Buy anything cool lately?

@Apples55 posted:

Oooppps - I did it again   Just had to check out @MrMuffin'sTrains January monthly auction… managed to win a very nice pair of Atlas New Haven head end cars (unfortunately, the set of K-line NH passenger cars got a little rich for me). Now, in my own defense, these cars will fill two… count ‘em TWO of my needs - they will add to my mail train consist, AND will augment my MTH New Haven passenger cars, so these were a real bargain I couldn’t pass up!!! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Thanks Steve.

This reminds me of something else that arrived from the New York office a few months back:

Lights, smoke and whistle all work fine.  If you're interested, Paul, drop me a note.   

Mitch

Ordered this K-Line extruded aluminum 15" RPO/Baggage car from Trainz last week and it arrived today. It didn't come with an original box, but after inspection this car has never seen the rails.

Although it is Empire State Express and named Alonzo B. Cornell, it will be converted to California Zephyr and named Silver Coyote. Also, I'll replace the original incandescent lighting with LED's. In a few days I'll post how I do all that in another thread. It will be a great addition to my Western Pacific CZ consist.

Note: In reality, CZ never had an RPO but it's my railroad, so what the heck! Happy Friday everyone!

Don't care if the CZ had a RPO it looks Great. can't wait till the next installment.

My friend at work had to divest himself of his trains, so I bought his Lionel 6-30195 Grand Central Express set with a conventional FT and 3 streamlined cars. This is my first Railsounds-equipped conventional train. The passenger car bodies look longer than the obviously very short LionChief Super Chief set I have, even though they and the loco look like the same tooling. I had to measure them to confirm they're the same. The horizontal white stripes must make them appear longer to my eyes. The set includes a CW-80 which is good because I didn't have a transformer or sound switch where I could activate the whistle, bell, and crew talk like this FT has. Beautiful set and I've wanted to add New York Central to my roster.

As part of the bundle, I also got a Lionel 4-4-2 #8644 and Chesapeake & Ohio tender. According to what I've found online it seems like the #8644 engine was often paired with a Santa Fe whistle tender also numbered #8644, so I don't know if somebody swapped that for the non-whistle tender I got, or it was sold this way. This is perfect for me because I've wanted a C&O train for my roster, and I've developed an interest in getting one of these little Atlantic engines. The headlight and smoke unit don't work, but I'm going to open it up and see if maybe a wire is loose for both of them. This engine is a beautiful runner even without the light, smoke and sound. Came with a SP-type "Lionel" lettered caboose that I might attempt to re-letter for C&O.

Also in the box was a 1955 Lionel #60 bump-and-go Trolley, with a shell broken on both ends and a missing trolley pole. I started to glue together the broken pieces of the shell and employed a short zip tie as a makeshift trolley pole. This is one of those things that I never thought I'd want, but now that I have it, I enjoy running it, as loud and grindy-sounding as it is, even after lubing it as best I could. Sometimes I run it on a loop of O-27 track I got from my friend, and tubular track is another thing I thought I've never get and now like.

I'm a sucker for a sale. Whether the item(s) needed or not; if it's one of my favorite consumer products and it's a really good sale, I'm buying.

The Lionel 6-19121 is the Union Pacific vista dome car from the '90s with silhouette window strips. They're the only smooth-sided offset dome cars Lionel has made in 15" length, so they make excellent donor cars for repaint projects.

Picked up one cheap on eBay without trucks or couplers. The seller lives nearby and had THREE more, so they came home as well.

Interesting factoid about this otherwise excellent car for its era: they are plagued with a paint defect that shows as thin, spider-web cracks in the yellow paint. All four have the cracks.

Something Cool: A YouTube Ball Cap.

“Watch Train Room Gary On! • YouTube”

Hope to see you out rail-fanning. Gary 🚂

Just arrived this week MTH C&O flat with 48' AMC trailer # 20-95644.  This was a got to have item for me as my first car was my dad's 63 Rambler wagon when he purchased a 70 AMC Ambassador wagon. I eventually bought a 71 AMC Javelin.

At the Amherst railroad show last weekend, I purchased this New Haven tank car. I am not sure if the New Haven even had their own tank cars but it was nifty model. Perhaps the New Haven Professor Mr. Garelick could weigh in and let me know. I got it from an old Weaver dealer who was from Manchester Connecticut.

@Bill Park posted:

At the Amherst railroad show last weekend, I purchased this New Haven tank car. I am not sure if the New Haven even had their own tank cars but it was nifty model. Perhaps the New Haven Professor Mr. Garelick could weigh in and let me know. I got it from an old Weaver dealer who was from Manchester Connecticut.

Found this old chat board Bill. Mentions the same car from Weaver.

I'd say the answer to your question is yes. Funny you asked the question because I was thinking about getting a couple of the new Menards NH tanks. I wasn't sure if the orange/ white NH scheme was done on them.

Yes- Mel would have the detailed answer. I'm only as smart a Google let's me be.......

Enjoy the new car.

Hi Bob, I really could not pass up the car and since I have few tank cars. It was going home with me. As a young boy watching New Haven freights roll through Meriden, Connecticut, the tank cars were all single dome and painted drab black. So this guy was a perfect match for what I had seen on so many freights. The New Haven Professor will have the answer on its authenticity.

@Henryjint posted:

Just arrived this week MTH C&O flat with 48' AMC trailer # 20-95644.  This was a got to have item for me as my first car was my dad's 63 Rambler wagon.

He then purchased a 70 AMC Ambassador wagon, and I eventually bought a 71 AMC Javelin.

@Henryjint The image didn't show up, unless it's just a problem with my phone.

The AMC Javelin was a nice car. A friend I haven't seen in many years was storing his beautiful old Javelin in the garage until his son was old enough to drive.

John

@John's Trains posted:

@Henryjint The image didn't show up, unless it's just a problem with my phone.

The AMC Javelin was a nice car. A friend I haven't seen in many years was storing his beautiful old Javelin in the garage until his son was old enough to drive.

John

Hopefully I corrected the photo.

@Henryjint posted:

Hopefully I corrected the photo.

Yes, your photo looks good.

Yesterday, I went to the monthly DuPage show.  One vendor that I really like is Merlyn from Caboose Stop Hobbies.  He is always pleasant and has some nicer newer items that he brings from Cedar Falls Iowa.  I bought 2 Atlas 40' rebuilt well cars and 4 40 foot trailers.  I didn't see a lot of other items that caught my eye.  Overall nice day!!

John

@WesternPacific2217 posted:

Ordered this K-Line extruded aluminum 15" RPO/Baggage car from Trainz last week and it arrived today. It didn't come with an original box, but after inspection this car has never seen the rails.

Although it is Empire State Express and named Alonzo B. Cornell, it will be converted to California Zephyr and named Silver Coyote. Also, I'll replace the original incandescent lighting with LED's. In a few days I'll post how I do all that in another thread. It will be a great addition to my Western Pacific CZ consist.

Note: In reality, CZ never had an RPO but it's my railroad, so what the heck! Happy Friday everyone!

Update on this purchase. Funny, I only shot a photo of the side in the original post above, and then after I posted I turned the car around and found a missing part. I checked the packaging completely for the part, but nada. This particular model has plastic skirts at each end that are spring loaded so they can fold outward. I am assuming this was done to allow a tighter turn then O36". On all of my other CZ 15" cars there is no movable skirt, it's part of the extrusion. In any case, I contacted and informed Trainz with photos, and they replied immediately! Trainz is looking for a replacement part and I've got my fingers crossed because this car is cool! Trainz is great, they'll figure out something. I'll let ya know what happens.

Here's some photos that should help in understanding the issue.

@jbmccormick posted:

Yesterday, I went to the monthly DuPage show.  One vendor that I really like is Merlyn from Caboose Stop Hobbies.  He is always pleasant and has some nicer newer items that he brings from Cedar Falls Iowa.  I bought 2 Atlas 40' rebuilt well cars and 4 40 foot trailers.  I didn't see a lot of other items that caught my eye.  Overall nice day!!

John

Wish we had a monthly show, any gauge

Scott, I believe Trainz obtained Brasseur's stock of K-line parts which the company inventory when K-line went out of business so Trainz is probably the best bet for finding that part.  Those spring loaded skirts were a great innovation for smaller operators.  It's a shame no other importer followed suit.

Don't post in this thread very often, but so excited about the purchase that arrived today, just had to.  I was able to buy 2 (yes 2 from the same seller on that auction site) coaches for my K-Line 18" El Capitan Consist of Std Height cars.  This set has been my holy grail.  I was able to purchase the base 4 car set (K-4630T) from an OGR member a few months back.  It is not the rarest, or most valuable K-Line aluminum set, but it checks all the boxes for me.  I prefer 18" cars, I like the shiny finish, and this is as shiny as they get.  Don't get me wrong the ESE and CZ sets are wonderful, but these ATSF cars have the smooth (mirror finish) roof and skirting to mimic PS cars instead of Budd cars.

MaineLine Steam,

I had that set before as well.  It was a favorite set of mine.  I even had the business car that they had as well.  You will enjoy them!!!

John

@WesternPacific2217 posted:

Update on this purchase. Funny, I only shot a photo of the side in the original post above, and then after I posted I turned the car around and found a missing part. I checked the packaging completely for the part, but nada. This particular model has plastic skirts at each end that are spring loaded so they can fold outward. I am assuming this was done to allow a tighter turn then O36". On all of my other CZ 15" cars there is no movable skirt, it's part of the extrusion. In any case, I contacted and informed Trainz with photos, and they replied immediately! Trainz is looking for a replacement part and I've got my fingers crossed because this car is cool! Trainz is great, they'll figure out something. I'll let ya know what happens.

Here's some photos that should help in understanding the issue.

The car you have with the spring loaded skirts was the last run of K-Line 15" ESE cars.  The earlier cars, as you mentioned, did not have them.  One thing to note is these later 15" ESE cars included some car names which were not available previously.  Also some of these cars like the one you show, have gray doors instead of shiny ones.

Maybe you are aware of this but K-Line actually did make a 15" CZ baggage car.  The one I found is Silver Bear.  They are hard to find and so comand a high price for a 15" car.

Please let me know if Trainz has these replacement parts.  I also need a few.  Thank you.

Got this handy little tool on the advice of another forum member..

https://www.micromark.com/Micro-Mark-UncoupleLITE_2

@MainLine Steam posted:

Don't post in this thread very often, but so excited about the purchase that arrived today, just had to.  I was able to buy 2 (yes 2 from the same seller on that auction site) coaches for my K-Line 18" El Capitan Consist of Std Height cars.  This set has been my holy grail.  I was able to purchase the base 4 car set (K-4630T) from an OGR member a few months back.  It is not the rarest, or most valuable K-Line aluminum set, but it checks all the boxes for me.  I prefer 18" cars, I like the shiny finish, and this is as shiny as they get.  Don't get me wrong the ESE and CZ sets are wonderful, but these ATSF cars have the smooth (mirror finish) roof and skirting to mimic PS cars instead of Budd cars.

Jim, Oh oh, you got the extruded aluminum K-Line bug!!! LoL They are beautiful, and nothing wrong with ATSF, I have my fair share, too. Bummer that K-Line made some bad business decisions and got swallowed by Lionel.

@MainLine Steam posted:

The car you have with the spring loaded skirts was the last run of K-Line 15" ESE cars.  The earlier cars, as you mentioned, did not have them.  One thing to note is these later 15" ESE cars included some car names which were not available previously.  Also some of these cars like the one you show, have gray doors instead of shiny ones.

Maybe you are aware of this but K-Line actually did make a 15" CZ baggage car.  The one I found is Silver Bear.  They are hard to find and so comand a high price for a 15" car.

Please let me know if Trainz has these replacement parts.  I also need a few.  Thank you.

HI Jim, Trainz does not have any of the skirt replacement parts. I want to keep the K-Line RPO/Baggage car so I will find a solution and let you know what I find.

Okay, somebody stop me! LoL I purchased and received another locomotive. Lionel Legacy Western Pacific #3002 GP35 from the 2014 catalog. Slightly used, but runs and looks great. I wanted another small locomotive for switching around the layout, and still capable of mainline.

Here's some photos and a video.

This might be the biggest loco I own now.... It is a Scale Craft Kit built 4-8-4 produced right around 1950 with an unknown quantity sold and then later marketed by CLW also in the 50's. Think I've seen adds at late as 1961.

This one needs a lot of work but seems mostly complete.  Wheels are free but have a few pinch spots int eh side rods I can clean up.  It is sprung with shim springs.  It's about 28 inches long and will weigh a ton once all back together and running.  This beast is already making my new track loops inadequate!

@WesternPacific2217 posted:

Jim, Oh oh, you got the extruded aluminum K-Line bug!!! LoL They are beautiful, and nothing wrong with ATSF, I have my fair share, too. Bummer that K-Line made some bad business decisions and got swallowed by Lionel.

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.  I DO BIG TIME.

Here are 2 pictures of the corner shelf in my Living Room (never would have gotten away with this when I was married).  Note the earlier manufactured ESE RPO and the CZ Baggage.  And yes the Skytop Lounge was never hauled by SP, but they are my favorite EMD F-unit paint scheme and my favorite Observation Car.

BTW I am also a car guy.  If you wondering why I would have a diecast Corvair, my first car was the coupe version, the same color as the convertible.

@Dennis Holler posted:

This might be the biggest loco I own now.... It is a Scale Craft Kit built 4-8-4 produced right around 1950 with an unknown quantity sold and then later marketed by CLW also in the 50's. Think I've seen adds at late as 1961.

This one needs a lot of work but seems mostly complete.  Wheels are free but have a few pinch spots int eh side rods I can clean up.  It is sprung with shim springs.  It's about 28 inches long and will weigh a ton once all back together and running.  This beast is already making my new track loops inadequate!

In its current condition it reminds my of what a lot of the Northerns sitting in "Midwestern Town Parks" looked like by the late 70's.  Including the rod just hanging there. It was kinda heartbreaking if you were a railfan.

I also refuse to outgrow toy trains. and dogs.  but what is keeping you from restoring it  I'm sorry to pick on you but that beauty needs some love.

@Guttersnipe posted:

I also refuse to outgrow toy trains. and dogs.  but what is keeping you from restoring it  I'm sorry to pick on you but that beauty needs some love.

I just received it, I can’t post a picture of something cool I just got until itis restored or fixed completely? I do have a habit of picking them up quicker than I work on them you know!!! Plus pretty much no one else posts any old scale stuff like this either lol. Funny thing is this one is more complete and in better condition than a lot of old ones I pick up!! If I can focus on it at some point it will get some love.

Sometime it do get overwhelming

The first time I saw one of these MTH RK fire cars in a LHS I thought it was cool but I the price kept it on the shelf.  The appearance of some K-Line FDNY fire cars on ebay renewed interest in this type of car but talk about prohibitive prices.  The FDNY cars were going for near a hundred dollars. i intended to turn my old Lionel Track Maintenance Car into a fire fighting car.  I was going to switch out the workman on the upper level with one of those fire fighting seats with nozzle and use Pat's spring "water hose" to connect it to a water tanker and run them together.  Well I found this one on the Bay for $25 and won the auction.  The price tag on it is $49.99 not so high, I don't remember the livery of the first one I saw in that hobby shop but maybe the livery was carrying a premium thus putting it in th$70 range that I thought was too high.

I don't run much Pennsy but the yellow car could definitely work on my Alaska Railroad or even a general MOW fire car. Now I just have to figure out how to strip the lettering and logos without harming the paint.

Oops, Stockyard Express happened again.  you know how it is, go for one thing (the PUP trailers), check to see if they have a second (the Toys R Us trailer), and then somehow find a third thing.

I went into my storage a realized i had more than one ZW

I bought this Marshall Fields car. It's another custom run from Berwyn's Hobby. The Fields store on State Street is a national landmark. Marshall Field and his one time partner John Shedd have left a legacy in the city of Chicago by sponsoring the creation of the Art Institute, Field Museum of Natural History, and John G Shedd Aquarium.

I used to buy my Mom Christmas and birthday presents from Fields. So a lot of memories for me associated with the brand.

Finally got a Dreyfus.  Williams Crown Edition.  This is my first "brass" model.  Looks great, but getting it to run was a little work.  See part 2 of checking out a new engine.

That do seem to be aproblem with brass

@coach joe posted:

The first time I saw one of these MTH RK fire cars in a LHS I thought it was cool but I the price kept it on the shelf.  The appearance of some K-Line FDNY fire cars on ebay renewed interest in this type of car but talk about prohibitive prices.  The FDNY cars were going for near a hundred dollars. i intended to turn my old Lionel Track Maintenance Car into a fire fighting car.  I was going to switch out the workman on the upper level with one of those fire fighting seats with nozzle and use Pat's spring "water hose" to connect it to a water tanker and run them together.  Well I found this one on the Bay for $25 and won the auction.  The price tag on it is $49.99 not so high, I don't remember the livery of the first one I saw in that hobby shop but maybe the livery was carrying a premium thus putting it in th$70 range that I thought was too high.

I don't run much Pennsy but the yellow car could definitely work on my Alaska Railroad or even a general MOW fire car. Now I just have to figure out how to strip the lettering and logos without harming the paint.

I looked back. In 4/23 I paid $65 for the PRR FIRE CAR. I couldn’t find my purchase of the NYFD one.

I upgraded my Unique Art collection and added several new pieces; including Ernie the baggage handler.

@pennsyfan posted:

I upgraded my Unique Art collection and added several new pieces; including Ernie the baggage handler.

That is a amazing collection Bob !

Nice Job !

@pennsyfan posted:

I upgraded my Unique Art collection and added several new pieces; including Ernie the baggage handler.

WOW! Impressive collection Bob.