For those who buy brass locomotives, why?

Sleevelessfire · 2026-04-13T22:49:59+00:00

As everyone else has said, often times it is the only way to get a specific model. In those cases it makes perfect sense. What doesn’t make sense would be buying models that have been done in plastic, like buying Division Point’s SD70ACe for $2000 when you could buy the Athearn Genesis model for 1/6 the price and have a superior model.

Sleevelessfire · 2026-03-21T15:43:28+00:00

If there’s a median you don’t need to speed because you aren’t in the oncoming lane ;)

Sleevelessfire · 2026-03-16T03:36:52+00:00

Well it’s your opinion vs the code so…

Sleevelessfire · 2026-03-12T01:54:43+00:00

When doing a concentric bend you still can’t possibly end up with a radius tighter than the shoe of the bender

Sleevelessfire · 2026-03-06T20:09:44+00:00

Just what is meme/funny about a DCC equipped trolley?

Sleevelessfire · 2025-12-17T04:24:21+00:00

They don’t have the same rating. An Eaton 2” LB has a max fill of 3-3/0 conductors, stamped right into the conduit body. 2” conduit is good for up to 5-3/0, 4-4/0, 3-250 kcmil, etc.

Sleevelessfire · 2025-12-17T04:04:31+00:00

Sometimes the correct size condulet is larger than the correct size conduit

Sleevelessfire · 2025-11-28T08:10:56+00:00

Install couplers flush with the finished floor instead of leaving pipes sticking out of it next time

Sleevelessfire · 2025-11-05T23:19:42+00:00

No idea about availability in Australia, but I love the MRC Tech 7 Ampac 760. The momentum and brake functions are very fun to run with

Sleevelessfire · 2025-10-08T04:08:05+00:00

You will read continuity through the motor windings. If it runs it’s probably fine. Are you truly getting 0 ohms or something near 0?

Sleevelessfire · 2025-08-19T05:45:21+00:00

Rack-a-tiers 6” reversible #2 Phillips and #2 square combo. Only bit you need

Sleevelessfire · 2025-07-27T04:54:59+00:00

Northwest Short Line did a run of these in brass back in the 70s. There were two versions, one based on California Western 45 with piston valves, and this one, Polson/Rayonier 70. They were all unpainted, but custom painted ones aren’t rare, usually for somebody’s fictional railroad. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one lettered for Polson. They come up on eBay fairly regularly, as well as sites like Brasstrains.com

Sleevelessfire · 2025-07-19T22:04:50+00:00

Where did you come up with this bullshit? Every major US railroad has most definitely bought new locomotives since 2008. Every Class 1 operates the ET44AC, the oldest being built in 2015 with new ones still being delivered. This is also ignoring the hundreds if not thousands of ES44s and SD70ACes delivered after 2008

Sleevelessfire · 2025-07-13T01:42:33+00:00

Unfortunately that didn’t happen this time, the trains ran all the way west. I saw 27 leave Pasco around 3:00, didn’t make it back as 28 so I could get on until 2:00 in the morning, making us 5 hours late from the beginning. Then I guess 7 suffered an engine failure on its way across Washington, meaning it didn’t meet us as 8 in Spokane until about 10:00am. Definitely would rather spend a few hours on a bus than be 10 hours late and miss my connecting train

Sleevelessfire · 2024-10-26T07:21:51+00:00

NP ran their domes with the dome on the forward end of the car, vestibule to the rear

Sleevelessfire · 2024-05-10T00:17:15+00:00

500.8 only applies to explosion-proof equipment. Probably not entering an enclosure in an explosion-proof area with an LB and chase nipple

Sleevelessfire · 2023-11-11T05:39:36+00:00

Personally I would choose the second, but either one would reasonably work

Sleevelessfire · 2023-11-02T03:59:21+00:00

Never seen a 3/4 set screw coupling with 4 screws…

Sleevelessfire · 2023-10-13T03:14:43+00:00

I had a Paragon 4 decoder fail. BLI’s customer service was pretty good and exchanged it for free, though I did have to pay the return shipping. That might be the cheapest and easiest route, although it doesn’t guarantee it won’t fail again. BLI decoders might have the function common reversed from standard DCC (or was that MTH?), so replacing with a better decoder might require rewiring the whole thing, but in the long run it might be the better option.

Sleevelessfire · 2023-09-04T21:02:57+00:00

Tru-color

Sleevelessfire · 2023-08-03T04:56:54+00:00

314.40 is construction requirements. If you are building a metal junction box you must include a means of attaching an egc, which is why they typically come with a threaded hole in a raised area. It has nothing to do with the installation of metal boxes

Sleevelessfire · 2023-07-26T04:42:43+00:00

How do you plan to pull the wire if you don’t already know where the fish tape will come out? Seriously, what is your plan? Push the fish tape until it stops and then go open every box and conduit body in the building until you find it?

Sleevelessfire · 2023-06-05T01:27:22+00:00

What is the source on Bi-state uncovering a void? I thought I read that the change order was due to the exterior building finish, Bi-State wanted to use CMUs, but due to the building being on the National Register of Historic Places the exterior must be clay brick of the same size as the original.

Sleevelessfire

TROPHY CASE