Crandell: Sorry about your situation. No tenure up north?
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Thanks, Schlimm. Not for a part-timer already retired. I was not employed in academia in my other life, more on the practical side.
Crandell
Phoebe Vet Lotteries are a tax on people who are bad at math.
Lotteries are a tax on people who are bad at math.
Amen to that, Dave but I am reasonably good at math. Good enough to know that the odds of me winning are DEFINITLY not in my favour but if I don't buy a ticket, the odds of me winning are even further from my favour. As the wife and I used most of our savings to pay off the mortgage when I retired in '97, I can afford to blow the money on a ticket or sometimes two each week. It's nice to be mortgage and debt free. The two kids know that they wont get a lot of cash when we kick off but there will be NO DEBT other than the current months purchases.and they will have the house free and clear.
At my age, if I win the big one, the shock will probably give me a heart attack and the wife and kids will have a comfortable life afterwards.
All the best to all.
Blue Flamer.
Same here. Both retired. One car payment, otherwise debt free. House is paid for, the other car is paid for, two credit cards, both paid in full at the end of each month.
I don't buy lottery tickets. My odds of winning are not that much different from yours.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
I have begun to construct the rest of the mountain for the far corner. I have cut out a shaped 'rib' of sorts that will be part of the outer frame glued and screwed to two outrigger lengths of 1X2. I'll post a photo soon showing how I did it.
Here are two photos of the mountain. First, the frame of 1X2 and 1/2" plywood. All glued, no screws.
Now, covered with strips of aluminium window screen, hot-glued.
I will begin to cover it with ground goop in the next couple of days. More to follow.
Nice! That's terrain that truly justifies a tunnel.
Mike
Modelling the UK in 00, and New England - MEC, B&M, D&H and Guilford - in H0
selector Here are two photos of the mountain. First, the frame of 1X2 and 1/2" plywood. All glued, no screws. Now, covered with strips of aluminium window screen, hot-glued. I will begin to cover it with ground goop in the next couple of days. More to follow. Crandell
I like the construction, the entire structure can be lifted off if/ when that is needed. Such a great layout and now all future work is done to ensure ease of dissasembly for that possible future move.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
"looking great", Crandell !!! The removable section is a good idea, and I may just copy that for the back side of my new layout, as it'll be a stretch to reach that area in the event of of derailments & other "disasters".
Bob
Oh I didn't even know you were working on the mountain. Very nice Crandell, very nice.
You back to working on the layout again?
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
Michael, I want to, I really want to. However, wife had rotator cuff surgery six weeks ago, and with Christmas, I had a lot in the home to look after. We are busy today with New Year's Eve hosting, and then things should settle down a bit. Mind you, wife wants to journey into the interior of the Province to see her mother and sister, the former being rather elderly and ill, and certainly in the late twilight of her life. So, I can't see me providing commentary or images before about the 8th of the month. If I can, I'll post an update by late tomorrow or Wednesday. Then, we'll be on the road.
selector Michael, I want to, I really want to. However, wife had rotator cuff surgery six weeks ago, and with Christmas, I had a lot in the home to look after. We are busy today with New Year's Eve hosting, and then things should settle down a bit. Mind you, wife wants to journey into the interior of the Province to see her mother and sister, the former being rather elderly and ill, and certainly in the late twilight of her life. So, I can't see me providing commentary or images before about the 8th of the month. If I can, I'll post an update by late tomorrow or Wednesday. Then, we'll be on the road. Crandell
Crandell.
Sorry to hear about your wife's' Rotator Cuff problem. She has my sympathy as I have had the same problem in both shoulders, the first time about 14 yrs. ago and this last time just over 2 yrs. ago with what the surgeon described as a "MASSIVE TEAR". Due to my age, (71+ at the time) and the severity of the tear he was reluctant to guarantee full recovery and use. After a full 12 months of Physio Therapy doing EXACTLY what the surgeon and my therapist instructed, the surgeon pronounced me completely healed with full use of my arm.
Just make sure that your wife doesn't try to overdo things. (Like climbing under your layout to run wires for you.)
All the best to you and yours for 2013.
It's looking quite nice there, Crandell. Will be great to see some steamers ripping through that tunnel - in BOTH directions.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
More of the same-ol' over the past couple of days. I had planned to do some work in the loft today, but She had errands and two health-related appointments, and can't drive due to her state with the rotator cuff repair. So, my day was otherwise occupied. In desperation, I told her I wanted an hour in the loft. I went out, planning to cut out, sand round the top corners, and paint a strip of 1/4" MDF that would be the retaining wall on my liftout bridge. When it was dry, about 15 minutes, I would press it into position on the outer deck wall with wood glue and leave that until I return from the trip into the central interior for a week. Everything went well until I attempted to spray the item with Krylon flat grey primer. I had painted the bridge and the first retaining wall, a total of maybe one full minute of spraying. All I got was a small string of spaghetti goo. Grey spaghetti. Oozing, not spraying. I heated the can, shook it some more, and got.......nada. So, it was a bust of an hour considering it was the first time in a month that I have taken up even a simple little project.
Now I have a week to fume.
selector More of the same-ol' over the past couple of days. I had planned to do some work in the loft today, but She had errands and two health-related appointments, and can't drive due to her state with the rotator cuff repair. So, my day was otherwise occupied. In desperation, I told her I wanted an hour in the loft. I went out, planning to cut out, sand round the top corners, and paint a strip of 1/4" MDF that would be the retaining wall on my liftout bridge. When it was dry, about 15 minutes, I would press it into position on the outer deck wall with wood glue and leave that until I return from the trip into the central interior for a week. Everything went well until I attempted to spray the item with Krylon flat grey primer. I had painted the bridge and the first retaining wall, a total of maybe one full minute of spraying. All I got was a small string of spaghetti goo. Grey spaghetti. Oozing, not spraying. I heated the can, shook it some more, and got.......nada. So, it was a bust of an hour considering it was the first time in a month that I have taken up even a simple little project. Now I have a week to fume. Crandell
Crandell,
Been there.....done it......Except the paint managed to go all over me and my clothes. My father has been very ill so after arranging for his care, I am heading back to the basement for some relaxation (?) and work on the layout. It does get better after a good fuming.......
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
Hey Crandell!
Remember this thread? What's the latest
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
I hope your family is doing well, it sounds like you have plenty to deal with at this time.
Best wishes
Rob
Mark, thanks for the jab. I took months off from the project due to family issues, a Maui vacation, and doing some restoration of a suite adjoining the house structure. Believe it or not, I have actually finished building the mountain and am now embarking on building terrain along the far wall, under the window, around the bridge and beyond.
One of my stalling points was figuring out how to make a removable mountain top for the large mountain containing the helix. I think I know my way ahead, and I will discuss that process in due course, probably not for several weeks. Meanwhile, I hope to be able to post some photos in the next week.
Bob, thanks for your good wishes. Things have improved thankfully, and I hope to be able to apply myself to the railroad during the spring and summer.
Glad things are improving for the family, looking forward to our next series of posts about the layout.
Crandall, glad things are well with you and family. Great to see that you are still working on the layout even w/ uncertainty of a possible future relocation.
selector Mark, thanks for the jab. I took months off from the project due to family issues, a Maui vacation, and doing some restoration of a suite adjoining the house structure. Believe it or not, I have actually finished building the mountain and am now embarking on building terrain along the far wall, under the window, around the bridge and beyond. Crandell
Ah, the pause that refreshes...isn't Hawaii fantastic? DId you stop in the Diner thread last month to see my pieces on RRs of Hawaii? All month long I posted in the Diner thread of Hawaii's RRs, past sugar cane trains, present tourist steamers on Maui, and the future they are currently building around/through/to Honolulu, with extension to Waikiki! WE can't wait to go back again, but until MOH has a job again, it looks slim on the current horizon!
Hope you get ot work on your layout soon,Crandell...
-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.
Galaxy, my apologies for not seeing your post. I don't look in the diner thread, sorry, so I didn't see your story and photos. I'll take a look now that I know they are there, though, and thanks.
Yes, wife pointed out the sugar cane train in Lahaina. This is the honest truth...when she mentioned it, browsing through the brochures we picked up while awaiting our luggage at the carousels in Kahului, I told her thanks, but I wasn't interested...it wasn't to be a priority. And I meant it. We were travelling with friends, and I didn't want to impose an eye-rolling train agenda item on anyone, not my loving and well-meaning wife nor our mutual friends. But, she was firm, and said, "We're going." And that was that. I haaaate it when that happens!
Now, an update. I have put out most of the fires, although there is plenty of smoke billowing around that forces me to keep my guard up. What a year last year was. It was a bear, and just wouldn't let go! I gave up all interest in the layout when my eldest daughter came to stay with us because of a rather serious and severe mental disorder. Then, my wife fell at work and injured her brain and tore her rotator cuff on the left side. And on and on it went.... The past couple of weeks, the weather has improved, I am able to get on my bike and try out my severely sprained ankle that happened a week into the Maui trip, and my mood is improving. So, I went into the train room and finished the mountain in the right far corner, the bridge ramparts on both sides (still have to install abutments), and more terrain using ground goop on up the grade to the left under the large glass-brick window (which are plastic, I learned).
Here are some photos showing the small riser supports screwed under the screen sections to help support them over wide distances, the gobs and strings of hot glue, and then the covered sections with the ground goop applied. Ground foam and clumps come soon.
First, the 'before' photos with the bare screen:
And, two showing ground goop applied just yesterday afternoon:
The goop looks rough when it is applied. If it looks too bad, I will smooth it with coarse sand paper. Ground foam in two or more layers, two or more types and colours, does a good job of hiding the roughness, though, so I'll test the worst looking sections to see how they look with ground foam applied.
Layout is looking good. Sorry that your family is going through so many hard times right now. Best of luck with everything and I hope everyone makes a full and speedy recovery.
Wow Crandell, you're doing a nice job on that mountain scene. Love that bridge, is that from your old layout?
I know how well you model water, so I'm anxious to see how that river scene turns out, its gonna look really nice!
Welcome back, Crandell....your mountain scene & rock work are absolutely awesome!!!!!
Thanks, Bob. I have soooooooo much left to do, but I tend to work quickly once the boiler pressure is up.
I see I forgot to answer the question about the bridge. It was a kit bridge assembled by a person on this list who sent it to me out of kindness. He had no further use for it, and when he learned of my need for it, he offered it to me. In fact, he shipped a couple of cartons of stuff to me, including the tunnel portals. So, my public gratitude here to that gentleman from the USA.
Your layout is looking great. The mountain is coming along well.
S&S
Modeling the Pennsy and loving it!
Thanks for all your comments. More domestic intrusions have taken place, but they are temporary. Meanwhile, I have completed the mountain and points beyond the bridge, and I have commenced the rock wall beside the lone portal that provides access to the track that doubles as the ramp around the lower part of the helix and on to staging and as the tail of the turning wye.
First, the completed module in the corner, minus finishing touches like trees, brushes, ballast and rail weathering....heck, I guess I have a lot to do yet.
Next, I show the module with the helix and the scissors-type turning wye in the foreground. The portal to the below-surface staging is at lower right, and recall that that access to staging also doubles as the tail of the turning wye.
Here is how I created a barrier, or a dam, to hold the ground goop I had to place against screen there to create a rock face right next to the portal. The barrier is eco-cork underlay that I earlier cut into strips to use as roadbed. Tight clearances near that portal. Note the heavy objects used to stop the bottom from slipping out under the weight of the wet plaster goop.
Next is a top view showing the first batch of goop dropped behind the barrier.
And last image shows how I intend to carve the rock face to make it look more than just goop hardened behind a barrier of eco-cork underlay.
Wow, nicely done. Nice to see you are still ticking away at it.
I slowed down quite a bit to on my little layout until recently, but guess the spring has given us a boost.
That is going to be nice sweeping main line run through there.
Best Regards, Big John
Kiva Valley Railway- Freelanced road in central Arizona. Visit the link to see my MR forum thread on The Building of the Whitton Branch on the Kiva Valley Railway
It's great to see you making some progress, Crandell! I missed the March 29 postings, but now I've caught up.
You sure work fast!