What are you buying this month (February 2023)?

[Moose2013]

Moose buy airbrush cleaning bottle ... hopefully this will get used soon -- and all that that implies...

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[revpatnscale]

I bought a Operator N Scale GE ET44AC Tier 4 GEVo, Norfolk Southern/Horsehead. It is a great runner and the detail is awesome. Thank you ScaleTrains!

[mu26aeh]

Delved into the world of BLI and Paragon 4 for the CSX Pride in Service units. BLI claims better running over dirty etc track. Well, they still stutter and stall. We'll see if they improve after some running.

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[cgleiss]

I'm looking to buy some motivation. Been a while, working on getting re-started on a module that I never finished!

[roko]

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Pre order of a CN ET44AC in a veteran scheme arrived (technically last month), and found a book today!

[Army-Gandydancer]

Delved into the world of BLI and Paragon 4 for the CSX Pride in Service units. BLI claims better running over dirty etc track. Well, they still stutter and stall. We'll see if they improve after some running.

The BLI SD40-4 I recently bought stutters and stalls at low speeds , step 3 or lower on my Digitrax throttle, when going through my Atlas Code 80 snap switches. Otherwise it runs very smoothly. The only other problem I have is I need to lower the couplers since they are way too high.

Needless to say, BLI has done well with their Paragon 4 steam locos but I don't know if I'll buy anymore of their P4 diesel locos.

[Silent1961]

On Wednesday, the Wago connectors arrived to power up the Kato turnout controllers.
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Thursday I collected the Kato easements that finally came in to complete the mainline. This should be the final track piece needed.
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I had also pre ordered an Amtrak coach in the phase VI scheme which also came in with the track. I have a six pack of interior lights but only had 5 coaches. Hate to waste a light set. At some point I have to install the light kits into the 6 coaches.
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[ranulf]

x

Went to a train show this weekend and made out like a bandit. 2 MDC boxcar for less than 5 bucks each. A great looking warehouse craftsman kit by Quality Craft. I had been wanting to try one of those Western Railcraft kits for years but they want big bucks for them on eBay. I got a bargain on 3 kits. Got Bruce Chubb's book and the GMR magazine for a buck. A buck! And I didn't realize until I got to the hotel that the GMR magazine has a feature on Bill Henderson's Coal Belt! Bonus! Got a little 6" scale rule and a tiny tap and die set from the tool guy. Also got a Surform rasp and a bunch of antique switches that look like they'd be fun for block control, but they didn't make it into my picture.

[Lexiyntax]

Moose buy airbrush cleaning bottle ...

I like mine but I did find the little filter in it isn't all that effective, especially against airbrush cleaning solvents. I now keep it inside my running spray booth when using it.

[Moose2013]

I like mine but I did find the little filter in it isn't all that effective, especially against airbrush cleaning solvents. I now keep it inside my running spray booth when using it.

Oh, that's disappointing to learn. Thank you for letting Moose know.

[Silent1961]

Didn't work on the layout today at all waiting for UPS to show up with a delivery. They finally arrived at 6 pm local time.

I ordered a Digitrax decoder for the F40PH received in December. This was an add on to the real prizes.
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The primary focus were two Atlas GP40-2W's in CN livery with ESU Locksound decoders factory installed.
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This is the first Atlas loco in a Canadian road I've seen which is correct, having the bell on the cab, nose headlights and the single light on the rear. Both are equipped with intake snow shields and have user installed sun shades in a baggy. On the top of the short hood, wire grab irons are applied but the rest of the grab irons are molded into the shells. The horns are mounted as per the road number prototypes with one having the horns on the long hood and the other having them mounted on the cab front just above the bell. These are also the first Atlas engines equipped with ditchlights that I own. The detail is very good. Sound is rich, when they have sound, but the horn actually sounds like a CN horn.

I tried them out on the wired DC section of the layout which was a little disappointing. No life until I had the throttle turned up to 50%, throttle at 70% before moving and constant stopping requiring my intervention to get it going again. I'm thinking it might be a combination of dirty track and needing a break in run to remove the blackening from the treads. The break in will have to wait until I get district 2 wired up for a continuous run. So back into the boxes they go until then so they don't get damaged. Weathering is in their future.

[el Gato Gordo]

I bought a bunch of Preiserlings and Noch figures, mostly for the Alpenbahn. The racing cyclists will complete the bike race scene.



The others are just to fill out the towns and Bahnhof.

[big boy]

nothing this month , March or April saving mad for the pre ordered Kato Big Boy

[mangorockfish]

Atlas RS11 in Southern Pacific livery. 1995 NOS.

[SteamPower4ever]

UPS delivered a package from DM Toys today:

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You can't really see what the items are, so I lifted some pics from the DM Toys website:

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5x Buffer stop kits by Weinert. These were what I was really going for, but I got tempted by ...
An Atlas rail going digger (kit) by Modellbahn Union
A Fordson tractor by Oxford Commercials
A forklift (kit) by RailNscale
... and the usual bonus item was some gratings from Modellbahn Union

[mg_thomastx]

Between Ebay and digging thru the bins and shelves at Papa Ben's I bought some cars. No particular guiding function except I liked them and the info on them dated to
the '40's and '50's. Looking forward to the train show next week in Pasadena to see if I can add some more cars and/or books.

Mark
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[el Gato Gordo]

No particular guiding function except I liked them

Best reason there is.

[jhn_plsn]

Well I paid for a bunch or flex track because it looked like it was in stock, buuuuut after 10 days its still waiting for fulfillment. I won't say who I ordered this through as I always had good transactions so will be patient. Email sent as to expected shipment date.

Helix build is on hold until this arrives.

[MetroRedLn]

On Saturday (Feb 18), I attended my first train show since 2020, incidentally the same one as the last train show I went to - the Great Train Show in Ventura, California, located in the Ventura County Fairgrounds (and just a few yards away from the Ventura Amtrak station).

It was somewhat smaller than the previous one, with less vendors and less layouts, but it was great to be at a train show again nevertheless. It was cool to have the atmosphere interrupted by the horn of the prototype Amtrak Pacific Surfliner passing by.

N scale was decently represented, but there wasn't a whole lot that I really needed to get.

Still, I spent $39 on a my train show haul: A half-dozen cheap rolling stock shells (50 cents each!) for practicing my weathering skills on, a Faller concrete fence for my station platform, a pair of pre-cut turnout cork roadbed pieces, a pair of BLMA trackside electrical boxes, and my best find, a pair of Blue Point manual turnout switches for $5(!) and spent $20 on a stripper...Er, uh, I mean, a *WIRE* stripper.



One of the 50-cent car shells was a truck-less Atlas UP ore car. I took the wheel-less trucks from one of the other cars (which had MTL couplers on them), added Athearn metal wheels to it and added weights in the bin, so I could re-purpose it as a "Maintenance-Of-Way" car dragging around a Woodland Scenics Dust Monkey pad to clean my track!

[mg_thomastx]

I have to stay away from Ebay. Found another steam locomotive that years ago I hesitated and missed my chance. Came across this SP P5 Pacific by Key that the seller had fitted with DCC. In the Youtube video he said it ran fair but considering it only has 2 wheel pickup for one side it runs pretty good. Wanted to see how he did it so I could perhaps add DCC to the GN H4 I bought earlier. Kind of fascinated with this early brass and how quick it evolved. Pretty much have blown the budget for the 1st quarter.
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