I knew something looked 'strange' when I looked at that picture earlier. It finally dawned on me what it is (snap). All the wheels reflect flange to flange in the glass like they should...EXCEPT...the front truck on the tender! Is that truck really as wonkers as it looks in the pic ?
It's actually sitting on the edge of a closed laptop, that truck slipped into the hinge groove on the far side. I didn't notice it until after I posted the picture. I re-inspected it just to be sure, everything is fine. Best part is I got this for $185. Compared to MSRP that's a real deal! Now I just have to decide the best way to re-letter the tender without doing a strip and repaint.
Well, three of Four have arrived to date! Hiawatha on Wednesday, Cab Forward on Thursday and the BigBoy today! Hiawatha did NOT a run that great at first, but I suppose IF I were to have cleaned my track first.......After 3-4 lap attempts, it settled in and ran great! Smooth and quiet! Just 1 car really, causing trouble, by constantly derailing. Want to see if I can add a bit of weight to the cars, to help them track better. Cab Forward runs great! Lead pilot truck derails in a couple of spots though. Gotta check my track, because I think that's the trouble. And Adan MT 1015 to the tender. BigBoy runs, but growls something fierce! Had minor trouble with shorting to start. Think I got that figured out. Want to do something about the growl, but not really wanting to dismantle the locomotive! Had to very gentle bend the front pilot UP, to prevent it from snagging the railheads!! Finally got it running within reason. Challenger is still MIA. Contacted seller, asked if shipped. Update when it arrives. And a very interesting observation, BOTH BigBoy and Cab Forward, actually Go AROUND 15" and 16 1/4" curves!! Spookshow says 19" for BigBoy, and even that's pushing it! It'll definitely help operations!! Maybe some roster shots later, IF I feel up to it.
(Quote). Just 1 car really, causing trouble, by constantly derailing. Want to see if I can add a bit of weight to the cars, to help them track better. (Quote) If these are the FVM Hiawatha cars, one truck on each car has some brake gear (?) protruding at one end. The trucks will pivot 180° so make sure the gear is turned towards the center of the car otherwise this will tangle in the steps and cause derailments.
I noticed that as I was setting up. Car derails no matter which way truck(s) are turned. Need to set it up and watch. See if I can figure out why I'm having trouble. Could be a minor problem with my track. Still, a great looking/running set!
I made it through January 2016 with no hobby purchases. Yesterday, bought two of the MTL B&O 70' heavyweight horse cars from the LHS. Actually when I learned they were in the Feb 2016 new releases, I asked him to reserved the two that would come in his standing order from MTL. I am delighted with them and pleased I have another car to add to the current MTL B&O heavyweight passenger car trains.
The Trainworx bull haulers came in. I bought two. These things are gorgeous! I'm going to need to build a truck stop or a major freeway on the layout, as I can see buying entirely too many trucks in the future.
Went to local show and picked up some cars. Hardest to find is Atlas GATX whale belly tank car. Does have micro-trains trucks but only paid $17. Micro-trains 89 foot Trailer Train for $12. Bought Frisco 40 foot boxcar from YesterYear and Atlas Homgas 11000 gallon tank car for $20. Micro-Trains Reading 40 foot USRA steel boxcar for $9.
Not a purchase but freebie. Next door to church, found a huge flat cardboard shipping carton that a 60 inch big screen TV came in. Will use it to lay out mockup of a revised passenger turning wye/ yard throat crossover section for sectional layout. Complicated track problem to work out full size with track pieces and templates...
Last of my latest purchases is on the way. Should arrive tomorrow. Last piece is a Key Imports Rio Grande L97 Challenger. Already have: Fox Valley MILW Hiawatha Key UP BigBoy #4000 Key SP Cab Forward #4275 Overland UP 3 unit Gas Turbine #20 - Picked up in Oct. That's probably the last of things! Unless I come across a UP Centennial. To replace the Bachmann one I have now. With broken gears!
Went to a train show in Sacramento Sunday and did pretty well. The first is a Micro-Trains Trailer Train 89' TOFC complete with a Western Pacific trailer. 002 by WPZephyrFan posted Feb 28, 2016 at 8:10 PM And an Atlas Great Northern caboose. 005 by WPZephyrFan posted Feb 28, 2016 at 8:06 PM And an Athearn Southern Pacific bay window. 004 by WPZephyrFan posted Feb 28, 2016 at 8:08 PM And finally, an Atlas Northern Pacific GP7. 014 by WPZephyrFan posted Feb 28, 2016 at 8:12 PM
I FINALLY purchased one of these little gems! My intention was to have a nice little ATSF switcher to run on the T-Trak modules during set ups...(I try not to run my super detailed Santa Fe Fleet at public shows unless specifically asked to bring a particular train to show and discuss)...so I tend to keep a separate 'show' inventory of power and rolling stock. Our T-Trak group (SWARMTrak) operates one line DCC and the other DC; we want to keep one line DC so those that don't have DCC power can participate, we can also accommodate folks who are purchasing and/or considering purchasing a locomotive at the show; they can test and run their engine on our layout. Despite Otto's previous pictures on the now closed thread, I still hemmed and hawed about this one and was content to wait until Atlas does their S2 in the zebra stripe scheme. It was only when I saw woo woo woo woo woo woo's price for one of these ($79.95) that I finally said 'what the heck' and purchased one... It won't be my last! the appearance and performance are outstanding...handrails very nice and thin (as thin, or thinners, than any others out there), detail and paint are very crisp, and performance is fantastic. My only 'complaints' are the side windows applied from the outside (whether they are glued or not isn't an issue for me-there are no glue seams or smudges on my example-), but, because they are applied from the outside of the cab, there is a distinctive 'lip' that makes them appear more prominent. My fix for this will be to somehow remove the 'windows', paint the edges black, then re-install them with canopy glue. The only other issue, for me, are the large couplers....an easy fix with a swap (I may try to fit MT 905 Z scale couplers) I understand the 'less than enthusiastic about Bachmann anything' folks out there, but they have, indeed produced some very nice items in N scale (the 2-8-0 and this one really stand out to me) Here are some quick pics on one of the T-trak modules
Bought this as a birthday present for myself. Received over the weekend Also bought a LokProgrammer; 3 ESU LokSound Select Micro decoders and a host of electronics stuff.
Just got my Caboose order. Kato Track, 19" curve and a pack of straight track. So I have a better way to break in/test run the brass locomotives acquired recently. Also picked up 3 pair of Atlas C55 terminal rail joiners. Having issues with a couple of dead spots on the C55 HCD layout. Locomotives stall at a couple of turnouts. But since they have NO throw added yet, that could be part of my problem! Foot, and now wrist issues, are gonna put most of my plans on hold for an undetermined length of time!! Figures too, last time I had wrist trouble, was just in time for the last TCA train show I attended!! Last year about this time! Oh well.........
The Albany & Mississinewa Valley is mainly modeled around the 1970's. I recently found in a closet some rolling stock representing the 1940's so I purchased a 2-6-2 to have something to pull those cars around the layout. bob j