Hi all. Can someone give me a heads up on replacement wheels for my rolling stock. I have a lot of well detailed and weathered older box cars (mostly Athearn) which came from a friend as he changed eras. The problem is that they still have the original plastic/delrin wheels and I wish to bring them up to scratch with steel ones. Needless to say I will need quite a few axle sets and I have try and find the best quantity for dollars and to be concious of this part of my budget (a new 2-6-6-2 is also in the budget somewhere). Thanks for any help, it will be appreciated. Cheers from over here. Rob. 

 Hi all from over here. I am thinking very seriously of changing from HO to 0n30 but need a bit of advice regarding track. As most modelers in HO I use code 100 but what would be the most appropriate in 0n30. My idea is to model a small coal and timber line with a bit of passenger traffic set sometime in the 1930's or so. I don't want to go to the expense of dedicated 0n30 track just to get the correct tie spacing as most of them would be partially or wholey buried anyway. My thoughts are more to removing every second tie (a test on an old piece of track looked ok) although switches (points) could pose a problem. What about rail code? Should I go code 100 or 83? Sorry I'm so long winded but I just need a bit of advice before the plunge. Cheers Rob

Hi guys. Just a quick note from over here in Kiwiland. Although as yet I'm not an On30 modeler,but I may make the change soon, I have come across something which may interest you for sale over here. I don't know how to add a link on to a post so I'll give you the directions so you can check out this amazing model yourself. By the way, I don't know the person selling this. Go onto,
WWW.trademe.co.nz and then click onto> toys and models>models>railway>locomotives and about half way down page one you'll find it. Hope you like it. Cheers Rob. Modeling over there over here.

  G'day everyone. Haven't been on for a while as I've been away working (I'm a tour driver/guide) so I can earn money so I can afford to play trains. Any way now I'm home for a while (three weeks holiday) I want to get on with something I've been thinking about for a while now and that is making my own under track electro-magnetic uncouplers. I want to make quite a few of these and as I enjoy making stuff I thought that I'd give it a go. Has anyone else had a crack at making these or does anyone know of a book or site I could go to get some info.
   When I figure out how to put photos on this site and I get my turntable finished I'll put it up for you all to see. Home made 18" with full indexing and automatic selected track stop.Anyway, thanks for any info in advance. Cheers, Rob the Kiwi.

  Good morning all (well it is over here anyway). Recently two items came into my possession which both carry a brand name I have not seen before. The first is an SD 40-2 made by "North American Diesel Locomotive Works" factory painted in SP colours. It is new, such as it hasn't been used although it was purchased some years ago. The chassis and drive appear almost to be Athearn and it has lots of detail parts to be fitted. I simply want to know more about it as it doesn't fit into my era as I will then on sell it but I would also like to know where they sat in value compared to Athearn, Atlas, and Bachman.
 The second item was a 50' box car also in SP by E & C shops with a build date, as best as I can make out, of 4-82. Also brand new and a good looking kit with lots of detail pieces but the brand is another which I have never seen.  Hope some one can help. Cheers  Rob.  

Hi there every body. My new layout is taking shape, a mighty empire, all 4' x 8' of it. What I want to know is this. I have seen Northern, Southern and Union Pacific but was there a Central Pacific or Pacific Central.
Thanks in advance for any info, Rob in NZ.

Hi everybody. Has anyone out there ever built their own electro-magnetic uncouplers? I'm getting to the stage with my layout that I have to start thinking of such things and I love building my own stuff like switch motors etc. Any way, if you have, I'd like to here from you. Cheers from over here. Rob.

 Hi  all. I do hope someone can shed some light on my problem. I recently had two Athearn SW1500 switchers given to me, one of which is ok, but the other is a pain in butt. First off it wouldn't run in one direction so I stripped it down, pulled the motor apart to check it out. Nothing wrong with brushes or comm that a good clean didn't fix but then the first drama. The darned thing ran in the opposite direction to all my other locos. This caused some severe head scratching (wood splinters in fingers).until I realized that I had inadvertently put the magnet in back to front. Solved that problem only to get this one. The loco runs a lot faster one way than the other and after a short time it stops but there is no sign of overheating or binding that I can find. BTW both of these locos have Ernst (or is it Earnst) low ratio drive gear sets. Sorry it's a bit long winded but I'd appreciate any help on why a motor goes better one way than the other. Cheers from over this side. Rob the Kiwi. PS. I buy Bachmann but keep getting others given to me.

 Hi one and all. The time is approaching for me to put a sound  system into some of my locos and the one I will start with is a Bachmann 2-6-6-2. My initial foray into the world of DCC will come about with the basic Bachmann EZ system. Now I realize that it won't allow me to change CV's but that can come in the future. So what I need to know now is, what is a good sound chip for this loco.I did see this loco advertised new with sound recently, is this from Bachmann and if so can I purchase the factory setup. Cheers from over here where I model whats over there.
Rob.

Help.. Just doing a decoder install on a Mantua 2-6-6-2 and I find that the motor is not completely isolated from the frame. Has anyone done  one of these locos and did you have to do anything to the loco? Cheers Rob.

Hi guys 'n' girls. Just a quickie. Was there any correct direction of travel for box cars etc regarding the brake wheel? Should it be to the front or rear of the wagon upon departure? I was told always to the rear, but what if it was returning, it would then be at the wrong end.Just wondering.Rob. Kiwiland.   

HI from Kiwiland. Can someone please shed some light on a Bachmann trainset that I have just seen. I have just returned from a hobby show, lots of trains, and one of the retailers there had a Bachmann  diesel set that had two DCC locos and the digital controller included with it in the box. Along with them came four pieces of rolling stock and quite a bit of EZ track. I can't find this set listed anywhere, and as I want to change to DCC it seems like the best way to go, but before buying I want to check the US price first. Cheers Rob.  

Hi there from Kiwiland and seasons greetings to all.(not forgetting the reason for the season) but now to business. I have just purchased a couple of elderly Riverossi locos off "Trade me" here in NZ, which is an on line public auction a bit like E-bay. The locos are a cab forward and a 2-8-4 both of which have been in storage for about ten to twelve years or so since they were last used, and I'd say that they have had a fair bit of use. Afte a tear down,a fair bit of corrective surgery and a lube they now perform probably as good as when new and this is the problem.
They both have the motor in the cab, ugly, they are also noisy at slow speed. Has there ever been a conversion kit to change these to a can motor or has anyone out there done anything like this. I can't see it being too hard but if someone has walked this path before it could be a great help.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year from this side of the globe,Robman. 

Hi guys. I have seen advertised recently a great small loco called a Hiesler and as I need to increase my small loco roster it looks like a great addition. What I want to know is what were they mostly used for,timber,logging, coal or just general use? You are probably aware that the loco I'm talking about is made by Rivarossi, any comments regarding running, pulling power etc? Thanks in advance for any advice. Rob.

 Hi there one and all. I recently purchased a 2-6-6-2 Bachman artic (new)through a web site here in NZ and it has developed a drive problem. When under load, if slippage (wheelspin) occurs, only the rear driver set slips while the front set just stops. I assume that the universal to the front drive set from the motor must be slipping on the output shaft.
I did pull the loco down as far as loosening the weight above the motor but wasn't too sure if this was the best way to access the drive shafts  inside.Has anyone pulled one of these apart and what is the best way to go ahead. I am generally capable of doing all my own maintanence but I don't want to screw this up. Any help would be really appreciated as Bachman service centres in NZ don't exist to my knowledge. Cheers for reading,happy modelling and stay on track. Cheers Rob.

 Hi guys and girls. Can some of you please help me with a question or two? I have on my layout a couple of Bachman locos, a 4-8-4 Niagra, factory dcc equiped and a 2-6-6-2 artic which is dcc ready, but I want more. After watching and hearing a layout with sound thats gotta be the only way to go. Has anyone added sound to these two locos,which sound system, any problems I should look out for. Thanks in advance from my side of the world, New Zealand, and I look forward to your replies. Cheers Rob.