Hit the jackpot at the Wheaton, IL show yesterday

[malletman]

I hit the jackpot at the Wheaton, IL show yesterday. But first a little background, I had wanted to get a WSM C16 in the Bumblebee colors and model the Gunnison branch of the D&RGW when I got back into HOn3. But the only place I could find that has a couple of them in stock, is very much overpriced in my opinion. So I found a NCNG #9 on ebay and bought that. Then I picked up a Balboa K36 from Caboose hobbies, but it ended up having badly worn side rod holes on the #2 driver from a quartering issue and was returned for a refund. This was a blessing as I bought what you see in the pic at the show, along with a PSC brass long caboose that I need to finish decaling and a couple Rail line kits. The #268 was beautifully pro painted, just needed lighting installed and a can motor. I got the LED headlight and MV lense installed and wired today. I will be getting a superglide kit from Locodoc to replace the old open frame motor, making the nice model one of the best running on the market and adding DCC at the same time. She is shown here running on my little micro layout. Cheers Mike

 

[ghosttrain2]

Thats a great show! I went to that monthly in the 80's when I lived in Hanover Park,IL. The selection was good then.That was a great buy,and is finished well.

 

[malletman]

The selection is still good, not as good as it was a few years ago, thank the economy for that one! She does have a very nice paint job and runs decent for having an open frame motor still. Hopefully as the economy improves, so will the show, way to many empty tables. Used to be nothing but tables of trains for sale and fairly narrow isles. Now we have operating layouts, empty tables and wide isles in places where it used to be much narrower to fit in more tables. Cheers Mike

 

[flh80]

It's always good to score something you really wanted.
We used to go there quite a bit late 80's, early 90's and still check in once in a while. I think the internet really hurts all those guys as far as shows go, same with hobby shops in general. If your not in a big hurry you can get anything without leaving home, but it's always nice to see something in person before buying!

 

[malletman]

Seeing it before buying can be espicaly important for things like older brass models. While I normaly can handle most running repairs and tuning, things like wore out side rod holes from a miss quartered counterweight on a K36 that even the largest hobby shop in the states missed, is something that I cannot fix. But they refunded my $$ on that model. My buddy has a portable throttle that uses two 9vt batteries, two toggle switches (1 for direction and one for 9vt or 18vt power) along with a variable throttle knob. We developed this back when he was buying lots of brass models for his collection. It has 2 quick clips and is excellent at testing brass or any other model locomotive. Obvoiusly buying structures that are assembled via the net is risky in shipment. I love to "window" shop via the net, along with reading reviews on potential brass purchases. I highly recommend the Locodoc's website, part of Roundbell Eng and the Salida Roundhouse hobby shop. He has great reviews on many brass steam engines that are excellent models but suffer gear box and motor issues. He has great repower options and advice. Mike