[AFGP9]

Mopac, at the rate you are opening and closing that mailbox you may have to replace the hinge with an industrial strength hinge. At the rate you seem to be able to find eBay bargains, I wouldn't stop now. Remember, too much isn't.

Kenny

 

[mopac]

I lost one I wanted last night. Finished 2nd. Santa Fe covered hopper. Oh well. I saved a little money.

Kenny, those hinges are going to be smoking starting Monday. I did oil them.

 

[AFGP9]

Good to know mopac that you practice preventive maintenance. Looking forward to all those new photos from the wall.

Kenny

 

[mopac]

I got a nice package today. Its a beautiful day here in Missouri but still going to wait till all is in.
I got the 5 car NKP lot today. All cars and boxes super nice. Truly new. My favorite car is the
NKP High Speed Service box car 6-48320. I thought it was brown and white stripe. It is a Silver stripe. A real stunning looking car. I paid 20 a piece plus shipping for these. NKP cars seem to command a little higher price. Got 25.00 off the buy it now price. All have diecast trucks.

 

[AmFlyer]

Don't forget to look for my Christmas engine, if anyone can find it you can.
I do not recall that NKP boxcar. It is no longer archived on the Lionel site. When you start assembling a layout you will need a large freight yard.

 

[mopac]

Tom, sorry, but can't find which engine I was to look for. And I am drawing a blank.
Please tell me again.

 

[AmFlyer]

A 6-48195 Legacy U33C Christmas engine. The road name is North Pole Central. No need to search but if you ever see one let me know. It will not be cheap. I am also in the process of getting a quote to have my Erie Berkshire repainted as a Christmas engine. I suddenly have too much free time to think about these things.

 

[mopac]

OK, a 6 axle GE diesel. Christmas. Who might have one of those Christmas
train set with the K-Line curves?
Here is a pic in the shade of the High Speed Service car.\

 

[AmFlyer]

That is a nice boxcar, and a nice sunny day.
You must be asking about this Christmas set in its mint, sealed OB that is carefully kept in my place in San Diego? I have a second identical set that has been opened but is unused. Unfortunately I cannot find it. I am certain I gave it to my son shortly after I bought it. We are going to his house today and I plan to search for it.

 

[AmFlyer]

Here is the Christmas engine I am looking for.

 

[mopac]

That is pretty cool looking.

Yes that is the set I mentioned. Hate to buy a set to get 4 pieces of track. I have not put up a tree since my wife passed.
But that would be cool under a tree.

I looked on ebay for your Christmas engine. Found 2 Legacy U33s. One used, one new. No Christmas unit. I will watch for one.

 

[AmFlyer]

Thanks, I hope you have better luck than me. If I find the second 49621 set I would sell it to you but if you only want 4 pieces of curve track they would be too expensive that way.

 

[mopac]

Tom, I will watch for one.

I got another package today. My 2 NKP GP9s arrived. Over all very happy with them. Not a scratch on them. Good looking locomotives. #496 and #497. Bottom half of the Styrofoam cradles only. No red box. Seller stated there was no box.. I need to come up with some tops for the cradles. I have no track down right now so could not really test run. I did get my ZW and put some leads to the power pickup shoes. The powered one ran very smooth
in forward and reverse. Slow speed seemed good. I pulled the shells off of both units. Only one truck drive. There are 3 traction tires on that truck. Lionel does rave about the traction effort of the unit. We shall see. The can motor was much larger than I expected. My Lionel PA locomotives are 2 truck drive but the can motors are much smaller. I am worried if my GP9s will run through turnouts. One pick up shoe on each truck. From what I can tell, the shoes are the only power pick ups. And I did not see a flywheel on motor. So how they go through turnouts I do not know. So alot remains to be seen. They look great. The dummy unit has a reverse unit. I thought that was just for rear and front headlights. Both headlights are are on in forwards or reverse. So I have no idea why the reverse unit in the dummy. The set in a sealed unit come with spare traction tires. I got no extras. Not a biggie. Jeff Kane carries them.
Again, over all happy with my new locos. I should get another package Monday of 2 new cars and I do not know when my new Berk is coming. I do know it is coming UPS or Fedex. Got an email.

 

[mopac]

I wrote this last night but failed to post it. I got home at 2 in the morning and it was on the front porch.

And I got another package delivered late today. My NKP Berkshire. It is a fine looking locomotive. Maybe too nice. Lots of detail that could be broke off. My first thought was I like my 70 year old engines better. I will get used to this new one. No instruction manual came with it. I am going to assume that is normal and you have to find your manual on the Lionel site. Not crazy about that but is probably the way it is. Glad I have no track down. I want to read and absorb the manual before I run it. It is late now, maybe I will get more excited about it tomorrow. Its nice and cost less than my Northerns. It is diecast shell and diecast tender shell. Charles RO got it to me quickly. Busy day for me tomorrow. My last
package is due monday, so maybe some pics monday.

I also do not like the box it came in. Its too long. Why couldn't they box engine and then tender under it.
I have a HO Big Boy boxed like this also. Too damn long for easy storage. Later versions came with engine and then tender under it. Much better way.

 

[AmFlyer]

All my new Lionel AF engines have a manual in the box. Did you buy the Legacy version or the FlyerChief version? If you think the Berkshire box is too big take a look at the Big Boy and Challenger boxes to see how much Lionel has shrunk the S gauge packaging.

 

[mopac]

I got the FlyerChief version. Do they come with a manual?
Should I call Lionel or Charles Ro?

 

[AmFlyer]

Mine did but it was last years model. I think you should contact Ro. By the way, the iPhone App for FlyerChief has functionality not included on the remote packaged with the engine.

 

[mopac]

I don't have an I Phone.

I called Charles Ro this morning. They were zero help.
I called Lionel. Talked to Katy. She was wonderful. Very helpful. She is sending me
what she called a copy of the manual. That will be fine. And she is sending me some smoke fluid. She understood I needed to know how many drops of smoke fluid I needed to put in the engine. So can't power up the locomotive yet. I guess I could turn off smoke switch. But I will wait till I go over the manual. I did get a manual with my GP 9s.

ITS PICTURE DAY
We have some sun today.
I will get them posted in a bit. It wll take some time to take things out of their box and put back in.
2 more cars to arrive today.

 

[AmFlyer]

If you are using the dropper in the engine box then put in 20 drops and let it sit for an hour. Put in another 10 and power it up. I recommend against Supersmoke, it seems too viscous for these smoke units. Challenger, Lionel or Megasteam all seem ok.

 

[mopac]

I have some Lionel Premium smoke fluid. Working on pics.