Dear Friends,

As I and family will be going to ride the Rockhill Trolley this weekend, thoughts of the EBT came flooding in. 

Does anyone have an update other than the website?

http://www.ebtrr.com/

Thank you in advance.  A Happy Thanksgiving and peace and quiet to all.

Jack, Altoona, PA

Here is a list of Pennsylvania railroads. Very informative to me.  Does anyone see a missing railroad?

Thanks,

Jack

Dear Wade,

A deceased friend told me the Rose Yard in Altoona had some old 161 pound rail that he saw about 20 years ago.  I had mentioned this to you several years ago, and thought that your answer was "no."   Is it OK for me, in your opinion, to nose around down there to look at rail markings?  Or does NS discourage that kind of stuff?  I always look out for the "choo choos."  Thanks in advance for your answer!   Jack

Dear Friends,

Found this on a recent youtube search.  Hope you enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8g01-uCTpg

Best Wishes,

Jack

Not mentioned in the Product Information page.  Are they no longer made ?

Dear Friends,

Will the couplers Williams provide couple well and properly with Atlas, MTH, Lionel and others on the market ?  If not, are they easily tweeked, or do they need to be replaced ?  If so, what do you recommend ?  I have an MTH 2-8-0 and a Lionel Polar Express I wish to use for the kids.   I want to standardize the mix, and eventually use all Willliams.
Thanks a million !

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Bill,

From Tony Walsham's post:  Topic: 2-6-6-2T Mallet gets RCS battery R/C and Phoenix P8 sound.

What types of batteries are you using, and which do you prefer ?

Best Wishes and Great Choo-Choo-ing,!,

Still gotta get my first battery install going.....   

Jack

Dear Joe,

Sorry for the inconvenience, but I cannot find your thread about connecting Bachmann to Aristo LS track.

Could you please re-post it or email it to me ?

jsmvmd at aol period com

Thanks a million, Joe !

Best Wishes,

Jack Majcher

Howdy !

Sorry if this has been discussed, but what is the basis chassis/motor for this guy ?  Similar to the Porter, or a new design ?  Too, is he a good runner ?  I am thinking about getting him for under the Xmas tree.  Thanks

Best Wishes,
Jack

Dear Friends,

With the old Indy out of production for several years, how can one be sure that you do not get an older version that might have been sitting on a dealer's shelf ?  Not that I would mind the old version, but if I pay for new and improved Indy, that is what I want.  Are there any numbers on the box that would indicate the new vs. the old, or other defining characteristics ?  For instance, I know to check the new truck, but I never saw the old one !

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear All,

Based on your past experience with re-introductions, or new products, does anyone have an approximate time the Indy will be on dealers' shelves ?

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Mr. B and Friends,

Enjoy !  Hope this post works.

Always enjoyed Roger Welsch and Charlie Kuralt.  What a peach of a pair !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo1K63N8Tf4

Best Wishes,

Jack Majcher, Altoona, PA

Dear Friends,

BaltoOhioRRfan's post got me thinking about an early Wednesday am gang doing trackwork on the NS main line.  There were about 30 or 40 work cars at least a half mile long, in orange color, all "dipsy doodle" looking, sort of like the New Bright Christmas cars, replacing cross ties, ballast and alignment.  They were fired up, belching smoke with a bustle of activity, sort of like a C---ese Fire Drill.  I am just sorry I did not have my digital camera to video it.  Quite impressive to little kids, as some of us are when around trains !

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Friends,

There was an unusually quiet weekend in Lake Woebegone (sic) for rail fanning.  There was something neat to see.  "Downtown" Altoona Friday am there was a west bound empty coal train on the north side track, a full coal train eastbound in the center track, and a carrier train just down from "Coburn crossing" about 24Th St bridge area eastbound.  Lots of choo choo's at on time.  Fun to see, lots of noise, etc.

Our drill Sgt friend, George used to stand on the 24Th St bridge as a kid and signal the engineers to blow the steam whistle.  He said they usually accommodated him by blowing cinders all over the place !  Imagine all the cinders raining down and being enveloped in steam !

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Friends,

Any plans for a LS track cleaner car, similar to the HO ?

Best Wishes,

Jack
Altoona, PA

Dear Jeff,

Three things:

First, terrific instructions regarding the Central Midland on the HO site.

Second,  are there "best" days for rail fanning in Pitcairn, Boston and West Mifflin ?  I get out there an occasional Thursday, Saturday or Sunday to visit my Mother.

In Versailles, I usually go down Wampler St. and sit there at times.  I like it better under the Boston Bridge, since there is lots of activity on the river, but rail viewing is limited from that side.

Third, do you know anything about the Livington Station on the Laurel trail in Boston ?  Looks like it has been turned into a club of some sort.

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Gene,

I found this link in the TRAINS Magazine regarding big steam on the B & O.

http://www.sundayriverproductions.com/detail.aspx?id=87

Have you seen this particular video ?  Anyone else, for that matter ?

I would like a positive concensus before I spend my hard-earned dollars.  On the other hand, any $$ spent on railroad stuff is well spent, IMHO.

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Friends,

In order not to highjack Jonathon's thread, I found this thrilling description about John Allen of the Apollo missions fame:

http://search.aol.com/aol/search?s_it=topsearchbox.search&q=John+Aaron+nasa+engineer

I gotta tell you, I still get goose bumps at the Apollo 13 movie scene when there is 3 minutes of radio silence !

I sort of think of Jim Banner that way, a "nerves of steel rail road man."

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Bill,

How the heck are you ?  I saw your comment on battery power and R/C on MLS recently and posted there, but it did not come up.

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/35/aft/112572/afv/topic/Default.aspx

Thus, it is re-posted, or re-posited, here.

I have an Annie that I want to convert to battery power, separate charger, to be used with TE.  It will be for indoor use a few hours at a time with my two little boys.  Do you have a simple way you can describe to me easily and quickly ?

Remember, I am electrically challenged, but have a son who is getting a degree in elec. tech. in high school and likes anything with electrons.

I already have the TE.  Would appreciate a run through the schematic, and what batteries I would need.

Hope all is well with you.  Remember, you have a standing invite for coffee and doughnuts any time you want to come here.  We can watch choo-choo's all day !

FYI, I was at the EBT Fall Spectacular last Sat pm and saw #15 from ten feet, against one of the shop bldgs, backlit with quite impressive fireworks.  Silvery steam everywhere !  She was backed up to the roundhouse turntable.  The engineer and fireman were sitting on the cow catcher watching the fireworks, too.  Good Old No. 15 had a problem all day with a balky air pump lubricator.  The evening train ride was delayed 30 minutes at the start, and stopped a mile out from the terminal due to low air pressure.  They had to back out M-7 to pull us in the last mile or two !  I was in an open flatcar about 1.5 hours, quite cold, but warmed by the experience !  Wish you could have been there !

Best Wishes,

Jack

Dear Friends,

Anyone planning to go to EBT for the Fall Spectacular ?  In the words of Elwood Blues, perhaps we could "meet."

Best Wishes,

Jack