What did you order or the post deliver? (Worldwide Models)

[GCS]

2 minutes ago, Kiran said:

Here is a 5 car Caltrain with an MP36PH with Loksound. There was a recent run by Kato in their Kobo Custom range. I should look for the Bombardier carriages one of these days.

 

 

 

Really interested to see how your Dawlish sea wall layout turns out btw! 😁

[Kiran]

6 minutes ago, GCS said:

Really interested to see how your Dawlish sea wall layout turns out btw! 😁

Making slow progress. Figuring out the portals for Kennaway and Parsons and the cliffs in between.

[Kiran]

Here are my TGV and Thalys with LokSound. Rick Brodzinsky has a good video after he did the installation. So I am just posting that video. Coupling these trains can be a bit of a pain but they run great. Rick also has links to pictures and instructions on doing the Loksound install in the description on his Youtube channel.

 

 

 

[Kiran]

Talking about TGV and Thalys, is there a trick to uncoupling the carriages? Or do you just pull the 2 cars apart. It seems to require quite a bit of pressure to pull them apart. The ICE4 for example has a trick. You just lift up one of the cars  to uncouple.

[James-SNMB]

That's pretty much it as far as I can tell. Gotta give them a good yank. Unless someone else has a  secret. I try to pull them apart as straight as I can and with just enough force to do the job, but it feels like a lot for a delicate n scale model. It's not a fun task, but it so far the couplers have held up strong, and I haven't broken anything! I try to just keep the train assembled so I don't have to do this often.

 

I agree the ICE 4 is much easier, but I guess that mechanism wouldn't work on a shared bogey like the TGV/Thalys.

[GDorsett]

Three more Proto Amfleets arrived the other day! this brings my fleet up to six Protos, plus one Metroliner that is mid cab car conversion. I've included some pictures of the rest of the train. Do ignore my choice of motive power as I was testing it and too lazy to get out the proper power for these cars.

 

 

 

The rest of the train:

 

 

This brings my total Amfleet fleet up to around 20, most of which are the old Walthers cars.

 

I've also gotten a few random stuff and loose boxes that I don't have pictured with a randomized assortment of things that I'm planning on fixed/cleaning/servicing and flipping for a (hopeful) profit.

 

Some notable stuff:

More Kato F units, bringing the total to almost ten.

A couple of old P2k BL2 locos.

Some RDCs.

 

[Kiha66]

Phase 1 too, very nice.  I sold my metroliners and while I kinda miss them, I never ran them and the money went to a good cause (more Japanese trains).  Were the F units kato N scale or Ho ones?

[GDorsett]

11 minutes ago, Kiha66 said:

Phase 1 too, very nice.  I sold my metroliners and while I kinda miss them, I never ran them and the money went to a good cause (more Japanese trains).  Were the F units kato N scale or Ho ones?

 

Phase II, actually. I like the Phase II stripes. The only Phase I cars I have are the Metroliner and the coach beside the locomotive, and those are single arrow versions not double arrows, as I like the appearance of the arrows at the ends of the train. Would never actually happen, but it looks neat.

The F units are all HO and are from Stewart Hobbies. Most of them, are painted for Western Maryland, but there's a couple unpainted ones that will either become WM or go to my fictional road.

[Kiran]

Here is the brand spanking new 20th Century Limited. This is the 9 car basic set. I do have the additional 4 cars as well but I didn't couple them because I only have a short length of usable track at this point. The locomotives have Kato installed ESU Loksound V5 Micro. I should really get around to having a proper oval of track so I can put these trains through their paces.

 

 

[Welshbloke]

Been reworking a couple of old Lima N items. Probably the only two still worth the effort as Farish make a better MK1 CCT now.

 

First up, the GWR outside framed Siphon. These were used for all sorts of goods traffic which needed to be moved fast, such as fresh milk. They were built to run at express passenger train speeds. A fairly simple case of fitting the decent Lima body to a new Dapol underframe, needing only some fettling at the ends, lead ballast and a smear of superglue. Dapol have only offered the inside frame version so far, doing this adds a bit of variety:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIvKIzBhK3W/?igshid=1g90dqrwk6t1d

 

Next up will be a GWR horsebox. It needs a bit of detailing and really sits too high, I can't do much about that but it'll get new wheels, brake shoes relocated to line up with them, extraneous roof vents removed and maybe some wire handrails:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CI3Ry9aBCle/?igshid=olo19lioq0q6

[Kiran]

In my recent arrivals, it is now the turn of Broadway Limited with the GG1 loco. Kato claims that the GG1 can pull 15 cars up a 4% grade.  will have to test this claim at some point.

 

 

 

[GDorsett]

Does Kato use traction tires on the G or are all the wheels on proper metal tires?

[Kiha66]

Kato usually only uses traction tires on Japanese models and steam, their American diesels are all (as far as I remember) metal wheels.  That said they pull amazingly, so I don't expect traction tires would really be needed.  Our club uses a pair of kato E units for the cleaning train dragging Masonite pads and rollers around the layout and they preform flawlessly. 

[GDorsett]

I've got a Kato G from many years ago that I don't think has rubber tires, but it's been so long since it worked that I haven't bothered looking. One of these days I'll put it up on EBay...

[Kiha66]

What do you mean by kato G?  I'm not sure what locomotive you're referring to.  If you mean the GG1, they come with traction tires as they usually only run as a single unit. 

[GDorsett]

Yeah, the GG1s are often referred to just as "Gs" in some of the NEC circles. 

[Kiha66]

First time I've heard that, but then I'm about as west as you can get.  It certainly is less of a mouthful! 

 

From what I can see, units kato expects to run a full train as a single engine (such as electric locos and steam locos, as well as some Japanese diesels) get traction tires, while engines that will almost always run in multiple when pulling a train (most US diesels)  do not get them.  I'm sure a lot of consideration as what the train will pull goes into it too.

[gavino200]

I couldn't resist ordering the Kato Thalys PKBA. It'll give the PBA a little running buddy!

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10749058

Edited December 25, 2020 by gavino200

[James-SNMB]

@gavino200: Thanks for the heads up of the PBKA pre-order opening up! I've been waiting for this, although seeing everyone's pretty PBA's has had me quite tempted to jump the gun.

 

Now I'm just hoping the rumored TGV Sud-Est happens at some point. Keep up the good work Kato!

[Welshbloke]

Three random coaches for a silly cheap price, turns out the top one is Model Power but I've no idea who made it for them:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJYU0HZBD3G/?igshid=1evabrtz6e1ri

Edited December 29, 2020 by Welshbloke
More information found

[railsquid]

1 hour ago, Welshbloke said:

Three random coaches for a silly cheap price, turns out the top one is Model Power but I've no idea who made it for them:

 

I have the vague impression Kader may have produced some Model Power models.

 

I have a very similar 6-axle coach to that one, came with a job lot and I assumed from the packaging it was Lima, but it was actually Model Power, just very similar colours.

[GDorsett]

Top one is either Model Power or ConCor. Likely Model Power. The description says the middle coach is Fleishman and the bottom one is Minitrix.

[GDorsett]

Oh yeah, and I totally didn't order more Western Maryland F units...

[Welshbloke]

Yep, I thought the MP box looked very Lima-ish. It's a pretty decent coach considering the age and dubious ancestry, I fitted a pair of Kato knuckles so it can have a run with my other US outline stock.

 

They were all boxed but the other two don't match the remaining boxes, there's an Aurora-branded Minitrix style one (I don't think they imported the British-outline Minitrix range to the USA?) and a Minitrix one for a German bogie flatbed.

 

Interesting thing is that Kader/Bachmann have done heavyweight passenger cars in N but theirs are shorties, this looks scale length to me.

[James-SNMB]

For some Canadian content, I took delivery of some grain cars I'd pre-ordered some time ago.

There's 3 Intermountain cars, and 3 NARC cars. I'm surprised that the NARC cars run so noticeably smoother out of the box, and that's saying something since the Intermountain cars are still very good. I had never thought I would put much value in it, but the microtrains trucks on the NARC cars really do make a difference. I'm now wondering if I'm going to turn into one of those microtrains junkies that refits all their rolling stock... not for now anyway. But I could see it making a difference for a longer train or on a grade in terms of pulling power needed.

 

It's a shame these cars will be phased out soon in the real world. The new cars are much less colourful... But in the N scale fantasy world I'm creating, they'll look great beside my TGVs (and future Shinkansens)!

 

I also "needed" the Canadian Tire container, and the top package is a set of Aerocar lube to help out my ICE 4 which has gotten a bit noisy for some reason. I only just got comfortable taking the bodies off the cars, so learning to disassemble the drivetrain is going to be an adventure. But I suppose it's a skill I will need anyway as time goes on in the hobby. I'll see you folks over in "Train Doctor" when I get stuck.