Turntable?

[rains train]

That might help a little 

[djp]

OK cool, i'm off to bed now will do it first thing in the morning.

[rains train]

Thank you very much

[djp]

for some strange reason i cannot insert the pictures. I have mailed them to your AOL account. Hope that is ok by you.

[rains train]

Thanks 

[brokemoto]

You mentioned that you were getting a big boy for Christmas.  Unless there is a brass one out there, Rivarossi manufactured the only N scale big boy.  It is currently out of production, so the only ones out there are either used or NOS.

The runnability of RR steam varies wildly.  Copies of the same model will show variations:  some will run nicely through the speed ranges; they will even creep well.  Other copies of the same model will have only two speeds:  very fast and not-at-all.

Does it absolutely, positively have to be a big boy?  Or is it important only that you have UP big steam?  If the latter, you might want to consider the Athearn challenger.  While it will not pull quite as well as the RR, it does run better (according to those who own all three:  RR big boy, RR challenger, Athearn challenger).  The Athearn's detailing is also nicer and it does have sound.

There is a RR big boy currently on FeePay.  It has two days left and is currently at just under two-hundred dollars.  I suspect that it will go for something close to three-hundred dollars.  Unless you have one on layaway at your FLHS for two-hundred-fifty dollars or less, the Athearn might be a better choice.

M.B. Klein's website, modeltrainstuff.com, shows Athearn challengers for about three-hhundred bananas.  They seem to be out of Tio Pedritos, it appears that they have only D&RGW.  I suspect that they can order one for you in Tio Pedrito if you send them an e-Mail.  I usually deal with them face-to-face, as they are close to Baltimore and I am in Washington, but I have used their mail order.  They give good service and are a good crew.  They have always been willing to order for me if they did not have it in stock.

If you can not get it there, I suspect that you could find an Athearn for about the same price on other websites or on FeePay.

But if it absolutely, positively must be a big boy, be aware of what you are getting into with RR.

[GlennW]

http://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=big+boy&CatID=TN 

This may be the BB referred to? We'll see if Athearn can be on time with this release.
At $424 List I hope they take their time to do a quality product. (Same MSRP as the Challenger)

Getting back to the TT, I wonder if the new model is also made by Heljan? Is it possible the new/old TT & RH can share some common parts? THen it may be possible to have some old stalls rebuilt into a modern style?

It could make the RH a bit easier to have some short stalls for smaller power, then some longer stalls for the BB & CH?

There would be few prototypes for a RH complex that would be able to handle BB's. I wonder if UP has any photos of their Cheyenne facility?

[rains train]

No, it's an Athearn Big Boy, I need to reserve it, here...

http://texnrails.com/catalog/catresults.asp?sid=FJ657274769104203,%2051390458055830&cat=L&mfg=ATH&itype=4-8-8-4,_Big_Boy&scale=N

[brokemoto]

The Athearn announcement of the big boy must have gotten by me or I forgot about it.  Either would be no surprise, as I have little interest in big steam and have no interest in UP big steam.

[rains train]

I might be gettng it, but if i do i'll have to put it off, i'm getting digitrax zephyr for christmas