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

[Iron Horseman]

Since the original Caboose Hobbies went out of business, there really isn't a good LHS (IMHO) in the metro-Denver area. The people that bought the Caboose name never carried as much. Then, the pandemic hit and that was the end of Caboose. Now, there's one way up North off of Wadsworth, and another off of Havana, which doesn't handle model railroading exclusively. Detailing parts are minimal in both places. Sad.

Yeah, there was more to the end of Caboose other than the pandemic, but thats a whole other sad story.

The two Hobby Town USA stores have never been wonderful for trains. There is still Rocky Mountain Train supply in Arvada ( 6060A W 55th Ave), and also the model railroad second hand store "YMR Little Train Shoppe" in Westminster (3975 W 73rd Ave).

 

[Alcomotive]

So these 2 cars came in so far....I am waiting for 2 more cars. 1 more Hubert's gondola same as this one but different road number. Crazy thing is I bought both cars from same ebay vendor Trainz and they shipped them in different boxes and didin't do combined shipping which pisses me off. They have done this to me a few times before. I think I am done buying from them now...it irks me too much. So the other car that is coming is a high cube 50' FMC SSW. The Hubert's car is pretty good no serious wow factor but acceptable for me. I won't buy any more though. I just had to find out for myself lol. The Atlas box car that I got I like the patch work now some weathering on it and it will be great!

 

[Alcomotive]

The other 2 cars came in today...

 

[TLOC]

The other 2 cars came in today...

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They all look good James

 

[rgeiter]

Picked these guys up earlier this week. Forgot to show you guys. Picked up two Rapido X72A boxcars. My first Rapido freight cars. Love them!

Then I discovered that Tangent released these beautiful G41A coil steel car. These are amazing. Saw a lot of these in the 90’s. Even saw a few still in PRR livery with Conrail reporting marks. ( I have two more coming in the mail next week.)

I never,ever thought I’d be paying over 40 or 50 dollars for a single freight car. I must be frickin’ nuts! But they are sweet!

 

[rgeiter]

The other 2 cars came in today...

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I really like the Hubert’s UP gon!!

 

[Smudge617]

The other 2 cars came in today...

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You mentioned earlier about the Hubert's car, what's your opinion of them now you have one?

 

[BigGRacing]

Picked these guys up earlier this week.

The cars and layout background look awesome! Do the doors on the cars slide open? It looks like they do but I know many don’t nowadays?

 

[rgeiter]

Thank you sir!
That’s a good question. I’ll have to check when I get home for work this afternoon.

 

[Smudge617]

So one of the two Christmas presents to my self was an Atlas C30-7, which arrived this morning, now the picture I posted was, it seems, a generic photo, I also mis posted it when I said it was DC should have been DCC.
What I also failed to mention was that this was a non-runner.

Note on the box it gives the decoder No. and on the right hand side that this is a non-runner, spares or repair. (Ignore the price tag, I got it for well under £40 inc p+p)

Now why would I have the decoder number if it's a non runner, the decoder number is useless if it's a non runner, and if that were the problem I'd have to swap out the decoder or at least reset it.

Sure enough 8072 on my command station elicits no response from the Loco, so I tried default, 3, it ran like a charm with no problems whatsoever.

Also took a trip out some 30 miles to pick up some trucks I need for the grey MOW I bought, quicker than getting it posted, most of the stuff I'm expecting from 2 weeks ago, still hasn't arrived, so has little chance of being here by Christmas, due to the high volume we all experience with the postal system this time of year, and our postal guys keep having strike days.

 

[TLOC]

So one of the two Christmas presents to my self was an Atlas C30-7, which arrived this morning, now the picture I posted was, it seems, a generic photo, I also mis posted it when I said it was DC should have been DCC.
What I also failed to mention was that this was a non-runner.

View attachment 158049

Note on the box it gives the decoder No. and on the right hand side that this is a non-runner, spares or repair. (Ignore the price tag, I got it for well under £40 inc p+p)

View attachment 158050

Now why would I have the decoder number if it's a non runner, the decoder number is useless if it's a non runner, and if that were the problem I'd have to swap out the decoder or at least reset it.

Sure enough 8072 on my command station elicits no response from the Loco, so I tried default, 3, it ran like a charm with no problems whatsoever.

Also took a trip out some 30 miles to pick up some trucks I need for the grey MOW I bought, quicker than getting it posted, most of the stuff I'm expecting from 2 weeks ago, still hasn't arrived, so has little chance of being here by Christmas, due to the high volume we all experience with the postal system this time of year, and our postal guys keep having strike days.

View attachment 158053

A great deal for you Chris, congrats

 

[Smudge617]

A great deal for you Chris, congrats

Thanks, I think I did well with this one too, I quite like buying non-runners, usually it's nothing major, an electrical problem or cracked gears, most are easy to fix, but over here, owners can't be bothered to even try, they just sell them on, which is good news for me. I think I've bought 20-25 non runners, only scrapped 3 that I couldn't fix.

 

[Alcomotive]

You mentioned earlier about the Hubert's car, what's your opinion of them now you have one?

I will post some more pictures of them on my JR's UPRR thread later this evening if I can get around to it after the game tonight. I think the paint and lettering is nice. It is weighted as well. I do not put it in the same class as Scale Trains or Tangent models.

I would have to say that I do not like the ladders and stirup steps as they remind me of the Blue Box Athearns or Roundhouse cars. Other than that that is all the negative things I can say really the side wall and ribs are ok and acceptable. I personally will not buy any more of these. As these are the only ones I own and will keep.

 

[ctclibby]

FedX brought these 2 last night. RS-3's with custom paint. Hand rails are need of fix'n and they are tiny and frail. #574, #578. Did not pop them open so I am assuming - straight DC.

More fun stuff!

Later

 

[ctclibby]

And USPS from TLOC - all look to be in great shape. Tom - where is that stack of $100's that was to be included

Later

 

[Alcomotive]

As mentioned in the coffee shop I got a few things off Amazon. Well some of the order came in yesterday.

1/64 Tape Multi 5 Pack whiteboard Thin Panel line Tape Artist Tape Hobby Crafts Tape​

Amazon.com

These will be used for creating tie down straps for loads and such. I learned from other modelers that this techniuqe works quite well. I will give it a shot! I got 3 rolls of black and 2 rolls of blue, yellow, white and red. I left a link if any one is interested.


I also go the meter as I tried using my phone but it is in my Otter box etc so I went ahead and got this.

Decibel Meter Sound Level Reader 30-130dB(A), Hand-held Sound Noise Meter with Backlight Alarm, Digital Noise Meter Decibel Monitoring Tester Calibrated Audio Noise Volume Measuring Instrument​

Of course it's made in China....you think they will be listening?


Lastly, this also came in for my new track I am laying down. This will help a lot. I have watched and read a lot of material about track maintenance well I am going to give this a go.

NO-OX-ID A-Special- Electrical Contact Grease- Keeps Metals Free of Rust and Corrosion- Part# 10203​

Amazon.com

I have a few other things coming from Amazon like my metal peg board system for my work bench area. So I will post later when that comes in.

 

[rgeiter]

So one of the two Christmas presents to my self was an Atlas C30-7, which arrived this morning, now the picture I posted was, it seems, a generic photo, I also mis posted it when I said it was DC should have been DCC.
What I also failed to mention was that this was a non-runner.

View attachment 158049

Note on the box it gives the decoder No. and on the right hand side that this is a non-runner, spares or repair. (Ignore the price tag, I got it for well under £40 inc p+p)

View attachment 158050

Now why would I have the decoder number if it's a non runner, the decoder number is useless if it's a non runner, and if that were the problem I'd have to swap out the decoder or at least reset it.

Sure enough 8072 on my command station elicits no response from the Loco, so I tried default, 3, it ran like a charm with no problems whatsoever.

Also took a trip out some 30 miles to pick up some trucks I need for the grey MOW I bought, quicker than getting it posted, most of the stuff I'm expecting from 2 weeks ago, still hasn't arrived, so has little chance of being here by Christmas, due to the high volume we all experience with the postal system this time of year, and our postal guys keep having strike days.

View attachment 158053

Those Atlas C30’s run great. I have three.

 

[TLOC]

And USPS from TLOC - all look to be in great shape. Tom - where is that stack of $100's that was to be included

View attachment 158113

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Later

That’s on the next order HO sized 100 dollar bills…

 

[TLOC]

Had to go spend some of Todd’s new retirement money. I decided to get out of the house for my final trip to the LHS b4 the blizzard tonight.

BNSF boxcar from Athearn. I am not a Athearn freight car fan be it RTR, primed for grime or Genesis. But, while in there and it was packed, the owner was telling a guy he can’t take in anymore consignments or estates. The guy’s comment was he needed to pay his car and rent this month. The owner looked at me and 2 other guys and asked if we would help this guy. Out to his car 4 of us go. I purchased 20 of these at a really good price but between the other 2 guys and me he almost made he says the rent and car payment. The owner of the store brought the rest that we didn’t. He is known in the store so they aren’t stolen…

I may keep some, weather and sell the rest. They look nice but at $40.00 retail no frickin’ way.

Got home and a few packages were there. I unboxed 3 tank cars from Walthers Mainline. Very nice cars and fit my 2015 scheme easily. My 2 slurry and 2 acid tank cars are still out roaming the UPS system. I got a text from the person I ordered from apologizing but he put the wrong address on the box. I forgot I purchased them with all that’s been going on around here.

2 hours after posting I have sold 18 of the 20 Athearn box cars purchased. I am keeping 2. Good enough

 

[Smudge617]

Those Atlas C30’s run great. I have three.

Battling a little with this one, runs fine except on one curve where it derails every time, not sure if my track has moved (unlikely as it's screwed down) or the B2B on the loco.