I just wanted to report I just installed a MRC drop in sound decoder in one of my P2k Alco Pa's. It took about 20 minutes because I wanted to be sure I was right. I found one of the motor leads loose and had to fix that which was no fault of the decoder
It comes with 33 different horn sounds and 8 different bells. I was so impressed I ordered 2 more for my other PA's
At $60 bucks it is half what other sound systems cost. It came complete with the speaker already mounted on the board. :mrgreen:
Charlie

cleaning out the extras, pictures available upon request


bachmann locomotives from sets
FT unit in red santa fe runs okay $10.00
GP 40 CN locomotive runs okay $10.00
U36 Santa fe runs okay $10.00
F7 UP runs oka $10.00
Life Like
F 7 Santa fe runs okay has broken truck $7.00
F 7 Santa fe never used given as a giftt and just put on display $10.00
AHM
switcher loco might be a s12 ( pic upon request) runs chips in the cab, and broken handrail $7.00
C424 C&NW says onhe side of it "home of the steamliner" broken handrails runs well $10.00

Model Power alco model
runs, needs tlc $7.00

athearn powered from blue box kits
SD 40-2T Southern Pacific $25.00
GP 40 Southern Pacific $20.00
GP 30 ( older metal trucks) B&O $15.00
U33c??? UP $20.00
Bachmann Plus
Sd 45 Santa Fe $15.00

Atlas/Kato
GP 7 Cheesie System $35.00

Shells
Athearn
GP 7 UP $5.00
S 12 private road name $5.00
S 12 B&O $5.00


shipping will be extra by Canadian Mail at the cheapest method unless other means requested
just cleaning out stuff to make way for models I would rather have in the collection.
pictures upon request

Happy Holidays
Stuart Warren
Renfrew ontario
Canada

CSX video shot at Princeton In.
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Railfanning Chessie System 1983
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I finally just got a call from Toy Train Heaven saying that 5 of the 6 sets of my Athearn 53' trailer 2 packs that i pre-ordered back in May of this year are finally in stock and being shipped to me today. I ordered one of each of the Werner Enterprises, US Express, Swift Trans., Schneider National, Knight Trans., and Dart Advantage. The Wener Enterprises ones are still not in stock and they said they will ship them to me when they arrive free of shipping cost

Ive been waiting for these for a long time now!! I pre-paid for them back in May of this year, they there were supposed to be shipping and available by the end of July 2008, well so much for that, 4 separate due dates were posted for the trailers on Toy Train Heaven's site. I really cant blame them for this, it was due to Athearn taking forever to release something then announced ages ago lol

all well, im exited to get the new trailers, pics to come soon, they should be nice!!

I know there are plenty of these threads but want more cant hurt and by making one, and by making one I feel like Im part of model railroading forum history!

Anyway, I got home today, and unlike with Zealot, I REALLY looked forward to comming on and seeing whats going on. I always did, but this just feels totally new, different, and awesome. As I was reading the new posts, Im seeing several threads/posts that have been carried over, but Im also starting to see new build threads starting already and advice being given, and I realized that this really is a NEW START! And its already looking like we are off to an amazing start! Way to go to all of you who have made this possible.

Has anybody heard from HercDriver? Or do we send out a search party? Maybe I just missed him.

Lynn

I don't like it when cars wobble and other such "it's a model" tell tale signs. I add springs in between the coupler screws and the car bolsters on my worst offenders. Typically this has to be below the truck to prevent the car from riding too high.

If you can't find appropriate commercial springs, it isn't difficult to make your own. Take a piece of 0.008", 0.015", or 0.020" diameter brass wire and heat it up with a flame. Let it cool. (heating will cause brass wire to become softer). Then take a rod...preferably metal...slightly larger than the diameter of the truck screws' threads. Hold about a 1/2"-1" of brass wire in one hand, perpendicular to the rod. Wrap the other end of the brass wire around the rod...tightly. Then slide it off the rod and you have a spring. Cut the spring to the desired length (I use two turns). Voila! I began doing this for Colorado Central truck springs...but the technique has eliminated the annoying wobble of my Branchline boxcar. Perhaps I should post pictures...

I've seen Traction tires used on steam locomotive model to give them that extra pulling power, but i'm curious if such tires are availble for Diesels and electrics.

Specifically, i have a couple electric locomotives that have problems on our club's 4% grade.

ALP44 and AEM7s locomotives are runts, and they have a tough time going up hill. My AEM7 managed to pull 5 cars up hill, Which is fine, but i would like to see if couldn't get a larger train to be pulled up hill on its own. Even one extra car would be amazing. If you are familiar with these locomotives, they are small and compact, and barely have space for a decoder, let alone extra weight.

I also have some super heavy E60 locomotives that I rebuilt from the inside out to be heavy haulers, but even they struggle when a prototype train it put behind it. It is most frustrating for the NJ transit E60, since it seems that on some days, an 8 car train is literally no problem, and it will rocket up that hill with ease. On other days, the E60 stalls out. It seems that this locomotive accumulates lots of grime, and it gives it enough traction to pull up hill, but once the wheels are clean, it can't pull anymore. Even though this locomotive is larger, there is also little space inside the model for added weight.

A single traction tire should do the trick. I especially want something for my E60MA. I might have to double head it with the one i'm building (I've also seen the "Three Rivers" in New Jersey with a NEC P42DC behind an E60MA) to pull a full Silver Crescent or other Amtrak long distance trains, but if i had a traction tire, the E60MA's power seems strong enough to handle it single handedly.

I've seen traction tires on walthers, but i'm not sure if they need special wheelsets or not. Any suggestions?

Can I borrow the maunual on activating smilies???? Apprently I am not holding my tongue right....(imagine smiley face here)