15 MAY 2006...A DAY of PICS and TRAINS

[Anonymous]

And today, the 15 of May, we begin a line up of our latest encarnation of "The Line."

I am the owner and operator of the Norma & Micaela Railroad, N&MRR, and my line is about 45% complete. I have a collection of "Sow's Ears" as well as several Bachmanns. These pics will be designed to show the limits of Sow's Ears...



(Above) A Sow's Ear, Locomotive No. 9, pulling more considerable Rolling Stock through Poor Vic's Curve. Poor Vic's Curve is named for our Own Vic Smith. In the story of the N&MRR the curve is named for an Engineer, Vicktor Schmitt, who went off the tracks near this area.




(Above) Locomotive No 9, approaches the Borracho Gultch Trestle. Also named in honour of Vic Smith's Line (of which I hope he posts some pics). It is a tresetle that bridges a segment of the line after a caliche rock fromation called Indain Point which was the site of "the Cut."



(Above) Here is a pic of the old fence. A few months back I made a post on how long wooden structures last. In the Story, this is part of an old fence line build by the city of Two Trees, Texas to parallel the railroad. It is to be rebuilt.



(Above) Another image of the Borracho Gultch Trestle.






(Above) The town of Two Trees, Texas. Its a peaceful Monday morning...soon trains will pull in to take produce to the market.



(Above) Locomotive No 9 pulls into Two Trees, Texas on time.



(Above) Locomotive No. 9 leaves Two Trees, Texas and makes its way toward Ian's Curve. This curve is named for our own Ian J. Brown of Aussie land.



(Above) The full N&MRR as it looks today. It is 45% percent done and I hope to add more track this week.

Later today, or tomorrow, THE GARDEN FLYER will make a run.

[tangerine-jack]

Is the Dixie D Short Line ready for the grand opening? Well, no, but here are some shots of where I’m at.

This is about 6 weeks ago when I just put down some plantings, included here for perspective.



This is the current city area. I used roof shingles for the asphalt areas and Elfin Thyme for what will be the park.



Here is a very “jungle” looking shot of the coreopsis, yarrow and pond. Wait! Is that a tiger hiding in the grass?


This is the reality check, yeah, I’m about that far along.


What photo of a Garden Railroad would be complete without a train? Right now this is just a prop, I haven’t got the track all the way down quite yet, but I like the look so far. The green rolling stock is being lettered for the Dixie D SL.


The “tree” to the right of the box car is nothing more than common parsley.


Hope you enjoyed the tour!

[Anonymous]

You have to admit, May is a beautiful month to run trains but truthfully I try to operate year-round as long as it is not snowing or raining. With the rhododendrons in bloom in the background, my Bachmann PRR Annie with a mixed consist made up of a USA boxcar nearly 20 years old, followed by a couple of Bachmann Jackson & Sharp cars, heads towards the camera.

And if you can handle a video clip of about 4.4 megs, here’s a link to them chugging away from the camera:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/BillC/anniemixed%20045.mpg

And here's a compressed Windows Movie Maker version of about 1.1 megs:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/BillC/AnnieMixedCompressed.wmv




Well, it’s a few days after the Captain’s due date at this point, but the pleasant weather had me outside running again this evening. Here’s my Forney with a short train, plus you can get an idea of what my layout is like. Take note of my JR terrier Cassie in the upper left corner.

And below is a 4.1 meg video clip link to the Forney running past:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/BillC/forney_may06%20015.mpg


Regards and thanks to all for sharing your pictures too,

Bill C.
Subumbra Garden Railway
South Jersey

[Tom The Brat]

Hmm. Odyssey Westward Railway doesn't go any farther than it did.

[Train 284]

I am Matt Starman, owner of the Boulder Creek and Cheshire Valley Railroad. I run all Bachmann equipment because I like it, but will make some new purchases soon.

Today, it was HOT, 95 when I took these pictures. I did not have any time, unfortunatly, to get the railroad runnin this weekend, so I staged the following photos.........



#7 on a freight run.



Airial view of the freight.



#12 on a coboose hop.



#12 and #7 double heading a freight train.



Airial view of the double header.



A view of the current layout. That chair in the middle is my "train watching chair" [:D]

[vsmith]

Hi all, well I got to run something this weekend, sort of....

Mostly to test my new jerry rigged Basic Train Engineer set up so I can run it on the outside loop. I made a carriable platform that holds the powerpack, and the BTE reciever that fits the wood post I was till now just putting the powerpack alone on top of, now I can use the BTE on the outside loop and I'll be able to use it on whatever set I eventually end up with.

No pics as I'm just getting a new computer set up here and I havent reloaded the camera software yet. I just had it finally with my 10 year old computer and dial-up. So till I get everything reloaded no pics and new e-mail address is in the loop too.

PS DSL is soooooo fast compared to dailup!

[Anonymous]

Sorry for the technical hiccups. Can you see these pics?

Ah, the sun was up and I had a bit of time outside in the garden, so here are a few pics of the line. The track was laid last year, in August. Enjoying my first spring with the railway I realize how satisfying it is to see different plants spilling over here and overhanging there. I suppose the thyme is doing the best job of lineside bushes and bramble.

Here my Decauville inspired 0-4-0 'Sage' pulls a small goods train along the side of the shed. I got an IP Engineering deluxe chassis from my wife for Christmas which is the basis for this loco. The boiler is from a deodorant can with main panels of styrene (plasticard).

Having traversed the endless wobbly straight, the driver begins to 'give it some welly' due to the slight incline here.

The back end of a train, a small planked wagon and the guards van pass 'Gunma Village Station' (just a halt really). Both rolling stock are scratch built. The wheels are really for use as rollers on Japanese sliding doors, but do the job well for 30cents a pair. You can just make out my wife and daughter having a heart to heart in the background. Hey girls, you should be watching the train!

Here is my railcar and carriage. These were the first things I built, based on actual 1920/30s railcars. The motor unit runs on a Tamiya simple gearbox with 2 AA cells.

Just a small pic to show the front radiator.

Bugger! I thought I'd got most of the weeds. Ah, well. This is the first water tower, made from a sweetcorn can, bamboo and wood.

The guard hasn't noticed 'Kumi' the cow. She loves to see what's trundling along. As many do, I make my people from clay and paint with acrylic paints. By the way, recent talk about couplers and buffers - I use many things, here you can see a jeans fastener as the guards van buffer.

The signal was inspired by the recent article in the US GRMag, and no, I couldn't make just one.

You can see the loco's name is written in 'katakana' (one of the three Japanese alphabets, this one mainly for foreign words). I got this idea from the Welsh locos, which had the Welsh name on one side and the English on 'tother (I think).

Well that's it from the 'Takasaki Light Railway'. Looking forward to seeing more pics.

Thanks for putting up with the increasing amount of 'what I don't know about computers'.

Funny, on my home pc I have no problem viewing, but at work I could see...no, no I couldn't see!

Matthew [bow][bow]

[Tom The Brat]

Somebody ate your pictures.

[SandyR]

I got rained out!
SandyR

[Train 284]

Sorry to hear SandyR! Got any other pictures from the past you could share possibly?

[Anonymous]

Matt, apparently a lot of people are seeing your pictures as a red X on their computers, perhaps because the file sizes are too large. Maybe you can compress them.

I was able to look at them individually, however, by right-clicking on properties, then doing a copy and paste into the url address box at the top of the screen. They are outstanding shots. GR Magazine should feature your railway!

Regards,

Bill C.
South Jersey

[Tom The Brat]

I can see them that way.

Cool!

I thought those must be hand-made figures. Beautiful.

[Anonymous]

Sorry guys, just got to work and I see what you mean. Oh, bother! When I get home I'll sort it out, promise.

Matthew [bow][bow][bow]

[Anonymous]

gentlemen;

All the photos look terrific.

Joe your railway has reallly come on but take some advice from an old man and forget about anything but getting a full circle, no matter how rough and insignificanr it may be. Once you have one you will know why! Thanks for naming a curve after me Joe; in reply i am developing Carrelles Cutting. it willbe on the link between area 1 and area 2.

Matt. we don't usually use our full names on this forum, as most of us have pretty sordid backgrounds and we would prefer that people didn't know who we really are.

Regrds from Ian on the other side of the world.

[ttrigg]

Before the days runs: a local passenger consist prepares to leave the service area at Rosebud Falls Yards.


A mixed local passes 'Dutchman's Mill' out in Rosebud Flats, headed towards 'Vine Arbor'.


A RbFSRy Trolley waits near 'Old Chef Produce' Stand just outside of 'Vine Arbor Amusement Park' for the local consist to pass.


After dumping a load of gravel at the service yards in 'Rosebud Flats', a work train rounds the great bend at the outer reaches of Rosebud Flats.


What's this? Piccolo Pete attempting to make one of these "Japanese Koi Whales" the catch of the day for his wife's restaurant!

[MTCarpenter]

Great pics everyone!!! And Train 284, I've got total respect for you and your layout!! Great things come from small beginnings.

I’ve posted these before, but I'll repost 'em just for kicks. We ran today for a little bit. No name and not our permanent home. Although my son refers to it as "The Pencil Train". Maybe "The Pencil Line"?





(notice his shirt...)

[Anonymous]

Kudos to everyone...this thread has been a sucess!!! Keep it coming!

If you didn't get the pics in on the deadline day...remember 15 May is the opening of the season. If you got rained out, do not fret...simply take pics on your opening day and post them here later.

Vic, I look forward to seeing pics...even one at a time...of your outdoor efforts. Ian of Aussie, thanks for the section of the line...I am working on the circle...it getting the track that is a pain.

Trig, I am going to put a parallel yard in Norma, Texas and name it after you.

Konichiwa Matt, I look forward to more pics from your layout. Did you make the figures...do you lay your own track?

I am happy...lots of pics to show my daughter. Lots of layouts to live vicariously through!!!

Major J.E. Carrales
Public Affairs Officer
Corpus Christi Comp Squadron
Civil Air Patrol

[Anonymous]

Pics are up now, I hope. Cappy, I try hard with kids modelling clay as it is sooooooo cheap here. The track is floating on 2 inches of gravel, ballested with very small gravel. I soaked it in but have waited until after winter before getting serious.

Regards, Matthew[bow]

[Tom The Brat]

What fun!

[Train 284]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MTCarpenter

Great pics everyone!!! And Train 284, I've got total respect for you and your layout!! Great things come from small beginnings

Wow a fan! [:D] Thank you MTCarpenter! Hope your turns out just as good!

Great pictures everyone! Very impressive! Keep them coming too!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Capt Carrales

If you didn't get the pics in on the deadline day...remember 15 May is the opening of the season. If you got rained out, do not fret...simply take pics on your opening day and post them here later.

Yes I agree! This is a great thread, let's keep it going!

Have fun guys!

[vsmith]

Some pics of the test run to check out the portable BTE platform but it shows the current status of the layout, check out the white birdhouse in the mddle pic. That birdhouse is less than 6 months old and all the shingles are falling off! Weathers been hard, very hard on all my structures as time wears on. I suspect eventually I'll be looking at either tossing them or doing complete rebuilds on them...

[Anonymous]

Vsmith, you got a pretty good lookin little layout there.

[Train 284]

QUOTE: Originally posted by RR Redneck

Vsmith, you got a pretty good lookin little layout there.

Yes I agree, very nice!

[tangerine-jack]

John Busby of Down Under asked me to post these photos of his railway. So for a nominal fee (John, the itemized billing account is on its way to you now) here they are in his own words:

“Hi TJ
If you can could you please put the following pictures on the "15 may a day
of pictures and trains" thread on trains com.
They are:



This is my railway totem I think you in the US call it a herald.

and these are Innisfail tramway toast rack coach and HB caboose manufactured by Tootle Engineering unfortunately manufacturers pre delivery photos




and these are a friends 10mm scale 32mm gauge model of a WAGR
XB class locomotive 1008
The name of which I cannot remember testing the Narrow gauge track of the
NVTwy at Moyasta Jct the inter change point between the 2' Narrow gauge
NVTwy and Supposedly 3'6" gauge EGR.




regards John Busby “

[Anonymous]

They all look great! I hope to get out when it stops raining for the umpteenth day![:(!] If not I will start building an ARK![:p]

[tangerine-jack]

QUOTE: Originally posted by carpenter matt

They all look great! I hope to get out when it stops raining for the umpteenth day![:(!] If not I will start building an ARK![:p]

Why would you build a box? Shouldn't you build a boat instead?[;)]

Anyway, yes, they all look great! Seems that I have a looonnng way to go yet to be up to standard. My coreopsis and yarrow started blooming today, I'll post an updated photo in a day or two once every thing gets into full swing. Good new is that I'll start construction of the viaducts this weekend. Once they are in that should give the whole railroad quite a different look, hopefuly a good one at that[:p].

[John Busby]

Hi TJ
Thanks
I think its time you found a drawing of a very small but very interesting station building for me, and leaned on the engineers to produce a 20mm high etched name boards for the depot for when it finaly gets built by me.
I still have a couple of stations to arrange yet
Any variation derived from your name is perfectly acceptable as a depot name.
remembering that small can mean quite a large structure in G or should I say 16mm scale like the toastrack coach.
regards John

[Anonymous]

Hey John.

Ooh, toast-rack coaches, now I want to make a mini one for my line. Just right for the summer season. By the way I haven't sent that diagram of the guards van yet, sorry. I'll put it through the scanner this weekend.

Matthew [bow]

[John Busby]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MatthewFoster

Hey John.

Ooh, toast-rack coaches, now I want to make a mini one for my line. Just right for the summer season. By the way I haven't sent that diagram of the guards van yet, sorry. I'll put it through the scanner this weekend.

Matthew [bow]

Hi Mathew
You could get a Japanese toastrack tram tram kit if such a thing is avalable
and convert that to rail use.
A Canadian short line converted trams to passanger coaches.
Or perhaps make some fair ground style coaches with pagoda roofs
for summer picnic specials just to be different.
Thats [2c] worth of thought on it.
If none of the above suit you will have fun with all those uprights.
regards John

[Anonymous]

This is about the pictures posted here.

As you have seen I've had difficulty posting pics. I started using Webshots album pics, but they didn't show up on many computers. So I changed to my website pics. All but 1 are from there at the moment. I'm still not sure if they can be seen[%-)].
Now one (the second pic from the top) is from the Photobucket site as I noticed other members use it.

Can you see any of these?[%-)]

Please, please, please let me know the best and most reliable place to put photos.

[sigh][sigh][sigh]

Matthew [bow][bow][bow]