Thank you Jim and Gene,I am back on positive thinking again. Old Jupiter will haul her little Roundhouse Clerestory roof cars with pride,once again. The "train speak",and genuine love of the hobby is received here with sincere appreciation.
A Happy & Healthy New Year to all at the Forum,from Down Under.
Owen Robinson

After running my new 4-4-0 American Richmond,my old and trusty Jupiter 4-4-0 out--shopped 1998,suddenly refused to go.
Never having been undone,wheel and pick ups cleaned regularly,it took 9 years for the "Gunk" to clog up the electric motor.
Took off the tender cover,and there was the problem -. Cleaned it up and after re-soldering the motor hook up wires which came off because of my fiddling,re-assembled everything several times .
The  motor runs.but not real fast, -- old age ?
Now I cannot get the drive universal shaft to mate properly,whist the motor runs,there is no mechanical grip,the shaft seems to slip ?
It may need a new motor ? Beautiful old Loco , what should I do ?

My Spectrum 4-4-0 arrived yesterday,and after a "goof off" by myself,it runs very well.
Having read the test in MR as advised by the forum,I knew it wasn't one of the world's heaviest haulers,and did not expect otherwise.
However,after hooking up my 3 Bachmann 47ft.Old Time Coaches,which look great for the loco,it struggled around my 8x4 Layout and slipped badly on a couple of curves.
Disappointment set in instantly,and I thought of the MR report,yet it did say it had pulled over 30 cars on straight track.
In this dilemma,I picked up the pilot on the track in front of me,and behold -? -I found that small piece of black foam still packed under the 4wheel truck. No wonder it had trouble pulling. I pushed the pilot back into place,not easy for an "oldie",looking at black on black.
It runs very well with about 6 x47ft.Coaches,or 10 Olds Time freight cars. Most of my stock has been weighted,and short trains are the limit on my "Interchange Type Layout"

Thank you,I have ordered a 4-4-0 American Spectrum from M.B.Klein,my first purchase from the U.S..

I am awaiting delivery of a Spectrum 4-4-0 American Loco unlettered,painted black,and am enquiring as to where I could buy some Union Pacific Decals for it.
Also seeking commercial decals for hand made buildings in HO Scale.

Thank you  Adari, this blows my old impression that small layouts were not popular in the U.S..Great site.

I am wishing to build a U.S.Prototype Layout,and am restricted to 8x4ft. Max,
I must be crazy to dismantle and re-build a new layout,but I am anxious to get back into the scenery thing again. Motive power would be Bachmann,0-6-0  Switcher,4-4-0 Old American,and perhaps 4-4-0 Modern American,and a 4-6-0 . Any diesels would be small,4 wheel trucks. Most books have a few small layouts,but I am wondering if plans could be obtained on my computer ?. I am thinking country style,mining,logging,farming ,but always thinking old and small. Thanks for any ideas.

Thanks G.G,good instructions,will proceed with confidence

I won the raffle at a Buy&Sell meet last week,and received a Proto 1000 RDC Budd Car Model #30389. Nice surprise,5 tickets for $3.
Could I put a decoder in it if my skills are up to Athearn Diesel Fitting ?

Thanks Roelf and Balto,we in Australia have some very good hobby shops,but as the population gets smaller in larger areas,they are non-existent.Model trains have suffered the worse since computer games etc.,took the young people's imagination,or should I so NO IMAGINATION.

Before I had a computer,I got my daughter to ask the price of a loco on special in MR,and all she got back was $25 shipping charge.Tried again and on Emailing asked the total price and got the answer"I am not near the stock".Big time hobby dealers.
Now I am partlly PC literate,I am ready to buy one but am hesitant to try.
I have bought a few items from England (one made in theUS),and get good feedback and info,plus quick service.
Could anyone suggest a dealer unlike the big advertiser,no service ?

Thank you members for that info ,sounds  as easy as the old Doodlebug was.

I am hoping to buy a Spectrum 4-6-0 and would appreciate any advice on the fitting of a decoder.Don't know how the drive train works,or where the motor is situated. Info hard to get from dealers. I have done Athearn Diesels,and Heritage 0-6-0 Switcher.so far. Thanks for your interest in this project.

Did the Railroads use old Coal Tenders for emergency water filling for steam locos on branch lines or remote stations ?.
If so were they elevated to allow the water to flow down into the steam engine alongside? Electric pumps etc.may not be available in such places.
Some have been used for many purposes in Australia,but I am modelling in HO US prototype. Not a rivet counter,but like to get models as realistic as modest skills permit

Thanks to all members for their input.I can look up the M.R.at our A.M.R.A club and grt it  photo copied.