I have built my share of Athearn BB, Accurail, Branchline (now Atlas), Intermountain, Tichy and Proto 2000 kits.  More recently I experienced with resin kits and became proficient at assembling decent brake rigging on the under frames.

A few weeks ago, while planing a new project, I had a look at the under frame of a Athearn BB Boxcar kit.  I was surprised to see that while the brake cylinder is facing the brake (B) end, it is not on the same side of the brake wheel.  Same is true with Athearn BB Reefer kits.

Is this a prototypical setup that I didn’t know of or a mistake from Athearn « engineers ».  In the last instance, why this was not corrected before.

I like to build brake riggings.  But I never tip my cars upside down to have a look at them so the answer is not so important after all.  But I am curious.

Fate or frustration has determined my third "Do Something Challenge". For this part I am going to fix/tune up my fleet of PRR passenger cars so that at the very least they don't uncouple. One part of this will be replacing any EZ-Mate and McHenry couplers. If any Proto Max couplers fail when I check it against the Kadee coupler gauge.

There is a Bachmann Spectrum Diner that I changed the original EZ-Mate couplers to Kadee #27 couplers. However now one of the coupler boxes is loose and now the coupler moves lower at times.

I began working on the Diner. The coupler moves as the trucks turns. I removed the roof/windows. I found the trucks and the level that is connected to the coupler box loose. I removed the screw holding the lever and truck to the body. The truck bolster is misshapped and the screw hole appears to be stripped. I cannot tightened the screw. The screw just spins and is difficult to remove. I need to evaluate what my options are to repair or replace the truck.

CPR 558 makes it's way into RaiPort while WPMA-40 waits to cross over to the Galloway Industrial track.

Bruce

   

Got an idea, (also got a headache from thinking too much). We had a house built for us when we moved to Wickenburg back in 1999. A long time ago, but I remember there was this cabinet shop downtown that did all the cabinets for our house. It looked almost exactly like the building in this Walther's kit,  the display room and office were up the stairs, the workshop was downstairs. I would go back to take some photos of it except that the day after they delivered our cabinets, one of the workers had kicked over a jar of thinner that burst in flames and the place burned to the ground. No one was hurt, he ran away, but we did lose one door and our countertops in the fire. As a tribute to this shop and our four years living in Wickenburg, I'll do my best to turn this building into the EZ-FIT CABINET SHOP. Remember, almost everything on my layout is EZ, even if it's hard.  

It's time to start populating my industrial area anyway, so I'll try my best not to screw it up, don't know if I need to do any kitbashing anyway. it's a pretty good fit as-is.

   

   

I am currently very frustrated with trying to design and layout the engine terminal on the new layout. I have a bunch of structures with their appropriate uses. It is where and how to arrange them that is driving me nuts.
 
After some contemplation I realize that perhaps my understanding of how things work may not be the correct way or the best way. Thusly here is my question:
 
When a steam locomotive comes into a terminal for servicing is there a set way of doing things? By such I mean does he dump his ash first, then get water, then coal, and lastly sand if needed? Or is there some other method to the madness?
 
I believe once I have a better understanding of how this works I can complete the terminal and yard.

Hello,

in 2019 i had the chance to purchase 2 Athearn Genesis EMD GP38-2Ws in CN stripe livery out of an estate:










Unwrapping the locos appeared they were unused, like new and came with all papers. Both were DC analog.
Both had still the traditional wheat of grain incandescent 1,5V microbulbs. (Glad Athearn has run out of stock with this stuff and is now forced to install LEDs instead )





My intention was to convert both of them to DCC with sound.


Lutz

Hello,
I have recently bought a https://www.walthers.com/emd-gp9-phase-2-w-chopped-nose-standard-dc-norfolk-southern-2000-black-white
I want to add ditch lights to the circuit board and have bought these:
https://rapidotrains.com/products/ho-scale/rapido-bits-ho-diesel/rapido-bits-ho-operating-ho-scale-deck-mounted-ditch-lights
Can anyone please provide some guidance?

Dock Street's RS3m on a chilly May day from 1990.

Bruce

   

Sorry guys.  I wanted to delete my last answer but deleted the thread.  

Some one asked if those were flat kits.  The answer is that they are cast bodies.

Sorry.