RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 27, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 27, 2014 Those Kato Dash 9s are nice beasts. You can get an NS-style cab from Shapeways (the same guy who does the SD60E cab), but I keep looking at the one I have and thinking it is a lot of effort for not much gain. If you are going to run the Dash 9 as a second unit then the headlight position isn't that noticeable. Of the three I have I blanked off the headlight and put a cosmetic high-level on on one and completely ignored the headlights on the other two. At least they have the correct wide handrails, unlike the Fox Valley ES40DC (which also has the wrong headlights) and ES44ACs. If you are goning to run it as a current unit it will need a frame stripe. The first two? batches came without any frame marks, but 8979 appears to have received frame stripes in 2008. It is otherwise still in the as-delivered livery: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3966512 As delivered: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=47736 Adrian Thanks Adrian for the heads up. They will get the white stripes when I get round to detailing and renumbering them. Main task at present is to get all NS locos fitted with Microtrians couplers and decoders when I / my other half obtain them (I think she bought that dash 9) as that will reduce having to buy a load all at once when it comes to building the new layout. I reckon that I can modify the headlights postion and run some fiber optic through them towards the decoder LED as I have done on other locos. If not then an order will be on its way to Shapeways. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted November 27, 2014 Author Share Posted November 27, 2014 Thanks Adrian for the heads up. They will get the white stripes when I get round to detailing and renumbering them. Main task at present is to get all NS locos fitted with Microtrians couplers and decoders when I / my other half obtain them (I think she bought that dash 9) as that will reduce having to buy a load all at once when it comes to building the new layout. I reckon that I can modify the headlights postion and run some fiber optic through them towards the decoder LED as I have done on other locos. If not then an order will be on its way to Shapeways. Ian Yes, on the one I modified I did leave the provision for feeding fibre optics through the light shroud and up to the headlights. The other issue with the Dash 9s is that they have low-mounted ditch lights rather than the high-mounted ones NS uses. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 27, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 27, 2014 Yes, on the one I modified I did leave the provision for feeding fibre optics through the light shroud and up to the headlights. The other issue with the Dash 9s is that they have low-mounted ditch lights rather than the high-mounted ones NS uses. Adrian Thats probably a little harder to alter! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 So I wandered into George's Trains today and came out with this little beauty (Rapido GMD-1), shown posed on my (not quite finished) scenic module. I got the DCC version, not the DCC sound one. Adrian 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 I've been having an expensive weekend. Here is the Arnold (Hornby International) U25C in Conrail. It was priced higher for the DC-only version than the Rapido GMD-1 which has a decoder in it. You will notice that the Conrail blue is a bit on the light side (compare to the Atlas GP15-1 behind it). Other than that and the underattached handrails that pop out of their mountings if you look at them wrong, it is very nice, with separate cut levers and MU hoses. It even has the correct PRR/PC/Conrail cab signal box on the walkway. It takes a six-pin decoder. Adrian 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 (edited) While I suggested that the Conrail Blue above looked a bit light, compare the two photos of 6510 here http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/ge/u25/u25c.html to see what difference lighting/age/film makes. The second shot is almost the same colour as the Arnold paint. Edit. Apparently this scheme is only good from about June 1978 until December 1979. The loco was ex-PRR/PC, stencilled into CR by April 1978, painted into blue by June 1978 (from http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/ge/u25/u25crepaint.html). It's number was re-used for an SD40-2 with a build date of November 1979. Adrian Edited January 28, 2015 by Adrian Wintle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted October 24, 2015 Author Share Posted October 24, 2015 (edited) Decided to do a bit of work on the PRR fleet. Having found my collection of Gold Medal Models Trainphone antenna supports, I added Trainphones to the two Atlas GP9s that didn't already have them (equipped one in the background) and to my two Kato F7s I also started preparing an A-B-A set of Life-Like FM Erie-builts to get Trainphone antennas (A-units) and DGLE* paint to replace the garish KCS scheme *Dark Green Locomotive Enamel, a.k.a. Brunswick green. I find the Tamiya spray can of NATO Black works quite well for this, as it is a very dark green. Adrian Edited October 24, 2015 by Adrian Wintle 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted October 24, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 24, 2015 *Dark Green Locomotive Enamel, a.k.a. Brunswick green. I find the Tamiya spray can of NATO Black works quite well for this, as it is a very dark green. Adrian I've yet to see a model in which the Pennsylvania brunswick green looked anything other than black, so you should be on safe ground, especially under typical layout lighting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-59 Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 The joke about the prototypical Brunswick Green is that it's composed of a huge drum of black paint and a few drops of green paint. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted October 24, 2015 Author Share Posted October 24, 2015 (edited) I've yet to see a model in which the Pennsylvania brunswick green looked anything other than black, so you should be on safe ground, especially under typical layout lighting. Most of the models (and prototype photos) show that it could look like anything between a dark green to black, depending on where and when it was painted and how faded it had gotten. The NATO Black is a very dark green and matches freshly-painted locos. It looks significantly greener than my NS locos which get Tamiya Semi-Gloss Black. Adrian Edited October 25, 2015 by Adrian Wintle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted November 2, 2015 Author Share Posted November 2, 2015 (edited) Having discovered that I didn't have any .010" brass wire, project trainphone couldn't continue until yesterday. I have now added trainphones to a pair of Kato PA-1s, stripped and added trainphones to the Erie-builts (the Lifelike yellow stubbornly resisted the stripper, but Brunswick green will cover it) and added etched stirrups to a LifeLike FA-2 I also found some old V-Line Baldwin RF-16 sharknose shells at a show ($2.50 each), so I decided to try and make a passenger shark, thinking I might be able to use an old Concor/Kato PA-1 chassis to power it. Then I looked up the dimensions and realized that they were much longer than I thought (80' over couplers) so a chassis might be problematic. Anyway, I did a cut-n-shut to give me something approximately the right size. It does need a lot of detail changes, especially on the roof (and the vents, panels, windshield profile...). Adrian Edited November 2, 2015 by Adrian Wintle 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted November 3, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 3, 2015 That's a really long locomotive! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted November 3, 2015 Author Share Posted November 3, 2015 That's a really long locomotive! It is. I had in mind that it was PA or perhaps E-unit length until I looked at the dimensions. I think the only longer loco was the centipede, also from Baldwin. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 (edited) And now for a bit of modern(ish) Amtrak, since I just got hold of an Acela set. Bachmann HHP-8, Bachmann Acela, two Kato P42s. Except for the Acela coaches and the Amfleet I on the right (which are Bachmann), the coaches are Kato Amfleet IIs and Viewliners (Edit: I just realized that none of the Viewliners are in shot). A better look at the detail on the HHP-8 and Acela. The basic Acela train set comes with two locos (un-powered, but with function decoders for the lights), a First-Class car, a Business car, and a Café (which has the motor and decoder). I need to find two more Business cars and an End Business car to make up a prototypical consist. Adrian Edited November 10, 2015 by Adrian Wintle 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted November 10, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 10, 2015 When the Acela set came out there was quite bit of chat on the forums as to the minimum radius it could cope with, which seemed to be quite large for N scale. What's your finding? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted November 10, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 10, 2015 I bought a full length HO version one recently at a very good price. Did see a trader with an N scale one recently but that would have been quite a few hundered pounds. Tempted if I see one going cheaply though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 When the Acela set came out there was quite bit of chat on the forums as to the minimum radius it could cope with, which seemed to be quite large for N scale. What's your finding? I only just got it so it hasn't had a full test. The set comes with 19" radius track, though. Mark (Spookshow) suggests that 19" is a bit on the tight side. http://www.spookshow.net/loco/bachmannacela.html Adrian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted November 10, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 10, 2015 19" is nuts for N though, isn't it? That's over and above the minimum radius that a lot of 00/HO stuff will cope with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted December 1, 2015 Author Share Posted December 1, 2015 (edited) I can confirm that the Acela is relatively happy (at its current length of 2+3) on the outside track of the new Kato banked Unitrack double track curves (187/8"/175/8"). It's slow-speed operation is horrible, though. This may be because it needs running in. Adrian Edited December 1, 2015 by Adrian Wintle Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted May 21, 2017 Author Share Posted May 21, 2017 (edited) It's been a while since my last post here. My PRR transition fleet has grown by two of the Bachmann K4 pacifics (very nice locos), a Broadway Limited Baldwin Centipede A-A set (in the 5-stripe passenger scheme), and a pair of Broadway Limited M1b 4-8-2s (superb locos). K4: http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=265_372_1019 Centipede: http://www.broadway-limited.com/3140prra-aset5830a15830a2brunswickgreengoldleaflettering5-stripepassengerschemebothunitswparagon2sounddcdccnscale.aspx M1b: http://www.broadway-limited.com/005prrm1b4-8-26704paragon2sounddcdccnscale.aspx The most recent exercise has been fettling a set (actually 3 sets) of Deluxe Innovations Roadrailers. These are quite nice models but the stubbornly refused to run well except in a straight line. Investigation revealed that the truck bolster, as designed, would rub on the wheel flanges when the truck was turned, Fortunately, this can be corrected with the judicious use of a modelling knife, but it is a tedious process when you have 31 Roadrailers to do. This fixes most of the problem, but the last thing is the Couplermate truck (which connects the Roadrailers to the loco) which appears to have almost no truck swing by design. I'm still considering how to deal with this. For a picture of a Deluxe Roadrailer, look at the second post here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/60859-n-scale-intermodal/ I also updated this thread with descriptions of some new items. Also, to update the comments on the Acela above, it is relatively happy on 15" curves. Relatively only because the power car is underpowered so you do notice a slowing on the curves. Adrian Edited June 6, 2017 by Adrian Wintle 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted June 6, 2017 Author Share Posted June 6, 2017 (edited) Doing a bit of load testing with some big Pennsy power. The load was thirty 40' reefers plus a cabin. The M1s (at the back) had no problem. One of the K4s (third row) was a little light-footed while the other had no problem. The Y3 had no problem while the USRA 2-10-2 slipped a bit (it has no traction tires). The Baldwin Centipede pair (which, to be fair, hasn't been properly run in) acted like the prototypes, constantly re-starting. They were the only ones that couldn't complete a lap without stalling. I need to turn the volume down on the sound locos (all but the Y3 and 2-10-2 have sound). Adrian Edited June 6, 2017 by Adrian Wintle 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted June 7, 2017 Author Share Posted June 7, 2017 Further investigation reveals that the decoder on one of the Centipedes is shutting down the motor after 6-12" of running. The sound continues to play. Forcing a reset of the sound by jiggling the loco on the track restarts the motor too - for another 6-12" of running. The drivetrain is free and there is nothing obvious that would be causing this. Possibly a duff motor. Broadway Limited has been contacted. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted June 8, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 8, 2017 Further investigation reveals that the decoder on one of the Centipedes is shutting down the motor after 6-12" of running. The sound continues to play. Forcing a reset of the sound by jiggling the loco on the track restarts the motor too - for another 6-12" of running. The drivetrain is free and there is nothing obvious that would be causing this. Possibly a duff motor. Broadway Limited has been contacted. Adrian I like the look of their models, and the sound is great, but of the three BLI locomotives I've purchased, only one has operated satisfactorily from the outset. One has been back to America for a circuit board replacement, while another stalls repeatedly on track that its identical counterpart sails over. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 (edited) Just received a new decoder from Broadway Limited. Both Centipedes are now running well. It appears that the motor drive on the one decoder was defective. Now I have to save my pennies (or dollars) for a CN Turbo from Rapido. For a nine car set (without sound) it will be about $C 650 (plus 13% tax). I already have an FPA-4/FPB-4 set on order from them (also in CN) so my CN (and VIA transition) fleet is being a bit expensive at the moment, however these are the trains I remember seeing in my youth. I grew up within walking distance of the CN main line between Toronto and Montreal/Ottawa so I got to see a lot of CN (and then VIA) passenger trains. High school was interesting since the classroom windows at the front of the school provided a great view of the line. Adrian Edited June 28, 2017 by Adrian Wintle 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 I have also added some commentary on the MicroTrains and Scale Trains 53' containers in the Intermodal topic (linked here because it really should never have been moved) http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/60859-n-scale-intermodal/ Scale Trains has announced GEVO ET44 locos (the Tier 4 compliant version of the ES44) for those who want to be right up to date. https://www.scaletrains.com/collections/rivet-counter-n-scale-ge-tier-4-gevo-diesel-locomotive Adrian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now