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First Christmas-themed layout at work

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  • Member since
    August 2003
  • 6,434 posts
First Christmas-themed layout at work
Posted by FJ and G on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 11:11 AM
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Austin, TX
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Posted by lionelsoni on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 11:29 AM

Welcome back!  Where have you been?  It's been a while.

Bob Nelson

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    August 2003
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Posted by FJ and G on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 12:06 PM

 Thanks, Bob, I took some time off. Sorry. Forum design looks different but I see some of the same names. I've got 2 indoor 3-rail layouts (both very small) and an outdoor layout, O gauge, 2 rail, using a lot of tubular 027. It holds up well even tho it's completely rusted. Ha!

 

Dave V.

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Powell, OH
  • 1,257 posts
Posted by Wes Whitmore on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 1:39 PM

Welcome back Dave.  Have you made anything from a fork, an electric tooth brush, and some electrical tape lately?  Those posts are the best!
Wes

  • Member since
    March 2006
  • From: Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Posted by kpolak on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 3:24 PM

Welcome back Dave!

That's in your office?  I bet your cube mates love you!

Kurt

  • Member since
    December 2009
  • 53 posts
Posted by Bob the Train on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 3:43 PM

Hi! Cool layout! I really like the sounds on it, keep it up!

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: St. Louis, MO
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Posted by Brutus on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 10:22 PM

Welcome back Dave!  Sign - Welcome 

Cool layout - like your other vids too, thanks for sharing!

RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.

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Posted by FJ and G on Thursday, December 17, 2009 6:44 AM

 What projects? Most recent has been eating sardines and then using the cans for stuff that runs on both my O gauge 2 rail outside and O gauge 3 rail indoors. Here's most recent:

 

This backhoe was nicknamed “widowmaker” because of its propensity to crush workers. The chassis (sardine can) was too light to hold up the arm when fully extended with a load, or even without a load, causing it to collapse and crush unsuspecting workers. The situation was intolerable, holding up work on construction.

The can could have been weighted by melting lead inside, an old trick. But I opted for something different. I mixed some Portland with sand instead. The cement also served to better anchor the main bolt upon which the backhoe rotates, as well as the simple link couplings, axle boxes and wheel suspensions. The backhoe, incidentally, was yellow and comes from a Walmart toy.

Incidentally, the backhoe is NOT based on any pictures of the prototype but more and more I’m finding that if I freelance a project, there’s a good likelihood something similar exists or existed. I’ve seen lots of cranes on railcars but not backhoes. I would be interested if anyone has seen such cars.

After I built the pictured end-dump car being loaded last weekend, I came across a prototypical end dump car on a narrow gauge English line that surprisingly resembles the one I built (see photo near end).

Similarly, after modifying 027 turnouts for use on the line (5 in place now). I found almost exact narrow gauge ones with sector-plate points in Google patent (see photos near the end). http://www.google.com/patents/...AAAEBAJ&dq=2,347,683

The attraction of 7/8n18 for me is building simple, non-mainline grimy industrial projects. In the future I’ve got a lot of plastic toy parts and I purchased a lot of sardines to be eaten, used and turned into a “cannery row” fleet.

Shows my sardine backhoe in action

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cement underside

 

type of sardines to buy for this project, boneless herring fillets

 


Real end dump:

 

027 turnout modification

 

Real turnout, narrow gauge, from Google Patents

 

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Posted by FJ and G on Thursday, December 17, 2009 6:47 AM

 oh, got a 2nd beag too as you can see in photo

 






















 

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Posted by FJ and G on Thursday, December 17, 2009 6:50 AM

 Oh, yes, I other project I completed is a little Dump Wagon.

 

I then created a story for it titled: The Adventures of Mr. Dump:

 

(O gauge representing 18" gauge track in 1:13.7)

Mr. Dump says good-bye to Mrs. Dump and the 3 little Dumplings. He’s not rich but he earns enough to put food on the table and buy simple birthday and Christmas gifts for the Dumpling Clan.

He starts his day out at the factory, preparing to push his end dump 3 miles to the sand pit to patch a bit of right of way.



It was a long and sweaty push but he finally makes it to the sand pit, loads the end dump and then dumps the sand.















Got back into the end dump car to take the gravity ride back and enjoy the scenery flying by.







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkmjB95FCtA

Mr. Dump takes a nasty spill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrvvGL4C2Tc

The end dump is destroyed but Mr. Dump is not. Only his ego is battered. He scales the cliff from whence he fell. It will be a long walk back as you can see here, where he climbs, rests, and finds a scrumptious fruit tree, which provides nourishment.

















He finally makes it back to his car and heads home to see Mrs. Dump and the 3 little Dumps. It has been a long, hard day.




The end dump was modeled on prototypes: NY Central and Hudson River, 19th century and …



… mining end dump tub

 

  • Member since
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  • From: Southwest Georgia
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Posted by dwiemer on Thursday, December 17, 2009 7:29 AM

Dave, welcome back!  Great to see your latest projects at work.  Poor Mr. Dump looks like he's been on the losing end of things.  At one point, I envisioned a remake of Indiana Jones.  Have always enjoyed your work.  Looks like you really enjoy the different aspects of this hobby.  You go places that many of us only think about.  Look forward to seeing more of your work soon.

Dennis

TCA#09-63805

 

Charter BTTs.jpg

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