My family & I just finished watching The Polar Express. We really enjoyed the story, the visuals and sound effects.

I did some googling and found out that the "real-life" Polar Express is based in Owosso, Mich. and I found this website (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mstrp.com/schedule.html">http://www.mstrp.com/schedule.html</a><!-- m -->) as well as 1-2 others. Just wondering if any forum members have visited and recommend this railway and if it operates during the summer, etc.

Owosso isn't that far from Toronto (Mapquest says less than 5 hours) so it might be a good place to visit during the summer, especially if a Berkshire (and other steam locos?) are operating!

Thanks,
Rob

I recently installed an Auto Reverse Loop Module on my layout and was impressed with it's operation. The module is made by MRC. However, lately it doesn't work. I initally used it with my NCE DCC system but recently I was using a regular power pack (straight DC) to run an older engine and the module failed to reverse the polarity. Do these units only work with DCC? Did I possibly burn the unit out by using the DC power? I haven't had a chance to re-connect the DCC syatem back up. (my layout is in the early stages of construction and my DCC system is not installed yet. I was just 'testing' it earlier. I used the straight DC for other 'testing' :| ). Any advice will be appreciated.

Also, if anyone has any experience with these auto reversers I would appreciate some imput. I know there are several manufacturers of these units out there and am wondering which is best.

Thanks,

Kevin

Has anyone built any ECW passenger cars...in particular, the lightweight passenger cars? Do you have photos you can share?

I'm thinking about some passenger car projects in HO...and was wondering whether to go from scratch or from their kits. Their PS lightweights are based on the 1938 20th Century Limited...which is one of the trains I'd like to build...but I've heard reports that their quality is poor. Being that I don't care for the post-war train (the interior or exterior), I have no interest in the post-war equipment that Walthers will be releasing soon. I want to build one of the Inns, an Island, and a few of the others. Of course, a Dreyfuss J3-a will be pulling the consist. Champs has 1938 lettering on their product list (the scheme was changed in 1939...with the blue strips replaced by aluminum and the center strips thinned).

A major desire on my part is to build the interiors to accurately depict the as-built decor.

There are a few additional cars in my building plan that I will have to build from scratch, a 2600 series coach (NYC/Pullman, 1941), a few sleepers not commercially offered, a Falls series Sleeper-Lounge (Pullman, 1939), and the NKP 80 series modernized coaches. What will be first is dependent upon the quality of the ECW kits. I plan on trying out some new resin on these cars.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.worldtraderef.com/WTR_site/Rail_Cars/Guide_to_Rail_Cars.asp">http://www.worldtraderef.com/WTR_site/R ... l_Cars.asp</a><!-- m -->

Thought this was interesting and wanted to share

Hi All,

I decided to put into words and pictures my conversion of an Athearn SD40 - 2 Burlington purchased from Trucklover



Getting the body off is easy four lugs on the chassis hold it on careful prising of the body away from the lugs with a fine screwdriver had the body free revealing the chassis.

My choice of decoder for this conversion was a Digitrax Z143 four function type a Christmas present from a friend, i wanted to use a four function as ditch lights will be fitted once housings for them are made or sourced using SMD's.

In my conversions i replace any lighting with LED's so the first thing to go was the bulb fitted atop the front bracket prising the plastic block away from the bracket released the bulb.

The next job was to remove the bar running across the top of the motor connecting the truck contacts as this will not be needed,
( i saved the bar and bulb with its housing for anyone who may need them in the future).
Now with a fibreglass stick i cleaned the top of the truck pick up brackets front/rear and the top of the motor contact till shiny.

When soldering i always use flux to aid solder flow ... with this in mind put a little flux on the pick up brackets and motor top and tin with a little solder ready for the wires.

Now carefully remove the motor from the chassis pulling upwards take note of the direction of the motors removal mark with a permanent marker to show its direction within the chassis such as a cross for the front end..... remove the white motor retainers and put aside, the two motor tabs on the underside need removing with clippers to save shorting out on the chassis the picture shows the left hand one removed already ......



squeeze the area the tabs have been removed from with pliers to make sure any remainder of the tab is flush.

Clean the area to recieve the orange wire and flux / tin as before the decoder is to sit atop the motor when finished measure the length of wire needed to reach the motor underside and a little bit cut to length, tin and solder to the motor contact as here .....



A small piece of tape was applied over the soldered joint and the white mounting blocks replaced ...... engage both couplings into the truck couplings and feed the orange wire up there is enough space for the wire to fit between the motor and chassis push the motor down locating the lug mountings in the chassis holes and check the motor rotates freely and is engaged with the trucks.



The Orange wire fed up under the motor.

A red jumper wire is needed to connect the trucks together and decoder to one side of the chassis cut this a little overlength to allow movement in the trucks ..... again flux and tin the wires



here i have soldered it to the rear truck and twisted the decoder red wire around the jumper ready to solder to the front truck.





With both ends of the jumper / decoder red wire soldered up, in the second picture i have superglued a piece of white 40 thou plasticard slightly wider than the motor contact strip to mount the decoder on to with double sided tape.
The Grey wire has been soldered to the top motor contact shown circled in Green.

Now all that remains is to sort the black wire out ...... the front Bracket picks up from the other sdie of the chassis and needs a good clean with the fibreglass stick tinning and the black wire soldering on shown in the final picture.



After a test on the programme track i now have an Athearn SD40 fitted with DCC i hope this helps show how easy this install is.

Next time i will fit the front and rear LED lighting.

I built a 4 track sand + water bridge and just started a steal and concrete coal dock. it started off as an IHC Cheyenne kit that I removed the corrugated siding from it and textured it to look more like concrete.I also enlarged the coal bunker to about 800 tons from 650. I just lightly primed it so I could paint the sub assemblies.123 039.jpg[/attachment]
I know there are only 3 tracks ,that's just the module I use for photos.    
I changed the walkway and stairs ,I thought they looked to toy like.I also resized the coal chutes for 14 foot track centers and opened up the lace work on the steal to give it a more realistic feel.

Attached Files

Thumbnail(s)
       

Lehigh & Keystone Valley Model RR --- PART 2

*NOTE, this is NOT my RR, just the pics*


As promised, in no particular order:





































































There's several parts on the layout still being made, mainly the Bethlehem Steel plant which recently started.

I will try to add Part 1 pics in here so they are all at one spot.

My oddly jointed 18" + 22" curves, as my circle. I can 'play' on this when I work on the 4X8 main section which i'll add this to it on the side. The track is almost all on but the board isn't anywhere complete.




The Circle



Just threw on some stuff temporary

Then played with Macro...

I've got a simple led with a rectifier hooked up to a sidind to indicate when it is powered.It's a blinking LED,but it don't blink while hooked to DCC and a rectifier but it does light up.When hooked to DC it Blinks just fine.What am i missing here¿ Thanks Harold

Just curious if we're going to get a chat room, we had one on the old old guage forum ( had to click a few links to get to it )?