LEE

Some of the folks post about putting out UN-painted UN- marked engines so they

can do it themselves.

Do you or anyone know of anyone or a business or even you folks that will put the

color and markings on?? If Bachmann offered it  you might benefit from added income

and keep folks busy and employed. Or every 6 months tool up to do a certain number

of rail lines which you notify us through the forum or club news. Include some rolling

if possible

Just a quick note:

As rail fans let us stick to the Golden Rule

As a sovereign citizen of the United States of America we need to respect

each others property rights. You will score a lot of points and get a lot more

cooperation with added benefits if you get permission and seek out those in

authority to give prior approval for what you want to do.

Understand we live in a highly litigious society. There are those "looking to sue"

over any issue they can get money from. Railroads are only playing defensive

legally. But at the same time rail-fans play a big role in "getting the word out"

about railroads accomplishments and it is free advertising for them when you

go home and coffee clutch and talk about railroads in a positive manner!!!!

There was an article in TRAINS MAGAZINE about this new trend of non-railfan

teenagers getting their pictures taken on the train tracks!!!!! It's only a matter of

time

before some accident happens, a railroad is sued and ALL railroads forbid anyone

for what ever reason from going anywhere near their property!!!!

Bottom line: RESPECT RAILROAD PROPERTY!! Seek out someone who can give you

permission, better yet state what you want in writing have some supervisor sign it

or give you written permission.

Legally the hired RR Cops don't have Jurisdiction to ask you for ID BUT as a RailFan

YOU are an ambassador for your hobby and if Railfans have a reputation of being

friendly, cooperative, and respectful the railroads will be happy to accommodate you!!!

I personally have been a witness to the friendliness of a Railroad when I went with

a couple of my kids, sought out permission and proceeded to have a great time.!!!

On one occasion we had the local manager give us a personall tour of the yard and I

later brought some Cub-Scouts back with me and THEY want to take pictures. It's
great PR for them, all the visitors are happy, it gets the word out about Railroads,

and there is potentially some new kids interested in taking up this wonderful

Hobby!!!  The Railroads need us and we need them it's a win win if we just

follow the Golden Rule!!!!!!

I have to say I am fond of both.

I always liked steam. When I was a kid there was a steamer that came into

Chicago Union Station every year and I would beg my Dad to take me to see it.

My Dad loved trains too and he would take the whole family and we would make it a "Downtown Chicago" day.

BUT

We had Chicago&Northwestern and Milwaukee Road running F-3's and there was

something about those F-3's that had me also fond of them.

My Dad pulled us kids out of school so we could make one of the last runs to

California on the Santa-Fe El Capitan. I still remember that trip. The porters were

so nice I remember getting extra portions of food and ice cream.

When I was an exchange student in the then East Germany I road old World War 2

steam trains with the big DR(Deutsche Reich) on the side of each passenger car.

What a thrill !!!!

Back in the mid '90's while I was in Residency a Pharm Company took us out on

a dinner train and it was the old El Capitan Santa-Fe F-3 engine and B-Unit attached.

I think I almost choked up. Once I was married a year later I got back into trains

because I wanted one around the Christmas Tree and one by one  that got my kids interested

and now we are building our layout in the basement. I have picked up Williams

Steamers and Diesels including the GG-1's. The most modern one I have is a GP-7

at this time. I don't particularly care for current production models as they all look

all look alike. BUT more and more i am starting to see small lines pick up and rehab

and paint GP-7's  GP_9's and those NW-2 switchers. Driving through Chicago on

I-94 around North Ave I see a repainted GP-7 in Union Pacific Colors and a NW-2

Switcher in a nice Tuscan Red  that has Chicago and .....(can't make out the last

name. Even in Indiana I am seeing some older stuff from time to time.

On the CW-80 can you run 2 lines on it??

Just opened the boxes from Trainworld where we ordered Williams
Engines and rolling stock.

The NYC Caboose right out of the box we put it on the track.

Shame on us we should have lubricated it first because it had a squeak.

We lubed it with the Break Free Collectors and once we hooked it up

NO squeak!!!!!

While reading a book my son picked up from the library on the PRR 1940's-1960's

there in living colour Atlantic Coast Line, PRR and a whole host of other Lines in

Chicago dropping off passengers. Very impressive!!!!! It almost doesn't matter which

lines you collect if you are from the Midwest as most seemed to make their way in the

area.

Set up the GG-1 this weekend. I can see why people like it !!!

It's got a real presence on the track and is really cool looking in its own right.

I am glad I got it!

My son hooked up all 5 of those die-cast Hopper cars and a Pennsy caboose and it

pulled it without a hitch. WOW WBB!!! Great engine!!!!!!!!!! My son ran it whenever he

had a chance this weekend.

I recommend if you are thinking about it "get it". I agonized over it thinking the Green
5 -Stripe was enough but that Tuscan Red is awesome too.

Next are the 2 NW_2's we picked up will report on it when we run them.

TRAINS Magazine had a SPECIAL EDITION ISSUE just recently on Famous Train

Wreaks and the Casey Jones Story was one of the stories included.

The kids today are not taught much "real" history about their nation so after I had read

the story to my kids my 7th Grader did a report on it. The teacher asked him to read it

to the class!!!!!!

The order from Trainworld arrived yesterday!!!

Too busy to open the box up will do it tomorrow and report on the

switchers and the GG-1 we bought!!!!!

Dear Joe

Thanks for the help

How does one go about re-wiring??

I am willing to give it a try..

I have both the Semi-Scale(Green and Tuscan Red) 5 stripe.
They are awesome engines. They run very nicely even at very slow speed.

I never thought much of the GG-1's until I had read the article in Classic Trains

Summer 2009 issue and was "hooked" after that!!!!!!!

My eight year old son came home from school yesterday and hooked up 5 of those

K-Line die-cast metal Hopper Cars as well as the 2 cabooses and the GG-1 handled

it without a hic-cup in performance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am wowed and glad I picked them up. WBB is great!!!!!!!

Just recently received a order for Williams and Bachmann

Last night my son and i opened up the GG1.

Williams does a First Class job on packaging. The Engine
is a sight to behold.

We hooked it up to a Pennsy and a NYC caboose and ran

her round the track to break her in.

Everything went fine. The engine is very impressive on the layout.

My only question or suggestion would be. The headlight on Williams engines don't

appear to be very bright. Anyone have any ideas, thoughts or suggestions on

improving the brightness of the headlight?

Also on the F-3's I saw on U-Tube someone had installed Wig-Wag. Are their kits for that? Also I am not sure if F-3's had Wig-Wag. While my kids and I were train watching over last weekend that Wig-Wag is impressive.

Thanks

Great Story  about the Warbonnets saving Lionel !!!

With my son and I running trains fairly regularly. I was experimenting with different lubricants.

Thus far the best I have found was in my gun cleaning supplies it is "Break-Free" COLLECTOR GRADE.

Don't use the Cleaner unless you are cleaning the wheels or tracks. The COLLECTOR is pure lubricant and the

engines and stock roll beautifully. My Dad's 1951 Hudson and a 1960's Tie-Ejector run really smooth and quieter.

I have been lubbing the Williams engines we recently purchased in the last year and they run nicely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just my 2 cents worth.

I became familiar with LV because there was a Hopper Car included with the Hudson set my Father bought back in 1951.

In addition I like the brown-red colour. I think colour schemes play a BIG role in having an interest in engines and rolling

stock. The best example is the "War Bonnet" scheme Santa Fe used on their F-3's

Since getting back into the hobby because of my kids, I have taken an interest in all the small rail lines that operated

all over the USA, particularly in our area around Chicago and the Midwest. I have also seen how learning about these

lines has the added benefit of helping my kids learn their geography. Guests to our home, friends, and teachers of our kids

are impressed when the kids can point out the location of the cities and areas of these rail lines!!!! This has been a great

learning tool. Not to mention the additional benefit is my wife encourages and supports the hobby too!!!

671

WOW!!!!!

You are right!!!

I just checked on line and the sale is making it so we can pick up 2 of the swichers !!!!

Thank you so much.

Have you had good experience with Trainworld ??

I will let you know what we order. Hopefully we can do it TODAY!!!!

Thanks again!!

We are enjoying the heck out of that S-2 tender. You're right that it is an earlier version of the trainsounds BUT it is a

big improvement over the 1950-51 one we have.

Years ago when I was a kid the Semi-Hudson flew off the tracks and fell on the floor and broke off one of the green-reflector

lights. Someone at the I Love Toy Trains mentioned some outfit or Lionel or Bachmann may have a replacement  front

section. Anyone have information or ideas!!!

Thanks again everyone

Thanks for posting pictures!!!!!!!!

There is a lot of talented folks out there.

Also I appreciate you all showing the "work in progress" photos as I can

get an idea of what to do.