Cody shares the new RailSmith Models N scale Great Northern lightweight coach, ScaleTrains.com’s HO scale EMD SD45, Tony Koester’s new book from Kalmbach Media, Applying Lessons from the Prototype, a modeling tip and viewer mail.
RailSmith Models N scale lightweight coach, ScaleTrains.com SD45, new Tony Koester book, and more!
By Eric White | March 22, 2021
| Last updated on June 18, 2021
Group technical editor Cody Grivno shares the latest info on RailSmith Models, ScaleTrains.com, and Kalmbach Books.
RE: Kadee between-the-tracks uncoupling magnets.
Kadee now makes these already sized for HO Code 83 tracks – Kadee #322. Use Kadee # 334 gluing jig for these magnets.
I have several and they work as well as the traditional ones for Code 100 without having to remove any ties.
Another idea for uncoupling passenger cars is the RIX uncoupling tool, shown here: https://rixproducts.com/product-category/rix-products-ho/
This uses two magnets that are lowered down on either side of the car to do the uncoupling. I bought one of these and used the magnets in a tool i scratchbuild from styrene , as the Rix tool isn’t deep enough for passenger cars. The tool I build fits on either side of the diaphragms and it does a nice job.
SKay
Hey Cody,
In the early 1970’s I saw a sister (brother?) to the Scale Trains SD45 in Skykomish, Washington on a field trip to Stevens Pass with some of my cousins, #6474. Made a model of it in HO scale and entered it in a modeling competition at a “Coast Division” meeting of the NMRA PCR. Got a third place ribbon!
Cody, You have become quite the celebrity among model railroad fans so I think that you can reduce you signature, “Dot Com-m-m-m-m” be several M’s now. IMHO (In my humble opinion) I think that you sound more professional without so many M’s. Replay this episode and you will notice that you only used the drawn out M’s once. You are professional sounding without it. I have followed you since episode one and ALWAYS look forward to your information. Great show.
VR/
Edgar J Cormier
Regarding the reefers:
I remember seeing a video of a contractor filling up the Tropicana reefers for the juice train by tanker truck. Each reefer was given enough fuel to make it from Bradenton Florida to Kearny NJ a roughly 24 hour trip.
Thus I don’t think it matters for modeling purposes who is responsible a contractor does the actual filling.
They might be a bit toy like but on my Staten Island and West Railroad I use Hess Mini Tankers and occasionally a Gulf or other truck to fill the reefers and my diesel locomotive fleet.
If it is anything like mobile refueling of locomotives, it is probably contract fuelers. UP and Amtrak in my area use contract refuelers, not railroad owned.
On the Scaletrains.com HO Scale SD45, some recent MR articles mention versions in Penn Central, C&NW, and SP. You did not mention any of these in your show, can you clarify?
Cody:
I know some 1960’s era railroads, especially short lines and smaller lines, purchased used rolling stock and re-lettered them. You indicated the decal sheets shown on the March 22nd Cody’s Office were for the modern era. What would you suggest a model railroader do for re-lettering/re-numbering 1960’s era equipment?