Recent content by ALCOS4EVER

That is definitely a slug or booster unit. The "tank" is probably an old locomotive fuel tank filled with concrete to act as ballast for extra traction.

Just to clarify, "Non Conductive" means that it allows electricity to pass through it but will not transmit it between polarities thereby causing a short.

You can get "Dielectric" grease at any auto parts store. It's in a small "toothpaste" type tube for about $3.00. It is an electrically non conductive lube. It will keep for years.

Any "0-X-0" type locomotive was designed to be a switching locomotive. They were frequently run in reverse during their switching moves, that is the reason they had a sloped tender for better visibility. They also were intended to be run at low speeds. They were used in local delivery/pickup and...

If you have the financial resources to offer even a limited line of brass locomotives the first question you have to ask yourselves is what do the people who really purchase brass locomotives want. In my experience most brass locomotives are purchased by collectors who only display them and do...

Every year at the ARS show in Springfield, MA there is an HO club that has a city theme layout which features Amtrak with overhead canternary. It looks super and it runs great. It is about 12FT X 12FT. I think there is video of it on YouTube. I'm sorry but I don't remember the clubs name.

Nice work on your caboose and clever idea about the different logos. I have a friend with an older O scale shelf layout and because his cars never get turned he lettered many of them with different road names on each side to double his roster.

They use a prototype photo because they don't have any production or preproduction models ready to show. This way the ad campaign can proceed concurrently with or before actual models are produced. That way they can solicit preorders without waiting for actual product to present. A "prototype...

Welcome RBPhillips - I am originaly from the Mohawk Valley. I was born in Mohawk and the NYC is one of my favorite roads, as well as PRR, D&H, LV, L&NE L&HR and of course NYS&W. Look forward to chatting. (You also probably remember "Utica Tool". My dad was chief engineer for them for years.)

Old Railroad calendars also make great photos for your walls although they are usually larger. I save all mine for when I get a train room to hang them in.

I can suggest a few shops near but not in Boston. There is Hobby Emporium in Tyngsboro, MA about 30 minutes north of Boston on the MA/NH line. It is a large shop with an excellent selection of N Scale. There is Neal's NGaugeing Trains in Hampton, NH about 45 minutes north of Boston again on the...

I would recommend the new Bachmann RS-3's. They come with DCC installed, no sound. They look great and run great as well. I bought a NYC and a PRR a few weeks ago and I love them. They cost me $60.00 each. I also have Atlas's, Roundhouse's (Athearn's predecesor) RS-3's and Proto 1000 RS-2'S...

Hello - Welcome to this forum. I think our modelling tastes are similar as I model in HO DC/DCC the eastern roads of PRR, NYC, PC, CONRAIL, LV, L&NE, L&HR and NYS&W. I also love ALCO's as you can tell from my screen name. I am also a diesel guy. I think you'll find this the friendliest...

Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to get some "BFS". I also never took into account the black coating on the drivers would be slippery until it wears off.

I recently bought a Bachmann 2-10-4 (P/N 51202), it looks nice and runs well but it has low pulling power. I am a diesel man and I'm not used to slippery steamers. It will pull ten NMRA weighted (4.00 oz.) 40 footers on level track. My diesels can do considerably more. There are no traction...