Hi GIZ,
27 and frosty here, but to get to54 tday. Nice for this time of the year. Bad point is some of the spring bulbs are pushing up.
Going to wire more lights tonite, then hopfully take pics?
Later.
laz57
Good morning all,
It is sunny and cool this morning, but it should warm up to the low 50s today. Not bad for the first week in January. Hope it stays this way all winter. I ran some of the Santa Fe equipment last night. Lucas was out with his friends so the wife and I had the night to ourselves, which was nice. I had a very strange job interview yesterday. One of the questions involved coming up with five ways to use a mechanical pencil besides writing with it. I did come up with 5, but it was an odd way to test creativity. I hope everyone has a good day.
Keep on training,
Mike C. from Indiana
Morning all. Going to be 65 today. Probably the same tomorrow. Got to hit the road down south to the "sandhills" of NC [near Pinehurst and golf country]. Pam is home sick. Like Jim A, does not stay home and got worse. No fever but can't tak. Wait a minute. Can't talk and I'm leaving for a couple of days.
John B, love hearing about your regs in UK. I do and have done, ever since I graduated from NCSU, my own wiring. One of my courses was in electrical wiring and qualified me to take the electrical contractor's exam. Didn't as was not interested in being an electrical contractor. That was a long time ago but I know enough to NOT be dangerous. Our main incoming is 240 +/-and all standard things run on 120V +/-. I run 240 V to all my buildings with separate panels, the break down the circuits. Some electrical motors require 240 V. I have 240 running to a panel under my benchwork.
Got to go. Chat tomorrow when I get back.
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
Morning everyone. It is a bit cloudy down these parts. Had a nice buck run through the back yard. Drives the dogs nuts, but he seems to be on a pattern as he does this quite often about the same time.
Chief, I may need the information again once I have trains rolling and can actually work on them.
Take care, Dennis
TCA#09-63805
dwiemer wrote: Chief, I may need the information again once I have trains rolling and can actually work on them. Take care, Dennis
Ring ring. OR Savannah March 8-11.
Hey everyone and a good morning to all!
It's about 50 today going up to 68-70. Very cloudy & humid. I have to visit my other location today to iron out some vehicle problems. Customers buy 'em & break 'em then I gotta fix 'em!
Booked my trip back to NJ today, I'm dying to get back. My nieces and nephew will be up while I'm there, I might have to drag them to the Black River & Western in Flemington. Then go shopping!
Have a good day, all!
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
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
G-mornin' boys. That dang cold is coming back for round 2.
I'm trying to track down an O-gauge pink Chessie baywindow caboose, but I can't remember who produced one. There's none on ebay at this time. Help.
Frosty this morning, but going up to about 50 today.
Bought a new 3-way switch to replace the one that was apparently broken - not taking any chances. Looks like some plastic was missing on the side, but that goof-off with the ground wire didn't help and I think was the culprit. Off today - dropped the kids at school and ran up to Lindbergh to Don Darr Chevy to get my little truck serviced and a recall fixed - apparently the break lights and turn signals all go through some switch device and it can fail - you don't get any indication of the failure, but you don't have signals! Usually I go to Boemler in Arnold, but they have a strike going on over healthcare benefits (apparently). When I go to Boemler, I just go in and sit while they do the work - never have had an appointment. Well, got up to the place on Lindbergh - got the run around of where to go, finally found the service desk, and they can't fit me in until the 12th. I guess since I didn't buy it from that dealer? They only had a few people waiting. Oh well, have to take of the morning of the 12th and go in late, or just take the whole day off. Might see if I can get a dental appointment that day and kill 2 birds....
John Baker - I like our system better. Sounds like overkill in England (to me) -- too many regulations and additional costs built in. 99 percent of the time I can do-it-myself on this stuff. Generally, I find problems were left for me by "professionals" who came before and took shortcuts.
Might run up to the LHS (Schaeffers) later for a couple pieces of straight track. Also might get another LH remote switch.... Also need to call my friend Jim Y in SC later today - told him I'd call while on my little vacation. Back to work tomorrow.
Marty E - saw Colorado was really crushed by snow on tv last night, glad you got out before it got bad!
RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.
Jim, Chief,
We got all these regulations etc. because the cowboys were killing people. I agree our regs are now a bit OTT. But if you saw some of the diabolical tricks performed by owners and tenants in domestic dwellings that I have seen you would understand. one instance; A 240 volt single bar fire over a bath fastened to the curtain wire with string, wired to the wall socket in 2 core bell wire and instead of a plug 3 matchsticks.
How do you get 110 v off 240 v? a transformer?
I think I might have got the hang of these smiley things.
John Baker
Well, here I am nodding off at my desk. Can't say it was unexpected. My wife made enough racket last night to wake the dead when she came home at 12:30 from work. Once up after a few hours sleep, I could not fall back. When I eventually did a few hours later, I felt like sleeping till noon. Early to bed tonight, I guess.
For the first time since I've been in the hobby, I can't really say there is any thing out there I want to buy. We seem to have plenty of every type of engine, frieght and passenger cars, and cabeese. I hope this is not a sign of losing interest!
Jim
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
John Bakeer wrote: Jim, Chief, We got all these regulations etc. because the cowboys were killing people. I agree our regs are now a bit OTT. But if you saw some of the diabolical tricks performed by owners and tenants in domestic dwellings that I have seen you would understand. one instance; A 240 volt single bar fire over a bath fastened to the curtain wire with string, wired to the wall socket in 2 core bell wire and instead of a plug 3 matchsticks. How do you get 110 v off 240 v? a transformer? I think I might have got the hang of these smiley things.
John, we have a 3 wire system that uses a center tapped transformer by the utility. 240 volt across the entire winding and 120 volts from center tap to each leg. For commercial installations we use a 3 phase setup with either 120 transformers Y connected or 277 transformers Y connected to give 208 or 480 across the legs. There are also some odd ball systems still in use such as 240 volt delta and 440 volt grounded delta. Nothing like consistency.
Morning all!
Nice to see all the new posters and the return of Skyray! Welcome all!
Partly sunny here and maybe some rain! Low was 30's last night and 50's today.
Have to go to Phoenix next week, so I am busy here with finishing up after the new carpet was installed for the long hallway and daughter's bedroom yesterday.
Regards, Roy
A beautiful and sunny day here. A friend and armchair HO gauger (he has been starting a layout for at least the last five years, sorta like the chief ) stopped in for a visit this morning to show me some of his detailed flat car loads, very nice work. Of course I took the opportunity to run some trains for him. As I had four MTH steamers on the layout, I nearly smoked him out.
Here are some pics of my latest addition, A Reading Crusader Train.
Runs great, has a nice sounding whistle and smokes like an MTH. Only thing I have to do now is put some passengers on board, looks incomplete running empty.
Oh, and I did take the first set of catenary out of the box and start laying out the pole locations.
ChiefEagles wrote: Ring ring. OR Savannah March 8-11.
Hmmmmm, Savannah, I think Kim might be up for the trip. Perhaps Pam could come along too. I know that I could use the time off and certainly would enjoy the fellowship.
Dennis
Good evening everyone,
It was a very slow day today, school wise (academically, we did nothing today). I was pleasantly pleased by it. I just got in from hanging out with a few of my friends.
Jefelectric beautiful train. Though where is the second observation car behind the tender?
tmcc man wrote: Good evening everyone, It was a very slow day today, school wise (academically, we did nothing today). I was pleasantly pleased by it. I just got in from hanging out with a few of my friends.Jefelectric beautiful train. Though where is the second observation car behind the tender?
Hi Colin,
It's a long story, I actually thought of buying the second 4 car set to get two observation cars but discovered the one in the set is not the correct style for the Crusader train. It is the boat tail style and the prototype was the rounded type. The one in the set will not couple to the tender so that option is out. This is a Rail King outfit and not Premier so it is not true scale. Also my train is longer and has other cars that the prototype did not, it had only 5 cars, the two observations, two coaches and the diner in the center of the consist. It was only pulled by the streamlined engines 117 & 118 for a few years due to high speed problems with the stainless steel shroud. The wind got between it and the boiler and created vibrations. It was later pulled by a standard Pacific and finally an FP9.
I think the colors are correct although I never saw the original and the only photos I have seen are B&W.
It almost looks like a tinplate item, but I like it and everyone who has seen it has liked it as well.
HI GIZ,
JELECTRIC, beauty of a train! Where did you get it at BARRYs or at COOL TRAINS? Was it a whole set or did you get it in pieces,loco then the cars? Really nice long passenger set. BARRY had the sitting people at the shop but I don't know if he still has em? You can give him a call.
Tonite hooked up 13 more lights, took about and hour. I figure if I can work a few hours at nite 3 or 4 days a week I will have most of the hard work out of the way. Have about 15 more lights to put in then hook up operating accessories. Then putting in the trees, roads, balast,etc. Lots of work still to do. No pics yet but I did think about it.
Good nite.
JEFELECTRIC : that's a real a real beauty of a train, I must also say !! Looks great on your layout !! Makes me more anxious for our Atlas steamers to get here !! Less than 90 days away I hope !!
Hope everyone had a good day !!
Thanks, John
fifedog wrote:jefelectric - handsome train you have there. Does it have road specific station sounds? Oh, and I think I see Julie Andrews spinning around on the bluff at right...
Yes on the station sounds, specific to the Crusader. Could well be Julie, the backdrop is imported.
Laz,
Had to go to 3 mail order shops, engine at one, 4 car set at another and add on cars at the third, none available locally. Don't think they made too many. MTH had none left when I started looking for one.
BTW, got three train mags in the mail today. Trains, MR & OGR. Our own David Vergun has an article in OGR about building a switch stand.
Has anyone else seen it?
John - Nice train!! Looking forward to seeing your layout!!!
We went to the club tonight and ran our Cotton Belts in a lash-up, they sure worked well. Had a consist of auto carriers, 4 double stack container cars, and a couple of tank cars. Really ran great!
Took the day off, and put about 20, 33 gal clear trash bags full of boxes in the attic. Doubled th bags, protect the boxes a little. Hopefully they should be well protected.
Its official I got my TCA membership in the mail today, so one more little detail taken care. Do very many of you have your trains insured? Curious... (I'm not looking for anything but the insurance seems a little expensive $100 for $16k, ???
Doug (dagrump), looks like I will be making a trip down your way this weekend. Doing a presentation in Temecula on Saturday. Wife is talking about going and spending a little time a the Casino while I'm doing my thing. Iam hoping to bring her by the Museum so she can see it. Realize your off on Saturday.
Loking forward to getting the next OGR, to read David's article, probably won't receive it until Saturday at the earliest.
Later...
Don
John, that is one nice looking engine. Good luck with it.
Keith, I second your thoughts on the tinplate remakes. I look forward to seeing some photos of her running your rails. It sounds like a real nice engine. I would also like to see some of the other engines you mentioned.
Morning everyone. Up early as my stomach is "tore-up" as they say down here. I woke to find some good news, I won an auction for a MTH hudson, this will be my first MTH engine, so I am interested in how I will like it. It does have the protosound, but I want to install TMCC. Anyway, hope to report on it when it arrives. I posted a shot of this on the thread inquiring of a hudson for a set of madisons I recently got.
Dennis,
That is a nice looking Hudson! If they weren't so expensive, I'd like to get one. My LHS is selling one for $500+.
1688torpedo wrote: Hello All! I visited the Trading Post This Morning to pick up the 269E Tinplate Set. What a beauty. The Color's are somewhat subdued on the Freight Car's & the Engine is painted a semi-gloss black paint. However, this does not detract from the looks of the Train at all & the Tender & Freight Car's have sintered Iron Wheels, not Tinplate Steel as per the originals. I did not have a chance to run this train yet, Hopefully will sometime as it takes time to pack & unpack all there is inside the box & to inspect everything to make sure it is all right. & as mentioned a few days ago the Engine has a Mechanical E-Unit & a Three-Pole open Frame Motor just like the originals. Personally, I feel that this is the way to manufacture re-production Tinplate Trains-Just like the original. I know others like Smoke,Command, & other Electronics & that is fine. I just like this Train the way it is & expect no trouble from it when it is running. Looks like Lionel is planning more Tinplate Reproductions & I certainly hope so especially conventional versions as well. I just hope they are not Hiawatha's,State Set's, Blue Comet's, or 400Es as they have been reproduced many times over the last 35 Years. Time for Trains that have not been reproduced at all such as The 1689E ,265E,264E Commodore Vanderbuilt Engines,The 1668,1688 Sets with the Litho Freight/Passenger Car's & the 224,225, & 226E Engines with the 600 & 800 series Freight Cars. There is still plenty of prewar for Lionel to re-produce indeed. Take Care All.
Keith,
Glad to hear that you got your set! It sounds like a beauty, too. And I agree that using the mechanical e-unit and 3 pole motor is the right way to power these reproductions.
My kids want a tin plate Blue Comet set in the worst way. Maybe I'll come across one someday.
Have a nice day, all!
It is a mild and clear day (for now) with temps heading to the 50s and rain on the way. Jefelectric, that is one nice looking set you had in the pictures. I worked outside last night. I took down the outside lights and moved some stuff around in a lean-to next to the barn so I could get my dad's old car (1991 Dodge Spirit) parked in it. He is going to let Lucas use it when Lucas gets his license. We had somebody renting it, but we are going to have them move out. We also need some repairs done to the doors on the lean-to as well (long story). It was a busy night, but at least it was fairly warm for this time of year.
I echo the earlier sentiments expressed about Lionel getting back into tinplate. It will be interesting to see what they do make.
I hope everyone has a good day.
John,Nice looking train! The Crusader is definitely an eye catcher! Well I started the FasTrack testing last night. I had two trains running and I could barely stand it in the room! I found the carpet padding and I have enough to cover the entire layout! So I think I have enough to start cutting FasTrack inserts. I turned the sections over last night and realized Lionel added cross members to each section making the areas smaller, but making it more difficult to pad because I now have to cut more inserts!
Good Morning from Blueberryhill....
It is a clear, blue sky, 35 degrees. Going up to 55 again, with sunshine.
Today is an errand running day. Locally. I have to pick up a few things at the Hardware store and a couple of other stops. Nothing really new on the train front. I need to get some lumber for supports and then I can begin framing the new benchwork for the upper level. Our engineering dept. is trying to figure out the details. Almost done.
Dining Car is here and serving breakfast. Be back later.
Y'all have a great Thursday.
Chuck
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