The Coffee Shop (a place to chat) Est. 2004

[grayfox1119]

Good evening gents....just about ready to head north in early morning. The weather is going to be rough however, they are forecasting sudden white outs here and there all over New England, and especially up north where we are headed into the White Mountains. Driving should be "thing of beauty" on I-93 through the passes.
I received three great pictures from Fergie of his ship, he is underway again. I think the motor control circuit board that controls the engines, can now run with NCE DCC controller.

Got to hit the sack early tonight, driving 220 miles through white-outs will be very taxing on the nerves...( and the wife )......don't worry Ed, I have two Yanni CD's onboard.

God bless , see you all hopefully tomrrow sometime after 4pm.

[JimRCGMO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by brclem

well I am back again.... I just found out that my Brother and his wife invited my parents out for brunch.... so my parents decided they wanted to go to the worlds greatest hobby train show in long beach this coming weekend.... the didn't even tell me until about 5 mins ago.... and of course I said that I wanted to go.

so it appears as if I am going to be going to it this weekend.... hopefully I feel better.

Good deal, Brian! Are you not feeling well? Or did you mean you felt badly, but now are feeling better?[%-)] The good thing is getting a chance to go, even if just for the fun of getting a whole lot of possible ideas (or to make a start on your Christmas list for 2005). [tup][:)]

Well, I'm out of here again, Chloe!

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[trolleyboy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SilverSpike

QUOTE: Rob,
Thanks for the post on my thread with the pulpwood car. Yes, it is a keepsake item that has been cherished and will be for a long time. I have thought of reconditioning the piece, but I do like it just the way it is, a reminder of days gone by. BTW, how’s your layout coming along?

Hey Ryan
It is good to have a few cherished keepsakes [:D]like I mentioned in your thread i have a few old books and some old furnature that I won't dream of parting with some family things must be kept and passed down for future generations to love and enjoy. My layout is comming along I had pulled up my temp track and I'm now putting my final touches on the design. I start a week of vacation on Sat and I'm planning on using the 10 days off or so to recharge my batteries and get atleast the mainline in and running for good[^][^][^] so I'm looking forward to that i'm keeping my fingers crossed that I don't Fergie myself too much while I'm working on it[:0][B)][xx(][swg] thanks for asking talk to you later. Rob

[trolleyboy]

Hey it's just me again. *** have a good trip hope you can pop back in but if you can't till monday we'll keep the coffee in the pot for you[:O][:O][:O][swg] I was glad to see that your son wasn't hurt that must of been quite the awfull experience for him. Try not to spend all your kid's inheritance at that hobby shop espeacially if it's in the tax free zone.[swg][swg][swg] Well chloe looks like we've got the place to ourselves so I'll make a batch of the ***'s you'll stay awake longer coffee for him for his trip and be off. Rob

[trolleyboy]

Just poped in to give us another nudge upwards.The nite shifts not in yet so i've still got the place to myself.Well i'm tired so goodnight all talk to you tomorrow.[zzz][zzz][zzz] rob

[philnrunt]

OK guys, last post before we head off to Savannah, to warmer weather (12F predicted for the AM here, 46F in Ga now) , better food, container ships, Tybee Is, more fun and a meeting with Tom and Bill next Fri! Really looking forward to it all.
Matt- Yes, we have standard back-up lights here, but I mounted one high on the Toy so we could set up camp at night without going to the trouble of digging out and firing up the Coleman. As for backing trailers, most of our backup lights illuminate the front of the trailer, making it harder to see behind the trailer. Ahhh, engineers. I'd hug 'em to DEATH if I could only find 'em!
Jim in Mo- I knew the Cornwallis couldn't be stuck in ice, 'cause Fergie's ears were so hot the crew could probably swim in the waters around the ship. As for how many glue sticks on the belt, you could just stick 'em on, then layer more on them, it would be unlimited. And way messy. But camoflauge woud just involve rolling around on the ground . A built in ghilie suit!
Ed- I have a copy of that song by Albert Hammond, havn't heard Harry's version, but I bet it's sweet. Just like your OJ. And sounds like you have every right to name your place Paradise. It's always neat to see people give their homes descriptive and cute nicknames. I've named my place Ice Station Zebra.
Just waiting for the sub. Just waiting. .........sigh.
Well, it looks like next Friday Amyjo and I will get the great pleasure of actually meeting Bill and Tom, and hopefully we will get some pix to post.
This sure is a great hobby!
Until next week, all of you take care and have a great week!

[JimRCGMO]

Good Morning Zoe,

Looks like just me so far this morning. Just a cup of coffee to go for me. Got to go back and finish getting ready to head oBLOCKED SCRIPTinsertsmilie('%5B;)%5D')ut to work. Would you put this donut and pastry assortment in the display case for those sleepheads when they get here?[;)] Thanks, Zoe, and tell 'em I'll be back later today.

Blessings on your day,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[tomwatkins]

Good Mornin' Everybody,
It's a beautiful morning in the mountains today. It's cleared off and pretty chilly, but very beautiful. The coffee is excellent this morning, and it's going to be a fairly light duty day. There are a few odds and ends to get done, and then it's off to the basement to carve foam.

I got a good star on the carving yesterday. Carve a little, vaccuum a little. Shop Vacs are wonderful devices. Naturally, as I started working on it, changes suggested themselves. But the changes will be easy to incorporate and will make the area more realistic and interesting. Cardboard web and plaster cloth wouldn't be nearly as easy to change.

Tomorrow Louise and I are going down to Cleremont, Ga. to a bonsai class. We've done that several times before and it's a lot of fun. The bonsai nursery there is really good, nice people to deal with, and very knowledgeable. It will make for a really good day.

Ed, it is starting to sound like a regular job. We really do appreciate the fresh OJ though. It's wonderful stuff. Sounds like the weather you're having now is about like our springtime weather. Warm sunny days and cool nights. They are hard to beat.

Der, how do you like working with the flexpaste to make roads? I've not tried it yet and I'd like your opinion on how it works out.

Paul, I too have gotten hot glue in the wrong places. It's very hot and very sticky. Not much fun at all. Your comment on the Brown Bess was very interesting. I'd heard before that properly used they were a lot more accurate than most people thought. The equipment is important, but the training and skill of the people are more important.

JimRCGMO, I remember the VW-snowplow commercial. It was a very good one. Since the VW was a Beetle, we're kind of dating ourselves again, but that's OK.

Ryan, the area around Cashiers and Asheville is very beautiful. Did you have time to take the waterfall tour? Do you wear knee pads when you're doing tile work? I just started using them a few years ago. I wish I'd started a lot earlier. They really help.

Grayfox, I'm glad that your son is OK and wasn't hurt. Ice is nasty stuff. It's also good that the car survived. Have a really good week and enjoy .

Noah, congrats on the English AP test. I don't think any of us are surprised that you did well.

Paul, I think we'll have to wait until Fergie gets back to investigate and find out what really happened to the Cornwallis. The mental picture of Fergie in a bosun's chair, soldering iron in hand, with an big orange extension cord running back over the bow so he could melt the ice is too much. I'm glad they got her going and they're out of the ice, but we'll have fun with it when he gets back.

Phil and Amy, We're looking forward to it too. It will be a lot of fun. Ya'll have a good trip down and stay safe on the road.

I'd better go for now and get the odds and ends done.
Have a great day, everybody ,
Tom

[Fergmiester]

You will all be happy to know that I left the Soldering thing ma jiggy at home, though it would have come in handy no doubt!

What sits in one's hand to control a MR in one thing but we have a compartment about the size of a double garage which regulates the voltage on this puppy. Amazing how a single board gone askew can disable it. Anyway we're back in Charlottetown, without incident, but will do some testing before heading out again. Enogh time for me to get to the LHS.

Anyway it's been a hap hazard week for getting much done as we've been doing alot of bouncing. so it's been strickly big bulky items. Hopefull we'll be sitting quiet for a couple of evenings so I can get some handrails affixed to Cabooses.

Later Gents

Fergie

Bob: I haven't had time to read back so has your pink package arrived yet? Have you rec'd any of my e-mails?Who invented lquid soap and why?

[Noah Hofrichter]

Zoe, stick a hot chocolate on my bill if you please, and load up on the Marshmellows. Well, I’m in here in the morning again today, no school today. It was planned for a while, but it would have been more fun if it was a snow day.

I also made some big changes to the layout last night. I took out a hill in the track, when the train when up to inches and down two inches, all while going around a curve, in six feet of track. Yeah, it was a nightmare. I’m glad it’s gone though, I can still up in a small hill, just not one where the track goes up and down. That’s another thing on the projects list. I’ll have to go start planning me new scenery in that area soon.

Not too much else from me, I may stop in later though. I guess I’ll go work on the layout for now. See ya!

Noah

[Fergmiester]

Well I made it to the LHS and picked up the spruce 1/16 x 1/8" x 36" timbers. This will be enough to fini***he trestle. I also picked up a book at the used book store called Railroad Curves and Earthwork originally printed in 1889 but this is the newer version (1931). should prove interesting.

Anyway back to work

Fergie

[Anonymous]

Good morning all.

I've spent the last day and half reading all I could find about the pros and cons of using cork or not and still wondering whar I should do. I don't have a plywood base or anything like that on the table. I braced it every foot with a 1 X 3 cross member and I was planning to glue the 2" foam on top of that. Some experimental runs showed very little noise using my 0-8-0 with about a dozen cars. I'm not positive that I'll gain anything other than looks by using cork under the track. Does anyone have anything I migh have missed or convincing arguments on this?

Gloria is doing OK but still has her moments... I wish I could take all that pain away from her.

Noah - Good show. A liittle bit of hard work always pays off. Keep it up. Nice web site too, I've bookmarked it to visit again.

Flip - Glad to hear that Deb is getting better by the day. Indeed, the procedure appears to have been a success.

John - Thanks for the tour, it brought back great memories.

Brian - Good go, Hope you have a great time at the show and take lots of pics to share with us.

*** - Glad to hear your son is fine.

Well must go, Gloria mentioned getting out for a bit!!

Happy MRRing

Luc

[JimRCGMO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by luct

Good morning all.

I've spent the last day and half reading all I could find about the pros and cons of using cork or not and still wondering whar I should do. I don't have a plywood base or anything like that on the table. I braced it every foot with a 1 X 3 cross member and I was planning to glue the 2" foam on top of that. Some experimental runs showed very little noise using my 0-8-0 with about a dozen cars. I'm not positive that I'll gain anything other than looks by using cork under the track. Does anyone have anything I migh have missed or convincing arguments on this?

...<snip>...
Luc

Luc, did anyone mention stuff like the AMI roadbed (think Woodland Scenics may have something like it too)? I will be trying that once I get going (have a roll of the stuff among my treasures), and understand that it - being sticky and all - holds the track (supposedly) without much tacking down. Not sure how it compares to cork in terms of sound properties. My [2c].

Tell Gloria we're with you - if we knew of a way to totally remove the pain, we'd do it. Hope the pain fades away (permanently) for her.

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[SilverSpike]

Good Morning, and Happy Friday Everyone!

Cooler temps this morning, but nothing like the freezing temps you guys up north get this time of year.

I’ll take a spot of tea today, keeping the nerves from getting over loaded!

Laid down about two dozen more tiles last night, I am getting faster with the whole process now, what used to take about 3 hours is only taking a little over 2 hours now. I may start to attempt to put down about three-dozen tiles per session, I’ll just have to mix more mortar! Another shot a tea please!

QUOTE: der5997
Ryan:
QUOTE: and people still drive at 70 +, what are they thinking!
That they own the road of course , oh! and that no-one else is on it

John,
Yea, I think sometimes they have a death wish or something. Taking my son to school this morning and of course you are in a “school zone” and cars are whizzing by like it was the Indy 500! Got to be extra careful out there!

QUOTE: grayfox1119
My son went over the embankment of his spiral driveway on a long stretch of ice. It took us 2 hours to get the car out of the deep snow, off logs and rocks and onto the flatbed tow truck pulling him up out of the woods.

***,
I hope everyone is OK, sorry to hear about the car! When the roads get iced here (once in a blue moon) they just close the roads, no one is prepared at all for that kind of stuff down here! BTW, have fun in the North Woods!

QUOTE: egmurphy
Looks like you got some responses to your post over on the Trains Magazine forum. Too bad it looks like you’re going to be in the middle of a fairly barren spot, railroad-wise. We were out there this summer and did 3 National Parks plus two tourist railroads. Unfortunately it’s off season for D&S and the Cumbres & Toltec.

Ed,
Keep picking them oranges, I will never tire of slugging down that fresh squeezed, three times a day too!
Yea, I got some more responses and they have listed a few good sites to see. While some if the drive will be through barren land, we will get into some forest line altitude in the New Mexico and Colorado areas, the Arizona, Nevada, and Utah portion will have a lot of that wide open driving. I am hoping that the off-season will keep the crowds down.

QUOTE: fec153
Oh, by the way- Deb's neck and shoulder pain is gone.
Many thanks to all for the prayers and concern.
Respectfully,
Flip. Phil Fla. Phil

Phil/Flip,

Great news on Deb! Looks like the operation has worked!

And also, a BIG THANK YOU!!!!!

The letter came in the mail yesterday, and the photos are great! Hey, that passenger consist could travel through about three eras huh! I like the around the wall layout design you are using, makes for easy access, huh! Some of those CSX cars do look like that are due for an overhaul!

Thanks again for the photos!

QUOTE: trolleyboy
… I won't dream of parting with some family things must be kept and passed down for future generations to love and enjoy

Rob,
You are so right, I want to preserve some things for my son to carry onto his kids and so fourth. Keeping family items of historical significance is important to preserving our family heritages.

QUOTE: tomwatkins
I got a good star on the carving yesterday. Carve a little, vaccuum a little. Shop Vacs are wonderful devices. Naturally, as I started working on it, changes suggested themselves. But the changes will be easy to incorporate and will make the area more realistic and interesting. Cardboard web and plaster cloth wouldn't be nearly as easy to change.

Ryan, the area around Cashiers and Asheville is very beautiful. Did you have time to take the waterfall tour? Do you wear knee pads when you're doing tile work? I just started using them a few years ago. I wish I'd started a lot earlier. They really help.

Tom,
I love my shop vac too, it’s a wet/dry, and so any kind of spill is easy cleanup. It’s kind of neat how as you work on a project it can take a life of its own, sometimes the material will dictate the direction it takes.

Bonsai class sounds relaxing. Do you have bonsai for indoors or outdoors plants?

No, I have never taken a waterfall tour. What is that all about?

Yes, I use knee pads for all the tile work. And the knees still get a little ache here and there, but not like if I didn’t use them.


Heading out to the local Boy Scout Shop today, picking up some awards for the Cubs and registering for the campout coming up in March.

Have a great weekend of model railroading!

Ryan

[JimRCGMO]

Good morning, Zoe! An OJ smoothie, please.

Just taking a paperwork break (nice morning at work). After reading through a page or two of the posts, just wanted to say I appreciate this bunch here in the Coffee Shop. Not only is this crew one of the most supportive I've been around online (in a while), but there are all kinds of things that everyone (collectively) knows and can help others with questions about. (Even things like, don't drop the soldering iron or the glue gun![;)]).

Just wanted to say thanks, and a big [tup].[:D]

Blessings on your day,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SilverSpike

Good Morning, and Happy Friday Everyone!

Cooler temps this morning, but nothing like the freezing temps you guys up north get this time of year.


Heading out to the local Boy Scout Shop today, picking up some awards for the Cubs and registering for the campout coming up in March.

Have a great weekend of model railroading!

Ryan

Ryan

Can you please fid some information on the Scout RR Merit badge. This is not something we have up here but it sounds interesting. Lisa tells me I'm going back to Cubs as they are short leaders

YiS
Fergie (Former Akela 2nd Woodlawn, Present AAC Pack dartmouth East)

Anyway Gents we sail in 15 mins so time for me to get to the Bridge and vamoose

Later Gents
Fergie

[Anonymous]

Well, class nearly got away from me today, don't have much time left!!

Had to go to a funeral for one of my classmate's baby Wednesday, not much fun. It was at our church, since we have the largest structure in town, but it was still nearly full. Probably 300 people showed up for it, not bad for a town of 560.

Fergie: Glad to see you back, now don't try to sink the boat again!!![(-D]

Zoe stick a hot chocolate on Noah's bill for me too.

Phil: know whatcha mean about the engineers, those that designed John Deere's never worked on a tractor before.

Better go now,
Greg

[Anonymous]

Goodbye all. I'll miss you . I'm going out to find myself. If I happen to come this way. Catch me, tie me down, and notify me. I'll be here pronto, if not sooner. I might even see Luct out here to. If so, I'll let'cha know.

Robert

[Anonymous]

Following are the business hours for the coffee shop.

BUSINESS HOURS
WE'RE OPEN
Most days about 9 or 10. Occasionally as early as 7, but some days as late as 12 or 1.
WE'RE CLOSED
About 5:30 or 6. Occasionally about 4 or 5, but sometimes as late as 11 or 12.
Some days or afternoons we aren't here at all, and lately I've been here just about all the time, except when I'm someplace else, but I should be here then, too.[:D]

Robert

[Anonymous]

afternoon everyone.

I talked to Mitchell last night.... he has started on his layout... it's 2m X 3m he has some pics on his rail images site of his progress... his account is under Mick Legg.

well the train show I am going to this weekend started today but I'm not going till sunday... I will try and take pictures and get them posted here as soon as I can.... I don't know when that will be but hopefully by monday or tuesday.

I did a little more work on my website last night while talking to Mitchell.... I added a links page and a small amount of information on other things... if you have a website and would like me to link to it just send me a URL via email with a one or two sentance desription of the site.

well everyone.... I'm spliting for now like a bannana peal.

talk to you all later.

[egmurphy]

Good Afternoon Coffee Clubbers,

At least it’s mostly cloudy here today, that’s helping keep the temperature from going too high. So far it’s still comfortable with just the fan going.

Spent part of the morning working on the layout. Today’s task was to trim / sand / fit individual plastic ties to fill the gaps where I cut ties from the ends of the flextrack strips to get the rail joiners on. So it was cutting up all those old scraps of tie strip that I had removed earlier, removing the old plastic spine pieces, cutting off the molded on spikes, and sanding them to make them thinner so they would fit under the rail joiners. Still not done, so I have some work ahead of me this afternoon.

QUOTE: Brian: …what is the format of choice for pictures in your signature?

Mine is uploaded from my RailImages account, and is a jpeg format file. Have you tried uploading one from your Freewebs site?

QUOTE: …so my parents decided they wanted to go to the worlds greatest hobby train show in long beach this coming weekend........ and of course I said that I wanted to go…

Ooohh, good opportunity. [^] I know some people complained about some of the earlier WGH shows as not having enough manufacturer representation and stuff, but I’d jump at the chance to go. That’s neat that your parents wanted to go, I hadn’t realized from your posts that they had any interest in trains. Hope you enjoy it. Report back, of course! Shows are more exciting when you’re getting ready to start, or are starting work, on a new layout because you always can find stuff to relate to.



Flip, glad to hear that the operation has helped Deb.

QUOTE: (CG)Jim: Fergie and the Cornwallis will both be back safe and sound soon enough. May have to send him to help Ed make sure the FCVN can keep up with the shipments.

Actually, since Tuxpan is a port, shipping is probably a good option. The FCVN has no problem in delivering dockside.



Speaking of the Devil, [}:)] Fergie, welcome back, even if this is a short shore shopping stop. [;)] It’s not nearly as active here in The Coffee Shop without you.

QUOTE: Tom: Carve a little, vaccuum a little. Shop Vacs are wonderful devices. Naturally, as I started working on it, changes suggested themselves. But the changes will be easy to incorporate …. Cardboard web and plaster cloth wouldn't be nearly as easy to change.

Dead on with the vacuum idea. It's even more critical if you do any sanding or rasping. I also agree with the idea that the foam is easier to change. But I suppose there are cardboard/plaster advocates out there who feel more at home in that medium.

QUOTE: Luc: I've spent the last day and half reading all I could find about the pros and cons of using cork or not and still wondering what I should do.

I’m sure there’s no one right answer. I’d pick the one that goes best with the way you want the roadbed to look. And like people here told me long ago, you can always rip it out and change it. [:0]

Sorry Gloria is still having problems. No new developments with her doctors on ideas for alleviating her situation?



Ryan, just have to ask this. In the Railway Post Office section of the February issue of Model Railroader, there’s a letter from a Ryan Boudreaux in New Orleans. That wouldn’t be you by any chance, would it?



Greg, what’s the “Image Monster” logo instead of your usual signature loco?



Okay, just wanted to get caught up a bit before the evening rush. Lunch was great, now it’s time for a nap. [|)] You just gotta love retirement. [:D]


Hasta luego,

Ed

[Anonymous]

Evening all

Currently watching German (or sometimes French, with occasional Italian) TV through the wonders of a 1.2 Metre satellite dish with twin LNBs - took a while to set up back in 2004, mainly as the dish is so unwieldy that moving it then tightening the adjusting bolts is a bit tricky with only one pair of hands! Now need to get a permanently-fitted small di***o pick up the UK satellite channels, Free To Air satellite is a wonderful thing!

I've also been doing some more repair work on the Fleischmann diesel loco I picked up on eBay a while ago. Currently awaiting some spares from an online stockist over here (who seem to be taking ages, I guess they have to order them direct from Germany), but I've cleaned and serviced the motor, repainted the white wheel rims, and it now runs well. Should look good when the new end walkways arrive, though I've no plans to convert it to DCC yet - isolating the motor looks near-impossible without doing some very precise drilling and cutting. Next on the list for conversion are (in no particular order) the other FP7 (I have a pair in Milwaukee paint, one of which has been chipped so far), a Bachmann F7A (Erie Lackawanna, superb runner, bought used at a very reasonable price) and the first two of my Athearn fleet - SP SD9 and EMD Demonstrator GP60. It's dawned on me that I only have one road switcher fitted as yet, so I need to increase the number of these. I also need to go back and replace the three Bachmann decoders I fitted as these are a real pain - they have very little slow speed control even after adjusting the acceleration/braking delay, starting voltage, etc. Now I know why they were cheap...

Oh yes, the best news of the day: According to weather reports on the radio this afternoon we should be looking at snow on Sunday evening/Monday morning. I've polished the folding shovel in readiness!

[Anonymous]

Good evening

Just a short visit. try this site. Neat!!!!!

http://www.lebonze.com/stuff/move.htm

Happy MRRing

[bjdukert]

Looks like I am the only one here Zoe,but I did see a visitor,so stop on in a sit awhile.This is a good place with good people.

Luc- That is quite a site,and what some of us will do for entertainment[:D][:-^]

Talk to you later

Duke

[fec153]

Well- no answer from Bob. Guess he took Stephie to visit the Coffee Club.
Can anyone tell me which is correct- Santa Fe # 3456 for a Pacific or for a Hudson?
I'm curious. IHC is showing a 4-6-4 for sale numbered 3456. I have a 4-6-2 by Model Power numbered 3456. Is one wrong or are both right?
Flip

[egmurphy]

Flip,

According to the SF Historical Society, it was a Hudson, built by Baldwin in 1927. Here's a link to their all time SF steam engine roster. Hudson #'s incl 3450-3465.

http://atsf.railfan.net/atsfstea.html

They show Pacifics as 3400-3449 and 3500-3534.


Regards

Ed

[fec153]

Ed- Thankyou. Your helpfulness is appreciated. Along with your O.J..
Peace to you and yours in Paradise.
Regards,
Flip

[der5997]

Good evening everybody. We were among the "sleepyheads" mentioned earlier this mornig. Overslept by at least an hour. As you say, Ed, "Isn't retirement wonderful?"[(-D]
BTW, have you ever noticed in reading on the forum that all the [swg]s do it all at the same time, so you get a great display of teeth if there are a lot of them close together.
Luc: The little lebonze man is about HO scale on my screen! And yes, we've all had days like that!
TomW:

QUOTE: Der, how do you like working with the flexpaste to make roads? I've not tried it yet and I'd like your opinion on how it works out.

It's not bad, but I painted it on with a pastry brush and there were streaks, and also a bit of a ridge at the edges. It dries quite quickly, but let it harden so you can work it (carve off the edge ridges, sand etc.) I finished with a couple of coats of Matte Medium, the last diluted with water. This has left a smooth surface ready for painting.
CapeJim

QUOTE: Luc, did anyone mention stuff like the AMI roadbed (think Woodland Scenics may have something like it too)? I will be trying that once I get going (have a roll of the stuff among my treasures), and understand that it - being sticky and all - holds the track (supposedly) without much tacking down. Not sure how it compares to cork in terms of sound properties. My[2c]

Jim, I used AMI and quite frankly I don't think I would again. It's advertized properties haven't yet been fulfilled on my layout. I find the ties don't sink down far enough into the AMI to make ballasting by the adheshion of the ballast to the road bed because of the stickiness of the AMI convincing. In other words, I think that I am still going to have to glue a normal thick layer of ballast in place, just as if I had used cork in the first place. But this is an experimental layout in many ways. Not all experiments are 100% successful[sigh] Another side effect of the stickiness of AMI is that if you drill close to it two things can happen. 1) the dust from the drilling coats the AMI and won't come off - so cover the AMI first before you drill! 2) If thedrill bit touches the AMI while still spinning, you have an instant bond [V]
Does it deaden sound? Yes, but as compared to cork? I just don't have data. Turnout thow bars are another cause for concern, as they will hang up if the AMI is not engineered away from them. Is it useful for other things around the railroad, undoubtedly. (Tunnel portal legs, snow blower wheels, to name but 2)
There is a gent in Vancouver, his username has 148 in it, who uses AMI a great deal. If you do a search on the MR forums you will probably come across him. Email him, he will be able to give you the positive side.[:D]
Ryan:

QUOTE: Yea, I think sometimes they have a death wish or something. Taking my son to school this morning and of course you are in a “school zone” and cars are whizzing by like it was the Indy 500! Got to be extra careful out there!

When we crossed Canada to get to B.C. we had radiator trouble in Alberta. We got an almost new rad from a car whose previous owner was off the road for some time, and had sold it for parts. 130 kph on the wrong side of a school bus with it's red lights flashing! Some idiot.
Greg:

QUOTE: Phil: know whatcha mean about the engineers, those that designed John Deere's never worked on a tractor before.

Reminds me of the Bolens garden tractor we had years ago in Ontario. I swear that it had been put together by 5-armed dwarves! It was almost impossible to do even the most simple maintenance tasks without complete disassembly![banghead]
Ed:

QUOTE: and sanding them to make them thinner so they would fit under the rail joiners. Still not done, so I have some work ahead of me this afternoon.

I use a rounded (not absolutely round) mini-file. I find the work goes very quickly, especially in Normal. What a difference when it's done. It's one of the first things I do now, once the track is running well.

QUOTE: According to the SF Historical Society, it was a Hudson, built by Baldwin in 1927. Here's a link to their all time SF steam engine roster. Hudson #'s incl 3450-3465.

As ever, Ed, you never cease to amaze[bow]

I see that it is time once again to call it a night. The hot chocolate was great, and Chloe, I'll rinse out the mug before leaving so the gunk doesn't clog the dishwasher.[swg]
Goodnight all, and God Bless.

[Anonymous]

Ed: I think the Image Monster ate my photo!!! I'll get it back up as soon as I figure out what it was that caused it to blow up.

After several attempts, I still failed. You'll have to tell me again how to get a pic from Railimages to here, all I get is the ugly RED X

[Paul W. Beverung]

I Gang; It's going to be another quick visit. I've got to work tomorrow and that adds up to more MRR money. It started to rain again tonight. I hope that it stays a drizzel. I got the soil sample report back today so I'll be ready to get the fertalizer out as soon as I can get the field plowed.

Hi Fergie; By Fergie; Gee that what was quick.

Paul

The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern

" The Superior Route "