Large Scale Central

Recently acquired collection.

General Discussion
#21

Louis Sommers said:

This past weekend I acguired a large collection of G gage trains. On close inspection when I got it home it looks like 75% of the loco’s and rolling stock has a part broken or missing. What I don’t understand is after you spend all this money to build up your collection why do these people not take care of there trains? Tomorrow I’m going back to get the track about 205’, that’s in good shape and some more boxs of stuff. I’m hoping some of the missing parts are in them. So I guess my guestion is has anybody run in to this in the past and is this normal?

Back to your original question. Yes, I have run into that, in both large scale and HO. In fact, I just did a thread on an LGB boxcar that was run hard, and missing a stirrup step. I explained how I fixed that car, so it can continue to provide years of service.

In fact, when I was purchase used items from various dealers, I don’t shy away from the lightly damaged items, if they still look good overall. They are usually less expensive, and I can usually fix whatever needs fixing.

#22

Stuff happens to our own (purchased) equipment. Buying used, it’s almost guaranteed that those items also had stuff happen to them. I try to replace them as I break them, or when I acquire them: new steps (often made from brass strip) seem to disappear very quickly. Lately I’ve discovered 3D printing and have made replacement draw bars, signs, windows and frames, etc.

#23

I can understand a little bit of damage but to cut the front of the mack rail bus off I don’t understand, plus most of the box car have the tracks for the doors missing so the doors are glued on. These are Bachmann cars, these are Bachmann cars. The Bachmann two truck shay has the front truck assembly looks like it was ripped off. Anyway enough whining on my part. Over all I did get a very good deal on this with all the track and switchs. Now I can expand my layout. I’ll have to do it while the wife at work.

#24

Well Louis, maybe the former owner didn’t like the pilot on the Mack. I dunno why. You could probably get a replacement one from Heartland.

As for the Bachmann boxcar doors, several years ago Bachmann started mounting the tracks, so the door slide the wrong way. I took the tracks off and remounted them, the other way, on my rebuilt/repainted boxcars. On the EBT boxcar I have, I want to fix it, but I am not sure I can match the car color to paint the plugs I put into the original holes. So, maybe he was trying to fix that error, or maybe he got tired of the doors opening every time he ran his boxcars.

As for the Shay, maybe it ran full speed into something. Or, if its first run Shay like mine, maybe the truck just fell off, like it did on mine.

Without having a long talk with him, we are probably never going to know the whys. But, now you have plenty of stuff, if you want to rebuilt it into what you want. Or, as has been previously said, you could sell off the really funky junk to some of us LSC guys. Then you can sit back and see what creative mayhem we have with it.

#25

Hey David. Thanks for the lead about Hartland. I’ll give them a call Monday.

#26

Here is another angle. I bought some Aristo covered hoppers. I painted and lettered one for Domino Sugar, and one for Goody’s Headache Powders. I sold them both on ebay. About a year and a half later, the Goody’s covered hopper shows up with some other damaged cars for parts. I was upset. I had spent hours painting and printing the decals and lettering, and it looked like someone had taken a hammer to it!

So ya never know. People get angry, have accidents, whatever. Now I hate to sell my creations, I would rather give them to friends, or sell them to you normal people here.

#27

Lou Luczu said:…or sell them to you normal people here.

You got a lot of nerve calling us normal. Ha!

#28

Ah, Heartland parts department is open Thursday mornings. Phil Jenson (sp) is the gentleman you want to talk to.

Lou, if I build something for someone, its usually with the understanding that I never see it again. I usually stipulate that, because seldom do folks appreciate the time, effort and energy that went into making something. As with any statement like that, there are exceptions.

John, I have yet to get a good explanation of what normal is. When I ask “what is normal”, most times I get the definition of average. I am most certainly not average.

#29

David, normal is just a setting on the dryer.

#30

Steve Featherkile said:

David, normal is just a setting on the dryer.

I love it!

#31

If you wonder if you are normal, just go to Walmart on Saturday night. That will show you how normal you are!

#32

Lou Luczu said:

If you wonder if you are normal, just go to Walmart on Saturday night. That will show you how normal you are!

Don’t do that, just don’t, unless you enjoy nightmares.

#33

Looks like I’ll be going back to Hilton Head Tuesday. The woman texted me saying she found four boxs of parts. Could be the parts I need.

#34

Louis, thats good news. If she can supply you with some of the missing parts then you wont have to buy them.

Good luck.