How many of you keep your trains unmodified?

I generally do. If it's a basket case, it may get an electronic reverse unit and a can motor if needed. If the paint is poor, it may get a custom paint job. I only repainted one engine that had nothing wrong with it, and am happy with the result. But I do not usually look at a model and wonder what I can do with it. 95% of my stuff is original.

Several years ago when I returned to the hobby I had a lot of conventionnal, a few PS1, and a couple of older TMCC engines. Many were 'favorites'. Initially I intended to upgrade all of them to TMCC/ERR or PS2 and did so to a few. It soon dawned on me that it made better economoc sense in most cases to sell the older pieces outright and replace them with newer items that had the features and sound I prefered.

Along the way I began to be more drawn to the highly detailed scale engines and locomotives and especially Legacy steamers. 

Now my postwar and early modern era pieces are long gone for the most part...

 

 

And yes, I leave the newer items 'stock'.

It entirely depends on the circumstances. Mostly I leave things the way they came, but I don't hesitate to get in there and make changes if the spirit moves me. If I have a unit that I like except for obsolete electronics, I'll upgrade it. If I have a locomotive that's close to something I want that's not made (e.g. a Milwaukee Road USRA Mikado), I'll redecorate it.  Usually it's cheaper and easier to replace an obsolete unit with something newer, but if it's something i want to keep but they haven't made one with up to date electronics (e.g. an MTH Milwaukee Road H10-44 or DL-109), out come the tools. 

Unmodified trains? No way!

Thats as bad as driving a unmodified Jeep.  

While I do have several items that I modified, most of my collection is as delivered.  I feel the mods that I have done are improvements.

Speaking of improvements, in case you have not seen it elsewhere, my Legacy N&W J:

So far everything I have is still stock, and I like it that way.

 

Uuuuuhhhhhhh.....  I only modify my stuff slightly.

i keep my stuff stock.  only because i bought what i had wanted.  like my rock island northern from 1987 has the same sound unit in it as it came from lionel.  i know it is not as good sounding as a new one would be but i always wanted that engine so i got it when i could and kept it that way.  but on the other hand if i buy an engine that is a total basket case i would think about making mods to it.  never done it before but i may do it who knows never been in that position before.  

Everything I have up to the point is stock.  I do have some Lionel electro-coupler upgrade kits that I want install but haven't yet. 

 

I just purchased a Lionel Dreyfus and I'm going to have the smoke and chuff upgraded by Alex as soon as I get it.  So I guess that will be the first item I own with any mods.

 

I'm not against modding, just haven't done any yet. 

I do not modify my items, unless something breaks and it requires modification to get it operating again.

Well, in the past I did not modify expensive new train items, for fear of decreasing value;  now that planned obsolescence seems to be built in, I am a lot less reluctant,

for values seem to fall anyway.  Most mods so far have been confined to repainting and relettering of low cost engines.  I would prefer to just do that if I could find the desired models that didn't demand a major change.  If I could find a source for coal-fired Vanderbilt tenders, I would make that change to every relettered locomotive, not

adding them to good models of specific road prototypes that did not have them, of

course.  I think only K-Line offered tenders for separate sale, and they were generic.

My collection is PRR by Lionel, 1946 to the present.  The collection runs the gamut, conventional to Legacy/Vision and all the in between.  It's mostly as delivered/built.

 

I have, what I consider, upgraded.  The MPC GG1's have flat wheel pilots and newer leak proof motor trucks.  The MPC F3's have all metal magnetraction power trucks.  The 2028 calf has TMCC couplers and light control.  The, came in a set, command ready K4 Jr is now full TMCC and RS.  The electric box atop my 8551 EP-5 is now gold colored like the 2352.

 

Lately I added side window shades to the DD-35 and applied the correct Keystones to the right side of my 6531 U28C.

 

The only engine I really modified is the scale 0-6-0 8977 B6.  I added full TMCC/RS, electrocouplers.

 

There are a few other upgrades, both trim and mechanical, but nothing really serious.

So true!!  Love it!  I just do little stuff like add engineer figures If there aren't any.  I have added rooftop flashing LEDs to a Railking F40ph, but that's it.

I have no compunction about modifying stuff.  It's mine, and I can do what I like with it.  I've upgraded a bunch of stuff to command operation, added lighting, marker and tender lights, and even painted a couple.  I have lots of stuff that is factory stock, as long as I like the stock configuration, I don't feel the driving urge to hack it.

I leave my postwar and collector line MPC alone. As for LTI, anything with the first edition of Railsounds gets upgraded to TMCC and RS4. As for the newer stuff, I am contemplating updating some of the conventional classics, like the GG1, F3's and EP5 to TMCC and RS but dont know yet. All of my PWC items are TMCC with Railsounds. I will not REPAINT anything however....

 

I dont dare modify my trains! I leave them alone. I think theyre fine as-is. But thats just me.

Usually I leave things alone, I don't modify something unless it gives me a reason to do so. However I upgraded a Lionel AA set of diesels to a better horn unit then factory.

Another one I did was to replace the circuit boards in my Williams F-7 diesels with bridge rectifiers, now I have a nice set of powerful Williams diesels. This is an older set of Williams F-7's that have the Station Sounds from QSI in the B unit. They would not pull the Santa Fe set of six El Capitan passenger cars that I have, but now they will pull it.

The other thing I did recently was to add a QSI Station Sounds unit to a Williams GP-38.

 

Lee Fritz

Most of my Demonstrator models are OEM as they sit in the display case.

 

I have neither the expertise nor the interest in modifying my locos, so they remain "as is".  I do perform routine maintenance though. 

Tom B

Everything I own is "modified"! From up-graded to Kadee couplers to weathering.

Hey, they're just toys right!?!?!?!  Go ahead and hack them all you want.  I'm hacking a MTH Bulkhead flat right now to remove the bulkhead planks, making the bulkhead a skeleton framework like this Seaboard Air Line car:

 

 

Here's what the MTH car looked like:

 

As it turns out the skeleton framework is barely glued onto the plank bulkhead pieces.  A bit of work to get an Xacto blade under the edge and a little prying and the 3 pieces came apart.

Most of my stuff is as it was when I bought it. I have in the last 1-2 years had some cars repainted & renumbered but not much.

 

 

Joe B

CHUCK:

 

HOW DO YOU ADD LED FLASHERS TO LOCO'S

 

Just got some from Evans Design

thanks

Guys,

 

I may be one of the strange ones around here, but I never modify my trains! If I'm unsatisfied with the way it may be running I do one of 4 things:

!. I take it off the track

2. I take it back to the LHS I bought it at

3. it becomes a Shelf Queen

or 4. I stick it unused and unpowered on one of my side tracks

 

Makes life simple, I don't tinker with near perfection! Call me strange, but call me.

 

Mike Maurice

I like to preserve factory originality as a side effect of my family's classic Corvette restoration business. However, I'm no stranger to customization when I really want a unique item that isn't available otherwise. Examples include my Penn Central B60 baggage car that started out as an undecorated Weaver model, and late-life 5344 that started out as Lionel's 18056 Hudson:

 

Only things made in the USA.

i leave all my trains as they come from the factory.since i dont know to much about the electronics involved,if something goes wrong with mine i ship them out to a professional who knows what he/she is doing.

 

thop......

I take mine out of the box, put them on the track, and run them as is.  It has nothing to do with resale value (I've never bought a toy, whether it's $5 or $5k worrying about future value).   I run the crud out of my trains, repair as necessary, meaning replace worn traction tire, etc. 

 

I am not really a modeller, per se.    I'm still the kid who just likes to play with trains like I did on Christmas morning 45 years ago. 

 

That being said, I have added TMCC and new motors to my worn out and original PW diesels that my dad bought in the early 60's for our Holiday layouts.

 

I guess the biggest reason for keeping new trains as they come out of the big picture, I'm not really a train buff.  I'm a toy train buff.  I buy TMCC/Legacy and DCS stuff not because of scale fidelity, but because of the gadget factor.   I'm a techno-geek and my trains are very interactive toys for me.

I've upgraded and detailed some of my Williams locos and converted a MTH Shay from PS2 to TMCC.  All my PW Lionels are stock.  Also I don't believe in weathering.  I like to keep my trains clean, well maintained and new looking. 

I modify for only a specific purpose. I converted eight engines from PS1 to TMCC, and recently purchased a K-Line commuter passenger set with the intent up front to have it repainted to a one-of-a-kind replication of the most beautiful and colorful commuter rail service known to mankind.

Here's one I forgot.  I 'improved' my command controlled #44 Army missile engine.

 

Stretched the missile springs for greater distance

Added a green LED to the cab for a neat green glow effect

Programmed the engine so the red beacon flashes

Disconnected the engine electrocoupler and installed an electrocoupler on the rear of the sound car

Swapped out the engine's magnetraction truck for a Lionel replacement truck with both traction tires and magnetraction 

 

These mods made an already fun engine a bit more funner, and improved pulling.

I like a couple of those mods, never thought of putting an EC on the sound car, but it's a good idea.

Here is my list of mods that I routinely make :

 

1. I will be adding new LED headlights and marker lamps to all my Williams engines.

2. I am also adding new window glass and interiors to all my MTH aluminum passenger cars. (replacing window silhouttes)

3. I will also add new bells and LEDs to replace front markers on all my Williams NW-2s.

4. I will also swap trucks on various cars.  Sometimes replacing Bettendorf styles with rollerbearing types. Sometimes replacing rollerbearing types with Bettendorf types to backdate a model.

5. Reworking the lighting on cabooses with LEDs and constant intensity lighting circuits.

6. Adding directional LED lighting for headlights on diesels.