Ties. I know...sexy topic... Back in November, I picked up 2 freezer bags of O-scale wooden ties at a local train show. Five bucks, not bad. I just so happen to be modelling the Koppers RR tie plant, in nearby Green Spring, WV. This was a major supplier of ties to the B&O, and operated for nearly a century. When it shut down, I'm guessing the fishing got better along CSX's Magnolia cut-off.
It took two evenings (after dinner) to make the stacks, 6wx10h, with wood glue as a bonding agent. Didn't want the stacks to be sharp (like a Rubic's cube), so I applied each tie, one at a time.
My tie plant is a faux industrial siding. I didn't want to introduce a switch at a hard to reach spot, plus it would have to be wider than an O-72 to fit the angle. But I'm happy with the effect. I can store 4 cars on the little spur (and I believe that's an old stretch of Atlas 2-rail).
I had plenty of ties to work with, so I began making stacks for some of my "General" style horse flatcars. Some of the ties in the bags had spikes in them. My first inclination was to yank them out, but I thought them to be a solution to keeping the load from shifting (they didn't have those whip-like metal straps back then).
Ties look better than plastic horses,imho...
Now these ties are in 5x5 stacks, with a slight taper on the bottom row. The railings have wider stanchions at the deck, so the bottom has just 4 ties, which you can't see when they are loaded on the flats.
You can't walk into a RR yard without seeing a stack of ties. And you can't just mow tall grass in a RR yard without finding some "forgotten" ties. Woof.
Oh, and a free bonus... Notice those nifty wooden barrells in the foreground? Cracker Barrell uses them as novelty skewers when you order a sandwich.
Looks great Fife - NOW I have to start eating at Cracker Barrell again......
I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.I am the venom in your skin --- Breaking Benjamin
Alright... I'll bite. I was going to post this in the HO thread, but I don't have anything better to share here. I've been tinkering again with the HO operating cars and the 0900 operating track section/platform. I've succeeded in adjusting the 0366 milk car to operate fairly reliably now. I also have been working on a replacement set of doors for it- it seems like a common ocurrence for the doors to be missing from 0366 milk cars, and I certainly don't see any replacements available online. Not to worry! I've given it my best, and the trial run went well. The righthand door tends to loose tension in the spring, but I think I know what to do to fix the issue. They may not be the prettiest of doors, but the car looks a lot better with them than without. And they keep cans from falling out of the car before it's their turn to unload :)This car dates to 1961, being a component of set number 5757- I have almost the complete train from the set, I'm just missing the 0842 Culvert Transport Car.A neat bit of trivia- the HO operating unloading cars (0366 Operating Milk Can Unloading Car, 0300 Operating Lumber Car, 0301 Operating Dump Car) are all purely mechanical. Lionel must have decided (wisely, I think) that it was not realistic to attempt to simply miniaturize their existing O gauge operating cars for the HO line. The solution they came up with is quite clever- the cars have mechanisms that are actuated by means of a lever under the car on one side. The 0900 Operating Track Section has a "trip lever"- when energized, a solinoid inside the platform drives the trip lever upwards, which raises the lever on the underside of the operating car- in turn, operating the unloading mechanism. You might notice a familiar sight if you take the cover off of an 0900- it uses the same tooling as the Solinoid for Lionel's 3-position E-Unit!-Ellie
"Unless bought from a known and trusted dealer who can vouch otherwise, assume every train for sale requires servicing before use"
Ellie - Like that mechanism. Looks like a cylinder from a .22...cool piece.
anjdevil - I order the chicken BLT...grilled, of course.
anjdevil2 Looks great Fife - NOW I have to start eating at Cracker Barrell again......
A sincere "Welcome Back!" 'Devil, you were missed!
So sorry and my sympathies for your loss. I hope everything else is going well.
Cracker Barrel? Try the trout with a lemon butter sauce if they still make it! Wow!
Great job with the ties Fife! You know, I've got to find some of those 19th Century flatcars, I've got some little Civil War cannons that would look good on them!
Nice work Fife,I have a sopt in the yard where I want to stack Ties. That dark stain looks real good to real.
Good to see your back Rich! Sorry for all the bad around. It will get better, I hope. I am for sure tired of it all.
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
Thanks guys. Flint- Check out Thom Radice on YouTube. It's HO, but it's inspiring.
Thanks, guys - I've been trying to update on the Coffee Pot, but it won't let me - Jenni is out of ICU as of last night. We communicated Sunday night via video, and she is off the high flow nasal cannula and on a regular one.
Jenni will be getting OT/PT and Speech therapies so progress.
Thanks for all the prayers and support, it is much appreciated!!
fife,
Your progress is an inspiration to those of us who can enjoy your efforts vicariously. One of these days...
Rich,
Prayers continue for you and your loved ones.
Northwoods Flyer
Greg
The Northwoods Flyer Collection
of
American Flyer Trains
"The Toy For the Boy"
Northwoods- The trick is to do something in the train room after dinner. NOT to flop down on the big sectional sofa...and play Angry Birds 2...
Charlie a.k.a. MichiganRailRoad714 (Charter Member TTC)
Charlie - Those two cars would look good on my team track in Romney... Nicely composed shot, btw.
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