.  I did use my best crayons to make this.  Nick  

Hey Nick,

So that's what the engine looks like out of the box !! I'm glad you and your son are enjoying it. Very nice layout. Great pictures also. I really like the way you concealed the fast track with ballast. I had to take another look to be sure. Great job !! Have fun.

Mark

Thanks for the pics, very nice.  I have been considering the "Hustle Mustle" so I appreciate those.

I also like your Fastrack - How did you do your fastrack:  a little white glue and sprinked ballast along the sides?, or what method?   Thanks - Ken

Ken,  to ballast the Fastrack I would use full strength Elmers whit glue. Use a glue bottle with a tip and add a line of glue along the edge of the track and however far out you want to extend the ballast.  Then take a brush and spread the glue out evenly.  Then I had my son mix up some grey coarse ballast with a little crushed real coal.  He would use a small plastic spoon and spoon the mixed ballast out on the glue.  Once the ballast is down we would add some talus(the larger grey rocks) at key locations.  Then in another little Elmers glue bottle we mixed 50/50 glue and Isopropyl 91%Alcohol.  Spread the glue mix over the ballast,  Let dry and if their are a few loose spots that glue missed just add some glue mix to that spot.  Nick 

She is a beauty.  The sounds are excellent and one smooth running engine.  I have been running the engine this morning after my son left for school.  I need to go and make a good video of it running.  Thanks again for the engine.   Nick 

Nothing better than a brand new locomotive right outta the box.

Fire her up and enjoy the sounds and smells.

run em fast and furious!!