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Thread: Model Trains - HO scale freelance

  1. #1
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    Model Trains - HO scale freelance

    Just a couple of pics showing the first half of the yard, engine servicing and storage are being built now and the wiring is nearly done. Next section of yard will be started soon, but due to the weather improving, I will be outdoors a lot til late Autumn..
    I freelance ho scale standard gauge, US locos. Love the articulated's but mostly steam. After having a break raising my son alone, I have got back into trains, especially sound equipped and have to bring my other engines upto sound grade, all of my stuff is digital and thats had an upgrade too..
    Using a Digitrax chief, 2 x UT throttles, a Zephur for the engine terminal and yard and will be expanding with an Empire builder(cheaper than buying another throttle and booster).
    Best part is construction and scenery, but even better running an H8 or the Challenger along the rails...
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  2. #2
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    For anyone interested...
    6 month old, $1,000 model locomotive, needs new tachometer board.

    Have to order from the US, its the board behind the flywheel. Getting real interesting as I get older. I still remember when we used just a 12 volt controller and to change direction, you changed the polarity. Now its digital, with possible 28+ functions as well as direction control being just a press of the button. All the sounds of the real thing in miniature and a tachometer to regulate the speed to exactly 1 mph scale speed(well as close as they can get to).

    Controller is worth as much as my Disco and tyres for that are cheaper than a loco. But I do have more fun when i'm indoors.

    Sadly, its one model of locomotive I have wanted for 30 years, and this one was released only 4 or 5 years ago. The one I was hoping to buy, many years ago, is still worth about $4,000 second hand, and would cost more to make run on digital.

    Alas, time to order one from the US(board is worth $7 us).. what a headache working out the issue.

    I prefer the tacho's in vehicles, so much easier to suss out.
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  3. #3
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    What make are these model trains plz?

    Cheers Rod

    Sent from my GT-I9507 using AULRO mobile app

  4. #4
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    The one with the fried tach board is an MTH.. Articulated..

  5. #5
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    Ok. I thought they may have been Marklin. I have some here that was left to me by my father. Its all digital now as well. I remember the original stuff he used to have years ago was analogue AC operation. Great stuff.

    Chwers Rod

    Sent from my GT-I9507 using AULRO mobile app

  6. #6
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    never got into ac, but it all was robust, but now its all detail..

    I do enjoy digital, some of my older loco's have basic decoder's only, but I shall give them a good going over and replace motors and put sound decoders in them..

    My old collection is;
    Mantua 2-8-2 light, Lenz decoder with a sugami motor.
    Mantua 0-8-0 open frame motor(dead now).
    Bachmann 4-8-4 Niagra can motor with lenz decoder(dead).
    Spectrum 2-8-0 with lenz decoder.
    Proto E8/9 x2 with Digitrax decoders.
    Athearn S12 with lenz N-scale decoder.
    Athearn FM trainmaster with Lenz decoder.
    Concor E7 x2(one going but needs work, other will be remotored and modified too).
    Athearn sd40-2 setup as WA L class(dc only)
    Athearn trainmaster stripped and rebuilt as a Midland Railways C class in Sn3 1/2 scale.

    New ones are;
    MTH H8 Allegheny 2-6-6-6 PS3 sound/smoke with us tachometer board.
    MTH Clinchfield Challenger 4-6-6-4 PS3 sound/smoke
    Bachmann Sound-value 2-6-0

    I have missed something, but can't think what..
    I have also given away a few loco's, mostly because I went from modern diesels and steam to pre 1965 only... I had some SD40-2's, DD35 etc...

    My intention is to have another 3 or 4 Articulated's, BLI Y6b, MTH Yellowstone, BLI Bigboy, another MTH H8 2-6-6-6 and a few more small to mid-sized too, like BLI 2-8-0, Bachmann 0-8-0 & 2-6-0,BLI? 4-4-0, BLI 2-10-4 and a BLI 4-8-4 Niagra.

    After that, I'll be too busy adding cars and keeping the scenery going.

    Ohh and the fabled wiring. I am already in the process of doing the electrics to automate the turntable with a stepper motor and audino. Signals will be automated also(using APB standards), with a Digitrax block detection and the SE8 signal drivers all run off my laptop using JMRI. I am using the Digitrax Super Chief Extra, with a Zepher for the yard/booster and tethered throttles.

    Just an idea of how nuts I really am..

    My philosophy is "If I cant go shooting, I'll play trains instead"

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wraithe View Post
    For anyone interested...
    6 month old, $1,000 model locomotive, needs new tachometer board.

    Have to order from the US, its the board behind the flywheel. Getting real interesting as I get older. I still remember when we used just a 12 volt controller and to change direction, you changed the polarity. Now its digital, with possible 28+ functions as well as direction control being just a press of the button. All the sounds of the real thing in miniature and a tachometer to regulate the speed to exactly 1 mph scale speed(well as close as they can get to).

    Controller is worth as much as my Disco and tyres for that are cheaper than a loco. But I do have more fun when i'm indoors.

    Sadly, its one model of locomotive I have wanted for 30 years, and this one was released only 4 or 5 years ago. The one I was hoping to buy, many years ago, is still worth about $4,000 second hand, and would cost more to make run on digital.

    Alas, time to order one from the US(board is worth $7 us).. what a headache working out the issue.

    I prefer the tacho's in vehicles, so much easier to suss out.
    I like posts like this - it makes my G scale look affordable .
    Scott

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scouse View Post
    I like posts like this - it makes my G scale look affordable .
    x2. It is good to see others spend up like G Scalers.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by drivesafe View Post
    x2. It is good to see others spend up like G Scalers.
    Its funny you say that... I am impressed how much the cost of the larger scales have stayed pretty steady, yet the smaller scales have got so much more expensive...

    I still remember buying Athearn cars and painting, assembling and modifying them, Just so I could afford to get 3 for the price of one... Now you have no option with ready to run or pay for an expensive kit...

    And your larger scales where very expensive years ago, compared to HO and The, then new, N-scale...

  10. #10
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    Latest update...

    Experimenting with scenery, please excuse the photography as I'm just a retired truck driver not a photographer(but I do need to find someone that will take some good photo's)...

    The grass is static grass with some scatter, ground foam etc to soften it and make it look more like weeds and wild grass's... I still have to add things like old leaf matter and some more detail, but thats a long way down the track yet... And trees! 100's more to be made but those Woodland Scenic armatures make life so easy, will be getting more and all different styles too...
    The new corner section has been wired and scenery base done, at the moment I doing the rock work and land forms done(I'll post a pic when I remember to take a photo)...

    4.8 metres of yard and roundhouse, next is the Eastern corner that basically has 3 tracks, 2 are the main out around a loop and back, 3rd is to the power station...
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