in a VIRGINIAN mug, please & thanks.
***Jeffrey, looks like you already did a re-paint on the new gondola.
***Philip, in the first tender pic, I can make out a piece of Lichen sticking up in the clump foliage. Also like the very realsistic ground cover & track work in the pic of auxiliary tender. Kidding aside, that will be an impressive sight to see 587 breath life once again.
Healing thoughts to those in need!
Rob
Since Rob has the TOP honors I'll have some tacos and chili.
Mustn't forget the Tabasco sauce.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Paul,
Some pictures of the M/V American Courage hauling taconite from the former PRR docks to the steel mill:
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2374209450029441264PBmeYR?vhost=rides
Lee
BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret) L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes
Afternoon, Janie - it's about time for me to have another root beer float, I'd say!
Gee, I missed PC's "Kill-the-Credit-Card" special yesterday? Pooh! Well, thanks for the RBF, Rob!
Rob, I guess the auction folks are waiting on their economic stimulus (AKA MRR stimulus) checks to arrive. Hopefully all those watching your auctions are in the first batch and they just got their checks by now. Check your email tonight - will be sending you some info and some questions on the layout ideas. Good to hear that you're getting your stuff organized. Want to send me some tips to motivate me on my stuff?
Hey, Dick, watch't there! There are a few of us Neanderthals who haven't had our wisdom teeth out yet (lack of good dental coverage). Good to hear that your rainfall has been tolerable so far.
Shockwave, that's not good when the termites are back already. Have your Mom make sure they get them knocked out for good this time.
Jerry, you do great with those bargain cars! Of course, I'd probably just see the umpty-nine coats of bad paint when I saw them, and walk by at the train shows. So I end up without as many bargains as you find. Good job on that caboose!
Oh, for Johnboy and others - I talked this weekend with daughter,
and they're getting the hang of baby-tending. Andy's even learned how to change Drew's diapers. Good for him! They said Joey the schipperke is getting better about when Drew cries, but Joey the schipperke
still spends a fair amount of time outside. Sarah thinks Joey realizes it's not a 'good' thing when Drew cries, but Joey is still figuring out what to do (Sarah said on occasions when she would cry, Joey would come over and 'love on her' - nuzzle up).. Sarah's had her mother and mother-in-law over at some times to babysit Drew (Sarah has some IEP's for students she's seen as a speech pathologist that need to be finished up before she gets to take the rest of the school year off - Individualized Educational Plans). Sarah said she's also re-arranged her times for the IEP's around Andy's days off from work, so he can take care of Drew while Sarah is gone doing that. She said she has about all of the IEP's done now (she thinks), and will be asking at school this next week how much it will affect her $$ if she takes the additional 1-1/2 weeks (beyond her family medical leave time off) until the fall semester.
Garry, good to hear your surgery went well, and may it be a long, long (like never again) time until your next one. You sure that medication wasn't connected to your problems? Not that a pharmaceutical company would cover anything up...
Hoople, you lucky dawg - you get to work on two layouts, huh? Happy switching (and layout designing) at your Dad's place.
Well, got to go for now. I (and others) finished the church's School of Leaders (training for being a small group/Network leader, plus instruction on prayer, evangelism and several other topics), and tonight at the 5:01 Sunday evening service is graduation.
I'll be back later and catch up on the rest of the posts. Take care, and have some fun with your MRR'ing for what's left of your weekend!
Blessings,
Jim in Cape Girardeau
I've been somewhat busy today, as you can see. I had wanted to use India ink and alcohol as the weathering agent. Unfortunately Wal-Mart was fresh out of India ink and there's no other place in this burg that carries it. I dod however find a pure black gel from Folk Art (plaid) that works quite well. A little of it goes a lllooonnnggg way.
RailBox from right.RailBox from left.All that remains is to add some rust here and there.
Ah Hoople you territorial expansionist, you. good job! Yes indeed I'm back from the missing (and the track). One smash up (no injuries), one fender bender and I managed to my great chagrin to launch the bonnet (hood to those of you not bilingual) of one of the Lotus Sevens to a height of 20 feet in the pit lane by failing to reattach it after checking an engine problem. Other than that a good weekend. And best of all, i managed to get a couple of hours in relaxing today after completing my chores at home.To wit I present Sams Shop, a place where I wasted countless hours in my youth. Of course the name is changed to protect the innocent and to honor Sam Goody, purveyor of music to the masses of which I was one.
And Sams in context on Water Street between Elliots and the kit bashed Merchants III which will end up as my brothers bicycle shop, The Green Door (an infamous bar in New London where we used to play) and "under construction" so I can try to kitbash scaffolding and painters (watch it Bob you may be in the scene).
I tried my best to get the MUSIC sign nice and crisp with ink and a 00005 brush as i couldn't get lettering small enough but failed miserably. I'm also having lots of trouble getting a good depth of field with my digital camera even on the macro setting. Any ideas?
I'll get a nice glass of Cabernet now and try to catch up on news here. CUL, J.R.
Evening Gang: I spent most of the day printing photos for Mary Ann to send to Lara in New Mexico. Our son in law is retireing for the Air Force after 20 yrs and they are for the party. Would you believe he turned down his retirement ceramony?
Jeff that Rail Box car looks great. You say that the black goes along way. How much did you use? How did you applie it?
Hoople the rail magnet. I guess you will be doing alot of planning now.
RT the music shop looks good. I can't help you on the depth of focus. Have you tired to use the telephoto and move farther back? I used to do that with my 35mm SLR.
Lee thanks for the pictures. I still like the old straight deckers but the furture is in the stem winders. I hear that there may be some new boats built to the River class because many of the newer boats are too big to get up the rivers.
I guess I'll head for bed.
Good Night All
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
Scrambled eggs with cheese & hashbrowns, please & thanks.
***Lee, cool pics of American Courage.
***Jim, sounds like a busy time for your daughter and all. Has she forgotten the definition of the word "sleep" is yet?
***Jeffrey, very nice weathering on the railbox.
***JR, how far is your camera from the layout when you take the pics? Do you use a tripod? What lens are you using?
Dang, took some big hits on the vintage Berkshire & Yard Goat. Had I known what they would sell for, I would have kept them. The remotor in the Yard Goat alone cost more than what I just sold it for. OUCH! Only thing that sold well was the Bachmann EZ track. Anyway, too late now.
Had to buy a new PS ($50) for the puter today. Cost about as much as both those locos combined just sold for. Did I mention how little I sold those two vintage steam locos for tonight? Oh yea, guess I did. Usually they sell for twice what mine did. Just bad luck this time around.
Oh, while walking through the barnyard this evening, heard wings from above. Twirnt no angel, rather another aerial assault by that male Canadian Goose. Turned in time to pump both fists skyward and drive off the aggressor. Anyone watching would have had a good laugh. That bird doesn't seem to understand that "it" is the one in danger. Good thing I have a sense of humor about it. Hmm, wonder how long before Mother Goose hatches out some goslings? Like it or not, I will need some of those shavings for the barn in the next few days. Don't worry, I won't disturb her nest.
All for now. <-That is a "forced smile" because I practically gave two locos away tonight. Oh yea, already said that didn't I. Gurrrrr! Rob
Evening, Janie - I'll have a glass of wine also, please.
Thanks.
Oh, Dick - I'm officially checking in. We had some rain, but the worst of the storm went south of us, near the Bootheel of Missouri.
Hoople, you need some decent trackplanning software, with all your RR's new trackage rights that you've been accumulating lately! You da man!
Jeff, very good job on weathering that RailBox - and you got that gondola painted right quick, too!
JR, I like that Sam's Shop. Is that "Tapes" alongside the door?? You must've grown up later than I did... I like your weathering and painting on that building.
RT, hope you got some more sleep before you went in to work today.
Well, I'll be sipping my wine until it's time to head back home.
Blessings and a good night's sleep,
Last call before bed time guys.....
JIM: Thanks for checking in, and happy to see that you did not get in harms way, but this is a very active season, so keep your eye on the weather reports.
Bon Soir,
Good Morning from Tipton IN !
Bill Tidler Jr.
Near a cornfield in Indiana...
Paul W. Beverung wrote:Jeff that Rail Box car looks great. You say that the black goes along way. How much did you use? How did you applie it?
Good Morning All,
35F but clear today and tomorrow hopefully. On the pics, the camera is a Canon A510 digital and only has a macro focus and spot focus setting that I've found so far. The street level pic is with the camera sitting on the crossroad for stability and about 4" from the front door of Elliots on the corner. I didn't expect the bus to be in the pic let alone in focus as it was no more than an inch away at that point. I was more concerned with getting the area further down the street in focus. I'll try again with a fancier digital if I get a chance this week.
Jim, the signs on each side of the door at Sams read records and yes, tapes. They used to advertise 8-tracks for sale in the 60's (remember 8-tracks?) to show that they were modern and up to date. I'd like to find some vintage stereo signage to add to the window like Garrard, Bang and Olofson, Marantz, Worfdale, etc. and maybe some 60's album art if i can get it reduced in size enough. Haven't looked for that yet.
Lots to do today, mostly clean and unload so I'd better get to it. Catch y'all later. J.R.
Good Morning, Zoe - just a go cup of the coffee, please. Swinging by before I head out for the W-thing.
Sunny (about 50 F) this morning, and heading for the 70's (even the upper 70's) F today. They're talking milder breezes (5 or 10 mph) today, so should be a pleasant one in Cape G. Hope the rest of you get some of that. I did see on this morning's weather map that a fair amount of Texas was to get light rain today, so Paul, that may mean you. Couldn't see on that map how far west the rain was predicted, but it looked like it wasn't quite all. A bit of rain off the SC coast, so maybe you'll get a bit of the wet stuff, Rob (or maybe not).
Rob, sorry to hear about the poor showing on your auctions. Maybe a goose dinner would perk you up? Just kidding!
Oh, I did get the wall brace glued on for the one weak joint on my Roberts building kitbash, but didn't get to painting it. Perhaps after work this week, or by next Saturday.
Well, I'd best go for now. See everyone later, and take care of yourselves.
Good morning all....Its a sunny cool morning here....I'll have biscuits and gravey with coffee please...thank You.....I started working on a Atlas Dinning car out of the rehab box yesterday trying to figure out trucks for it...also an old Arnold Shorty old timer coach that needs to be stripped...
Jim....Thanks for the kind words..I get a kick out of rehabing cars and engines kinda like a real short line..I have alot of time on my hands and working on stuff like that helps to pass alot of time....
Jeff...Nice weathering on Railbox and paint and decal job on KCS gon....
JR...Like the Music shop...Maybe you could put a speaker in it with tunes?....Maybe you could find a old Record Club Ad they use to have small photos of record albums that you might be able to use..
You all have a good one...Jerry
Morning all.
Just stopping in before school.
Paul, GMT, and Jim: I have RTS 7 (and 8, but 8 is a little confusing...) and I will be working at it. One of my friends is trying to make me get Xtrakcad (I swear that's not spelled right...), which is probably a good idea, seeing as I'm using atlas, peco, and all sorts of things.
Now one of the new layouts will HAVE to have a big turntable to fit my beasties...
I'll see y'all after school.
Good morning everyone...
JIM CG said "Garry, good to hear your surgery went well, and may it be a long, long (like never again) time until your next one. You sure that medication wasn't connected to your problems? Not that a pharmaceutical company would cover anything up..." Jim ... Yes, the meds were recalled and the double doses could have done some major damage. My electronic gismo corrected a really bad rhythm event, and I hate to think of what could have happened with out the electrical corrections. There were several minor rhythm events, too. Generic drug makers, I've learned, may not have adequate quality controls.
Also, I'd like to ackowledge Dick for his kind remarks. Thanks, Dick.
I like seeing Jerry's fixed-up rolling stock, too. I have several of those myself. Doing such things makes the hobby more affordable and more fun.
Jeff's Railbox car and his KCS gon came out looking great.
I wokred on the layout some yesterday, and I scratch buit a passenger shelter to be placed across the tracks from my new depot.
Happy model railroading!
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Morning all--
Haven't been here in a while--been working with the choir at school lately, doing a couple of competitions and our Spring Sing. Finally got that over with--oh, BTW, our choir entered its first competition last month and came away with an all over "Superior" rating--not bad for our first competition EVER! Very proud of those guys. Our Spring Sing went over extremely well--about 700 or so in the audience. We did it at a large local Parish with great acoustics, and got several standing ovations.
And--I did it. I decided to--gasp!--RETIRE! So except for giving a final exam next week, I am officially a gentleman of liesure. Decided that, hey, I've been doing this professionally for about 45 years, and I think it's time to hang up the music and do some stuff for myself.
Been resuscitating the Yuba River Sub lately--putting in a new engine facility and FINALLY deciding to do something about that big, huge stretch of 'ice-cream' Sierra Buttes on the layout. I was going to do rock-castings, but then I realized that the huge stretch is 6' off of the floor and I've built up in front of them so far that leaning over on a step-ladder at my age and trying to apply individual castings would probably send me right through the scenery. So I ordered a whole bunch of Cripplebush rubber rocks, and when they arrive, I'll install them instead.
Here's what I'm talking about:
Not only that, but there's also about a 3' wrap-around in front of the locomotive that has to be done. And it's not really THAT accessable. But at least I'll be getting rid of the 'ice-cream' look. The 'rocks' should be here by the end of the week, so it looks like a 'first retirement' project.
Other than that, I'm going to do some traveling this summer--hit Colorado for a while, maybe tour the Southwest. Actually, retirement scares me a little--not financially, I'm okay there--but just wondering exactly HOW I'm going to fill all of this new 'time' I'm going to have on my hands.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Hi Zoe, Diners! I'll have a chili dog and a Dr. Pepper, please.
twhite wrote:Been resuscitating the Yuba River Sub lately--putting in a new engine facility and FINALLY deciding to do something about that big, huge stretch of 'ice-cream' Sierra Buttes on the layout. I was going to do rock-castings, but then I realized that the huge stretch is 6' off of the floor and I've built up in front of them so far that leaning over on a step-ladder at my age and trying to apply individual castings would probably send me right through the scenery. So I ordered a whole bunch of Cripplebush rubber rocks, and when they arrive, I'll install them instead. ...Not only that, but there's also about a 3' wrap-around in front of the locomotive that has to be done. And it's not really THAT accessable. But at least I'll be getting rid of the 'ice-cream' look. The 'rocks' should be here by the end of the week, so it looks like a 'first retirement' project. Other than that, I'm going to do some traveling this summer--hit Colorado for a while, maybe tour the Southwest. Actually, retirement scares me a little--not financially, I'm okay there--but just wondering exactly HOW I'm going to fill all of this new 'time' I'm going to have on my hands.
BridgeTom, I see what you mean - I think that'd be impossible way too hard to attempt (even if you had one of those roll-around things with the cantilevered platform that goes up and over the layout). One of those 'learning experiences' (as in, "I'll never do that again!"? )
On that "excess" time in retirement, I'll just refer you to Dick and Paul for comments about that... Maybe your cats will come up with some additional things for you to do? I do think that Southwestern tour sounds great to me.
Garry, I'd agree with you that it was a good thing that your gizmo was able to keep things from getting out of hand. Even better now that your surgery has corrected things. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you've been doing on your layout. I might want to steal an idea from your passenger platform - I've been wondering about something like that for my passenger station area.
I'll get back to my chili dog now.
The trucks of the RailBox are now rust colored. I think it adds to the character of the car.
I did the trucks and wheels of the gon while I was at it.
Being the Jonny-on-the-spot that I am, I happened to catch a pic of Jeff when he wasn't looking.....
pcarrell wrote:Being the Jonny-on-the-spot that I am, I happened to catch a pic of Jeff when he wasn't looking.....
All right, once we distract Phillip with some pies, who will go steal his copy of PhotoShop off his computer's drive?
Jeff, your secret's safe with us.
P.S. Oh yeah, Zoe - a RBF to go, please!
Wow ... it's the caped crusader!
I really like Tom's layout pix. Congrats ,Tom on your retirement decision!
Here's my depot at "Valley Heights" as it is now. I'll probably add a few details and some figures. That's my kitbashed Walthers observation at the rear of the "Twilight Zephyr".
The shelter across the tracks is made from evergreen plastic pieces. The branchline is next to the shelter and connects with mainline out of view to the right.
twhite wrote: Morning all--Haven't been here in a while--been working with the choir at school lately, doing a couple of competitions and our Spring Sing. Finally got that over with--oh, BTW, our choir entered its first competition last month and came away with an all over "Superior" rating--not bad for our first competition EVER! Very proud of those guys. Our Spring Sing went over extremely well--about 700 or so in the audience. We did it at a large local Parish with great acoustics, and got several standing ovations. And--I did it. I decided to--gasp!--RETIRE! So except for giving a final exam next week, I am officially a gentleman of liesure. Decided that, hey, I've been doing this professionally for about 45 years, and I think it's time to hang up the music and do some stuff for myself. Been resuscitating the Yuba River Sub lately--putting in a new engine facility and FINALLY deciding to do something about that big, huge stretch of 'ice-cream' Sierra Buttes on the layout. I was going to do rock-castings, but then I realized that the huge stretch is 6' off of the floor and I've built up in front of them so far that leaning over on a step-ladder at my age and trying to apply individual castings would probably send me right through the scenery. So I ordered a whole bunch of Cripplebush rubber rocks, and when they arrive, I'll install them instead. Here's what I'm talking about: Not only that, but there's also about a 3' wrap-around in front of the locomotive that has to be done. And it's not really THAT accessable. But at least I'll be getting rid of the 'ice-cream' look. The 'rocks' should be here by the end of the week, so it looks like a 'first retirement' project. Other than that, I'm going to do some traveling this summer--hit Colorado for a while, maybe tour the Southwest. Actually, retirement scares me a little--not financially, I'm okay there--but just wondering exactly HOW I'm going to fill all of this new 'time' I'm going to have on my hands. Tom
Congrats. (HS Tenor) What group? Or do you go by those?
Stupid question: How are you going to mount said rubber rocks without falling through the scenery? Congrats on becoming an "Old Fart" And don't let Uncle Sam hear you're "Financially secure...
Anyone needs me, i'll be in a booth threading a dremel head on the shank... til midnight...
-Morgan
Flashwave (HS Tenor)
It's a Catholic boy's high school--Jesuit--and the choral program had always been considered a 'joke' until they got a fresh-out-of-college director about five years ago. She brought me on board (I'd already retired from a Catholic girl's school) and this year we acquired a Jesuit Scholastic who just graduated from Manhattan School of Music. Needless to say, the program just EXPLODED! Now we've got 10% of the student body in three choirs totalling about 150 guys. And boy, do they ROAR, LOL! Musically, I mean. Actually kind of hate to retire, but I figure that I've kind of done my job over there and the program is alive, healthy and in VERY good hands.
Oh, yah, have to mention this. The guys got together and got me a HUGE Gift Certificate to my favorite model railroad store. Now is that Cool or what?
As to laying the rubber rocks--pray for me, okay? Don Z suggested we set up sort of a trapeze act with me flying in and out, slapping the rocks on with each pass. Actually, I think it'll work out okay, as long as I'm careful and not TOO klutzy about it. Luckily, I do have long arms, so that will help.
It should be at LEAST interesting, LOL