Old Trains

[hba7485]

Hi guys, I got out some of my HO stuff last week & put some track together to run some of my old stock. What does the group suggest as far as maintenance of old engines before I put a spark to them. Most have been set up for 15 to 20 years & I'd hate to fry one out of ignorance. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Blane

[untabubba]

BTW: I "fixed" the problem with that "picky" turnout. There were actually two issues there. First, the spike heads were gone from the inside of the rails at the point end. I cut away the first tie and replaced it with one that had spike heads. Then I carefully put new, tight rail joiners on. Secondly, I had a small piece of flex track cut to fill in the section leading to the turnout. I studied it for a while and realized I could cut a piece of 19" radius curve track to fit that would make the curve much better than trying to make a 4" piece of flex-track "flex" to fit. All better! Marc

[ginzokid]

Marc, Don't ask any questions any more. you have become your own problem solver. Good for you! So, now we will not have to answer the question you just put forth...right? BTW, the answer is: are you ready for this?.... Buy a Peco turnout. ;) Ginzo's Backshop

[trmwf]

and my Peco under the table turnout motor that no one is interested in to go with it. While your buying, you had better try to pick up a couple of those InterMountain car kits before they get really rare and hard to find. They aren't making them in kit form anymore you know. prof

[ginzokid]

Sure, I just bought 3 new Peco turnout motors from Walthers. NOW you put one up? Sheesh! B-)

[trmwf]

Last I looked no one had bid on it. Do you want it? I'll gladly cancel the auction and give it to you if you need it. Let me know quickly. prof

[ginzokid]

Thanks, but no. I bought the ones I needed. Have faith. It will sell. We might talk Marc into it or Gene even. Once those gys see the Pecos work they will never go back..... B-)

[untabubba]

Mike, I inadvertently boosted your Kato way up. I put in a nice bid and was immediately outbid.......I might be back. As for the Pecos, I knew Pete would answer like that. ;) I think I'm still "intimidated" by the under the table thing. I've never even seen one. How do you hook it up through the foam? I believe they are far superior, what with the combined experience on this group. I'll eventually "catch up". Marc

[untabubba]

Stupid ebay! Ever get that nag box that tells you to "enter a subject" and then it posts your message twice?!? Somebody please make this and # 38 go away. Thanks, Marc

[trmwf]

Marc, Don't want to discourage you from that Kato but do not want to take advantage of your in-experience. I would not buy it personally for $20.00. Don't get me wrong, it is a very nice running engine as are all Katos but the appearance is all off. These older Kato GP-9's were made considerably "oversized" for some reason and have a large gap between the trucks and the end of the engine that makes it look odd, at least to me. Apparently to lots of others also as N Scale of Nevada produced a whole new frame for these engines to correct the appearance. Even at that, once the corrected frame is installed they are still oversized when compared to the later releases. Thanks for the big boost in price and by all means continue on if you want it. I just wanted you to know what you would be getting. prof

[trmwf]

you'd be much better off spending some of that money on the I/M kits!

[untabubba]

Prof, Thanks for refreshing my memory! I had read about the GP-9 problem when I was researching a previous auction. Funny that a company of such high quality and reputation would produce such an "odd" piece! http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/katogp9.html http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/trainstuff.html I don't know if you are familiar with this site. The guy seems very knowledgeable and even handed in his reviews. BTW: I am watching several of your items. I know you're not crazy about my "wait and watch" method, but I'm there. While we're on the subject; do any of the cars (hoppers) come with boxes? and Do the IM kits come (complete) with trucks and couplers? They look nice. Marc

[trmwf]

Marc, Just wanted you to know what you where thinking of getting. That is the only reason I'm selling it. I just think it looks so bad that I just don't and won't run it. The sets of two hoppers each will have boxes. The group of 8 does not but will be wrapped securly to prevent any damage. The I/M kits do come with trucks and wheels that include there own brand of "dummy" knuckle coupler that looks similar to a M/T and are compatable with the M/T but just do not operate mechanically like the M/T. They MUST be uncoupled by hand. They are not compatable with the Arnold n scale coupler. I am not particularly fond of them but know people who are. I change all mine to M/T. prof ps: You can certainly watch and bid however you wish as I sometimes do like you do. Only difference is I don't complain when I get out bid at the end by someone who apparently wanted the item more then I did. pss: just a side note, one guy bid on the 8 hoppers then retracted it. Seems he wanted to bid 49.00 and put in 4900.00. Wonder what would have happened if that would have been his last second snipe attempt? Would I have held him to it? Might have even been tempted to take him to (small claims) court to collect.....but then I always have been sort of a hard a--!

[untabubba]

Prof, Didn't I ever tell you about the night my sister-in-law bid $1000 on a jig-saw puzzle?!? She neglected to put the decimal point between the second and third "0" of her $10.00 bid! Seems she was drunk at the time and didn't realize it until she won! The seller yanked her around for a while, but eventually let her off. I don't understand how the bid would go that high, unless someone else was bidding that high. I thought "proxy bidding" took care of that? Marc

[untabubba]

Oh, I retracted my very first ebay bid! As a complete newbie I was so excited at the huge selection and great prices that I plopped a bid down on an HO item! I realized immediately, wrote the guy and retracted. He was very understanding, although I'm sure I'm one of his "newbie" stories. Marc

[trmwf]

proxy bidding should take care of it unless you just happen to run across the guy (like my wife) who wanted a paper weight real real bad but didn't want to sit up half the night to bid so she just bid 5,000 for an 800. item. My luck, someone else would be thinking the same thing and but in 4,500 or something similar on their way to bed. prof