** Redetailing of a Athearn USRA Mikado into a Pennsy L2s**

**This is going to be a ongoing kitbashing project. It starts today.
Athearn a few years ago released a USRA Mikado 2-8-2. I have a undecorated version G9001. I purchased it with the idea to make it a Pennsylvania railroad L2. The Pennsylvannia had 5 of these. For Pennsy that is just enough for testing purposes. I don't think they were to inpressed with them, but they didn't get rid of them. In 1947 4 were still their
** The only change from the USRA prototype was a high front headlight and the PRR style marker lights. It seams Alco the builder had no trouble makeing them this way. All the photos I've seen show them with this Pennsy change. BLI release is stock USRA. Athearns PRR 2-8-2 has the correct high headlight but not the right marker lights. My undec version has the center mounted headlight.
** Now what do I do. Do I also make the basic USRA loco by just appling the hand rails stock marker lights, whistle, and bell making the Ahtearn, BWI version of this locomotive. Lets look at the loco as it comes out of the box.

   

** Photo 1: The locomotive. When compairing it to photos, the gererator needs to move up to foward of the somke stack. The bracket at the smoke box door top is for the bell. It doesn't go here. The bell mounts on top the boiler between the sand and steam domes. The headlight need to move from it's center on the smoke box door to the door top where the bell bracket is. Maybe this bracket can be used in some way to hold the relocated headlight. The front marker lights are stock USRA lights, they are in the wrong location and need to be replaced. New Pennsy style lights need to be aquired and relocated down to the top of the front pilot . A round number board need to be aquired and placed in the center of the smoke box door. That is basicly it for the locomotive changes. The hand rails and whistle still need to be installed as per Athearn.

   

** Phot 2 : The Tender rear detail. The two holes for the marker light on the tender rear are like the two holes on the smoke box front. They present a problum,and need to be filled somehow. The Athearn ladder can be installed. New Pennsy style marker lights need to be aquired with a Pyile tender headlight. These need to to installed on the tender's top floor along the rear edge. The marker lights in the corrners, and the reverseing headlight close to center I think. I have no real photo showing the exact location. So as long as a photo doesn't exist, center sounds good for now.
** I'll contact Athearn first to see if the other boiler front is aviable.
** Bowser made the marker lights, rear tender headlight and number board. in their catalog they are the same for all their tenders and loco pilots. If I am to redo this loco these must be purchased. Now it is time to check with a hobby shop or Bowser.
Bowser parts :
Marker Lights 1 pr # 7500 ( I need two pairs )
Headlight # 90042 ( same light used for the tender. I need two )
Headlight Bracket # 90041 ( Maybe I can get the light with the bracket )
Other parts possiably needed ;
Generator # 32119
Bell # 90030

I've read and re-read the Digitrax Zephyr book about building a consist. I can program the engines to run as a MU consist, but only those that are already closely speed matched stay coupled. Unfortunately, I haven't cracked the code on how to match each engine to each other within the consist. I understand you can use the basic 3 Step Speed Tables and the 28 Step Tables, but really don't understand "how" to do it. I've spent tonight reading various articles on the web concerning this topic and have learned some tips.

1. Match the loco's using a typical consist of cars in tow instead of running by themselves.
2. Match the loco's when they're not coupled together.
3. Try to match passenger loco's separately from freight loco's...unless you want to run mixed pax/freight.

Ok, maybe those are the "big picture" points, but what is still escaping me is the "how". I have a Zephyr system and going through the manuals, there's very little about how to actually reprogram the CV values to build a consist that is closely speed matched. (My only criticism of Digitrax is that they seem to write their manuals assuming the reader has a fair amount of DCC knowledge...IMHO.)

Am I missing the obvious? It there a pretty good tutorial out in cyberspace that explains how this is done? The way it seems now, you have to program (on the main) each CV value for the 3 or 28 Step mode while both engines are moving on the layout until they match in speed. Is it that simple? Why can't you just have an engine pull exactly the same train of cars over a set timed distance, and adjust the CV values until that engine pulls the same weight of cars over the same distance all at the same time? Wouldn't the engines be matched then, or at least closely enough that you wouldn't need to reprogram them again?

Ideally for our layout, which is supposed to be simple enough for a 12 and 10 yr old to run, I'd like the ability to take any two engines, couple them up and run them as a MU consist without having to reprogram them all the time. I know this is not very prototypical and negates what some engines were designed to do and operate (in real life), but for myself and my boys, being able to hook a few diesels together and run them with a long string of cars is all we wanted to do with DCC. And so far, that's the one thing we can't do.

Any info, help or ideas would sure be appreciated.

I know how to ease into the bottom of a grade by using buisness cards but I am still confused as to how make an easement at the top of the grade! What would be the best method to use at the top of a 2% or 3% grade and approximately how much more length would be needed for the easement if any at all.

Thanks
Leon

As some of you may know, my family and I are planning to visit the UK later this month, mainly staying with my wife's parents & family near Winchester, England.

I've been to England 14 or 15 times and have driven there only a few times. I find motorway driving the easiest as -- apart from being on the opposite side of the road -- it is the most similar to Canada. However, I find driving on their small, narrow streets and driving through roundabouts (in the opposite direction from Canada) to be extremely difficult.

I feel so foolish when I try to drive there, like a kid just learning to drive! I've been driving in Canada and the US for 30 years or more and find driving in downtown Toronto to be EASY compared to driving in England. I find UK driving so difficult because of being on the left side of the road, the very narrow streets, not being used to roundabouts and the volume and speed of the traffic there.

Just wondering if anyone can relate to this or am I in a minority?

I'm thinking of trying to drive over there again on this trip because I get frustrated of having to rely on other folks to drive me around. I wouldn't mind going to 1 or 2 places on my own or with my sons -- such the Watercress Line (aka Mid Hants Railway) which is only 11 miles from my in-law's house!

Rob

In the past, I've had problems with curved turnouts, even with Peco ones which are supposedly the best quality.

I'm working on a new, small layout and I've re-used one of my older curved Peco turnouts on it. Most of my locos and coaches pass through them OK except for one of my tender-drive British locos & 1-2 of my coaches also derail when they pass through them as well. The frog area seems to be the worst area.

It's possible that this older turnout is damaged so I'm wondering if I should simply replace this turnout by buying a new one. Or, have other folks had trouble with Peco curved turnouts? Maybe I'd be wasting my money and should simply revise the layout plan so it doesn't use any curved turnouts? BTW, this curved turnout is placed on a very flat surface, so I doubt that any unevenness is causing these problems.

Thanks,
Rob

Hey guys, Ive been lurking around lately, and havent really posted anthing worthwhile in a long time,m but these pics came up on another forum Im at thats non train related. Figured this was worthy off a new thread from me.


It was a normal day in Sharon Springs, KS when a Union Pacific crew boarded a loaded coal train for the long trek to Salina.
Just a few miles into the trip a wheel bearing became overheated and melted, letting a metal support drop down and grind on the rail, creating white hot molten metal droppings spewing down to the rail. A very alert crew noticed smoke about halfway back in the train and immediately stopped the train in compliance with the rules.

The train stopped with the hot wheel over a wooden bridge with creosote ties and trusses...




the photos speak for themselves....

Hi Guys,

I just picked up the new Kato SD70ACe and have a small problem/question. Some websites indicate the correct decoder to use is the K1B while others claim the K1C should be used. Does any knowledgeable DCC guru's know which would be better to use? They measure out to be identical (according to Digitrax) but even Digitrax doesn't specifically indicate which decoder is better for that engine. Any ideas?

Thanks

Sad to say, but it looks like Brian Martin has closed up shop on Hamilton Model Works. The website is no longer available, and Dave Cool of Canadian Express Lines had this to say in his latest newsletter:

Quote:HAMILTON MODEL WORKS

...........is no more. Sorry to say, this small manufacturer of fine
Canadian structure kits has ceased operation. All I have left in stock are
the following kit and detail parts...