Quote from: WGL on February 20, 2009, 03:23:27 AM
  I have been a saver & collector of stuff long before beginning this hobby.
Don't ask how many books, tapes, DVDs & CDs I've acquired!  After years of not finding a use for something, I may discard it.  Shortly thereafter, it happens, too often, that I discover a use for it.   

I've noticed that happens to me, too. Must be some immutable law of nature:  The longer something sits around unused, the shorter the time after you dispose of it till you find a use for it.

Quote from: Yampa Bob on February 19, 2009, 05:30:22 PM
Jeff,
"Deaccession"....."To remove and sell (a work of art) from a collection, in order to purchase other works of art".

In other words, you're gonna sell all the stuff you don't need, then you can buy a whole bunch of new stuff you don't need.  Yeah, I can relate to that. 

Well, "deaccession" sounds so much nicer than just to say I need to get rid of them. Plus, all this stock is in good shape. I've always taken good care of my toys. 

QuoteYou gave me a good idea though.  Think I'll pack up some cars I don't use, but don't really want to sell.  That would "de-access" them, or "out of sight out of mind".   

Thanks

If I could just do that. ...    The thing is, I really need to find a new home for this equipment because I'm out of storage room. 

Quote from: Yampa Bob on February 19, 2009, 04:11:22 PM
Ray,
That doesn't include another 100+ new cars and car sets still in boxes. Add to that another 25 or so kits never assembled, and I'm right behind you.

The buffet won't hold them all,  so about 40 of them are on the shelves in my office. A friend recently sent me ten 80 foot+ passenger cars, all needing major repairs.  They sure don't fit my layout, but what to do with them?

Oops, just remembered another drawer full of junk cars here in the office. This is getting ridiculous. 

Did you get my emails?

My "winter project" for this year was to go through the inventory of my collection with a goal of filling at least three computer paper boxes with rolling stock to be "deaccessioned." I've been slow getting started, but this week I've managed to fill one box. I'm not talking junk, here. That box includes four perfectly lovely Spectrum P.R.R. heavyweight passenger cars--wonderful models but just too long for the curves I can use in the space I have available, so they never get run. I've also got a Mantua P. & R. camelback Atlantic that I never run; she cost me a pretty penny brand new. The challenge will be to find a new home for this stuff, as I have neither the time nor the inclination to sell piece by piece on eBay.

Quote from: Daylight4449 on February 06, 2009, 03:05:23 PM
let's put it like thhis,  he does not care about reality, he is a 9 year old copycat

Nuthin' wrong with that. I have fond memories of the days when I cheerfully ran an 1860s woodburner alongside a Santa Fe Warbonnet F-unit. 

(No, that wasn't last week. That was more than 40 years ago.  )

Quote from: Yampa Bob on February 05, 2009, 07:47:40 PM
Jeff,
How far are you from Denver?

I'm in Philadelphia.

QuoteIf you visit the store, check out the detail parts section.  They have so much stuff they have sliding sections to hold it all.

If you want to see it all, plan to spend the day, or overnight. We like shopping in the summer, so we can shop until closing and still drive back in daylight.  Access is easy, at 5th and Broadway, with lots of free parking.

Plan another day stayover if you want to visit the railroad museum and Georgetown Loop.

Oh yeah, take lots of money.   

Detail parts and decals are two of the items I have most difficulty finding. As for bringing lots of money, that's why they made credit cards. 

Jeff

Quote from: Tylerf on February 02, 2009, 09:40:28 PM
Ya 15 inch radius is a little tight

Might be better to do a Civil War military layout if he has to stick to that radius and that layout size.

Lots of the old Mantua/Tyco 1860s rolling stock is still available on e-Bay.

Quote from: Yampa Bob on February 03, 2009, 10:38:35 PM
I am very fortunate to have Caboose Hobbies, which I believe is the nation's largest train store, only 200 miles away.  I visit them about once a month, and the store is always packed with customers.  They are open 7 days a week.

Next time I'm in Denver I'm going to be sure to visit the store (the last time someone else was driving and the Shepler's Western store won out over Caboose Hobbies  ).

It seems that half the time I get to a local hobby shop here at home, they don't have what I need.    Perhaps they would be able to order something for me, but then it really becomes a question of time for me. If the store orders something for me, often there's no telling when the item will come in, and then I have to make a second trip back to the shop to pick it up. If I order something on line, usually it's exactly what I want from a supplier who has it in stock, and I receive it in a reasonably short time. So I'll buy it on line, where I can save the time of the trip to the store, place the order at my leisure (usually way after business hours), and get exactly what I want, even if I do have to pay shipping.

Even if I don't buy a single thing, a day at a train show is always a day well spent. 

It's funny how often I don't find what I'm looking for at a show, but find other good stuff instead! 

(I wouldn't buy used track to use for myself, but I find I'm getting on the lookout for some old track in reasonably good condition to "restore" some old train sets that lost their track over the years.)

Quote from: jdmike on January 20, 2009, 08:27:21 PM
Considering the bidding wars i see over the AHM Casey Jones on ebay in recent months, and one cannot run it on anything other than code 100.  This is one of those times, where I think if you build it, they will come.   Pre 1900 is excellent small layout material, with its small engines and cars.  But many modelers want it ready to run, up till now its been mostly a craftsman kit and scratchbuilding scale.   Dont get me wrong, I love the beautifull huge steam engines we have been seeing in the last few years.  But its time to do or redo some of the smaller power.  And that doesnt mean more 0-6-0s or yard engines! 

For what it's worth, I think you make a good point that the pre-1900 era is great for small layouts. 

Quote from: Jim Banner on January 12, 2009, 09:51:53 PM
Around 20 freight cars.  More on straight track.  Less on grades. But 20 cars would be a train about 12 actual feet long, which is pretty long for a small layout

That's the way I usually approach the question, how long a train looks good on my layout rather than the mechanical capabilities of the locomotive. If your layout is small, you don't want to watch your engine chase its caboose or ETD like a puppy chasing its tail. 

Quote from: Billiumss on January 07, 2009, 09:17:29 PM
What about fabric from a fabric store like Joanne Fabrics?

Cheap green fabric is exactly what I use for temporary layouts, to cover the table top. With Bachmann nickel silver E-Z Track for the track, I find it makes a good base for a layout that isn't fastened down.

Good luck!

It's a terrible thing to get a train set at Christmas time only to find that it doesn't work right.

That's the quickest way I know to turn someone off to what could be a fun lifelong hobby. 

Go with the gray roadbed track. The gray roadbed looks better. 

Quote from: glennk28 on December 07, 2008, 08:59:06 PM
Each railroad designates a point which determines east/west (or north/south)  This is specified in the timetable and other documents.  It generally has little to do with compas direction.  Usually it is the headquarters city of the road.  Mileposts usually recon from this point, as well.

Indeed. I think I read someplace that the Pennsylvania Railroad measured distance from the ends of the tracks in old Broad Street Station in Philadelphia, and the distance designations weren't changed even when the station was demolished.

Quote from: SteamGene on December 05, 2008, 10:57:16 AM
I've been trying to find a standard for how trains are numbered.  Here's what I THINK I know.
In the east westbound trains are odd numbered and eastbound are even. 

If I can judge by my handy Amtrak Keystone Service schedule, that appears to be correct. Trains from New York to Harrisburg (that is, westbound) all have odd numbers, and trains from Harrisburg to New York (eastbound) all have even numbers.

IIRC, going back into the depths of history, the dearly departed Broadway Limited was #43 westbound and #42 eastbound. Those are currently the numbers for the Pennsylvanian. How the mighty have fallen. ...