On Track, with Deano

[Nazgul]

I have no doubt that you will find the SP unit in her new "clothes":winker::thumb:.
That post, btw, was "vintage Deano"..........thankyou for sharing:thumb::thumb::thumb:.

 

[UP SD40-2]

Joe, Sarge, Gus, Roger and Steve, THANKS GUYS!!!:mrgreen:

I was hoping someone would find interest in my last post:smilie: . if ANY of you folks liked that, I'm chalk full of tidbits of history, facts and engine specific info:mrgreen: , I'll post stuff like that every so often:winki: .

*********************************************************
GOING BACK TO MODELING...
to take a break from proto stuff, i would like to post some pics of what i have been working on:mrgreen: ...but i haven't been working on anything for a couple days:eeki::toug::119: . i shot this small roll-by of a local heading across the sub about two weeks ago, i wasn't going to post it, but since i don't really have any new model pics to postops: , i decided to put it on here:119: .
Circa 197?

Till next time...Stay On Track!
:deano: -Deano

 

[steamhead]

WoW....!!! Great roll-by... :thumb: You keep this up (no pun intended..) and I'm gonna have to "moth ball" my steamers and get some of them there UP's....(NOT...!!!) :cry:.

Weathering is AWESOME...!!! And I like how you mixed it up with the traffic on the highway...

 

[thumsup]

:mrgreen: Hey Deano, Great roll by, and yes keep the history tidbits coming, please.:twisted: Maybe its time to show us all your layout, I'm sure you have done it before but a UP date would be nice. :twisted:

Joe

 

[UP SD40-2]

Gus & Joe:wav: , THANK YOU!:mrgreen: , though i would hardly call the roll-by great by any meansops: . i have many freight cars i feel i did a MUCH BETTER job on:winki: , but like i said, i didn't really have anything new modeling wise to post, so i put up that roll-byops: . but again, THANKS! for the VERY KIND words:smilie: .

Zachary mentioned interest in my BIG modern engines, that would have been good to post, but i am in the process of weathering all my engines(EXCEPT my E8,E9 & E6:winki: )and i haven't got to the big stuff yet, so I'm a little hesitant to post them till i weather themops: .

Gus, sooner or later, I'll get you to come over to MY side of the tracks:twisted: , a couple first gen UP diesels never hurt anyone:winki::mrgreen:sign1 . the first four pics below are for you:winki::mrgreen: .

Joe, at the present time i am living in a small 2 bedroom apartment with my son, so the last couple of layouts i have had has been 8'x30'' switching layouts. i plan on moving closer to the high school in June so my son wont have far to walk next year:thumb: , with the move comes BIG PLANS for an around the room shelf layout:eeki: , i can hardly wait:mrgreen: . pics 5 & 6 shows my current layout, i have half of it finished(pic 5), the other half is still in the works(pic 6)ops: .

*****************************************************
MY Big Boy pictured on my dads layout.

BOTH my challengers pictured on a previous layout i had.

my F-E-F Class 3 pictured on my dads layout.

my AC12 cab forward pictured on my diorama, rock work & waterfall done by my VERY GOOD FRIEND Steve(Nazgul):winki::mrgreen: .

My Current layout...this part is done.

this part is NOT FINISHEDops:

A mish-mosh of JUST A FEW of my freight cars, pictured on my current and previous layouts I've had, and some on my diorama.

I hope i didn't bore you folks with so many pics...:119:ops: .
:deano: -Deano

 

[thumsup]

Deano, Truly inspirational, now I remember your layout from earlier posts. You have demostrated what a person can do when they set their mind to it.

:inw: Joe:thumb:

 

[steamhead]

Oohhh man...Those are the daddies of all steamers...!!! Just missing a N&W Y6 to round your mega-steamer collection....(Maybe a Triplex or two as well....):mrgreen:

Thanks for posting...:thumb:

 

[UP SD40-2]

Joe, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!:mrgreen::smilie:

Gus, thats not even all my steamers, just my current big ones:winki::mrgreen: . i also have a Milwaukee Road Heavy Pacific, a quirky UP 0-6-0 thats the next engine up for weathering(runs great one day, cant keep it on the track the next day ), and the VERY FIRST engine i ever had(bought back in 1973-74?) a ten wheeler:thumb: . (all pictured below)

Sorry, though the N&W Y6's were real cool engines, any further steam purchases WILL BE UP ONLY:winki:...did you really think they would be anything else:toug::119: . i AM RIGHT NOW in search of a UP Y3, and a UP 2-10-2 at the upcoming local shows:winki::mrgreen: . i have found both online, but i usually find the best prices at shows, so I'll hold out and hope to find them at the shows:winki: .

:deano: -Deano

 

[cnw1961]

Deano, you never bore us with your pics . I am by no means a big fan of steamers, but I really like your big steamers – very beautiful and impressive machines.

Do you already know what space you’ll have to work with for your new layout when you move in June?

 

[UP SD40-2]

THANKS KURT!!!:mrgreen::smilie:

as far as knowing the amount of space I'll have to work with on my next layout, no i have no idea yet:119: . but i have big & clear plans on how it will be:winki: . having switching layouts for the last couple of years, and then going to dads and running on his large layout, i have found i am what you'd call a "Rail fan Model RRer":winki::mrgreen: . sure operations is nice, but i am more into following a train on a continuous run, admiring it going through scenery. i have a few sidings planned, a yard, but a double mainline. two towns and the rest just lonely country side. i would like to do a stretch going along the edge of a river with a mountain on the other side of the tracks. i have a few more plans, but I'll let them out in another post:119: .
THANKS for asking Kurt!:smilie:
:deano: -Deano

 

[UP SD40-2]

Deano's Train Show Tips

I have mentioned in several threads that i have gotten MOST of my engines & freight cars from Train Shows. why you ask? well, more often then not i have found the best deals at train shows, not online stores.

Since its that time of the year when all the train shows are going on, i am hoping this post will help some of you get some good deals. the thing about train shows is, just because you see a "deal" doesn't necessarily mean its a "deal":eeki::winki: .

Honestly, i don't expect you folks to do everything i go over in this post when going to a show, but if you just do a couple things i mention in this post, i guarantee your train show shopping experience will be MUCH MORE successful then usual:thumb: .

TIP #1 KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
This is VERY IMPORTANT, you should have a good idea of what your looking for BEFORE you get to the show. look around your layout, and take note of what you really need. having specific things your looking for will help ensure that:
1- you make sure you'll get a good deal.
2- narrows your search so you don't get bogged down at sellers booths
3- helps so you don't waste your hard earned dollars on things you really don't need.

TIP #2 SEARCH THE INTERNET
a couple nights BEFORE you go to the show, search the Internet for the availability of the items your looking for, and to give you an idea of the retail cost/sale cost of each item. doing this step is just plain smart, this is the step that will tell you if your really finding a deal at the show, or getting ripped off. JUST BECAUSE ITS A SHOW DOESN'T MEAN YOU'LL GET THE BEST PRICE:winki: .

EXAMPLE: at the time i was looking for cab forwards, i looked up the availability & cost, both retail, and sale price of each brand cab forward i was interested in. i went to a show and happened to see a private seller that had a USED Rivarossi cab forward, the price he had on the engine was $40.00 HIGHER THEN FULL RETAIL:eeki: . now tell me folks, why would you buy a USED cab forward at that price, when you could just order one BRAND NEW and save money?
just think, if i hadn't looked up the costs of the cab forwards i was interested in, i could have made a BAD MISTAKE and bought that one.

TIP #3 BEST TIME TO GO TO A SHOW
there is a big "depends" on this one, if you plan on getting specific engines or freight/passenger cars you would DEFINITELY want to go EARLY on the first day of the show:winki: . doing this brings the chances of finding what you want up GREATLY. the longer you wait, the more the sellers booths have been picked over, thus lessoning the chances of getting what you want.

If your NOT looking for anything in particular, go mid afternoon on the last day.
EXAMPLE: lets say you just wanted to get some freight cars, and you really don't care what road they are, going mid afternoon on the last day will higher your chances of getting good deals. think about this, private sellers & hobby shops USUALLY reduce the price of items at this time so:
1- they will have a better chance of making last minute sales.
2- they will have less stuff to pack up and take back.

TIP #4 GO TO THE SELLERS BOOTHS FIRST
This is critical if you want specific items. when you get to the show, you will see sellers booths, both private and set up by hobby shops, and there will also be neat layouts and modulars, FORGET LOOKING AT THE LAYOUTS & MODULARS TILL AFTER YOU'VE MADE YOUR PURCHASES.

look, the neat layouts and modulars will be there all day, but the items your looking to buy WONT BE, so be sure and search for & purchase the items you want FIRST, then you can take your time and enjoy the work others have done on their layouts & modulars.

TIP #5 HAGGLE
This is real hard for some of us to do, but is important because it can make the difference in getting a good deal, or a GREAT DEAL:winki: .

Usually, but not always, booths set up by hobby shops wont haggle, and private sellers usually will. a smart thing to do is while looking at items at hobby shop booths is to listen to others purchasing their items, if you hear them "haggling" then you should try it. be sure and "prep" yourself for "haggling", heres what i do, put a $5 in one pocket, a $10 in another pocket, and a $20 in another pocket. don't forget what amount is in which pocket, READ ON and you'll see why...

i make "haggling" a simple YES or NO question...
EXAMPLE: lets say your at a private sellers table and you see a freight car you want with a $10.00 sticker on it, pull the $5.00 bill out of your pocket and POLITELY ask: "Will you take $5.00 for that car"? just by you asking that SIMPLE question one of three things will happen:
1- they will say "YES", and you just saved your self $5.00
2- they will say "NO, but I'll take $8.00 for it" so you saved your self $2.00
3- they will just flat out say "NO". if they say no DON'T PUSH IT, and DON'T PRESSURE THEM INTO SAYING YES, what I'm saying is don't be a bone head , no means no. if you really like the car, then pull your $10.00 out, buy it and be on your way.

BOTTOM LINE, just by POLITELY asking "will you take this much for this item?" will save you money, and enables you to make more purchases. remember, it doesn't hurt anyone to ask, and more often then not you'll get the reduced price:winki: .

TIP #6 KNOW WHEN TO BUY
This one has got me a 100 timesops: , let me give you an example:
i was at a booth and seen an IHC UP 2-10-2 i really wanted, it was $20.00 cheaper then i seen it for sale on the Internet, a good deal it was, but i had the thought "hey, there might be another one of these at a different booth even cheaper", so i put the engine down and went off to find a better deal. after searching i found no other booth with one, so i went back to pick that engine up, guess what, IT WAS GONE:eeki::frowns: .

MY NEW rule on this is, if they don't have at least 4 of the items on sale that you want, don't risk it, buy it. sure, there is a chance you will see one on another table cheaper, but hey, you already got a good deal on the item, and remember, the chance of not seeing another one is high, so don't be greedy and just be happy you got it:winki: .

TIP #7 TAKE A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY
Hey, i know we are all on a budget, but if possible take a little extra, keep in mind your NOT taking it so you have to spend it, its "just in case" money.
EXAMPLE: while at a show i had got pretty much all i planned on getting, but i seen 6 BRAND NEW Con-Cor Pioneer Zephyrs at $120.00 less then i have EVER seen them for, keep in mind i had no intentions of seeing them, much less going home with one, but they are so darn cool, and the price on them was so ridiculously low, i couldn't pass it up. just by bringing some "just in case" money, i am now the proud owner of a REALLY NEAT train:mrgreen: .

TIP #8 BRING A CAMERA
Now that you have found all the deals that you could have, take some time to check out the layouts & modulars. some of those guys that brought them are really awesome modelers, and sure as heck your going to see something neat you will want to share with others, or perhaps you will see something you will want to do on your layout, bring a camera and take pics, you'll thank yourself later for it:winki::mrgreen: .

NOTE:
This post is mainly for the purpose of buying high dollar items, like engines & freight cars, though you can use it for buying most anything at the shows. personally, i like to support my local LHS, so buying track, figures, vehicles etc i rarely get at shows, i leave that stuff for the LHS.

I hope these tips will help some of you find good deals at the train shows:thumb: .

TILL NEXT TIME...STAY ON TRACK!:smilie:
:deano: -Deano

 

[UP SD40-2]

In the above post i mentioned my Pioneer Zephyr, i was lucky enough to visit the REAL Pioneer Zephyr at the museum of science & industry in Chicago last year:mrgreen: . the Zephyr is quite an AWESOME train, it was way ahead of its time really:winki::thumb: .

pics below, MY Pioneer Zephyr, and the pic below it is the REAL Pioneer Zephyr:thumb: , i took that pic at the museum last year:mrgreen: .
:deano: -Deano

 

[UP SD40-2]

Well, how about some old hometown news:mrgreen: . the local paper ran this old story for a series they did called "Glimpse of the Past" several years ago, dad saved it to a scrapbook, i thought it was pretty neat and scanned it to share with you folks:thumb: .

the old Milwaukee Road mainline still exists, ICE & UP run on it:winki: . dad and i was at the exact spot where this wreck happened last year. as we looked over the area, i noticed remnants of a track along the outside of the mainline, dad couldn't recall anything being along it, after reading this newspaper clip i am wondering if the track was added on to reroute rail traffic during the clean up.

if anyone is interested in me going back to this spot in the spring and taking pics of the area as it is today,(like I'll be bringing you folks on a Field trip, and you'll see it through my pics:winki: ) please fill out your permission slips and sign up here:toug::119: .

Till next time...Stay on Track!:thumb:

:deano: -Deano

 

[Kevinkrey]

Beloit huh? interesting, my aunt lived there for a while, (now in Reedsburg), I never went there but have heard many stories, this is pretty neat.

PS. Any good trainspotting around Reedsburg, if you are famliar with the area that is, they have a few local industries served by the WSOR, do you have any info for my next trip?
Have you ever been to the train museum in North Freedoom?
​

 

[thumsup]

Cool stuff, Deano, I don't know how ya do it but keep up the good work.

Joe

 

[Nazgul]

Great tips for the train show Deano!:thumb::thumb::thumb: Maybe one of these years I'll get to go to a real one:cry:.....

The article was also neat:thumb::thumb::thumb:.....thanks for sharing.

I want you to know something. Because of you and your great enthusiasm for railfanning (among other things), I have finally begun to notice some of the RR related structures and bridges that are near me. I just have to remember to bring a camerawall1. Most are nothing special but they are still neat (at least to me). When I get some pics, I'll share em.:winker:

 

[rogerw]

Deano do you have any George webbs on your layout?

 

[UP SD40-2]

Kevin, THANKS!:smilie:
i have herd of Reedsburg, but not really sure where isops: .
yes, i have been to North Freedom, but that was MANY, MANY years ago. as far as RR museums go, i hit the IRM every year:thumb: , WAY bigger then North Freedom & TONS more stuff there:winki: .

Joe, THANK YOU!:smilie:
i know that not everything i post will appeal to everyoneops: , but i am trying to touch on stuff that interest me, and i hope others will find most of it interesting too:winki::smilie: .

STEVE, THANKS!:smilie: , the VERY KIND comments you wrote really meant a lot to me:winki: . I am VERY HONORED to know that i have made a difference in how you look at some train related things:winki::mrgreen: . AGAIN, THANKS STEVE!:mrgreen:

Roger, please forgive my ignorance...ops: ...but i don't have a clue as to what your askingops:ops: .

******************************************************
ON MY SIDE OF THE TRACKS...
Well, i haven't been doing any modeling, instead i have been considering changing my plans for the west side of the layout:eeki: . i had planned on putting three industries on that side of the layout, but a couple nights ago i had the thought of putting one HUGE factory on that side, a factory that would have use for tank cars, hoppers and boxcars:thumb: .

i could do it a couple different ways, i could put up an "old" factory, with a newer(1960's-today) butler building as the distribution center, OR just make a HUGE butler building type factory & distribution center, I'm still kicking both thoughts around:winki: .

PICS...
though i have TONS of engine pics i have taken railfanning, i thought it would be a little different to post a few freight cars:thumb: . i took a few of these at the IRM:mrgreen: . I don't know about you folks, but i always thought thrall door boxcars were awesome:winki::mrgreen: .

 

[thumsup]

Dang Deano, every time you post I see something new. Keep it up big guy.

Joe

 

[cnw1961]

Some very interesting pics, Deano :thumb:. What is it on the flat car – ingots or concrete ties?

Looking forward to see you making progress on your layout again. A huge factory sounds good to me, oh BTW, the west side of your layout is the left side, right? :mrgreen: