ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.
I have one of the Atlas H24-66 Trainmaster locos. It runs very well on 22" radius but will take 18" radius and can go through turnouts as tight as #4 as long as it's not going too fast. It's a good puller.
Absolutely. I really don't know why I didn't put a decoder in it sooner. Runs quietly, starts a train in step 1 (128 step setup) and looks good. It ran for over an hour for break in. I also have an Atlas H15-44 that came with a factory installed decoder, that resists programing, and doesn't run nearly as well. Have to look up what I can use on this one.....probably a drop in.
It's 43°, and raining with E Wind at 14mph, gusting to 30mph. The forcast insists the temp will rise to 61°, but they are not factoring the on shore wind. The ocean is still quite cold, around 41°.
Have a few chores to do this morning, then it's decoder install time.Got to keep busy.
Y'all know what they say about an idle mind .
Absolutely. I really don't know why I didn't put a decoder in it sooner. Runs quietly, starts a train in step 1 (128 step setup) and looks good. It ran for over an hour for break in. I also have an Atlas H15-44 that came with a factory installed decoder, that resists programing, and doesn't run nearly as well. Have to look up what I can use on this one.....probably a drop in.
Absolutely. I really don't know why I didn't put a decoder in it sooner. Runs quietly, starts a train in step 1 (128 step setup) and looks good. It ran for over an hour for break in. I also have an Atlas H15-44 that came with a factory installed decoder, that resists programing, and doesn't run nearly as well. Have to look up what I can use on this one.....probably a drop in.
I had one, and ended up loading speed tables into it to make it play nice with my other engines. I finally put a Tsunami into it, and used the decoder from it in a Kato/Atlas C425. I am now happy with the operation of both, though the FM now sounds like a piece of construction equipment rather than a locomotive, but that's another kettle of fish.
The H15-44 is a bit different, in that it came out with a proprietary Atlas decoder - no sound - factory installed. It's a pain to program/re-program, compared to a Digitrax.
I had one, and ended up loading speed tables into it to make it play nice with my other engines. I finally put a Tsunami into it, and used the decoder from it in a Kato/Atlas C425. I am now happy with the operation of both, though the FM now sounds like a piece of construction equipment rather than a locomotive, but that's another kettle of fish.
Following CNJ practice, my TM will be a single unit hauling commuter trains or the Queen of the Valley - primarily a mail train between Jersey City and Harrisburg, PA.
So far, I'm satisfied with performance out of the box. But.....I cannot leave well enough alone, so.........
The H15-44 is a bit different, in that it came out with a proprietary Atlas decoder - no sound - factory installed. It's a pain to program/re-program, compared to a Digitrax.
On locos like that I'll either do a full-out replacement of the factory decoder or if the factory decoder is handling lighting functions I don't want to mess with I do the following:
Disconnect the motor from the existing decoder. Solder the pickup wires of my new decoder (preset to the locos address) to the pickup pads on the existing decoder. Now BOTH decoders get power from the pickups. Solder the motor wires to the motor pads on the new decoder. Now the existing decoder runs the lights, the new decoder runs the motor. I've done this a number of times and it works.
Got a little cleanup done on the layout today. There's a few cables, some wire and a computer part added to a box in the closet now. I gave four of the FP7's a good run this afternoon.
Time for me to call it a night. See y'all tomorrow.
Today turned out interesting. While I was working a small rain-wrapped tornado passed by across the street. It ended up blowing a sign down on top of my Jeep. Awesome. Turned out nobody was injured and there were nothing more than some scratches on the Jeep. The sign was about to be taken down anyways, so it all worked out fairly well in the end.
Wow, you sure are lucky! I've been in several tornadoes, including an F5, and don't want to be in another, no matter how weak! With my luck I'd get injured.
Down here in B'ham, we got almost nothing. Although it rained steady for a couple hours (we did get 1.75"), the strong to severe storms never appeared in our area. They went just slightly north of us. I think I heard 3 claps of thunder, and that was it! It was like the line of isolated cells that formed in south central Al, prevented the storms here to get bad.
Good morning. It's 54° with 80% humidity. The high will be 78°.
Nothing special planned for today. There's still more cleanup to be done on the layout. I also need to put my video recorder and cell phone on to charge. The new fridge is doing great. The temp is right at 37°.
jeffery that leigh valley alco is very sweet looking ,it looks like the new bowser version.
is the 630 or the 636 the largest alco they made , i can never remember which one it is
That one is an old IHC ALCO C628. The ALCO C628 was powered by a 16 cylinder 2750hp 251C prime mover. I believe the largest Century type loco ALCO made was the C855 which was powered by two 251C prime movers (5,500hp).
There was the C630 and C636 but I don't think any of those were built for Monon. They may have picked some up used. Possibly you're thinking of the C420. Monon had 18 of them.
Monon had some C628s that were going to be for coal service. That coal service never happened, and the 628s eventually ended up on Lehigh Valley, and Conrail. They were not healthy by that time, having been stored, and spent more time broken than running.
Monon got the C420s in a trade for the 628s.
The C855s were an experience everyone involved would rather have forgotten.
Yeah, I know. There were only three built. Two A's and one B. Their performance was very poor and they were retired early. All three were scrapped by February of '72.
Hi all, this has been one of the best Saturdays I've had in ages. I rode up with Karl to the South Mountain Division NMRA Mini-Con in Blue Ridge Summit, PA. Saw a few friends I hadn't seen in a long time; scored an excellent book, B&O Rails Across the Heartland, about the B&O's operations throughout Ohio; and attended some great clinics, including one one how to build your own turnouts using FastTrack jigs. [BTW Karl, you'll never guess what the mailman brought me today? ]
Anywhoo, that book will be a tremendous help to in learning about the architecture, terrain and other details of the era and region of the B&O I'm modeling. That alone would have made the trip worthwhile.
.
