Leetown certainly owes it's existence to the development of railroads in the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario.Strategically located in the middle of the "Golden Horseshoe" with direct mainline connections to railroads in the United States at Detroit and Buffalo it quickly became an important division point of the Canadian National Railway.Also numerous sub-divisions start in Leetown including the Allandale,Hagersville,Dundas,Halton and the very important Elora Gorge sub with connections to the Erie Northshore and EG&E railroads.Many of Leetown's inhabitants work on the railroad in the shops and operating crews making it a true railroad town.It's great for local rail-fanners as all types of power can be found at Leetown from mainline "big power" to smaller but just as important branchline and switcher locomotives.Here's a sampling of typical branchline locomotives.

This track is usually used for aggregate loading/unloading but the winter weather has slowed down the amount of cars coming in. To make up the lost income Shore River contracted with a refinery to store loaded LPG tank cars till needed.

Bruce

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After the Genesis FEC GP40-2 arrived the Atlas FEC GP40-2 today.
I made the usual internal modifications to get a Tsunami 2 in command, added flashing ditch lights, replaced the huge BLMA borrowed AC on the cab roof with a more prototypical from Shapeways and replaced the small tank with a more prototypical large one. The recessed "standard" blue is more appropriate than the metallic paint used by Athearn.

Late summer I acquired a used Bachmann K4, #5448, at a hobby shop. They did a test run for me and the engine did run smoothly. It was cheap enough so I bought it. When I got it home I found that someone had been inside and other than the fact the motor was wired, it was a mess. I had planned to install a sound decoder which I had on hand. Overall the engine looks good. The mechanism is smooth, the motor works fine. So, I will continue with the rebuild. What I am lacking is a good diagram/parts list for this engine. It is pre DCC ready, there is no 8-pin socket. The tender does have a spot for the speaker, which is a good thing.
Does anyone have a good diagram for this engine? Or know where to find one online? I have been searching for a week now and though I have found several Bachmann K4 diagrams, they are for the newer versions. I will probably work my way through this one but it would be nice to have a diagram to help me out.

Thanks for any help on this.

KT

Hi folk! I'm in the process of finally kitbashing the large brick factory for the layout. Many years ago, I bought Walthers modular parts for that task, but I found out I grossly underestimated what I needed. I'm not interested using DPM kits because they are too far from my prototype.

I've searched online, but found nothing, even on the auction sites. Maybe some hobby shops in Europe or somewhere else have some stock.

Knowing we all buy too much stuff, I take a chance and ask if some people here have unused kits or parts that could be suitable for the project.

I would need the equivalent of an entire set of Walthers Large Walls with Single Large Arched Window 933-3734 and a set of Wall Columns & Caps 933-3725.

Thank you in advance!

Matt

A few years ago I ran across an instruction page on internet giving detailed instructions on setting up a decoder. and it has been lost in my computer files. It was about 3 pages long it got into determining start up power. speed matching and more. can anyone help me find it? or suggest another. this was a nice easy to use instruction and I would love to give it to a friend. Also I just received a digitraxx decoder with sound. It is one sorry sound decoder. If I undestand correctly I need to use a digitraxx system to load another sound file into the decoder. I have an MRC system. what do I do to resolve this problem?
Les.

A few years ago I ran across an instruction page on internet giving detailed instructions on setting up a decoder. and it has been lost in my computer files. It was about 3 pages long it got into determining start up power. speed matching and more. can anyone help me find it? or suggest another. this was a nice easy to use instruction and I would love to give it to a friend.

WPMA-40 had one set out at Pier 34 and slowly makes it's way off the pier.

Bruce

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Hi, another stupid question from me! It is crazy how very simple things from the past can quickly become big mysteries when you never witnessed them.

My question is about cattle pens operation. I've often remarked that cattle pens in small towns are often located directly on passing track that otherwise are used for scheduled trains to meet. That means it is unlikely a stock car was spot on these tracks for days. Given cattle had to be moved swiftly before losing too much fat and that mandatory rest stop existed, I'm a little bit at loss figuring out how operations went in such small places. I've found information about large stock yards but almost nothing about the smallish ones. Doctorwayne had a few of these small cattle pens on his layout, most of them on the main line.

How railroads di operate such stock pens (generally small ones, not the large stock yards)? Would the cattle be loaded only when the freight train stopped in town?

Matt