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Gaylord Gill in April 2025 MODEL RAILROADER
The April 2025 digital edition of MODEL RAILROADER is out.? Why the April issue is out in mid-February isn't clear (!) but there's a nice 1/2 page photo of Gaylord Gill's layout in the TRACKSIDE PHOTOS feature.? Gaylord's is the first of about 8 photos I collected and submitted to MR.? ?Thanks to all those who offered images!? 72,000 readers will see Gaylord's nice photo...and Eric left the link to the NASG website in the caption we prepared so maybe we'll generate some 'traffic' to the site.
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My offer remains open to assist anyone who wants to submit a photo to MR.
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By the way, I noticed the April issue has shrunk to 68 pages, down about 10% from 76 pages in March.
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Brooks Stover |
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Re: Lionel evolving
On Fri, Feb 14, 2025 at 06:20 AM, Pieter Roos wrote:
clearly what drives the more successful scales is variety of product. Pieter hit the nail on the head.? All the S talk and pictures has not (yet) brought forth any significant new products to S scale.? Maybe working as a collective entity and combining money would help.? Or, actively soliciting a Sugar Daddy to step up.? Or anything that aims at making new products rather than more and more videos.? Don't get me wrong, I like the videos, but they do not bring new products to the market.? Serious money out there needs to recognize S as an opportunity.
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Ed Loizeaux Los Altos, CA |
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Re: LATEST PROJECT ON MILFORD VALLEY RR
开云体育Thanks Jamie,?I have 6 coal cars and 3 cattle cars dedicated to the coal mine and cattle Company. I have one track that veers to the north of the coal mine as a line that is used to place cars that the Q could pick up but that is only set up to give reason for switching the cars out.? ?I want to build a coal dump space on the track by the cattle company ?I have room for a one car dump to ad another place to switch the cars.? I run it Deadrail Blunami , it’s pretty easy to spend 30 minutes or more just switching the two businesses. I love the sound of the S1 switcher growling up and down the tracks.? Fred On Feb 14, 2025, at 4:51 AM, Jamie Bothwell via groups.io <jamie.bothwell610@...> wrote:
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Re: Craig Wright's Chama and Toltec Westerb
It was fun watching the presentation live.
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His fearlessness in redoing stuff, adding, tweaking, is amazing.
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Re: Lionel evolving
开云体育Wow, Pieter.
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THAT'S a radical thought.
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In my case, my reasons for considering S Hi Rail as my last layout theme is pretty much for exactly?the reasons you mention:
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* Easier to?handle than HO. (Including easier to re-rail/etc.)
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* More rubust than my fragile HO models.
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* I would have "Outgrown" (i.e. aged out) the desire to add detail. (Simply becomes too tedious and not fun.)
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As I stated, I see S Hi Rail as an opporunity for me to see visually pleasing trains running on 2 rails that are larger and more robust for my 80+ year old hands to deal with.
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Frankly, what I will eventually face (hope to, anyway!), will be faced by a LOT of HO modelers. The stuff just gets too small as we age.
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However, on a down note, most of those will simply let their HO?layout and equipment sit and languish instead of being proactive and making an alternate?way to enjoy trains.
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That is going to be my challenge: To not ride the HO train too long to where I don't have the phyical ability or energy to dismantle and dispose of the HO. I will need to recognize when the time is right, and begin the change before that time arrives.
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Worse comes to worse, I can at least start my S Hi Rail project as I tend to the duties of dismantling/disposing of the HO. That way I have trains running in short order so I can always enjoy the fun of miniature trains moving on miniature rails!
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ALWAYS have a plan. (That's the slogan I?live by! LOL!)
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Andre Ming |
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Re: Just another box car
Hi Griff, clarify for me. 8oz. Water 6 drops dw rinse 6 drops glycerine? ?oz. acrylic paint Can't wait to try it out. Tommy On Fri, Feb 14, 2025, 8:29?AM rxman46321 via <rxman46321=[email protected]> wrote: Just saw a YouTube that recommended NOT using windshield wash. |
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Craig Wright's Chama and Toltec Westerb
Craig Wright's presentation of his C&TW Sn3 layout that was presented recently on a narrow gauge forum is now available for viewing on YouTube:
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I think it's fair to say Craig's layout is among the finest ever built in any scale at any time in the history of our great hobby.? His presentation is worth watching.? The layout is an inspiration.? Simply stunning!
Brooks Stover |
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Re: Just another box car
Just saw a YouTube that recommended NOT using windshield wash.
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His formula was water, ,8 oz I think, 6 drops of dishwasher rinse and a similar volume of glycerine. The dishwasher rinse acts as a surfactant. Griff?
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Re: Lionel evolving
And it’s hard to argue with success, and Lionel together with O have more success and product than S.
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For 50 years we have been pushing the size of S and decrying being held back by Flyer - what if embracing hi-rail and and simply pushing for more new product was the real answer? There isn’t a detail that people do in S that isn’t common in modern HO, clearly what drives the more successful scales is variety of product. Not just new paint schemes, although those were slow to come in S as well.? Whole new models. Someone has to invest, is one issue. But Andre’s point is rather than pushing for “more scale, no big flanges” it is possible that scale-looking models with easier to re-rail flanges and rail would have drawn more people to S than attempts to be “more scale too”. Pieter Roos On Thursday, February 13, 2025, 9:41 AM, Rich Gajnak via groups.io <rustytraque@...> wrote:
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Re: Different coupler types on the same layout
开云体育<The Flyer couplers don’t close at slow speeds whereas KD’s do, so realistic switching is not an option with Flyer.> ? Flyer link couplers do close at very low speeds, that’s one of the reasons I prefer them to Flyer knuckle couplers.? You are quite correct about the knuckle coupler.? Another reason I like link couplers is that they are close coupling, the spaces between cars is more prototypical.? Same reason I prefer Kadee #5s over their 208s.? On my layout you will find Kadee #5s, Flyer link, and some Flyer knuckle with multiple conversion cars.? Oh, and Hi-rail, Flyer, and scale wheels. Tom Stoltz in Maine |
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Re: LATEST PROJECT ON MILFORD VALLEY RR
So Fred, Do you just 0-5-0 cars up to the section? Does it have a dedicated set of cars to push around up there? I'd say you're well on your way with the photo stuff. Jamie Bothwell Bethlehem, PA On Thu, Feb 13, 2025 at 10:49?AM Tom Nebelsick via <tnebelsick=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: PFM system
DCC has had two ways to synchronize chuffs.? But I don't know if all decoders offered this. One is a "chuff" input that you connect to a switch that is triggered by a cam on a driver axle (and as I recall, that is how PFM did it, as well as how Keller's "Onboard" system did it).? Of course, you have to have the cam and switch and the added wire.? Some have used on optical switch and the "cam" has black and white bands on it. The newest scheme is better and uses Back EMF from the motor and a CV that relates to the ratio of motor RPM to driver RPM.? With BEMF the decoder knows the speed of the motor, and since it has a specific relationship to driver RPM, the decoder can just "do the math."? No cam.? No switch.? No wire. Here is a YouTube showing an example of setting it. Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer
On Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 02:31:49 PM PST, Fred Tolhurst via groups.io <gftolhurst@...> wrote:
100% agree. The sound quality from the PFM system, in terms of both whistle and exhaust, for my money greatly surpassed anything I’ve heard from DCC. And, the steam exhaust was synchronized to the drivers’ rotation. Have to admit the lack of synchronicity between the audible chuffs and the visible motion of pistons and wheels with DCC systems drives me a little bonkers.? Fred Tolhurst Hilton Head Island, SC On Feb 11, 2025, at 10:03?PM, Bud Rindfleisch via groups.io <BlackDiamondRR@...> wrote:
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Re: Lionel evolving
I have two Lionel K5 Pacifics that I got from my afore mentioned Uncle that have two wheel pilot trucks.? My AC Gilbert Pacific has the appropriate 4 wheel pilot truck. Andrew Parker
On Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 04:51:19 AM PST, Pieter Roos via groups.io <pieterroos53@...> wrote:
As did their O gauge EP-5 electric, with EMD four wheel instead of six wheel trucks (Flyers was more accurate). Then again, an in-accurate Flyer Virginian might have generated more sales for AC Gilbert, and could have been painted New Haven orange. Pieter Roos On Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 7:37 PM, Charles Kinzer <ckinzer@...> wrote:
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Re: PFM system
开云体育100% agree. The sound quality from the PFM system, in terms of both whistle and exhaust, for my money greatly surpassed anything I’ve heard from DCC. And, the steam exhaust was synchronized to the drivers’ rotation. Have to admit the lack of synchronicity between the audible chuffs and the visible motion of pistons and wheels with DCC systems drives me a little bonkers.?Fred Tolhurst Hilton Head Island, SC On Feb 11, 2025, at 10:03?PM, Bud Rindfleisch via groups.io <BlackDiamondRR@...> wrote:
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Re: The Death of S Scale: An Outsider's Opinion
开云体育Jim:
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Congrats on still being an active model railroader at 80 years of age!
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What you're describing is SO important to us as we age. Namely: GOALS which gives?us things to ACCOMPLISH.
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When our dreams n' schemes stop, I think a lot of the fun of living stops.
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In your case, you're not only downsizing, but also looking at new horizons. I see both of those as good things.
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As for changing rail size:
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IF I already had an S scale layout, as long as it was still clicking the boxes for me, I would sit tight and enjoy it as long as practical. I suspect the larger size of S, be it on scale sized rail or Hi Rail, is a good thing when it comes to aging.
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In my case, I am beginning to perceive that it will seem?HO will feel like it's?getting smaller as time goes by. As I continue to age (hopefully I will continue to age!), there may come a time that the Hassle Factor will rise above?the Fun Factor. If/when that happens, it will be time for me to make a decision.
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I think that Hassle Factor vs Fun Factor is a reason for layouts to start to languish?and?start collecting dust: The H Factor supassed the F Factor, and thus the owner no long enjoys working therein.
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That HF vs FF scale plays a role in any interest/hobby.
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Andre Ming
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? ----- Original Message -----
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Re: Different coupler types on the same layout
Conversion cars are nothing new. Back when I was a child with AF, I had some cars?with a knuckle coupler on one end and a link coupler on the other end.? I seem to remember a prototype narrow gauge hopper (ballast) car with a?full size coupler on one end and a 3/4MCB?coupler on the other end. On my layout, I have a dual gauge conversion car so I can run standard and 3' gauge cars in the same train on three-rail dual gauge track. Yes there are prototypes for this and Rio Grande Models made a kit for them. Dave Heine On Thu, Feb 13, 2025 at 3:56?PM Jim & Cheryl Martin via <themartins=[email protected]> wrote:
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Re: The Death of S Scale: An Outsider's Opinion
I'm enjoying the thread that Andre's posting has generated. I too am accumulating orbits of the sun. I'll be 80 in a few weeks. I am not increasing my rail size but I have decreased my layout. There will be more about that in a future Dispatch, but I recently gave away more than half my Dover Branch layout while keeping its supporting benchwork in place. My original Port Dover waterfront sections remain and I am building a train turntable so that I can operate it as a small switching layout. The remaining empty benchwork is now inspiring me to possibly attempt a few new different layout themes.? We'll see. Onward! Cheers Jim Martin? |
Tom Lennon
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