No, this is not a thread about what locomotives are DCC ready. I'm very happy Bachmann has seen the light and has returned to the DCC ready trend. No longer do I have to discard Bachmann decoder in exchange for another manufacturers decoder. As I've said before, thanks for paying excellent attention to input received. Oh, and I will definitely be picking up some of those new 2-6-0s!

I've been slowly upgrading my rollingstock fleet with Full Throttle Z Scale Knuckles and new wheelsets from Fox Valley Models and BLMA. For those interested Will of Full Throttle may still have some "naked talgos" (z scale talgo trucks with knuckles, less wheelsets) available. Anyways, the BLMA wheelsets track beautifully in addition to looking far better than stock wheelsets. The couplers are a bit stiff, so I'm going to attempt adding weight to see if that improves coupling.

The hopper is an MTL car with BLMA wheelsets and body mounted FT couplers. The car on the right still has it's stock Atlas wheelsets, but has received BLMA wheelsets. Just as a side note BLMA wheelsets are only suitable for MTL and Athearn cars. Atlas cars need Fox Valley wheelsets (still very nicely proportioned) due to the longer axle length.

This weekend I picked up a couple Athearn 2 bays from a friend, with the intent on converting them to operating cars. The cars when running, have each set of doors sprung closed by a spring, set between the two (and conveniently disguised by a piece of U channel styrene placed over it to simulate the frame. The bays are attached to the body by a hinge made out of a piece of rod withing a piece of tubing. The bays are then attached to a line which runs up to an eyelet at the "peak," or where the bays connect. This line is attached to a piece of brass rod with a ring bent into the end of it, which hangs down, with the ring just below the frame. To operate, an uncoupling pick (bamboo skewer) is inserted into the brass ring, and when pulled downwards, pulls on the line which pulls open the doors, against the pressure of the spring. This allows the load to dump, and when the contents of the car has been emptied, letting up on pressure of the ring allows the spring to push the doors closed again.

Today I removed each door,and filed the doors and the opening smooth. I also removed the current section of frame which runs between the 2 bays. Tomorrow I plan on stopping at the craft store in town and picking up the styrene needed for the hinges, so I should have an update within the next couple of days. Until then, and the point in time when I can find the decent camera, here is a computer snapshot of the current progress.

I'm sure Johann will post these here as well but until that point...

http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=4057

Of note...

Baldwin 4-4-0s, presumably new tooling.
RS-3s,
Single Truck Birney Cars
EZ Track Turntable, for use with DC and DCC

The show is just over a week away. Any predictions as to new announcements?

I haven't seen much new HO Spectrum steam from Bachmann in awhile so possibly a new locomotive in this line? (B&M Mogul! )

As for other manufacturers, BLMA has hinted at several new freight cars in HO and N, and Atlas will, with luck, be announcing more locomotives.

http://rr-fallenflags.org/misc-o/onc8ads.jpg
I came across this while browsing through shortlines/industrial railraods. It looks like they just raised the cab up a few feet, but would be an interesting critter to model.

http://www.nscorp.com/nscportal/nscorp/Media/News%20Releases/2010/steam-to-ride-the-NS-rails-again.html

Although it looks like it may be limited to Chattanooga and vicinity, it may likely grow!

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20100507/GPG0101/100507146/1207/GPG01/National-Railroad-Museum-sells-No.-261-historic-steam-locomotive

So it looks like she's finally going to a good home! Most feared she would be stuffed and mounted, but it looks like the Friends will be able to get her going again, at least after the 5 year rebuild.

http://www.ourtownonline.biz/articles/2010/02/05/somerset_news/news/local/news252.txt

So... 113 of 132 cars on the ground with CSXT 50 and CSXT 557 up front. The crew is safe, but the current rumor is that the crew cut the power on the fly when they realized what was happening behind them. Winter railroading, isn't it fun?

I'm taking a leave of absence from forums. I've determined there's much more modeling I can accomplish in the time that I've spent reading posts and yelling people. Anyways, I'll probably stop by sometime next year, hopefully with something to show for the time spent in other activities.
Au revoir mes amis.
Alex

Its a shame I can't sticky my own thread! Johann?

No DCC
No Narrow Gauge
No Accurate Buildings

I won't go into detail as to what will happen to the next person who asks on one of these subjects.

Until the 2009 NMRA Convention in Hartford.
http://hn2009.org/home.html
I'm looking forward to hunting down Johann and Ludwig and the rest of the gang who don't know me, and are unaware of the shenanigans.
Probably a good time to work on the module, and set aside money for the hotel room.

Where have you been Gene? Hunting down Diesels? That seems a bit difficult seeing as you are extremely outnumbered...

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2009/05/lake_shore_electric_railway_in.html
Its too bad they never got around to restoring some of the cars, and building the line. Lets hope the cars make it into good hands.

I really like the fact that a lot of Bachmann Products are suitable for Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington!
The Railbus if regauged, the 44 Tonners, and now the side dump cars!
I was browsing around on the web for pix of the HT&W and came across these.
http://www.htandw.com/previews.htm
After a quick glance they seem pretty verbatim in detail! Always fun to find prototype pictures, because I'm sure these cars were withdrawn from service and destroyed soon after they finished building the dam.

and its snowing!
I hope the potatoes don't freeze.

Following MBTA's most recent ban, White River Southern Corporation has initiated a Ban on Cell Phones. This passed on Saturday, after an engineer sent a load of pulpwood, destined for De Lery Pulpwood Co. of Canaan NH, into the Canaan River.

'ello,
For my current layout I'll be using 100% Micro Engineering code 70 and code 55 rail. I have a package of code 70 flex track, but am wondering if anyone knows of any other dealers aside from Walthers that carry M-E flex, and switches. Eventually as money permits I may be replacing the frogs with Proto 87 ones, as well as the wheelsets on all my equipment, but until then I'd like to be able to run trains.
Thanks,
Alex

*CRASH*
Yep! I broke it...
I was shoving a cut of cars down a siding, and apparently there was something wrong with the track...
Ooooops!

Evidence as to why I should not run on your railroad.

Well Hello!
After observing that almost every other major forum I post on has a weekly photo thread, I figured I'd pass it on here, because no one else has. Feel free to start your own next Friday if I don't.
Anyways, without further ado, the pictures.
This week I finished up a pair of Geeps (GP7 and GP18) for a friend.



In addition, I found time to do a model of Claremont Concord Railroad's S4.