Mornin' guys and gal(s). Sunny and 27 along the Patterson Creek cut-off. Nasty cold has Fifey down today. Thank God for Puffs Plus. Woof.
Did attend the Scenic RR Christmas Party last night. The owners really put out a great spread, live band, and they worked the room greeting everyone. Wifey (also under the weather) stayed home, so I danced with our 80-something narrator.
Will try to finish up our North Pole Village/Gingerbread Junction today...sometime...
Good Afternoon!
Mom's house is finished, need to get the boxes in the attic. My brother and my nephew are coming for Christmas, so I can't store the boxes in the bedroom like I usually do. Might be able to do that tomorrow, as I am off. We leave for my niece's delayed wedding reception tomorrow afternoon, in VA.During the decorating, more politicking - elections are tonight and "accommodations" are being made for 2 candidates and I'm pushing for a third, as it's only fair. So that went up to 10ish.....I hate politics. Yet, I'm in 2 political positions.....go figure.Need to go find a suit, my pinstripe suit is too small - so, I'll need to run over to my house for lunch and grab all my suits - then figure out my next move....Fife - Prayers for you and the Mrs - hope you guys get better soon!!! That RR party sounded like a nice Christmas Bash.....
That's all from here
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
Still dealing with this sinus thingy. Slowly getting the North Pole layout up around the tree. All the buildings have lights, and all the D56 and Lemax lamps are hooked up. Just need the loop of FasTrack, elves, deer, and the Claws. Will be working on the 1:1 NPX the next two nights.
Mornin' guys and gal(s). Sunny and 28 in the Potomac Highlands. Temps were mild this weekend, which helped working on the trains while getting over this cold that swept thru the staff. Next week, all day, every day. Youngest Princess is home from college for the break. Did finish North Pole village, so Ms. Kelly is happy. Today, grocery shopping and dry cleaners.
Unusually warm again here on The North Bluff. Looks like it will be most of the week. I will take it. So sad the storm damage that ripped through the other night. The number of those lost and missing is shocking. There is nothing like Tornado damage that takes everything in minutes and years to replace if ever.
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
Warm here in mid Mo. Sunny and almost 60 today. Checked with our son and a few friends in Bowling Green, Ky. the last day or two. All are OK. I think our 20 acres of woods there are OK too. If not, we will have plenty of firewood!
Worked on the 2026 repair job I've got. One of the pivot pins on the e unit was broken. Since I don't have an e unit spreader, I replaced the e unit. Mechanically, this loco is in pretty good shape. Cleaning and lube was all it needed there. The smoke unit was caked full of unburned smoke pills. I ended up replacing the smoke box, packing, and smoke element. In test runs, it is not a prodigeous smoker.
Got everything back together, and found that something in the puffer piston was jamming up and stalling the loco. Turns out that the piston was coming out of the cylinder. Stretching the spring inside the piston seems to have stopped that issue.
Could not get the whistle working. Something is making the motor bind. That will require more surgery than I am willing to do without contracting the owner.
Good Morning!!Twas a long trip to VA - we left late, traffic was a nightmare in NJ, DE and Washington - just ridiculous....We met everybody at the restaurant, it was very nice, we did not sit together, which was strange since that was the reservation.....got checked in about 1030 and off to sleep.I ran out and got breakfast for Jenni and I - we ate downstairs with some of the family - we took the kids to Target as we needed to get cash and a Wedding card.Had some down time until the shuttle picked us up at 515. We all had a nice time, food was good, we danced until we left. We left Sunday about 11, the kids went with my BIL and my sister, we took Mom to Waffle House for breakfast. Got home about 420 PM.Yesterday got the brakes working on the Super Bee - it will be moving to my house after Christmas so I have better access to it, still lots to do, the 45 minute trip to the storage is a killer and wastes a lot of time. Plus all my tools are here.Afterwards, I ran home to clean up the 2nd floor as my brother and nephew are coming in Monday. I had a Fireman's Relief Meeting then to Jenni's for Chicken Dinner. She is working on the Z scale portion of her layout for Christmas and took up a lot of her time. Tonight will be more decorating and cleaning the piggie cage-the tree trimming will be this weekend when her niece and nephew come over. Santa is allegedly going to make an appearance by fire truck.....Jenni has decided to go with the Winter Wonderland Railroad- the one I just repaired - for under the tree - she want's to leave the Mopar Express sets in the boxes for now. As for the 2187WS set - I have managed to figure out what this set is comprised of and will make an offer of $400. I have a friend that wants it - I can't do it, not after this last venture into DC. I still have Christmas shopping to do....It's cold 37F hitting 50 later ---
8ntruckWorked on the 2026 repair job I've got. One of the pivot pins on the e unit was broken. Since I don't have an e unit spreader, I replaced the e unit. Mechanically, this loco is in pretty good shape. Cleaning and lube was all it needed there. The smoke unit was caked full of unburned smoke pills. I ended up replacing the smoke box, packing, and smoke element. In test runs, it is not a prodigeous smoker
Now, it's really not the best way to do it, but if you have nothing else, it will work. You take a pair of needle nose pliers, and carefully spread them so that each jaw is pushing outwards right next to the pin/rivet that holds the sides together. Once you feel you have them where you want them, pull the pliers open until you get your E-Unit to spread! Longer handles help of course. The reason I don't feel it is the best, is the lack of control you have over the pressure you're applying to the E-Unit walls. You don't get a nice, gentle levering action that you can stop as soon as the rivet lets go, and I don't like the way that feels. None the less, I've found it does the job, and have opened up several units this way by now.If I remember correct, the correct procedure if a smoke unit is lacking in output but there's nothing wrong with it otherwise, is to remove one or two turns on the heating element in the smoke unit. I'm planning to do that to my 646 Hudson, since it's been a notoriously bad smoker for me. It may also be due for a smoke unit rebuild.
8ntruckCould not get the whistle working. Something is making the motor bind. That will require more surgery than I am willing to do without contracting the owner.
"Unless bought from a known and trusted dealer who can vouch otherwise, assume every train for sale requires servicing before use"
Good Morning!!34F going up to 55F laterWas in the middle of picking up the last LED Christmas tree lights when we got a fire call. I had a pruner in my hand and checked out, picked up my pre ordered lights and headed off to the FD. A wrecker was totally engulfed - I missed the truck but passed the incident. I was there for about 45 minutes and I requested to leave prior to the truck coming back.I headed to Shop Rite for some supplies and Jenni finished making dinner when I got there . Dinner at 8. Chicken and Taters au graten. Cleaned the piggie cage and then finished the lighting on tree, so that is done. Jenni plans on decorating this weekend. She is making great progress on her layout. I'll be back over there tonight.
I will be in the Train Attic Thursday as I am taking time to try to finish my layout. I have more wiring and street lights to do. I need to clear the Summer/Spring section and get that planned. I may wind up setting the structures on there and wiring later.For those that may remember - Jeff Wimberly passed today in 2014 - I can't believe it's been 7 years --
off to work - much to do, again.
Mornin' guys and gal(s). Sunny and 36 along the Patterson Creek cut-off. Wifey wanted to go to Deep Creek today, but she's still dealing with this cold. Chapter dinner tonight at City Lights (Cumberland).
Fifedom all decorated, and the outside all spruced up, in case any visitors stop by; like Saturday... Other than that, NPX will be running out of Romney 3x a day from Friday to Thursday. In case you missed it, NS 8099 (the green and white SOUTHERN unit) slammed into a rockslide a couple days ago, and was on its side.
Nice sunny, windy day here in mid Mo. today. Mid 70's with 15mph winds. Heading for a low of 50 tonight. Big storm heading this way as I write this.
Travel plans are on hold until I manage to get a scheduling answer from the next contractor on our front porch project. Left a call to the contractor every day this week - no reply. I know this is a small job, but still, returning your customer's seems like it is part of the business..........
No new action on the train front.
Well, finished with the "Christmasing" around the house. Dragged the trainboards out from the "Chugger Barn" yesterday and set 'em up in the living room. Scotch-Brited the tracks and gave 'em a good shine.
THEN out came the "Robo-Tree." Real trees are in short supply around here, supply and demand being what it is the ones we saw were priced too high for something that's gonna be dead in two weeks! So, the fiber-optic "Robo-Tree" gets pride of place this year. I set it up on a wooden wine box to give it some altitude, draped the box with a deep maroon (Susquehanna Maroon?) tree skirt and finished the display with some poinsetta bushes around the base. Looks pretty darn good! Some N-Gauge resin houses around the "Robo-Tree" added a little panache as well.
Today the trains came out! At least after digging them out from under the layout in the "Chugger Barn." (Ow. Ow. Last week's back spasm isn't going away without a fight, let me tell you!)
Did the typical thing, on the inside loop is the "Suger High Express," a K-Line Hershey 100th Anniversary locomotive and caboose, and assorted sweet-treat cars. Fudgesicle, Popsicle, Turkish Taffy, and assorted candy-themed billboard boxcars. A Ferrara Torrone car brings up the rear ahead of the caboose.
On the outboard loop there's a reproduction Lionel "Pennsy Torpedo" pulling assorted Christmas cars. Everything works!
Anyway, we're enjoying the "Robo-Tree's" weird glow illuminating the living room. Sure beats those horrendous aluminum trees Lady Firestorm and I remember from the 1960's. Seems like only the moms and dads into "Space Age" and "Swedish Modern" liked those aluminum monstrosities, all the kids we knew HATED 'em! And when we were in college in the early 70's even the most far-out campus radicals hated 'em! I guess even radicals have their limits!
There's the Greenberg train show coming up this weekend in Chantilly VA. I'll probably go and look for something I didn't know I needed. Isn't that what we all do?
Yeah. I drove past a tree lot today that hadn't even started setting up the trees two weeks ago and today they were wiped out and packing up. Ever take a look at the prices of those "tinsel trees" on the bay? Not to mention what they're asking for the color wheels!
Same me, different spelling!
Another nice sunny day here - 30 degrees cooler than yesterday. Almost no wind, which helps temper the lower temperature.
I sent the 2026 project home with its owner for holiday duty today. He was happy to see it running again. Says he has an automated milk car he wants me to look at after the holidays. I did a little research last night and now have a better understanding on what is up with the whistle on that one, so I'll take another look at that as well.
Next up is replacing the motor and drive axle in the P.E. Berkshire that died while running in the show we displayed at last month. Yes, I am planning on using Lucas Red & Tacky grease on the gear set.
Spent the afternoon cleaning bricks for the porch rebuild project. Settled on a 3 lb hammer, 3" brick chisel to knock the big chunks of mortar off, then an angle grinder with a masonry disc to buff the bricks clean. Gloves, dust mask, face shield, and hearing protection are a must with this task.
Something told me to grab the iPad before I headed into Cumberland, and sure enough, I spotted steam engine smoke billowing out of Ridgeley, WV, as I headed north on Canal Pkwy. I climbed the hill next to the Cumberland RR museum, and caught 1309 crossing the Potomac, on a "dress rehearsal" for this weekend's Polar Express trains.
pennytrains Ever take a look at the prices of those "tinsel trees" on the bay? Not to mention what they're asking for the color wheels!
Uh, no. Every once in a while we'll see one (or several) at an antique show that's risen from the backwash of time complete with the color "whiz wheel." We just shudder and walk on past!
Good MorningWell, we got a lot done last night, I exited early and actually got to bed prior to midnight. Jenni has the Z scale looking really nice. Had dinner and some clean up and prep for decorating the tree. Tonight is Train Attic time. I'll need to grab some Christmas cars for Jenni's and see what the kids want to run under the tree. I'll also need to get payment to the seller and get the buyer his trains. I'll have a 6110 engine and tender, a Sunoco Tanker, NYC gondola and SP type caboose. 50 bucks.Up to 55 today - which it is right now. I have nothing done on the shopping end - I need to get Jenni her gifts and Secret Santa has my SIL - which should be interesting...............Fife - Nice catch!!!
Flint - I remember those color wheels - we had one
So, that's all for now............
Mornin' guys and gal(s). Mostly cloudy and 52 along the Patterson Creek cut-off. Spending AM ironing my dress shirts, and shining my boots, in prep for 7 nights straight, 3 trains a shift, with very little breaks. Keep that in mind when you take the kids for a train ride with Santa, folks... I won't be posting much until after Christmas.
anjdevil - Want to see that Z scale on video... maybe she can make a little diy..
Morning all
Wow a new high of 5 posts yesterday, been a while since we have seen that in here, I'm guilty of not posting much. I remember when we use to have 30+ posts a day. Sure miss those days. ( we had that many posting)
Trying to get my Christmas spirit.
Also trying to take pictures and post some items on evil bay, need to reduce my inventory. Don't want to but may contact someone like Trainz as I need to reduce my inventory as don't really have room for it.
Morning,
smokey1Also trying to take pictures and post some items on evil bay, need to reduce my inventory. Don't want to but may contact someone like Trainz as I need to reduce my inventory as don't really have room for it.
I've had to "thin the herd" myself, so what I did was get some tables at the club's train shows. It's worked well, I've made some bucks and had a lot of fun at the same time.
Maybe not as much bucks as I might have made on "The Bay" but still enough.
Try it!
Flintlock76 The problem here is there really aren't any shows close by. I also have a wife I have to take care of. smokey1 Also trying to take pictures and post some items on evil bay, need to reduce my inventory. Don't want to but may contact someone like Trainz as I need to reduce my inventory as don't really have room for it. I've had to "thin the herd" myself, so what I did was get some tables at the club's train shows. It's worked well, I've made some bucks and had a lot of fun at the same time. Maybe not as much bucks as I might have made on "The Bay" but still enough. Try it!
The problem here is there really aren't any shows close by. I also have a wife I have to take care of.
smokey1 Also trying to take pictures and post some items on evil bay, need to reduce my inventory. Don't want to but may contact someone like Trainz as I need to reduce my inventory as don't really have room for it.
smokey1The problem here is there really aren't any shows close by. I also have a wife I have to take care of.
I understand completely.
Smokey1 - Wish I were close enough to stop by and cherry pick...
Good Saturday Morning!!!The 2187WS set is gone, need to get the money to the previous owner - had a nice talk with the new owner, we talked about stuff other than trains and fire house politics......Then off to my house - and my Princess and my future SIL sat me down - yes, I was nervous......My future SIL has been accepted into the US Navy. 8 weeks at Great Lakes and then a year at Pensacola for aviation maintenance. He leaves on the 19th of January. He wants to do what is best for his family and this is what they agreed on. Marriage is set for March 2023 and I was told to expect grandchildren shortly after. As an aside, my Dad was an ADR1 - Aviation Machinist Mate 1st Class (Petty Officer 1st Class ). Dad is smiling down from heaven. They have told on one but me so far.....
As it was, my time was way shortened than what I expected, I did find all the Fastrack I was looking for (like I don't have enough....) got another Christmas set out and my small vacuum cleaner for Jenni. I wired up 2 more street lights, need to paint the module and glue the snow blanket to the board, which I can do tonight. 1 more light to do, paint and glue the snow blanket then I can get to work on completing Christmas Village. The side project is turning a dirt grade crossing into a 2 lane snow/asphalt crossing with crossbucks and maybe gates. The Fastrack crossing does not line up with my roadway, so I'll have to modify one - I have 4 or 5......Tonight we may see Santa on the firetruck - we'll be at Jenni's finishing up the tree and such. Jenni is very excited. And I have to get to shopping.....lol.Rain now and 41F and 46F laterFife - Good Luck and Merry Christmas - I'll be looking for you on the Eagle videos on FB - and I'll see if the future Mrs can get a video on the Tube of U...
Smokey1 - You got my number --- lol maybe after the New Year ---
At work and it's kinda slow but I need to pay attention - so I'll be back in a bit
fifedog Smokey1 - Wish I were close enough to stop by and cherry pick...
What I really need to list is all my Lima 2 rail O items.
Heading back to Arizona today!
Im excited to be with family! I'm also excited to get working on the layout!!! Muwahahaha!
Wish I could sample the wares smokey. Though I should probably focus on layout construction rather than new engines or rolling stock.
anjdevil2My future SIL has been accepted into the US Navy. 8 weeks at Great Lakes and then a year at Pensacola for aviation maintenance.
"Fair winds and following seas!" to your future SIL 'Devil! And that's one hell of a marketable skill he's going to pick up!
Tell him for me this old Marine says "Semper Fi!" to him! The Navy-Marine Team! "No better friends, no worse enemys!"
I went to the Greenberg train show in Chantilly VA today, and lucked out! Found TWO articles I've been looking for, and I couldn't beat the prices either!
First off, I've finally got me a "Blockbuster!" One of these:
https://www.tandem-associates.com/lionel/lionel_trains_2035_loco.htm
Got it for $120, can't beat it. I've had it on the layout, needs a little TLC but considering it's 71 years old that's understandable. There's still a lot of life left in it.
AND, found one of these:
http://train-station.com/Pages/archives/Library/6-8006.html
The seller only wanted $100 for it, how could I pass that up? Had this one on the layout too, a strong runner and puller but being 1980 vintage it's got "The Mighty Sound Of Steam," which is more like the "Mighty sound Of Static." Very annoying. So I'll deactivate the "MSOS" and install an electronic whistle. I'll save the original equipment however.
A good day all around! Except for the traffic coming home. Groan.
Flintlock76 - check the foam spacers under the SOS board. If they are deteriorated, the bottom of the board could contact the tender chassis, short the board and kill it.
I'll agree that the SOS was an advancement in its day, but the current crop of electronics is several quantum levels more advanced.
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