markoles

Hey guys,

I'm sure you've all heard that NS sold some fine art and donated $1.5m to this project.  Who would have thought that possible 3 years ago?

Hey, did you two notice there appears to be a universal driving the third axle?  That's how they're getting it around a 2' radius curve.

I really like the look of this locomotive.  The lighting is interesting, too.  Nice lights on the running gear, good for night runs...

Jim,

This latest railroad looks like your best yet.  I like how you made each loop accesssible and also added the passing siding.

What the rest of you don't realize is that Jim takes over his entire living room with trains and the 10^8 lights on his Christmas tree!!

We don't have a whole lot of space where we set up the tree, so I will usually run a loop or two around the tree.  Sometimes, we let the neighbors do all the train set ups for us.

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/15996_4576112694645_157409365_n.jpg

The motor appears to be OK.  It was the housing that melted.  I suspect that there was some issue with one of the power pick ups.  Might have had a slight gap created when the truck derailed, causing arcing and high temperature.  Motor runs fine, does not get hot.

I didn't even realize that Maerklin had made a BR 64!  This Piko version is 1/4 the cost, apparently.

That LGB caboose is really a "Drovers Caboose". LGB made it with a standard LGB combine and then added the coupola.  I have a yellow one like that, D&RGW with ball bearing wheels and a lighted interior.  Technically speaking,  your observation car would be the final car on your passenger train.  A drover's caboose would be positioned at the end of a stock car train.  It was intended for the cowboys (the guys driving the cows, hence drovers?) to have a place to stretch out and be out of the conductor and brakemen's way. 

Guys,

I've been quietly watching the Piko G scale offerings improve over the last 2-3 years.  Granted, their initial starter sets seemed chinsy and I've not been over excited about their apparent re-issue of old MDC stock.  The mogul/switcher with sound and improved wheels was a nod in the right direction, while keeping the price point reasonable.  (I view the new Piko 2-6-0 / 0-6-0 as a step up from the LGB 2-4-0s of 10 years ago, but targeting that same demographic).

In the past year, however, I have to admit that Piko appears to be serious about G-scale.  Their huge Crocodile is just a beastly looking machine.  The HSB diesel reminds me of an elephant, but it is reasonably like what I saw at the HSB last September.  The TEE is an impressive train, too.

Despite all of the above,  I've not really been overly excited about Piko.  Until I saw this: a video of their newest steam engine:

Now, besides the fact that Drew Carey has apparently quit his job as a comedian and has moved to Germany to head up a model train company,  this looks like a really nicely made, well detailed, and smooth running steam locomotive.  There was another video posted showing this engine running with two coaches and a goods wagon. 

Watch this:

When the locomotive is in the tunnel, you can see that there are lights under the running boards at time 2:40.  All I can say is 'wow'. Watching the video to the end, it appears our fellow modeler has some full size switch throws in his operating room, or at least some good video editing skills. I also note that the 3 axle passenger cars look to be well done as well.

I wonder if they will utilize this chassis to create a similar locomotive for the north american market.  While the Prairie type did not see widespread use, there are specific examples who did, ATSF comes to mind.  The valve gear and drive rod detail appears to be very well made.  In my opinion, that's what makes or breaks a steam engine model.  In any case, the initial offering price from any number of our favorite retailers appears to be less than $600.  Not bad, considering that altertnative locomotives like this are either Maerklin or Aster or huge $$$. 

Anyone else excited to see well made steam returning to G-scale?

We were just discussing the potential to use the MTH smoke units in place of the aristo sd-45 smoke unit.

I wonder if I could fit an MTH unit in the boiler of an LGB mikado.  I belive the LGB board outputs 5v for their smoke unit, but it is a tight fit in there. 

I've picked up 4 of the new Aristo 0-4-0 switchers.  I heard a bit of a rumble about the wheels slipping on the axles.  I've had this happen on my mallet and mikado, and it is not a big deal to fix. 

I'm giving the 4 switchers away as gifts to my neices and nephews.  One goes to VA, the other goes to CA.  Not sure my brother or brother-in-law is able to make repairs, and anticipate phone calls on Christmas morning, etc..  So, if possible, I'd like to know how I can fix this now.  Or at least review what's in the boxes in the basement.  Plus, I have two going to Luke and MK. And I do not want to have them run their new locomotives for 4 minutes and have a failure.

Did any of you add a washer under a the lock washer or did you guys go the loctite route?

These WILL be run hard, forward-reverse.  They are going to kids. 

Well, this show is come and gone now.  Things ran really well, for the most part.  One thing I didn't realize at the time during the show was the pumpkins I loaded on flatcars and gons were really heavy!  The FA-FB-FA consist had a hard time, and I suspect it was due in part to the overloaded freight train. 

Charlie Z and Kevin Y came to help run the trains, and Luke did a great job too.   My brother in law VInce helped man the kids railroad.  I belive we had about 400 people stopping by overall. Lots of nice people on Sunday.  Charlie brought his 4-6-2 pacific, latest run, and it ran great.  ALso some Reading FP7's (USAT F3s) and some GP35s (GP-38s).  Nice looking paint jobs! 

The rains have now arrived and it's been raining all week.  I had intended to run trains with friends on Sunday, but the forecast doesn't look great, so we'll see what happens.

The only failure happened after the show closed.  I had an RDC-3 on patrol, and it derailed the lead truck at some point.  By the time I noticed it,  the smell of burned electronics was strong.  Last night (Thursday),  I tried to pull the motorblock apart, and the plastic melted to the point where I need to used a razor saw to open it.  I am about 90% of the way to getting the block opened, but I sliced my finger with the same razor saw and decided to call it a night.  Turning the wheels, I was able to make the motor move, so perhaps it'll be all right once I get it all opened up.  At first,  it didn't want to move.  I suspect that I've melted some of the block, and I'll need to either send it for repair or do some sanding.

I

I have a two of these for sale, if anyone's interested.  Look like new, probably only ever run once, the wheels do not show much use.  I have the original boxes, too.  Asking $95 each, plus shipping.

Things are improving quickly. 

Ran trains last night for a while.  Had to fix a trouble spot in the one curve where the RS-3 would derail every time. Then it started to derail the first car behind, so I did a little more ballast work, then changed that car for a different one.  Both things solved the problem.  I also spoke with aristo and they helped me out with the repair to my mallet, and I expect the repaired motorblock today.  That's service!!

The bad: I noted a strong smell of hot electric somthing.  It appeared to be coming from a heavyweght car, so I took it out of service.  During inspection later, I discovered there was some evidence of melted plastic in the floor at one of the solder joints.  When looking at the trucks,  I noted that on the side of the 3 axle truck where the power gets picked at the center axle, the wire had fallen or melted off.  I took the truck apart to see about putting the wire back on, when I noted that it had essentially melted through the insulation.  The bearing for the axle had worn so far that I suspect there was major arcing going on here. The side frame had melted a little, pushing the bearing further out, further exaserbating the situation.  I cut the wires to the coach and removed the rest of the wiring.  I need to replace the side frame, eventually, but believe I can run with the car as-is.  This coach is older, probably mid to late 90s production.  I'd like to replace the plain bearings with the aristo ball bearings.   Has anyone done this on heavyweight cars?  

So, the jitters and the gremlin attacks have once again arrived.  I over ballasted the railroad about a month ago, and due to work and other commitments, I've been unable to get to run the trains very much.   When I have run, it's been a nightmare.  Finally, last Sunday, I decided enough was enough and I basically lifted all the track up out of the ballast, shook it, and then settled it back down.  Now, I actually need to go dress up the center of the tracks a little bit.

But wait! THat's not all!  I managed to crud up the wheels on: 2 RS-3's, 2 connies, one mikado and completely destroy one mallet!  Yay!  The engine that ran best for me was the LGB mikado, which I prefer to use sparingly. 

The good news is this:  I am able to clean the wheels on all the engines pretty quickly.  The connies and mikado cleaned up nicely.  Once clean, the engines are running a lot better.  The black crud that the aristo track cleaning caboose is picking up wipes off quickly, so I believe I'm making progress there.  Navin at Aristo is going to fix my mallet for me in time for the show.  I may even have a new REVO transmitter in time, too.  Fingers crossed.

Other news: I only have 2 engineers this year, and one is Luke.  The other is Kevin.  I expect that means I will be one of the drivers this year for the first time.  My suspicion is that I'll simply have two or three trains operating on the mainlines and the P&W. 

I have a major road race this weekend in Deleware (Dogfish Head Brewery), so my focus is not really on the trains at the moment.  I plan to get out and run some more this evening.  Might work on the yard tracks, which I have not touched yet. I'm not as concerned about them because I don't expect we'll actually be doing a whole lot of switching during the event, as opposed to other years where we had multiple operators and various equipment.

I think it's kind of weird to announce the product, allow pre-orders, but then take it down from the online shop?  Seems strange.  Maybe they didn't get any response at all? 

Well, the turntable track itself is unpowered. It gets power when I connect the rail joiners (by sliding them) to the apron tracks or turntable lead track, as each of those has power (and polarity the same way, for ease of wiring).

Ray,

Thanks for clarifying!  I have a turntable and I vary the direction they get spotted on the apron track by pure whim.  At the moment, I don't actually have a 'roundhouse', so they're sitting outside.  But, if I understand correctly,  If the loco is one way vs the other, and using PS2, I'd have to manually flip a switch.  So, yeah, the internalization of that function to the locomotive itself is a bonus for me!

Sorry, that's just my impression!!! She does have a cavernous firebox, though.  Do locomotives like their fireboxes to be called 'cavernous'?

Jim just point out one line in there that's giving us more clues.

"The Norfolk Southern F7 is a passenger train modeled after NS Executive Train and will be feature in the catalog with passenger cars. "

So, that means that the NS F7's should have coaches painted like the current NS scheme:

Seems similar to the Norfolk and Western passenger scheme.  Or am I mistaken?

MTH announced this on facebook just now:

Not newer than yesterday's news...

The Railroad Museum of PA is part of the state run museums.  It is actually separate from the for-profit common carrier Strasburg Rail Road.  The museum organizes and benefits from the funds raised through the sale of the tickets.  I suspect that it is about 98% pure profit for them.  They do have some advertising and printing to do, but it's not like they're giving me money to do trackwork or add motive power (but it would be nice!!)  It also give the local g-scaler community an opportunity to promote our hobby!

I got involved when the museum originally organized this in early 2007.  I was on a list of members the local garden railroad club gave them.  That first year,  we had about 400 people come through the backyard.  In 2009,  the local paper and county magazine did articles about our railroad, and we had over 600 show up.  Average attendance is somewhere about 350.  Last year, it rained and we only had 250 come by.  I keep a guest book and ask people to sign it.  That's how we get these figures.

If you like, you can search youtube for 'trainman24' and look at his videos of 'RR Museum open house'.  You'll see my original Millersvillanova Railroad as it grew and was modified over time to accomodate longer and varied trains.  We did not host in 2010, my daughter was born 3 weeks before, and our yard was all torn up from a sewer project.  2007-2008-2009 and 2011 are shown.  I think floaman has a video from 2012.

I was doing a search of videos, and one of the other guy's railroads popped up:

Allegheny is kind of cool, but when I visit the 1604 at the BORM,  it just seems like a huge block of steel, and not really a locomotive.  Now, a Class A? There's a locomotive!

Jim said he might be able to help me with the height comparision.  I looked at pictures of the 1:1 PA's with passenger trains, and it appears the height was low, and the roof of the locomotive was close to the roof of the passenger cars.  With the aristo heavyweights being somewhat diminutive themselves,  and running AA sets, this might be a non issue.  In any event, I'm more curious to see how it would look than actually purchasing the AA set, since I'd have to do some work to make them run on my railroad.

So, with PS3,  I don't need to worry about the polarity on my track.  That's making it easier to consider this brand of train.

We're scheduled to have an open house Sunday October 6 from 1-5 as a part of the annual garden railroad tour hosted by the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.  This year, 11 railroads will be open to the public for touring. 

http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/visitors/seasonal/modelrrday/GardenRailwaysTourFlyer.pdf

If you are in the area, this is a great event and the money raised goes right back to the museum. 

Hope to see some of you there!

Mark

Nice shots, Jerry!