I think old age is setting in.

[SpaceMouse]

Three months ago I could knock out an MDC rolling stock kit in 30 minutes. Now it's taking closer to 15 hours.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

Three months ago I could knock out an MDC rolling stock kit in 30 minutes. Now it's taking closer to 15 hours.

And that switcher still isn't any closer to getting back on the tracks.

It's setting in on a lot of us.

Wayne

[Anonymous]

Don't feel bad Mr. SpaceMouse (Chip), my eyes and patients aren't what they use to be either. I was telling someone recently that I use to be able to paint faces on N scale people figures with a fine tip paint brush like it was nothing. Now a days I can't even see the faces on N scale figures...

trainluver1

[Roadtrp]

I love 'N' scale. From 18" away I can't see any of my mistakes!!

[;)]

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Roadtrp

I love 'N' scale. From 18" away I can't see any of my mistakes!!

[;)]

IF you were a true railfan you'd get Z scale. That way you could set up a layou on your desk and watch it with binoculars.

[JohnT14808]

Yeah, I'm with Muddy, Spacemouse...get that switcher back on the tracks and let's go!!!
Don't feel bad about taking fifteen hours on a kit. I've been scratch building a wood trestle of our club layout and am having nothing but problems with it. I actually have all the bents built, stringers glued together and now I'm trying to figure out how to get the bents glued to the bottom of the stringers without breaking the stringers apart and keeping the bents perpendicular to the stringers....I am at a loss as to how to do this.
I did manage to find a 36" piece of 'bridge flex-track that I'm going to use for the track on this trestle, but I don't know if I should glue the track to the stringers to hold them in the proper curve of the track, THEN put on the bents or do the bents first....oh, the joys of modeling!!

[selector]

John, coud you prop up the bents to vertical using bocks of 2X4, or whatever, and then just lay the stringers along the top. You could lay them in a bend if you need to, and lay the stringers accordingly. Hint- measure out the flex curve first, template it, making sure to show exactly where the rails are, and use that to lay the bents and stringers to match. In my case, there was then no need to even consider fastening the track to the trestle, and the result was a quiet passage over it for the loco and train...quite a pleasant surprise. Mind you, my trestle is only 10" across, so not a long unattached gap.

I hope Chip doesn't mind us co-opting his topic this way. We could move to another if you initiate it.

BTW, Chip, I have bi-focals, and find that my prescription changes every 15-18 months! It's bloody exasperating! No wonder guys say they have to dump the little stuff and move up to the big toys. Sheesh.

[twhite]

Has nothing to do with old age, Chip, it just means that you're starting to take a lot more time with your projects. I've got some Accurail reefers I just bought, and those kits should go together in about ten minutes, tops. Nah, takes all the fun out of it. I give myself 30 minutes per kit. Spent three days on a Red Caboose drop-bottom gondola, not too long ago. Back when I was younger, I'd have gotten it together in an hour and a half. Funny thing, though, it probably wouldn't have looked as good, LOL!
Tom [:D]

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by twhite

Has nothing to do with old age, Chip, it just means that you're starting to take a lot more time with your projects.

You're right. I can actually get them together in about 15 minutes. The other 14 plus hours was prepping and painting. I have about 5 hours each in stripping them. They took 4 coats to cover the factory plastic. The black detail painting took 2 hours per car. Glad I did it. But I really want to spend some time on Tater Mountain.

[selector]

I see a substantial grade there. Is that for trains, or is it a road? What is the grade of the former? Mountain looks interesting, as is the name. Is it crafted from potato flour? [:D]

[SpaceMouse]

The road is for wagons. The train circles the base. If fact, if you look at the photo below, Lil Guy is sitting right at the bottom of that road.

It got the name from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Richard Dryfus made a mountain on his plate from the families mashed potatoes.

Tater Mountain kinda of reminds me of that.

[jwar]

Yeah I had the same problem..perhaps getting orginized did it for me. Was starting to many jobs and nothing ever got compleated. and getting in the habit of being here other then working on the layout...what the heck it is a hobbie.

John T...being your using flex,..is it possable to remover the flex ties on the bridge only, use spikes and hand lay the track on the bridge, set it in place and use blocks to hold the bents in alignment...just a thought. worked great for me then added some N rail as rail guards.

[JohnT14808]

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

John, coud you prop up the bents to vertical using bocks of 2X4, or whatever, and then just lay the stringers along the top. You could lay them in a bend if you need to, and lay the stringers accordingly. Hint- measure out the flex curve first, template it, making sure to show exactly where the rails are, and use that to lay the bents and stringers to match. In my case, there was then no need to even consider fastening the track to the trestle, and the result was a quiet passage over it for the loco and train...quite a pleasant surprise. Mind you, my trestle is only 10" across, so not a long unattached gap.

What a great idea, selector!! Use 2x4 ( or something) to prop up the bents and set the stringers on top....hm-m-m-m-m-m...might work. This trestle has a gradual curve to it, and I made stringers using scale 14' long 1/4" by 1/4" basswood pieces to cover the span of 19 actual inches. I did it in pieces because of the curve. There also is a gradual ascent to the level of the track, so one end has bents taller than the other, so I will have to play with the items I use to hold the bents upright...May work... I have yet to cut the track to size...I may re-measure it tomorrow when I get to the Club meeting. This project certainly has been a challenge.

[Don Gibson]

CHIPmouse

Color me hopefull, but I'm waiting for the day you get a Stewart 'Baldwin switcher' to retire the Lil' Guy (that never was). You could even paint it RED... so you see I'm willing to make any sacrifice.

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson

CHIPmouse

Color me hopefull, but I'm waiting for the day you get a Stewart 'Baldwin switcher' to retire the Lil' Guy (that never was). You could even paint it RED... so you see I'm willing to make any sacrifice.

Don,

But I already have a decoder I'm going to put in Lil Guy. I have a Proto S1 at the club that I love so I know the difference. I haven't driven a Stewart so I can't compare, but the Proto is my favorite loco. Now if Stewart made one DCC ready in N...

Lil Guy is my son's favorite and if he actually runs a train, Lil Guy is his first choice. But he hooks up a bunch of freight and runs mainline with him.