Rock Island Model Rosters

Gary Pfeil

Active Member
One other thing I have assumed you all know but perhaps not. The 10 addresses the Zephyr can handle means at one time. I have a 3 year old chief system, haven't looked real close at the Zeph, but would imigine it works the same way. When you are finished with one loco, you should "dispatch" it to the system. This makes the slot which had been occupied by that loco (address) available. So the 10 available on the Zeph does not limit the # of locos on the railroad, just how many can be selected at once. And if you consist by using the same address, you could have 10 consists of three locos each assuming they draw less than the 2.5 output of the Zeph. That's not terribly likely, but you can get a booster if needed.

Gary
 

IMRL393

Member
More good info - thanks Gary!

SOMEDAY soon I will get the courage up to program the decoders and try it out!

(Nice thing about the Atlas, they are programed with the last two digits of the road number as their address instead of the usual "03", so no programing needed yet!)

Hey, Guys!

The DCC water is fine!

Jump on in !!!!

- George
 

Wolv33

Member
Does he ACTUALLY think someone is going to pay that KIND of money for all of that???!

He would be better off breaking it all down and getting the most he can out of individual or small sets.

Gee, where's my Gold card!

LOL!!! :D :D :D :D
 

IMRL393

Member
And note that even at $3000.00, "reserve is not met" !!!

I hate those - why not set the starting price at the minimum you want for the item(s) and be done with it ???

Well, it's one way to get a quick RI MRR!

But *I* don't have the money - even if I wanted the duplicate items of his that I already have.

So being across the river doesn't help any!

I'm with Wolv ... I think he should have broke it down into at least smaller sets that most folk could afford.

THEN I might have put a bid in!

- George
 

rockislandmike

Active Member
Agreed, guys. Whether he knows it or not, he's looking for a SERIOUS Rock Island modeller, with a lot of money. Anyone that fits that ilk (and I would consider all of us in that category, except for the lots of money part) would have a lot of those pieces already. He would have been much better to break it down into manageable lots, and very likely would have made much more money that way too. I mean, just for the 12-car XM sets from Intermountain he probably could've got a bid of over $100US.

Not only that, but with only 2 feedbacks, he's going to scare a ***LOT*** of people away, especially for a lot of this size/price. I mean, I don't mind risking $10US or so on somebody with only a few feedbacks, but even then I'm pretty wary and will bow out of the bidding process a lot sooner than someone with a lot of positive feedbacks.

We should check again in 5 days, but I'd bet anyone a 20-spot that he doesn't get any bids.
 

rockislandmike

Active Member
Hey George, you've probably mentioned this b4, but how big is your layout ??? I'm sort of torn between the Zephyr and its big brothers right now myself. My basement layout (again, when my wife and I buy a house) will probably be in about the 375-450 square foot range. HO scale, of course.

I was thinking the Zephyr would be a good bet for now, but really, with only 10 addresses, I think I'd fill that up in a hurry with that size of layout.
 

kf4jqd

Active Member
E-Bay.....

Jessica told me something "bad" would happen to me if I place a bid! I'm with the rest of you. Out of my budget!

Andy
 

Gary Pfeil

Active Member
Michael, I think the choice of system ought to come down to what you can afford. I personally would skip the Empire Builder and chose betrween the Zephyr and Chief. That because of the Builders lack of a programming track. Of course if you plan to use a computer to program your decoders then the lack of a programming track doesn't matter. I tend to forget others aren't as reluctant to use their computers on their railroads as I am. At any rate, my feeling is if you can afford the Chief, then go for it, it is not overkill except for 4 x 8 type layouts. The chief (and builder) give 5 amps output, I've had 12 locos (in several consists) run at once on my 19x25 layout. And lighted passenger cars to boot. No problem. You can always add a booster to the Zephyr to increase its 2.5 amp output, but you will still have just 10 slots. I think in the long run it is cheaper to spend the big bucks up front than upgrade later. If you can of course.

Gary
 

IMRL393

Member
Mike -

What Gary said !!! :D

As for me, I just moved so am re-building. The town ("Fairfield") area is kinda up and had a double oval with spur in a 4 X 8 area. I will then have a track area leading along the Mississippi to (part) of the QCA and from there along the Mississippi again up to Clinton. I'm thinking of having the Iowa country-side and river parts as modules (as per the NMRA standards and plan on their web site). The QCA region (Davenport. Was going to be Bettendorf before I moved!) and Clinton will be a more standard table-like frame for a foam bed like Fairfield.

To do this, I only have a 11 X 12 downstairs bedroom (with a 3.5 X 5.5 closet extension in one corner. Or a bit over 150 sq ft.

Nowhere as much area as you are planning on!

I plan on running 6 main trains:

A BN coal for the QCA area, a UP intermodal thru the QCA down from Clinton, a RI "Clinton area" that serves ADM, Clinton Corn, and DuPont in that area, a RI "QCA" train serving John Deere, Case, Moline Paint and other QCA clients, and a QC Rocket that will meet the AMTRAK Zephyr at Fairfield.

So for this plan, I think the Zephyr gives me just what I need to operate. But this is far less area than you are planning on, so a bigger DCC system might be needed for your layout.

But that will depend on exactly how many trains are running at a given time, how many dummies you have and/or if you do Gary's trick of giving more than one loco in a MU consist the same address and if you can release addresses between train runs.

You could start with a Z and then expand (although it is more expensive to do it this way in the long run, I think).

Or go directly to the Super Chief (or Lenz equilivent).

Either way, or either system, DCC is fun!

BTW Gary - I checked - the Z can release loco addresses as you thought. Thanks again for the info!

- George
 

kf4jqd

Active Member
Picture!!!

George:

You know since you are modelling my hometown. I except pictures on here! I checked on your box car. Back order.

I saw the Athearn Rock Island flat car with John Deere trackors on it. They look great. I didn't buy any though. I asked for a couple as a Christmas present! :D :p

Before I go George. Did you see Walthers new Bud car for Rock Island? I'm even thinking in getting one.

Andy
 

IMRL393

Member
Re: Picture!!!

Originally posted by kf4jqd
George:

You know since you are modelling my hometown. I except pictures on here! I checked on your box car. Back order.

I saw the Athearn Rock Island flat car with John Deere trackors on it. They look great. I didn't buy any though. I asked for a couple as a Christmas present! :D :p

Before I go George. Did you see Walthers new Bud car for Rock Island? I'm even thinking in getting one.

Andy

Sorry, Andy ... but I've quit this forum, so no forthcoming photos.


All of you have a Wonderful Life!


Goodbye !!!



- George Bailey
 

rockislandmike

Active Member
On a completely unrelated note, I received my latest order from internettrains.com yesterday.

A number of items, including three Athearn MOPAC covered hoppers, one Athearn MOPAC caboose, an Athearn "Shouldn't Paint So Fast" SD45, some decals (graffiti, NOPB boxcar, MOPAC covered hopper), and last but certainly not least, the just released IHC ALCO C-415 in Rock Island colors. Looks pretty good, although the truck-mounted hornhooks are a little passe. Nicely matched paint color, though, which apparently many other manufacturers find hard to do ( :mad: ) . . . . .

Anyways, here's a pic of the lil unit, my fourth Rock Island switcher. It's kinda fuzzy, perhaps I'll try a better one this afternoon. This stupid digital camera gives me grief once in a while, and while I took three shots, this is the only one that was actually recorded.
 

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rockislandmike

Active Member
LOL that question is gonna have to wait a day or too, George. Seeing as how it was about -12 Celsius last night, I wasn't about to go out to the garage and test it. Perhaps tonight, there's some stuff I want to retrieve from out there anyways.
 

rockislandmike

Active Member
It's official - that Rock Island $3000 lot didn't get a bidder. No surprise.

Update: haven't really been working on ROCK stuff recently, but have been doing some other rolling stock work. I'm almost finished decaling my three Corn Syrup tank cars from Cargill (Atlas undecs, Microscale decals). The three MOPAC covered hoppers have been fully redecaled (one retains its original number and logo with graffiti; I changed another one's road number and the logo to the screaming eagle; and the third is now a CE&I (MOPAC subsidiary) covered hopper with another road number). Turned out really good. I'm also finished decaling one side of my custom New Orleans Public Belt boxcar.

I won't be posting much the rest of this week - got a major survey project taking up my off-hours, and as of Thursday a.m., I'm off to the left coast for Trains 2002 in Burnaby BC. I'm gonna try and connect with another ROCK fan who hangs out in the Atlas forums.

LONG LIVE THE ROCK !!!
 

kf4jqd

Active Member
Passenger Interior Colors???

Hello my fellow Rock fans:

Since this area seems to deticated to the Rock Island, I have a question. What is the interior color scheme for the silver streamline passenger cars?

I have check all my pictures that I have copied off the internet. I have nothing!:eek: I also have emailed Jeff Price. Maybe he could help. I thought someone in here might know. I don't want to paint the wrong colors! :(

Andy

PS
We need to put this area baclk on top anyway!:D :D :D :p :p :p ;) ;) ;) :eek: :D
 
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