Chat Room For Younger Modelers

[ModelTrainLover]

Well Hey Gess What I just won my 2nd Baseball game today 8-7 in extra innings
I play in the little leages you know teen ball, minors, majors, sienors ect. This was my first game that I did not strike out!! insted I got a base hit and I was hit by a pitch in the leg. when we got the last out it was like what happend with the White Soxs in the W.S. !!!!!! it went a full 9 innings. Now then to a different matter Rails Of The USA is looking for regular members. www.alstom.proboards78.com we have close to 40 members but only a few regulary check in, and at lest half have less than 2 posts. Feel free to come and check it out.

[ModelTrainLover]

it should work.

[danrunner]

MTL.

Thanks for the counting /dreaming of trains idea. I like it.

[ModelTrainLover]

Hey danrunner I may have a soulition. have a big meal before bed and close your eyes and count trains. then you are out.

[ModelTrainLover]

Cab rides on the Maine Narrow Gauge rr www.mngrr.org

[danrunner]

Hello all,

Feeling a bit better, but not getting much sleep. Months of painkillers while waiting for my operation has really killed me. I can hardly sleep an hour at night, and the cure from the doctors, of course is another pill!!! So, it's off of one thing and onto another. Heaven help me!

Got out to an amusement park w/ my family today. I rode their scenic railrpad around their park called the Wabash Cannonball. A lot of fun. I was in need of a good train ride.

What's your favorite train ride> Love to hear your answers.

Dan

[johnandjulie13]

Hello Dan:

Glad to hear that your feeling better. Hang in there and follow your doctor's orders. While you can't do any lifting, you can at least make some preliminary plans for that new layout you will be building when you guys relocate to AZ. Always think positive! [;)]

Regards,

John O

[danrunner]

Thanks for the well wishes.

I am officially on the mend. The surgery was a success, and my pain (from the discs) is gone. Other pains have cropped up from months of no workouts and no exercise.

Now that I'm 3+ days off of pain drugs, I feel great. Being on narcotics was horrible, and getting off of them was worse. 2 months of bad back pain and drugs has wrecked my body. How people find that stuff pleasurable is beyond me. Hooray for aspirin and ibuprofen instead of the bad stuff.

Will I ever run another marathon? Even if I don't, I feel like I want to.

But it was worth it to come out of the operation a success. No heavy lifting, just train videos and mags.

miss you all.

My postings will be hit or miss until i'm all the way back.

Dan

[ModelTrainLover]

Dan I hope you get well soon.
And gess what I am now an offical members of the Great Falls Model Railroad club.
www.greatfallsmodelrrclub.org

[Demon09]

Glad to hear you're doin better Dan. I have problems with my back too and I know how irritating that can be when trying to work, or do anything in general. And yes, hopefully that side effect goes away as well....

Keepin the fingers crossed for your wife's job opportunity....

Take care everyone....

[danrunner]

I had my back surgery today and the pain in my back is much better. They took out a huge chunk of disc wedged against my spinal cord....aaaaah, the relief.

The only problem is that with anesthesia in that area, peeing is difficult since everything down there got numbed up with drugs. I sure hope that goes away or the cure will have been worse than the problem in the first place.

Anyway, for all who wished me well, thank you for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers. My surgery is over and I begin the process of healing.

No heavy lifting for weeks, so I guess I'll jus have to run the stuff already on the tracks downstairs.

We still have our fingers crossed and prayers said for my wife getting the job in AZ, They said they liked her, but until the job offer is made, it's just words.


Best wishes to all



Dan

[ModelTrainLover]

so any of you have big railroading plans this summer?

[ModelTrainLover]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/yankeetrainboy10/ well here is my yahoo group if you want to check it out.

[johnandjulie13]

Hello Dan:

I am glad to hear that you might finally be settling down. I hope your wife gets the new gig.

As for the best train related gift, I think most would agree, it was the first train set that you receive. For me, I got my first train set when I was about five or six years old. My parents bought a used Lionel set from some friends. Although it didn't come in the original boxes, or have any instructions, I thought it was the greatest thing in the world. That train was set up every christmas for the next 15 years. Now, even many years later, the memory of that first train set has inspired me to get involved in the hobby in a serious manner.

Regards,

John O

[ModelTrainLover]

hmmm I heard about that but hey were I am I got the Patriots

[danrunner]

I'm about to be sick. I just heard about my Steelers' Big Ben's motorcycle accident.

Just a reminder to all of my friends reading this board: WEAR A HELMET WHEN RIDING A MOTORCYCLE.

And that's coming from a guy who learned to ride a bike without a helmet on.

I'm sick thinking of the wasted talent that may never play again or to the level he did before the accident.. My Steelers haven't had a real QB since Bradshaw, and boy did they get a good one. Now what? Back the the used car lot of QB's? I feel for Ben, but at the same time, I'm mad at him for jeopardizing his team's season.

___________________________________________________________

Just came back from Arizona. Kingman was awesome. It's a main route for the BNSF. I'd post some pics, but it's too big of pain to post them here. I wish it were easier.

We think my wife got the job, as they're talking money to her. Prospects for a train room are good, but likely to be the third stall in a 3-car garage as ther are few basements here.

Hope all are well.

D

[ModelTrainLover]

me... well there are prehaps about a good 5-6 train gifts that I have resceved. the gift the got me into trains was way back when I was 1 1/2 years old on my B-Day. 12-14-92. it was a thomas the tank engine set all plastic. with Thomas, Toby, Percy, Trouble some trucks and Anni, and Clareabell. that came in a plastic carrying case. and it grew from there.
though my intrest evened off when I was in 5th grade. My teacher had a reputation of breaking kids habbit of drawing on at the top of the page. for me I always drew a steam engine with 2 flat cars 1 for my first name one for my last name. and a caboos. up untill then I always drew it. but my teacher wouldn't have it. (although he knew I liked trains. because my mom is a 2nd grade teacher at the school I went to from K-6th grade).
It sky rocketed up past normal limits in the summer of 05 interms of my room being cleaner than usual. all due to the entry of A NYC, HO scale diesle, NYC bagage car, NYC streamlined passenger car and a Green NYC caboos. thanks to the VP of the Great Falls Model RR Club. Also due to an alarming number if trips to the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad www.mngrr.org . and while on those trips a jump in the # of cab rides that I get while there. close to 30 now thanks to school projects, and research reports.

And as Danrunner has mentioned,a trip out to South Dakota which I saw at least 8-10 trains most were too far away for me to see the lettering. not to mention spending a night at a motel that is a quick walk away from the 1880 train. a standard gauge tourist rr that operates between Hill City and Keystone SD www.1880train.com .. while my dad, Uncle Jeris and I were taking a griswald tour of the state.

So for me 2005-2006 have been the BEST a railfan can ask for..

Thank you please come again! and make a donation to the Maine Narrow Gauge RailRoad. at www.mngrr.org

[Demon09]

I'd have to say the nicest I ever got was my first trainset from my grandma when I was 7. It was a 4-4-2 Chessie system Seaboard freight (I think that's what it is.... at least what the box said...) Got me started in the whole hobby (albeit that I didn't call it a hobby of mine until the past December when I bought my first expansion packs and made a layout of it....). But my birthday is coming up next month, and now the family knows I'm in the hobby, so it will be interesting to see where that goes.


Good luck with the job interview. My brother just graduated college and is finding the hard realization of getting a real job. Never realized how difficult it gets when the work means something (I just graduated high school last year, and am in my first year of college....I work for the Univerity now though... all the jobs I've had in the past were part time BS jobs....). If it all works out, Arizona is an incredibly nice place to live.... I spent some time out there last year.

[danrunner]

Going out of town for the weekend as my wife has a huge job interview that requirees the whole family's attendance (minus cat). Say a prayer/light a candle for us. We've been trying to put down roots and we hope this works out.

So you guys need to keep the thread going in my absence.

Question: With Father's Day coming up, I thought this would be a timely question...although you certainly don't have to be a father to have an answer.

What is the nicest train-related gift you ever received from anyone?

I would have to say my Lionel Hudson train my wife got me for last Christmas. For Father's Day I'm getting a Z-400 MTH transformer ( a close second).

Have a great weekend an I pray my back which will be operated on in less than two weeks holds up to a 4 hr flight and 4 hrs of driving each way. Hello Arizona!

Ciao,

Dan

[ModelTrainLover]

If I can I'll pass it to my children if I have any. lol.

[danrunner]

Casconi,

You are definitely entitled to your opinion, but Fastrack is annoyingly noisy to me.

I'm not saying I don't like it, but it is an acquired taste. I love how solidly pieces snap together. It's relatively easy to work with. I hate the wire connectors and dislike the silver center rail. Black/shadow would be better. But noise is the big issue and it IS noisier than tubular and Realtrax. Whether it's considered too noisy for a person is preference, but it is noisier than the other two i've mentioned. The plastic ballast serves as an echo chamber when laid on plywood. That's irritating.

Further, if we end up relocating to a house without a basement and I put it in a bedroom, it's gotta be quiet and smooth as silk to not wake my wife and baby while they're sleeping...I run them (trains) primarily at night.

Noise is my new primary enemy. From rubber underlayment to accoustic tiles, I'm considering everything I can to avoid ruining the family's sleep.

EVERYTHING, that is, except giving up my trains.

BUT it is conjecture at this point--we haven't moved yet.

Dan

PS Friends, thanks for making this thread so great and fun.

MTL--having a little fun with you about the Mt Rushmore /founding father thing, but I really appreciate you and all who contribute regularly and keep this hobby alive for our generation and that of our children.

PPS If we don't do a good job and the hobby starts to die, at least we'll be able to pick up stuff at unbelievable prices.

Have a great weekend.
God bless.

[Jumijo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by danrunner

Is Fastrack too loud?

Certain not to be left behind this time, I bought a ton of Fasttrack and have/had a three-loop layout. It's super-easy to work with, but It's pretty loud.

I've never run it side-by-side w/ tubular o27 or even realtrax, but it has to be the noisiest of them all.

What do you think and is it worth the noise?

One modification I'm considering: Ever seen those sheets of rubber for flat roofs? Pure rubber sheets that self-adhere? Well, I'm thinking of a plywood base, homosote layer second, and either a styrofoam layer after the homosote or go straigt from the homosote to the rubber membrane. I'd think would really absorb the noise. And possibly on top of it all, astro turf/synthetic grass carpet.

What do you guys think?

Dan

Please forgive the intrusion from an older guy, but I found Dan's idea about laying rubber membrane under the FasTrack to be an intriguing idea. Our layout is all FasTrack and has two loops. When 2 trains are running at the same time, it is literally impossible to have a conversation. My kids have Thomas and Percy, and when we press the whistle button, we cannot hear the whistle over the track noise.

Some have suggested putting pink insulation (the soft stuff, not the boards) under the FasTrack to fill the ballast cavity and reduce noise that way. I'd bet a combination of the insulation and the rubber would greatly reduce track noise.

Please keep all of us posted on your efforts and results regarding this issue. If you hit upon a way of significantly reducing the noise level, please share it with the entire forum.

Jim

[Demon09]

I ended up with a loop of fast track from the Polar Express set I got a few months back. I think the only thing I will end up using the fast track for is running under the Christmas tree, or when I feel like maying a small floor layout for old time sake. As far as the price, I noticed the price of 0-27 tubular has gone up recently too. In December I could buy track for $0.79 at a local hobby shop. Now I'm lucky if I can find it for less than $1.39. It could have something to do with the fact that it was right after Christmas too though-maybe it was still on sale.... Of course the hobby shop owner kept trying to get me to switch to fast track (being that I walked in as a complete novice with only a single loop of starter track under my belt), but the higher price led me away from that route.

With the basements, I'm not completely sure, but I think some homes are built without basements because they don't need the extra depth to the foundation. Here in the midwest we have to deal with the frost line in winter, which is about 4 feet under ground. The foundation has to sink below that line or else the house will rise and fall as the ground freezes and thaws. It just ends up being cheaper to make it without the basement on the west coast/south west, because if it is not necessary, it is not done because of the money issue. And the newer homes in the midwest probably have the deep foundation built a different way. They may sink below the 4 foot line but without using the foundation that sets up the nice cement walls that creates the basement (or should I say the "weight room" and "train room"?).

But I agree that houses without basements suck. I just spent the past 3 days cleaning out my basement.... That part sucked, but boy what a difference it makes. I have my layout completely clear for at least an additional 4 feet in any direction, not to mention the rest of the basement can now finish being remodeled into a family room so others can join me in the hobby without me feeling embarassed at the mess anymore. Not to mention the open space leaves me room to expand my 4x8 empire nearly 10 fold if I want to deal with the arguments it will bring up with my family.....

[ModelTrainLover]

ok them.. I'll get more in when I have time to. study right now 10:57 a.m. 4th peroid.

[danrunner]

Demon--thanks for the feedback. I'm wishing I did the whole thing in O or O27 Tubular simply because of price. I'm in deep enough now that I have to stay unless I pull the trigger on a trade. By the way, O tubular 72' radius is freakin' expensive. Close to 4 bones for a new piece. Fastrack O72 is only a buck more.

But what to do about that noise? I think that rubber membrane will work. Rubber is such a great eater of vibration/noise. It'll have to work if we move to where I think we're gonna move (job pending) where people have an allergy to basements--I don't get it. I think homes without basements suck--no offense-- but trains and weight benches need a home. Can someone explain why out west and new homes in the midwest don't have basements? A sump pump takes care of water under the foundation. We have a sump pump here in Indiana and our basement is cool and bone dry.

MTL--Sure baby, you're a founding member. It's all good. Heck, everyone who gets in in the next 20 pages should call themselves a founding father. In fact, I'm buying a little mountainous land in the Black Hills of the Dakotas--We're gonna have our faces carved into the mountains overlooking some cross-country tracks.

Cowboy up!

Dan

[casconi]

I do not think Fastrack is that loud. I have completed converted to it and I absolutely love it!

[Demon09]

regarding the fast track, it is pretty realistic looking in my opinion, judging that it is all put together when you buy it and you dont have the mess of pouring ballast. It is much louder than any of my 027 though, and i ended up making my layout out of 027 because its quieter and cheaper.

Wouldn't know about the padding, but let me know how it works out... right now im running the 027 straight on the plywood and it gets pretty noisy.

[danrunner]

Is Fastrack too loud?

Certain not to be left behind this time, I bought a ton of Fasttrack and have/had a three-loop layout. It's super-easy to work with, but It's pretty loud.

I've never run it side-by-side w/ tubular o27 or even realtrax, but it has to be the noisiest of them all.

What do you think and is it worth the noise?

One modification I'm considering: Ever seen those sheets of rubber for flat roofs? Pure rubber sheets that self-adhere? Well, I'm thinking of a plywood base, homosote layer second, and either a styrofoam layer after the homosote or go straigt from the homosote to the rubber membrane. I'd think would really absorb the noise. And possibly on top of it all, astro turf/synthetic grass carpet.

What do you guys think?

Dan

[ModelTrainLover]

hey danrunner would I be one of the founders of this forum cause I was checking in regulary from when this chart room was only 2 pages?
I'm just wondering.

[ModelTrainLover]

www.alstom.proboards78.com have for those of you who would like a web site on eastern rr this one is in real need of members. less than 20 .