My Southern GP50

[jbrock27]

Rog, if you consider Atlas/Rocco diesel locos to be really nice, then the '70s; if you are considering the Atlas/Katos diesel locos to be the ones that are nice, then the '80s.

[rogertra]

Rog, if you consider Atlas/Rocco diesel locos to be really nice, then the '70s; if you are considering the Atlas/Katos diesel locos to be the ones that are nice, then the '80s.

Yes, I think you have it.  Most of my diesel fleet is the Atlas/Kato models supplemented by some recent Bachmann units.

I've put a lot into them, custom painted, detailed and decaled for the home road so they now have little resale value.  As they run brilliantly, they are candidates for DCC, with sound of possible but that's a big investment that will be handled slowly.

Cheers.

Roger T.

[JNXT 7707]

Roger T.The locomotive runs very well thank you.As far as I am concerned it is well worth the investment involved for DCC. As for the Athearn's I have they all run sweet with a little TLC which even the much newer units require at times.I also have a Bachmann SD45 that will be recieving DCC.

Amen, Catt - I agree. And you know, I do wish that when folks come onto model railroad forums with a question about one of their locos, that the supposedly wiser, more knowledgeable veterans would kindly attempt to answer the question to the best of their ability - rather than simply disparage the loco as not worth their time and money.
It is - in my own personal opinion - simply bad manners and smacks of elitism.

[rogertra]

Roger T.The locomotive runs very well thank you.As far as I am concerned it is well worth the investment involved for DCC. As for the Athearn's I have they all run sweet with a little TLC which even the much newer units require at times.I also have a Bachmann SD45 that will be recieving DCC.

Amen, Catt - I agree. And you know, I do wish that when folks come onto model railroad forums with a question about one of their locos, that the supposedly wiser, more knowledgeable veterans would kindly attempt to answer the question to the best of their ability - rather than simply disparage the loco as not worth their time and money.
It is - in my own personal opinion - simply bad manners and smacks of elitism.

But sometimes it's simply not worth the effort to fix.  Giving someone that advice is a valid point.  Better to spend the money on investing in a better quality unit than trying to either add DCC or repair old, outdated, poor running technology.   And that is just as good advice as any.  It's not bad manners nor is it elitism.   It's simply good advice.  Don't waste your money!

If you want it for sentimental reasons, put it on a shelf, like I and others do.  I've a few old locos and cars that don't meet my current standards.  Ones that I spent a lot of time detailing and painting, so they now sit on a shelf, including the six wheeled Walthers' private car named after my wife.  But that was a smart move.  

I also have a scrap line on which sit older steam that don't meet today's standards.  They been heavily weathered, had parts removed, stacks capped, windows blanked off and made to look like they've been retired for a while.  Like these two here: -



Cheers.

Roger T.

[jbrock27]

I agree with both Jerry's and Roger's points.
Jerry, I know you are part of a TYCO forum and therefore have some positive vibes toward their locos, but I think there are times, not this one in particular, where the advice to not invest time, effort or $$ is good advice, given what is available these days to serve as a replacement.

[Catt]

There is no need to "FIX" my GP50.I simply want to install DCC in a very nice running DC locomotive.The same goes for my SD45.
I can see no reason to spend several hundred dollars for a replacement loco when there is nothing wrong with the two I want to DCC.

[jward]

roger,

having quite a few of the newer bachmann gp40 types, i whole heartedly agree with catts statement. to repeat this is NOT a poror running locomotive by any stretch of the imagination. as far as i am concerned the ONLY drawback is the lack of flywheels. other than that it runs as well as if not better than the athearns or atlas locomotives you once used. and by converting this locomotive to dcc, you can program the acceleration and decelleration to get the flywheel effect.  all the decoder costs is about $25 and an hour of your time at the workbench. how would that be a waste of money?

[richg]

There is no need to "FIX" my GP50.I simply want to install DCC in a very nice running DC locomotive.The same goes for my SD45.
I can see no reason to spend several hundred dollars for a replacement loco when there is nothing wrong with the two I want to DCC.

BACH-DSL decoder is an exact replacement for the decoder in the following Bachmann "DCC equipped" locomotives: GP30, GP35, GP38-2, SD40-2, GP40, GP50, FT-A, FT-B and other non-spectrum series locomotives.
$15.56 at Litchfield Station.

Rich

[jbrock27]

Jeff, while on the topic of holding on to things that have past their usefulness, have you done anything w/your busted computer?  I recently purchased a new one myself, to replace my 7 year old one.  Money well spent and a much wiser expenditure than having spent $89 in an attempt to reinvigorate the 7 year old one. 

[richg]

Jeff, while on the topic of holding on to things that have past their usefulness, have you done anything w/your busted computer?  I recently purchased a new one myself, to replace my 7 year old one.  Money well spent and a much wiser expenditure than having spent $89 in an attempt to reinvigorate the 7 year old one. 

A couple times my stepson and I have picked up laptops at Walmart for about $350.00. Vista a few years ago and about a year ago. W7. Don't touch W8.
Backup files to flash drive or external hard drive.

I convert my PC's to Linux OS.

Failure is not an option, it comes bundled with Windows. lol

Rich

[jbrock27]

Failure is not an option, it comes bundled with Windows. lol

Rich

So you have noted many times in the forms of Rich1998 and lexxon.

"A couple of times"  How often do you go through computers Rich?  I have had 2 in 7 years and obviously don't change them as often as some change underwear.
With regard to Windows 8: It is not the downfall of society as some would lead you to believe.  It is rather simple to navigate and just like many new things, takes some getting use to from older Windows OPs.  No big deal.  So on Windows 8, I disagree with you.

[richg]

Failure is not an option, it comes bundled with Windows. lol

Rich

So you have noted many times in the forms of Rich1998 and lexxon.

"A couple of times"  How often do you go through computers Rich?  I have had 2 in 7 years and obviously don't change them as often as some change underwear.
With regard to Windows 8: It is not the downfall of society as some would lead you to believe.  It is rather simple to navigate and just like many new things, takes some getting use to from older Windows OPs.  No big deal.  So on Windows 8, I disagree with you.

Never said that.  With regard to Windows 8: It is not the downfall of society as some would lead you to believe.

One laptop for home. One for travelling.

A local PC shop has had many come in to have their PC's downgraded to W7 when W8 came out. Microsoft wants to forget about W8 if you keep up with the technology articles. I watch the articles in news feeds.
Many don't like the navigation. Business defiantly don't.

Stepson liked W7 much better than Vista so he gave his Vista PC to my girlfriend.

I will delete the Off Topic eventually.

Rich

[jbrock27]

Thanks for sharing.

[jward]

Jeff, while on the topic of holding on to things that have past their usefulness, have you done anything w/your busted computer?  I recently purchased a new one myself, to replace my 7 year old one.  Money well spent and a much wiser expenditure than having spent $89 in an attempt to reinvigorate the 7 year old one. 

had to spend $175 to get the jack replaced so the battery could charge. for that kind of money, i would have preferred to get a second battery and an external charger, but couldn't find what i need. so yes, i do finally have my old computer along with my photos and anyrail files back. just got it back about 2 weeks ago. one problem child down, now to work on the car.......

[jward]

rich, so w8 is the new vista? glad i run w7. and $350 is not in the budget for the forseeable future so i have to make do with the one i have. next to be replaced would be the old desktop running xp.