That kind of stuff was very common on the Santa Fe in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The cars on any line were controlled very tightly by the Conductors on the runs and they hid and buried cars for late "SALE" to the higest bidder, usualy a fifth of whiskey or along those line maby money in some cases. T^o combat that the Santa Fe and others put in CAR DEPARTMENTS centraly controlled at the Division Headquarters.

I was personally involved in findin I believe it was fifty cars hidden and lost for years on the "OLD TIMPSON MAINLINE" in East Texas we had a Special Train Order issued by the Superintendent in Temple to get these cars without fail and return then to Silsbee ASAP. We spent two days oiling all the journals and then used a four unit consist of GP 7s to knock down small pine trees in the tracks and went through briar patches 100 yards thivk to get all thes cars together an bring them out.

We once recieved instructions to enter the old World War Two Air Force Bse at HITE, Louisiana an gather all freight cars and return them to Silsbee. We gathered up about 35 cars mostly pulpwood and log cars that had been hidden on yhese tracks over the years by the Conductors that were assigned the what was known as the JU&E Locals. That being Jasper and Eastern Railroad that was taken over by the GC&SF Gulf Colorado and Santa Fe a subsidary of ATSF who later absorbed it.

I heard stories from men on Cotton Bels SP MP and KCS in Texas and Louisiana that had similar experiences.

It was the computerization and formation of Car Departments that stopped all that bull.

Redtail67

The Santa Fe ran some Doodlebugs on the Southern Division (Temple Texas Headquarters0  Silsbee to Somerville, Silsbee to Beaumont, Silsbee to Oakdale Louisiana, and Silsbee to San Augustine on to Longview Texas.

I think they quit in early 1960 timeframe and then used them for some excursion trains after that.

Thanks to all ofyou guys for replying to my questions, I am new and the more I read the more I realize I need advice..lol

A person really needs to fully think it out first in this game so as to avoid making a lot of mistakes.

Right now I am thinking EZ Track Nickel Steel with a more advanced DCC Controller........lots more to think about.

Thanks again to you all.

Redtail67

Reading through the Post on this Board I see references to a Programing Track for DCC. I plan to build a DCC Layout in the future and I am reading all I can about it.

Just a few questions at this time:

1. Is EZ Track DC or DCC or is it capable of both types of operation as is?

2. Is the EZ Command DCC Controller a capable Unit or should I consider going to a Digitrax? Is the EZ capable of being just DC Mode with EZ Track and when I get ready to convert to DCC just get the Engines DCC and use the EZ Command?

3. This Programing Track that I have read about, is it a factory option for programing the Locomotives in DCC or something that a person builds to do this?

In the future I may operate 2-3 tops 4 Engines at once probably just 2 most times. Is the EZ Track and the EZ Controller all that I need?

I am very very new to this and as you might guess I know nothing but I am willing to learn.

Redtail67

Thank you Yampa Bob and Steam Gene for your replies to my questions.

If I understand it correctly the 33" Scale Wheels are for freight cars and the 36" Scale are for passenger coaches in HO Scale Train Sets.

I will take a look at the steel wheels from the places that you all have recomended.

Yampa Bob send me a Email and I will correspond with you. That is an Email that I use to keep so many Junk mails out. I would be very happy to get some free wheels and some cars for the Ho set I have. We now have 1 new engine and the old dead one 2 cars that work and 3 cars with missing wheels on about 15-20 of old junk cheap cheap track.

I have the track on plywood and connected and it runs good..its the cars with no wheels that are the biggest problem along with drawbars that are too short for the tight curves.

That will be next trying to figure out the drawbars..you know longer shanks and which company makes them and all that. I know nothing about the model end of that either.

If I could get this little set all working it would be fine for him untill I get the other up and going. I see that that will take a lot of time and knowledge and if all works well he and I will get it up and going in a month or two..


Would have replied sooner but I was trying to rest a little as the Grandson was napping, he slept until 6:00 PM..now he will be up all nite.

Now he has me playing with the trainset with him. Bet he goes untill after midnite..lol

Thanks again to both you for your advice.

Redtail67

Mr.Bachmann I have a Ho Scale EMD GP 40 Diesel Item No. 41-635-01 that will not run. I purchased it about 20 years ago for my son. I do not know why it will not run I have tested it out and believe the DC motor is burned out.

I sent an Email to Bachmann tying to get instructions on returning for repair and never heard back from them.

I have the engine and the box it came in. What specificly do I do to send it for repair? Where do I send it?

Thanks,

Redtail67

Thanks for your prompt response  Guilford Guy. You are right it is only for sentimental reasons. I was just hoping to find a DC motor to replace that one and keep it in the future fleet.

As you can tell I am a"RUBE" in this form of Railroading and look forward to the help this board can provide.

I have read every message on the board and have picked up a lot of helpfull ideas.

I plan to get some EZ Track and set up a living room layout that can keep my Grandson occupied while I plan and biuld a more permanant on in the garage.

My dream is to build an EZ Track layout in HO in the garage using DCC based on 1950-170 Santa Fe.

Right now my Grandson, who is 4 years old, will not let me reat untill I have him up and running. It was my thought that if I could get that old engine going he would have two units to mess with and he3 would let me have time to plan a more sophisticated layout using DCC.

Hey, one more question..

I had several freight cars from that old set missing wheels, can they be replaced with the steel wheels I have seen advertised? If so what size would I use? What kind would you recomend?

Thanks again for your help and these are just the start of many questions to come.

Redtail67

I have a Bachmann Item No. 41-635-01 Emd GP 40 Diesel Union Pacific that is Dead. I purchased this in a set maybe 20 years age for my son. I just got it out of the closet and set it up for my Grandson.

It will not run and the headlights do not light up. I have taken it apart and cleand everything I could as well as the wheels. The motor still does not work.

I purchased a new DC Engine a few days ago and it runs perfectly on the track with no problems.

I have emailed Bachman to get instructions on sending it in to be repaied and have not received a response.

I have several questions for members of this board:

1. Can I buy an electric motor like the one in it or perhaps a better one to put in it? If so where and what motor would I use?

2. I have noticed that this Engine is powered only on the front trucks aand on the No. 1 Wheels there are what looks like rubber bands on the lead wheels.  What are they for? It seems that would insulate the wheels from the track and keep them from getting power?

3. The rear trucks have no gear connection to the electric motor but they do have wires going to the wheels. WHY?

I know that this is a cheapie engine , however, I would like to return it to service.

I am totaly new to this other than I bought this set for my son about 20 years ago. So bear with me as I am a newbie but plan to build a l;ayout for my Grandson.

I will now introduce myself, I am 59 years old and retired totaly disabled with 34 years of service as a Locomotive Engineer on the Santa Fe and the Colorado Southern Railway.

I have worked all over Texas, Louisiana, Colorado and Wyoming.

I hired out in 1967 at the age of 17 years, and have personaly operated almost every type of Diesel Engine they have from some Fts to the new AC Engines.

Personally I loved the F Units  the Santa Fe 200 and 300 Class and the 2650 Class GP 7. The later GP38-2 and the the SD40-2. As far I am concerned they did not come any better than those for an Engineer.

I studied and paased the 1st 2nd and 3rd year steam qualification tests for Locomotive Engineer. This was in an effort to be selected to be a fireman on the "Flying Scotsman" that had been brought to America for a tour of the US.

Well as fate would have it I was not selected the most Senior men who had been claiming that they would never run another Steam E ngine in their lives, took the jobs as soon as they were offerered.

By the way, that "Flying Scotsman" was an absolutely beautiful train as it passed me while I was in the side track for it on a drag freight.

Well so much for all that, I hope some of you can help me fix that old cheapie engine.

Redtail67


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