I was pondering the idea of starting a train board group called "Team USA Trains" This group would NOT be a spin off of the G scale section, rather we would focus only on USA Trains and Charles Ro brand G scale trains. This would include keeping everyone up to date on current releases and sales thru USA Trains direct store. We could also discuss problems with USA Trains locomotives and maybe even provide How To: stories of installing sound and DCC into USA Trains. This idea is still fresh, so if you think you are interested in joining such a group, please leave a responce and what you would like to see inside. According to how many respond will decide if I go foward with this idea and once I end the poll each person who signed up will be contacted to join. Thanx for your interest EMD Trainman
sounds good to me.Would like to see retailers listed that have good prices also. installation of after market items would be great. Ken
Yes. If there was a USAT group I'd bookmark it and check in every day. I have 9 engines and don't plan on any more. Eight of them are USAT products. Nearly 2/3 of my rolling stock is from USAT as well. My main interest now is keeping up with the development of the 'plug and play' hardware being developed for USA Trains with an up to date sound card. People talked about having the main board in engines removed and replacing it with a sound equipped board I could use with radio control. I'll invest heavily in such a system once it's available -- and proven.
Dave Winter, thanx for taking part in the poll, everyone enjoys your updates and look forward to them in the G scale section. You are in luck as USA Trains in partnership with Phoenix Sound system did develope a system to easily replace the main board with one that will have direct plugs for DCC and phoenix sound. More news on that after the group opens up.
Yes. I heard about a QSI/NCE/GWire installation as well. I'd be looking at that very seriously should a good reliable product hit the market. Sadly, I have 4 engines with Sierra Soundtraxx modules in them. Love the sound. Less expensive than Phoenix and you don't need a bunch of extra crap hooked to a computer to make them work. In the future I should be able to go into a shop, or on line, order what I want (engine and horn) and get a chip I can just plug in. The hobby is TRAINS after all. Not programing.
Alright what the hey. Since I'm planning on a pair of USAT F-3's and an S-4, I'll throw my hat in. Especially since the Intermodals and future bi-level auto carriers will find their way onto my roster.
I have taken this poll a while ago and just now finally had the time to put this project forward. I first approached the Staff members to make sure that the USA TRains Registry can be successfully moved from the G scale section into it's own group without losing any info. Also I needed to know if the group sections could support such a huge post. If all the above will be ok, than look for the USA Trains Post become it's own idividual group. It might as well be one anyway, it's certainly big enough and of course yours truly will head the group up. Of course I will still be the G scale moderator also.
Trainman - When you first floated this idea I thought you were thinking of starting a Yahoo Group or something similar specifically for USA Trains only, but now it sounds that this will just be a group within the trainboard umbrella. How is that any different than the way we are set up right now? You would still have the current trainboard restrictions - the first reply in this thread mentioned: "Would like to see retailers listed that have good prices also." That is something for instance that you can't do on this board but is a subject some members are obviously interested in.
Yes you are right, the group I want to start will still remain under Train Board. I have no intention starting my own blog, board or group using services such as Yahoo. The difference between having a group vs keeping this on the G scale forum is that the group is more private and you have to be invited to get into the group and see the info provided. Having a group makes this thread less public and only Train Board members can join a group where as a guest can view anything but groups or other areas such as photo albums marked for private. As far as retailers, that subject is closed for disicussion. The rules remain the same everywhere on the board, no retailer names are allowed. I was lucky enough to get certain exceptions for the G scale section. We can however pm each other retailer names all day long.
