Intermountain has just announced a forthcoming release of Norfolk Southern Sd45-2's (low nose) in 2 road numbers, can anyone help me out about whether NS is still operating these former Conrail units? My modeling period is roughly 2003-2007, and my understanding, perhaps incorrect, was that NS had retired its SD45-2's while CSX was still using theirs (these I believe were all former EL units that Conrail inherited). If they are still used, what kind of duty are they pulling? The only NS trains I run on my layout are coal drags and intermodal service (my primary road is CP) anyone shed some light on this before I reserve or don't reserve? many thanks, Jan
737, I think you may have just cost me a lot of $$!! If I can convince myself to undertake the pain in the a__ that is converting IM locos to DCC that is, many thanks, Jan
IM tunnel motors (as well as SD45s) are pretty easy to convert. you can use the drop in NCE decoder or the Digitrax drop in decoder. I opted for the third option, I installed and wired a traditional Digitrax cheap decoder and added head lights together with mars light on my SP units.
Hey, They are ex EL & they are used in road service. They have been rebuilt & have the horsehead logo. PS,Nice freightshaker ns737. I'm a KW man myself:shade:
I'm not sure all of them have been repainted, but at least a handfull have. They operate almost exclusively in New Jersey on CSAO, but I have spotted them heading up main line trains on the Lehigh Line, likely returning east from the Altoona shops. (BTW I wrote IMR about these some time ago, and they assured me that the grill work on the rear of the EL long hoods and the large fuel tanks would be tooled.)
I've had nothing but bad luck installing decoders in a pair of tunnel motors, seemed straightforward enough, just like an Atlas, only it never ends up working with a digitrax decoder (I have no experience with the NCE but have read that it can be a more difficult install?). After researching this issue (including on trainboard) it seems to be an issue of many of the decoders not making contacts in the correct frame slot grooves. I'm ready to send one of my more frustrating units off to a professional installer to pay for working installation. Just my experience, but its an extremely frustrating one!! As for the SD45-2 NS model, good to know they are mostly NJ assigned or Lehigh line, that'll save me some $$ as I model the Reading and Harrisburg lines and RBMN Scranton area (I didn't think I'd seen any 45-2's on these lines!) Thanks for the info. Jan
Ah, but you can still have one running through your territory, if you model main line trackage. The Lehigh Line is an extension of the Altoona-Harrisburg-Allentown route, and is indeed the route travelled by 19G, the train in the photo.
DON'T GIVE UP! you're right, there is a minor issue with motor contact, which can be solved very easily. I can't find the link where a modeler shows how to solder two small wires and fix that annoying issue. however, very fast: don't let the metal strips coming from the motor touch the contacts on the decoder. instead, solder two small wires to these contact strips and bend them up to let them pass on top of the decoder, then solder these wires to the UPPER decoder contacts. use some insulating tape to avoid metal strips touching the frame or anything other than the motor contact on the drop-in decoder. I know it's easier with a picture, if you can wait a couple of days I'll try to take a shot at my tunnel motors showing those metal strips. believe me, you can do this task in 10 minutes.
Hey Denny, sounds good, I'd be glad to wait and see if you can find it, if its as good as it sounds intermountain locos would be a far better option than they are now for me, thanks! Jan
Jan, just let me find a couple of minutes to remove the shell from one of my tunnel motors and I certanly help you out with a photo. please feel free to bug me at denny [dot] turani [a t] gmail [d ot] com if you don't hear me in a couple of days cause I tend to forget things very easily
I've done 3 tunnel motors. The first two worked well, and the third one exploded into a lightning display, then smoke as the little black boxes on the board disappeared and left carbon smoke behind... Please post! mg:
Ok, here we go: First off, sorry for some bad quality photos. that was the best I could do this morning Also, english isn't my mother tongue, so forgive mistakes or "strange sentences". Pictures will help me explain what I did. here is my gallery with some captions: http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/5760 feel free to ask any question.
