Coffee Shop XXXVI-2/4/2013


Good Morning! from Tipton IN.

It's Friday, April 26, 2013

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:cool:

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TIPTON IN
 
CSX_road_slug said:
BTW Karl - I'll still have 10 models left to convert when I come over on Sunday. Three of them are switchers that have to be dissassembled in order to electrically isolate their motors from the frames - lotsa fun!
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10! :eek:

Naah, it's cool. The "project" with the most importance should be done today if Pro Custom has a tender light in stock, if not, I'm in deep doo doo! I wanted to get the engine done before I return to work next week. Oh well, there's always Saturday and a run to Mainline or Gilberts!:cool:

BTW, do you still have that other GP38 shell? The one I traded for has a extended anti-climber and different handrail set than what I need. If so,,cool, If not I'll just swap with the 2112, but I was hoping not to fiddle with the 2112's ditch lights again!
 
Good morning. It's 59° with 69% humidity. It'll be cloudy with a high of 78°.
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No plans for today. I may work on the layout later but nothing will be done this morning. I just don't feel up to it. I didn't get much sleep last night so I'm rather tired.
 
kbkchooch said:
...
BTW, do you still have that other GP38 shell? The one I traded for has a extended anti-climber and different handrail set than what I need. If so,,cool, If not I'll just swap with the 2112, ...
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Yeah I got it, just need to remember to stick it in the box with the other stuff.
 
One thing I am doing this morning is taking some photos of the Bachmann GP38 chassis (wears a GP40 shell) to show the decoder setup. It has two decoders, Bachmann and Digitrax. I didn't feel like redoing all the lighting so the Bachmann decoder controls the lights. Now as anybody who has ever tried knows the Bachmann decoder has lousy motor control. Speed matching it is virtually impossible as far as I know. Playing with the start voltage has some effect but that just controls when it starts moving, not how fast it moves in a given speed range. For that I piggy-backed a Digitrax DZ125 decoder onto the Bachmann decoder. This gives great motor control and speed matching is a snap. Programming an address is like programming an address to any single non-sound decoder. This loco still has it's capacitors. They haven't caused a problem so I don't see any need to remove them.

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CSX_road_slug said:
Joe, sorry to hear that your Athearn RS3's are all lemons. That batch must have been manufactured on a Monday or a Friday - oh wait a minute, I forgot the Chinese work 7 days a week!:rolleyes:

I managed to get back on schedule with my Stewart F7 decoder installation project. I got one installed in the chassis of the 'problem' unit I was struggling with last night, now I just have to wait for the new plow pilot to arrive at my LHS [next week] before I put the body shell back on. I also completed a second installation, but I discovered during re-assembly that it was missing the porthole window glazing [which holds the shell onto the chassis], so I had to set that one on the Bad Order track with the other one. I now have one remaining F unit - I'm hoping it won't give me any unpleasant surprises like these last two did.

BTW Karl - I'll still have 10 models left to convert when I come over on Sunday. Three of them are switchers that have to be dissassembled in order to electrically isolate their motors from the frames - lotsa fun!
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As much as I like RS3s, I have always made the wrong choice:eek:.

First one bought was a Stewart -(Athearn Drive) - couldn't pull 3 empty BB hoppers up a 2% grade. Next was a custom painted Yellow box Atlas - a fantastic model that now needs a decoder, then a Classic Atlas that is also a fine engine in need of a decoder, the 4 RTR Athearn dogs, then two Bachmanns which run nicely once the B'mann decoder is swapped for a Digitrax.

The detail on the Athearn bodies is fantastic the detail on the B'manns and Atlas is not as good.............I sense a future project developing.

I also have four Stewart Kato Fs (Classic B&O) in need of decoders.

All of these were bought when I was working, and had no time to do anything with them - and are now coming off the shelf in need of upgrades.

Joe
 
Happy Friday All!

Right now it's sunny and in the mid 50s. I'm off to a slow start today for some reason.

Jeffrey, I used the NCE Bachmann replacement drop in boards in my Baldwin Sharks, Although NCE recommends removal of the capacitors, I left them in place. I really don't believe they make a difference. Same with the Geeps and RS3s except that I used Digitrax DN135s.

Karl, Didn't know Pro Custom was still in business - good to know.

Have a great weekend.

Joe
 
Blast from the past? I dug this Bachmann GP40 body (late 90's) out of the junk box. I'd never heard of Pathmark so I looked it up. I guess like many stores Pathmark marketed train sets at one time. The drive I pulled out of this one is definitely 1990's train set quality. Front truck picks up power and the pancake motor on the rear truck powers the unit. The shell is now on the GP38 frame and the other Bachmann GP40 body is back on the Atlas frame. It wouldn't take much work to get this one presentable again.

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kbkchooch said:
10! :eek:

Naah, it's cool. The "project" with the most importance should be done today if Pro Custom has a tender light in stock, if not, I'm in deep doo doo! I wanted to get the engine done before I return to work next week. Oh well, there's always Saturday and a run to Mainline or Gilberts!:cool:

BTW, do you still have that other GP38 shell? The one I traded for has a extended anti-climber and different handrail set than what I need. If so,,cool, If not I'll just swap with the 2112, but I was hoping not to fiddle with the 2112's ditch lights again!
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Karl, if you think of it, could you see if Pro Custom still has at least one of their famous UNDEC boxcars? I've wanted one forever.
 
WJLI26 said:
Karl, Didn't know Pro Custom was still in business - good to know.


Joe
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Joe
Its not the same store it once was when it was in the middle of Catonsville. They downsized and moved out to the burbs.
Not a bad store, just different than it was!
;)
 
I've been doing some more work on the Pathmark GP40. I straightened the short hood handrails, mounted handrails on both sides of the long hood and replaced the front handrail. I also mounted coupler cut levers on the front and rear. The next time I get such a wild idea to add such details to an old model like this will somebody please smack me with a 2x4?

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jeffrey-wimberly said:
I've been doing some more work on the Pathmark GP40. I straightened the short hood handrails, mounted handrails on both sides of the long hood and replaced the front handrail. I also mounted coupler cut levers on the front and rear. The next time I get such a wild idea to add such details to an old model like this will somebody please smack me with a 2x4?
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Consider yourself smacked!! :eek:

Actually ,,cover the Pathmark logo with silver, decal it right, and it could be the L&A's version of a warbonnett!!!;):rolleyes::p:D

Ok Jeffrey,,,,you can smack me for that if you wanna!:eek:
 
WJLI26 said:
Jeffrey, my eyes aren't that good any more. The only things I noticed were that you hadn't gotten around to installing a horn or number lights on the GP40. Never looked at the frames;);).

Either I'm 0-4 or 4-4, but all four 2006 release Athearn RTR Alco RS3s are a bust. My remaining two, still in sealed packaging performed poorly when put on the layout. I installed a TCS T1 decoder, as the only user installed part.
Both had electrical contact issues, and in one case the gears in the gear toer assembly shifted out of place. These releases, one a PRR, two Reading, and one CNJ all performed badly out of the box. Worse than the issues I have with my GP35s.

I'm going to set them aside for a while, and move on to other projects. At some point I will do a complete rebuild, in an attempt to get two reading units at least. That will be down the road.

At least now I know what I'm dealing with.

Have a nice evening.

Joe
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its good to see articulates arent the only engines giving people issues :p
 
I hadn't intended on putting much into the Pathmark GP40 today. Well I guess it wasn't all that much, just stuff I had laying around. Both short hood handrails were fixed, the rear handrail was fixed. The front handrail and both handrails along the long hood were replaced. The stock couplers were replaced with Kadees. The old Bachmann train set drive was replaced with a new Bachmann GP38 drive with all-wheel pickup and drive and DCC. I then added coupler cut levers then started looking around for air and mu lines but then decided it was time to stick a fork in it. It was done. It's not a bad accomplishment for a day of goofing off. I still need to find a horn for it.

Here's a couple of photos I took a few minutes ago.

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Time to call it a night. See y'all tomorrow.
 
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