Adventures in Sn3 - Black Creek Lumber Co.

[PhilMorrow]

So...Something of a contribution.....finally.
I've always had this thought in the back of my mind that Sn3 was a great size for modelling. Yet I've continued on building all this HO/HOn3 inventory and all of it is top end stuff. My train room looks like some junked out storage shed of a hobby shop long shut and dead....but well stocked. Getting it sorted to an operating layout room could be as likely as The Second Coming. And you're free to choose whether that's a religious slight or a sexual reference.

Anyways,.......A couple of years ago now I visited Bill Black's Sn3 Rio Lobo just east of Melbourne Town, DownUnder. Thinks me....I should try this out to see if it fits. Went home and immediately bought an Sn3 Mich-Cal #2 from BrassTrains.com. That arrived in quick order first class air-freight from Ocala, Florida to Melbourne (not up the road Melbourne, Florida but half a world away Melbourne, Australia), delivered to my work address to avoid any challenge from wife and reciprocal demand for equivalent weight in diamonds....(Thought to self...Maybe not wise to say that publically??)

Back at Bill Black's we discover why said loco was probably at BrassTrains Consignment.....It wouldn't run and was sorely in need for restorative affection. And so off it has flown again, first class to its place of origin at PBL for needy repair, restoration and upgrade into the world of DCC sound.
It's still there. A bit like the time it takes to restore a real size loco???

Soon after acquiring the Deuce, further searching to stimulate the modelling jucies began in earnest on the PBL website. I ordered two of the upcoming 3-truck shays...Foreground please, Private Road lettering and DCC plus sound of course... No slouch here, I'm a committed man.
While waiting their elephantile gestation I grew impatient and surrendered to the eBay whore. Not once but twice. Firstly a #3 Heisler had to be had. Then of course a PBL Sn3 WSLCo #14 ex Harry's Depot in New York. But this time I'm getting smarter and shipped that one direct to Kenny Collins in Texas to have it checked out, serviced and installed with DCC sound. These locos have their own Frequent Flyer program.

By now the viral infection is spreading beyond the brain and all rational thought has turned to mush. More is needed and I promptly purchased a bunch of log cars and parts from Keith Wiseman, track and parts from PBL and some more second hand log cars from Jess Dozier.....where upon I promptly loaded it all into said train room – junk store! I am the biggest RoundToIt

My good Mother (God rest her soul) oft times told me "All good things come to those who wait." And so they did. About the end of June'13 the #14 showed up from Kenny Collins and PBL delivered brand new Black Creek Lumber Co #5 and #6. They are ex-Klickatat #5 with the big drum sized ash can on the stack and flanger pilot plus the ex-Swayne Lumber #6. Beautiful work they are. Absolutely exquisite. I went the whole hog and had them detailed to 'contest level' by Foreground's Jimmy Booth. Which meant that they came to me truly Ready-To-Run.

And so it was that last Sunday, I off'd back to Bill Black's to give the little blighters a trot. Let them stretch their legs and to see just what I had paid for. I am not disappointed. I'm absolutely over the moon with these locos. A few of you might be aware of comments I posted to the Sn3 Yahoo site;

"Just had a great Sunday afternoon with Bill Black running our new and one not so
new PBL shays. Thanks for a great afternoon Bill. Such a superb running layout.
Remarkable just how well these newest Sn3 shays ran - Straight out of the box!!!
As soon as the front trucks hit the rails, they pulled themselves off the
rerailer and headed off up the tracks.
We ran my ex Swayne #6 as Black Creek Lumber #6 and ex-Klickitat #5 as Black
Creek #5 (See PBL website for a few pics of her). Love the Loksound and had them
crawling at about one sleeper per second.
We also ran Bill's Hulbert Black Mining #7 an ex-Mexico Lmbr Co and my WSLCo #14
with recently installed DCC Tsunami from Kenny Collins."

I also did the iPhone video thing and posted that to YouTube so if anyone here is interested you can watch a couple of nice shays strutting their stuff around a very excellent Sn3 layout out East of Melbourne. What you see is what you can expect from an iPhone hand held while running a
throttle with the other hand.

First up #5 the ex Klickitat:
http://youtu.be/9SLdYycJva8

Then #6 the ex-Swayne #6:
http://youtu.be/BXOvn3cAcrU

And an encore from the #6.
http://youtu.be/jd5l5j1SLOc

Now to figure out how to post some photos to this site. That's next.
Cheers
Phil Morrow

[marc_reusser]

Phil,
Congratulations on getting these. From looking at them, all the work and effort was truly worthwhile. Would never jave guessed they were Sn3 (the look more like1/4 scale) They are very lovely locos, and they seem to run super smooth. I have always been a big fan of the steel cab 3-truckers. These are a great centerpiece to build your logging empire around....and I look forward to seeing that evolve.

Thanks for sharing, and the story behind them.

[danpickard]

Hi Phil,
Really happy to see you sparked up and into it.  I suppose a fresh collection of some nicely modelled pieces can do that to you.
You should let your wife watch these videos...the cranks kind of sparkle "just like diamonds" as they spin along the track 

Having Bill's great layout available to take them for a run on was especially good...takes forever to round them curves!!!

So you having a HOn3 sale next?

Cheers,
Dan

[PhilMorrow]

Thanks Marc.
They are indeed superb.

Hi Phil,
........

So you having a HOn3 sale next?

Dan

About a snowflakes chance in hell Dan..... Still accumulating there, but just a little.

Cheers
Phil.

P.S. Here's a couple of stills below. How do I get these to appear within the text rather than as attachments ?

[finescalerr]

Nice acquisitions. -- Russ

[Chuck Doan]

Beautiful locos, and a great layout to feature them. The #6 is one of my favorites. Thanks for the videos, they run so well. Congratulations!