Recent content by kjd

"Engine Start Switch Inside" and the other one might be "???????? Water Fill" The one near the cab probably says "Danger 600 Volts"

I recently took this rebuilt GP30, now GP39E BN designation, from Oregon to a show in Indiana. This model is about 20 years old now and got its best comment ever, "What in the name of everything GP30 is that?!" I guess he'd never seen one before. In the late 80s and early 90s, BN rebuilt a...

Rico, how did you get the Proto SD60 to run with the Katos? My lone Proto now rides on an Athearn frame.

I was at the Cincinnati in motion exhibit last week and a train went by with a derailed car. When it re-appeared after making its hidden loop it was back on track. I don't know if there was a rerailer but seems like a good idea to have one. Personally, I have only one. It scratchbuilt but...

I like numbers, for example many recent projects have numbers that add up to 21 or 13. Just for fun. Another one that's been on the todo list awhile has been BN 5050, a C30-7. 5050 as in "you'll probably make it". Except when you don't. I'm going to Ohio from Oregon to see the eclipse next...

If you click on your icon for your name, your join date shows up. I've been around a lot longer than I thought.

I just measured the side to side my wheels can move, .025"-.030". The gap between the sideframe and bolster bit the bottom clip goes into is .040". Holding the truck upside down, I measured .925" overall width just in front or behind the added on spring hanger, about even with the swivel head...

They are the gears in the GP38-2. Still wondering if OP got it figured out yet.

Did you figure it out?

I have a Proto loco like this. It looks like the bottom cover was put on before the sideframes were all the way seated. The design looks like a Kato or Genesis or Atlas. The sideframes go on and their mounting pin has a little notch near the end. The bottom cover has legs that fit into the...

I was just working on an Athearn SD60 that is less than 15 years old and 4 of the 6 gears were cracked. I replaced them all with Athearn replacements. It still runs like an old Athearn though.

That is way too close, Crandell. In my 30+ years of model railroading, I think I've had one car hit the floor, an Athearn 4740 covered hopper and its end cage got a bit smashed. I glued it back together and touched up the paint, a legit repair scar. Difinitely a fan of raised edges and track...

In spite of the few people who want you to model railroad their way, it is a big and variable enough hobby to do it however you want. Personally, I like switching. Cars show up from somewhere, get put into a short train the short train delivers them to local industries and picks up previously...

I’m not familiar with that particular engine but Kadee (the coupler people) has a chart on their website with popular fitments. Nearly every conversion I’ve done I swap in a Kadee #5 (or ‘scale’ knuckle equivalent) and it fits right in. There is also a coupler with integral spring that is even...