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Request for Specific Loco Data

I have been a subscriber for about 1-1/2 years and love your magazine. The new format is fine. The product reviews are more detailed and the photos show more of what the buyer needs to know than many of the other magazine reviews. I have one request. I am interested in many of the new steam models as a source of mechanism for kit bashing. Would it be possible to list (or diagram) the driver diameter, driver wheel base, and the height of the smoke box center line? Keep up the good work!

John Sanders
Springfield, MO
Hi John. We often get requests to include specific data on locos, usually steam machines. The reasons are easy to understand. First, every motive department modified existing plans to suit their railroad such that the resulting locomotive didn’t look like anything else. Second, with every progressive shopping, a given class of locos began to take on a very different appearance. Thus, if you wish to model a certain Mikado on a certain railroad in a particular period of time, an as-delivered USRA Light Mike just won’t do.

With all that said, it is almost impossible for us to contain a review within the space allotted for it, offer the central review issues, and still provide data on all the possible things a person could conceivably wish to alter or change. Our reviewers try to assess the period of a particular locomotive, pointing out where it fits based upon its appliance locations and so on. We assess how well it fits with published plans that are available to the general public, and we point out issues of driver diameter. One of my favorite tricks is to lay an HO locomotive atop an actual drawing and note where it varies to any degree. I’m afraid that’s the best we can do. —John

K-27 by-the-Numbers Question

I enjoyed your review of the Bachmann 1:20.3 K-27 model. I agree it is an outstanding model. I also enjoyed the background you provided on the K-27.

I have some questions on the By-The- Numbers: What was the voltage and amps provided for the DCC test? It doesn’t say, only provides speeds steps which can mean different things for 14 volt, 18 volt, or 24 volt.

For the Analog DC test, are the amps listed what was used by the loco or provided by the power supply?

I’m not sure how to interpret the Pull Power? I see you list the loco weight of 194 oz. and I assume it was pulling 52.8 oz. But I’m not sure how the volts and amps work into the equation?

Jim Typ
Centennial, CO
Glad you enjoyed the review, Jim. During the DCC testing, my DCC system (MRC 10 Amp Booster) was putting on the rails around 20 to 21 volts depending upon location and other factors. You are correct in that the loco weight is 194 ounces (12 pounds, 2 ounces) and it delivers 52.8 (3 pounds, 4.8 ounces) of pull, which equals a tractive efficiency of 27.2 percent. That is quite good and far more than the prototype could manage. Pull testing is done under DC and the voltage was 22 VDC and the amperage drawn at full slip was 2.1, neither of which is part of any equation but is included for those who are interested in such things. —John
Reaction to the K-27 review

Just got the March MRN. Wow!!! The Bachmann Mudhen – double wow!!! Will have to get one of them. Great review — great historical background.

Let me add some more on the 464. I climbed all over her my junior and senior years in high school in the 70s. In the summer of 1973, I watched them load her on a flatbed for the trip to Alamosa to be loaded onto a flatcar destined for Knott’s Berry Farm in California.

At Knott’s she was converted to oil, but due to her rigid inside frame, she didn’t work too well on their track work and that’s when she was sold to a railroad in South Dakota. Can’t remember whom.

Now she’s at Huckleberry.

I hated to see her leave. I knew every inch of her. But then I thought I’d never see her run. Glad I was wrong. Great job! Great magazine!

Mike Benne
Albuquerque, NM
Thanks for the kudos, Mike. Every day I worked on that review was a real joy for me. That loco is a real sweetheart. Be sure to allow plenty of space on both sides of her, though, and you’ll want to consider the QSI sound solution while you’re at it. —John
Saltbox — Specific and Generic

I read and re-read your fine magazine from cover to cover every issue. That’s the good news… bad news: a review in your February ‘08 issue!

The review of NESM’s newest kit, new house under construction, had a slight error. I don’t know if the supplier or the person who wrote the review made an error, but the picture showing the built up kit is NOT a “saltbox!”

As a New Englander, I know a saltbox was so called, would you believe, to reduce taxes, ‘way back when. Taxes were levied based on the number of full stories a home had. So, those ingenious old timers said, “OK, but my home is only two stories in the front; the rear is only ONE story!”

Hence, the name “saltbox” evolved, because darn it, didn’t the home resemble a wooden saltbox of that time! In my Connecticut town, being in one of the original colonies, some true saltboxes still exist.

I just thought you might get a kick out of MY review!

John O. Roy
Wallingford, CT
Thanks for sharing, John. I lived in New England for several years, and came away with a Massachusetts girl, a real treasure. Along the way, I came to know what New Englanders call a saltbox. However, in other regions and times, the word has taken on less specific dimensions and gathered a looser definition. One dictionary defines it as a house “having up to three stories in front and one less in back plus a steep roof.” Out on the West Coast, it is often used to define houses with simple and unadorned rooflines, and that is the version employed by our copywriter, a young lady who lives in a West Coast saltbox, when she wrote the new product announcement. —John
Comments and Questions from the March Issue
Athearn Maxi I review:

Questions not answered: 1) Can the McHenry couplers be easily replaced by metal Kadees? 2) Will current 40-foot containers fit in the wells, or only the new Athearn models? 3) Does the model have semi-scale (.088) or normal (.110) wheelsets? The pictures seemed to show a narrow width tread.

BLI SD9 review:
Did you have any problems programming the dual decoder installation? What programming equipment did you use? Many people in various forums have reported challenges in programming Blueline locos.

Proto RS-2 announcement:
DCC status — Ready, friendly, none?

Atlas 420 review:
Any idea on why Lenz would not include CVs 5 & 6 in their otherwise well designed and equipped decoder? (Yes, I know these aren’t mandatory, but they are fairly standard). Also, does the Lenz include either BEMF or a kick-start feature?

Blue Island DVD review:
In what year was the train movement filmed? Or do the trains represent a range of years? I am interested in modern train movements, and will check the cvptrains.com site to see if the date is 2007 or not.

As a note:
I find the MRN reviews are the most comprehensive and honest in the model railroad publishing field and hope you will be able to keep up this excellent work for many years to come. Your motive power reviews especially are a worthy successor to the detailed loco testing performed by Bob Higgins in long-ago NMRA Bulletins.

Roger Thomas
West Windsor, NJ
A veritable potpourri of questions, Roger.

According to a spokesman at Athearn, McHenrys can be replaced with standard Kadees, no problem. The containers are designed to match the form factor of standard containers and those that match that will fit just fine. They tested with a Walthers container, and it worked properly. The wheel sets are normal (0.110 inch).

The BLI SD9 caused me no problems with programming. I have available six different systems, though the Bachmann doesn’t program. I used a Digitrax Zephyr in this case with a DT400 cab. According to a Walthers spokesman, the HO RS-2 has been upgraded to include helical gears in the trucks and a 9-pin JST plug on the power board. The brand new Lenz decoders are now including CV5 and 6; we installed one in the Blueline RSD-15 and made a monster out of it ! I love it ! Watch for the upcoming review in a couple of months.

The Blue Island DVD is copyrighted 2007 but no indication was given as to the dates or years of when the footage was shot. I came away with the overall impression that it was all done around the same period of time, based upon the condition of the foliage, the weather, vehicles in the scenes, and other clues. I would guess it was shot no earlier than 2005 and probably in the late spring of the year. Finally, thanks for putting us in good company with Bob Higgins. —John

Nitpicking the SD9 Review

To nitpick your review of the Blueline SD9, Milwaukee received three SD7s with full fuel tanks, 2209 (509), 2210 (510), and 2211 (511). Upon rebuild, one tank was removed.

The SD9 is a good-looking model, but the sound is less than acceptable. The one I have also has a turbo whine. The horns are incorrect and mounted backwards with the biggest wad of glue possible. A chore to remove and change. Again a nice looking model and addition for factory direct price.

DA Weber
Blair, NE
Thanks, Mr. Weber. My research didn’t turn up the fuel tank discrepancy. It wouldn’t have affected 533 in any case, being an SD9. These units will all sound the same, and I’m not sure if that is a turbo whine or if the recording microphone was too close to a traction blower motor or some other thing. Media people will be quick to tell you that audio is the hardest part of any production to get right. I didn’t have a wad of glue on my copy, but you’re right; it’s a nice looking model at a good price point. —John
Moving to DCC

As I read the letters in the January issue on the subject of DCC, I felt compelled to add my two cent’s worth. I converted to DCC about five years ago. I started with a Digitrax Zephyr on a small HO layout. Fairly simple hookup and install a few decoders. When I switched to N scale I moved to a larger room and soon outgrew the Zephyr. I must say at this point that electrical wiring is not my strong suit. I stayed with Digitrax and installed one component at a time, testing after each one. I ended up with this setup: DCS100 command station, DB150 booster, PM42 to make four blocks, eight DS64 stationary decoders, with their own power supply to run the Tortoise switch motors, six UP5 loconet panels with their own power buss, and a DT400 throttle. I also stayed with Digitrax decoders for all of my locos, Kato and Micro-Trains, with the exception of one Atlas which came with a Lenz decoder, and one of the new MRC sound decoders.

As I stated before, wiring is not one of my strong skills. Yes, I still used about 500 feet of wire, with all of the connections soldered. I had a lot of help from a great local Digitrax dealer. I took it one logical step at a time and asked a lot of sometimes dumb questions. The first few times changing CVs can be confusing, but you can always use the master reset. I operate alone and can have three or four trains safely running at the same time and have not had any problems to date.

Stick with one company. Take it one step at a time, and test after each install. It took 14 months to lay the track and wire it. It is a joy to operate and once you take the plunge and change you will love it.

Mike Bellis
Calgary, Canada
Good advice, Mike. I took a step-by-step approach years ago when I started into DCC. Unlike you, my work requires me to play with all sorts of brands of things, but I do keep my wiring more simple as one concession. Keep notes as you change CVs. If something confuses you and you need an answer, then there are no dumb questions.—John

Response to “The Tunnel of Love” Column

I am just getting started with an outside layout, but I had to plan for a tunnel around my pond six years ago. The first thing I did was to compact the dirt under where the tunnel will be. I then placed patio blocks on two foot centers. Each block is 8 x 16 x 2 inches thick. I then used chimney flue, 8 x 13 x 24 inches. I used three to give me a six-foot tunnel. I caulked the seams and then covered the whole thing with heavy plastic bags. I then back filled with dirt and rocks, and it hasn’t moved. This past summer, I built two more the same way. One tunnel is six feet the other is eight feet. The 8 foot is the lead out of my basement to the back yard. I have no clearance issues at all.

Bob Hoffmann
Yardley, PA
Good engineering, Bob. I’m wondering what the inside clearance is on the 8 inch OD measurement. With the K-27, it will have to be greater than 6-1/2 inches, meaning the walls of the flue material would be 3/4 inch or less. I’d like to have a steel box that was 12 x 9 x 24 inches and a quarter inch thick.—John
N-scale Auto Dealerships from the Fifties

A couple of months ago I decided that I needed a car dealership on my 1967 era layout since Classic Metal Works is making 1967 Fords. However, no matter where I looked, I really could not find a building to use for a basis as I did not want something real modern. I ended up using an old Heljan Bank Block building I had on hand and placing it against a plastic wall front on the background for the garage area. I cut doors for the service department. I removed most of the first floor front of the bank building and replaced it with picture windows going almost to the sidewalk. There are three cars in the building behind the windows.

Based on my memory and a couple of former dealership buildings in the town where I now live, most dealerships were really small. There would be a one-story showroom that would hold from two to six cars and behind that would be a 1.5 story garage building. In the 40s, 50s, and 60s, most dealerships did not really have very many new cars on hand as most were ordered. There would be a half dozen or so demonstrators and some of these were actually used by employees. There might be some used cars, but many of these were quickly sold to used car dealers. Therefore, there really was very little in the way of car lots.

I remember the Buick and Rambler dealer did not even have a show room in a building built in the late 50s. He had a covered area in front of the office and sales area where he parked the demonstrators. Behind the offices was the garage.

The Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth dealer had a storefront between a grocery store and drug store with the garage located behind the storefront. It was probably no wider than 30 to 40 feet.

The old 1930s-50s Chevrolet building where I now live is just wide enough for two cars side by side and the garage extends back from the showroom.

I wrote to Walthers and recommended they consider combining the Wallschlager Motors building with the State Line Farm Supply building in HO and N as this would result in a showroom and garage. They could also add a showroom type building to the front of the State Line Farm Supply building and have the same thing.

Glad to see advancements in this other area of transportation. The key for many will be to think small if modeling 1960s and before as the prototypes were small and had very few cars on the lots.

Bob Tugwell
Belton, SC
Well, Bob, you open the discussion to a lot of things. As we explored with gas stations in editions gone by, most of the buildings involved were not specific to the business but were modified either during or sometime after construction to meet the needs of the occupant. We’ve all seen signs on a vacant lot that says, “Will build to suit occupant.” In most cases, after the grandiose dreams of a skyscraper have been whittled down to affordable reality, what is left is a modest structure that fits the space and has doors and windows matching the needs.

I watched a local bank move from one location to another, and then the old bank building went through a number of new occupants, one being a garage! Obviously the vault was long gone. I also recall as a high school kid going down to the local Chevy dealer to see the brand new ‘58s on display. There were only two because that was all his inside display floor would hold. I think some good basic commercial business buildings with kitbash potential would be a marketable commodity. —John
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