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Posted: Thu May 31st, 2018 04:51 pm |
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51st Post |
Reg H
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Well, I had a weak moment.
I don't think I have shared how many HO locomotives I got in this estate sale.
In fact, I haven't counted them myself. But there are a MESS of 'em. Most are in GN paint, but there are a few in BN and one in BNSF. I am thinking there are at least 15 locomotives. I will count tonight.
So I concluded that the last thing I needed was more HO diesel locomotives.
Well, I fell off the wagon yesterday. Among this large collection, the GP-30 is not represented. I have a soft spot for GN GP-30's. I ran across an ad on the Train World site for the Bachmann GP-30 in GN green and orange, DCC equipped for $77.95.
Heck yes!!!
It is on its way.
Reg
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Posted: Thu May 31st, 2018 06:09 pm |
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52nd Post |
Posted: Thu May 31st, 2018 09:27 pm |
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53rd Post |
Reg H
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If it is no longer in production, why is it still in your catalog!!!!!! ??
I will NOT be receiving a GN GP-30.
Reg
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Posted: Thu May 31st, 2018 11:01 pm |
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54th Post |
pipopak
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If it is no longer in production, why is it still in your catalog!!!!!! ??
... seems you are barking at the wrong tree...
Jose.
____________________ Junk is something you throw away three weeks before you need it.
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Reg H
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pipopak wrote: If it is no longer in production, why is it still in your catalog!!!!!! ??
... seems you are barking at the wrong tree...
Jose.
Just expressing my frustration.
Reg
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Reg H
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Si:
I don't have room for a 20-stall roundhouse. It would be impressive though.
Total number of locomotives: 23
Two are for sure DCC-ready (one of those has been converted), and maybe a third. The doodlebugs might be DCC ready. But I haven't figured out how to get them apart yet.
I am having some decoder issues with the one Kato GP-35 in which I have installed a decoder. I hope to get that resolved today.
Reg
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Reg H
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I got the DCC problem straightened out.
I also managed to get the shell off the Life Like SD-7. I love the GN SD-7's, though there were not a lot of them (21). The Life Like model is very well detailed.
The GN had some SD-9's as well. But the Life Like model is an SD-7 by number, 569.
The beauty is that the SD-7 turned out to be DCC ready. So I plugged a decoder in it, got it programmed and away we went.
There will be photos coming. It seems to take forever lately for photos to arrive from my phone.
Actually, when I get a decoder in the other GP-35, I will have enough locomotives to operate the railroad. So I may drag my feet getting decoders into the other 20 locomotives. Though I might move along on at least one of the doodlebugs.
Reg
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Reg H
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I got some time in the basement over the weekend. The temperature on Saturday was starting to edge up to the high 70's (that is hot around here) and the basement was nice and cool.
Spent some time painting rail. It is a tedious exercise, but it pays off. I am using Floquil rail brown. I have some old Floquil paints that I have been reluctant to use since Floquil went toes up.
But I realized the alternative was to let the bottles sit around until the paint dried up. Not a good idea.
When I hand lay track I spray paint the rail and turnout components before they get laid.
I have been struggling with some direction. The objective of this layout is to stay simple. But I have been considering adding more structures to this part of the layout. But I think I will resist that impulse.
I have two small "industries", a team track, and the depot. That should be enough to justify simple operations. There are also two tracks that, in theory, lead off to other destinations. That justifies trains longer than would be the case if PeEll were the western terminus.
Reg
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Reg H
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I installed the uncoupling ramps last evening. It is evident that I need to spend some time on coupler maintenance.
In fact, I need to go through each of the freight cars and tune them up. I already have plans to replace the plastic wheels with metal. I have a small stock of Kadee wheels and more on the way.
I have to say that I am not thrilled to death with either the Atlas or the Micro-Engineering turnouts. They work OK. I have been running a variety of equipment over them and I am not experiencing derailments, but they just are not as smooth as I would hope. Equipment rocks and bumps over them about the same as my sloppiest handlaid turnouts. The kit turnouts that I used on part of the old On30 layout, and got destroyed by the switch machines, were smooth as glass, as are my best handlaid turnouts.
I am seriously considering going the FastTracks route for the rest of the layout. They would represent a compromise between the lengthy process of hand building and the quick installation of manufactured turnouts.
Still thinking.
Reg
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