WHAT TRAINS DID YOU RUN TODAY?

Wow!  I was just made aware of this topic.  Excellent idea, Mel!  Excellent videos everyone!  So much to go back and view!!

My new Legacy NYC Hudson (#5418) is pressed into service heading a short commuter train (consisting of some GGD cars) to Goldens Bridge on the Hudson Division. Rumor has it that it will return to GCT via the Putnam Division.

Today I ran mixed freights pulled by a Williams scale brass Camelback in Lackawanna livery ( with MTH cargo caboose equipped with a digital air whistle replicating a PW Lionel whistle )  and MTH SW 1 in Ma&pa livery.   Here a video of the action. 

Ran the Polar Express Berk with 4 coaches in tow. Hot Chocolate was in high demand.

For the adults in the crowd, the Yuengling Holiday Excursion Train arrived in town today as well. A Pennsy A-5 is providing the power this year.

Didn't get to shoot any pix or video

A couple 44 tonners passing by in the S&Y RR

Apples55 posted:

My new Legacy NYC Hudson (#5418) is pressed into service heading a short commuter train (consisting of some GGD cars) to Goldens Bridge on the Hudson Division. Rumor has it that it will return to GCT via the Putnam Division.

That beautiful Hudson returning on the Putnam Division would be an extraordinary event, Paul, as I understand the history of that railroad.  Most common steamers in the Put were 10 wheelers.

Also. I believe the furthest South on the Put would be the Sedgewick Ave. station in the Bronx.

Arnold

Arnold,

You have become our resident "Put" expert!

MELGAR

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Apples55 posted:

My new Legacy NYC Hudson (#5418) is pressed into service heading a short commuter train (consisting of some GGD cars) to Goldens Bridge on the Hudson Division. Rumor has it that it will return to GCT via the Putnam Division.

 

That beautiful Hudson returning on the Putnam Division would be an extraordinary event, Paul, as I understand the history of that railroad.  Most common steamers in the Put were 10 wheelers.

Also. I believe the furthest South on the Put would be the Sedgewick Ave. station in the Bronx.

Arnold

Arnold;

As someone who is known to regularly run a set of Gunderson Maxi-stacks behind my Big Boy, I have never been one to allow pesky historical facts to burst the bubble of my whimsy    And in light of the fact that I don’t have an appropriate 10 wheeler on my roster, I have to make due with what I’ve got (at least I didn’t press the Niagara into service!!!).

But you are correct... from what I’ve read about the Old Put, their primary steam power was the 10 wheelers. In fact, apparently they had to switch to a shorter tender due to weight limitations and turntable length on the Put. And I certainly wouldn’t want to strand the crew in the Bronx  

Post war Southern F3s hauling box cars. And Lionel TMCC Delaware & Hudson smoking diesel pulling oil tank cars:

Arnold

TMCC D&H diesel pulling oil tankers and Santa Fee Postwar F3 boxcar freight:

Arnold

YCN34 the East end local that runs from Youngwood (Y) to Connellsville (CN) and return.

conventional classic

10 powered engines at once with two mth z-4000s feeding multiple tracks:

Subway trains - R-21, r-32 +  r-34 lashup,  r-17 yankees + r-12 white + r-12 gray lashup

long island B6 switcher, Long Island 44 tonner, Lionel US marines repro, MTA switcher by rmt

The Cornish Riviera Express (London to Penzance):

Regards

Fred

Strap Hanger posted:

 

10 powered engines at once with two mth z-4000s feeding multiple tracks:

Subway trains - R-21, r-32 +  r-34 lashup,  r-17 yankees + r-12 white + r-12 gray lashup

long island B6 switcher, Long Island 44 tonner, Lionel US marines repro, MTA switcher by rmt

 

 

 

 

That’s a lot of action on all levels!!!

None.... the MOW crew is busy on the main line.....

RC3R’s running Friday night.

We had a surprisingly strong turnout of young families.

Great fun

RailKing Western Maryland Pacific pulling RailKing cars special run from the Community Model Railroad Club in Frostburg Maryland 

Mark Boyce posted:

Strap Hanger posted:

 

10 powered engines at once with two mth z-4000s feeding multiple tracks:

Subway trains - R-21, r-32 +  r-34 lashup,  r-17 yankees + r-12 white + r-12 gray lashup

long island B6 switcher, Long Island 44 tonner, Lionel US marines repro, MTA switcher by rmt

 

 

 

 

That’s a lot of action on all levels!!!

It’s a blast, Mark.  We’re basement deficient here in south Florida, so multi level is the only way to go. In fact, I may add a ceiling loop next like that nice one you have.

Strap Hanger posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Strap Hanger posted:

 

10 powered engines at once with two mth z-4000s feeding multiple tracks:

Subway trains - R-21, r-32 +  r-34 lashup,  r-17 yankees + r-12 white + r-12 gray lashup

long island B6 switcher, Long Island 44 tonner, Lionel US marines repro, MTA switcher by rmt

 

 

 

 

That’s a lot of action on all levels!!!

It’s a blast, Mark.  We’re basement deficient here in south Florida, so multi level is the only way to go. In fact, I may add a ceiling loop next like that nice one you have.

Thank you!  I’m thinking the ceiling level would look great.  Review some topics on the subject here on the Forum, before and while planning it.  A ceiling level has its own set of unique problems to consider.  For me a 7’ 4” ceiling made for little space above the doors to work with.  It was a literal pain in the neck as I was in my very late 50s at the time I built it.  LOL

Amtrak phase 2 E8's by MTH pulling a mix of Atlas & GGD Amtrak cars.

          awesome looking train Scott

I switched from diesel to steam...   Is that even legal?  

Ted, it’s always legal to run steam!  

Alaska Railroad passenger

I ran em all. Two MUs, two diesels, and a steamer. About 65 cars, 7 engines. I had some cars left, but those were all my engines 

The Weaver Reading Crusader:

Regards

Fred

SNCF231E,

Very nice job on the Reading Crusader train and video.

MELGAR

Great video of the Crusader, Fred. The Glenn Miller ASCAP boycott wizardry goes perfectly. 

Glenn Miller!!!  I usually watch without sound, but went back this time with sound!  Fred, fitting choice to go with the Crusader!!  Excellent train set.  Also, I am impressed with that raised roadbed.  Is it all aluminum??

Now that I have MTH WiFi setup and running, the focus is to get all of my engines loaded into my iPad. The ones I have already run on the club layout are already programmed. I am focusing on engines that haven't seen run time.

Today I added my:

N&W Class J 611, N&W Class Y3 2033, ES44AC #31 Halloween, SD70ACe 4141 George Bush, #4 Galloping Goose, and GP-7 PRR #2010 (Legacy)

In all I've got about 1/2 of my engines loaded. I'll do more next week. A major issue is when I'm done, my wife will easily be able to see how many engines I have.

FWIW, I do have lights and all of my sidings now programmed as accessories. Still have 22 switches and 12 routes to program.

It would have been nice if there was a simple way to clone the DCS remote to the iPad. With all of the functions saved in my DCS remote, it is really nice to be able to save this to the iPad.

Did the final runs of the Polar Express and Yuengling Excursion Train for the season. Packing up all the Christmas decor today. 

Sniff 😪

3 freights and a passenger train been running the rails of the S&Y RR the past couple days. 

MTH Milwaukee EF-3, MTH SP&S F-7's, MTH NS, and a MTH UP AeroTrain.

Mark Boyce posted:

Glenn Miller!!!  I usually watch without sound, but went back this time with sound!  Fred, fitting choice to go with the Crusader!!  Excellent train set.  Also, I am impressed with that raised roadbed.  Is it all aluminum??

Thank you!

The trackbed is galvanized metal which after 30 years still does not show rust.

Regards

Fred

sncf231e posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Glenn Miller!!!  I usually watch without sound, but went back this time with sound!  Fred, fitting choice to go with the Crusader!!  Excellent train set.  Also, I am impressed with that raised roadbed.  Is it all aluminum??

Thank you!

The trackbed is galvanized metal which after 30 years still does not show rust.

Regards

Fred

Thank you, I didn't think about galvanized.  You don't see it much anymore, but we had a lot of it at my dad's house.

None, but I hope to run some later today.

In the meantime, here is the last video I took a few days ago of my MTH Railking Proto 1 Jersey Central FM Trainmaster smoking diesel hauling oil tankers:

This is one of my favorite locomotives and trains. It reminds me of the NJ Turnpike, and paradoxically enables me to see the beauty in the ugliness and stink of the NJ Turnpike.

LOL, Arnold

Ran a few postwar steam engines both 736s both 2035s a 2046  both 1946 726 engines.Have many more to run then there is the prewar stuff sure is fun.

Like Dieseler, I ran Postwar trains, specifically a Lionel Brunswick green Pennsy GG1 pulling Postwar passenger cars, and a Lionel Lackawanna FM Trainmaster hauling boxcars.

Both of the above Postwar locomotives, made in the early 1950s with strong Magnetraction, are so good mechanically. They are such a pleasure to run on my Postwar O Gauge tubular track and 022 switches.

I also love modern O Gauge locomotives with their marvelous sounds, smoke and detail, but that does not diminish my passion for the best from the Postwar era.

Here are a couple of photos of the above engines:

Arnold

Today, on my outer loop I’m running Lionel NYC 2344 AA units in excellent condition with a consist of Williams NYC streamliners.  The 2344’s are 66 years old but they actually run smoother and pull better than the modern era Lionel conventional classic 2344s I have from about 10 years ago.

Another view of the 2344s.

I cranked up the heat in the train building early this morning.  On the main line was a prewar consist.  I ran it into a siding and gave it a break.  Out came my first set from 1960, plus one.

That was fun.  It's time to pull my 1965 cars now.

Bill

All the big dogs with the track department rode a rail cleaning special today.  They are comparing cleaning solution effectiveness.  Two FA-1 ALCO's could handle the work car.  The GP-9 joined in to tend the crew car, observation car and MOW caboose.  At noon they pulled into a siding for a steak lunch.  The Geep pulled the officials and crew car back to Odenville.  There was a report of sleeping on the job.  Railroad security director, Mr. Sully will address the situation.    

Bill

Sunday run. Lionel CSX ac6000 & es44ac lash up with husky stacks and a Lionel Norfolk Southern sd60e with a mixed freight.

RailKing Western Maryland Pacific #204 pulling WM Circus scheme streamliners.

I ran my NYC 0-4-0 which I picked up at the Springfield train show on Sat.  Looking forward to running my NH Atlas 0-6-0 (originally undecorated), when I pick it up on Weds.  Making a long story short, I damaged the original tether and I had it converted to MTH PS3.

Mark Boyce posted:

RailKing Western Maryland Pacific #204 pulling WM Circus scheme streamliners.

Nice consist, Mark. Just out of curiosity, why did they call it a Circus Scheme??? Actually, at first glance, I thought they were New Haven cars.

Ran my LIRR equipment. A pair of MP-15's and a RS-3. Checked clearances for a passenger platform on my upper level. The Lionel station is a hair too big so a custom build is going to be required.

The steam chest on my B-6 doesn't clear either.

Gentlemen, your short videos above are so interesting, really cool. I soon will learn this technic and run some videos to. Yesterday, I’ve been having a derailment issue on one of my switches and blaming it on wheel alignment on the switchers, it was an Atlas O screw not screwed all the way down, sticking up about an1/8 inch, duh.... So, I ran the CSX and B&O Switchers long end forward for 30 minutes, problem solved. Happy Railroading 

Leapin Larry,

I notice you have a B&O GP-9. I have one of those too. It runs well, but it has a derailment issue with one of my postwar 022 switches. I have to really restrict its speed over that switch. Do you have anything similar? Do you have any suggestions as to how to correct this, other than replacing the switch?

Apples55 posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

RailKing Western Maryland Pacific #204 pulling WM Circus scheme streamliners.

Nice consist, Mark. Just out of curiosity, why did they call it a Circus Scheme??? Actually, at first glance, I thought they were New Haven cars.

Paul, The consist was a series of 3 special runs MTH did for the Community Model Railroad Club of Frostburg, Maryland.  It was 2 cars each of 3 years ending in 2019.  They do a fundraiser every year.

The so called Circus scheme refers to the red and white the Western Maryland used the last few years before the Chessie System merger.  It was said the red and white looked like circus tents.  I have to admit it is quite a contrast over the black they used before.  These cars represent cars on the Westerm Maryland Scenic Railroad and are really silver and red, but the club referred to them as Circus anyway.  They should know since the WMSR runs between Cumberland and Frostburg.

TNCENTRR, Hello sir, whom recently asked the Question about repairing my CSX and B&O diesels that derail going through the points of my #8 Ross switch. I’ve looked at all of the angles that the diesels enter the switch and the points have been clearly closed or opened as they should have been. So, I cleaned off some of the ballast near the left side of the track entering the switch, found an Atlas O screw not properly screwed down, removed it, as my friend did the ballasting several years ago and I didn’t really pay much attention to his work until the last few Lionel Diesel Switchers started having issues at that point. Others on the forum mentioned the gears not matching up with lots of play, the gears could get stuck. So, I listened to others that placed 3/16 E-Clips on the axles to keep them better positioned to mesh with the gears that turn the wheels, now they have been retrofitted with E-clips.  I’m not an Engineer, just one that expects these pricy diesels to operate properly. I want all of my engines, cars, etc. to roll easily and operate as close to perfect as possible.  So, I do not know what’s causing your diesel to derail, but, you might check the gears for alignment, pictured are the E-Clips, the switch, the underside of the CSX diesel. I do not have that tight of curve as my smallest diameter is 072, going to 0120. Lionel 022 Switches are 031 diameter. That could be part of the equation causing the derailing issue. If I read your title correctly, it could mean Tennessee Central RR, if you live in Tennessee, then your welcome to come visit. Good Luck. You may email me direct as my emails in my profile as is my cell number. Happy Railroading 

A MTH 4-6-0 along with MTH Union Pacific passenger cars.

Rotated power and rolling stock today. I put away the LIRR and will run Pennsy steam for a while. I discovered a clearance issue with my 0-4-0 A-5 (K-line), and 0-6-0 B-6 (Lionel). The front running boards hit the roof of my team track terminal and the edge of the hill coming out of a turn. Minor fixes both.
Also running two Plymouth's (K-line), and a PRR H-10-44 (MTH).

Two of my favorites: MTH Proto 1 Jersey Central FM Trainmaster pulling boxcars, and Postwar Lionel Brunswick green GG1 hauling passenger cars:

Arnold

Arnold,

I really like your classic postwar trains; the GG1, silver passenger cars and FM Trainmaster.

MELGAR

VIA Rail's "Super Continental"  keeping schedule with MTH Proto 1 power, and an Amtrak phase III era consist, pulled by 3 MTH Proto 1 F40PH locomotives.  

My latest purchase - Lionel’s #8002 UP Berkshire from 1980.  When I was younger we had this running around our small 4X8 layout at home. After my parents passed, my brothers and I let it go in the estate sale. Now, many years later, I’m glad to have it back in my collection.  Pretty simple by today’s standards, it was the latest and greatest back in the ‘80’s.  The colors were a great break from the usual all-black color of steam locomotives.  It brings back great memories for me.

Here is a short ‘run by’ video.  

Rob, like your UP #8002. I think this is one of Lionel's FARR (Famous American Rail Roads). Very nice engine and tender. I also have the Great Northern and Southern Engines from the FARR series, all very nice. Seeing yours running makes me want to get them off the shelves and let them stretch their legs a little. I will need to check the foam under the sound board in the tenders as the foam is known for rotting away over time causing the sound board to short out on the metal chassis. Yours looks good running on your great looking layout. 

 I Ran some Marx today on my little bedroom layout. Southern Pacific had a load of new Dimestore Vehicles that had to be delivered. 

Dean

Leapin Larry,

Thank you for the reply and the good information. I live in Murfreesboro. I think you are up in Clarksville. I would love to come and see your layout, but, I looked at your profile and I cannot find an email address or cell number. Maybe I am not looking in the right place. Can you check that again or tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks

TNCENTRR, MY Email is larrylevin71@yahoo.com.   I live in Clarksville, Tn. Send me a message. Thanks, Leapin Larry

to go to my profile, tap on the line under my picture, then another picture will appear, then click on my second picture and the entire profile should appear. Your profile did not show anything, not a problem. Good luck.

RSJB18 posted:

Rotated power and rolling stock today. I put away the LIRR and will run Pennsy steam for a while. I discovered a clearance issue with my 0-4-0 A-5 (K-line), and 0-6-0 B-6 (Lionel). The front running boards hit the roof of my team track terminal and the edge of the hill coming out of a turn. Minor fixes both.
Also running two Plymouth's (K-line), and a PRR H-10-44 (MTH).

Pix

Being home sick has its perks.

1- The CEO can't really ask you to do work around the house because you're sick

2- Running trains is a good medicine

This MTH RailKing Proto 3 NY Central Alco RS-3, 

which has, IMO, great sounds, smoke, front and rear electrocouplers, and it's an excellent puller.

It is exclusively available from JR Junction Hobby in Syracuse, NY (a Forum Sponsor), which is donating $50 from each sale to the Central NY Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, Inc.

The video below shows this smokin' diesel hauling boxcars past Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds on The Put on my layout (LOL):

Arnold

That's a beauty Arnold

RSJB18 posted:

Being home sick has its perks.

1- The CEO can't really ask you to do work around the house because you're sick

2- Running trains is a good medicine

My dad always said if you stay home from school sick, you have to stay in bed all day!  No trains!!!!!!!

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

This MTH RailKing Proto 3 NY Central Alco RS-3, 

 

which has, IMO, great sounds, smoke, front and rear electrocouplers, and it's an excellent puller.

It is exclusively available from JR Junction Hobby in Syracuse, NY (a Forum Sponsor), which is donating $50 from each sale to the Central NY Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, Inc.

Arnold

 

Thanks - nice video Arnold!

Arnold,

A very nice engine. Use it well. The recent work on the layout is excellent too. I don't see the first picture on your post - just the video.

MELGAR

Here's the 1st photo again:

It’s early December 1968 and the Penn Central has been in service a little less than a year and the Pennsylvania Railroad and the NYC are scrambling in an effort to keep things running smoothly but it is to no avail.  With the arrival of the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia late in 1968 the Penn Central is forced to pair up some old NYC stream liners with an aging PRR GGI due to a shortage of available passenger cars.  Hopefully this will help to facilitate travel to the game from New York to Philadelphia.  Here they come down the old “Pennsylvania Race Track” just outside northeast Philly.               .      

OKHIKER posted:

It’s early December 1968 and the Penn Central has been in service a little less than a year and the Pennsylvania Railroad and the NYC are scrambling in an effort to keep things running smoothly but it is to no avail.  With the arrival of the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia late in 1968 the Penn Central is forced to pair up some old NYC stream liners with an aging PRR GGI due to a shortage of available passenger cars.  Hopefully this will help to facilitate travel to the game from New York to Philadelphia.  Here they come down the old “Pennsylvania Race Track” just outside northeast Philly.      

“Old”???… “aging”??? I would say Classic!!!   

Very nice consist.

Haven’t ever posted in this thread, to my knowledge, but as I’m in the middle of a layout renovation and was trying my AIU and 2 testing different engines on different track via DCS and conventional today I ran:

prewar:

ives 3252(posted a video somewhere)

Lionel 254E

postwar:

marx SP 6000 AA

Marx B&O FA

Marx 21 Santa FE AA(tin)

All above, except the Sp and B&O, has a consist of Bub, Bing, Fleischmann and Fandor

modern:

Lionel Amtrak Dash-9 with TMCC

MTH PRR 6-8-6 s-2 turbine with proto 2(still trying to find this item number!)

MTH Railking “Allentown Special” bump-n-go trolley

MTH premier NJT Genesis(P42DC) cab 4083

K-Line by Lionel B&O Boxcab

The above command mainly ran on their own, but I practiced coupling/uncoupling with an amtrak 16 inch coach,continental grains cyldrixal hopper and an LV Tank car.

The Prewar And Postwar to see how it’d handle FasTrack vs RealTrax. The Boxcab and trolley b/c I had a loop up already. And the rest to see how they would react to power from a Z1000 brick vs the 135 watt PH via the TIU

Pictures and video show my Peter Witt Brooklyn trolley car #8454 made by Williams-Bachmann. This is a scale-sized and detailed model that would look best on an inner-city layout running at slow streetcar speeds. Is anyone else running trolley cars?

Pictures and video by:

MELGAR

NY Central RS-3 freight train on Hudson Division and New Haven passenger train on New Haven Division:

Arnold

RS3s look good in any color, especially black!!  

Lionel Western Maryland 2-8-0 Consolidation, K line Pennsy A 5, MTH trolley all on the Free State Junction Railway. 

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

This MTH RailKing Proto 3 NY Central Alco RS-3, which has, IMO, great sounds, smoke, front and rear electrocouplers, and it's an excellent puller.

It is exclusively available from JR Junction Hobby in Syracuse, NY (a Forum Sponsor), which is donating $50 from each sale to the Central NY Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, Inc.

The video below shows this smokin' diesel hauling boxcars past Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds on The Put on my layout (LOL):

Arnold

 

Arnold,

GREAT VIDEOS!  Thank you so very much for sharing!

This:

Just got it back today from the DCC/sound guy. It now has a Tsunami 2 in it with DDE (Dynamic Digital Exhaust), notch up/down, "Straight-to-8", "Drop to Idle", and more (like a 30 second "Keep Alive" circuit!).

Sounds great, runs great. Had fun doing some switching in the South Stage with it.

Andre

Ran that same gorgeous NY Central RS-3 (the one I bought from JR Junction Train & Hobby mentioned above) through "My Little Town" along The Put:

This MTH Railking Proto 3 diesel smokes, sounds and runs great, and it is a great puller as shown in the video. It also navigates my 031 curves and 022 switches beautifully. 

I couldn't be happier with it. Arnold

Two of my favorites, along The Put:

Arnold

A frew freights running today

Century Club 2 Empire State Express Set

Recently Installed 0-72 Drawbar on the add on PT tender and an extra StationSounds Diner to boost the volume.

I had a run with the Lionel Southern Crescent Limited in the garden:

Regards

Fred

Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike, We've all come to look for America.

All come to look for America. Paul Simon

Arnold

Vintage Lionel General Set with added horse car and sheriff and outlaw car.

I ran one of my favorites: the Lionel #618 Boston & Albany Hudson made in the mid to late 1980s that has very good steam sounds, whistle and puffing smoke:

I ran it very slowly, pulling a double unit train of Postwar operating log dump cars up front and gondolas plus caboose in back.

You may ask, why did I run it very slowly?

Because when it accelerates, it sometimes makes a disturbing wheezing sound like it has a serious respiratory illness!

Lubrication is not the issue. It has recently been very thoroughly and carefully lubricated. When it does not make that disturbing wheezing sound, it runs and sounds great.

One more symptom that just occurred to me. When it accelerates and then makes the wheezing sound, it slows down. When the wheezing stops, it resumes normal speed.

It hardly ever wheezes when I carefully run it smoothly and slowly.

Any thoughts regarding the cause of the wheezing?

Do you think it needs a ventilator? (Just kidding, I couldn't resist, only trying to give us all some comic relief)

Seriously, I love this locomotive. It's got the best, realistic sounding whistle I ever heard, and I have other, more modern locomotives with superb sounds, whistles and horns. 

And, I would love to get the opinions of you train doctors out there about  the cause of the wheezing.

Arnold

A little Milwaukee action

K Line semi-scale Boston and Albany Hudson and Lionel 24xx 3-car set

Stay healthy and safe everyone!

~M

My new unit train, gondolas:

What's nice about a gondola unit train is it is inexpensive, each car typically costing $5 to $10 used at train shows or LHSs. Also, they are useful because you can put things in them, which little kids love to do. For years, my grandaughter loved giving her little Shopkins rides in the gondolas.

I also like the sound of the word "gondola." LOL, Arnold

Here is another inexpensive unit train I ran today: Sunoco oil tanker cars:

Arnold

Arnold,

I like unit trains too. On Warrenville I'm currently running 2 unit trains.

The first is headed by a PW Lionel Erie Lackawanna Trainmaster FM pulling a string of 13 Lionel 6414 Autoloader cars. At the end is an Erie Lackawanna caboose that I custom built (from 2 SP cabooses) and decorated. I love these cars and this train is usually on the layout.

On the upper level I'm running a unit train of 14 Lionel "chemical" tank cars (including the Warrenville Brewery car I recently made). This is headed by two, both powered, PW Lionel 231 Rock Island Alcos. Pulling up the rear is a marching Rock Island SP type caboose that I custom painted.

As to your gondola train, you might like to add something like the ones I recently posted, made from a good gond and a derelict one. No damage to the good one:

I ran some older RivaRossi Virginia & Truckee 4-4-0's:

Regards

Fred

Two Lionel PWC Gas turbine units circling my layout preparing for war.  The PWC #59 U.S. Air Force Minuteman with a consist of Menard’s flat cars carrying missile loads is followed by a PWC #57 AEC Turbine hauling a nuclear submarine and a dangerous cargo of nuclear waste.  Lots of growl in those motors but also lots of sweet smelling ozone.😃😃😃

Living vicariously through you folks.

I didn't run any trains today because I don't have a layout and my outside of home options are closed. 

Tomorrow I may run my Christmas train in a shuttle service back and forth on a folding table.    

Forgot to post a couple weeks ago, when a slow night at the office led to double-headed W&LE Mallets pulling a coal drag around the lobby. 

Here's a video of my 0-8-0 shoving some freight cars onto a siding in the Brewtown neighborhood of my layout.  The siding serves a brewery and public delivery track.  I had lots of fun staging and shooting this video about 5 years ago!  Youch!!!  I can't believe it's been that long ago!  Time flys when we're having fun with our trains!!

LC+ Erie Camelback hauling boxcars on a morning run:

Arnold

Because of the MTH announcement, I'm going to have to take good care of the trains that I have as of now. I have been predominantly a buyer of MTH. I went downstairs yesterday and exercised a couple of Lionel engines.

MELGAR