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 Posted - July 05 2010 : 4:40:28 PM
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Hey everyone,
Glad to be here. I'm getting back into the hobby after a long absence. Like may other people, my son has gotten me back into trains so I thought it was time to get the old tyco set out. Wow is it in some rough shape. I cleaned things up and swapped some wheels around to get some serviceable rolling stock.
I was able to find both the engines I had when younger. The newer of the two is the Santa Fe GP-20 painted in war bonnet. I put some new traction tires on it, added a drop of oil to the motor and it seems to run pretty well. It will probably be re-painted to look like the red Minnesota Commercial Railway engines. I also have an older Burlington Northern Alco 430 that will run around the track but sounds like someone setting a cat on fire. It may be a candidate for a new CD drive motor. I've always really liked the look of it.
I ditched the old tyco power pack from the early 1970 and bought a new MRC 1300 power controller. That helped a lot in terms of what the engines will do. The old controller pretty much just gave me OFF, FAST and REALLY FAST!
I had a really bad layout when I was a kid, a 4x8 sheet of plywood with some of that terrible green flocked paper on it and a mix of brass and steel track. I had no idea how to really make things look good when I was a kid but I am amazed at all of the how-to videos on YouTube now. There's really nothing like watching someone else do it. I sure wish that had been around before! I have started a new layout and so far it is about 1000% cooler than what I had as a kid and it isn't even close to done. I have a few decisions yet to make on the layout but I'll post some stuff up when I finalize the basic shape.
Glad to be here.
~CamdenLine
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Posted - July 05 2010 : 5:09:43 PM
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Posted - July 05 2010 : 5:48:13 PM
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 CamdenLine. Seems like there are a lot of guys dusting off their old train collections and getting back into the hobby lately. I can see you've been lurking if you're already talking about a CD tray motor for that Alco, although it may just need a good cleaning and a very judicious lube. I'm interested to see what the new layout looks like as it progresses.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - July 05 2010 : 6:34:07 PM
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welcome & believe it or not I still have my board from my 027 & HO layout I had Still got the HO train set  atm board is in garage being used for a attic plank Pics of board later  Also still getting trains but all are in boxes 
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Posted - July 05 2010 : 6:57:33 PM
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Welcome to the forum! Keep us updated on the layout. Post some pics of your trains some time too...people here like pictures
cheez
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Posted - July 05 2010 : 8:32:57 PM
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Thanks,
I have some questions about the engines I guess if you think they just need more work. I'll post photos and questions in the appropriate forum tonight. If I get around to it tonight I'll try to take some shots of the layout as well.
~CamdenLine
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Posted - July 05 2010 : 11:08:27 PM
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quote:but sounds like someone setting a cat on fire.
Originally posted by CamdenLine - July 05 2010 : 4:40:28 PM
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I'm afraid to ask how you know that.
Just kidding! Welcome to the forum.
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 Posted - July 06 2010 : 03:55:30 AM
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Hi CamdenLine,
Welcome to the forum! We have some great people here. I'm sure you will learn a lot as I have.
Mike
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 07:46:44 AM
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Goodmorning Kirk, and welcome to tyco trains. Good luck with your layout. I'll be seeing you around.
frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
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Posted - July 07 2010 : 12:14:28 PM
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quote:
The newer of the two is the Santa Fe GP-20 painted in war bonnet. I put some new traction tires on it, added a drop of oil to the motor and it seems to run pretty well. It will probably be re-painted to look like the red Minnesota Commercial Railway engines.
~CamdenLine
Originally posted by CamdenLine - July 05 2010 : 4:40:28 PM
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If that GP-20 is the blue/yellow scheme, you may have a collector's item on your hands. Check out Tony Cook's TYCO resource site. The link is at the bottom of the Forum Index page.
By the way, if you had an operating train layout as a kid, you had a good train layout.
Unspoken expectations are premeditated failures.
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