Back at it agian

[captain1313]

After 45yrs I'm finally getting back into the hobby.  Wow, a lot of changes but yet somethings never change  DCC....wireless.....no brass, but still Plasticville, Atlas and the others.  OK...I have to ask.....what ever happend to brass track?  I remember n/s being a more expensive option now it's seams to be the standard.  When did it change?

Kevin

Good thing I have more money now than I did than.

[Doneldon]

Capt-

Welcome back. I'm betting you'll find more changes than things staying the same! And I know that you'll be impressed with the increases in quality of just about all models. There are still a couple of stinker brands but most widely available equipment is far superior to what we had when you were modeling in the 60s. Plastic locomotives, both steam and diesel, have vastly improved detail and operating qualities. And there are loads of new features compared to years ago: DCC, LEDs and lots of electronic controls and features. There are also many outstanding rolling stock and structure models now, but built-up has pretty much surpassed kits. Unfortunately, some of them go for huge prices, even allowing for our inflated dollars today. Most things seem to come from China now, but that's not a surprise. I used to say that everything but milk, eggs and bread comes from China but I learned a few weeks ago that many of our eggs are sourced there now. That kind of floored me.

Brass track died (almost) a slow death as the advantages of nickel-silver became apparent, primarily the fact that the oxidation on NS rails still conducts electricity fairly well while it doesn't do so on brass track. People still complain about cleaning track but it's much better than it was years ago. One thing is funny though: brass track developed a nice old metal look on the sides which NS doesn't so now those of us who don't want to clean brass track have to paint the sides of our NS rails. Sometimes you can't win for losing, I guess.

Again, welcome back to model railroading. I know you'll be happy you've rejoined us.
                                                                                                                                                     -- D

[jward]

brass track died in the 1980s, fiber tie flex track in the late 1970s.

one thing you'll noyice is the widespread availability of smaller rail sizes that more axxurately represent the real thing (code 83 & 70 in HO)

[Woody Elmore]

Back in the sixties and seventies there were very few built up freight cars. Today, kit assembly has gone the way of the GG-1.

There is a huge assortment of locomotives, both steam and diesel, to choose from. Brass engines no longer the thing that everybody wants.

I remember Atlas code 100 brass flex track with fiber ties. If the train room was humid or if you ballasted the track and used a diluted water based glue (like elmers) to hold it down the ties would warp.

Ah yes the good old days.

[CNE Runner]

Holy Smokes! Next you guys will be telling me that they no longer make Hi-F drive for locomotives.

Hee, hee
Ray

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Holy Smokes! Next you guys will be telling me that they no longer make Hi-F drive for locomotives.

Hee, hee
Ray

Was that the drive that used rubber bands to transfer power from a drive shaft to the axles?  

Whoever came up with that crazy idea in the first place?  

[OldTimer]

As I recall, the Hi-F drive was the product of the Athearn brain trust.  The rubber band drive let them produce a nice engine for a very resonable price because there were no gears to pay for.  I had a Geep, and the F-7 was also available with rubber bands.  The bodies were the same as the geared version.  I believe that the 2nd generation Athearn RDC's were all Hi-F as well.  The Hi-F units ran a little unevenly but couple two of them together and they would sort of smooth each other out.
OldTimer

[jward]

yep. the athearn hustler with the rubber band drive. totally useless in yard service. it took off about 90 when you opened the throttle.....

as for kits, they are still made. i have a friend who builds them professionally. but the current generation of resin kits are not for the faint of heart.

[jbsmith]

Brass is still out there! These from a simple google search, Brass is alive and well.
http://www.brasstrains.com/Classic/Trains/Scales/HO-Scale

http://www.caboosehobbies.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?scales_name=HO%20Scale&sku=BC~BR

http://www.railmodel.com/default.asp

and there is quite a number of others.

Brass rails, can usually be found used for cheap.

[captain1313]

Found some brass flex track and panels with a load of atlas switches for turnouts along with slide switches I used for blocks and some dpdt toggles. Even a bunch of LE D's with resistors for block indicators.  Everything else I must have given to the kids...........can't remember back that far.  I'm going DCC this time around but with mostly switch actuated turnouts.  It's enough controlling the trains with a hand held let alone the turnouts.  I can't even used a playstation controller worth a damn. 

[captain1313]

Good grief..........I started with flex with fiber ties....what a pain.  Also had some of those rubber band locos.  Thank god you can get RTR stuff now.  Between the eyeballs not working properly and the fingers beat to hell from working for a living I think anything I build from a kit would look like nothing more than a ball a glue.

[jward]

isn't a train layout the ultimate kit?

[CNE Runner]

Jward brought back some memories as my first HO locomotive was the Athearn Lil' Hustler (with Hi-F drive). Back in those days, I wore orthodontic braces and had an endless supply of little rubber bands that replaced those in the Hustler...which required changing frequently. My second locomotive was an Athearn GP7 - also with Hi-F drive - also a poor runner.

Let's see: Hi-F drive, poorly running locomotives, rolling stock that was little better than 'toy quality', and flex-track with brass rail and fiber ties...so much for the good old days.

Ray

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Well, my story about that Athearn Hi-F drive involves an American Flyer HO set.

Grandpa knew someone "in the business," and was all for getting things cheap. One Christmas in the early '60s he got me the American Flyer HO "North Coast Limited" passenger set. The set included an F-unit and three streamlined passenger cars (combine, dome, and observation). I'm sure the set was used and I'm convinced he got it cheap because it was missing its power pack and, more to the point, the Flyer drive mechanism for the engine was busted.

You guessed it. Grandpa replaced the busted Flyer gear-driven mechanism with one of those darn Athearn rubber band drives. Well, friends, with that rubber band drive, the engine could barely move itself. Don't even think about it pulling those three heavy, lighted passenger cars.

Happy ending: Fast forward 20-odd years to the early '80s. One Christmas my dad took the engine to the hobby shop where I did all my train buying in those days and got the owner to replace the rubber band mechanism with an Athearn "super power" gear-drive mechanism, with dual flywheels.

So while I couldn't much play with that train as a kid, I sure can play with it as an adult!