All Scale Rails

Issue #18

January / February

2018

has just hit the internet!

Our Big [size=14pt]Trainfest 2017[/size] Issue

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Included in this issue:
KATO 2017 Contest, Trainfest 2017, CN's Little Obie, Railroad Loads Circle Word, News, Blueprints and Plans for DL&WRR Coal Trestle Scranton PA, News, Product Showcase, Snapshots

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Striving to Preserve & Inspire,

All Scale Rails

Bonnie & Kevin
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The Atlas HO 8-40B is equipped with a small PCB preventing a 1:1 swap with a Tsunami 2 PnP decoder. The front weight can be cut easily and the Tsunami 2 fits with double sided sticky tape and Kapton tape pretty well. The sugar cube fits in the designated speaker position and front ditch lights need just one hole per light. A quick and dirty / easy conversion. It looks awful but it works perfect.

The model is a CR engine with patches for CSX 5961. It will be in revenue service soon!



ps. Yes, the Tsunami 2 replaced an ESU Loksound. There is another 8-40B awaiting that very same procedure.

I am in the process of picking out some motive-power for my modern-era proto-freelance railroad and could use some input. It's a short-line railroad covering about 40 miles, serving a quarry in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania, an industrial bakery, a couple of breweries, and a smattering of other local industries. I've done some googling, and have come up with what I think is a pretty decent motive power roster, but I'd like some input to see what you guys think.

So, to handle the quarry and bakery traffic (both are up the mountain on the same stretch of track), I'm looking at an SD9 as an "It's old, but it still works" type of power or an SD35. The rock trains are heavy and the quarry is up a mountain, so a piece of heavy duty power to handle heavy trains up and down a mountain seems to make sense.

To handle the mixed train for the local industries and transload tracks, I am looking at an SW1500. It would also handle the yard switching duties.

To handle the beer trains, two of them, I am looking at either one or two GP30s or GP10s.

The part of the layout I am going to be doing first has 18-20" radius turns, which shouldn't be an issue since the SD9 or SD35 wouldn't be running in there anyways except for possibly slow speed.

Does anyone have any input or other ideas? DOes this seem normal or typical? Would appreciate thoughts.

Hi,

As some of you know, I'm actually in the process of rebuilding my fleet of reefers circa 1952. I have about 23 cars on the benchwork and I've been experimenting with "yellow reefer" without success.

My first try was with Model Master Yellow Reefer 4879 (flat acrylic). They are the color supposed to replace the Floquil/Pollyscale lines. It looks like lemon to me... It's a very bright yellow. I'm not sure it is exactly the right color.

Then I tried a generc Model Master Enamel Deep Yellow. It was a little bit too orangey.

Then I simply tried to match existing cars I had on hand or from pictures in book and only. This led me astray. Processed colors can be completely off depending lighting condition and weathering.

The same happened with orange reefer...

So now I'm looking for suggestion about decent Yellow Reefer and Orange Reefer. It can be straight from the bottle, or a custom mix, acrylic or enamel. As long as I can source it, I'll be happy.

Best regards!

Matt

Thought I'd share some info on this.
All the reviews I found on line were for the DCC equipped model, which looks to operate very nicely.
I wasn't sure whether it would operate alright on DC, couldn't find any specific info on that.
My layout is DC, and I'm just not ready to convert my locos to DCC just yet.

Saw this DC version at Pacific Rim Hobbies in Port Angeles WA, and got to test one. I ended up buying it. I also tested a Trackmobile model, but it only had one end with an operating coupler. Physically, the ML8 is a nice little model. As a tiny switcher, it will most likely be used at slow speed moving only a couple cars. The DCC videos look great, but what about DC?

Some observations on the DC version:
This model prefers clean track.
I use Code 83 atlas snap track and snap switches. There are some pickup issues in switches between points and frog. The demo track I tested at the shop was wired for both DC and DCC; it had feeder wires soldered to every rail joiner. I suspect my performance would improve with more consistent power in the moveable points. Also the short wheelbase allows for it sometimes not riding straight along the rails. The little critter can be rotated slightly when setting on straight track. This can affect electrical pickup.

I've run it a bit over an hour total in break in mode on my own layout.
Following that, here are the timed performances as follows:

7 volts: 18.6 mph (scale)
6 volts: 16.3 mph --runs ok thru snap switches
5 volts: 12.8 mph --usually runs ok thru snap switches
4 volts: 7.8 mph --some stalls in 11 trials, usually ok if going thru the straight part
3.75 V: 6.0 mph --some stuttering on straight track; stalled 2 out of 6 runs, between points and frogs.

Speed was estimated by stop watch over 35 inches, with turnouts at each end.
Calcs based on multiple runs, using this formula from a Bachmann forum:
Scale MPH = ((L x F/12)/5280) x 3600/T; where
L is length of travel in inches
F is scale factor (e.g. 87.1)
T is time in seconds

If I knew the DCC model one could be run on DC ok, I probably would have gotten the DCC one if only for the keep-alive capacitor. But I do like the loco, I'll just have to nurse it through switches with a little more power. It's a very attractive little thing. Actually, amazingly tiny next to regular rolling stock.

Hope this is useful.

Got my Tsunami 2 for the Gensets. A CSX Genset with dynamic breaks was the first one for conversion.

IMG_5913 by Reinhard Peters, on Flickr
IMG_5913 by Reinhard Peters, on Flickr

The tiny ditch light PCBs need some modification. Cut the printed wire from the black wire to the outer end of the LED and prepare it to be individually soldered. Next trill a hole next to the black wire hole and run a new wire through it and solder it on the prepared printed wire. The new wire shall be routed together with the old black wire to the decoder. Cover all up with tape. It must not touch the engine parts.
(This has been described some time ago in the internet but I could not find it and had to reinvent it for me).

IMG_5913 by Reinhard Peters, on Flickr
IMG_5913 by Reinhard Peters, on Flickr

The Tsunami fits but the mounting holes do not fit. I do not like to mount the soldering ends over the weights but shortened the weights and mounted the decoder with double side sticky tape on top of the motor. That mounting method placed the decoder quite low and you get plenty of space for six 1k5 resistors protecting all LEDs.

IMG_5913 by Reinhard Peters, on Flickr
IMG_5913 by Reinhard Peters, on Flickr

ps. My version of decoder pro does not handle the value of 11 in CV 123 for the motor selection correct. It falls back to 3. I had to set CV 123 manually to 11 to get the Genset sound. The startup sound is unique. I would see a garage when my car starts with that sound :o

Happy New Years to you all. An exciting year coming up I hope, lots of time to do what you want, especially with your layouts or other train things.

What are your plans for New Years Eve? Gunna go out partying, wining and dining? Go to a movie, run trains with friends, watch the ball drop on TV or just stay home?

Us, we'll probably go out for an early dinner and maybe catch a movie. But we'll be home and fast asleep before midnight. Well, asleep depending on how may neighbors decide to celebrate with fireworks. They sell them all over town, just that they're illegal to fire off in the city limits. Lots of folks don't care, they set them off around midnight anyway....

Mannheim Yard Job sets out a tank car of liquid caustic soda on the supply track at the Flying Fish Brewery. Then it makes a pick up of loaded insulated box
cars on the keg track.

Bruce

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So I am getting started working on a modern proto-freelance layout based very loosely on Model Railroader's 2010 Beer Line Layout, and I was trying to figure out two things:
1) What would be the appropriate modern boxcar specifically for moving beer loads? I am guessing insulated boxcars would be best, but I wasn't sure if that would be correct or not?
2) What size are the most common modern boxcars? 50' or 60'?

Cheers, thanks.