Finally: Walthers 933-2618 motorized 130’ turntable. In other news, gearing up for my next advancement in box car weathering technique: 2-pack Atlas B&O 50’ steel box cars, riveted sides, “capitol” logo. 2-pack BLI C&O steel ARA/AAR box cars, riveted sides 1 MTL C&O 40’ steel box car, welded sides with seams, has “For Progress,” “C&O,” and “Chesapeake & Ohio” logo. 1 Atlas C&O 40’ steel box car, welded w/seams, has only “For Progress” & “C&O” logos. 1 Athearn C&O old time wood box car.
Happened across this book a couple of days ago at a decent price. Has some neat pics. There was a volume 2 that I may get later if I like this one enough. Was also gifted a few items yesterday but I'll cover that in my layout thread since they were not a purchase
Not necessarily train related, but Bigfoot (really BIG Bigfoot) crossed the tracks today. His button must have been very uncomfortable to pin on...
I bought a bunch of gapmasters so I can turn the corners in the yards. 22 tracks in total, 10 upper 11 lower level. I use them to better hold the joints in curved sections.
I bought some used Atlas jumbo covered hoppers from a friend at $13 each. I doubt I will ever buy any new rolling stock again. For $48 typical list price now, they should be as gold plated as Trump's sneakers. With a new section in the works, I have taken to buying used and built N scale structures that I want or need, including some HO structures that are really closer to N scale in modern industrial parks, like the Walthers Rolling Mill (although buying scribed styrene would probably be cheaper) Power Plant and Concrete Plant. Most come in as well built and a real bargain, usually under $50, and less than a new kit. But the steel plants are rare enough to command much more. Sometimes, even the N scale stuff gets high (in price) I put the first bid on a Walthers Sterling Dairy Complex, totally weathered and beautifully done. The base bid was $200, and I put one in just to keep track of the alerts to make a buying decision later. I turned out to be the only bidder, so the overall average cost of these EBay structures went up a bit. LOL, not. The worst part is, I am sort of designing as I go and probably have bought a few structures that I won't end up needing. Oh well, they can go back on EBay, I guess.
I measured the HO and N Walthers Silos - HO is 9" high, or about 117 feet in N, whereas I have seen diagrams of proto silos and 120-135 feet is typical. They are only 65 feet in HO, which to me justifies using the HO stuff, with a few key doors and railings cleverly hidden, of course.
So I sort of have a thing for the original (pre-ScaleTrains) Fox Valley locomotives, especially NS GEVOs. Now I’ve picked up three SD70ACEs off that auction site. They’ve had a few NS heritage Aces on their for a while, but don’t really have any connection to those predecessor roads and was looking for Horseheads. My grandfather words for NKP and NW so I have those FVM NS heritage GEVOs. Got them off a fellow TB member. All That said I couldn’t resist the IT SD70 because of the color scheme. There’s a NJ Central on the site too, and if it came down in price I’d probably snatch that up too. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I always loved the Fox Valley locomotives as well. They look good and run good and are about the easiest decoder to install.
Received a new ESU Loksound 5 decoder from Yankee Dabbler for my Stadler ABe 8/12 Allegra today. This is the third decoder I've had to replace in this unit. Seems there are reports from ESU about having sub-standard components in some decoders manufactured in 2023 because of supply problems. I hope I got a new-production example.
What I have seen was out of date firmware as the only problem for me. And the LokProgrammer updated the firmware in each case, so what I thought was dead was fixed by the LokProgrammer.
My Lokprogrammer also updated the firmware before uploading the sound project, but it did so in previous cases as well and they still failed.
3 wide vision cabooses from Rapido. Very nice rivaling Bowser and FVM detail. Comes with battery powered lighted end markers. I have to get the batteries separately (LR41 x 2 per caboose) so I have to order those to see the lights work. Should have some in a few days.
Just received a Kato U30C in Santa Fe colors. Will be converting to LokSound as soon as I get a chance to open it up.
Ran to the LHS today to drop off the donor for a re-motor on a MP 2-6-0 and found a couple of old Atlas 40' boxcars, a GN and a TP&W. Gonna get the trucks swapped out to knuckle couplers tonight.
In my younger years central Wisconsin had there own version of that company and there was a lot of those posters of Mr. Killowatt.
