I model the Central of Georgia railroad since I used to live in Jonesboro, GA. I bought a couple of Atlas GP-7s from another modeler in the Central of Georgia livery and he had never run them. When I got them they looked brand new and absolutely no wheel wear. I got them for $75.00 each. I've never paid more than $120.00 for an engine. I started collecting HO gauge back in the middle 80's but never really thought about modeling any certain railroad. Now things have changed and I'm getting an Atlas RS-3 in the Central of Georgia livery for Christmas along with a Kadee boxcar in the CofG livery. I also just got my very first brass diesel, a Fairbanks-Morse H-12-44 in the CofG livery. Back in the 80's I mostly bought Athearn engines and I hope the Atlas engines will perform as well as the Athearn ones as they are quite robust and keep on rolling. I recently started collecting Lionel 027 as I got the very same Lionel train set I had when I was a kid from my cousin. My train set got left behind in the attic when we moved from Hephzibah, GA. I couldn't believe my cousin had the exact same one and I sure was happy to get that set. I've now collected enough to make a 027 layout with 4 steam engines and 1 Texas Special diesel F-3. I think I have a couple dozen rolling stock to go with what I have. Oh yeah, I'm a DC guy only as I hate the sound of HO gauge DCC. I will probably end up weathering my brand new engines. I just don't like seeing pristine engines/rolling stock on the layout. Yeah, I have a section of track (about 1 ft. or 14 in.) on top of roadbed with a Kadee coupler height tool mounted on it so I can check coupler height on all my rolling stock & engines. Did you know that the back of the height tool can be used to see if your car body is at the right height? You have to check the body height with no coupler in place or it will hit the back of the tool. I just found about this the other day. If the car body will just slip over the end it is at the correct height. Then all ya gotta do is add a coupler & draft box. Instead of using the Kadee magnets, neodymium (rare earth) magnets can be used much more reliably. Since I'm a DC only guy I changed out all the magnets on my open frame (Pittman) motors with rare earth magnets (neodymium) and it made a HUGE difference in current draw and now my old Mantua Pacific's will "creep" around the tracks. I also changed all couplers to body mounted Kadee couplers and changed out all plastic wheels with Walthers Proto 2000 metal wheel sets. Cost a good chunk of $$ to do nearly 100 pieces of rolling stock. Another trick I learned is after mounting the coupler draft box and Kadee coupler, put an itsy bit of super glue next to one side of the draft box and chassis and a little itsy drop of super glue on part of the screw and draft box. That will ensure that the draft box will not move nor will the screw move. Another trick is if you glue two pieces of plastic together, make sure you use an X-acto knife (I use A-proxo knife) and scribe hash marks on both pieces to ensure a good bond. I try to never glue on draft boxes and use my Kadee drill and tap for a 256 screw. I've even drilled through the metal weights to add a screw to the draft box. Guarantee they will never come off. I've also had a some screws come through (like on a flat car) and used the Dremel to cut off the protruding screw and then paint it black or same color of the body. Cheers from eastern TN
I've got an old Revel MOW (Maintenance of Way) grey car that I picked up a long time ago when I bought a friend's layout and just recently I found and purchased a True-Scale triple set of MOW cars, a kitchen car, maintenance car and caboose. Now I've just about got a whole set of MOW cars. All I need to finish the set is the crane car and crane. Real railroads never ran plastic wheels. I hate talgo trucks (couplers mounted to trucks). All 100 pieces of my rolling stock including coaches have body mounted Kadee couplers and Walthers Proto 2000 metal wheel sets. I'm in the process of making sure each piece is up to the NMRA weight standards. I get my weights from Harbor Freight - 1/4 & 1/2 oz. tire weights. And I paint all of 'em black. Be sure to save any plastic knuckle couplers and plastic wheel sets as they make great loads for gondolas. Cheers - eastern TN
Awesome video man keep up the good work it's me now you can work your cars over to other thing. To make it work on different model railroad train layouts.😊
Fun fact you can actually get hornhooks coupled to knuckle couplers. Doesn't work the greatest but can be done, if needed. You have to push the hornhook off to the side and use the small end of the hornhook in the knuckle. So it won't automatically couple, you have to manually do it. It will push the couplers off to the side though. They do not like coming uncoupled when doing that though. I have a couple passenger cars I do that with. Due to i've been to lazy to order new couplers for them, since they use the very long shank into the couple box on the trucks.
I've done that too. It does work in a pinch and can get you by. Especially if it's rolling stock you don't run often or requires major modifications to convert it. Thanks for commenting and mentioning that!
I upgraded my rolling stock with metal wheels, but I'm sticking with all hornhook couplers, as 95% of my cars have them and they are cheap as well. I just uncouple with paper clips attached to chopsticks.
@@themillrunandwesternmaryland11 Thanks! To clarify, just take a paper clip and unbend one end of it, attach the main part of the clip to the chopstick with electrical tape, and use the pointy wire to open the hook.
I model the Central of Georgia railroad since I used to live in Jonesboro, GA. I bought a couple of Atlas GP-7s from another modeler in the Central of Georgia livery and he had never run them. When I got them they looked brand new and absolutely no wheel wear. I got them for $75.00 each. I've never paid more than $120.00 for an engine. I started collecting HO gauge back in the middle 80's but never really thought about modeling any certain railroad. Now things have changed and I'm getting an Atlas RS-3 in the Central of Georgia livery for Christmas along with a Kadee boxcar in the CofG livery. I also just got my very first brass diesel, a Fairbanks-Morse H-12-44 in the CofG livery. Back in the 80's I mostly bought Athearn engines and I hope the Atlas engines will perform as well as the Athearn ones as they are quite robust and keep on rolling. I recently started collecting Lionel 027 as I got the very same Lionel train set I had when I was a kid from my cousin. My train set got left behind in the attic when we moved from Hephzibah, GA. I couldn't believe my cousin had the exact same one and I sure was happy to get that set. I've now collected enough to make a 027 layout with 4 steam engines and 1 Texas Special diesel F-3. I think I have a couple dozen rolling stock to go with what I have. Oh yeah, I'm a DC guy only as I hate the sound of HO gauge DCC. I will probably end up weathering my brand new engines. I just don't like seeing pristine engines/rolling stock on the layout.
Yeah, I have a section of track (about 1 ft. or 14 in.) on top of roadbed with a Kadee coupler height tool mounted on it so I can check coupler height on all my rolling stock & engines. Did you know that the back of the height tool can be used to see if your car body is at the right height? You have to check the body height with no coupler in place or it will hit the back of the tool. I just found about this the other day. If the car body will just slip over the end it is at the correct height. Then all ya gotta do is add a coupler & draft box. Instead of using the Kadee magnets, neodymium (rare earth) magnets can be used much more reliably. Since I'm a DC only guy I changed out all the magnets on my open frame (Pittman) motors with rare earth magnets (neodymium) and it made a HUGE difference in current draw and now my old Mantua Pacific's will "creep" around the tracks. I also changed all couplers to body mounted Kadee couplers and changed out all plastic wheels with Walthers Proto 2000 metal wheel sets. Cost a good chunk of $$ to do nearly 100 pieces of rolling stock. Another trick I learned is after mounting the coupler draft box and Kadee coupler, put an itsy bit of super glue next to one side of the draft box and chassis and a little itsy drop of super glue on part of the screw and draft box. That will ensure that the draft box will not move nor will the screw move. Another trick is if you glue two pieces of plastic together, make sure you use an X-acto knife (I use A-proxo knife) and scribe hash marks on both pieces to ensure a good bond. I try to never glue on draft boxes and use my Kadee drill and tap for a 256 screw. I've even drilled through the metal weights to add a screw to the draft box. Guarantee they will never come off. I've also had a some screws come through (like on a flat car) and used the Dremel to cut off the protruding screw and then paint it black or same color of the body. Cheers from eastern TN
We need more videos like this!
I've got an old Revel MOW (Maintenance of Way) grey car that I picked up a long time ago when I bought a friend's layout and just recently I found and purchased a True-Scale triple set of MOW cars, a kitchen car, maintenance car and caboose. Now I've just about got a whole set of MOW cars. All I need to finish the set is the crane car and crane. Real railroads never ran plastic wheels. I hate talgo trucks (couplers mounted to trucks). All 100 pieces of my rolling stock including coaches have body mounted Kadee couplers and Walthers Proto 2000 metal wheel sets. I'm in the process of making sure each piece is up to the NMRA weight standards. I get my weights from Harbor Freight - 1/4 & 1/2 oz. tire weights. And I paint all of 'em black. Be sure to save any plastic knuckle couplers and plastic wheel sets as they make great loads for gondolas. Cheers - eastern TN
Awesome video man keep up the good work it's me now you can work your cars over to other thing. To make it work on different model railroad train layouts.😊
Fun fact you can actually get hornhooks coupled to knuckle couplers. Doesn't work the greatest but can be done, if needed. You have to push the hornhook off to the side and use the small end of the hornhook in the knuckle. So it won't automatically couple, you have to manually do it. It will push the couplers off to the side though. They do not like coming uncoupled when doing that though. I have a couple passenger cars I do that with. Due to i've been to lazy to order new couplers for them, since they use the very long shank into the couple box on the trucks.
I've done that too. It does work in a pinch and can get you by. Especially if it's rolling stock you don't run often or requires major modifications to convert it. Thanks for commenting and mentioning that!
I always just had one designated car with both coupler styles. Usually some random boxcar.
I upgraded my rolling stock with metal wheels, but I'm sticking with all hornhook couplers, as 95% of my cars have them and they are cheap as well. I just uncouple with paper clips attached to chopsticks.
Awesome tip on uncoupling your horn hooks! Thanks for commenting!
@@themillrunandwesternmaryland11 Thanks! To clarify, just take a paper clip and unbend one end of it, attach the main part of the clip to the chopstick with electrical tape, and use the pointy wire to open the hook.
DID YOU JUST PUT KETCHUP IN YOUR COFFEE
Ha! No, but almost did on my pb&j !