Route 66's around the ceiling adventure

Route 66 Jun 25, 2008

  1. Route 66

    Route 66 TrainBoard Member

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    No Jack Daniels w/my coke

    I have been looking for a Whimpy's train shop Jake Daniels car all the ones I've seen at shows they want $200.00. E-bay seems to support that trend in pricing they all top out at or over $200.00 plus shipping.I don't think I'm wanting to pay that price for something I intend on running. I'm now thinking of finding a used reefer car from LGB or USAT and strip and repaint and doing an M&M Diner/Route 66 Lounge billboard theme to run as the final car in my consists on my overhead track. I will hope on finding a project car at a show since anything I find on E-bay intails shipping cost which moves it out of finding something under $30.00.The hunting on E-bay seems to be drying up for cars that I'm interested in possibly a slow time of year for selling.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 30, 2010
  2. Route 66

    Route 66 TrainBoard Member

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    Decal

    Right now I'm in the process of designing my own decals and hope to tranfer the design to some decal paper. I have looked at services that make decals but I don't need a large run that they would want for a minumum order since these are for my M&M Diner/Route 66 Lounge and will only need enough for 1 or 2 Reefer cars. There are a couple of undecs boxcars on the "E" at this moment. I went to a train show yesterday looking for a used doner car to strip and repaint without any luck. So I will work on decals for now and find the car later. I think this car is what I am going to use to round out my consists running overhead.

    To be continued...............
     
  3. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Route66, LGB special items do seem to sell for high dollar, especially when Marklin announced they are dropping alot of special themed cars and locomotives. There is alot of rolling weight above on your ceiling, does it ever worry you that you should have more tha just fishing string holding it up? Over time I would think the test strength of fishing string would reduce as it constant tension is always on it, but I'm no engineer either, it was just a thought that crossed my mind.
     
  4. Route 66

    Route 66 TrainBoard Member

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    EMD,
    With what I have running on it now I'm not that concerned, I believe it will handle what weight I have suspended at this time, now if I decide to remove the ventilated shelving areas and build some wooden trestles which is in the back of my mind. I than will go to stainless steel cables incased in plastic casing w/ crimp ends. My intention was to use a material that didn't stand out for hanging the layout and was more invisable and pleasing to the eyes. I understand where your coming from but I feel confident it will remain in place.
     
  5. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Route66 I was just kinda concerned for you thats all. I like that stainless steel cable idea you have though, that would last forever, although you would see it. You figure the USA GP-9 averages out around 8lbs and then those USA woodside freight cars average out around 3 to 4 lbs per car. Brass track is also about a 1lb per foot. The only concern I had was that fishing string was never meant to have constant weight on it, only temporary weight and I know from my fishing days it would stretch over time from constant use. Just looking out for you, but you seem to have a great back up plan.
     
  6. Route 66

    Route 66 TrainBoard Member

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    EMD,
    I appreciate your thoughts and advice,You could be right about the line over time possibilly stretching or breaking.Maybe I'll get some stainless cable and see about retro-fitting a few pieces at a time. I'll keep ya posted.
     
  7. Loadmaster

    Loadmaster TrainBoard Member

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    Good Evening Guys,

    I was just surfing the Trainboard and thought I would look into the G/#1 guage and see what is going on. I had Lionel trains when I was a kid and my folks sold or gave them away while I was in college in the early 70's. They just thought that I had out grown them, WRONG ! ! ! I collected some Arnold Rapido N scale while in college and saw a very interesting train set while on a mission layover in Germany. It was of the Swiss MOB line and so I purchased it. When I returned back to the states and took it to a model RR club, the wheels didn't reach the track. Then I noticed the little "m" after HO and realized it ment meter guage or 12mm track. So I had sat quietly in it box on my display shelf. I was assigned back to Germany during Desert Storm and discovered Z scale, military housing is not spaceous and it fit just nicely into my flight quarters. I spent 2 years over there and ran my train when I was back on base. I retired from the USAF in 2000 and my wife and I moved back to So Cal. She thought it waould be just nice to have a garden RR until I showed here the prices of LGB and Marklin 1 gauge. What I really liked about Marklin 1 guage was they offer live steam in Europe, but not here in the USA, bummer. Mr Rt 66 I enjoyed reading your progress report and never thought about using that wire shelving material for an overhead RR, of course they would need to be G scale as nobody could see the Z scale up that high, LOL.. I also like your collections of license plates, cars/trucks and other goodies on the walls. My wife thinks I should UPSCALE from Z as the building would be easier to construct. It is something to think about when I get older.
    Well, good night all, I'll check back later to see what other pictures appear.

    Robert
     
  8. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Route 66 definately has a nice Nastalgia type room to run his trains in and has done a great job with the over head track system
     
  9. Route 66

    Route 66 TrainBoard Member

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    EMD trainman & Loadmaster,
    Thanks for the compliments. I should stick with one scale or hobby but I find if you have a variety of things that you are interested in accumulating,when things aren't coming out in "G" or "N" that aren't your cup of tea you can always find something else to fall back on when looking at shows.So if I'm not finding anything in the train dept. I can look for something else that will fit in with what I like to add to my Diner room theme. No matter what ya do you would always like more room(space) for your toys.
     
  10. DragonFyreGT

    DragonFyreGT TrainBoard Member

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    And that's why I'm currently working on updating and modding my HO F7A&B Shells while I wait for Aristocraft to get off their butts and ship my grills to my local Aristo Repair Dealer (Not so much dealers as the spitting image of used car salesmen, without the ripping you off bit~).
     
  11. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    This is Route 66 original Ceiling Adventures post. I thought it was neat haow he made this over head G scale layout and looks great in this particular room he has. I also want to thank Route 66 and mention he did help me get started on the USA Trains registry info along with Solase. Route 66 originally made a nice list of USA Trains beer related road names that were produced.

    Welcome back Route 66
     
  12. Route 66

    Route 66 TrainBoard Member

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    Still up and running

    I'm 2 months shy of the Over & Above R.R. 2 years of existance,It has performed well with no mishaps,she runs for hours on end and I even trust it to run when I leave the room!!! knock on wood! I haven't added any more rolling stock to the consists or my collection of late,but I'm sure that will change in time
     
  13. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Great to hear your idea of a inexpensive over head layout worked out for you. Thats amazing considering the weight of the track and train how you made this work. Plus it was a nice touch for that neat room you made.
     
  14. Route 66

    Route 66 TrainBoard Member

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    MRC controlmaster 20

    I have been using the MRC controlmaster 20 on my over-head layout it has worked just fine for the most part,I used to leave the unit plugged in and just turned it off when not in use,I have now learned to unplug the unit when not in use,the reason being that it seems when it is plugged in all the time if the power goes off or a power surge sometimes when I turned it on the loco would start and you could not change the speed with the handheld and the only way to stop the train was to pull the plug.Which isn't very good since the train is overhead and will come to an abrupt stop depending on the speed the accordian effect could cause rolling stock to derail and fall to the ground,unplugging the unit seems to work and have not had the runaway train experiance since. Now if I'm running it and we have a power surge or power shuts off without warning I might be in some trouble!!!
     
  15. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Do you have your MRC 20 on a surge protector? USA Trains just came out with a small transformer also, don't know how that will work out. I never experienced this type of problem with Bridgewerks transformers, they have been pretty good.
     
  16. Route 66

    Route 66 TrainBoard Member

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    reboot me!!! Please

    Surge protector??? never gave it a thought,I did see the one USAT put out to market,looks like MRC makes it and just puts USA trains logo on cabinate? possible?? I just realized,I have alot of things on surge protectors and most of them appliances need to be unplugged and rebooted as they say, sometimes my cable box dvr,my pc and cable motem,so maybe MRC is ahead of it's time!! "reboot me" no biggie to plug in when I want to run the train,just an observation with product. I did see in your photos your 3 bridgeworks units,very nice!! maybe some day I will upgrade but until than I'll reboot since it seems so in vogue!!!
     
  17. EMD trainman

    EMD trainman TrainBoard Member

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    Route 66, thanx I like my Bridgewerks Magnum 1000DL transformers, they are real good performers and have plenty of power. The best part is that they are also fully remote control.
     
  18. Route 66

    Route 66 TrainBoard Member

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    Jack & Coke

    Like peanut butter and chocolate,Jack and Coke go together.
    I finally aquired The LGB JD boxcar I have been wanting at a good price old stock from 1992 I broke open the seal and installed the detail and now she is running just like she was intended to be enjoyed...Happy New year!!!

    [​IMG]

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    [​IMG]
     
  19. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Like celebrating Christmas and New Years at the same time? :D

    Boxcab E50
     
  20. CNW 1518

    CNW 1518 TrainBoard Member

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    This is sweet!

    Gosh Id love to do something like this in the future.
     

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