Accucraft 1:29 product update The Accucraft 1:29 scale ratio 0-6-0 switcher is USRA approved and will be made from a combination of Brass, steel and diecast metal with steel drive rods The Accucraft 1:29 scale ratio PS-1 box car will be made from a plastic construction with metal castings, operating doors, under body details, diecast trucks, metal wheels and 3 sets of conversion couplers. On another note, Accucraft is also offering their own Code 332 brass flex track in both Euro narrow gauge and USA mainline style in 3ft or 6ft lengths NOTE: I forgot to mention in last thread that Accucraft is calling this new 1:29 scale ratio mainline the "American Mainline" series For more products and info on Accuccrafts new "American Mainline" 1:29 scale ratio trains visit > www.americanmainline.com
Accucraft 1:20.3 new products scheduled There is 3 new products coming out by Accucraft in 1:20.3 scale ratio narrow gauge. 1) The DRGW K-36 2-8-2 available as a live steam engine only with brass and stainless stell construction due out winter 2008 2) The Mason Bogie "Light" 2-6-6T available in the live and electric version made from brass and stainless steel constrcution also due out winter 2008 3) The DRGW C-19 2-8-0 available in live and electric versions is made from brass and stainless steel and is out and available now. 4) DSP&P 2-8-0 available in electric and live versions, made of brass and stainless steel - due winter 2008 5) Baldwin 4-4-0 locomotive available only in live steam version, Available now Note: Please remember, Accucraft markets their 1:20.3 scale ratio models as F scale, but still run on Gauge #1 track, so basiclly I still consider them Gauge #1
USA Trains Pennsy Congressional set USA Trains will be coming out with a complete Pennsylvania Congressional passenger set. There is a die cast GG1 locomotive with operating pantographs, operating steam exhaust, lighted detailed interior, diecast trucks, GG1 sound system and DCC included. There are 10 different passenger cars in this series all are made of extruded aluminum with lighted detailed interiors. What I like about USA passenger cars is that they have easy removable roofs to move, take out or put in more figures. This series is in the "Ultimate" 1:29 scale series.
Aristocraft announces 2 bay hopper cars Aristocraft will be coming out with a new series of 2 bay coal hoppers which will be great for those who run smaller railroads. They will have removable loads and have actual operating bay doors. I'm glad to see Aristocraft step up and have actual working doors on their products. These cars are only 14 inches long so you should be able to run these even on the tight 4ft raius curves. I myself will be in line for the Rio Grande. I hope they step up to USA trains and make these in multiple road numbers.
Aristocraft 53ft Evans car reviewed Hi, we are going to review the 53ft Evans box car this weekend. After sitting at the railroad tracks a few weeks ago I saw a 6 car string of Railbox double door hi cube box cars. I saw the Aristocraft 53ft Evans box car in the railbox name and decided to get it since how I really liked the full size Rail Box cars I saw, but not sure what kind or size of box cars they were, I more familiar with locomotives than rolling stock. I recieved the aristocraft 53ft Evans Railbox car and was delighted to see who close they got the graphics to the real thing, this was really imporatant to me. The car is fairly light considering it's size. The double doors don't open which to me can be a positive or negative. I'm sure on the Evans box car they would be very fragile if you actually made them so they would open. The car came thru with plastic wheels. By the time you add the price of metal wheels this box car is about the same price as comparable USA 50ft box cars in the Ultimate series which come standard with metal wheels. There isn't as much small parts detail either as a USA trains 50ft box car. In reality however, this car has alot of potential, with some details added and a coat of white paint on the roof, it would like just the full size Railbox I saw.
USA New depressesed center 2 car flat pak USA trains just got delivery of their new depressed center flat cars. These flat cars come as a 2car pack with multiple road numbers of course. These cars are the Ultimate series 1:29 scale ratio and are very highly detailed. They come with no load and you have to provide the load you want. They have provisions for tie downs such as small chain you can actually anchor to the deck. There are 16 different road names to choose from, they come standard with metal wheels and hook and loop couplers. Of course USA knuckle couplers come in a kit bag which is in the box. These cars have many uses around the railroad, for example I used my 2 car pack on the maintenance of way train, they are great for moving equipment around. You could also haul simulated heavy cable on reels around. Believe it or not there is 2 different road numbered 2 car packs per roadname, so you could actually have 4 cars in the same road name if you wanted to and have all different road numbers, great job to USA trains. Note: Please don't confuse these depressed center flat cars 2 car packs with the single car packs that USA already has out
Passenger cars for a small radius railroad Hi, if you want to run passenger cars you know most of these passenger cars commercial made need to run on a 10ft or more diameter track. this puts people like me who run indoors and people who model outside in a confined space at a disadvantage. USA has come back out with their Overton Passenger cars in 1:29 scale ratio. They all feature interior lighting, metal wheels, lighted markers on the observation car and real sprung trucks. The C&S, DRGW, Pensy, Xmas, B&O, V&T roadnames are available now.
Museum Quality products now offered in 1:29 You see alot of museum quality G scale products in either 1:20.3 scale for narrow gauge or 1:32 scale for main line. Another manufacturer has seen the need to also expand into the 1:29 scale ratio market G scale. Kern Valley Railway now offers museum quality products in both 1:29 scale and 1:32 scale both are museum quality. You can visit them here > www.kernvalleyrailway.com
Manufacturers helping in labeling scale ratios USA Trains and Aristocraft are now putting scale ratio lables on their product boxes so you know what you are getting and what scale ratio that product is modeled after. USA even took lableling a littel further to put recomended age labels on their product boxes. Since how both USA trains and Aristocraft model in 1:29 and 1:24 scale ratios, these new labels should help out. Picture #1 is the Aristocraft label Picture #2 is the USA trains label
LGB Modern box car reviewed Although LGB of America is in turmoil, I figured I would still review the LGB American style modern box car. I bought the LGB box car in the railbox road name. The car is very nicely detailed and has very nice graphics. The door operates nice and smooth on both sides. This car is very light in comparison to the USA trains box cars. The car does come standard with metal wheels. The car rolled very well on my code 332 track and did not hang up in the code 332 switches. There are a few complaints I have however that may offend some LGB lovers but I'm a outspoken person who is not afraid to voice an opinion even when a majority may not agree on what I say. The trucks on my particular model are grey and look toy like. I didn't like how LGB wasn't specifc on what boxcar they were modeling after. When you go to USA train site or even Aristocraft now, you can pick out 40ft box cars, 50ft box cars, 53ft boxcars. LGB just says here is a modern boxcar we are modeling and thats it. I like rolling stock being modeled after specific equipment. The next thing is there is no specific scale ratio mentioned which is probably why they don't advertise what boxcar they model after. I know alot of diehard LGB modelers say LGB is 1:22.5 scale ratio but if you measure out all of their rolling stock, some of it's smaller than that scale. For example, if I were to say this LGB boxcar is modeled after a 50ft boxcar it would be real close to a 1:29 scale ratio. When LGB gets back on track finally, hopefully they will recognize they need to advertise more specifc size and scale equpiment, at least LGB of America. However I do like the car in general, it would look better with a black set of trucks. LGB of Germany may be doing well, in order for LGB of America to make a come back they must compete with USA trains and Aristocraft trains in the 1:29 scale ratio market to have any kind of future success. The 1:29 scale ratio market is coming on real strong, more and more manufacturuers are heading that way for mailine modeling. Of course this is my opinion due to I don't see a real need for 1:22.5 scale ratio mainline models, this would put LGB of American into there own small little market G scale place. But me and a hobby store owner noticed it rally never seemed like they stuck to the 1:22.5 scale ratio, I remember him complaining about how big the caboose looks and how small some of the woodside rolling stock was. I must admit, this car is close in scale ratio to my USA 50ft box cars, it looks right at home there scale ratio wise, it doesn't look out of place.
Gauge #1 = 1:32 scale ratio? You see me talk about scale ratios in my threads and how many scale ratios fall into the G scale catergory. I have also seen some manufacturers advertise G scale products also as Gauge #1. According to an editor of certain G scale Magazine when a product is advertised as a Gauge #1 product it's suppose to be a 1:32 scale ratio. But even with those thoughts of finally standardizing the G scale world I find there are alot of G scale manufacturers that advertise their products as Gauge #1 but are not a 1:32 scale ratio. Aristocraft for example advertises Gauge #1 and and they produce 1:29 scale ratio products. LGB on some select items was advertising Gauge #1 and they are suppose to be a 1:22.5 scale ratio. So is the editor right, is Gauge #1 suppose to be a rating for 1:32 scale products only? I think the Gauge #1 name is just like saying your train is G scale and all scale ratios apply, I still don't see any standardizing in scale ratios such as Gauge #1 for 1:32 scale ratio or to come out with a Gauge #2 for 1:29 scale ratio. I think the Gauge #1 rating still confuses G scale people in what is the scale ratio product that is being sold. Thanks to USA trains and Aristocraft for actually labeling their products boxes as to what scale ratio they are.
G Scale News by EMD trainman 9/1/08 Hi, I hope you had a great weekend. Today I would like to report some news on product announcements and products already available to you. USA Trains > The USA trains SD-70 MAC in the Union Pacific heritage series is avaliable now. I myself will be getting the Rio Grande version. These locomotives are the Ultimate series 1:29 scale. Aristocraft > The doodlebug in 1:29 scale and the Reo railbus in 1:24 scale is now back in production soon to hit hobby stores. The new 1:29 scale 2 bay hooper car is avalable in unlettered, rio Grande (DRGW), Norfolk & western, Baltimore & Ohio, The GP-40 in 1:29 scale is also available now along with the new updated C-16 in wood or coal version which is 1:24 scale. There is a 1:29 scale 0-4-0 live steam engine and is availble for special pre-order. Piko > Has new line of "Quick Kits" available in 1:22.5 scale and assemble in a matter of minutes. Bridgewerks > Has a new Magnum 4000 trtansformer which controls 4 tracks independently. This as well as all of their transformers are made in the USA. There is a 4 track controller with variable momentum, 8 meters - 4 voltage - 4 current, there is 32 power transistors with 4 cooling fans and a total of 40 amps. 20 amps for track 1&2, 20 amps for track 3&4. There is a "Pure DC" output thanx to Bridgewerks patent filtering technology to keep those harmful DC spikes out of your locomotive. This filtering technology is in EVERY Bridgewerks transformers. There is also a 5 year unconditional warranty. There are jacks for wirelesss throttle operations and easy connect banana track jacks. Midwest Large Scale Train show October 3-4 2008 > If you are wanting to get into the G scale hobby or just want to check out these new items in person this show is a must see. Whats nice about these large scale train shows is there is no mixed scales there, only G scale is allowed. Visit them here for more info > www.largescaletrainshows.com Bachman 1:20.3 > Has a new low side gondolla with operating side dump doors, a frameless and framed tank cars. Most of these cars come undecorated so it's easier for you to put your own road names on. USA > Southern Pacific "Black Widow" series trains has a USA SD-70MAC in the Ultimate series 1:29 scale available now in the "Black Widow". Sunset Valley > Has exclusive 1:32 scale great Northern "Empire Builder" passenger cars and 1:32 scale Great Northern box cars. web site > www.svrronline.com Exclusive Aristocraft 1:29 scale "New" 2 bay hopper cars in the Great Northern and Milwaukee road names available fall of 2008, a USA GP-7 in the Rock Island road name available summer of 2009 and the aristocraft GP-40 available in Burlington Northern available end of 2008. Accucraft > USRA 0-6-0 switcher in 1:29 scale featuring brass, steel and diecast construction, full cab interior and steel drive rods. The live steam version available summer 2008 and electric version available winter 2008. PS-1 box cars in 1:29 scale are made from plastic construction mainly with metal castings, diecast trucks and metal wheels. The double door style will be available winter 2008, the 8'6" superior door version and the 8' Youngstown door version are available now. Also the USA mainline and euro stly brass flex track in code 332 is also now available. MTH Trains > The new EMD F-7 in 1:32 scale arrives in a AA set with 4 precision flywheel motors which operate on both DC and AC power. The locomotives are equipped with metal gearing, smoke units and proto sound 2.0 standard. The msrp price on the AA 2 locomotive set is $700. The Canadian National road name is available now. Massouth > Do you have LGB locomotives that need electronics replaced or you just want to up date them to digital? Massouth has a huge stock in replacements and up grades for those LGB electronics. web site> www.massouth.com Hartland Locomotive Works > Has a American 4-4-0 locomotive in 1:24 scale in a Christmas themed road name called Northern Star available now.
Aristocraft new 2 bay hopper delayed Although many advertisers are advertising having the new Aristocraft 2 bay open hopper car with coal load, I foud that it has been delayed and has not arrived yet. I no longer pre-order items as I hate the idea of a hobby shop float with my money until a item arrives. Once I remember waiting almost 4 months of delays on one item. Now I call or shop on line. If they don't have it, I'll wait and hold my own money until it arrives. I even had a bad experience on ebay where a advertiser stated having the new USA depressed center 2 pack cars. At the end of the auction I didn't hear from them I paid the day it ended thru pay pal. I e-mailed 2 days later why I did't hear back from them when I'm geting my item. I finally got a e-mail back, apparently they auctioned off these items before they were shipped to them banking on the shipping day. Anyone who knows anything about G scale is you never bank on the shipping day being exact, I've seen too many delays in the last 10 years I've been in the hobby. I wrote them that it was highly irregular to auction items off you don't even have, you are only suppose to auction off items actually in your possesion. The new due date for the Aristocraft 2 bay hopper is supposely 10/15/08 for those who are waiting, including me.
USA Trains new products USA Trains has a great new Ultimate series of Christmas trains, Ore cars in multiple road numbers and a rail speeder available in many road names. For more info on these new trains and all other trains visit www.usatrains.com
USA Heritage Series SD-70MAC is here Hi, everyone. I'm excited to say I finally got my long awaited USA SD-70MAC in the Union Pacific Heritage series which is Rio Grande. For those who don't know, Union Pcific made a heritage series locomotive from each railroad they bought. Since how I am a Rio Grande follower, I bought that particular heritage series. I must say USA did a beautiful job in replicating this locomotive. The only complaint I have is that USA did not make these heritage series into the SD-70ACe with the flared radiators which if your a kitbashing type of modeler, it would not be a problem to make this feature and install it. These SD-70MAC locomotives came thru set up for 10ft diameter curves and you had to pain stakenly convert it over with a kit which USA included to run on 8ft diameter curves, Now they come thru standard already to run on 8ft curves which made it real nice, because I just took it out of the box, installed the hand rails and I was set to run. I run 8ft curves, but for those who don't and want more realistic couplers for the 10ft or bigger curves are the ones who have to convert over now. As with any USA locomotive, I had no problems or bugs to fix. I put it on the track, hooked it up to one of my trains and it ran flawlessly. I noticed it has even brighter blue LED lights than the previous SD-70MAC locomotives. We turned out the lights and this thing nearly lights up the whole entire room, the kids were amazed and loved this feature. It also has 4 motors which breaks down to 2 motors per 6 wheel truck, the fron axle of each truck is articulated to help ease it into curves and switches, there is also one drive axle on each truck which has power trac wheels on it. This locomotive is strong enough to pull 100 of your heavist rail cars you have by itself such as the 55ft aluminum tank cars. Grades are not a problem with this big bad boy as the power trac kicks in. The motors are a very high grade and so they don't need alot of amps to make them work as they are very effecient compared to the USA SD40-2 locomotives which need alot of amps to motivate.
New USA products now available USA trains now has a rail speeder, a 0-6-0T Dockside steam locomotive and iron ore cars now available to you. The ore cras come in 4 multiple road numbers for every road name so you can run a string of your favorite road name rail cars. You can visit USA trains at>>>> www.usatrains.com
Rio Grande MOW equipment is getting rare USA trains makes a nice selection of MOW equipment. Somtime ago they quit making this equipment in the Rio Grande name as well as other road names. Today you can only buy USA trains MOW equipment in the MOW road name and no other road names available. You might find a store with left over items, but for the most part USA sold out. Because of this I've been fighting and losing the battle in buying the Rio Grande MOW equipment on ebay, it seems I always get out bidded or the item goes for way more than what it sold for originally, even the used items go for alot it seems like. One day I may actually complete my USA Rio Grande MOW equipment collection.
LGB woes and no goes The LGB future is still unknown at this point and time. In 2007 Marklin trains purchased LGB Lehman of Germany but did not agree to purchase LGB of America and there is no agreement as of yet for LGB of America to purchase LGB trains from Marklin for 2008. LGB of America still claims to have ovr 250 LGB items in the warehouse, but stock is dwindling down. LGB of America is also in short supply of parts to fix and repair LGB trains. LGB of America had a contract to distibute LGB trains in the USA until 2012, but Marlin does not wish to honor that contract since they did not make it. LGB of America is still trying to stay intact as a company here in the USA. LGB of America however did form a new venture which will distribute Piko models and Brigewerks transformers as well as other general non G scale products.
G scale cabooses / Aristo vs USA You can't have a train without some kind of ending. I frankly think those EOT (End of Train) devices on todays modern trains just don't do anything for me. When I was a kid I remember those cabooses still runinng the rails. So I still run cabooses on my tracks also. Today we are going to compare the USA trains Ultimate series caboose in 1/29 scale ratio and the Aristocraft steel caboose in 1/29 scale ratio. The USA Ultimate series caboose hase a lot of features, it has a EOT device which is a red blinking light, it has lighted interior, the original versions had silver metal wheels and thanks to complaints from the purist railroader they now come thru with black metal wheels. They have fine details such as chains and proper warning decals. They also feature a track power or battery power switch. The down side to these cabooses is that the windows are glazed and they have no interior features, they also have no smoke generators either. But the USA trains caboose is very quiet in it's operation and has been very reliable, so far I have not had to replace any lights and my oldest one is from 2000 which runs every weekend non stop. I also own a Aristocraft steel caboose which features a full lighted interior which features a bed, wood stove and even down to the tiolet. There is old fashioned laterns as a EOT device and this unit also smokes. My major complaint on this model is that the lighting is very dim compared to the USA trains caboose and the operation is very noisy, so noisy you can hear it run from upstairs. If this caboose had the USA trains design pickups and was more quiet it wouldn't be so bad to run. I only run it on my MOW train. One thing that Aristocraft offers is a non-lighted version caboose for those who want a caboose for a low cost, but of course the down fall is they come thru with black plastic wheels. I'm sorry to all, but I'll stick with my USA cabooses. Both USA and Aristocraft make a wood side caboose in a 1/24 scale ratio for narrow gauge railroading
