Hello all,

Who manufactures an HO 'cow/calf' switcher? and also, what is the prototype length of the 'calf'?

Thanks for the help or directions where to find the answers.

lanny  (very, very blessed Christmas and happy new year to all)

Okay ...here's the deal. The ICRR Mountains and maybe even Mikes as well as the 2-10-2s often pulled a 'cistern' (ICRR homemade water car). Thanks to Orsonroy's diagrams, I  can bash a couple of non-Specrum tenders into a reaonabl water car that is the exact length of the Bachmann DCC 70 ton diesel (the new one with one motor).

It would be a 'stand alone' unit run on DC only to help on my steep grades and would up trian lenght by 3-5 cars I think.

What, if anything, do I have to do to the 70 ton circut board so it will run okay in tandem with regular DC locomotives ... do I have to remove or cut any capacitors in order to run in okay with the regular DC engines? I know there will be 'wheel slip', but do I have to do any electronic stuff to the 70 tonner. I have very heavy duty DC MRC powerpaks so power is no problem. This will run along with a Spectrum DC heavy mountain, or a Spectrum DC 2-6-6-2 or a 2-8-0.

Any electrical adivse appreicated ... I hope I can just leave it alone, kit bash the 'cistern' and add some power that way. The trucks will not be accurate ... but kind of close and I can live with that for now.

thanks for advise!

I would appreciate comments (good or bad), opinions, etc. on HO rolling stock kits mfg by 'C&BT Shops'.

Thanks very much to any who have information concerning these kits.

lanny

For those who may not have read GG's post, our friend and fellow modeler, Mr. Stephen Warrington passed away, I believe yesterday or today.

He was a true railfan, modeler, and especially of the ICRR. He will be missed. For those who pray, Stephen's dear mother would appreciate prayers as well as the family.

My personal prayers and condolences to Mrs. Warrington and family.

lanny nicolet

Hi Roger and all,

Here's a 'new' thread as you suggested, Roger, regarding my 'experimental' kit bash of a Spec Connie into a 'generic ICRR Mike'. In answer to your question, Roger, the front strip is right at 7/32" and the rear strip is right at 23/32". I used .030 styrene stock to cut the strips from. .030 is a little thinner than the Spectrum boiler, though the Spectrum boiler thickness varies a little. The over-all length of my kit bash is very close to the length of the BLI heavy Mike.

These two 'additions' were done in order to get 'close' to the look of an ICRR. However I can't get an 'exact' look of any ICRR series Mikes because most all were Harrimans with 'straight' boilers, slightly taperd inward in the last boiler course to the cab.

The Spectrum Connie boiler is obviously not a 'straight' cylinder ... but I can personally live with that because the valve gear, steam cylinders and cab are very similar if not exactly like ICRR.

I am not a 'measuring person' (I tend to just 'eyeball' things since I am not a 'fine scale' modeler). Thanks to 'Orsonroy' and a couple of my own ICRR CDs, I do have lots of good 2-8-2 photos. And when I have questions ... I just ask Orsonroy - he is a tremendous resource and reference guide!:)

I've posted photos of my #908 but not with the finished boiler. It's all done now and earning 'revenue' on my layout. Here is one photo of the completed unit. I had some great help shortening the tender from my good friend, 'bojangle'.



lanny

GG,

Please contact me offline regarding the Spec vandy tender if you still have it.

thanks!

lanny

Hi All,

Does anyone on the forum have any idea if this type of streetcar was ever used in Des Moines, Iowa (capitol of Iowa)? My wife remembers growing up in a house on a street that was on a main electric street car route, but can't remember if they looked like the Bachman version or what color they might have been.

If anyone knows or has suggestions where to research this I sure would appreciate it!

thanks!

lanny nicolet

Hi all,

I know this topic has been covered alot ... but frankly, since my roadbed and track was down i didn't pay much attention. Now I am all attention

I am planning on ripping out one area of my layout where there is a very steep grade. I am wondering if the material I think some use might work as good road bed ... I think its some sort of 'blue styrofoam' material.

I use Atlas code 100 NS flex track and would like a 'refresher' on adhering it to this material as well as some basic pointers on cutting, fitting and laying the material before the track is attached.

Thanks for any advice!

lanny nicolet

Hi all,

I am looking for the current mailing address of a Hobby Shop in Pittsburgh, PA. The name is A. B. Charles & Son. I was told there was an advertisment for this business in the 'Model Railroader' about  a year ago.

If anyone has that information, I sure would appreciate receiving it. (it can be sent to my private eMail address if you wish).

thanks!

lanny nicolet

Hi all,

I am looking for an old craftsman kit made by Ambroid. It is series 'H-5', a Union Pacific Postal Storage Car. If anyone has any information where such a kit still might be found (or a modern equivilant) I sure would appreciate knowng. (I have already tried eBay without success)

Thanks.

lanny nicolet

I am posting this in two places on the forum.

Jim S ('joegideon') please contact me by eMail. I answered your enquiry to me by eMail and also called you by phone, but got no answer. Thanks!

lanny nicolet

I am posting this in two places on the forum.

Jim S ('joegideon') please contact me by eMail. I answered your enquiry to me by eMail and also called you by phone, but got no answer. Thanks!

lanny nicolet

Hi all,

I got 'bit' by the 'excursion train bug' after seeing #844. Since my dear son is 'financing' a model of the excursion train I am on the lookout for some suitable rolling stock. I have the locomotive (#844)  'on the way'.

I remember building a wood (Ambroid or Quality Craft) model of the UP sixty foot express box car. Any advice on finding this kit or styrene kit/model of that care would be much appreciated.

Also, my double track mainline layout has tracks so close that full 80 ft streamline cars, even on 30" radius curves are too close to each other (poor track planning on my part!). I know Walthers has really nice cars, but I think the smooth side streamliners would be too long for tains to pass on my double track curves.

IHC has 70' foot smooth side models of the UP cars. How close is the 'IHC dome' (especially the 'dome' car), 'coach' and 'baggage'  to the 'real thing'? I have IHC smooth side ICRR Panama limited cars and they are 'acceptable' for my modeling.

And finally, where does one begin to look for the tender with buckeye trucks, painted UP colors, that is coupled behind the big centipede #844 tender? Is such a thing available?

thanks!!

lanny nicolet

Hi all,

Hope this question is okay to ask on this forum. After seeing UP#844 with my grand sons he other day, their dad (my son) saw the photos and 'decided' to finance an FEF #844 for our layout. Brass was NOT an option, however . Rivarrossi seemed to be the only viable alternative, but they are out of business. So off to 'eBay' land I went with my dear son's money in my hand .

I was able to purchase on eBay a MIB 'last run (circa 2003) can motor, DCC ready Rivarrossi FEF-3 #844'. It will be running on miniumum 30" radius curves (but on 2.7 - 3.2 grades in some cases) and except for 'testing' has never been run. The seller is a very reputable eBay store dealer, so I am acceptng his description as honest.

I need suggestions for 'lubicration' or any other 'maintanence' issues with a locomotive that has not run since it was purchased new in 2003. According to the 'reputable seller' it has set on a shelf as a collector item since then. This one will definitely be running when the kids and grand kids are over Is the Rivarrossi difficult to lube, etc? and if so, are there any special things I need to be careful of when doing maintainence.

Thanks all for any help or advice on maintance. I've never owned a Rivarrossi model steam locomotive.

lanny nicolet 

Hi All,

UP #844 came through central Iowa yesterday. She was running about an hour late due to being held up by freight traffic. But, the wait was worth it for me, bringing back the sights and sounds of when I was a kid and everything (ICRR, Rock Island, CNW, M&STL, CGW, etc) was ALL steam.

What a thrill to watch and listen to this proud Iron Horse almost effortlessly working upgrade outside a small central Iowa farm town! There were huge crowds of people turned out to watch this gallant steed, so it was not easy to find good photo sites (specially when taking care of two active, young grand sons at the same time  )

Enjoy the photos ... even if you aren't a UP steam fan! 









lanny nicolet

Ray,

I sure can be 'tempted' regarding working something out concerning a #908 ICRR Spectrum Connie  ... contact me offline, okay!

lanny nicolet 

Hi all,

I have finally finished ICRR #908 Consolidation (based on a Spectrum 2-8-0). All that remains now is the tender. Here are some photos: first, what I started with, and then several views of the 'finished' product. I have not, as yet, decided about weathering the model. This particular Spec 2-8-0 is 'DCC ready', not the newer 'DCC Onbaord" version.


The basic Spectrum 2-8-0


Left side #908


Right Side top of boiler.


Boiler front view.

lanny nicolet

Hi all,

Can anyone give me a 'heads up' on where I can locate this kind of pilot truck? It was used on the only Hudson (4-6-4) the ICRR ever owned. I've attached a photo of the truck. I maybe missed something, but haven't been able to find it in the 'Bowser' super detail company parts they have available. Thanks for any help!



lanny nicolet

Hi all,

One of my Spec Heavy Mtns has been increasingly running 'jerky' - stop and go (DC/Analog power). I cleaned the wheels, etc but it got worse. Finally took apart the tender to find that the wire to one of the tender pickups had broken from the truck solder joint inside the tender.

I resoldered the wire and the locomotive runs perfectly now.

My question is this ... would it be wiser to direct wire and solder to the bronze wheel pickup on each of the tender trucks, so that the constant turning of the truck would no longer have any effect on wires getting broken?

Appreciate thoughts and advice.

lanny nicolet

Hi Stephen,

Just wanted to say a special 'thanks' for making the effort to go back and get some more great 'detail photos'. I am pretty sure now, that my Spec will become #2542 when I kit bash my 4-8-2s.

The up close detail photos are really helpful and I appreciate very much your effort in getting them for me.

regards,

lanny nicolet