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Post by loco8107 on Mar 1, 2018 10:48:56 GMT -8
To add to this, I also paint and detail locos to a good level. It is a real test on ones nerves at times so it’s wrong to say folks are lazy. As was said before a loco here and there but a whole fleet is a LOT of work regardless how enjoyable it is for some.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 28, 2018 21:51:09 GMT -8
The RTR cars are way better overall than the kits ever were. They’re worth the price which isn’t all that bad.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 25, 2018 17:51:39 GMT -8
Guys, Remember you get what you pay for.. With today's higher tier models you are going to pay higher prices... But,are you? Let's take a closer look and do some shopping.. I've seen Atlas,IM and Red Caboose cars just a few bucks more then Athearn/Roundhouse/Bachmann RTR cars on e-Bay and MBK. Again go to train shows and look around and under the front of the table where there are boxes of NOS at cheaper prices and with that thought go to that train show and treat it like a great treasure hunt. Search e-Bay thoroughly. I don’t think many of us are arguing that, but how is the price constantly going up for those high end models justified when they have the same amount of details as in past runs? Nothing has been improved.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 25, 2018 16:15:12 GMT -8
The last few days I’ve seen the new run of GP15’s are on eBay and some are selling for - $189.98 - and that’s for non sound units. Some discounts are going for $161. Has Athearn gotten as bad as Walthers with the prices of new locos? I don’t want to sound like a whiner but I can’t see these higher prices being good for the hobby.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 25, 2018 14:20:59 GMT -8
If you really want one, I've got an Athearn BB GP38-2 I've purchased the plastic handrails, and installed the Digitrax DCC kit, with upgraded DH126 decoder, I'd sell pretty cheap. Thanks but I gotta hold off for a bit. I’ll keep it in mind. Still waiting for Uncle Sam among a few other things.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 24, 2018 18:31:46 GMT -8
Thanks. It looks like a good model other than it having the late grills. I’m tempted to get one, strip the paint and add the correct chicken wire grills among other details. Do they come with LED’s? Does come with LED's and lighted marker lights green in front and red rear. $199 list with Proto Sound 3.0 and $129 list for DCC ready. To me at least, it is a small upgrade from the Athearn former RTR, now Roundhouse GP38-2. The Athearn shell and detail is just better executed. The trucks on the MTH look like they were carved out of a bar of soap. Very square with little blending of the surfaces, like you get with the exceptional Athearn truck. Even the Athearn body doesn't have molded on grabs and lift rings. For myself, the Athearn Genesis is just a little bit more money and you get a whole lot more. Now Athearn has "seen the light" and is installing LED's. Everybody's threshold for what is good for them is very personal. I just didn't like what I saw in the video. Big price and kind of crude. But that is what my eyes saw. For what I need, good luck finding an undec Genesis unit as the RR I want to do is done with the late model unit I don’t want. I wish there was more Genesis undecs made as there’s not a real quality early 38-2 out there- still. The early units Athearn makes in Genesis seem to be all ones w/o dynamic brake units. I need dynamics for my unit.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 24, 2018 15:54:13 GMT -8
Can the radiator grills be substituted with the cannon ones to make it correct? Yes, all it takes are hobby knives and sand paper to chisel off the cast on grilles. Think blue box GP38-2. This is a low end one size fits all locomotive with cast on details, etc.. Anything may be possible, but you'll do a lot of work to get it to specific prototype detail. Thanks. It looks like a good model other than it having the late grills. I’m tempted to get one, strip the paint and add the correct chicken wire grills among other details. Do they come with LED’s?
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 24, 2018 14:53:17 GMT -8
Can the radiator grills be substituted with the cannon ones to make it correct?
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 17, 2018 7:51:43 GMT -8
Really a disappointing group of announcements. Seems like re-hash of old models and the "New Announcement" was already announced months ago. I expected this with paul graf at the helm but Atlas has really been disappointing with past several announcements. Oh well just have to go with the flow, hopefully graf won't sink Atlas all together. They’re definitely not putting out as much as they used to. There’s still a need for new cars and locos/loco schemes that a lot of us missed out on in the past. I never thought that Athearn would be ahead of the game on locos alone. We still need a better variety of freight cars too among other stuff.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 16, 2018 6:40:59 GMT -8
What’s wrong with Athearn’s screws? Mine hold up very well.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 14, 2018 20:33:50 GMT -8
The yellow on the real ones fades in time; if you were to change all four numbers in a renumber you might be okay. Somewhere, too, there's a GE with I think a 7800 series number that has a totally different font for the numbers than any other engine. Yes there is and I forget which number
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 13, 2018 19:58:03 GMT -8
I saw some pics of the later releases of the yn2 Atlas 38-2’s on eBay. If I want to get one and renumber it, do the microscale decals match the yellow numbers on the Atlas units? I remember the yellow not looking right on the first releases but Atlas seemed to correct it when they issued different numbers down the road.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 12, 2018 5:43:27 GMT -8
Has anyone had any kind of success changing the genesis bulbs? I really don’t want to sell the unit but I can’t have a burnt out headlight problem either. Suggestions??
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 11, 2018 18:17:27 GMT -8
My experience with Genesis diesels trying to replace with LEDs is not simple. That’s due to the cab interiors making it difficult to insert the replacement LEDs. And removing the cab interior is risky without causing damage. YMMV Bob That doesn’t sound too encouraging 😞
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 11, 2018 15:57:18 GMT -8
How easy is changing the lightbulbs on the Genesis units? I had the upper front headlight go out on me and was wondering if replacing bulbs (with LEDs) is as easy as it is with my Atlas 38.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 1, 2018 16:13:01 GMT -8
So why are undecorated models not selling in larger numbers? I have a few theories...... 1. Availability of decals or correct decals. Inaccurate decals are like having no decals. Why spend hours doing paint and assembly when you are going to letter the model with something that is wrong. 2. Paint. Floquil/Polyscale are gone, Testors is discontinuing another line of enamel paints aimed at the "stationary modelers". 3. Detail parts which lack quality/ correctness or in most cases are no longer available. A few examples are Detail Associates and others. DA's current catalog is a shell of what was available at one time. Parts are discontinued and new ones are nonexistent. Now couple production of current parts which can be very very sporadic and you can wait months or even years to finally gather all the parts you need for the build. By that time though your paint or decal choices may have been discontinued. 4. The idea of a "super" undecorated kit with ALL the various detail parts for EVERY road name produced is a great idea. The only problem I see with it is a manufacturer may take years and years to release all the possible models. Think of Athearn and their Genesis F-unit and GP7/9's. I have this feeling that parts that will needed three years in the future for the XYZ road, are not yet even tooled. So when is the manufacturer supposed to release the undecorated models. A run with every announcement? A run every few years? What about the holding of the parts for that someday release. Is the factory in China going to do that, or is the manufacturer/importer going to hold the parts in boxes and bins and someday package the models here in the USA. I don't see this happening. It is tough enough to get even warranty parts at times for these models. I love undecorated models. I ordered the new Proto by Walthers EMD GP35 phase II. I never got the model. When Walthers began dribbling in the pre-orders and eventually the rest of run, I said "self how come you didn't hear from.....?" I then inquired at Walthers about the undecorated models. Walthers informed me they had come and gone. There are NONE that I can find, for that matter even the factory decorated models are not popping up on e-Bay, like dandelions in the spring. Few and far between. I asked the dealer who said they must have dropped the ball. So I do without for now. Also, buying decorated models and stripping them is no picnic. Generally if you break something, you are in trouble for you may not be able to secure a replacement. Think of stripping a Walthers new GP35 and Walthers stock answer of "we have no parts". Why I stick to only Altas and Athearn locos - parts are always available.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 1, 2018 16:06:13 GMT -8
Athearn did RR specific undecs when they first released the GP15-1. Don’t know how well they sold. They sold well. The Chessie GP15T in undecorated is non-existent. They are rare air..... The Conrail version was the one you'd see most pop up on e-Bay. Now......they are not found. The Chicago & Northwestern has appeared on the auction block a few times, but they are now rare. The Missouri Pacific is also rare air air. I've seen one or two pop up for sale since they were released I've never seen a Frisco version undecorated for sale. Remember that these models have come and gone about eight years ago. So supply is all in the hands of mostly modelers who may or may not have built the model. The new in the box models are very hard to find. It has been some time since I last saw one of the special undecs on eBay. In fact, the last one I saw was the CR version.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 1, 2018 11:44:41 GMT -8
I would also add that a reason a lot of stuff isn’t available anymore is that a lot of the detail/custom paint modelers have passed on with a lot of the remaining modelers happy with RTR.
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Post by loco8107 on Feb 1, 2018 11:40:21 GMT -8
Athearn did RR specific undecs when they first released the GP15-1. Don’t know how well they sold.
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Post by loco8107 on Jan 31, 2018 11:05:51 GMT -8
I’m just glad the model RR groups like this one are civil most of the time. The railfan groups are awful. The worst in people like I never could imagine in a hobby world.
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Post by loco8107 on Jan 31, 2018 4:55:19 GMT -8
The dealership in the last photo is nicely done! I will second that statement
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Post by loco8107 on Jan 29, 2018 6:56:47 GMT -8
I was wondering what is the most popular decade for HO cars and trucks being made today?
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Post by loco8107 on Jan 23, 2018 7:38:59 GMT -8
I can pretty well guess who might have claimed that, and all I can say is that there are a lot of large egos and big talkers in the hobby. And it’s even worse in the railfan world. Sad to say. Is it any wonder good young folks don’t get into the hobby or stay in it? Too many of those types.
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Post by loco8107 on Jan 18, 2018 11:25:00 GMT -8
Still hoping for the SW1001
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Post by loco8107 on Jan 9, 2018 8:47:00 GMT -8
To answer your question, the new Walthers GP15 locomotives (in the Walthers Mainline blue box) have the Proto drive with the helical gears and run very well. Walthers has their own motor. Athearn Genesis locomotives have (or at least had for many years) a decent motor as well (Roco) but the driveline could be hit or miss. The Athearn locomotive has more detail and a newer shell. For a sound unit the MSRP is $289. The Walthers locomotive has less detail and an older shell. For a sound unit the MSRP is $189. Some people find the additional details to be worth the money, others don't. Good luck with your decision! Thanks for the answers. I was wondering if the drives are equally good. It sounds like it’s a matter of shell preference/details or not.
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Post by loco8107 on Jan 4, 2018 14:43:24 GMT -8
Who has the better drive?
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Post by loco8107 on Dec 19, 2017 17:24:47 GMT -8
On CNN this morning they said that the train was going 80 MPH and the curve had a maximum speed of 30 MPH. Based on the aerial view, the curve looked only slightly wider than the curves on my layout. Apparently the PTC implementation was delayed because of lack of funding. I am not sure if that is correct, but that is what people are saying. Yes, I'm still waiting on how the heck a train is going 80 mph into a section marked for 30 mph. This is like a wash, rinse and repeat of the wreck in Philly a couple years ago where an Amtrak train was well above the speed limit too - the engineer in that wreck was a big train fan reportedly. Beggars belief. Yes that engineer in Philly is a fan. Oddly, the govt wants the railroads to get PTC but won’t give them the funding. But in this part of the country, they can’t keep the roads paved either. And the implementation date keeps getting pushed back.
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Post by loco8107 on Dec 18, 2017 11:10:39 GMT -8
Well, greed is rampant in business these days. Right now I am struggling with reporting my company to the state attorney general for billing fraud. I was not part of the fraud and report my time honestly, but the company I work for is incorrectly invoicing public clients who pay with taxpayer money, and is charging the client on cost plus fixed fee jobs more than what they actually pay some of us. Both age discrimination and outright fraud are involved. My state has whistleblower laws, and my firm has an ethics policy they are not following that should protect me. However I fear being blackballed on the street and though technically they could not fire me, my company could easily make my life so difficult I would want to leave. Additionally I just received word that a direct competitor is committing far more egregious acts of billing fraud than my company, from an employee (who previously worked for us) who just took a public position....if that company tries to burn him he can really burn them... I know I probably need a really good attorney...and mom just went into a nursing home, and I am stressed. I hope your situation gets better and it’s sad how things are out there.
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Post by loco8107 on Dec 17, 2017 11:48:51 GMT -8
The real issue is railroads along with other businesses constantly hire clueless/bad people to run the show which is why they have most of their problems in the first place. Run the business right in the first place. It’s not rocket science.
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Post by loco8107 on Dec 17, 2017 11:45:57 GMT -8
Not so much a sign of the times as much as he was heartless and greedy. Being 73 and terminally ill and all he wants to do is work and not spend time with the family. His greed has destroyed a lot of families and ruined every railroad he worked for. Wall St isn’t the only reason businesses exist. Shame on CSX for even hiring him and giving him $300M knowing he was near death.
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