Yeah, I don't mind saying you are way over my head right now.  Pre 1950's?  Doublestacks?  Centerbeams?  No idea what what the last two are or how I would determine the first.  These are a bunch of freight cars I bought off ebay for my 4 year old son in bulk, $20 for 14 cars.  One of them says 'Jell-O' on the side.  Another says 'Kelloggs'.

Adherence to prototype doesn't particularly interest me, I just want to make sure I am not buying something that won't work.  Sound like I am generally safe with either of the two wheels sizes.

Thanks.  So if I am replacing wheels on some old box cars I bought, the 33" is the way to go.  Got it.

What is the difference between 33" and 36" wheel sets.  I know, 3"!!

What does the measurement refer to?  The length?  The diameter of the wheel?  The reason I ask is that someone once recommended that I but Intermountain 36" wheels for some passenger cars I have and I am wondering if 36" wheels are appropriate for all types of cars, or if you need different sizes for different things.  Is it just preference?

Parker

I’m smitten with some of the Branchline reefer cars but have been hesitant to buy any kits due to a total lack of experience and not wanting to get in over my head.  I would classify myself as a novice in the model train field, not even fully up to speed on all the lingo.

So what I am looking for is this…
A)   A list of all the equipment I would need to buy to put one of these kits together (exacto knife, glue, tweezers, whatever) as well as suggestions on specific types (like what brand of glue or what size screwdriver comes in handy).
B)   Any comments on Branchline kits in general.  Are they particularly hard to put together, fragile, of general poor or outstanding quality?

I told myself I wasn’t going to get into the model building side of things for a while, but looking at some of engineerkyle’s work has got me inspired.

Thanks
Parker

Kyle, those are beautiful.  I just spent some time looking at the other items you have sold and I am very impressed.  Really fantastic.  I've also added you to my 'favorite sellers' list in ebay so I can keep track of anything new you put out there.

Parker

Thanks for the offer.  I'll contact you through your email.

I need some cheap rolling stock.  Right now, my 4 year old son and I are having a good time with our carpet layout, with one problem.  Although he is trying to be careful, he is 4, and some of the more detailed and (relatively) expensive pieces of rolling stock I have are getting the bad end of the bargain.  I just bought a Branchline RTR 30's era Reefer yesterday, and the ladder on it is already busted off.  It's getting frustrating for everyone.

So I'm looking for 6 or 8 or 12 pieces of rolling stock that is in runnable condition, but is otherwise nothing special.  It doesn't matter what it is at all, flat car, box car, tanker, whatever.

So the question is, does anyone know of a decent place to find such an animal (I've been doing the ebay thing, but buying things people are selling cheap on ebay always seems dangerous) or does anyone have some pieces they are looking to get rid of for a reasonable price?

Thanks
Parker

"The percentage you're paying is too high-priced
While you're living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he's made on your dreams"

-Traffic
Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

If you had told me this morning that I was going to run into a Traffic reference on this board today, I would have called you crazy.

I've of two minds on the sub-prime mess.  On one hand, I can sympathize with a young person that has been indoctrinated into a society that at virtually every turn preaches immediate gratification and an inflated sense of self worth and entitlement.  A man pushes a $300,000 loan across the table at you and tells you, 'you're worth it, why wait, who says you can't have this?' and it's consistent with what you've been hearing your whole life.

On the other hand, people need to get a grip.  10 years ago when my wife and I bought our first home we went looking for things in the 120 to 130 range, because that's what we thought we could afford.  When we went to the lender to get preapproved, he gave us a figure of 260.  We actually laughed at him.  (Well, not him, but his number.)

I have no point, so I will stop typing now.

That would be difficult to pass up.  I could send you my address to your email account if you're serious about it.

I'm interested to know, if people are willing to share, how much money you think (or know) you've spent on this hobby?  Or endeavor.  Or quest.  Or whatever you consider it.

A brief inclusion of where the money went would be interesting as well, so that there is some sense of scale.  Those running part time carpet layouts are likely to have spent significantly less than the ones with basements dedicated to the craft.

I'm interested because I am just getting started and have roughly calculated that even my fairly modest ideas of what I would like to see will probably run me $2,500, which isn't chump change.

I know money can be a sensitive subject, so I hope I am not stepping out of bounds by bringing it up.  Obviously no one is compelled to answer, or even publicly not answer, so I think I am on safe ground.

Parker

The name's Parker, by the way.  I use Beatthe9ers to sign up for stuff to preserve anonymity if I want it, and because it's always available as a login so I don't have to remember that I am parker248 one place and parkerb7 someplace else.  Pleased to meet you.

I'm at work at the moment, so I will have to check on the box thing later.  I bought them on ebay.  The couplers and windows were still in a plastic bag tucked inside the cars, unopened.

This last post makes the most sense.  I'm not an expert, but I'm almost certain the couplers are not broken and probably just of a different variety.  Sigh, one more thing to buy.

Thanks, Sheldon.

This is again in regards to a set of 5 Athearn heavyweight passenger cars that I purchased.

I've installed the couplers that came with the models and I am fairly certain that I did it correctly.  The problem is that the couplers wont seem to connect with the couplers on my engines.  I have a Broadway Limited Blueline Alco RSD-15 and the basic diesel engine that came with 'The American' set I got a few years ago.  I realize that neither of those should probably be pulling old school passenger trains, but that's hardly the point.

So is it common for different coupling systems to not be compatible?  The last bit of advice I got from Sheldon and others suggested that changing the trucks that came with the Athearn cars was not a great idea, which still sounds like good advice.

Any ideas?  What should I be looking at to try to fix this?

Well that's just about the perfect answer.  Thank you both very much.

I just bought 5 heavyweight passenger cars (Athearn) and do not really like the trucks that came with them, so I am looking to switch.  The wheels are plastic and they just look kind of cheap.

I'm a novice, so I am looking for some advice on a brand or specific item that I could switch them out for.  The couplers are attached to the trucks, if that makes a difference.

Any thoughts?

Anyone know how many turnouts you can control through DCC?  Does it depend on the system?  I thought I had read somewhere that you maxed out at nine, though that number may have been exclusive to a particular system.  I suppose if you had more than nine you could put the most popular on DCC and leave the rest as the 'old-fashioned'.  Though that might get confusing.

Does anyone have any experience with multiple turnouts, DCC and what problems you have run into, if any?