Good morning from the sunny shore of the Pacific basin. Should hit 10c today so after my hour on the bike a long walk with the dogs is in order.
It was my Birthday yesterday and I had several contributions made to my PWRS account bringing the total to $1100.00 which will go towards my Rapido Royal Hudsons in April. My poor University son even gave me $100.00. I must have been good this year.
I caulk my track down, however, let the turnouts float as Sheldon does, never had an issue. I was in PWRS a couple of weeks back and they appeared to have a good supply of the Walthers T/Os on hand still. Not sure if there is a shortage yet. Of course, they seem to have a lot of everything there, I have to try and not look.
There is a live railcam at Revelstoke on the C.P. mainline. There was some interesting mixed stuff rolling through yesterday. I leave it running in the background and when the crossing bells start to ring, I click on for a look see. Revelstoke is where they change crews so you see the trains stop for a brief interval.
East
West
Revelstoke is on the Western edge of the Selkirk Mountains. That is the range that the Selkirk Locomotive (2-10-4) was named after.
To the East of Revelstoke is the 8km long Connaught tunnel built in 1916 and the 14.7km long Mount McDonald tunnel built in 1988. Also, there is the Stoney Creek Bridge that in 1885 was the highest bridge in the world.
It was replaced with a much sturdier structure not too many years later.
I had lots of visits to Revelstoke as my Dad had cousins there that worked for the railroad. I always loved hearing the shop talk when they got together.
It was more like this when I was a kid.
Time to hop on the bike for an hour.
All the best to all.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Heartland Division CB&Q Of course everybody has their own way of doing things. That is fine with me. The beauty of our hobby is we each get to do as we want. Here is how I install track. .... I use cork roadbed, flex track, and commerically made turn outs. ... I made curve templates from 1/4" plywood. I staple the cork down, and then use a hammer on each staple to make sure they are not too high. I place track on the cork, and use push pins to hold it in place as I allign it. I cut rail ends so each joint is snug. Then I install track nails. The location is a busy interchange that has always been trouble free after i completed it. .
Of course everybody has their own way of doing things. That is fine with me. The beauty of our hobby is we each get to do as we want.
Here is how I install track. .... I use cork roadbed, flex track, and commerically made turn outs. ... I made curve templates from 1/4" plywood. I staple the cork down, and then use a hammer on each staple to make sure they are not too high. I place track on the cork, and use push pins to hold it in place as I allign it. I cut rail ends so each joint is snug. Then I install track nails.
The location is a busy interchange that has always been trouble free after i completed it. .
Garry,
Cork works fine with commerical track, but as someone with hand laying experiance, and who started out with milled wood roadbed, I have just become accustomed to a firmer base for my trackwork.
And, also coming from the that same school of thought, we glue the individual ties down when hand laying, so glueing flex track seems natural to me.
By using homasote, I can transition from commercial track to hand layed special sections seamlessly.
I feel the same way about foam, for track or scenery, I tried it and was not confortable with its "soft" nature.
I lay padded boards on my track to support my weight when reaching into the back of the layout - never had any damage.
Sheldon
BATMAN It was my Birthday yesterday
It was my Birthday yesterday
Happy belated birthday Brent. I hope the wife was good to you yesterday
You now have earned the picture of the Year award. I really like that one. I wish I had a way to save it. If I had it in my email I could.
It's a trick alone to get pictures to the Forum on a phone,...... but from the Forum,...... "Ahhh No"
, Brent - although a little late!
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Kick the tires and light the fires.
It's time to get a little more aggressive about this getting the truck started thing. It wasn't the battery. It's funny how a five-minute job can turn into an hour and a half when it's cold. I don't want to wait around till Saturday when the weather breaks.
I put a call into my buddy Erv. He always seems to know everything that I don't. He asks me, don't you know the old Alaskan trick? Of course I say, what's the old Alaskan trick?
An hour later my beer delivery comes I really didn't need any beer, there's always plenty in the fridge but it sounded like a good idea at the time.
A good Scotsman knows the liquor store guy. So I told Dan deliver me a case of beer but first run across to the Holiday station and get me a bag of Kingsford..... he laughed and said what do you need that for.
A $43 case of beer later and a sacrificed cookie sheet my wife gave me permission to use. I will get this truck started soon.
The only directions we're just let the coals simmer first and stick it under the oil pan for a while while you're babysitting. Of course there was some joking about grabbing the wife's oven grate too and cooking a few burgers while I wait.
Hot eats, cool treats and getting the truck started all at the same time
TF
There is something nasty coming to you folks in the Northeast and Midwest - according to our weather frogs! Such temperatures are completely unknown to us!
Stay safe!
Good Afternoon,
A balmy -24F right now with a -40 windchill, still it is sunny.
Well the fireplace guy came this afternoon and while he did get it going the thermopile and the valve need replacing so that will be about a $400 bill, mind you he will do it under the first repair charge so that isn't too bad especially as the unit is 16 years old and is used a lot.
TF, I had a teacher in high school when I lived in Rainy River who had a new '62 Ford convertible that didn't have a block heater. He used to take a propane torch to warm the oil pan. It was a nice car, black with a red interior.
I didn't put that RDC back together yet so might do so today. My workshop is in the furnace room so it is always warm in there in winter.
Brent, nice photos. Those Selkirks sure were impressive. I have never seen one, truthfully I can't recall seeing much CP steam as we lived near the CN mainline and my grandfather worked for CN so it was always 'my' railroad. I was lucky to have been around for the last of steam which occured mostly in the Winnipeg area. When railfanning on the CN west mainline about 50% of the engines I saw in the summer of '59 were steam.
Keep warm,
CN Charlie
[quote user="Track fiddler"]
Someplace warm.... well I would suggest Mexico because my friend Edverardo from my Model Railroad Club is originally from Mexico. He has two incredible layouts in his basement. They have both been in magazines.
I do not believe we have any Forum friends that live in Mexico..... it is warm there though. I wish I was in Mexico right now. 85 instead of -35
One of my former friends moved to Hawaii but from what I understand Hawaii does not have any railroads.
Nope nope we can't go there.
Well what about Kevin. Good God the man complains about 55 degrees and raining down there on a bad day in Florida. I'm sure there's railroads down there.
Let's go down to Florida and visit Kevin.
[/Hawaii used to have railroads that serviced the sugar plantations. Those were on more than one island. The only survivor that I know of is on the Ewa side of Oahu. The sugar plantations are all gone, but the one that's left basically goes from Ewa to a state park just South of Makaha and is a tourist line. My wife and I took it when we celebrated our 25th. Also, in the late 60s there was a little freight line that went from the harbor in Honolulu to a close by factory(or warehouse, I forget which). It had a locomotive that may have been a GE 44 ton and several flat cars.
It is cold here!! -22F this morning. They called off work. In retrospect it was a good idea. Tomorrow morning is supposed to be -27F actual, not wind chill. This is just too cold.
Speaking of milled roadbed, does anyone know whatever happened to tru-Scale milled wood roadbed?
Hello to everyone, and I hope everyone is OK, safe, and warm.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
"We're havin' a Heat Wave...... Tropical Heat Wave......"
Afternoon folks! Hope those of you up here in the North country are staying warm and found some time to do some model railroading today.....
I hear some had trouble starting their vehicles today in the cold. Gee, my Volt started right up this morning at 1°F outside the door... Of course it helps to have about 18Kw of electric power sitting there as well..... LOL I did remotely start it today from inside the house so when I ventured out to head to the fieldhouse to walk, the car was nice and warm inside. Oh the gas engine started right up at this temp. The traction battery electric is delayed until the that battery has been warmed a bit by the gas engine at these temps. The gas engine brought me back home as well a couple hours later.
Roadbed.... I think there are many different ways to do the job and none of them are right or wrong as long as they do the job for you. I have used cork roadbed...., just because I guess. I have had no difficulty hand laying track (code 83) using the Fastracks system on it and even before just glueing the ties in place. With the Fast tracks jigs I do about a foot or two of ties at one time. One thing I do like about cork is that it is easy to make gradual transitions on curves. I generally put down Pliobond glue on the cork, then place the ties from the jig using a bit of masking tape. Then place the track on the ties also with pliobond. Learned that from a guy Named Harold Russell back a while ago. He is the one who got me using the Fast Tracks System for trackwork. Make all my own turnouts as well. Easy to adjust the curves for them as nessessary within reason.
Here is some under construction (notice the PC Board ties used to solder the rail to for perfect spacing that will stay put...):
And some finished from a different location:
Again, no one right way to do most of what we do in the hobby.
Have a great night and stay warm!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
I've become a wimp. I grew up in Nebraska, where the cold (and hot) wind whips up some nasty temps. When I was a kid, the cold didn't matter. The only thing I really remember about the cold is that when it got really cold, the snot in my nose would freeze on the inhale, then melt on the exhale. An interesting feeling that I found more funny than troubling.
Moved to Indiana and live there for years. Would put on a hat, gloves, and coat as a normal daily dress code of sorts from December through February. No bother, carry on.
In a couple of years living south of Atlanta, its 46F today and I feel like I'm freezing my butt off.
- Douglas
CNCharlie Good Afternoon, TF, I had a teacher in high school when I lived in Rainy River who had a new '62 Ford convertible that didn't have a block heater. He used to take a propane torch to warm the oil pan. It was a nice car, black with a red interior. Keep warm, CN Charlie
Charlie your friend's car sounds like it was really nice.
We all know the saying, I get by with a Little Help from My Friends. I sure wish I would have had a little advice from you Charlie before my friend Erv. I would have started out with that advice first, it definitely would have been simpler. I will remember it in the future (maybe tomorrow morning) I have a full map gas cylinder in the truck.
Well anyway, .... the Truck Engine BBQ was a success. I like my Hemi medium rare thank you The Ram is running again.
My buddy Erv is a retired mechanic. He asked me when my oil change was due? I told him about five hundred miles ago. I'm usually more faithful than that but sometimes a guy gets busy and forgets. He told me very important in this frigid weather. I'm going to get my oil changed in the morning.
I'm not looking forward to turning the truck over at 1 AM this morning so it starts in the morning. The remote starter is definitely on my priority list.
I can't believe for the life of me they say it's going to be 40 degrees on Saturday. If that happens I swear to God I will go use the rest of the Kingsford outside of Erv's fish house and have a barbecue in a T-shirt
up831Hawaii used to have railroads that serviced the sugar plantations. Those were on more than one island. The only survivor that I know of is on the Ewa side of Oahu. The sugar plantations are all gone
.
Florida used to be very concerned about sugar production in Hawaii. In the 1980s to mid 1990s they were producing around a million tons of sugar per year. This yield was with easy to maintain lay-down cane on a two year harvesting cycle.
In Florida we grew single year standing cane that had to be rotated with rice and seed cane.
It really looked like we were going to lose the ability to produce sugar and compete with Hawaii.
Then the production of sugar in Hawaii quickly dropped off, and soon ended completely. I never knew why this happened.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Hey guys!
Tomorrow I've got my first job interview, it's at the YMCA, wish me luck!
Well no snowmaggedon here in Dixieland yet, the local newscasters made it seem like itd ge really bad but no precipitation yet.
Well I'll be around.
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
NWP SWPTomorrow I've got my first job interview,
I was under the impression you already had job interviews, and had even been employed at least once.
Anyhow, good luck.
SeeYou190 up831 Hawaii used to have railroads that serviced the sugar plantations. Those were on more than one island. The only survivor that I know of is on the Ewa side of Oahu. The sugar plantations are all gone . Florida used to be very concerned about sugar production in Hawaii. In the 1980s to mid 1990s they were producing around a million tons of sugar per year. This yield was with easy to maintain lay-down cane on a two year harvesting cycle. . In Florida we grew single year standing cane that had to be rotated with rice and seed cane. . It really looked like we were going to lose the ability to produce sugar and compete with Hawaii. . Then the production of sugar in Hawaii quickly dropped off, and soon ended completely. I never knew why this happened. . -Kevin .
up831 Hawaii used to have railroads that serviced the sugar plantations. Those were on more than one island. The only survivor that I know of is on the Ewa side of Oahu. The sugar plantations are all gone
High fructose corn syrup
moelarrycurly4High fructose corn syrup
Maybe. I don't know how that could eliminate sugar production in Hawaii, but have zero effect on the sugar industry in Florida.
I heard that 2018 would be the first year in a long time that Orange Juice revenue surpassed Sugar revenue. I do not know if that came true or not.
Both industries have been rebounding in recent years.
Evenin' folks!
Janie, I could sure use a pot of hot decaf coffee to warm up my insides....
Tonight and tomorrow have been cancelled here in the Finger Lakes Region of NYS. One of the Rochester TV Stations is now listing 246 closings in effect. The weather forcast for tonight and tomorrow varies from: "Winter Weather Advisories, Special Weather statements, Wind Chill Warnings, and two Blizzard Warnings!!!! My youngest Granddaughter was supposed to recieve a Top Student of the month in 4th. grade tomorrow. School has been closed, so I guess I will not drive to Waterloo......
I think I shall spend a bit of time doing some model railroading tomorrow! Yippie!
6
7
TF, yes that 62 Ford was a nice one. It had a 352 engine but here a 352 had a 2 barrel carb and duel exhaust on a convertible putting out 220 h.p. My Dad bought a new 62 Ford Galaxie 500 that had the 352 but single exhaust. Truthfully it was a bit of a slug. I guess he got one at the low end of tolerance range. When I worked for Sunoco an engineer who worked with the auto companies told cars were made within a 20% tolerance range back then so the perfomance of supposedly same cars could vary.
Brent Happy Birthday
I cannot imagine minus 20 or 30 degrees. Our cold front sort of fizzled. It is cold, 13 right now, but it was 40 earlier today.
Around here, Maryland, if there is 2 feet of snow, the TV stations go into emergency mode, starting broadcasts at 4 am and going right through game shows and soap operas. Is that what happens up north?
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Good Evening All,
A belated happy birthday Brent.
Much better now. Got the turnout I wrecked last night fixed. Got all the control wires in and the turnouts planted for the first row of the ladder.I secure the ladder turnouts as they are end to end and having 5 or 6 in a row unsecured would not be very stable even with the joiners all soldered together.
We only had a couple of s**w squalls today but we won't escape the cold. We went from 18 to the mid 30's and now back to 16. By tomorrow we will be in single digits and that will be the high for the next week. We already plugged all the diesel trucks in for the next couple of days but none of my cars have block heaters so we'll see how we make out.
Here the tv stations don't dwell on the weather all day but they are given to dire predictions as to severity. Time will tell if they are right this time. J.R.
Howdy ...
Regarding track, I have done some handlaying of track, I ahve done some of that on a prvious layout. My current layout has some where I started the layout. I decided for me I could use commerical track thereafter because it takes much less time.
The track on the Mrs. Hippy River Bridge is hand laid. I made the ties in my workshop from some suplus oak wood. I learned oak is not a very good choice becasue it is too hard.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
SeeYou190 NWP SWP Tomorrow I've got my first job interview, . I was under the impression you already had job interviews, and had even been employed at least once. . Anyhow, good luck. . -Kevin .
NWP SWP Tomorrow I've got my first job interview,
Kevin, I have had a job for 6 months, my dad is my boss so I didn't have an interview, I'm looking for more hours and better pay.
Well, it looks like I have settled on Flickr, at least for the moment. Unfortunately I can't seem to imbed a photo. (I haven't tried imbedding a photo since the good old days of PhotoBucket.) I am putting the share link from Flickr in the "Source" field and some text in the "Image Description" field and all I get is the text in the description field as a hyperlink. My guess is that the link is not an imbedded link, but a normal URL. Here is the result.
And here is the actual URL.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/144989847@N05/shares/2G9wDB
Any ideas?
Richard
Tenth Avenue Freeze Out...
We're having a Crossroads Circle freeze-out again tomorrow. I'm still moderating from home, though. Wherever we're taking the Diner in a couple days, it can't get there soon enough...
I made a big pot of chicken soup today. Nothing's cozier. If it's cold where you are, grab a bowl, and stay warm!
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
RideOnRoad Well, it looks like I have settled on Flickr, at least for the moment. Unfortunately I can't seem to imbed a photo. (I haven't tried imbedding a photo since the good old days of PhotoBucket.) I am putting the share link from Flickr in the "Source" field and some text in the "Image Description" field and all I get is the text in the description field as a hyperlink. My guess is that the link is not an imbedded link, but a normal URL. Here is the result. And here is the actual URL. https://www.flickr.com/photos/144989847@N05/shares/2G9wDB Any ideas?
I notice that link doesn't have a file extension at the end -- .JPG or .GIF. If it doesn't, it's not an image, it's a web page. You need the image's address to embed an image.
Eveing Frozzen Diners!
Flo, give the gang and I a Hot Tooddy please! Throw in some Kingsford Charcol and a cookie sheet!
Brent Belated
Far as work, it mainly went like this! You need to speak with Nancy or Jerry I cannot help you. Yep, 3 problems in just two days, wonder what Thursday will bring?
TF sending PM now.
Later Ken
I hate Rust
RideOnRoadAny ideas?
The motorcycle in the driveway photo?
You have your privacy settings locked. You have to change that to public.
https://help.flickr.com/en_us/change-your-privacy-settings-rygl6XoJm
I've been using Flickr sonce 2013. There is a learning curve but once you get settled in I find it very satisfying. I pay the $50/yr. for me it makes a great repository for photos.
Change your screen name if you wish to remain somewhat anonymous.
https://help.flickr.com/en_us/change-your-name-on-flickr-BygCka7iJm
Then, click the upward-turned "share" arrow and use the BBcode and paste directly into the forum reply window without using the "insert image" icon.
MR_Photo1 by Edmund, on Flickr
Right click the blue highlight to copy:
MR_Photo2 by Edmund, on Flickr
Then in the MR forum reply simply use Ctrl + V to paste the link into the text. The photo will not show until you submit your reply.
Good Luck, Ed
[quote user="SeeYou190"]
moelarrycurly4 High fructose corn syrup
[/When I was last in Hawaii, I asked a few locals what happened to all the sugar. I was told that the Hawaiians are very generous and freely shared their know how to anyone and everyone. The recipients of all this knowledge then proceded to undercut the Hawaiians in price. There may be some truth to it. There may be no truth to it. I tend to think it's partially true along with several other factors that were never explained. I would even suspect that beet sugar would come into play as well.Anyway, it makes for an interesting story.
I got my truck started today but I'm going to play hooky from work tomorrow. I like to work when I want to work but when it's cold like this it's a perfect excuse and anyone understands. Who wants to dig through their truck for cold tools
I think I may work on some more trees tomorrow as I been needing a little break from my bridges. I feel like the Chinese guy on Karate Kid when he said...... "See the tree When the tree comes from within It is always the right tree" Mr. Miyagi, ....I think he was Arnold on Happy Days
There are two things I stay away from.
1) High fructose corn syrup.
2) MSG
I stay away from these two things like the plague. They will attack your liver and your kidneys and plug them up slowly while you wonder why you don't feel so good and become lethargic.
Take a shot of organic raw apple cider vinegar in a cup of water in the morning every morning and see how good you feel when your alkalinity remains perfect.
If you don't have a juicer get one and get the juicer book.
This is like religion to me. Every Sunday put three beats, three apples and three carats and a lime in your juicer and drink it with your wife. You have no idea how much better you will feel, your hair feels like it's standing on ends seconds after you drink it. Your blood pressure becomes normal and all your little health problems go away.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."