Mail Call! Railway Post Office, commonly abbreviated as RPO has rolled in!


A BIG thank you to both Paul and Tom, both parcels arrived together this morning.
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But I haven't forgotten my OO Scale, this is the last Gresley Teak Coach that I needed to give me a complete set of these coaches.
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I test ran it, as the trucks rotate slightly to follow a curve, the trucks arc to the chassis, when I looked further, I found that if a truck touches the chassis, it shorts out.
Ok, I understand. Athearn used several different designs. In one design the cosmetic frame is a press fitting onto the real functional truck. Be certain that is squeezed all the way on.

If not one can try clear finger nail polish on both the truck and the chassis at the location of the short. That will eventually wear out but should work for a year or two before a re-coat is needed.
 
So include your picture and tell us about it and even give your review or reasons for obtaining the item or items ;)
The latest addition to the Ski Train. Only two more cars and I will have a complete set for this variant of the train.
Once again Rapido brand with a special paint scheme done for Spring Creek Model Trains. Car actually comes in two paint schemes. This is the "early" version with the D&RGW logo on it. The "late" version has the "Ski Train Winter Park" logo. The model is interesting because it is one of the few Budd mid train short domes that run long roof first. The model is not an exact replica of Phil Anschutz private car California that often ran on the Ski Train. The window arrangement is wrong on a few counts. This is a bit discouraging considering the price. The interior is not painted or detailed just grey/tan plastic, sigh. I hate painting interiors. I guess it isn't so much the painting but rather the disassembling and reassembling the car.

I understand there are no plans to make the other two cars, so I am going to borrow the diner from my Royal Gorge train to serve as stand in for the Utah, and try to find a Kato Business car painted D&RGW to stand in for the Kansas.
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Ok, I understand. Athearn used several different designs. In one design the cosmetic frame is a press fitting onto the real functional truck. Be certain that is squeezed all the way on.

If not one can try clear finger nail polish on both the truck and the chassis at the location of the short. That will eventually wear out but should work for a year or two before a re-coat is needed.
It's DC at the minute, so when I convert anything to DCC I always isolate the motor, that should solve the problem, but electrics are not my strong point, so maybe not.:confused: Either way I'll certainly check the frame is on correctly, thanks for that. :)
 
Well I mentioned a few days ago I obtained the newer version of the Athearn Genesis UPY #570 GP15-1 with the RCL details that included 2 beacons and ditch lights front and rear. LEDs and sound are awesome. I compared it to my 1st release UPY #559 GP15-1 which is NOT a RCL locomotive but has ditch lights front and rear along with sound. Still pretty darn good! I did not pay the pprice tag as I won it on ebay for 175.00 plus 12 dollar shipping. Not bad. the 1st one was under 200 as well.

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I also got a new ASAB locomotive as well!

Athearn RTR 89701 Atlanta & St. Andrews Bay #6416 GP40-2 Diesel Locomotive #6416 The Bay Line

This will get a decoder put in very soon. I may put a sound ESU one in....

Athearn got the details spot on..... according to my reference book..... so kudos for that. Just needs a little weathering.

I paid a little more than I wanted to on this unit as normally I can get these GP40s for 75 bucks but due to the scarcity of this paint scheme I paid 125 for it oh well had to have it.....this will serve the southern lines on my layout.



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Well I mentioned a few days ago I obtained the newer version of the Athearn Genesis UPY #570 GP15-1 with the RCL details that included 2 beacons and ditch lights front and rear. LEDs and sound are awesome. I compared it to my 1st release UPY #559 GP15-1 which is NOT a RCL locomotive but has ditch lights front and rear along with sound. Still pretty darn good! I did not pay the pprice tag as I won it on ebay for 175.00 plus 12 dollar shipping. Not bad. the 1st one was under 200 as well.

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I've just looked up this one in the UK, Californian Northern with Tsunami2 sound is £325 here. You definately got a steal of a deal on this one.
 
Hello modelers.

The mail and the running to the LHS has been expensive this week. Of interest is 2 speakers arrived from Scale Sound Systems for the Athearn Genesis GP40-2w’s. If these are as great as I have heard and seen written about I will get more.

supposed to be drop in fit
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Tamiya Panel Line accent colors, one of 3 this is black
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Vallejo Paints,
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A rather huge supply of Evergreen Styrene not pictured and finally the totally not needed, boxcars from Walthers. These will be weathered this month yet.
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Also received were the wrong wheelsets (my fault) that showed up about an hour ago plus a bulk pack of Kadee 148 whisker couplers.

happy modeling
TomO
 
Hello Crew. I am not a fan of buying at train shows as I usually see inflated pricing on items I can find less in the FB sales shops or HoSwapp@groups.io

Today I was on a mission at the MadCity train show that I had just a couple daupys ago told MikeinHubCityI was not planning on going due to my ongoing recovery from surgery and lingering Covid concerns in our county. Yesterday afternoon I spent a couple hour researching online prices for items I want to buy in the next few months. Checked shipping and if I had to pay taxes.

The visitors stayed out late last night so I knew I had a free morning. The wife said go, so I went.

Everything I purchased was on the list. The pricing I thought was pretty damn good but did see some outrageous attempts to gouge buyers. So here it is, some for me to keep and use and some to paint weather and sell.

Tom

A sucker for undecorated and I love kits. I offered $20 instead of the $32 listed. Got them for $24. With no shipping or tax, a good deal.
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I had sold 3 of these gondolas weathered for $45 plus shipping. I still have had requests for some, so…
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Purchased 2 of these double sets. Listed for $32 each offered $48.00 total and he laughed, then his wife said we will take it. A decent deal but maybe good profits down the road. I will keep 1 and sell the other 3 after weathering and creating loads.
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I have 1 Genset locomotive and while quirky looking I do like them. Have not been able to find a decent deal online as I wanted another. For the few I have found are at Ebay. However, the pricing for pre-owned is crazy.
This is new in the box and I know the seller. $65 no attempt at haggling as I have not found any new ones online for less than $110. So good deal and after a decoder and speaker are added may end3d with the one I have being sold next Fall, or not.
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Finally the Mp15AC that last week I ordered 2 from a large online shop but was informed and then refunded as the inventory was wrong and the 2 weren’t there. This lady seller had 2 but I did another walk down the table and came back to just this one. This will be patched for my free lance road. The Scale Sound System speakers and Tsumani2 decoder for the ones I ordered last week and had them cancelled on me are here and now they will be fitted into at least 1 unit. This was $125 which is $6.00 higher then another one I found online but online they are taking taxes and charging shipping, so a good deal anyway.
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TomO
 
Tom- Good deal, there's a train show next weekend that our club layout will be at. I always try to make a reasonable deal to see if they'll take it. Some will some will pack it up at the end of the day and complain they didn't do well.
 
Front ends of the BNSF Genset and the CP MP15AC.

The MP15AC is getting the CP lettering removed. Out of the box it runs terrible, but I will work on that while the body is off. The Red MicroSol method did not remove anything. Will try later tonight

The Genset runs great right out of the box, but boy are those railings thick! I need to order a Scale Sound Systems speaker and a Tsumani2 decoder if they have the Genset sound file. If not I can go to ESU as I know they have the sound file.

Fun
TomO
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I got this in about 2 weeks ago. I have been a little busy here. I got number 5 out of 6 heritage units now. Only missing unit #1989 D&RGW

The O'l Miss Katy! Pretty happy about getting this one in. NIB old stock sealed! I was stoked! Box had some wear no big deal the guy had 3 of these! So we made a deal on this one.

Athearn Genesis ATHG68637 EMD SD70ACe (SD70AH) Union Pacific #1988 Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy) Heritage - DCC & Tsunami Sound

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Some of you may remember that Athearn was and have been running some fantasy units in the past and recently. I came across this one from an old run. I had to have it as it was unique. It's my RR so yup had to have it! I will be getting it in a few days along with another locomotive that I will share later.


So I won a GP60M in the Union Pacific livery as we know UP never had these but I just had to have it!

I will take pictures once I get it in a few days from now. It's an interesting animal! I will add a sound decoder to it as well.

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This thread would pertain to any Model Railroad related items you ordered and received for your MRR or other.

So include your picture and tell us about it and even give your review or reasons for obtaining the item or items.
About it: As a child I saw AHM boxes in the Woolworth store with these ugly things called locomotives. Having never have been back east and seen "real" railroading, I did not understand why anyone would want one of those "things" on their train layout.

Time passes and I went on a trip via train back east. Passed through Chicago, Gary IN, Cleveland, Harrisburg etc. and most importantly Philidelphia to NYC. For the first time I saw 4 track main lines, raised tracks to "flying" over an entire yard. All those what I formerly thought as ridiculous features in Atlas track plans are REAL. Wow, what a revelation. Also was exposed to the electric rails for the first time. Suddenly that ugly locomotive looked glorious compared to many of the electric box cab stuff.

Reasons: As I became less ignorant, I found the GG1 was in service for just short of 50 years. Engineered to run 100 mph by GE, and body designed by Donald Roscoe Dohner and Raymond Lowey. It was a strong performer. Several of the class were built by various companies and combinations thereof including Baldwin/Westinghouse and the Pennsy's own shops in Altona. This locomotive saw the coming and going of the first generation diesels, and the coming of second generation diesels, and the arrival of the 3rd generation. Possibly the most efficient locomotive ever built. I made a special trip to the National Museum of Transportation near St Louis just to see the one they acquired.

Through the years this loco wore several paint schemes. Sometime in my model railroad journey I decided I wanted to collect one of every paint scheme of this remarkable locomotive. This single stripe Tuscan Red scheme was only applied to two locos (4907 and 4916) for a short time. Found this one on the "factory refurbished" link on the BLI web page. This brings my collection to 6. The 4907 was serial #4377, built in the Altoona shops on a Baldwin frame with Westinghouse electrical components.

Review: This is the Broadway Limited latest run (as you will recall their first run tooling was "stolen" by MTH in a frivolous law suit concerning DCC back emf in the early 2000s). There are separate detail part's that it came with I have not applied. Love the bright red BIG keystone. While the model looks good, I would have preferred grills with more "depth". It has Paragon 3 Rolling Thunder sound. The pantographs raise and lower as a DCC function. It is very heavy with traction tires and will probably be a very strong puller. The not so good part is the packaging. It gets a C-. It does not have the typical BLI box with a lid but rather a pathetic foam tray in cardboard tube type. Reminds me of the original Proto-2000 packaging from the early 1980s. yuck. Can't wait to get a test track up and power it. Will report back when I do.
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