Model Railroad Podcast

  





hosted by: Ryan Andersen & Will Ayerst
Model Railcast Show #28
Tue, Sep 2, 2008
Posted by: Ryan Andersen

MRC Show # 28 Notes

  • Yard Office: An update of our own projects at ModelRailCast and what's going on with the site.
  • Tim's Chuckle Coupler
  • Roundhouse:  An interim piece for our wiring, DC and DCC discussion. The final piece coming next week!
  • This Year in Random Train History: 1846 - next week: 1968
  • Interchange & Outro: Our 'links of the week' summarised here for you!

Download the enhanced (better sounding) version of the show with chapters:  MRC Show 28 (AAC)


Yard Office
Will's trains are finally coming home, and at the same time the track has arrived and the wood is to be purchased for a track laying bonanza this week! Tim has been making some changes to his railroad with thanks to some of the forum goers, Ryan and Jay are both snowed under so got nothing done!

We still have our giveaways running - suggest a ModelRailCast motto, and a name of Tim's segment.

Tim's Segment

Roundhouse
In a slight interruption from our scheduled programming, we break down for a small chat about DC and DCC that we've had up to this point - with a focus on the things you can achieve with advanced wiring for DC and programming for DCC.

TRYTH
This week we picked 1846, next week we have 1968!

Interchange
http://www.northeast.railfan.net
http://www.ucwrr.com/index.html
http://www.hattons.co.uk/list/CustomerLayouts.asp

Outro

Download the enhanced (better sounding) version of the show with chapters:  MRC Show 28 (AAC)
comments(11) • agreeboasted(0) • no waytoasted(0) • Listen
 
 
Commentsshow votes
Posted by: jamesk3142 MRCS Pioneer on Wed, Sep 3 2008    
As far DCC is cocerded I been N-scale for ten years over 130 engines at $25.00 a pop to go DCC $3,250.00 not to mention EQ and If theyare plug and play. I never burned up a engine, Plus it is not recommend to run DC engines on a DCC system in DC mode. . Trains are like computers everyone doesn't need the latest and greatiist, What happens when DCC goes by the wayside when the new technogly comes out with something differrent. Jamesk3142
Posted by: Ironsiderodger MRCS Pioneer on Wed, Sep 3 2008     www.ironsaddcasts.mypodcast.com
Jamesk3142, I think you're right- not everyone needs it, and shame on me if I seem like I'm trying to shove it down peoples throats; that being said, I do think its the future of model railroading but I'll further qualify that statement- it is not the *exclusive* future of model railroading. There will always be a place for DC, it is simple, effective, and often inexpensive. The testament that many MANY model railroaders can be found who use equipment that to some might appear "antiquated" is not a testament to some hidebound streak of conservatism- it is rather an indelible testament to the overall and over-arching historical quality and variety of the hobby itself.

If you or anyone choses not to go with DCC there should be no stigma attached, only appreciation that all aspects of the hobby are alive and well, as well as the people who care about them.
Posted by: dep1123 on Wed, Sep 3 2008    
Hi guys love your show. Can you add a contact link to your home page? I'd like to send you an E-Mail and i don't remember what you said it was on your pod cast.
Take care, Doug
Posted by: dmcree MRCS Pioneer on Wed, Sep 3 2008     www.tamvalleyrr.com
Thanks for putting up a show Ryan in spite of your heavy work load! We miss you on the boards.

I LOVE the interjection of humor with Chucklin' Coupler segment. You could call this the "Far Track" or maybe "Derail" and there is the obvious "The Wrong Track". Keep it up Tim. Very clever farce of political ads, but you missed the obvious jest of making the Republicans into DC conservatives, the Democrats into DCC liberals, and the Libertarians are those who use IR.
Posted by: jesso MRCS Pioneer on Wed, Sep 3 2008     www.colorcountrytrains.org/
Feedback. There you go!

Just kidding. Another great show. On DCC as Will has seen, in N scale it can be hard to fit the decoder into the locomotive. I am running both DC and CC as I will change over now if it has a drop-in decoder and way later if it requires milling or soldering skills as I want to develop those skills before I tear into a tiny locomotive.

Keep up the great shows. I am spreading the word about your podcast through our train club.
Posted by: MILWJKD on Wed, Sep 3 2008    
I like the new format, guys.

The section on the DCC acccessories this week was great. I'm pondering doing some accessory work on my layout as I build it. Glad to hear that Will's track arrived too.

Thumb's up!
Posted by: jamesk3142 MRCS Pioneer on Wed, Sep 3 2008    
Yea! Rodger comments a well appreciated .Like you I think that DCC is the future of model railroading . Maybe I am right now a little too sensitive to the subject , I am a N-scaler and maybe HO is the perfect set up for DCC . I know if I was just starting off I would DCC , But I am a traditionalist and I wonder down the road such as VCR's and 8 Track tapes will people be saying I wish I had my analog loco's and how easy it was to run them . Probably not, But anyway this show is the best thing on earth ! I like the discussion and the format the longer the better. Thanks again JamesK3142 I hope I didn't offend anyone!!!
Posted by: MrIncredible65 MRCS Pioneer on Wed, Sep 3 2008    
You know I've listened to all your shows now and at first I wasn't sure it would make it but you have made every show better than the last, constantly improving. I really look forward to each show and can't wait to download the next one. Thanks & keep up the good work!
Posted by: Engine72 MRCS Supporter on Thu, Sep 4 2008    
Once again I must say I am impressed and can not wait for the next installment. The four of you are working together like a fine swiss watch. I have been liking the DC/ DCC talk, Although I use DC the thought of DCC seems greatly possible in the future if the funds are there.

The ALCO Century 636 was the most powerful single-engine diesel locomotive constructed by ALCO for the last time in Feburary 1968.

In 1968, the Missouri Pacific and Chicago & North Western purchased the Alton & Southern Railroad jointly from Alcoa.
The Alton & Southern was, and still is, a switching railroad in the St. Louis area. It was owned and operated by MoPac and CN&W. After purchasing the road on May 9, 1968, the two roads painted the engines with yellow hoods (after CN&W), blue cabs and frames (after MoPac), and a new A&S herald (a clear hybrid of both road's) on the cab. Today, the Alton & Southern is still around, alive and well, under the ownership of Union Pacific.

UP acquires the Mount Hood Railroad.
The Chicago Great Western is merged into C&NW.

Thats all folks....
Posted by: jersey-jerry MRCS Pioneer on Thu, Sep 4 2008    
Hey guys -

Great show. Really enjoyed the continued discussion of DCC and in particular the discussion of controlling pretty much any electrical device/light/accessory by DCC. I agree that although DC does have its place, the future of the hobby rests with DCC.

Really enjoyable - kudos to you all and especially to Ryan for putting it all together!

For 1968:

1) On February 1, 1968 the Penn Central Railroad was formed by the merger of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central Railroad. Two years later, the Penn Central declared bankruptcy.

2) On June 5, 1968, Robert F Kennedy was assassinated. After a funeral mass in NYC St Patrick's Cathedral on June 8th, his body was transported by train from NY to Washington DC. The funeral train was pulled by two GG-1s and Penn Central was forced to suspend all traffic on the Northeast corridor after several people in NJ were struck and killed by a train while trying to get on the tracks to get a closer view of the funeral train (millions of people lined the tracks to view the train as it passed). As a personal note, my father and I were among the crowd.

A video of the event can be viewed on YouTube.
Posted by: jimsmodeltrains on Sun, Sep 7 2008     www.stanfordhosting.net/jimsjunction
Another great show. Good content, great interaction. You guys really work well together.

I have heard the 2nd member of the train crew called a Fireman in deisel locos too. I think the 2nd member of a loco crew was still in use in the US until about the early 80's? I know that here in Australia the 2nd member of the loco crew was being phased out around the early 90's and today a single engineer is the only one on some trains - there are no conductors either. I think the railroad unions tended to have something to do with the 2 man loco crew staying as long as it did.

ISR, enjoyed your Chuckle Coupler segment. I don't know that Politics and anything mixes, really. And it doesn't seem to matter what country your in, Politics is still incompatible with pretty much everything! Except for things like war, taxes, high fuel costs, etc.

Enjoyed the DCC segment, although I personally feel that DCC will render DC train control systems obselete at some point in the future as prices of DCC equipment drop to the same level as DC equipment and only a hardcore group of DC enthusiasts will use DC eventually.
 
 
Comments Expired. Comments are no longer being accepted for this post.