Large Scale Central

Whatever happened?

Electronics Power and Sound
#1

Whatever happened to the sane idea of a locomotive in Large Scale, with a great empty tender, or carbody; where anyone that wanted some sort of better system than track power, could simply install whatever, he/she/it, wanted ?

It seems like the tenders and locos get larger, but the space gets filled with crap we don’t need…

It seems the hobby is finding new people that only want to take everything out of the box and blindly run it around in circles.

What in hell is happening to the old fashioned hobbiest, that actually could do research on his own (Today with the help of Google), or the ones that at one time had some clue as to what electricity, or any sort of engineering skills are.

Are we finding in the World today, a new breed of Twits, with no skills of any sort, except talking on “Silly Phones”, and aiming giant polution producing vehicles down 8 lane death paths, with noise ringing in everyone’s ears ?

Is there any hope finding a couple  in the World today, that could reproduce and pass on any single iota of that long forgotten asset....COMMON SENSE ?

Just thought I might be allowed to ask this relatively simple question…

#2

Hey Fred.

Aintcha heard of progress?

Never mind the quality. Feel the width.

You know, that never ending process that requires the dumbing down of the populace to think and do exactly what the powers that be want you to think and do.

Methinks they are getting really close to the end game already.

#3

As long as you accept their idea of what is “right” (track-powered dcc) you will be happy.

Otherwise, the sonofabitch can take a long walk off a short pier with a concrete collar.

Wait for door # 2!

#4
Fred Mills said:
What in hell is happening to the old fashioned hobbiest, that actually could do research on his own (Today with the help of Google), or the ones that at one time had some clue as to what electricity, or any sort of engineering skills are.
I guess the folks you're looking for are the same type that still prefer DOS and think everyone should build their own computer from scratch. Also the same type that think heaven is spending all their time tinkering with a car trying to get it to run right. Meanwhile everyone else doesn't really see the point in having to be an electronics expert or automotive engineer, when all they want to do is use a computer or car to actually get something done.
Fred Mills said:
Are we finding in the World today, a new breed of Twits, with no skills of any sort, except talking on "Silly Phones", and aiming giant polution producing vehicles down 8 lane death paths, with noise ringing in everyone's ears?
Coming down with a touch of Luddite Syndrome, Fred? ;)
#5

I blame Canada…(cue music)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp13M7rlih0

#6

Yeah , since we have our outside railroads , they should bring back and allow outhouses , one and two holers , so we would not have to go back into the house if we are outside running operations !

#7

I tend to more agree with Fred. It seems to be our government’s position that manual labor is for developing nations and we are to sit at our computers and telephones. How dare us to dirty our hands! I think we will see more and more twits in our hobby…people who have someone else build their layout and all it is is a showpiece to impress others. But on the other hand, I think the minority that are modelers will continue in spite of what some jackass thinks we should have in our trains. Yes, it will piss me off to have to pay for something I don’t want, but I’ll gut it anyways and have things MY way.

And what’s wrong with building your own computer?? I’ve never owned a store bought computer.

And now that I’m getting old enough that it’s more difficult to get under a car I occasionally let a mechanic work on mine.

:stuck_out_tongue:

#8

I don’t pay any attention to what “They” want or say.
I make body mounted KD 830’s go around a 5 foot curve with ease.
“They” say I need talgo’s to do that.
I ripped out a sound system I didn’t like in a brand new LGB Mogul.
“They” said I shouldn’t do that to a “collectible”.
I dummied up a brand new Aristo RS-3, just to use as a battery car.
And so on…

TOG

#9
John Bouck said:
I make body mounted KD 830's go around a 5 foot curve with ease.
Cool. I'd like to do that on my layout eventually, as I prefer the appearance of body-mounted couplers. What kind of modifications were required?
#10
Dennis Paulson said:
Yeah , since we have our outside railroads , they should bring back and allow outhouses , one and two holers , so we would not have to go back into the house if we are outside running operations !
Or go back to the time we has to use a band saw on the LGB cars so we rebuild them to be a proper width for 1:20.3.

Makes one wish for the time that all we had were wood based kits.

Stan

#11

Wood based kits.

Ah, yes.
Hartford?
NENG?

Maybe we need a new WG to generate grain standards for the wood.

I’m fairly certain one could get Weyerhauser and Louisiana Pacific on board with that.

Band saw.

Hmmmm.

Like on the pilot frame of an outside-framed 2-8-0?

Might be a consideration for unnecessary, space-robbing electronics, too.

Hafta look into that.

I already use it to remove the unnecessary ends of circuit boards form specific manufacturers.

I’ll have to write a PROPOSAL for the WG.

#12
Ray Dunakin said:
John Bouck said:
I make body mounted KD 830's go around a 5 foot curve with ease.
Cool. I'd like to do that on my layout eventually, as I prefer the appearance of body-mounted couplers. What kind of modifications were required?
Not much, Ray. Just notch or cut them out on the sides to allow the wheel to enter the body of the 830 without rubbing. You have to use the center-line holes for mounting, cause the "ears' will be gone. On some of the cars, all you have to do is cut the ears off. Just experiment a little. I have body mounted some LGB flats with 830's that will negotiate an LGB 1100 (4') easily. On some of my smaller stuff, I have mounted 820 (#1 gauge) without any mods at all. Nothing on my roster has talgos. Not even the locos!

TOG

#13

Ever since Kadee came out with the large scale couplers; we have standardized on them, using the so called “#1 scale couplers”.

We use mostly “820’s”, as they adapt to just about everything, and if there is little horizontal clearance, we use the 821’s.

These 820’s do not pose any problem, using even 4 foot radius curves. There can be a problem if you insist on alowing “S” curves, but the first solution is to trim about 1/8" from the sides of the opening of the draft gear box. This allows the use of the 820’s on such rolling stock as the LGB and B’mann passenger cars, on down to 4 foot RADIUS.

For shimming the couplers we use styrene shims of various thicknesses. We mount the couplers by drilling appropriate sized holes, and the screws that Kadee supplies with the couplers. They will self thread if you drill the correct sized holes and don’t need the nuts on them.

Over the years I’ve seen other peoples’ feeble attempts at body mounting Kadee couplers…egads…even to using bits and pieces of Balsa wood, and white glue…
Do it right the first time, and use the Kadee coupler gauge…

#14

Like Phred sed,
I use the KD gauge and various bits of styrene for shims.
On some of the dismal locies that have a stooopid post, it gets whacked off and a block is built.
I cut an rectangular hole in the pilot if need be and shove the KD in and screw her down.

TOG

#15

Whatever happened to Randolph Scott?

#16

The last “Randolph” I knew was caught in an attempted “Panty Raid”, at Carleton University back in the 6o’s…whether he got off “Scott free” is a mater of speculation…I’ve never heard from him since…!!!

#17

Randolph Scott was one of my favorite actors in Western films .

#18
Stan Ames said:
Or go back to the time we has to use a band saw on the LGB cars so we rebuild them to be a proper width for 1:20.3.

Makes one wish for the time that all we had were wood based kits.

Stan


With the Accucraft and AMS cars , and the new Bachmann rolling stock in 1/20.3 , pi$$ on wood kits !

Or we could go back to cast iron push toys ?

#19

I’ll take Phil Dippel’s (PNG) kits over the AMS/Bachmann stuff. Much more durable, and looks good as well.

#20

…and the Randolph Scott reference was just because the title of the post reminded me of an old Statler Brothers song… which I happen to have, of course. :smiley: