G.G.;
Broadway Limited (precision) is coming out with one this year, that will pretty much suit my fancy, as the quality of their products has seemingly edged up in my opinion.  I like everything I have bought from them so far.

Incidentally, the engine will have, among road names, Boston and Maine!  Guess what...

Rich

After installing a decoder in the vanderbilt tender, I put it on the track to test and encode an address.  With some help from Josh at Tony's, I managed to get the decoder programmed to my satisfaction; but lo and behold, the beast made a wierd noise-I assume it is coming from the gearbox, as it sounds like a gear set that has some play, and when put under load, it makes this clicking sound.  I also found out that a 2-10-2 should be kept out on the far reaches of the 'pike, where the radii looms high and wide!!  Not an engine for anything smaller than a 30-inch rad; certainly no place for that planned carfloat yard!!
At any rate, has anyone experienced the same thing?  I know it is do-able, but feedback could narrow it down a bit.
Thanks for any help.

Rich

Sheldon;
Sounds to me like you gave them what they were looking for, as would any similar info.  If enough people professed dissatisfaction with the DVDs, and the sales dropped, then it might be a pretty good indicator that that aspect wouldn't be faring so well.

RIch

Sheldon;
I received a e-mail notice from MR yesterday concerning a census.  I believe they do this every year or so, assumedly to get a feel for what is happening, trends, etc, with the constituency.  I was just curious if anyone else received  this and what they thought.
Rich

Anyone got interested in doing the census for Model Railroader?

Richard Cormier.  Master Electrician 30 years, four to go. (Approx. 40 years in trade).
Born: Boston, Mass. 1945AD.
former Ssgt, SAC (USAF)
Father of two good kids, grandpappy of one.
NY NH&HTD fanatic, especially after coming to Ct after the service, and seeing the " hi-volt cat" over the viaduct 'twixt New Haven and GCT; though that coaling tower at Cedar Hill-still standing-has always impressed the daylights out of me.

Presently the CEO, CFO, chief cook and bottle washer, and gopher extrodinaire of the Portsmouth Terminal and Hoosic Railway.

Probably the only guy with a picture of Karl Donitz between Ike and Gen. Bradley in my office;  A reminder that class people can be found everywhere!!

I likes trains, wimmen, and  song-in that order!

Sheldon;
Having had met both Howard Zane and Tony Koester, and having had the chance to talk with them, I find that I am more inclined to tap into the trememdous wealth of information and smarts they both posses; as well as their experiences in this hobby.

I can agree with you to an extent about the context of MR, rather than the format, as I have seen the former, especially in their DVDs.  I have somewhat departed from using MR as the backbone of my reading, and am now more inclined to get into the lesser trod, much more technically astute areas.  A greatly refreshing person here is Scott mason.  WHile I sense the same droll humour in both he and George Sellios, I can both respect and identify-connect-with both men in my thinking; because I am going where they are now; especially as a modifier, craftsman type kit builder, and scratchbuilder;so I will take all the help I can get.  To me, there are not too many other better sources-and George's wife, Cathy, has a great smile.

I think a great deal of personal satisfaction is had when I can "ape" one of Bob Van Gelder's kits-or at least create a reasonable facimile thereof...Or when I build one of Steve and Sharon's kits (F&C) and it actually comes out good!!  Taking the parts lines of the late Cliff Grandt, and Don Tichy, and expounding an existing production kit, or peering into the westering haze, and come up with my own scratchbuilt concoctions grabs me...But...this is where I want to be in this hobby, and what I want isn't neccessarily what should be the elixer de jour for every one else here.  I am a serious-and hopefully somewhat accomplished- hobbyist-not a fire-breathing edict.
To me, putting together, f'r'instance, a turnout set using Central Valley componets is the type of stuff what grabs me....and to me, what grabs you or anyone else here is just what is going to make the world go 'round.  I like it that way!

Rich

Sheldon;
The "kids" won't remember the old MR mags, the ones with guys like Gordy Odegard, Linn Westcott, a very young Russ Larson, et al. 
I am somewhat ambivalent in my take on the contemporary MR, as it is in colour, not B&W; it is bigger, paper is higher quality, etc; but it is somewhat becoming a directory for products and not a magazine to be read for its articles and knowledge; nor will reading it now neccessarily further one's skills in one aspect or another.

When I first got into the hobby as a serious modeler in '67, there were articles by Whit Towers, Jim Findley, Chuck Yungkirth etc, on how to build this or that, which is what played heavily into cultivating my interest as a modeler.

You mentioned RMC; but I can remember when Hal Carstens too, was putting out a rag that was much better than the present-not that that is an indictment upon its quality-at least I do not intend it to be.

Things do change though; and not neccessarily for the better where you or I are concerned, but it is evolving as perhaps it should be and serving a newer type of modeler; after all, we're all in business to make a profit, and you cannot make one by not giving the majority of people what they want, right? 

Rich

Gene;
Use contact cement.  Take a sheet of AC ply ext glue; and coat the FINISH side with contact cement.  Now, coat the fine texture side of the homasote likewise.   When dry, repreat process.  As an aside, you can also give the plywood a coat of shellac  as a sealer beforehand, but my preference is to use only cement.

When both pieces are dried, lay the plywood glue-side up, put down some slats, usually some 1/2X3X48 or so inches; provably about five, lay the sheet of homasote glueside down on that assembly, square the whole up to your satisfaction; and, without moving the assembly, slide the centre slat out, and you may now use two spring clamps to the centre section.  This holds it together where you want it.  Now, remove the rest of the slats, from centre outward.  I use a rubber roller on the floor and roll the whole thing together.  You can take the clamps out as the contact cement will have grabbed it in place by now.  This sounds like more work then it really is-but it works like gangbusters!  no warpage.  Cut your pieces as desired, and you are ready to go!

One thing I forgot to mention:  I use tortoise machines with velcro@ material as a fastener system; so I di coat the underside with a sealer; shellac, varnish, paint-whatever you have handy that will leave a smooth surface-not flat latex paint.  This provides a smooth relatively non-porous surface for the velcro@ to stick to.

Rich 

I remember seeing one of those Budd units down at Edaville in Carver, Mass, some years ago; Blount had acquired it, after he took over the operation from the Atwood family.  I was surprised to see it there alongside the two-foot "mainline", and had to chuckle to myself as the the  incongruous '"menage" that was now there.

The last time I saw the Edaville collection, it was up in Portland, Maine; off of Commercial street-but I did not see the Budd unit.  I believe the one I was was the pioneer Zephyr-but I could be wrong.  It will however, be nice to see it back running.

Rich

Bill;
Berkshire Junction" has some pretty nice stuff, like the traffic signals, which would be prototypically correct for Connecticut cities, as they are suspended by cable.  That lycra thred they market is really great for along the track wires, but you still have the sag issue, and sag is a part of the electrical construction-it is a neccessary consideration on the prototype install.

One trick I have employed with regard to installing "wire sag" is to use fine music wire, but I don't think it  would work with standard poles, such as "Rick Rideout's product, only because of the compressive effort of several or more "conductors".  It will, however, work with a structured tower, such as the ones that run along the viaduct between New Haven and GCT.  I don't paint them, I blacken them.  Painstaking task, but well worth the effort, if you are a stickler for detail (or a masochist!).

Rich

I wound up taking the stock board out, and just direct wiring the leads to the respective connections.  as to the bottom bolt, I simply put a piece of electrical tape on the frame, thus insulating the terminal from the body, and a possible short circuit/death of a decoder. 
The problem I am incurring is that I cannot seem to fit everything I need into the hood space.  If someone writes and tells me they have installed a sound unit, I will never believe them!
I am going to go back into the unit when I have time, and just re-do everything, saving the "surgury as a last result.

Rich

FF John;
It is an S-1.  I don't believe that there would be any dimencional difference in either long hood, as they are interchangable.  Where the problem seems to be is that the DA-SR jams against the inside of the hood as I push it down, causing the bottom to flare out; this is why I tried the smaller decoder.  It is a first for me, as I hadn't previously attempted to do an engine that wasn't in some way or another, DCC ready.  Unless I maybe mill down or replace the top moulded portion of the assembly.
The engine doesn't say "Roco" on the bottom, but does indicate it was made in Austria, possibly making either ROCO or MEHANO the jobber.   Yep, it is a challenge.  Like I said, I'll get it because I will; one way or another.  I hate defeat.  Any help will be appreciated.   (Hmmm, I  wonder of Hunt ever asked for help here...)

Rich

Rich

Recently, I acquired a "vintage" Atlas S-1, and am in the midst of trying to install a decoder into it.  Realizing that trying to stuff a Tsunami into her innerds would be like trying to fly without a guy wire, I opted for a plain-Jane decoder.  Welllllllllllllllllllllllll-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-, it is hard to do!  I am winding up thinking that I just might junk the top weight, make a couple of retainers for the flywheels, and then try to put the shole shee-bang back together.  So far, I have tried a NCE DA-SR, and an NCE D13SRP to no avail.  I have learned a couple of new words along the way, though...
Has someone done this successfully; and if so, can they offer me some input as to what magic words they used.  Mine don't work real good...

Rich

Once you find a prototype distance that you are satisfied with, do this:  Space your poles a bit closer on the layout.  what this will do is give the impression of distance.  Not being a psychologist, I can't tell you why, but it does work.

I have to cross an approx. 400 foot wide river on my layout.  It is already done with two Walthers bascule bridges and Central Valley girders;, but I like the way United Illuminating did it along the viaduct between New Haven and GCT in The City; that is, they ran the lines up to the river (in this case, the Housatonic) then raised the lines up to what looks to be about 150 feet or so, and strung the conductors across the river, thus eliminating the possibility of any sway caused by wind making the wires hit the structure; either raised or lowered-and it does get windy at that location.  The structures I am going to use are re-worked (Vollmer) utility risers, probably doubled; that is, two at each footing.  I like the idea.  It has the same appeal as this little blonde I know...

Rich