Well look who finally showed up! ... MTH SD70ACe one gauge

@Engineer-Joe posted:

Very nice indeed! There are times I wish I did not get into G scale with LGB, but in the end, it’s all about the Trains and this is a beautiful locomotive. I hope it gives you many years of great running. Enjoy!

Great looking and sounding locomotive.  I couldn't imagine having the real estate to have a G scale layout of that size in my basement.  Very impressive!

Thank you!

I have it set up inside below the O scale 2 rail layout

I also have it set up outside. It's good to have both for when the weather gets bad.

I'm trying out different KDs

I prefer to use the G scale ones for my uneven trackwork

amazing!  Thanks for sharing. 

These things are multiplying....

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Very nice! Glad the Gauge 1 units made it into production as it's a great looking locomotive. Here's my latest -- a custom painted unit that started out [ironically] as a brand new UP CNW Heritage Unit:

@AGHRMatt posted:

Very nice! Glad the Gauge 1 units made it into production as it's a great looking locomotive. Here's my latest -- a custom painted unit that started out [ironically] as a brand new UP CNW Heritage Unit:

Very nice Matt! I like it.

and fixed pilots!!

I forgot to add the snow plow on the NYC. The picture above reminded me of that!

@Engineer-Joe posted:

Very nice Matt! I like it.

and fixed pilots!!

Thanks. That's all I buy now if available. My whole UP Heritage fleet and my BNSF units all have scale wheels and fixed pilots. About 15% of my rolling stock is 2-rail. The layout will be hybrid to support my older equipment.

what's the story behind that custom paint scheme choice?

@Engineer-Joe posted:

what's the story behind that custom paint scheme choice?

As you may remember, I was the self-appointed Information Minister of the Isle of Denial. When one of the AGHR Kids grew up and became an engineer for BNSF, I bought a couple of BNSF SD70ACe diesels (scale wheels, of course). This got me unceremoniously kicked off the Isle. While in my exile, I encountered another resident who had done an SD70ACe in CNW F in HO. It looked too good not to do in O Scale. So, in a cheap effort to redeem myself, I bought one and had it repainted. Christine Braden did the work. Patrick Hansen gave me a set of F-unit decals. The unit was well received on Facebook. I plan to repaint a pair of SD80's if I can get hold of a pair.

finally running outback!

uh oh.....

where's Matt?

@drelo posted:

Great looking and sounding locomotive.  I couldn't imagine having the real estate to have a G scale layout of that size in my basement.  Very impressive!

I saw this post back when it was made. I just now felt like I should comment to others.

I just run the G scale around the walls basically. I do have some nice room since I built the addition on with the added basement.

I saw posts questioning my choice of an around the walls layout for my O scale. It is hard to make scenery when it's just a shelf. With the G scale below, it's a matter of being able to enjoy the large scale when the weather is bad outside. They normally only ran maybe a few months at the most outside. They sat all winter unused.

My choices are always a concession of what works for me at the time. I'd rather run, then plan for a perfect layout. That's just me.

If anyone likes G scale, just run something. It's better than not running or staying away thinking they don't have the space. If you're like me, you'll grow into whatever space you have. Hopefully that will get bigger as time goes and so will the layout. Find a scale of trains that you will enjoy and run with it!

I like them all. I just struggle working on the very small ones. I left HO and went to G scale. There wasn't much available at the time so I went to O scale. I still prefer G scale and dabble in both. If I had stuck to just G scale, I'd have been better off I believe. I have been fortunate to get many good deals on equipment in both.

and now the KD conversion is complete.

JOE - You are more of a mechanical than a carpenter. Nice engines.

J. Stack

@Freight Train Jim posted:

JOE - You are more of a mechanical than a carpenter. Nice engines.

J. Stack

a little bit of everything.

@Engineer-Joe posted:

uh oh.....

where's Matt?

Hanging out here and drooling. When you're a model railroader, you develop a "Jack of all trades" mentality -- electrical, carpentry, body and fender, and carpentry skills. Unfortunately, a side-effect is you're capable of a whole bunch of "honey-do" projects.

When "MTH by Atlas" announced more SD70ACe units, I was tempted to get another pair, but I'm running out of space. Did end up getting the MRL "Thank You Essential Workers" unit. I can't believe how many SD70ACe's I have acquired  since MTH first released them. Only one is hi-rail.

By the way, nice work on the pilots.

@Engineer-Joe posted:

I would like to ask a question as someone who runs G Scale (LGB).  I remember when the MTH gauge one came out I bought the Hudson but because the drive wheels were fixed to the chassis and did not pivot like the LGB counterparts I stayed away. With LGB locomotives and passenger cars as well as rolling stock trucks can pivot and basically steer very similar to EMD flex coil trucks. When running outside that’s very important since the track can be uneven side to side, did they eventually correct this?

sorry about long winded question.

Craig

PennCentralShops

@ThatGuy posted:

I would like to ask a question as someone who runs G Scale (LGB).  I remember when the MTH gauge one came out I bought the Hudson but because the drive wheels were fixed to the chassis and did not pivot like the LGB counterparts I stayed away. With LGB locomotives and passenger cars as well as rolling stock trucks can pivot and basically steer very similar to EMD flex coil trucks. When running outside that’s very important since the track can be uneven side to side, did they eventually correct this?

sorry about long winded question.

Craig

PennCentralShops

if I understand the question (I don't have much LGB), no, the axles are fixed. The trucks do pivot. I have a ton of MTH one gauge and don't have any issues. My track gets out of wack almost every year and I have to maintain it when it gets very bad. Only issue that I remember was a switch that had dipped from severe ballast wash out. I had to jack that switch back up.

The one used MTH Hudson I had would pick another switch when nothing else did. It was on a corner. I sold off that engine for many reasons. My other steamers are fine.

Thank you for the reply, I have the LGB Astor Hudson and the engineering with the tree drivers is amazing. The front set of drivers can steer and the others float allowing the engine to stay on the track. I wish Mike had gone with the larger scale but that’s for another day.

those of us who do American railroading in G scale do envy you guys with your MTH stuff.but you did not get that from me…..lol

Craig

PennCentralShops

I may have to get my hands on that engine someday soon!

@Engineer-Joe posted:

if I understand the question (I don't have much LGB), no, the axles are fixed. The trucks do pivot. I have a ton of MTH one gauge and don't have any issues. My track gets out of wack almost every year and I have to maintain it when it gets very bad. Only issue that I remember was a switch that had dipped from severe ballast wash out. I had to jack that switch back up.

The one used MTH Hudson I had would pick another switch when nothing else did. It was on a corner. I sold off that engine for many reasons. My other steamers are fine.

Every time I see your videos, I so wish I had backyard space just to run a train outdoors. There's a bridge over the Santa Ana River in Riverside that would scale out to about 20 feet in O scale that would look awesome!

Come on Matt

"You can do it ! "

I see a multiple arch bridge, and another pic of an old abandoned? truss bridge(s).

I like them all.

BTW. My yard is only 65' wide at the most. The fence is inside of that. The first layout just ran around the rock area.

Whatever space you have, use it!

one more....

Nice video. Amazing how many cars you can pull with one locomotive WiTHOUT traction tires if you have free-rolling cars.

@AGHRMatt posted:

Nice video. Amazing how many cars you can pull with one locomotive WiTHOUT traction tires if you have free-rolling cars.

Well....???

The O scale 2 rail I run don't have traction tires.

The MTH one gauge engines have traction tires. I have just under a 2% grade start the climb by the hot tub and two of these engines don't show any signs of slipping with this train.

I will keep testing. I think MTH got the weight just right on these new SD70ACes. They seem to pull better than the Dash 8s. I still have to prove that to myself.

BTW, I removed traction tire wheelsets from my USA Trains SD70MACs and SD40-2s. I didn't want the plastic gears to fail. The MACs still pull really well.

I think USA Trains eliminated tires from those later on.

I would like to eliminate them from all my engines. I can't get wheels sets for the MTH ones.

Didn't know the Gauge 1 engines had tires. I've been running scale wheels since 2009 and haven't had problems with long trains. It's just a matter of putting on more power if you get slipping. I prefer that to potentially overloading an engine. The real key is free rolling rolling stock.

Yep! I agree

So I put roller bearings in the trucks on around half of my cars so far. They roll so much better. It took the load off the engines pulling them up the grade outback.