Quote from: jbrock27 on August 07, 2015, 04:42:55 PMSo I guess you agree with jbrock?

Well, jbrock, guess I'll say I see jbrock's side of it, and say that tossing it is easier, probably cheaper. But that someone might have other considerations to make them decide the other way.

jbrock,

I would surmise the reason for deletion is your overt reference to "Mister C's" brand of products.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand:

If it's over 20 years old, and if repairing is your plan, any electrolytic capacitors it has will be a problem, and may be the cause of the malfunction.

Several years ago, a friend of mine who owns an industrial electronics repair business hired me as a repair technician for a couple of months when I was laid off. The first rule he taught me was: Electrolytic capacitors have a life of approximately 15 years whether the component under consideration had been in use or not.

The second rule, based on the first, was: Anything that came into his shop more than 7 years old got all of the electrolytic capacitors replaced, whether that was the cause of the failure or not.

About the time I got regular work again and finished up at his shop, the power amp to my high-end stereo (13 years old at the time - from my bachelor days, when I could afford high-end things) went belly-up . I took off the cover, identified and ordered the "caps", and when they came , I took it to his shop and replaced them all, and it was back working perfectly again. In keeping with his 7-year rule, I did the caps in my pre-amp at the same time, although it was working fine.

But, we're talking maybe $50 of military-grade capacitors to fix a pair of components each costing four figures. Unless your transformer is itself expensive or has unique functionality that will be expensive to duplicate with other components, consider replacing the thing.

Footnote: I have boys that I'm trying to teach a few skills to prepare them for adulthood. Sometimes I'll forego the cheap, quick, & expedient to furnish them a skill-learning exercise through repairing or making something. Considerations like those may enter into your repair or replace decision.

MDaskalos

Quote from: ebtnut on August 05, 2015, 02:49:45 PM
Probably the one in Bensalem, PA, just north of Philly.

Perhaps not. From alliedmodeltrains.com:

>>>Dispatched from Allied Model Trains, Culver City, California

>>>July 7, 2015

>>>It's with great sadness we send this message to our friends, customers and vendors.

>>>As of today July 07, 2015, we are closed. Due to circumstances beyond our control, the stockholders had to close and declare insolvency.

>>>We had sixty-nine wonderful years and we are sorry the journey has to end.

>>>All of us at Allied Model Trains, Nick, Fred, George, Karie, Sam, and Dave thank you for all the years of support.

>>>Allied Model Trains

Quote from: jbrock27 on July 16, 2015, 09:41:13 AM
...paid in cash, of course :

Hey, seeing as it was on the market since January of last year, I hope you didn't pay over 2.8 MIL for it...

Quote from: mohican on March 12, 2015, 08:57:36 AM
I would like to see Bachmann produce a H8 Allegheney I would buy one in a heartbeat.

Make that two of us.

Quote from: electrical whiz kid on February 04, 2015, 07:15:45 PM
EBnut: 
...And I was going to crack wise about a can of Ronson lighter fluid and a match...
SGT C.

Peer pressure. Put it out behind the roundhouse with the bigger, older engines that smoke, and it'll want to fit in.

Quote from: caseyjones on January 01, 2015, 11:42:05 PM
I am humbled by all you who have invested your time and energy in helping me figure out my train parking problem.  

Well, when someone named Casey Jones comes along and says they have a siding/train parking problem to solve, you can bet it pays to fix it beforehand... 

mdaskalos

linn,

You really ought to consider Jonathan's advice to purchase a DCC/sound on board locomotive. Consier the following points:

1. Bachmann produces serverall DCC/sound on board locomotives that operate in dual-mode, meaning they run and produce sound on standard DC (your set is this type) and on DCC. The Kanawha/Berkshire types can be had for about $200.

2. Installing DCC with sound costs around $100, and you have to do the installation yourself.

3. When are the grandkids arriving? Standard shipping gets you a locomotive in what, 3-5 business days? Yeah , the decoder and speaker will arrive in the same time frame, but then, you've got to find the time after that to do the work. Will you have the work done when the grandkids show up? If you're new to this hobby and hose up the work, then what?

4. Like Hunt said, for your install-yourself sound, you're going to need to buy a DCC system. Another $150 or so. The new sound decoder you install may/or may not support dual mode, but if it doesn't come already set to oerate in dual mode, then that's more time lost, and the extra money spent on a DCC system, anyway.

5. No one one has addressed your second point yet, about your engine running slow. Some engines are made to run slow like their prototypes (Shays, Heislers, etc.) I don't think your Class J 4-8-4 is supposed to be a slow runner. "More power to it" may not be the solution. It may be over-lubed and need a cleaning. or maybe you set it up o nthe floor directly on carpet and have fibers around the axles. But, power could be the issue: check the voltage out of your controller with a voltmeter, as well.

6. If the engine is defective, and you send it back for service, it ain't gonna be back for Christmas.

7. If your current power supply is working properly, a DCC/sound on board locomotive that operates in dual mode out of the box is your fastest way to be up and running, and possibly less expensive. You can always move forward with your plan to install sound as you have the time to take it thoughtfully.

If you think at this point that a new locomotive with sound is warranted, you're in luck: Bachmann makes several that fit the bill; their 2-8-4 Kanawha/Berkshire are handsome locomotives (they're "brawny", not streamlined) of the same era as your class J, and should fit the curve radius of your set that your Class J came in (I do N scale myself, and am guessing on this point, if others know otherwise on this point, please comment.)

The Kanawha and Berkshire are very similar locomotives and differ slightly in appearance. I like the look of the C&O Kanawha a little better myself, but the Nickel Plate Road (NKP) 765 Berkshire survives to this day, and does excursions. (Meaning, if it historical considerations matter to you, that it is not absurd that the NKP 765 could be pulling a string of Norfolk and western coaches; a C&O Kanawha engine less likely so.

And they're available from a number from a number of sources (I'm not shilling for anyone):

trainworldonline.com
factorytrainsdirect.com
modeltrainstuff.com
amazon.com

Just make sure you look explicitly for both the sound and DCC on board.

Good luck no matter what you choose.

Quote from: skipgear on February 27, 2014, 10:28:35 PM


Always wanted a C&O 2-8-0 and never got around to getting one, too late now.

Don't be so sure. trainworldonline.com. I got one around the turn of the new year for eighty bucks. They're still listing them - the latest series, with DCC onboard.

Select Bachmann - Steam locomotive - N Scale. Then go to last listing of last page.

Quote from: Doneldon on August 28, 2013, 03:06:50 PM
My advice is that they learn to shoot more accurately so they don't have to worry about wounded birds, deer or whatever else they're hunting.
                                                                                                                                                                -- D

I find your "advice" to be rather smug, uninformed, and more than a little condescending.

Also, your advocacy of a ban does not belong here; a ban, being a heavy-handed government instrument or policy, is inherently political, and is thus against the clearly stated policy on the Bachmann forums.

I am more than happy and able to take your position apart brick by brick; if your post remains intact, I will do so.

I suggest you revise your remarks to comply with forum policy, to do your part to maintain forum decorum. I am not suggesting that you do this out of being afraid to engage me in a debate. (I rather expect that you are not). I am suggesting, rather, that you consider your remarks, and consider further that those who offer us this forum space have requested that we not take discussions into territory that YOU have taken this one, and that you respond accordingly.

I am throwing down no gauntlet; I am merely picking up the one you have rather cavalierly dropped in our midst. I am picking it up, handing it back to you, looking you squarely in the eye, and saying, "Here. This is yours. You know what it means to throw this down, I know what it means to pick it up. You have one chance to put it back in your pocket; otherwise, here and now is where you have thrown it down, and here and now is where we will have at it."

I do not expect, in making these remarks, or in any further response I may make, to win friends and influence people. Rather, I expect the opposite; I fully expect to be seen by some as attacking a respected, long-time member of this forum. But I do not join forums to obtain respect or admiration. Frankly, I don't really care what most people think of me. I do care however, about right and wrong, and when someone wishes to be wrong and violate the rules of conduct at the same time, I stand at the ready to respond. (I join forums to obtain (and, when I can, offer) information in the areas to which the forums pertain, BTW)

No, I have not reported this to the moderators; that rings too much of running to mommy for me to do so. I would not be surprised, however, to find that someone has now gone to a moderator with this matter. (Not necessarily you, but perhaps anyone who really would rather not see this boil over in the forum)

But, it need not boil over. You edit your post to redact you advocacy and your flippant "advice", and I'll remove the entirety of this post, and we both walk away like nothing ever happened.

I await with interest your choice. We can either keep the forum clean and dedicated to the purpose for which it was intended, or we can go round and round until the mods step in. Either way, one learns much about who he interacts with by sitting back and observing at moments like this.

Manuel

I'm modeling the C&O, New River Subdivision, in N scale in the late steam era. Modeling it rather loosely, but the two bridges will resemble the one at Hawks Nest (although only a single truss), and the deck truss bridge over the New River near Gauley Bridge.

Since the purpose of this is mainly to get my sons into model railroading, I'm going to have to be flexible regarding what runs on the railroad...they're buying some of their own engines and rolling stock that suit their fancy.

A major home project has interrupted construction of the railroad in a rather early state. my sons have called it the "Great West Virginia Desert Railroad", as I just barely have the landscape built and painted an earth tone, and only about 3 feet of track down.

Manuel

Quote from: GG1onFordsDTandI on August 09, 2013, 07:07:19 PMManuel, maybe Bing has given us each different results based on personal settings, or past searches. In images I get all locomotives by searching  -  u-boat locomotive  - . Not all of them U-boats, but no submarines to speak of. 

Actually, I got crossed up and told you the wrong terms. I really used "U-boat" and "veranda" in Bing. U-boat and locomotive get me some matches.

Manuel

One Casey Jones info webpage I went to said he had received no warnings from the railroad in the year preceding the wreck. Either he had kept his nose clean, or perhaps the railroad management just chose to look the other way. In either event, when it came time to call up a replacement engineer on short notice, and knowing that the train was likely going to get underway late, I would think the railroad management knew who to call; they probably didn't draw Casey Jones' name out of a hat.

The term "u-boat" for a locomotive must be very much an "insider" term for railroaders, I googled the terms "u-boat"  and "locomotive" together (well, I  "Bing"-ed it, I guess), and everything came up submarines. I gave up after looking through a few pages.

You know, in one of those ironies, I would probably never have the 382 on a model railroad of mine. (I used to work in a shipyard, and have built many model ships; I'm getting back into model railroading after a 35-year hiatus, to bring it to my sons). Anyway, I had two simple rules for what I would build and not build, and I will probably extend those same rules to what I will run on my railroad:

1. No ugly ships (locomotives) They gotta please my eye in the case (on the tracks)
2. No unsuccessful or "bad luck/bad reputation" ships (locos). (Within reason: build the Titanic? Yes? a modern cruise/sewage liner? No.)

(Forgive me for all of the ship references...it has been a chunk of my career, plus an unexpected kitchen rebuild over the past month has slowed my return to model railroading.)

I'm not saying the 382 is ugly, in case anyone is going to get upset; beauty is in the eye of the beholder. it just doesn't float my boat, plus it's about 50 years distant from the era I'm targeting.

Do I mean I agree with a certain other "rewd" poster? Not in the least. I assert that I would not want to have a certain loco on MY layout, this other individual contends that NO ONE should.

Where would that stop? Somebody else will come along and say "no one ought to model such and such a railroad because they exploited this or that"; someone further will come along and say "you ought not model ome OTHER railroad 'cuz it's a coal hauler, and that's jsut morally and environemntally wrong..."

Quote...This is a freedom of speech country...

I don't know, Jerry: America seems to be turning into "Amerika" more and more every day, where if someone disagrees with you, they must demonize your view or your pursuit, and try to render it illegal.

Manuel

Quote from: GG1onFordsDTandI on August 07, 2013, 10:57:49 AM
Even the Verandas? 

OK, GG1, I'm not to proud to admit you got me on the veranda reference. A veranda is a porch, right? I was thinking "Porch...screen door...man, maybe he's making a veiled reference to the old saying, something about me being 'as useful as a screen door on a submarine.' " Or, that we gotta get 'em off the second-hand market, too - no yard sales, etc., and thus off the front porch/veranda.

Anyway, I'm betting none of those are right, so I'll ask: What's the veranda reference mean?

Quote from: GG1onFordsDTandI on August 07, 2013, 10:57:49 AM
Normally I frown on "Grammer Nazis"    ('cause I suck ) But this is too funny. I had to blow it up to 200% to figure out exactly what was going on, but it was worth it.
(yes grammar is spelled wrong on porpoise...

Hey, it doesn't have to be misspelled...maybe it means you're a detail man about the show "Frasier"!

It is possible to carry the grammar correctness thing too far. Back when we were kids, were taught to say "burst" instead of "bust" ("Waaaah , mommy!!!  Jimmy  busted my balloon!" Mom: "No, Billy: Jimmy burst your balloon."), some of you might remember stuff like that. But consider grammatically correct burst/bust phraseology carried too far: I mean, I like watching a good football game, and seeing my team really "bust their a$$es" out there on the field. If the game goes well, them my team is "busting the other team's a$$es" out there, too. I like to watching that kind of tough game.

HOWEVER: You could not pay me to watch a player "burst his posterior" out there on the field. Nor would I want to watch him bursting anyone else's posterior out there, no matter how much more grammatically correct the term may be! (Quick!!!Get a mop and some disinfectant for the TV, and a barf bag for me!)

I do think that when someone writes with no regard for punctuation or for rules of grammar, that they are displaying very little respect for those whom they expect to read their writings. Look at this forum: we have guys on here who write cogent, well presented posts, contributing wonderful knowledge to this hobby community. Those same contributors will also present photographs and apologize for what they consider poor photography, which is better than what I can produce on my best day. These guys deserves some respect, especially if we come around here asking the favor of their advice or a sharing of their knowledge on a matter.

Quote from: andrewd on August 05, 2013, 05:23:43 PM
I think Casey should not have a model of his engine available and just thinking about the crash I sure would hate to be the guy to tell his family about why he didn't come home I have a feeling I would get beat up big time

1. Rest easy, he doesn't, and he won't. He is, after all, how to put it....ummmmm......dead.

2. By your reasoning, ship modelers should find available no models of the Titanic; Captain Smith did a baaaaad thiiing, ignoring all those ice warnings, so no model there. Probably gotta can the Bismark, too, then, I mean, it was piloted by some unsavory types, y'know?

3. And what about those Nazis anyway? They were some dern bad characaters all around, wuzn't they? Gotta get them German WWII airplanes and tanks and U-boats off the market, too, then.

4. Finally, use as much of the below as needed. Copy and paste will work. Really, keep 'em! I have more!
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