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Posted by galaxy on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 6:07 AM

riogrande5761

Did this topic get hi-jacked to something non-train/layout related?  All of the sudden I see a forum topic labeled: "A Plan for the Improvement of English Spelling".  Does that belong in some other forum?

Yes, I think it got hijacked.

Unfortunately an English lesson should come with some posted thread topics.

If the OP doesn't know how to type, spell or use proper grammar, it can be very difficult to ascertain his question or meaning concisely. If someone isn't kind enough to point out that "text speak" or "chat speak" of very bad English makes it hard to offer the appropriate advice, the OP will eventually post thread questions that no one will answer as it hurts their eyes and heads trying to decipher the OP's meaning.

None of us are above misspelling or typos, but some threads are harder to read than others and folks tend not to post to that person's questions anymore. Then the OP gets discouraged being ignored and goes away, when we might actually have a new good modeler in our midst.

I am dyslexic, and it gets worse as I get older, so I can mistype a word as my brain "sees" it that way. Spell checker doesn't know I want the word "from" instead of the word "form" as I type in the order my brain "sees" it. Spell checker here on this site doesn't work for me anyway. ANd MS Word documents don't always translate well here.

Now, we return this thread to it's original programming without further interruption......

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by CSX17 on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 2:27 AM

okay cool thank's dude for those link's ill start surfing thsoe site's and looking on here some. where would i be able to find osme track plans ive decided to make thsi permenant now ill get a small computer desk as a work bench. for a 5x8 yeah i am going to add onto the existing table so i can get a tad wider truns' since i want to run sd60's and sd70m-2's and big stuff like that and maybe it be a twice aroudn kidn of track plan thanks' zach.

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Posted by steinjr on Monday, May 30, 2011 11:05 PM

jwhitten

 

I have heard a lot of people here recommend MB Klines. I have personally never purchased from them, but they seem to have a good reputation amongst the people on this forum. I saw someone-- SteinJr, I think-- give the URL to their web page in this thread, a few posts back.

 A handful of places I have bought stuff from and been satisfied with:

 M.B Klein. http://www.modeltrainstuff.com

 Trainworld: http://www.trainworldonline.com/

 Walthers: http://www.walthers.com

 Hobbylinc: http://www.hobbylinc.com/Model_Trains

 Caboose Hobbies: http://www.caboosehobbies.com/catalog/index_brief.php

 Pretty much everyone has their own favorite places. Most are good. There is a few places you want to stay away from since they tend to charge your credit card fast, and deliver the goods extremely slowly. In particular, you would want to stay away from a place called InternetHobbies (if I remember the name correctly).

 To find more places, use the search box ("Search our community") in the right margin of this place, and look for e.g.:

   recommended internet seller
   recommended internet store
  experience internet buying

 or similar search terms. You will find heaploads of recommendations and comments.

 Smile,
 Stein

 

 

 

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Posted by jwhitten on Monday, May 30, 2011 6:10 PM

CSX17

well hope this does it i dont' know how to edit thest thread's where are good internet base places to get stuff from guy's thanki's.

 

I personally buy most of my stuff from ebay. Particularly a seller called "The Favorite Spot". I don't have any affiliation with him, but I've bought a lot of stuff from him over the years. He's a good guy to deal with. He sells a lot of Bachmann locomotives.

I also buy a lot of stuff directly from Walthers  when they have sales.

I have heard a lot of people here recommend MB Klines. I have personally never purchased from them, but they seem to have a good reputation amongst the people on this forum. I saw someone-- SteinJr, I think-- give the URL to their web page in this thread, a few posts back.

 

John

Modeling the South Pennsylvania Railroad ("The Hilltop Route") in the late 50's
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Posted by jwmurrayjr on Monday, May 30, 2011 6:10 PM

Shore nuff!Surprise

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Posted by CSX17 on Monday, May 30, 2011 6:04 PM

well hope this does it i dont' know how to edit thest thread's where are good internet base places to get stuff from guy's thanki's.

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Posted by jwhitten on Monday, May 30, 2011 5:56 PM

CSX17

well somehow my thread got re titled that my title was i need help in hte layout desing planning section yeah it pretty much did get hijacked ot somethign it shouldnt' be. if someone can chage it back please do so thank's zach.

 

Done.

Modeling the South Pennsylvania Railroad ("The Hilltop Route") in the late 50's
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Posted by jwmurrayjr on Monday, May 30, 2011 5:48 PM

Zach,

Maybe you can change the title back.  It's your thread (post). Try edit.

Odd, eh?

Huh?

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Posted by jwmurrayjr on Monday, May 30, 2011 5:44 PM

If you download the free RTS track planning software from atlasrr.com you can  design your layout and it will tell you how much and what you need.

This online site looks pretty good but you may not need 25 pieces.  Of course they have lots of other good stuff too.

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product-p/atl-50025.htm

http://atlasrr.com/

Search for RTS and pick version 10.  There are sample plans too.

Ain't this fun? Cool

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Posted by CSX17 on Monday, May 30, 2011 5:42 PM

well somehow my thread got re titled that my title was i need help in hte layout desing planning section yeah it pretty much did get hijacked ot somethign it shouldnt' be. if someone can chage it back please do so thank's zach.

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Monday, May 30, 2011 5:38 PM

Did this topic get hi-jacked to something non-train/layout related?  All of the sudden I see a forum topic labeled: "A Plan for the Improvement of English Spelling".  Does that belong in some other forum?

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by CSX17 on Monday, May 30, 2011 5:18 PM

well thank's all for all the awesome advice. So flex track aint that hard to use and i know id be better off with larger than 22 inche radius but a 4x8 table is all i have space for and is all i have to work with. now my question is how do i figure out how much flex track do i need to buy cause i will be buying all my stuff online and what are good places on the internet to get the rail nipper's file and flex track. thank's zach.

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Posted by jwmurrayjr on Monday, May 30, 2011 10:28 AM

Zach,

Much good advice here. XURON makes nice rail  cutters.

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product-p/791-2175b.htm

Probably available at your local hobby shop (LHS for texters Wink)

Flex track is not difficult and you can use some "snap track" or whatever its called in spots where you can't seem to manage the flex.

Regards,

 

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Posted by locoi1sa on Monday, May 30, 2011 10:17 AM

   Let us not dwell on a persons disability. I know a few older folks that can not read or write but are very capable craftsmen at their professions. I also know a blind person who owns and crew chiefs on a drag racing car. He has been known to build engines without assistance from anyone. Do the best you can is all we can ask.

  As for the question of using flex over the ez track. Using flex is easier than you think. A good pair of rail cutters is a must. A small mill file will help with dressing up the ends. 22 inch radius is good for most locomotives but the larger ones look silly and toy like on them. You would be happier with a 24 inch radius or larger. Using flex track will give you more freedom from the oval round the table shape that you will be bored with in a short time. Another plus is few track joints. The fewer joints the better your electrical transmission.

    Good luck.

     Pete

 I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!

 I started with nothing and still have most of it left!

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Posted by jwmurrayjr on Monday, May 30, 2011 9:35 AM

Off Topic

SurpriseThere are six, count 'em, 6 "syllable forms" that determine the pronunciation of the vast majority of  English sounds.  Unfortunately these have not been taught in public school for over 50 years.  Hence folks have problems.  The "modern" approach is to just memorize about 100,000 words, which can't be done.Bang Head

Sometimes the "old" method is called phonics and is apparently the baneSuper Angry of all educators except home schoolers (Who seem to have very little trouble teaching their kids to read before the first grade.)

Using the method that was used in the 2 previous centuries my wife can teach non-English speakers of any language to speak and read English in 12 - 15 week with proficiency that allows them to do well in our schools and universities.

But, all that said, nobody really cares if immigrants or even our own citizens can read English.  The national dropout rate is a disgrace.Black Eye

So...there is a solution if anyone cared to listen.

http://www.dallasesl.com/

http://www.improve-education.org/index.html

SoapBox

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 30, 2011 8:55 AM

I´d like to hear that pronounced - probably a strong German accent.

Smile, Wink & GrinLaughLaugh

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Posted by jwhitten on Monday, May 30, 2011 8:46 AM

A Plan for the Improvement of English Spelling
by "Mark Twain"

For example, in Year 1 that useless letter "c" would be dropped to be replased either by "k" or "s," and likewise "x" would no longer be part of the alphabet. The only kase in which "c" would be retained would be the "ch" formation, which will be dealt with later. Year 2 might reform "w" spelling, so that "which" and "one" would take the same konsonant, wile Year 3 might well abolish "y" replasing it with "i" and Iear 4 might fiks the "g / j" anomali wonse and for all.

Jenerally, then, the improvement would kontinue iear bai iear with Iear 5 doing awai with useless double konsonants, and Iears 6-12 or so modifaiing vowlz and the rimeining voist and unvoist konsonants. Bai Iear 15 or sou, it wud fainali bi posibl tu meik ius ov thi ridandant letez "c," "y," and "x" - bai now jast a memori in the maindz ov ould doderez - tu riplais "ch," "sh," and "th" rispektivli.

Fainali, xen, aafte sam 20 iers ov orxogrefkl riform, wi wud hev a lojikl, kohirnt speling in ius xrewawt xe Ingliy-spiking werld.

---

"I don't give a darn for a man who can only spell a word one way." -- Mark Twain

 

Modeling the South Pennsylvania Railroad ("The Hilltop Route") in the late 50's
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Posted by CTValleyRR on Monday, May 30, 2011 7:32 AM

Zach,

I don't want to dwell on the typing -- I understand that you have issues, but they're not insurmountable.  My oldest son suffers from similar problems.  He has taught himself to touch type -- which basically means he doesn't have to see the keys to type.  Which is also what I'm going now.

OK, on to the topic at hand.  I'm not sure why you had trouble cutting rail with a Dremel, except that maybe your technique wasn't quite right.  First of all, for a hard metal like nickel-silver, you need to use the reinforced cut off wheels, not the thin emory wheels that typically come with it.  Then you need to clamp the track to something to keep the rails from slipping as you cut it.  I clamp the track to a piece of scrap lumber with an Irwin Qwik Grip clamp.  I've never had trouble.

One word of warning -- if you have vision issues and are presumably getting your face close to your work, you may want to invest in a clear face shield.  You don't want to get hit in the face (or eye) with a hot piece of metal.

 

Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford

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Posted by steinjr on Monday, May 30, 2011 2:00 AM

 I just did a quick price check at MB Klein (http://www.modeltrainstuff.com), which usually have fairly nice prices.

1) one pack of 4 pieces of 22" radius nickle silver eZtrack  : $18.50. You need four packs for two half circles, so around $80, maybe a little more, since there is postage in addition.

2) an H0 scale locomotive in NS colors, with DCC installled - from about $100 to about $250, depending on what you buy and whether you want just DCC or DCC w/sound.

 And Zach - it is not the bad grammar and poor spelling that makes your posts so hard to read. It is the lack of organization, and the missing information.

 Try to stop and organize your thought before you start typing, so you are clear about what you want people to do for you.

 Also think about what you will need to tell them before they can help you. The reader will not know what is inside your head, and there are hundreds and thousands of posts every month - it is not a given that the reader will remember (or go read again) your old posts.

 Not meant as criticism, just advice.

 Smile,
 Stein

 

 

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Posted by jwmurrayjr on Sunday, May 29, 2011 11:06 PM

CSX17

...I know it's my vision thing i have some assisted technology and really don't type fast i type pretty slow kind of hunt and peck so still mess it thanks for all the help guy's.

Embarrassed

I knew it!   Zip it!    Every time I open my mouth (or keyboard) I...Well... Your doing better Zach. Hang in there.  I knew a kid once with the handle of FURX and I think he's doing fine.

Ask and you will will receive.

 

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Posted by CSX17 on Sunday, May 29, 2011 10:48 PM

thank you bud and i will do to my grandpa i know it's my vision thing i have some assisted tehnolegy and really dont' type fast i type pretty slow kidn of hunt and peck so still mess it thanks for all the help guy's.

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Posted by jwmurrayjr on Sunday, May 29, 2011 10:29 PM

CSX17

I'm 20 year's old. OK let me try this again. Grammar was never my strong suit in school so ill try my best at it.  

I have a four foot by eight foot table my grandpa built me about a year ago and have been using it as a RC work bench for about seven month's and have some car's, DCC system. and a Bachman eztrack world's greatest hobby track pack.

I would like to get  some wider radius turns cause I live right near a Norfolk southern mainline and like the modern power that rolls by. What would my cost be on getting larger 22 inch radius curves to run some bigger modern power on and a decent DCC equipped locomotive?

Yes NS road name and my scale is HO sorry I forgot to list that in the first  post. Or would I be better off going with some Atlas sectional track and some flex track?  If so what are my option's on cutting said flex track cause I've tried a Dremel and it just didn't' work out. 

Thank you guys.

 Zach Flowe

Zach,

I cleaned this up a bit with just the spell checker and thee return key. Hope you don't mind.  Actually your grammar isn't bad at all but your typing (texting) stinks.Smile  I have to use the spell checker all the time.Embarrassed

About cutting flex track:  You can get some rail cutters at a good hobby shop and they do a fine job on track.  These other guys can tell you more about the 22" radius and layout.

And give Grandpa our regards.

Have fun,

 

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Posted by CSX17 on Sunday, May 29, 2011 9:47 PM

Im 20 year's old. okay let me try this again gramah was never my strong suit in school so ill try my best at it.   i have a four foot by eight foot table my grandpa built me about a year ago. and have been useing it as a rc work bench. for about seven month's and have some car's, dcc system. and a bachman eztrack world's greatest hobby track pack. I would like to get  some wider radius turn's cause i live right near a norfolk southern mainline and like the modern power that rolls by. What would my cost be on getting said larger 22 inche radius curves to run some bigger modern power on and a decent dcc equpped locomotive yes ns roadname and my scale is ho sorry i forgot to list that in the first  post. ot would i be better off going with some atlas sectinol track and some flex track and if so waht are my option's on cuttign said flex track cause ive tried a dremel and it jsut didnt' work out  thank you guy's zach flowe.

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Posted by jwmurrayjr on Sunday, May 29, 2011 8:59 PM

Tongue Tied Please put a bit more effort in making your postings clear.  So we can read them.Surprise

Try some punctuation paragraphs. And the spell checker. English is not yet a dead language...not yet.Welcome

Just slow down and do a good job like you plan to do on your model railroad.

And, if you don't mind me asking, what is your age?Cake

Keep at it. You can get a lot of help here if folks can read your posts.

Not your average Grinch,

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Posted by CSX17 on Sunday, May 29, 2011 8:35 PM

okay guy's thank you all for replyign so soon to this im sorry that i havent replyed sooner.

I alreayd have a 4foot wide by 8 foot table built form plywood and some deminsonal lumber.

 have a bachman ez track pack but will consider making it beocme flex track i talked to my mom she said i can have a deck she has to buidl my rc stuff on and make thsi a permant stuchter. and yes i do have a hard time through text bade communicaton.

i have a wgh set and want to get bigger turn's for some modern locmotives i love right by a ns main line i have a gititrax zepher system already on hand got me a few rail car's as well jsutn o locmotive and want some bigger curves waht will it cost me to get some 22 inceh radio curve's for it and waht am i lookign at for a decent dcc eupied or dcc rady modern ns desiel i have gotten si coal car's and i know ive been away form the hobby. thank's guy's any other queston's for me ask them away ill do the best i can to anser them.

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Posted by steinjr on Saturday, May 28, 2011 4:05 PM

 Read the original poster's previous threads (click on the post count under his name at left side of posts).

 It is not at all clear what he already has or what he is trying to do. The only thing that is clear is that the OP is vision impaired, and perhaps due to this, that he struggles with communicating clearly through a text based medium.

 Based on his posts from January, it variously seems like he is planning a 4x8 or a 5x9. At some stage it sounds like a table has already been built, at another like he is considering buying a table tennis table.It sounds like he already has some ezTrack (that his grandpa gave him recently).

 We will just have to wait for Zach (cnx17) to make clear what he is trying to do, and what he is asking about.

 Smile,
 Stein

 

 

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Posted by CTValleyRR on Saturday, May 28, 2011 2:49 PM

On the other hand, folks, I see Paul's point.

True, it sounds like the OP is trying to find out what it would cost him to make a small investment in EZ Track (or equivalent) that he could set up on a 4x8 workbench from time to time.

Having some experience with this kind of thing (the boys slot car tracks), I know what a pain it is to be constantly setting up and tearing down.  Moreover, the track connections eventually get worn and fail, requiring the purchase of more track pieces.

Furthermore, the OP may get frustrated with his inability to progress beyond a track plan with a couple of structures (that is, no real scenery) due to it's temporary nature.  So perhaps we ought to be looking at some alternatives that will enable a "more permanent solution" and allow him to enjoy his layout more.

 

Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford

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Posted by jwhitten on Saturday, May 28, 2011 1:54 PM

steinjr

 Not much point in speculating too much in what he might have meant. 

 Either the OP will come back with a clarification,in which case one can take it from there.

 Or there might be another five months between this post and his next post, like there were 5 months between his previous posts and this post.

  Stein

 

Well, that's good. At least we'll all have plenty of time to sit back and think up some pithy replies...

 

John

Modeling the South Pennsylvania Railroad ("The Hilltop Route") in the late 50's
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Posted by steinjr on Saturday, May 28, 2011 10:29 AM

 Not much point in speculating too much in what he might have meant. 

 Either the OP will come back with a clarification,in which case one can take it from there.

 Or there might be another five months between this post and his next post, like there were 5 months between his previous posts and this post.

  Stein

 

 

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Posted by jwhitten on Saturday, May 28, 2011 10:20 AM

Paulus Jas

hi,

he also stated he has a 8x4 workbench, i am pretty sure, i've never seen one like that. My family have been been building piano's for a living, grandpiano's too; all work benches were about 24" wide.  

I might be wrong of course, but any time i hear talking about a 8 x 4 with no alternatives, i just heard it to many times.

BTW take a (snap) trackplan, do your home work and you'll know the costs.

Smile

Paul 

 

Actually, he said he had a 4x8 work bench...  Whistling

 

John

 

Modeling the South Pennsylvania Railroad ("The Hilltop Route") in the late 50's

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