That plug in ESU decoder is one thing that Scale Trains seems to be embracing. I haven't installed one of the ESU Next18 or Next21 decoders yet but it looks to be easy.
Here's the other side of the well abused gon with fresh UP letters and logo. Badly in need of some dull coat. And it's new friend. A recently out shopped CN/ICG gon
Was working on stripping the paint of this old Atlas 4 bay covered hopper last week. It's almost all gone but check it out. The main body is one color of plastic, the roof is a second color and the roof walk is a third color. Fun times.
I wonder if the pieces are of different types of plastic, for different qualities desired in each part? Or are they simply color-differentiated to make identifying/separating them easier by human assemblers? Very interesting, thanks for posting!
Look like the same type of plastic. My guess is it was more of a this is what we have at the time type of thing. Use the color you have until it runs out and move on. If I prime the parts, it should all be good. Just found the mix odd.
I've stripped several KATO SD40-2's once, the shell had to different colors: Cream and Yellow, the other was all Gray. Also seen a couple different stripped KATO E8/9's, one with Yellow the other was Gray. Both units were painted for VIA. Pretty sure it what they had on hand...
Got started on the new straps last night! Got almost half way done This is probably going to work well Sir George!
The thread is 'wax coated'. I did find that if you pull the thread between your thumb and index finger a few times it does flatten out the thread. Just a thought.
Updating some recent things. DCC installed in these units over the past 3 weeks UP's SP heritage unit UP's George Bush unit. I guess I could have built a model of a library and put this inside and saved a DCC board. And my latest victim. This one made me a bit nervous but surprisingly, it worked. Here's what the Kato 844 looks like under the hood Not sure what will get DCC next. I've about finished the easy ones.
I'm not sure of the exact date, but sometime starting in May or June this engine is supposed to be on display in the library (along with Marine 1 helicopter). When I was there earlier this year it was in the building but they weren't finished yet so you couldn't go in that section or see the engine.
Richard, Thanks for the nice mages. I like the 4141 but really like 844. What decoder did you install ? PS : i do like the UP1996 as well, wonder why ?
Thank you Sir Carl! For the 844, I used Digitrax DN163K4A for the decoder. I'm not big on sound so the standard decoders are just fine by me.
Had a different thread going on the Rapido caboose light thing but wanted to put some pics of it here too. The victim After a battle, got the cupola off Here's a closer look at those pesky tabs. Filing them down a little before reinstalling is highly recommended to make future removal easier. (Thanks to those who tipped me off to that item) Here is what you see first. Might be cool to add a conductor and brakeman sitting inside? Possible future project To get to the battery compartment, the seat lifts straight up. Use caution and work slowly so you don't break the attached wires. Mine were fine but some others noted having that issue. These are the batteries. Note that the negative faces the top and positive faces the bottom Once installed, put it back together and lets see what happens. With the lights off Then you take this fancy looking Harry Potter wand and tap/swipe the roof in front of the cupola And we have lights. They are dim but work. Not something I'd really use but just kool to know they work I do like the caboose and it runs well. That's it for this edition of disturbing your nap
Some things marked done! The stacks of junk cars I started painting a while back have been on the workbench for far too many weeks. A couple of weeks ago, I filally did a little weathering on them and then Saturday afternoon, they got a spray of dull coat. Also a few weeks back, I started on the ole Homer Simpson auto rack project. These decals: To the sealed with dull coat finished product. The arroWedge got the last replacement decal and a seal with dull coat. I had also started this rotary gon a while back. Messed up the decals and basically ended up starting over. I was/am disappointed that the decal set didn't contain the white rectangle and the Rotary Dump Ends lettering. If I find that in another set at some point I'll come bach and add it but for now, I'm calling this one done. Also calling this one done. It got a seal of dull coat as well. It looks pretty ratty but that was the idea. After this pic, I dropped in a pipe load and turned it loose on the layout I dull coated two other cars to seal the decals so that wrapped up 7 open projects and moves them off the workbench. Pretty happy to have all that done but of course other stuff is busy taking it's place.
