I do know they were passenger motors. Was just being silly.... I may be the only person on this site who ever even saw a Bipolar in operation. Also, prior to their removal from service on the Coast Division, in their last couple of years, they were used numerous times on work trains..... So did pull a caboose.
"Not exactly N scale" but... bought a computer microphone so I can record narration for video editing. I am editing my dad's 1950s 16mm movies of our Lionel Christmas layout that filled the living room and even invaded under the dining table. Hope to put it on Youtube in a couple of days.
My dad did NOT record sound with his 16mm movies of 1950s trains, so I don't have authentic sounds of Lionel trains and accessories of that period. I have a generic CD with .WAV files of 2000 standard sound effects. My video editing program allows me to adjust speed a clip (including sound clip) runs, and running it faster makes pitch go up to treble (like "Alvin and the Chipmunks") and slower becomes lower. And can adjust volume, etc. So a fraction of a second of the click of a door handle being turned (standard sound) can become the clunk of a log car or side-dump car dumping its load. The sound of a body falling on the ground (bought from a Hollywood sound FX house for a western) is raised in pitch and lowered in length to become a log falling from Lionel log loader accessory onto a car. Mechanical sound of some machine with a kind of rattling rhythm becomes buzz of vibrating mechanism that moves cows in cattle car and cattle pen accessory and barrels in barrel loader accessory. Prototype sound of electric subway train passing station without stop becomes passing toy train when pitch raised and volume lowered. For some general music, without having to pay royalties for copyrighted music compositions and performances, I played "Jingle Bells" (public domain, pre-20th century) on the harmonica in a chug-chug-chug-chug rhythm. I needed something Christmasy (but not specifically sacred), railroady, "country", light-hearted, etc. You might say I am kitbashing sound and music.
Not model related, but railroad related! Found an excellent condition copy of Rio Grande Glory Days Gilbert A. Lathrop 1976 Paid an incredible $15 for it! A very interesting read, about what railroading was like, starting in 1909/1910, when a 14 year old Gil Lathrop started working for the Rio Grande! Earning an incredible 14 CENTS an hour, for 10 hours work! Until retiring from the Western Pacific in 1956, eventually passing in 1959. Highly recommended for anyone's library.
I can fill maybe 4 shelves of a 5 shelf bookcase! And of those, 3 shelves are Rio Grande related, standard and narrow gauge! And my VHS/DVD collection fills a 5 shelf bookcase as well. Definitely running out of storage space!!
I figured that going down this route was ultimately best since it takes away my concerns about stripping my F7A. Mind you, I didn't foresee that my original plan to turn it into one of these units would be put in doubt after finding out about these units.
In what was probably one of my all time great buys, I was able to pick up both the Trainworx Smokey and the Bandit and Movin On tractor trailers new in the box at a train show today for $30.00 each. I almost felt guilty knowing what these have gone for on E-bay. I was bummed having initially passed on these and regretting it later but for once procrastination paid off. Bob
That one is a fun read. Just recently I was able to snag a copy of Little Engines, Big Men also by Gilbert Lathrop for a reasonable price. Another fun read. Mark
I can't wait to get my Kato F7s. I ordered a single headlight A-B-B-A set that I'll strip and repaint in WP colors.
Well, if you have two out of three Walthers passenger cars already and you can get it for a price far less than the MSRP if it was in Canadian dollars... (The car is actually complete. I just disassembled it to compare the interior to the car plans I have to see which one was the best match.) While turning it into a CN/VIA 5383-5436 60 seat coach would be the easiest kitbash, I'm seriously considering using it as the core for an Athabasca kit I have to free up the core kit for future needs.
Just picked up 15 pieces of Atlas flex track. Should have time to install a fair bit of it this weekend during the blizzard.
I think I got a heck of a deal on some used cars, all in very good condition, most brand new. There are twenty, two bay hoppers. One is a Concor, 19 are Micro-Trains, all brand new in the box, flawless condition, less than $5 each. One 39' Micro-Trains single dome tanker, brand new in the box, less than $5. Then 4 Bachmann 65' heavyweight cars, three in the box, one without the box. One combine, two passenger, and one observation, all in excellent condition. Will need couplers changed. $8 each. One Atlas 90 ton hopper, brand new in the box, also less than $5. Then two older Lima caboose, one Arnold bobber, and one wood side flat car, all in excellent condition but no boxes, less than $4 each. I don't know if that was a good deal but I thought so and am quite happy. Especially with the Micro-Trains hoppers as that's something I was about ready to spring for new.
