Any model railroaders?

[Mickey1992]

I am in the process of building an HO layout in my basement.  I had a 4x8 layout as a kid.  I have to say that if it were not for DCC I am not sure I would have gotten interested in the hobby again.

[Boroda]

I have maybe half-dozen locos and maybe 30 cars, H0. All East-German, made in 1970s. Two big boxes, opened them only once since I moved to my last flat in 1989... Plus toy-trabants, buses, trees, stations, houses, etc.

H0 (16mm track) were not as popular as TT (12mm) here. My co-worker was illegally trading them ("speculation" was a crime in USSR) in late-80s, when we studied in school. An interesting 12mm engine could cost up to 400 rubles (average salary was 200 rubles a month).

Railway models were "toys for Fathers" here Like "My daddy bought himself a new engine for my birthday"

In MSK there was an East-German store, called "Leipzig", and they had a huge model railway there, like 10x10 meters, with stations, towns, tunnels etc. We went there just to watch it working when I was a kid.

[Sixpence]

Had a 4x8 layout as a kid, got bored so I integrated my slot racing set into it. I wish I was as creative now as I was when I was young. I cut two holes so I could run the race track underneath the plywood and come back up. I glued two sides of a railroad trestle bridge to the sides of the slot racing track and glued the tops to the plywood. So when you looked underneath it looked like a suspended trestle bridge. It came out awesome, my friends loved it.

[gunnss]

Well,
I belong to a RR Club, the http://www.nmslrhs.org/ . Check out our photo section. We were looking for a scale letter for our "model" and we kinda settled on "P" for prototype (Grin)

I did a lot of HO when I was 14 to 21, even did a few scratch built brass locos, that is I made every thing but the drivers from raw stock. at the time a Brass loco cost about 35$ new. Currently I have a few N gauge Locos, but no layout, except for a Diorama of the work site where we are restoring the 2926. One of my locos is a model of the 3780, the prewar version of the 2900 (during the war the war production board told AT&SF the could not have any more diesels, so they ordered the best steam they could, due to war time shortages there was no alloy boiler plate available so the 2900's were built from mild steel, almost an inch thick) I have renumbered it 2926 and placed it in my diorama.

Also please note we have set a date on when we want to be finished with the restoration, 2012, that is the NM state centennial.
If any of you want to see our project let me know and I will give you the grand tour. (Grin)

As for the mead it was a perfectly mild 12 year old vintage and only tipped the scales at 23% Aol by volume.

Regards,
Kevin

Originally posted by JB73
Gunns actually works on real trains IIRC, and I believe he has interest / information on model trains.

he pops on now and again, just don't have any of his mead

[bj229r]

Originally posted by Captain Virgil Hilts
Got any transformer parts? I have a transformer (made in the fifties) that is missing the handle.

I got same problem--the original Lionel Xfrmer is ok, but the locomotive barely goes with 16 volts, the GOOd one (with 18 volts and more current) has 18 volts....I might take it to a fabricator gent in next town, the guy can make anything from a picture

[indy007]

Transformers are old school For entry level, a nice Digitrax Zephyr starter set works pretty well. With some patience and wiring, you can control all of your switches, train effects, etc, etc from one little box. They even make wireless versions where you can walk around, and "dial in" different trains as you go. After that, you're a short step away from smart/automatic signalling, switching, and block automation. Even this basic model also has ports for extra controllers, letting you run multiple trains at once, at different, yet variable speeds.

[bj229r]

Originally posted by indy007
Transformers are old school For entry level, a nice Digitrax Zephyr starter set works pretty well. With some patience and wiring, you can control all of your switches, train effects, etc, etc from one little box. They even make wireless versions where you can walk around, and "dial in" different trains as you go. After that, you're a short step away from smart/automatic signalling, switching, and block automation. Even this basic model also has ports for extra controllers, letting you run multiple trains at once, at different, yet variable speeds.

Bet it doesn't run a 55 year old 9 pound A.C. powered locomotive:)

[RoGenT]

My cousin is into it; him and his girlfriend should be stopping by in few days so I'll ask him to reply to this

[JB73]

Originally posted by gunnss
As for the mead it was a perfectly mild 12 year old vintage and only tipped the scales at 23% Aol by volume.

Regards,
Kevin

you know Kevin, I STILL owe you for that and I will repay some day.

I'll never forget sneaking out of my room about 4 AM to not wake 42 and 11, because I knew some violent puking would ensue... got to the lobby, asked "wwheeer itsh theee reshtroooom?" and they pointed me to the room by the con hall...


from about 2 feet above I sprayed that toilet seat, bowl, floor and all. I don't think I puked that much in my life before or since. what was that, IIRC 12 "glasses" of that stuff?????

got up to play golf 7 AM that day





serious though I know what that cost, and will get it back to you some day. bro, still have your business card in my stack too!

[gunnss]

Don't worry about it, we still have some of the keg left. We use it for pork roast marinade.... Mmmmmm!

As to MRRing If any of you need prototype data and stuff I have so good connections....

Regards,
Kevin

[bj229r]

Originally posted by Captain Virgil Hilts
Got any transformer parts? I have a transformer (made in the fifties) that is missing the handle.

Ebay has TONS of post WW2 Lionel stuff!
I have both types transformers, am buying a handle today
link

[Ripsnort]

Ranger Bob (if anyone remembers him) I believe has one of the biggest train layouts on the East coast.

[Maverick]

Gent's,

Thanks for bringing this thread back up. I just spent a good part of yesterday going over the trains I inherited from my Dad all O-27 gage. Since he died in 62 there was nothing in there that was newer than that and quite a bit that dated from the late 40's. I got some of that back to 10 year old feeling looking over the equipment.

I took it to a train shop here in Lafayette for an appraisal as I have never had it looked at for value. The large transformer (double handle 4 circuit) checked out fine but will need a new power cord. Simple fix. The engines can all use cleaning and lube after having been stored for over 70 years. That will be a project for me in the next few weeks.

While I don't really care if it's valuable as I don't intend to ever sell it (about the most I have to remember my Dad by) I just want to know what it's worth for insurance coverage. If it doesn't have much monetary value that's fine by me. It has value far above the dollar sign.