70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
Congrats!
25 years for me this Sept.. How the hell did that happen!
25 years for me this Sept.. How the hell did that happen!
O gauge Trains
- Thread starter monaco75
- Start date
bluefury361
Old Man with a Hat
Congratulations Zac & Sabrina......! The two of you have been a great match up for a long time. 
monaco75
Senior Member
Thank you!Congratulations you guys!
When is the big day? Saturday at Carlisle?
I’ve been leaving the planning to her so far. I’m sure I’ll just get an invite to wherever it is lol. Prolly be another year or 2 till anything.
Thank you!! Time does seem to be going faster and faster by the year anymore! Congrats to you two as well! We’ve been together now going on 10. Figured it was time to make it official lol
Congratulations Zac & Sabrina......! The two of you have been a great match up for a long time.
Thank you Will!
monaco75
Senior Member
Did grab another goodie the other week. Picked up a MTH Grand Trunk GP-9. Nice little engine with a bunch of detail. Was hoping this would run on my O27 track, but alas it doesn’t.... Still too tight a curve for it. This one should find its way onto the new table when the time comes.
Also grabbed some sweet street lights. Pretty cool how they cycle through the lights on a timer.
Had to pop the new tables cherry with some spare track lol.
Did y’all see the new Lionel Catalog dropped? Good lord talk about $$!! There is one thing I’m thinking of pre ordering. For the 120th anniversary they are releasing a postwar themed Santa Fe F3 set.
Also grabbed some sweet street lights. Pretty cool how they cycle through the lights on a timer.
Had to pop the new tables cherry with some spare track lol.
Did y’all see the new Lionel Catalog dropped? Good lord talk about $$!! There is one thing I’m thinking of pre ordering. For the 120th anniversary they are releasing a postwar themed Santa Fe F3 set.
monaco75
Senior Member
The first shipment of track showed up today! To keep it budget friendly, we went with the Menards tubular track again. Can’t beat the price! For the amount of track and switches I’m hoping to run on this table, it would have been a couple grand in realtrax.
Planning on ordering some good old 022 postwar Lionel switches for switching duty. There’s a show going on downtown next week I might be able to get a few from.
Obviously this isn’t the set track plan, but gotta play with it lol. I’m actually quite impressed how well the power is flowing through the track, with one lock-on, and little old 1033 transformer. Roughly 40’ of track at the moment, and no noticeable power drops anywhere.
Planning on ordering some good old 022 postwar Lionel switches for switching duty. There’s a show going on downtown next week I might be able to get a few from.
Obviously this isn’t the set track plan, but gotta play with it lol. I’m actually quite impressed how well the power is flowing through the track, with one lock-on, and little old 1033 transformer. Roughly 40’ of track at the moment, and no noticeable power drops anywhere.
monaco75
Senior Member
A little Sunday project....
I bought some Postwar O22 switches off eBay the other day. Waiting on them to show up, I remembered that I had already had a couple that came in that bin of Lionel goodies with the Wabash F3 last year. After digging in some boxes for em, I also forgot these remote sections of track that was in the bin as well.
I dicked around with the switches last night. Got one of em to work with the remote, but the non detailing feature is not working. Still need to mess with em.
This stuff is a rusty mess!!
Anyhow, spent a few hours today restoring the remote control sections of track. I wasn’t sure how they would come out, but am pretty happy with em. My cheap little Dremel got a workout with the small wire wheel.
Once the track was de-rusted the best I could get it, they got a bath, and some armor all to bring the Bakelite back to life a little. Re-wired them with some 18 gauge wire. These will be on a command control line, with constant 18 volts. Original wire I believe was 22/24 GA. Would have needed it anyway. Original wire was falling apart.
Honestly, I prolly would have been better off buying “new”, as these were very rough. But WTH? It’s cool to see em working again! Probably been 30 years or more since they last saw action. Lots of paint from the old owners layout was on em. Took a while to get that off.
Switches look better, bet ehh... we’ll see...
I bought some Postwar O22 switches off eBay the other day. Waiting on them to show up, I remembered that I had already had a couple that came in that bin of Lionel goodies with the Wabash F3 last year. After digging in some boxes for em, I also forgot these remote sections of track that was in the bin as well.
I dicked around with the switches last night. Got one of em to work with the remote, but the non detailing feature is not working. Still need to mess with em.
This stuff is a rusty mess!!
Anyhow, spent a few hours today restoring the remote control sections of track. I wasn’t sure how they would come out, but am pretty happy with em. My cheap little Dremel got a workout with the small wire wheel.
Once the track was de-rusted the best I could get it, they got a bath, and some armor all to bring the Bakelite back to life a little. Re-wired them with some 18 gauge wire. These will be on a command control line, with constant 18 volts. Original wire I believe was 22/24 GA. Would have needed it anyway. Original wire was falling apart.
Honestly, I prolly would have been better off buying “new”, as these were very rough. But WTH? It’s cool to see em working again! Probably been 30 years or more since they last saw action. Lots of paint from the old owners layout was on em. Took a while to get that off.
Switches look better, bet ehh... we’ll see...
stubs300
Senior Member
Did you see "For better or for Worse" cartoon today?
monaco75
Senior Member
Some more fun! The switches have been trickling in over the week. Spending some time fixing em up, and getting em ready a few hours here and there at night.
All but one switch needed to be re soldered in the same place. It’s a common problem. The one in the pic was the worst one. Looks like it or pretty hot at one point, and started to melt the Bakelite around it.
The nicest set is up front for the siding. Pretty nice set for it’s age! They came at a price though...
Believe we have the new track plan in place. The area where the grass is at the moment will be under another layer, and not visible with some tunnel port holes on the leading edge. Planning on another line overhead.
Have a few pieces to modify still, and trim to fit.
All but one switch needed to be re soldered in the same place. It’s a common problem. The one in the pic was the worst one. Looks like it or pretty hot at one point, and started to melt the Bakelite around it.
The nicest set is up front for the siding. Pretty nice set for it’s age! They came at a price though...
Believe we have the new track plan in place. The area where the grass is at the moment will be under another layer, and not visible with some tunnel port holes on the leading edge. Planning on another line overhead.
Have a few pieces to modify still, and trim to fit.
You know... with some effort, I think you can get another 4x8 sheet of particle board in there...
Hurry up and get that pretty enough to abandon so you can go play in the garage before it gets stupid hot.
monaco75
Senior Member
You know... with some effort, I think you can get another 4x8 sheet of particle board in there...
Oh we will! 4x9 actually, just on top of the L along the wall (by the window a/c unit) lol. We have a garage??
monaco75
Senior Member
It’s alive!! All the restoration work on the switches paid off! They are working flawlessly so far. Gave em an 45 min test tonight after hooking everything up.
monaco75
Senior Member
Went to the show up in Jacksonville today. Was kind of a wash.... Grabbed a couple things, but we were in and out within 35 mins..
Came back out to this poor old thing parked next to us. Ouch!! She had a good hit on the drivers side front. Wheel looked all bent in, and body was pretty shot. Cool to see it still on the road, but I wouldn’t want to be around it while doing so lol.
Todays haul. KW works good! Can never have enough power. The Wabash is pretty clean, with a couple imperfections. The old grease dried up so bad, the wheels were gummed to a stop. She came to life after a good cleaning, and fresh lube job.
Some running tonight.
Came back out to this poor old thing parked next to us. Ouch!! She had a good hit on the drivers side front. Wheel looked all bent in, and body was pretty shot. Cool to see it still on the road, but I wouldn’t want to be around it while doing so lol.
Todays haul. KW works good! Can never have enough power. The Wabash is pretty clean, with a couple imperfections. The old grease dried up so bad, the wheels were gummed to a stop. She came to life after a good cleaning, and fresh lube job.
Some running tonight.
monaco75
Senior Member
Some finalizing of the track on the main level. Grass added, and tracks permanently secured. Remotes for the switches are ran too. That was a bit of work!
Ran a bunch of feeder wires, and have both lines running off of one port of the DCS system. I’m impressed the 135w Lionel brick doesn’t seemed to be phased by it.
I have half the switches powered by a separate transformer. Need to get the plugs for the rest of em to hook up to that transformer as well, and take a little more load off the main lines.
Did bite the bullet, and pre ordered the Santa Fe F3 set yesterday. First time pre ordering anything. Dealer says it’s due the 4th quarter this year (Oct.-Dec.). Excited to get it!
Ran a bunch of feeder wires, and have both lines running off of one port of the DCS system. I’m impressed the 135w Lionel brick doesn’t seemed to be phased by it.
I have half the switches powered by a separate transformer. Need to get the plugs for the rest of em to hook up to that transformer as well, and take a little more load off the main lines.
Did bite the bullet, and pre ordered the Santa Fe F3 set yesterday. First time pre ordering anything. Dealer says it’s due the 4th quarter this year (Oct.-Dec.). Excited to get it!
monaco75
Senior Member
Now that the vehicle situation is dealt with for the most part, back to our regular scheduled program! Ha!
My inner nerd is showing...
I ordered a ERR A/C Commander for a postwar engine. For those not in the know. Since the start the O gauge trains have been “conventionally” controlled. They have a mechanic E unit that cycles the F/N/R. Whenever track power is cut is when it cycles. In direction the more power you apply to the track the faster the train goes.
In the Mid ‘90s command control was introduced. These are a very different animal. They run off of straight 18 volts track power. Everything is controlled electronically.
You can run a Command Controlled engine is a Conventional world, however you loose a lot of the benefits (sounds, cruise control, etc...). You can’t run a conventional engine is a command world. These engines with 18 volts track power will sail down the track at 100 mph until they fly off.
On the main table, with the way everything is wired I can run both command and conventional on all the lines, except the outer main line (command only track-straight 18 volts).
The “new/addition” layout is completely command control. However it’s basically all postwar (conventional style) equipment on this table, and I kinda like it. May continue to leave it a toy type layout instead of a modern “high rail” type that the main table basically is. Still want to be able to run both command and conventional engines though....
This kit converts the older style engines to run in a command world via a computer board. The board replaces the mechanical E unit.
Went with the NYC 2354 for the conversion. The E unit in this one has been temperamental since I’ve had it, but here it is before-
Pretty straight forward conversion! Made a bracket to support the new chip out of some galvanized I had. I utilized the original E unit mounting hole to mount it. Can be converted back to original if ever wanted, with just about no trace. Had to add some capacitors to the motor. That was the trickiest part of wiring. Just tapped the antenna wire to the bottom side of the shell as well.
We have success! She works!! This board has expansions for sound, couples control and anything else you want, but want to keep the original look and feel of the engine. The iconic E unit buzz is no more, but the coffee grinder motors still sound the same! Sweet!!
I need to play with the speed steps a little for some fine tuning. I’m just happy to be able to run it anywhere on the layout now! May have to order a few more of these for the other engines!
I’ve got another big goodie that should be here tomorrow! One I’ve been waiting for for a little while.
My inner nerd is showing...
I ordered a ERR A/C Commander for a postwar engine. For those not in the know. Since the start the O gauge trains have been “conventionally” controlled. They have a mechanic E unit that cycles the F/N/R. Whenever track power is cut is when it cycles. In direction the more power you apply to the track the faster the train goes.
In the Mid ‘90s command control was introduced. These are a very different animal. They run off of straight 18 volts track power. Everything is controlled electronically.
You can run a Command Controlled engine is a Conventional world, however you loose a lot of the benefits (sounds, cruise control, etc...). You can’t run a conventional engine is a command world. These engines with 18 volts track power will sail down the track at 100 mph until they fly off.
On the main table, with the way everything is wired I can run both command and conventional on all the lines, except the outer main line (command only track-straight 18 volts).
The “new/addition” layout is completely command control. However it’s basically all postwar (conventional style) equipment on this table, and I kinda like it. May continue to leave it a toy type layout instead of a modern “high rail” type that the main table basically is. Still want to be able to run both command and conventional engines though....
This kit converts the older style engines to run in a command world via a computer board. The board replaces the mechanical E unit.
Went with the NYC 2354 for the conversion. The E unit in this one has been temperamental since I’ve had it, but here it is before-
Pretty straight forward conversion! Made a bracket to support the new chip out of some galvanized I had. I utilized the original E unit mounting hole to mount it. Can be converted back to original if ever wanted, with just about no trace. Had to add some capacitors to the motor. That was the trickiest part of wiring. Just tapped the antenna wire to the bottom side of the shell as well.
We have success! She works!! This board has expansions for sound, couples control and anything else you want, but want to keep the original look and feel of the engine. The iconic E unit buzz is no more, but the coffee grinder motors still sound the same! Sweet!!
I need to play with the speed steps a little for some fine tuning. I’m just happy to be able to run it anywhere on the layout now! May have to order a few more of these for the other engines!
I’ve got another big goodie that should be here tomorrow! One I’ve been waiting for for a little while.
78Brougham
"Chump"
Very cool Zac, nice job!
stubs300
Senior Member
I have yet to convert any of my PW loco's to electronic E-unit, I can't seem to justify the price. But I have done a few upgrades with the horns and is pretty straight forward.
monaco75
Senior Member
They are a little pricey. I wouldn’t do all my engines @ $100 a pop. But a few I think are worth it.
I’d like to find a relay of some sorts to control the oem horn if possible. Has the control for a horn, but everything I’ve heard says it won’t power the postwar horns. But..... I only have a couple postwar engines with current working horns. Wouldn’t have worked with this engine anyway, as the horn is in the dummy. Would have to make a tether.
Have you seen a doctor ?
.
.
.
.
stubs300
Senior Member
Have you seen a doctor ?
The Doc would say, Don't stop!
Ripinator
Old Man with a Hat
Have you seen a doctor ?
Yes. He did. His name is Doc McNeedy. . .
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