Introductions

[Radioguy]

Hi, My name is Mike and I hail from New York. Work in IT, and find time here and there to run N scale (I try to keep to the modern era and roadnames you'd see in the Northeast). I happened upon the traveling baggage car thread and knew I'd fit in here.

[Onizukachan]

Greetings.
Last model train was Bachmann starter oval set in the mid 80s, green felt, cork roadbed, and one spur. Pizza cutters, rapido couplers, etc.  And it was fun, till the steamer quit on me.

I havent had one since.

I got back in because I was watching Roy’s (Evanston subdivision) excellent YouTube series and Ken Patterson’s series as I was doing some “D scale” (disney) Monorail modelling.
I enjoyed the scenery and model building  and illumination, and well... I bought a used first release Kato GS4 daylight yesterday, a few sticks of Atlas code 80 flex track to test it on, and all the boards to build a DCC++ system. I’m thinking of grabbing an old cheapo power pack to run it on DC at first however.

This whole pink foam, dcc, static grass is foreign to me, but it looks fun.

[Jbub]

Hi, My name is Mike and I hail from New York. Work in IT, and find time here and there to run N scale (I try to keep to the modern era and roadnames you'd see in the Northeast). I happened upon the traveling baggage car thread and knew I'd fit in here.

Welcome radioguy! If you like the baggage car thread, just wait until you get 25 post and can view/ participate in the crew lounge. Total  ery in there.

[Jbub]

Greetings.
Last model train was Bachmann starter oval set in the mid 80s, green felt, cork roadbed, and one spur. Pizza cutters, rapido couplers, etc.  And it was fun, till the steamer quit on me.

I havent had one since.

I got back in because I was watching Roy’s (Evanston subdivision) excellent YouTube series and Ken Patterson’s series as I was doing some “D scale” (disney) Monorail modelling.
I enjoyed the scenery and model building  and illumination, and well... I bought a used first release Kato GS4 daylight yesterday, a few sticks of Atlas code 80 flex track to test it on, and all the boards to build a DCC++ system. I’m thinking of grabbing an old cheapo power pack to run it on DC at first however.

This whole pink foam, dcc, static grass is foreign to me, but it looks fun.

Welcome onizukachan! When I first joined the board I didn't know all that much about the new stuff either. Now it's been almost 2 years of lurking and posting and I still don't know that much Really though there is a lot of good knowledge in all aspects of the hobby bundled up in this forum. And if you ever have a question on how something works, just ask our resident Pol, Peteski. As much crap as we give him for the on average 7+ posts per day, everyday, he knows his stuff.

[peteski]

Really though there is a lot of good knowledge in all aspects of the hobby bundled up in this forum. And if you ever have a question on how something works, just ask our resident Pol, Peteski. As much crap as we give him for the on average 7+ posts per day, everyday, he knows his stuff.

Oh man, now I fee like I'm under pressure!    Seriously, there are lots of very knowledgeable members here (in a wide range of subjects).  I'm always surprised (in a good way) that a such a wide range of people is connected by a common hobby.  I'm only a small piece of the knowledge-base.

Welcome to the forum guys!

[yewed59]

Greetings all. I have been retired since 2002 and interested in trains since 1949. I modeled off and on between schools. Since 1979 I have been a member of N scale clubs in the greater Chicago area. While searching for information about the new BLI PRR T1 I came across your web site. My IT skills are poor  and I have tried to post a note for information about the  BLI T1 but could not because I could not identify a recipient.
I look forward to information sharing with other members.
Dewey  R.


























Jones II

[DeltaBravo]

Greetings all. I have been retired since 2002 and interested in trains since 1949. I modeled off and on between schools. Since 1979 I have been a member of N scale clubs in the greater Chicago area. While searching for information about the new BLI PRR T1 I came across your web site. My IT skills are poor  and I have tried to post a note for information about the  BLI T1 but could not because I could not identify a recipient.
I look forward to information sharing with other members.
Dewey  R.
Jones II

Welcome aboard Dewey. There are a lot of talented and opinionated modelers here, don't take comments personally and you'll learn a lot and have fun doing it.  Note that the N-Scale collector is having their convention in Chicago inext June.

David

[yewed59]

Thanks for the  welcome. I am a member of the NSE and have been attending the conventions for some time.
I am trying to find out if the  new BLI T1  front drivers are  free rolling or are they supposed to be  powers. Mine free roll. Would you know? BLI is not open.

[peteski]

Thanks for the  welcome. I am a member of the NSE and have been attending the conventions for some time.
I am trying to find out if the  new BLI T1  front drivers are  free rolling or are they supposed to be  powers. Mine free roll. Would you know? BLI is not open.

Thanks for the  welcome. I am a member of the NSE and have been attending the conventions for some time.
I am trying to find out if the  new BLI T1  front drivers are  free rolling or are they supposed to be  powers. Mine free roll. Would you know? BLI is not open.

WOW!
No free-rolling - all 4 drivers should be powered!!  Is BLI's quality control that bad?  For them to free-roll they must have forgotten to install the front worm, worm gear or the idler gear.  That's crazy!

Click on a link below to download the exploded diagram so if you feel adventurous, you can "explode" your model and see what's missing.  But it is probably the best to just let BLI handle this.

http://www.broadway-limited2.com/support/N%20PRR%20T1%20Expl%20View%20-%20Locomotive.pdf
And the tender:
http://www.broadway-limited2.com/support/N%20PRR%20T1%20Expl%20View%20-%20Tender.pdf

[nthusiast]

Hi everybody!

My last foray into model railroads was about 46 years ago. I’m not surprised that the hobby has technically advanced. That was bound to happen. I am in awe how far it has advanced. What some of you are doing with DCC and 3-D printing, and the detailed items you scratch-build, is mind-blowing.

I’m in Northern California, working full-time. I’m very limited in terms of room and budget, so my modeling efforts will start really small. Diorama-like to begin with, maybe at 2 x 3 or 2 x 4 feet (some day I hope to expand a little larger). Plans are to create a fictional railroad operating in California’s San Joaquin Valley, pre-war (early 1940s), focusing on the produce business.

Here’s the catch -- I plan on using 50 year-old equipment.

I last touched my N gauge collection around 1970 or 1971. My dad dutifully saved EVERYTHING. 1970’s flex track. Rapido turnouts. Structures. Scenery -- scale ballast, “grass”, coal ... even lichen from 50 years ago. It’s been in deep storage all this time. I’m looking to resurrect it, or part of it.

I’ll start with locomotives. Thanks to www.spookshow.net (awesome site) I identified the manufacturers of the five locos pictured here.

The 0-4-0 (pretty sure it’s by Rivarossi) is operational. It’s a solid-feeling loco. I believe it would be ideal for hauling smaller loads like produce on my fictionalized railroad. I’ll keep it.

Same with the Rapido 0-6-0 switcher. It still runs. Keep (spookshow.net says it’s rare, BTW).

The 2-8-4 Berkshire, manufactured by MRC/Rowa, is another very solid-feeling locomotive. It doesn’t run, and while it seems too large for my railroad, I can’t stand the idea of parting with it. Keep. Maybe repair.

The 2-6-4T Q1B Tank Engine was manufactured by Lima, in Italy. Not operational. I’ll either try to sell/trade it or incorporate it into scenery.

The 4-6-2 Pacific is another Rivarossi product, imported by Atlas. Not operational. Like the Tank Engine, I’ll either try to sell/trade it or incorporate it into scenery.

My question to the group here:

Am I nuts using such old DC stuff? Should I think about new track and turnouts at least? Is the Berkshire worth fixing? I haven’t a clue how to service/fix this or any of these locomotives and will need help.

Thanks for your input and thoughts! Happy New Year!

[peteski]

Welcome to the forum nthusiast!  I see (by your posts count) that you have already been active here.

No, you're not nuts - if what you are doing makes you happy and excited about the hobby, that is all that matters.  It is all about you enjoying your hobby (even if it might get frustrating from time to time).

Starting small is also good thing. Have you considered building your small layout using the T-TRAK standard?  Then you could join a local T-TRAK club, or just reach out to them when they set up for local train shows and participate in their larger layout.  It is fun to be able to run your trains on a much larger size layout from time to time, plus your modeling would get exposure to a larger audience.

Another thing I like to mention is that you might consider calling your older Arnold rapido trains just "Arnold" or "Arnold rapido" to avoid possible confusion with Rapido Trains company, which makes N scale trains and is totally unrelated to the original Arnold/rapido.  the original "rapido" was just a name for Arnold's  N scale offerings from (Arnold still exists, albeit under new ownership, and still produces N scale models under the Arnold name - they dropped the rapido name).

[nickelplate759]

If you have fun with them then it isn't nuts.     The Berkshire is worth fixing in my opinion.  The 2-6-4 is not.  The Pacific depends on why it won't run.  Many of these suffer from zinc pest, which will show up as a warped or cracked frame.  If so, the frame is not fixable.   They also suffer from failed motors,  which are hard to fix but pretty easy to replace.

[peteski]

George has some good advice.  I wll also add some more about the track.  The Arnold rapido (blackened) track is made from thin steel strip being into upside down U shape.  Back in the day, they touted it as self-cleaning, but in realty, I don't' think it was quite as good as they said. Plus being steel, it will have tendency to rust once the backenign wears out at the wheel contact area.



You would be better off using contemporary track. If you want easy, quick, and reliable then Kato Unitrak is your friend. That would also be used on T-TRAK modules.  But for a wider range of available options (switches crossings) you could go with Peco or Atlas. Stick with the larger code 70 becuase your older models have deep flanges.

[nkalanaga]

I'd second the Peco, and you can use the Peco code 55, if you want smaller rail.  It's designed to work with the older standards.  I wouldn't try Micro-Engineering or Atlas code 55, although much of the older stuff will run on the ME track.  My Arnold engines don't like it at all. 

The MRC 2-8-4 is definitely worth fixing.  Even today, it qualifies as a very good model, and was one of the best running steam locos of its day.  I have one, and it runs very nicely.  Not much use on the Burlington Northern, but I run it occasionally.

On the other hand, I don't think I've ever heard anything good about the Lima locomotives, so it would probably be better suited for a park display.  That way, if you, or someone else, ever want to spend the time fixing it, you'll still have it.

As George said, the Rivarossi depends.  I'm not a steam fan, so wouldn't be any help in diagnosing it.

[nthusiast]

Thanks for the advice, everyone!