I bought a new Weller 40 watt soldering iron not long. I have built 4 turnouts and the tip is already pitted and the iron isn't working as good. The instructions say not to file the tip. Is this just to get me to buy new tips, or is filing a bad idea? I have filed the tip on other irons and never had a problem.

Loren

Hello Everyone---Handling precious cargoes was common on many railroads.For the CNR,handling silk imported from the Orient was one of those special assignments .These trains were so important,they had clearance rights over the entire system as it was critical to get this commodity to market as soon as possible.Usually the train was loaded at the pier as soon as the ships landed.Headed by the railroad's fastest locomotives and specially designed rolling stock,they were a sight to behold as they raced to their destinations.
Inspired by some of the recent roll-bys by other members,I thought I would do a run by of a typical Silk Train---hope you enjoy

CNR J-7 Class Pacific #5303 is perfect for this assignment---fast and powerful



On the drawbar are a series of specially equipped Through Baggage boxcars---note the passenger type trucks designed for high speed











Quite often,the train carried handlers and agents on board to insure speedy off-loading.Here we have a combine in the consist



Carrying the markers,a classic CNR caboose carries an extra crew

Yep, he's gone over that already, but congratulations to

TRUCKLOVER

For being the first to have 1000 posts here on the new Big Blue Train Forum.

Cheers, pip-pip and all that....

here is a couple of photos of Mooney Warthers work the big boy is of burled walnut and ivory its in 1/2 inch scale and has over 7000 individual pieces, the Hudson is of ebony and ivory it to is 1/2 scale and over 7000 pieces, the big boy was finished when Mooney was 68 . the man was a true artist there is a article on him in a 1970 model railroader.i forgot to mention there is a museum of his work in Dover Ohio.
Jim

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Thought I would jump on the locomotive roster band wagon... here are my current locos, project machines and daily runners. Sorry for many parts being outa-focus. I do not have a macro lens for my camera.


Model Power Pacific 4-6-2 - Canadian Pacific
Currently DC powered, planned to be DCC in the future. Needs knuckle coupler


Con-Cor USRA 2-10-2
Currently DC powered, sound decoder ready to be installed, will be modified into a CPR 2-10-4 Selkirk, currently slated to be returned to Con-Cor for repair


Atlas 2 truck Shay - Potlatch Lumber Company
Currently DC powered, planned to be DCC in the future


Con-Cor J3a Hudson 4-6-4 - Norfolk & Western
Currently DC powered, planned to be DCC sound equipped, will be kitbashed into a CPR Royal Hudson


Pair of Intermountain F7 - Canadian National
Both are DCC powered


Bachmann Heavy Mountain 4-8-2 - Canadian National
DCC equipped, kitbash into U1f "Bullet Nose Betty" #6060 80% complete


Walthers USRA 0-8-0 switcher
Currently DC, was DCC, but locomotive has been deemed salvage due to poor pickup/pulling abilities/seizing


Kato 4-8-4 Daylight - Southern Pacific
DCC equipped


Kato SD40-2 - Canadian National
DC equipped, MRC sound decoder on order


Bachmann 2-8-0 Consolidation - Canadian National
DCC Equipped


Kato RDC1 - Canadian National
DCC Equipped, lighting kit planned, to be refinished


Athearn Challenger 4-6-6-4 - Union Pacific
DCC sound equipped, to be sent to Athearn for sound decoder repair


Atlas GP9 - Canadian National
DCC equipped


Kato 2-8-2 Mikado
DCC equipped, being painted into Canadian Pacific colors


True Line Trains RS13 - Canadian National
DC equipped, DCC decoder in the future


Bachmann 4-8-4 J-Class Northern - Norfolk & Western
DCC MRC Sound equipped


Bachmann Heavy & Light mountains 4-8-2's
both DCC equipped, both being kit bashed into Canadian National U1f's


Stay tuned this summer as more locomotives get added to the roster... planned acquisitions include Kato RDC2, Intermountain F7B, Intermountain FP9A's, Intermountain F9B's, Kato Mikado, Bachmann Heavy Mountain

IHC 2-8-2 Looks new, has original box (that peachy color)



Was there anything wrong with these guys? Can the running gear be replaced with an alternative if anything happens?

Hi Guys,

Im wondering if you all can help me out. I recently sold most of my buildings off, they were all Walthers Cornerstone Buildings in HO scale. I mainly did this because im going into the prototype modeling, modeling real structures, currently my plans are for an area along the BNSF mainline in La Midara, CA.

Anyways, what do you guys prefer to do? Do you prefer to buy your buildings and structures as kits? Or would you rather pay a little extra and buy them fully assembled, painted, and weathered, all ready to be placed on your layouts?

I would like to hear what everyone thinks. I had an idea thrown my way, not just by one member, but by a couple in the past, that i should consider buying kits, assembling, painting, and weathering them and selling them. Custom building/kitbashing kits into a structure that would suite your needs would also be an option.

Im just curious if there would be a demand for such a thing. Right now, im out of work, and have been out of work for about a year now, and like many, im having a hard time getting a job ANYWERE, so something like this might be an easy way to pay the bills for a little while, at least until i can get a job.... Not to mention, i think i would enjoy building structures for re-sale, and it would definitely keep me busy.

Good idea? I wanna know what you guys have to say about this, and what you would prefer, kits or Built-Up's.....

I cannot for the life of me get the screws off that hold the couplers in place. I have never re-moved them, and the engine was brand new when i got it, i applied all the details and everything a while back, now i wanted to try and replace the couplers and open up the shell, and i cannot loosen the screws that mount the couplers in place. They are so dang tight from the factory, they just wont budge. I even tried to put the screw driver in my power drill and it just wont come loose, its just stripping.... Its almost like there welded in place or something, and its really frustrating!

What should i do? Should i contact KATO? Can anyone suggest something to do? The screw on the front of the loco is kinda stripped now, and the rear one is also a little stripped

.
With this post I would like to show you a friend's woodart model railroading.
Look first a few of this exclusively for this forum transmitted pictures.













I meet Martin in a German US-railroad forum and was extremely surprised about his large scale wood models - built in a quality which many of us do not achieve in metal.
Martin lives near to Bern/Switzerland and ownes a whole collection of such 3 foot narrow gauge wood models built in a 1:11.5 scale for 80 millimeter track (built in wood also). All locos are battery powered and radio cotrolled and run while exhibitions for a permanent astonished publicity. Short time ago he and a friend opened a website Spur80 (gauge 80) and here you can find a few PowerPoint presentations about the modeling process of such a wood loco and pictures taken while an exhibition.

I think that these pictures and models are worthy for presenting to a wide publicity. I hope that I can give a few more info with a next post.

Edit: All pictures are published with Martin's friendly permission. © by Martin Rindlisbacher

I always like to keep up to date regarding what's happening with our local heritage railways and found out a few interesting things tonight.

The South Simcoe Railway (SouthSimcoeRailway.ca) is planning to have its 4-4-0 steam loco running by the beginning of their operating season -- I got this from their newsletter.

The Waterloo Central Railway (steam-train.org) is restoring its 0-6-0 steam loco for the near future and plans excursions of S. Ontario! They're also working on restoring two 0-4-0 Tank Engines as well as at least one diesel switcher. Their diesel switcher is scheduled to start operations in early-April from Waterloo to St. Jacobs.

The narrow gauge Portage Flyer in Huntsville (Portageflyer.org) will not be operating this summer because of the G8 Summit that will be happening in Huntsville! I couldn't believe this when I read it but apparently they will be constructing new facilities right next to the railway, so the Portage Flyer railway will not be able to operate at all until 2010. They will have to even move some of their facilities. Sounds bizarre.

The Halton Country Radial Railway (hcry.org -- one of my favourite railways) plans to reopen during the first w/e in May and the diesel York-Durham Heritage Railway (ydhr.on.ca) plans to reopen in early-June as usual.

Just wondering if anyone can add to or update this list? Sounds like a good operating season coming up. I enjoy riding heritage railways more than going to MRR shows!

Rob