Re: It's Official: No More Flyer

On Tue, Jan 28, 2025 at 11:57 AM, Bill Roberts wrote:

but when Lionel acquired Flyer I figured its goal was simply to remove a competitor from the marketplace.

That's pretty much the case as I've understood it, which is a reason why Lionel would probably not sell the Flyer tooling.

?

Rich G(ajnak)

Re: It's Official: No More Flyer

#175582

开云体育

American Flyer dealers probably have models to sell. My source has been Nicolas Smith Trains. Today its web site shows U36C and ES44AC??that are currently available and that are close to scale. I do not know if Lionel sells scale wheels. Repainting would be another hurdle. ?

Elsewhere on the site buyers can find B&O and PC??that operate on scale layouts after replacing the wheelsets.

Overtime, however, items that can easily be converted to operate on scale layouts will disappear from the market.?

Opinion: Scale modelers are lucky to have had some useable new products, but when Lionel acquired Flyer I figured its goal was simply to remove a competitor from the marketplace.

--?
Bill Roberts

Re: Unique Southern Pacific AC-5 Cab Forward 4-8-8-2 for sale

#175581

David...

It looks more like a later AC to me but?I'd need?to see more to be certain of the model type.? Does it have a square tender or Vanderbilt?? Class AC-5 & 6 had the Vandys.? Class AC 7's and later had square tenders.? Did the?model come to you with the number 4137?? Only 4 AC-6's were known to have received the "modern" cab, but #4137 was not one?of them.

There's no?doubt that Jesse had not totally finished the locomotive, but he did not install?the window glazing or number boards in Lee's loco either.? The paint job looks to be Jesse's, however. Not his forte.? Just a rough coat of Floquil black.

Bob

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On Tue, Jan 28, 2025 at 11:04?AM David Dewey via <djdewey=[email protected]> wrote:

I believe this is an AC-6 that Jesse built, but looking at your pictures, I suspect it was never really finished as the number boards are empty. I picked this up at a train show in the Sacramento CA area and the seller knew nothing about it except that it was(is) scale. It has the typical tender drive and has had a somewhat rough life as some details are missing or damaged.? Still it was way too cheap, and it was afternoon when I bought it--in spite of the seller having a table right at the show's entrance!! I will admit I didn't see it at first until he pointed it out to me, so maybe it was all about presentation!

S'

David Dewey

Re: Unique Southern Pacific AC-5 Cab Forward 4-8-8-2 for sale

#175580

开云体育

I believe this is an AC-6 that Jesse built, but looking at your pictures, I suspect it was never really finished as the number boards are empty. I picked this up at a train show in the Sacramento CA area and the seller knew nothing about it except that it was(is) scale. It has the typical tender drive and has had a somewhat rough life as some details are missing or damaged.? Still it was way too cheap, and it was afternoon when I bought it--in spite of the seller having a table right at the show's entrance!! I will admit I didn't see it at first until he pointed it out to me, so maybe it was all about presentation!

S'

David Dewey

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Stokrocki and Lane in February RMC

#175579

Congratulations to Stan Stokrocki and Bill Lane who teamed up to provide the wonderful photo of a pair of Conrail diesels for the NASG ad in the February RMC.? Stan did the modeling and Bill took the photo which looks great opposite Scale Trains full-page ad.? This is the 34th ad in the series that started way back in May of 2022!? Starting with next month's issue, the 34 images will run again...all the way through December 2027...a total of 5 years and 8 months.? If you have an image of your modeling you'd like to see in RMC, get in touch with either me or Brian Jackson and we can work it in!? And thanks to all who have participated in this unique campaign that will have put an S layout photo in every RMC for almost 6 straight years.

?

For those who don't read RMC, the photo will appear in the home page rotation on the NASG website shortly, as all the images do.

Brooks Stover

Re: Amity Star Southern Railway "Big John" 100 ton Covered Hopper

#175578

开云体育

Someone, aka one of my esteemed customers, bought one from me (Jamie?/ Bob?).? Billy Click owned one or more of "everything" that I've sold.? I do remember the Amity Star kit being announced a long time ago.? So both the prototype and kit, couldn't be that modern!?

As most of you know or now realize, I have a somewhat multi split modeling personality.? The layout is basically steam/1 gen diesel which I'm very happy with, but I reach into the SD60 range with cars that match (play the theme from Star Treck here where we explore the world beyond--more power Scottty!).? Those I generally reserved for our modules--the other guys do the 50's while I do the 70's+.? Those items rest on a shelves on display.? Unfortunately, I've sold off some of that stuff as I'm finding it difficult to actually get it all packed, unpacked and then do it all over again several times per year--the fun seems to be slowly draining.?

Bob Werre

PhotoTraxx

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Bob,
I have one in a partially completed state. Too modern for me too. That's probably why it is languishing.

Jamie Bothwell

Bethlehem, PA

On Tue, Jan 28, 2025 at 8:03?AM adguytrains via <bob.hogan=[email protected]> wrote:

I acquired this interesting Amity Star kit some time ago.? While the car is too modern for my layout, it provided an interesting kit to build.? I upgraded it using milled "T" stock and styrene brake details.? The prototype was a 58' long, 4 bay, 100 ton car built in 1965 for the Southern and upgraded with dual walkways in 1966.? Equipped with nicely etched walkways and ACE roller bearing trucks, it makes into a very nice model and is listed on eBay should it fit someone else's time frame.? I've not seen another of these nice kits built, but there must be others out there.

Bob Hogan

Re: Amity Star Southern Railway "Big John" 100 ton Covered Hopper

#175577

Bob,

I have one in a partially completed state. Too modern for me too. That's probably why it is languishing.

Jamie Bothwell

Bethlehem, PA

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On Tue, Jan 28, 2025 at 8:03?AM adguytrains via <bob.hogan=[email protected]> wrote:

I acquired this interesting Amity Star kit some time ago.? While the car is too modern for my layout, it provided an interesting kit to build.? I upgraded it using milled "T" stock and styrene brake details.? The prototype was a 58' long, 4 bay, 100 ton car built in 1965 for the Southern and upgraded with dual walkways in 1966.? Equipped with nicely etched walkways and ACE roller bearing trucks, it makes into a very nice model and is listed on eBay should it fit someone else's time frame.? I've not seen another of these nice kits built, but there must be others out there.

Bob Hogan

Re: It's Official: No More Flyer

#175576

On Mon, Jan 27, 2025 at 10:49 PM, John Hutnick wrote:

Apparently very few here(or enough of anyone else) bought Lionel AF.? Mostly I have seen complaints in this group that it is toylike, flanges too big, etc., and now it is gone.? So we hope that somehow some other entity buys the Lionel AF tooling, to once again make a product that is no good and we will not buy?

Not everything Lionel/Flyer made was toylike.? Pacific's, Mikado's, Challengers, Y3's, U33/36C's, SD70's and ES44's come to mind.? While some aren't easily converted to scale wheels, they are far from toylike.? Also, after some figured out how to deal with the cylindrical hoppers, they seemed to be accepted.

?

AM, SHS/MTH/ScaleTrains all offer or offered stuff with big flanges and couplers.? That's where the money to survive is.? If the HiRail/Flyer folks stopped buying from AM and now the latest rebirth of SHS products, they too would go over the horizon.? Us snooty scale boys would not be able to keep AM alive or ST interested in producing S.?

?

Besides, isn't there a well known modeler and prolific RMC author on this very forum who uses big rail and flanges???? Hmmm...

?

Granted, by continually rehashing traditional Gilbert patterned products (I seriously doubt any original Gilbert tooling is usable after all these years) it was Lionel's market to lose... and they did.? Apparently, even the Flyer Faithful got tired of rehash.

?

Rich G(ajnak)

Unique Southern Pacific AC-5 Cab Forward 4-8-8-2 for sale

#175575

Due to my downsized layout I'm considering selling one of my prized locomotives.? This is a Jesse Bennett built brass Southern Pacific AC-5 Cab Forward. It is one of only two in S scale.? Jesse built one for himself and this one for Lee Johnson.? I upgraded it several years ago with the correct and higher quality River Raisin brass castings.? It runs very well (typical of Jesse's work) and is tender drive using a large Pittman motor.? It operates around the minimum 28" radius curves on my layout just fine.? If interested, please contact me directly at bob.hogan@....

Many thanks.,

Bob Hogan

Amity Star Southern Railway "Big John" 100 ton Covered Hopper

#175574

I acquired this interesting Amity Star kit some time ago.? While the car is too modern for my layout, it provided an interesting kit to build.? I upgraded it using milled "T" stock and styrene brake details.? The prototype was a 58' long, 4 bay, 100 ton car built in 1965 for the Southern and upgraded with dual walkways in 1966.? Equipped with nicely etched walkways and ACE roller bearing trucks, it makes into a very nice model and is listed on eBay should it fit someone else's time frame.? I've not seen another of these nice kits built, but there must be others out there.

Bob Hogan

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Brook' latest RMC article

#175573

Brooks...

?

Another terrific job with the BC&G operating article in the latest RMC.? Also, some pretty terrific photography!

?

Bob Hogan

Re: It's Official: No More Flyer

#175572

Apparently very few here(or enough of anyone else) bought Lionel AF.? Mostly I have seen complaints in this group that it is toylike, flanges too big, etc., and now it is gone.? So we hope that somehow some other entity buys the Lionel AF tooling, to once again make a product that is no good and we will not buy?

Re: Scale Trains has reefers on preorder

#175571

Other decals for the wood reefer in the post steam era?

?

--

Ted Larson
trainweb.org/mhrr/??????? --------??????? NASG.org??????? --------???????
GN in 1965

Re: Scale Trains has reefers on preorder

#175570

1955 photo of WRX 9091 is shown with paint scheme matching that for sale.?

There is also a 1963 photo of 9032 in a simpler paint scheme.??

?

and there are also photos of white/gray cars; 1968, 1970 with even simpler paint scheme.??

--

Ted Larson
trainweb.org/mhrr/??????? --------??????? NASG.org??????? --------???????
GN in 1965

Re: S scale switching layout plan

#175569

Some topics that I think make a huge difference in what you do are:

- Big city vs small town,?

- What part of the country :?

- What types of industries you like

?

for example: Switching at a small town in the center of the country is sidings parallel to the mainline tracks : in the city sidings may be parallel or run off at an angle :? modelers in the NE seem to like sidings in small towns to run off at angles to the mainline?

?

--

Ted Larson
trainweb.org/mhrr/??????? --------??????? NASG.org??????? --------???????
GN in 1965

Re: weigh this!

#175568

开云体育

I will elaborate my reasoning a bit? --"ability" also includes those gentle curves/low grades if one puts that over other requirements-- in my case, however the vast majority of my curves are in the high 30's/lo to mid40's with easements and token banking.? But in order to reach the vast expanses of territory, without engineering abilities (knowledge or space) we do what we can before smashing into the wall!

Then as the Great Plains Northern grew, just like the proto's .? changes were made as needed.? In some ways maybe too much but other ways I didn't create anything impossible or too difficult to operate beyond the first couple of times.? I've lived here since the early 70's and hardly anything on our major roads has remained the same!? Since I'm not running the freeways so much anymore, I'm surprised and lost a time or two that those Civil Engineers manage to squeeze all those new lanes, exit's and ramps into the same space!? But indeed I've enjoyed doing exactly the opposite of...Coming back later to adjust things is no fun at all.? The challenge has been a good chunk of my enjoyment of the hobby!

I also remember some of the Minnesota guys (Jasper & Zeska) doing several modifications/changes in plans over the years==it's our little world, so floods, earthquakes, fires and mud slides don't usually happen, but changing a #6 to a #10 does!

So Pete, if you get the urge to re-lay some heavier rail or reroute a siding, stop by, I've got the tools, several lengths of rail and a half dozen kegs of spikes!?

Bob Werre

PhotoTraxx

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Same with the real?RR, early builders made tight curves and steep grades?rather than move dirt.? ?As the trains got longer and heavier those curves and grades had to be changed. old retired?civil engr?with CSX .? ?Pete

On Sun, Jan 26, 2025 at 9:54?PM Ed Loizeaux via <Loizeaux=[email protected]> wrote:

On Sun, Jan 26, 2025 at 06:28 PM, Bob Werre wrote:

I do admire you and Ed's ability to keep grades low and curves long.

Bob...I am not sure "ability" had anything to do with it.? At the outset of concept and design, the #1 goal was a long mainline with broad curves and shallow grades.? I've always liked long freight trains and 84' passenger equipment.? Fitting a layout into available space is always a challenging project, but keeping with the original priorities makes it a lot easier.? Coming back later to adjust things is no fun at all.? Cheers.......Ed L.

--

Ed Loizeaux
Los Altos, CA

Re: Converting an AF Royal Blue to scale

#175567

开云体育

Let me look tomorrow, but I think the Museum has a partially converted Pacific that's available.? IIRC, it has scale disc drivers, a can motor conversion, and a few other bits.

I'll post something tomorrow.

Tommy Lennon

Re: S Scale switching layout plan

#175566

I checked with Peter of the NASG.

There are pictures of the NASG switching layout at??

There are no dimensions so it may be a bit wide.

Ken G.

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On Mon, Jan 27, 2025 at 8:01?PM Mike Swederska via <MikeSscale=[email protected]> wrote:

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned John Allen's Time Saver puzzle.?

--

Mike Swederska
Meramec Valley Lines
Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16

Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!

Re: It's Official: No More Flyer

#175565

Soo sad.? ?Sorry Ed,? as much as I love all the stuff I have bought from you I'm now switching to Z guage.

Andrew Parker

On Monday, January 27, 2025 at 02:51:24 PM PST, Hans von Draminski via groups.io <hvdjournal@...> wrote:

I hate to have been right on that topic a few weeks ago. Despite that I won't shed a tear for aged toy like reefers with pizza cutter flanges I see the bigger loss in the modern locos and rolling stock no one else made in S but Lionel. No more SD70. No more ES44. No more U33. And if I buy one of those used or NOS, no more scale wheels to get rid of the hirail wheelsets.

With 59 I am a bit too "young" for a flirt with transition era themes. US railroads for me are mile-long trains pulled by a bunch of modern traction power. Gone. I hope that someone buys just the tooling for that AF stuff from ten years ago and reissues it before I'm also dead and gone. Being in S means thinking in long terms. But not THAT long...

?

Sad Greetings, Hans

Re: S Scale switching layout plan

#175564

开云体育

Michael Eldridge has built an upsized "timesaver"-style layout, "Bass Creek Junction", to accomodate the S-scale rolling stock and a small Diesel locomotive.? It is on the Bay Area S Scalers website, .? It is powered by an NCE PowerCab DCC system.? I help out with setup, operation and teardown at public events a few times a year.? There are 4 sections, with overall dimensions of 2 x 14 feet.? The website has pictures and descriptions of the events we have setup at.?

Starting with unloading our vehicles, it takes less than ONE hour to be running trains.? The operating guide takes the operator through 14 separate switching operations.? There is a link to the operating guide for the puzzle; scroll down the home page a bit to find it.? The guide includes illustrations of the overall layout.? Curious adults and their children are invited to operate a sequence or "two".? I invite everyone to check it out and ask questions. ?

Dave McBrayer
Auburn, CA
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On 01/27/2025 5:01 PM, Mike Swederska via groups.io wrote:

Show quoted text

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned John Allen's Time Saver puzzle.?

--

Mike Swederska
Meramec Valley Lines
Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16

Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!

--
Dave McBrayer
Auburn, CA?