Did you run your trains today?

[pjdog350]

Got up at 6:00 AM to do my care duties for my wife. She went back to bed. I went to the mancave and ran the 675 & 224. Wonder what it is that makes one so calm watching trains go around & round? It’s like watch fish in a fish tank.

These two postwar Lionel engines have almost the same motor and they seem to run real smooth. The 224 is pulling modern passenger cars & the 675 is pulling modern freight cars.

Coffee & Ozone in the morning.

I love toys

[pjdog350]

Switched out the MTH Z4000 for a ZW. Ran a 726 & a 675 both with liquid smoke units. Seems like the two post war locomotives where drawing to many amps for the Z4000. They run fine with a ZW?  Guess I should add that both locomotives where on the same track at the same time. Maybe you can’t draw more then 5 amps on w Z4000? I’ve been looking for some information but I’m going up with nothing. The manual that came with the Z4000 does not say anything about the total amp limit?

[CNJRR]

I never had a Z4000 but at being a 400 watt transformer I would think that would be no problem.
And for the price you would think it should be.

[pjdog350]

A Z4000 has the power but does not like the high amp draw. I’ve done double heading with railking Mikado’s and didn’t draw many amps at all. Less than 3 amps. Z4000 is made for modern MTH motive power. Even there big steamers only have one motor. The diesels have two but they don’t draw hardly anything. 1 amp.

ZW is old school. Z4000 has lots of electronics inside so there are allot of parts to crap out???  I don’t know but I retired my 10 month old Z4000. It will make a great paper weight. I have 2 ZW’s both rebuilt. and a KW rebuilt. For my little railroad I have plenty of transformer. Also have a MTH Z1000 & MTH z750.

[starfire700]

100% agreement about the ZW vs MTH Z4000. About all that goes wrong with a ZW is the rollers wear and have to be replaced. A good friend in the Chicago area, years ago, was Ken Koehler, he did ebay under the name "ifixzws". He has passed now, but was the best in his time. Not only did he repair most of my ZW's and Z transformers, but also increased the voltage output on one ZW to 25v, for running Hudsons. Thanks Ken, we miss you.

[pjdog350]

In the 1990’s I had a friend that had a huge train collection. When he passed his wife had one of his friends sell off all his trains. He had a 2400 square foot add on to his house just to hold his trains. He also had allot of parts. I got 6 ZW’s that where all apart. There where lots of different transformers. I put a Z transformer supply in a ZW case for my best friend that lived behind me. He could not get enough power to run his large layout. Turns out the Z power in a ZW case did the trick. Phil was now able to run his trains. He had Lionel Williams and MTH trains. I think it was the Williams that had the power problem that the modified ZW fixed.

[pjdog350]

This morning I didn’t work on anything. Just got a hot cup of coffee and ran the double headed 675’s. They have proven to be a great entertainment thing for me. I love watching them pulling all the two bay hoppers. They are super smokers with the liquid smoke units. Plus they are very smooth running. I had the 2026 I got from Terry on the inside loop pulling 11 modern boxcars. Both trains had a 6457 caboose.
 I  got a good RR fix. Life is so hard today the trains keep my blood pressure down and get me ready for all the trouble the day will bring.

Maybe if everybody had a toy train to run rather than the TV with all the BS in the world today we would all be better off. With CV 19, the border problems that are leadership does nothing about and the Democrats & Republicans fighting in stead of running the country? Thank God for Dogs & toy trains. Maybe Cats too!

[Terry]

I didn't run my trains today, but last night before bed I went down and played with track for a while. I moved the track in the front so I can fit signal bridges in.

That's my favorite thing from when I was a kid. We'd go out and get new trains or accesories,  and then I'd figure out how to put them onto the layout and make them work. I had a 42 by 48 inch layout with a lionel felt tunnel and a siding. The board looked like pegboard from me drilling holes for different accessories.

I am looking forward to running a double-headed 400E with two dozen 200 series cars.

Today I have errands to run for an hour and then I get to play. Tommorrow is an hour cutting the grass and weeding, then the rest of the day downstairs.

Other than being calming like Mr. Dog said, going up and down the stairs is good excersise. I can feel it in my calfs.

[starfire700]

Blood pressure problems here too, and all the BS and contradictions surrounding Covid, not to mention the BS currently in DC, it is hard to manage.
My riding mower went down and I wasn't able to fix it, so it is cleaned-up and ready to load on the trailer for tomorrow. Who knows how long the grass or I should say weeds will get before I get it back. Lots of property here and have to mow my sister's yard too. With a little rhyming there could be some good lyrics to a country song here.
Running trains does help, and as PJ D and others know, having dogs has a great calming effect. Terry has a dog too.
Choo, Choo, Wuf, Wuf.

[pjdog350]

I don’t know how I would survive life today without the trains, Benjamin, Miss Sharon.

I got my second vaccine Saturday. Been feeling hot and so tired it’s hard to get through the day. My arm is killing me. This morning with the trains, dog & coffee I felt great until I had to go to my nursing home duties.

[starfire700]

Hope your reaction doesn't last long, most don't. Good you have trains and your pooch to help you through it.
We get our 2nd doses on the 22nd. Only had minor arm pain from the first dose.

[pjdog350]

Feeling good today. Shot pain is gone. Doctor said it’s good cause your body is reacting to the vaccine!

[starfire700]

Good that reaction did not last long.

[early0electric]

Had my 2nd dose of Moderna April 1. No problems & less pain than the 1st dose.

[pjdog350]

As usual I ran the 675’s in double and the 2026 I got from Terry. It’s a good runner. I love the double 675’s.

I have switched them out and will do a modern Lionel Mikado & MTH Railking smoking green Pennsy F3’s. Later Today!

Bad news is I was going to buy Lionel 2333 Santa Fe’s and a Lionel 226E today. However I broke a tooth this morning as breakfast. Called a Dentist. He got me in and $ 1050.00 dollars later I’m good to go. Have to go back on the 29Th.