Hobo Jungle

[MurphOnMillerAve]

You're right, AG, that's a very realistic look. And the non-conductive wheels are a plus (I am THE derail-and-wonder-where-it-happened guy).
Murph

[AG]

Thank you Frank!
when I move to 2 rails I was waiting for more derailment than 3 rail due the small flange, but it was the opposite.
Most of my derail are human factor than track issues.
Actually in few spots the rails get unsoldered and what was make me find out was the loud noise between the wheel and the rail.
AG.

[healey36]

January 15 is . . . . Hat Day

As Murph pointed out on another thread, everyone appreciates a nice hat:



Healey

[HONDO74]

The picture of Sophia Loren is from the movie THE MILLIONAIRIESS 1960

You can watch this movie on YouTube presently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlckxe783fw

The scene with the hat starts at 34 min
Robert

[rogruth]

Thank you.

[AG]

roll the dice

if you’re going to try, go all the
way.
otherwise, don’t even start.

if you’re going to try, go all the
way.
this could mean losing girlfriends,
wives, relatives, jobs and
maybe your mind.

go all the way.
it could mean not eating for 3 or 4 days.
it could mean freezing on a
park bench.
it could mean jail,
it could mean derision,
mockery,
isolation.
isolation is the gift,
all the others are a test of your
endurance, of
how much you really want to
do it.
and you’ll do it
despite rejection and the worst odds
and it will be better than
anything else
you can imagine.

if you’re going to try,
go all the way.
there is no other feeling like
that.
you will be alone with the gods
and the nights will flame with
fire.

do it, do it, do it.
do it.

all the way
all the way.

you will ride life straight to
perfect laughter, its
the only good fight
there is.

– Charles Bukowski

[rogruth]

Andre,

That is a way of life.

[webenda]

Thank you Andre and Sarge for all the information. Athearn only lists HO and N trucks on their web site, but there is no shortage of Athearn O trucks on eBay. I ordered a pair of Athearn O Bettendorfs and a cool looking metal frame truck.

[AG]

Thank you Andre and Sarge for all the information. Athearn only lists HO and N trucks on their web site, but there is no shortage of Athearn O trucks on eBay. I ordered a pair of Athearn O Bettendorfs and a cool looking metal frame truck.

Wiseman offer metal trucks also. I never tried, but they look nice for the price.
Andre.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Wiseman offer metal trucks also. I never tried, but they look nice for the price.
Andre.

I have and they are decent - an upgrading of what I think were the old Ace trucks now cast in a harder pewter that he supplies with IM wheelsets. Of particular interest for me is that he has an Arch Bar truck and suppliers of these are few.

Yoder trucks are exquisite, but I have a philosophical obstacle against using trucks that cost more than the car that rides upon them, The ones from Bill Davis are equally nice, but at ~$50 per pair, I really need to build more expensive cars if I'm going to contemplate using them.

[AG]

when my train is running, you can't notice between the Yoder and the rest of the trucks
Yoder is a Rolls Royce but have to be on a shelf to enjoy it.
AG.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

when my train is running, you can't notice between the Yoder and the rest of the trucks
Yoder is a Rolls Royce but have to be on a shelf to enjoy it.
AG.

Which is why 95+% of my freight cars are on Athearn trucks with IM wheelsets. I only wish something of the same ilk was available for caboose and passenger equipment..... I do have a stack of Old Pullman pass trucks for a pending project that I should get to in about 15 years, if I read my project queue correctly (adjusting for retirement, etc.).

[John Webster]

The 50s cars in Cuba are sure to start a gold rush. Up until about 5 years ago Cuba had several 3 foot guage sugar cane railroads many of which still used their original 1900 era Baldwin and Porter steam locomotives. Look for some of them to come back for rebuilds.

The couple that rescued and rebuilt the Eureka get invites from some of the 3 foot tourist railroads. Hopefully we can look forward to narrow guage steam locomotive cruise-ins. That might come close to recreating the 1990s when you could stand in Orbisonia yard with 4 narrow guage Mikados and a Brill motorcar moving around you.

[webenda]

You're right, AG, that's a very realistic look. And the non-conductive wheels are a plus (I am THE derail-and-wonder-where-it-happened guy).
Murph

I think the wheels are conductive. It is the side frames and bolster that are non-conductive.

The problem of arc'n and spark'n couplers will not be a problem for me because I use plastic couplers and most my cars are plastic.

I am glad you brought this up Murph, because I had intended to use those Selley trucks on my wooden boxcar kit. Now you have me thinking that would be asking for multiple hot boxes (if one truck got turned 180) because the center sill is a steel channel. Center sill heating might even catch the wood on fire. I can just hear Gomez saying, "Yes, yes, let's try it!"

Why would anyone change from the electrical beauty of 3-rail to the electrical chaos of 2-rail? Yet it happens all the time. Even I have been playing with 2-rail recently. My reason is love of critters (small locomotives.) Lionel had a few available in 3-rail, but there seems to be more availble in 2-rail. Like this new, still sealed in the box, Rivarossi Plymouth. I was high bidder at $14.09. Seems like getting into 2-rail can be less expensive than 3-rail.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

You're right, AG, that's a very realistic look. And the non-conductive wheels are a plus (I am THE derail-and-wonder-where-it-happened guy).
Murph

I think the wheels are conductive. It is the side frames and bolster that are non-conductive.

Odds are you will find that one side of the wheelset is insulated at the axle.

The problem of arc'n and spark'n couplers will not be a problem for me because I use plastic couplers and most my cars are plastic.

Good use of the metal trucks (metal wheelsets) to put that extra bit of weight down low....

I am glad you brought this up Murph, because I had intended to use those Selley trucks on my wooden boxcar kit. Now you have me thinking that would be asking for multiple hot boxes (if one truck got turned 180) because the center sill is a steel channel. Center sill heating might even catch the wood on fire. I can just hear Gomez saying, "Yes, yes, let's try it!"

Note above; 1 side insulated wheelsets from IM eliminate that issue.

Why would anyone change from the electrical beauty of 3-rail to the electrical chaos of 2-rail?

What chaos?

Seems like getting into 2-rail can be less expensive than 3-rail.

You have just revealed one of the great myths, i.e., 2-rail to more expensive than 3-rail. Both are just as expensive as the individual chooses them to be, no more and no less.