I've been kicking around the idea of modeling in HO scale the GATX TankTrainer with the "school house" boxcar. I'm looking for any advice or insight on how to build this duo. I'm really not concerned about making an exact replica but getting it close enough to the real thing. I don't know a lot about this train but I'll list a few of the points and/or concerns I'm interested in.
1) what tank car would be a good base to start with. The prototype has these offset car ends that I'm willing to overlook.
2) what colors for the 2 tone paint scheme?
3) the tank car has 2 hoses that attach to the boxcar, what are they used for and how can they be modeled?
4) the tank car has numerous variations of domes and outlet valves, are these commercially available parts?
5) both sides of the tank car has a door to access the inside, I'm thinking some sort of door from a tugboat looks pretty accurate. Thoughts?
6) there's a walkway on the tank car that would need to be scratchbuilt
7) the boxcar would need the other end of the 2 hoses attached to it
8) it looks like the boxcar has windows but they might be fake, anyone know?
9) the end of the boxcar that the hoses attach to have vents near the end of the car, I'm assuming a generator? I would need some different size vents.

I think that's everything that I'd be interested in including for this train so let me know your thoughts and tips.

I see Bachmann has a new line of N scale, 85-foot fluted, side streamlined cars: baggage, coach, and boat-tail observation. They appear to come unlettered, and painted for Baltimore & Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Santa Fe. MSRP is $49-59, and the "street price" at MB Klein is about $29-35 each.

Well hello fellow modelers.

As some might know its been a few years since I packed up my layout http://bigbluetrains.com/forum/viewtopic...=46&t=4271 and sold everything!

Well life isn't much less busy and my business isn't doing as well as it should but I have confidence that it has turned and will continue to get better the more I work on it and work hard at all new things.

I've been trawling around the threads and getting rather keen again....at least to the point where I have identified a possible new location for a layout in the house or more specifically in my outside office. At this stage its just dreams and if I do decide to do anything it will be a few months before I commit and then I will start with something simple and small.

I love the ISL, Lance M and closer to this forum Faraway and Alcanman1s work, pity a lot of his content got lost!!

So far I 2 options drawn up and thought I would share. I haven't decided on exact industries yet but I like covered hoppers, one tank car at least and box cars....maybe the odd centre beam so a plastics, fertilizer or food processor are possibilities with a definite box car presents on the layout...have to run a railbox cars!!

I have a 4m or 13ft option which takes up the full wall but it has a door open right into it so I would have a lift out to cover that:
   

But actually I prefer this version on a much smaller footprint (2,5m or 8ft or so) that doesn't mess with the door opening at all:
   

You might recognize this configuration and ten points if you do!!

Any way...let the comments come...

Callum

Alco's at the Gap.

   

   

   

   

I just received my B&O Sound Value S2 today and am a bit disappointed. So far I've had very good luck with my Bachmann locos including my 9 Sound Value ones,both steam and diesel. I'd say the worst problem I've had so far is over lubrication(grease) by the factory.

Anyways my Sound Value S2 arrived direct from Bachmann today and I have to say I am disappointed. The sound files are pretty lame compared to my steamers and RS3s. And of course the trucks are overloaded with grease as usual. But the biggest disappointments are the noisy gear/motor noise and the buzzing. The loco runs pretty well and quiet in reverse but in forward the motor/gear noise actually overpowers the sound files. That and the background buzzing. Even when the sound is muted and the loco is at a standstill the motor buzz is very loud and noticeable. So far I have cleaned the excess grease out of the trucks and gears and I am breaking the loco in at half-speed on my rolling road with the sound off...hopefully that will help but I doubt it.

Sending it back to the factory is not an option...between shipping costs and the hit from Canada Customs shipping it back to the US isn't happening....so I have to sort it...hopefully with help from you guys here

I got my first standard gauge 0 scale engine, a Trainman U23b in its 2 rail version. It is a pretty nice model and as I missed the first batch of these, which was offered in Conrail paint I went for a one in the Chessie paint. I regretted it first after all the paint scheme is a bit like a circus thing. But it turned out pretty OK. It is pretty rich with details and there are few upgrades you can do with it. The size is big, but manageble. Not as overwhelming as the stuff in G-scale so it got me thinking. The engine, with a shelf styled switching layout with a few switches seems manageble. I guess I will use Peco, mostly as they are available here in Europe and the local dealer will able to send switches in a rather short notice. I have had Peco in H0-scale aswell for years and come to like them. I was thinking of 0n30 too, and I got a pair of steamers allready from Bachmann, they look great and run well, but the prices on rolling stock has become rather pricey. Going for standard scale , I could make it with a half dozen freight cars and keep the cost down pretty much. Much of the bulidings could be just with flats, vehicles is even easier than with H0-scale, just pull off scale like toy cars in the supermarket or the toy store. I have modified a handful of them to present the real things with some additional chrome. Bad thing is that it is a little harder to get anything that isn't a convertible.

Next thing is to buy a pair of turnouts and a few flex tracks to make an valuation with it all. I have a room of 6 by 15 ft so I might later on make a ort of industrail branch of whole thing. But there are a few buts, one is that I have started to bld the first section on a H0 layout, set in North East of USA or south east Canada. One by one the power to the trains are arriving, it will be mostly CN GP40-2ws and I was suprised by the fact how they look. Those wide noses adds an extra of interest and having them available in two different CN paint schemes adds something extra. I will loosely base some of the scenes from downtown Bellow Falls so I can have more space for an industrial area and switching while a narrow shelf will do as a combination of a local yard and visible stageing. I hope to have this section done during the summer and start on the town scene by then, separated with a little water and a bridge. short trains with a couple of these Geeps will look good, longer will make things overwhelming. Have not the track plan worked out, I am to figure it out as I go along. But the O-scale stuff is cool, let's see what happens....

Another man down - Chuck Yungkurth passes on

Ported across from the Yahoo Small layout Design group

On Tuesday, 10 May 2016, 14:41, "Michael Nickerson <!-- e --><a href="mailto:michael4449@yahoo.com">michael4449@yahoo.com</a><!-- e --> [small-layout-design]" <small-layout-design@yahoogroups.com> wrote:



(Chuck's G&S is one of the 'five iconic small layouts.' A fine researcher and author, as well.)

Forwarded from the 'erielack' list on railfan.net:
The following was received today by an associate. ......

I’m very sorry to be writing this, but my father Chuck Yungkurth passed away on Saturday.

He'd been losing weight and generally not thriving for a couple months. Between him being ultra-stoic and me traveling a lot in March, his fairly dire situation didn't become apparent to any of us until he was sent to the ER the week after Easter, after collapsing at home. Before I could really get to the bottom of what his problem was his health had declined so fast that the last time he went to the ER (last Monday) the doctor said he wouldn't survive heroic measures. We are all still in shock from this past week.

He went into hospice on Wednesday and passed away on Saturday after I'm glad to say were peaceful last days with all his kids and the eldest grandkids having been with him.

If you could spread the word along to friends/colleagues you might know in the railroad community we'd appreciate that. We're going to have a memorial gathering here in Colorado (hopefully at the Colorado RR Museum where he worked as a volunteer in their research library) in a month or two and I'll let you know the details.

Best regards,
Karen Y. Gerhardt

I saw that nobody posted yet, so I'll throw out a pic.

   

Hello

Have the above book to sell written by Stan Kistler with John Signor. Bought this new in 2010 at a SFRHMS mini meet in San Bernardino CA. It is signed by both gentlemen. Pix can be found in Files by the title. Its 180 pages has many great black & white images divided into San Diego, Pasadena, Cajon Pass, Los Angeles Basin, Surf Line, Tehachapi, Northern California, New Mexico & Western Lines sections.

The book is in great shape but the dust cover has a few minor flaws. Paid $60.00 for it then but now asking only $50.00 including USPS Media Mail postage. Preferred payment is thru PayPal using lajrmdlr AT gmail DOT com. If you have any questions about this book, payment &/or postage please email me at the above addy. Thanks for looking.

Please use the above addy to see pix of the cover & signatures.

Andy Jackson

Santa Fe Springs CA 90670