Jim (and others) mentioned the 'slippery slide' from running locomotives to becoming a collector of locomotives. That sure happened to me when I first got back into HO modeling!

I eventually had lots of beautiful locomotives (steam and diesel of all sorts and all kinds of railroads, types, eras and mfgs.-mostly Spectrum, P2K, BLI and Atlas). Pretty soon I ran out of room to display them all. Then I started to realize that for me, 'running' was more fun than 'looking' ... ('to each his own') ... so I began to sell off most of those beautiful locomotives to concentrate on my layout and on ICRR late steam and early diesel modeling.

Modeling ICRR steam caused me to have to learn how (or at least to 'begin to learn how') to kit-bash. It was pretty scary the first time I cut into the boiler of a beautifully detailed new 2-10-2 HO model, which, as it came from the mfg, had virtually no resemblence to an ICRR 2-10-2 other than the drivers and boiler.

Now I have plenty of steam and diesel for my ICRR era (though most of the steam needs a lot more kit bashing and detailing). But that doesn't mean I couldn't be tempted to buy more locomotives :-).

Then the "I couldn't stop" bug bit me in a different way. Rather than continuing on Jim's slippery 'collector' slide, I 'bounced' over to the just as slippery 'caftsman resin and stryene rolling stock kits' slide. Ah! the fun of building something that looks as good and as detailed as nice brass (or at least, is supposed to look that good :-)

Kit  'building' is also a very steep and slippery slope ... I've got a growing stock of 'craftsman' resin and styene kits. I'm 'building' two or three at the same time. The other day I realized that I have far more 'kits' to build than 'room' to run or store them on my layout. But that's okay because 'I'm having fun' building and I'm little by little, adding to my model building skills (which aren't yet very well developed :-).

Jim, you said it best when you said, 'what a ride'!

lanny nicolet

I would guess that Ben is pretty much on 'target' with assuming you have 'traction tires' on your locomtoives.

If they are old, take them to your local hobby shop and see if they can get replacements. It may depend on how old and what mfg.

Also, if some wheels just 'spin' without going anywhere, you may have a problem with the gears ... they may be broken or stripped or, perhaps, just need some adjustment.

There are some real 'experts' on this forum who will be able to give you some great advice ... but I think you might need to give a bit more information about the kind of locomotives (steam or diesel), the brand/mfg, and what wheels are spinning, i.e., those with 'tractions tires' ('rubber band' looking treads) or just the all metal wheels.

best wishes on getting them all running!

lanny nicolet

very nice job on the road crossing (as well as the whole scene). What did you do to 'weather' the road and to get the yellow marker as well as the white train crossng marker on the road.

thanks!

lanny nicolet

Harold,

As usual, beautiful work! Thanks for posting and for the web site 'how to do it'.

lanny nicolet

Hi all,

I am getting ready to purchase a 'hot knife' (to cut foam/insul/styrofoam board). It will be used to create rough foundation shapes for scenery, but also, I would like to be able to create styrofoam bases for my 'coal drag' train hoppers (hopefully much less expensive than buying commericially available coal loads for hoppers!).

Having never owned owned or used a 'hot knife' with styro. I would appreciate suggestions: things to watch out for when using them as well as specific brand names that are good and reliable for this kind of work. There seems to be several different kinds/brands, and I really don't know which would work best, or, if I would need two different sizes of these knives for the things I want to do with them.

Thanks for any and all help and suggestions.

lanny nicolet

Hi Barry,

Welcome to the Bachmann forum. You will find a lot of experts in every phase of model rring here. I have had so many helpful hints and answers to my questions from 'experts' on the forum ... don't be a bit hesitant to ask anything, anytime. You'll get good answers from very helpful folks, no matter how simple your question may seem to you. I know ... because I have learned a lot on this forum asking some very basic questions and receiving very helpful answers.

as another mentioned ... 'welcome aboard'

lanny nicolet

Gene,

Thanks for the comment about the "Hogwarts Express" having trackage rights on your RR. That makes me feel much better about using my Spec gas elec. doodlebug painted for the "Fort Dodge, Des Moines & Southern RR" (fallen flag) which never had any passenger other than electric trolley cars, with trackage rights on the 'Strawberry Creek Division' of the ICRR!

You can see that during the late 40s and early 50s the FDDM&S 'doodlebug' was well patronized!



Ah! The fun of RR'ing at 1/87 scale :-)

lanny nicolet

Lou,

Sometime back I asked a similar question regarding double-heading my Spec "DCC ready" 2-8-0 with a new Spec "DCC installed" 2-8-0 (I use only DC/Analog power).

Nigel had some good advice. Here is the essence of what he wrote ... I hope he will correct me if I mess up his advice.

He suggested that in order to not 'overtax' the motors, it would be best to 'clip' or remove a couple of plugs from the 'DCC installed' locomotive tender, so that its motor would require the same amount of power as my 'DCC ready'. I haven't done that yet, because I am working on 'kit bashing' into ICRR, but I think that is a good idea.

Also, remember, if you have a big difference in 'driver' size of the locomotives you are double heading, that will make quite a difference. I tried to double head my Spec 2-8-0 with my IHC 2-10-2 and it just doesn't work well at all. The drivers are too diffrent.

My Spec 2-6-6-2 works beautifully double-headed with the IHC 2-10-2 ... drivers look to be much closer to the same size.

lanny nicolet

Jesse,

I haven't used Model Power cars, but do have a set of IHC streamlined cars ... my radius ranges from one tight area of 28" to probably around 38".

Body mounted couplers (kadee for head end cars and dummy for the rest of the consist) solved all of my derailing problems. Leave enough slack in the coupler so the whole draft box turns, if you have tight radius.

I am able to back a 7 car IHC consist at any speed through #6 tunouts now, without any derailments (cars were weighted, trucks reamed, and IHC metal wheel/axle sets installed).

Locomotive used to test consist running quality is a P2K E9 unit or a Bachmann Spec. F40 PH.

lanny nicolet

Chris,

I have used Eddystone for one project. I purchased a Pennsy 2-10-0 Bowser kit on ebay at a very good price. But when I received it, I got scared ... I love to build models, but the drivers, gearing, etc. were more than I wanted to tackle, having never done that kind of model building before.

I had Dave at Eddystone build the Boswer chassis and put a Helix Humper motor in it. He is a consumate craftsman and the whole thing (which has been isolated in case I ever want to go DCC) runs very quietly and like a clock. I'm very impressed with his workmanship.

Now I am having fun doing the detailing and super detailing of the boiler and tender, not worrying if the thing will run when finished. I felt the price charged for putting it together with the Helix Humper and with a painted frame and drivers, etc. was reasonable.

Only problem is, I did that before I made my final decision to go 'only ICRR' ... so, I will have a really great running Pennsy Decapod, that is totally out of place on my layout ... but, for reasons I have no logical way to explain, it will run with my ICRR 2-10-2 pulling some really long coal drags!  :-)  (leased power in the late 40s? :-)

Eddystone is a totally honest, class act guy that does a terrific job, keeps in close contact and answers questions. I am not surpised at the prices of his 'built to order', 'one of a kind' locomotives. If you are thinking of having that done, have plenty of photos and reference material for what you want built. He is great to deal with if you decide to spend the money.

Summary ... you can trust him as being totally honest and a real quality craftsman.

lanny nicolet

As has been mentioned, beyond 'offical records' with adequate, documented support, who can say how fast trains have traveled and what speed records exist. I certainly can't argue with the record as stated in the UK report.

The following are two 'hearsay' reports that can be only taken a 'face value' as they are unsubstantiated.

(1) I have been give a photocopy of the page of an engineer's logbook by a dear friend in his mid 80s who was a fireman on the PRR. One winter night during WWII, he was fireman on a milk run (which had passenger train clearance) either just east or just west of Altoona, Pa. The log book records that between two stations about 40 miles apart (don't have the page handy so I can't give names), the just newly 'shopped' K-4, was 'given her head' and averaged 107 mph pulling an unknown number of 50 ft' express milk reefers.

(2) My father, who worked for the ICRR for some years in the late 40s and early 50s once told me that an ICRR engineer had recounted a time when he ran an ICRR 4-8-2 pulling a bannan reefer special from New Orleans to Chicago on the very well maintained 3 or 4 track ICRR mainline (I don't know if CN/IC still has that many mainline tracks now). His 'story' to my father was that for some number of miles, they maintained a steady 110 MPH speed, based on he and the crew in the cab counting the telegraph poles and checking their watches.

Both accounts are 'hear-say', and impossible to prove. But maybe these kinds of accouts are part of the 'romance of the rails'! Frankly, anything as big as a Pennsy K-4 or an ICRR 4-8-2 moving faster than 60 mph would be an awesome sight today (maybe moving at any speed, it would be an awesome sight :-)!

lanny nicolet

Jesse,

Thanks for that photo. One thing for sure, the guy that lives there must have a fair amount of 'discretionary funds' at his disposal ... or ... he has to be making some hefty monthly house payments!

Very unique ... I would guess he has had more than one ride in a caboose! :-)

lanny nicolet  (PS) I wonder what the front boiler section including steps, headlight, smoke stack, pilot, airpumps, etc. from an ICRR 2600 series 4-8-2 would cost build and to add to my house :-)

Thanks Scot for a great, very helpful review of photo posting! I had trouble learning how until someone kindly took the time you did with Bob to carefully explain the whole procedure.

Your post ought to be saved somehow on the forum for 'education reference' :-)

Bob, that is a beautiful job of scenery and an awesome trestle. Very, very nice work!

lanny nicolet

Very nice photo, Dave! Nice photography work!

lanny nicolet

I would love to get hold of the Spectrum Heavy Mountain 'Delta trailing trucks'.

I got an old Mantua Delta, and after lots and lots of 'carving' with a Dremel grinder, got it to fit under my present Spectrum Heavy Mountain ... but I am sure the Spectrum Deltas 'look' much better.

I too would be interested in purchasing a Spectrum 'Delta truck' from anyone who has one but doesn't need it (or 2 or 3 ... :-)

lanny nicolet