Blma 89' flats

[sundowner]

Thanks Mike.

Agreed.

[VonRyan]

Certainly.  Another member emailed and gave me a heads up that this discussion was going on.

Hopefully the attached image will support my claim that the 24 I currently have are legit. The invoice clearly shows an order quantity of 24 BLMA 89' flats, as well as a receipt dated back over two years ago to April of 2010 as a deposit on the pre-order, then the final receipt dated last Saturday when the product was shipped to me from DCC Train in Cincinnati.

I would tend to agree that it seems highly coincidental that 24 cars were stolen from a Pittsburgh area shop and around the same general time frame 24 of the same type of cars appear for sale in a Pittsburgh area advertisement.  I know I was certainly shocked when I was informed that I was a potential "suspect".    

As I mentioned on the other forum, I simply made a mistake and didn't realize they were too new for my era until after I had ordered and paid for them and I didn't want to stick the shop that I've dealt with for the last several years with them. That didn't seem right to me since it was my error.  So, I'm selling them off to partially fund the yellow (and brown) TTX era-appropriate variants that I now have coming.

Mike Collier
Pittsburgh PA

Mike, glad to know that your an honest N-Scale'r and sorry to hear that the marvels of the BLMA flats didn't fit your needs. Hopefully you wont take any losses with your re-selling them, and perhaps you might have need for some custom loads in the future 

Cheers!
-Cody F.

[Family Lines System]

Thanks Cody, and everyone else who's replied.  I appreciate the support.

I'm now waiting for the marvels of the 2nd and 3rd run TTX flats instead!   

Mike

[stuntman]

 Sorry, Mike   wasn't trying to accuse you of anything.    It just sucks when something is stolen from someone.

[Family Lines System]

No worries and no offense taken.   

I'll be the first one to agree that if taken simply at face value that it looks VERY suspicious.

I mean really, what are the odds of EXACTLY 24 cars, four of each of the six numbers being stolen from a Pittsburgh shop, and then EXACTLY 24 cars, four of each of the six numbers then appearing in a for-sale ad in the Pittsburgh area around around the same general time frame?  I'd say pretty remote.   

Without any further info you can't blame ANYONE for making what SEEMS to be a pretty obvious connection.   Which is why I felt compelled to chime in and let everyone know what the real story is. 

Mike

[John]

so, what size is your layout that you need 24 flats for .. pictures would be cool ..

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I was thinking the same thing. That would be a long train!

[unittrain]

I was thinking the same thing. That would be a long train!

so, what size is your layout that you need 24 flats for .. pictures would be cool ..

You're in trouble now they're doing a Columbo!!

[Smike]

Ya Mike, now that we use the threat of being a criminal to get you to post over here on TRW, time to show us some layout 

[nkalanaga]

A few for the home layout, then run the entire train on Ntrack?

[flight2000]

A few for the home layout, then run the entire train on Ntrack?

Ohhh, you're a brave soul...    Are you taking extra wheels just in case the BLMA wheels keep finding the soft spots in the track every few feet... 

Brian

[Family Lines System]

so, what size is your layout that you need 24 flats for .. pictures would be cool ..

Ya Mike, now that we use the threat of being a criminal to get you to post over here on TRW, time to show us some layout

The layout that would support these train lengths is only on paper at this point. I'm waiting for an upcoming move/new house to be built before I can start working on it.   

I lived in East-Central Illinois (Hoopeston) in the 70's/early 80's along the former L&N Chicago Sub that ran between Howell Yard in Evansville and Yard Center Chicago and have always wanted to model my old hometown.  I'm a fan of the L&N/Family Lines/Seaboard System/Clinchfield wherever I find it though. 

Until I can start modeling the midwest my current project is to rehab a project layout that I acquired recently based on the old Model Railroader Clinchfield layout. The guy that I bought this from had everything roughed in but it needs to be finished. The track pretty much all needs to be taken up and completely redone but it'll give me something to do.  Plus, it's portable..comes apart in four sections so eventually I can take it around to some shows.   

Anyhoo, here are a few pics in the "as you see it is how I got it" state. 

Mike C.
Pittsburgh PA

[nkalanaga]

Brian:  I've never run on Ntrack, and only have a handful of BLMA cars, so don't have any personal experience.  If you don't think they'd work I'll take your word for it.

[flight2000]

Brian:  I've never run on Ntrack, and only have a handful of BLMA cars, so don't have any personal experience.  If you don't think they'd work I'll take your word for it.

The issue is the BLMA wheels are so fine (to scale) that any irregularities in the track will cause derailments.  Such as the life with modules.  The MTL wheels are wider and are more forgiving, that's why I'd recommend taking some extra's just in case. 

Who knows, they may not have any issues at all if the modules are really well maintained, but it's better to have the wheels on hand so you can still enjoy seeing that long train run. 

Brian

[nkalanaga]

True.  I would imagine that there's always at least one bad joint!

Programmer's law of Cybernetic Entomology:  There's always one more bug.  It applies to mechanical systems as well...