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Post by fl9m2026 on Mar 21, 2014 18:44:01 GMT -5
Greetings all!
I'm a retired police officer (sergeant) from Central Mass. who loves commuter and transit operations (maybe too much for my bank account!). While someday I hope to build a layout, currently and for the last several years I have been collecting commuter and transit rolling stock and locomotives. I own models in both brass and plastic, in HO and O scale. The roads in my collection include:
Amtrak (loco's and rolling stock)
B&M (pre-MBTA Budd RDC's) MBTA (locos, streetcars and rolling stock) Metrolink (locos and rolling stock) Metra (locos and rolling stock) Metro-North (locos and rolling stock) Northstar (locos and rolling stock) NICTD (MU's) CDoT (locos and rolling stock) NYCTA (rapid transit cars) NJ Transit (loco and rolling stock) Tren Urbano (rapid transit cars) SEPTA (streetcars)
I also have various "oddballs" in my collection.
The production of True Line Trains MP36PH-3C and -3S models has recently boosted my locomotive roster in several roads. I look forward to participating in the topics here and hope to learn something from all of you.
Mike |
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Post by mgwsy on Mar 21, 2014 20:38:26 GMT -5
Welcome to the group, I'm also from MA and have commuter trains from all over the country, lol. Mainly try to stick with anything that runs on the NEC in MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA. But have Florida TriRail, Caltrains, Sounder, ACE, Metra, and even some European stuff.
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Post by acelaphillies on Mar 22, 2014 9:27:47 GMT -5
fl9m2026, welcome to the forum! I sounds like you have quite the collection of commuter equipment. Do you build resin kits as well? I know IMW makes the NICTD MU's, but I am not sure whether or not they have been made in brass. I have seen you post about your brass collection on RR.Net. I am not sure if you have sound in any of your P32AC-DM's, but if you are looking to install a decoder check out this thread by mgwsy on installing a Loksound decoder in an Overland P40 www.acmodels.boards.net/thread/133/loksound-amtrak-decoder-install-overland. I would love to see some photos of your collection when you get the chance! |
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Post by fl9m2026 on Mar 22, 2014 11:50:36 GMT -5
fl9m2026, welcome to the forum! I sounds like you have quite the collection of commuter equipment. Do you build resin kits as well? I know IMW makes the NICTD MU's, but I am not sure whether or not they have been made in brass. I have seen you post about your brass collection on RR.Net. I am not sure if you have sound in any of your P32AC-DM's, but if you are looking to install a decoder check out this thread by mgwsy on installing a Loksound decoder in an Overland P40 www.acmodels.boards.net/thread/133/loksound-amtrak-decoder-install-overland. I would love to see some photos of your collection when you get the chance! Thanks for the welcome guys! Acelaphillies, currently none of my loco's have sound, but eventually I may dive off that pier and will definitely check out that link!
I have built a few resin kits in the past, but have really backed off in recent years. The NICDT MU's I have are brass, made by Nickel Plate Products back in mid-late 80's (IIRC) but the decal sets are from IMW (Joe advised me he used the Nickel Plate models as a pattern to size them). There was only one run and limited numbers produced. About four years ago, I found a MIB pair on eBay and scored both for a good price.
IMW made the MBTA Kawasaki's, but has since discontinued them. I have a handful of Walthers cars, and had them repainted in the correct shade of purple by the same custom-painter who painted and detailed my MBTA F40PH-2's (Overland actually made a specific MBTA F40!). Only four cars, and I've got four MBTA loco's... not a very good ratio! Makes for very short trains!
My other Boston equipment includes PCC's in HO and O (one MTS and six St. Petersburg Tram - varying Boston-specific classes - respectively), four B&M HO Life-Like Budd RDC's and in brass one RDC-1 from MTS and 1 RDC-2 from Hallmark (both as-yet unpainted decaled). In O scale I have and a pair of Sunset/3rd rail brass Budd RDC-1's custom-painted in the B&M McGinnis scheme with white ends and blocked heralds.
My Metrolink collection includes two Overland F59PHI's and a TLT MP36PH-3C, with nine Athearn Bombardier coach and cab cars.
Metra consists of Kato F40PH-2 and TLT MP36PH-3S. My only rolling stock (so far) are four of the Kato gallery cars, three in the Metra and one in the old RTA colors. I'd love to see KATO do their Sumitomo gallery cars in HO as well as N. They would be a welcome modern addition that would go well with both loco's (as well as versions for other railroads which use them like CalTrain and VRE).
Northstar rosters two TLT MP36PH-3C's and enough Bombardier coaches and cabs for prototypical three car consists.
Metro-North has one Overland P32ACDM and ten of Walthers Comet coaches and cabs.
ConDOT consists of two Overland FL9m's and an Overland P32ACDM along with two Walthers Comet cars, a coach and a cab.
My NYCTA collection has a set of MTS R-46 cars, and a MTS R-33 World's Fair car in HO brass, and R-29 and R-33 four car sets in O scale from MTH.
SEPTA rosters two Bowser PCC's and two IHP Kawasaki cars all in HO.
NJ Transit boasts one Atlas ALP44 and a quartet of Walthers Comet cars (three coaches and a cab).
I also have a few odds and ends from Amtrak including one Overland F40PH and one Overland P32ACDM, with several Walthers Horizon coaches and Amfleet-1 coaches, an Atlas AEM7 and HHP-8 and complete prototypical six car Acela Express consist.
My "oddballs" include a four car set of London Transport 1938-Stock Tube cars, six of the Bowser Muni F-Line PCC's in various paint schemes and a newly-arrived GO Transit GP40-2W loco. As you can see, my interests in commuter roads and regions vary quite a bit, with more emphasis on the Northeastern U.S. though.
I think that includes everything, but knowing me I've forgotten something! I'll get some pics up when I get the opportunity.
I think I'm gonna like it here! 
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Post by fl9m2026 on Jul 11, 2014 17:49:13 GMT -5
Well, you can add two new roadnames to my commuter roster; MARC and VRE. I purchased TLT Mp36PH-3C's for both operators. As no one currently makes their modern equipment in HO, I may just invest in several more KATO Metra gallery cars, as both VRE and MARC used them. Most remained in Metra colors with either MARC or VRE's logos and lettering, while VRE repainted several into their current dark blue/silver multi-stripe scheme.
I also just pre-ordered Rapido trains FL9 in Metro-North colors to add to my roster of MN/CDOT locos. They should go nicely with my Overland FL9m's and P32ACDM's. |
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Post by mgwsy on Jul 14, 2014 17:46:22 GMT -5
Well, you can add two new roadnames to my commuter roster; MARC and VRE. I purchased TLT Mp36PH-3C's for both operators. As no one currently makes their modern equipment in HO, I may just invest in several more KATO Metra gallery cars, as both VRE and MARC used them. Most remained in Metra colors with either MARC or VRE's logos and lettering, while VRE repainted several into their current dark blue/silver multi-stripe scheme.
I also just pre-ordered Rapido trains FL9 in Metro-North colors to add to my roster of MN/CDOT locos. They should go nicely with my Overland FL9m's and P32ACDM's. I know the feeling as the commuter stuff can get addicting, I had to order a bunch of the FL9's and cant wait for the CDOT version down the road. |
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Post by backshophoss on Jul 15, 2014 0:42:47 GMT -5
Is your set of "Shoreliners"(aka Comets) a pure set of red band (ConnDOT)cars or are there
some blue band MTA/MN cars mixed in?
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Post by fl9m2026 on Jul 15, 2014 10:27:50 GMT -5
Is your set of "Shoreliners"(aka Comets) a pure set of red band (ConnDOT)cars or are there some blue band MTA/MN cars mixed in? I have two red stripe CDOT cars, the rest are blue stripe MN. |
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Post by backshophoss on Jul 15, 2014 16:30:53 GMT -5
Back when the 4 ConnDOT FL-9's returned to service from Chrome Crankshaft,the 2 thru Danbury-GCT
trains were kept as a solid red band cars during the last years of CR operation,when MN started up
it was possible after the first few years to see some blue band cars show up at times.
Back in the steam heat era,the thru trains were solid ex NH cars(1 car had the bar),mostly
solid PC green window band and a few patch paint oddballs.
The now long gone E&B valley kits were the proper car type.
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