Just a few changes

[ezdays]

We have made a few changes and one addition to the Gauge. Here are the changes and why:

• Scratchin' & Bashin' has been moved back to the Model Railroading section where we hope it will get more exposure and more posting activity.
• Gems has been moved from the Reference section to a sub-forum of the Photo forum. We are going to reserve this to feature the works of some of our members. You cannot post there, but you can request that someone's work be featured and we will give them a chance to have some of their more popular pictures moved to there. We already have a few requests that we will be working on very soon.:thumb:
• Academy Nominations has been deleted. We are no longer requiring a formal nomination for us to move a thread to the Academy. Again, if you want to see a thread moved to the Academy, just let us know and we will review it to see that it qualifies.

Now for the addition. We have added a "Trainspotter ID" forum in the Reference section. It is right here. A lot of us, including yours truly, have troubles identifiying different model engines. Do you actually know the difference between an F7 and an F40? What's the difference between a GP-20 and a GP-38? If mine aren't put back in their original box, I'd be lost. So, if you have any pictures of any model engine be it diesel or steam, prototype or scale, past or current, and you know what model it is, then post it there so we can all use this as reference.

If someone starts a thread on a particular engine and you want to add another picture of that same type, or you want to add some more facts about it, feel free to do so.The more information you can post or add, the more informed the rest of us will be. This should be a great reference tool for us all and should help us towards our goal of being the prime storehouse for all RR information on the net.

The only thing I ask is that you start a new thread there for each engine type and that you post any information or other pictures of that model in the same thread. Remember, diesel or steam, prototype or scale, past or current, it doesn't matter, we just need the information posted there.

 

[RailRon]

Don, in the 'Guidelines' posted on Trainspotter ID you wrote:

Now I ask just one thing, start a new thread for each model that you want to talk about and title the thread with that engine's model number so we can all look it up later by that reference.

Two questions:

1. Are the entries restricted to North American prototypes, or is the description of international prototype possible, too? (E.g. the Swiss crocodile engines)

2. Title of the thread: You say 'the engine's model number'. I think you mean prototype designations (like 'EMD SD40-2') and not the catalog number of say an ATLAS H0 model loco. Right?`Just wanted to be sure... ops:ops:ops:

BTW - the idea to create such a reference section is brilliant! :thumb::thumb::thumb:
(Perhaps some day I'll even can tell the difference between a GP7 and a GP9! )

Ron

 

[MasonJar]

My question is how can you properly title the thread if you don't kow what it is?

Perhaps once it is identified, the thread title can be edited.

Andrew

 

[ezdays]

My question is how can you properly title the thread if you don't kow what it is?

Perhaps once it is identified, the thread title can be edited.

Andrew

The idea is that the person that starts the thread is the one that knows about the loco are posting the picture of. This is not a "what is it?" as opposed to a "here is a...." forum. Like I said, I only know one from the other because that's what's on the box they came in. Those I could post something about, like a picture and their designation. The rest I'll leave up to those that know what they're talking about.

 

[ezdays]

Don, in the 'Guidelines' posted on Trainspotter ID you wrote:

Two questions:

1. Are the entries restricted to North American prototypes, or is the description of international prototype possible, too? (E.g. the Swiss crocodile engines)

2. Title of the thread: You say 'the engine's model number'. I think you mean prototype designations (like 'EMD SD40-2') and not the catalog number of say an ATLAS H0 model loco. Right?`Just wanted to be sure... ops:ops:ops:

BTW - the idea to create such a reference section is brilliant! :thumb::thumb::thumb:
(Perhaps some day I'll even can tell the difference between a GP7 and a GP9! )

Ron

Ron, Yes, yes, and thank you kind sir.ops: We should not be restricted to just North American locos, and yes, I've been around electronics a lot longer than I've been around trains and I would still refer to "EMD SD-40-2" as an OEM model #, as opposed to the scale manufacturer's stock or catalog #. Call it a prototypical designation if you will, old habits are hard to break for me though...

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Don, I've not had time, yet to figure out how to post pictures to the web site, and my Kodak Easy Share camera seems to like to make pics that are absolutely huge! Any pictures I've taken that have been posted to the web anywhere have been emailed to someone else to reduce the size to something manageable. That being said, are word pictures describing spotting differences acceptable? It may be that if I describe spotting features on a particular locomotive another member reading my post might post a pic. Secondly, I tried to start a new thread in that forum and got a note telling me I wasn't authorized to post in that area. Are the settings set up so that only admins can post there right now? It may be an oversight, but I thought I'd mention it. I just went be to the forum again and noticed that the settings in the posting rules box said "You may not post new threads" "You may not post replies" "You may not post attachments" "You may edit your posts".

 

[N Gauger]

I'll check the permissions

 

[N Gauger]

Got it Try again Russ.... Let us know if you have any trouble

 

[ezdays]

Got it Try again Russ.... Let us know if you have any trouble

Ah ah, I just thought the permissions would follow the main forum and didn't check them. That's why we got you around, someone has to keep us from screwing up...ops:

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I just started a few threads on the spotting differences between various F units. That forum works great now. I took the liberty of noting the Fp7s and Fp9s in the end of the F7 and F9 threads. I hope that isn't a problem, if you guys would rather have me break out the Fp7 and Fp9 into separate threads of their own, let me know and I will do it.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

By the way, I've thrown up descriptions of a few more locomotives in the new forum. I would certainly invite any fellow members to add to my descriptions any spotting features I've overlooked and especially post pics if you have some. I can see the situation in the future where with enough participation this section might have to be divided into a steam and a diesel subforum with possibly a third sub forum for electric locomotives if we get some Milwaukee Road fans in here.

 

[MasonJar]

The idea is that the person that starts the thread is the one that knows about the loco are posting the picture of. This is not a "what is it?" as opposed to a "here is a...." forum. Like I said, I only know one from the other because that's what's on the box they came in. Those I could post something about, like a picture and their designation. The rest I'll leave up to those that know what they're talking about.

Now you know why I stick to (simple) steam. I can count to ten (by two's) and therefore can spot a 4-6-4 or 2-10-0, etc, etc. :thumb: . But what makes a Pacific (for example) heavy or light - I couldna tell ya...

Andrew

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Now you know why I stick to (simple) steam. I can count to ten (by two's) and therefore can spot a 4-6-4 or 2-10-0, etc, etc. :thumb: . But what makes a Pacific (for example) heavy or light - I couldna tell ya...

Andrew

For those who don't care about modeling prototype, steam is easy. Just decide what wheel arraingement you want to run. When you get into prototype modeling, steam is crazy! Take a 4-8-4 Northern for instance (in the case of NYC it was called a Niagara). The NYC Niagara is totally different from a Santa Fe, in fact the Santa Fe 3751 class is smaller than the Santa Fe 3765 class which is different from the 3776 & 2900 classes, all 4-8-4s. The S.P. Gs4 northerns were diferent from all the others mentioned here so far. The U.P. FEF is diferent as well, and nothing anywhere was anything like the N&W J's. When it came to steam, every railroad new exactly what they wanted or thought they did, and the builders would build whatever they wanted to the railroads specs. Nothing was standardised until the advent of the diesel engine.

 

[60103]

Would you object to threads comparing two models? F7 vs F9 or GP7 vs GP9? Shots of the parts of those locos that are different. (Or would that just be the engine compartment?)

 

[RailRon]

David, that is exactly what I also would be looking for.

On one side it is very interesting to present an extraordinary locomotive (say a Big Boy or a DD40-X) in a special feature. But I think there are also lots of model railroaders who would be grateful when somebody showed them in words and pictures the differences between a GP7 and a GP9.

Ron

 

[N Gauger]

A few random thoughts....

~~ YES - Please!! Put multiple (Look the same) Locos on one single thread and "list the differences between the 2 (or 3)" For us people that wouldn't know a GP-9 if we ran into it at a crossing!! sign1
That's excactly what we want to see... Put up as many as you want - in as many threads as you want.... and list "How to spot a (Engine one) from an (Engine 2) BUT one variation is (Engine two-2) Please title the thread: Differences of GP7 and GP9 or something similar...

~~ Would it help, if I start putting pics of engines in my gallery? That way - you all could ID them, and link them over to the Trainspotter ID forum.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Would you object to threads comparing two models? F7 vs F9 or GP7 vs GP9? Shots of the parts of those locos that are different. (Or would that just be the engine compartment?)

I think something like that could be posted twice, once in the Gp7 thread and then in the Gp9 thread. That way someone trying to find out how to tell a Gp7 from a 9 could find out in either thread.