I am looking to get back into the hobby.  I would like to get some of the new n scale equipment with kadee style couplers.  Is it worth looking at a "train set" for decent running equipment?  Should I avoid these? I'm thinking of a n scale CSX branch line in a spare bedroom on a small budget.  Obviously, no brass!  Any help is appreciated.

Gang,

In a box of junk I bought at a train show, I found 3-4 old TYCO pipe load flat cars. The bodies were the only thing in the box. Just as I was about to throw them in the garbage, I gave them a good look and tried to figure out what else they could be used for. I thought about sanding off the deck but that would be A LOT of work... Not to mention the depression to hold the pipe seems to be deeper than the deck itself.

Does anyone out there know how or even know if it is possible to replace a shaft on a can motor? I went to a train show and found a box of junk. In that box was a mashima motor which runs fine. One of the motor shafts was cut and will not hold a flywheel. Does anyone know if I can replace the shaft ? Are there any blogs or videos showing how this is done?

Thanks.

This is My Proto 2000 SW9/1200 Diesel locomotive. I bought it in Union Pacific Colors, Stripped it and painted it for My Great Western Railroad. A Colorado Sugar Beet Railroad. It's been sitting on a shelf for years because I didn't have DCC in it. Well a couple weeks ago I started the Conversion. It went fairly well. I needed to remove the front weight to make room for the speaker I used.Everything went in but it is a really tight fit. I received some of the Decals Today for the Great Western Railroad lettering on the Hood. Anyway She Runs Very Nice and even at Slow Speed.