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

[Anonymous]

Well, the hectic weekend is over. I think I'm ordering an IHC 4-6-2 tomorrow so I'm in a good mood. Not much to say,, I'm gonna get going.

ding

[Anonymous]

Good evening everyone,

This has been a marathon weekend for me - mostly doing scenery and "water". Still have a lot to learn about both.

Ryan - You wanted to see some pix of my styrene "asphalt" road segment? Well, here are a few; I was going to include a view of the unpainted underside also, but with direct sunlight, there was so much glare that even my 'dimming' software couldn't fix it.
The first shot is the entire strip:


The next is a close-up. Those little black specks are supposed to be tar that was poured into the cracks by maintenance crews:

Here is where I used it, with a secondhand 7-Eleven store a friend gave me. I still haven't thought up a name for this location yet...


A broader view. I wanted to emphasize the highway "disappearing" behind the trees via forced perspective:


I also spent some time experimenting with WS EZ-water. Bethel Creek is another area where I wanted to setup a "perspective" view to make it appear as if the riverbed curves off to the left under the bridge, and on into the distance:


. . .
Well that's it from me, for now. 5AM comes mighty early. G'nite![|)]

[wetidlerjr]

Good morning ! from Indiana. [:D]

[Anonymous]

Good morning from Tupelo, MS ! Strong and black today for me !

[inch53]

Mornin all, coffee for now Zoe,
Cool here this morning (got the heater running) with more rain forecast, at least the wind has laid some. Planning on spending time on the trains again today, after chores. Did get some work done on the hills, got the hills where the farm goes ready to lay down a coat of dry wall mud, after I get some more, ran out. I think #3 son has some left over from his last remodeling at home.

Luct , enjoyed the story

John , like the looks better on the last try you showed. Wonder if it’d work with dry wall mud, may have to do some playing.

Gumby , your weekend sounds like some of ours. Hope ya have a good trip.

Ken L , road and water both look good. Hope my scenery looks that good when I’m done.

Here’s a couple of an E. bound that came trough while I was over to the elevator Friday.





and a couple short videos from down at campground A, when they were switching out

http://s57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/?action=view¤t=37e33271.flv

http://s57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/?action=view¤t=06cba32c.flv

Tall fur now, time for chores
inch

[ngartshore350]

QUOTE: Originally posted by inch53



....couple short videos from down at campground A, when they were switching out

http://s57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/?action=view¤t=37e33271.flv

http://s57.photobucket.com/albums/g214/inch53/?action=view¤t=06cba32c.flv

Tall fur now, time for chores
inch

Hey Inch,

Thanks for the images and the Videos. Top work!

NG

[GMTRacing]

Good Morning All,
Regular to go for me please Zoe - just in from the shop yard moving trucks and trailers around. Blue skies but frost on the windshields again this morning. If I get ambitious, maybe I can empty the garage at home enough to park a car in it. With fuel what it is today I should park it in a vault ! 3.09 for regluar
Ken - You are doing great work. thanks for the pictures, there are a lot of good ideas in there for the rest of us. Is that the new WS EZ water or Instant Water you used? They seem to have three types out now so I get confused. I'm planning on a small diorama to try to get the effect I want and then transfer the technique to the layout. Around here we have lots of streams with lots of ripples and rocks sticking up out of the bed. Even the Hoousatonic has long streches of rushing water and boulders (fly fishing paradise). At any rate we're all going to have to work harder to meet the standards you and Der John are setting. All for now, time to get back to work. CUL[:D], J.R.

[Anonymous]

Good morning crew,

Another Monday morning [xx(] - a major letdown after a train-related weekend. As usual, I spent most of my time racing the clock to finish a certain amount of layout work, then at 9:00pm shooting photographs so I could get them posted online for the various WPF threads, then not having enough time for chitchat.

Thanx Inch and JR for the kind words on the scenery. I wish I could say it was a success, but it wasn't - I cannot for the life of me make any WS trees using their kits with the clump foliage, the stuff always crumbles apart. I had to use lichen on all but one of the them just to test my 'perspective' strategy. And the riverbed has shrunk again so that there is a dip where I tried to cover a crack in the bottom. I knew there was a reason why I kept procrastinating on this...![banghead]

Inch - Enjoyed your videos, esp. the one with the trackmobile switching the grain hoppers.

Later...

[LATER EDIT:] JR - I just remembered you were asking about exactly which of the WS 'water' products I used? It's this one - Realistic Water (Item# C1211). Ready to pour at room temp, one-8th of an inch per layer (I've done 3 layers so far).

[james saunders]

Hey KenL those pics are beaut i like what you've done [tup]

OzJim

[pcarrell]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rtraincollector

See pcarrell I knew you would come thru like your sitting and counting so when the 21st post comes you can jump in and buy for all of us lol. We do love it when you do this.

I'll have a large diet sprite girls Thank-you

I honestly don't count. I guess I'm just a generous guy, whether I want to be or not![:D]

[grayfox1119]

Good morning to all on this brisk, cool morning. It is cloudy here today after 5 straight days of clear skies, 51F degrees and windy from the NE at 20. It looks like that huge ocean storm that has been sitting over Bermuda for a week is finally retrograding back westward over the northeast.

I see everyone has had a busy weekend, with Fergie up with the Newffies, there are finally some doughnuts remaining in the CS after 6am, LOL. Luc, J.R. Phil, Mike, better grab some soon, Ryan and the working guys will be in here for their coffee break anytime now.

On the gasolene front, I was reading some reports after the Iran showdown on Friday over their nuclear project, and it looks real bad. If things get to fighting, they are going to block the straight of Hurmutz (sp) which will cut off 90% of the oil and gas that comes out of the middle east. Can you just imagine what that is going to do to the price of fuel, and, all the products that require oil? We will be paying $$$ for locomotives and anything made from plastic. Things are getting mighty bad over in Iran.

J.R. I see that gas has broken the $3 level for regualr in CT!!! We are still at $2.93, but I haven't driven past the GS this morning to see if it jumped up.

Have to head out now guys, see you guys later today,

[Cox 47]

Good Morning all....Cloudy damp and chilly here this morning....Just coffee for me please....Got the Bachman U boat running laps trying to smooth it out some...lubed it with just a little sewing machine oil that helped some....My brother cut a mirror yesterday trying to get it right to look like interchange track goes on thru back drop....

icmr....Hey thats great train watching at the Prom...You get the prize for rail fan of the week!!

KenL....Road looks good like the way you modeled patched spots and the water looks like the real thing...Nice modeling...

You all have a good one....Jerry

[Anonymous]

KenL- I like the creek[tup]

cox- good luck with that U-boat

Well, I think I'm off to order my 4-6-2[swg].

Cya later guys.

[Anonymous]

D'OH - well this ones on me.

[Anonymous]

No posts at the CS in 2 1/2 hours?

It's offical, I ordered my IHC 4-6-2, the total should come to $79.48 w/ shipping. I got the June MR today and the IHC ad shows the 4-6-2 costs $79.98, good thing I got mine for $71.98

[Anonymous]

Ozzie - Jerry - Dingo : Thanx guys for the positive feedback, I need it bad, those guys on the Atlas forum can really give me a complex - they're the Elitest of the Elite!

Jerry, be sure to post a photo of the mirrored interchange track!

[cheese3]

Happy belated Birthday coffee shop, sorry i wasn't here.

well i had an eventful weekend. saturday night we had a rescue that our boat was called on, and yesterday we filled in for owings mills VFD while they had a training, and we ran 5 calls there. Im in the process of planing a new layout.

well thats all for now

Happy Railroading

[bjdukert]

Ken The road looks good with the patches on the shoulder as well as the big ones. [^][8D][:)][tup] I think the road and the creek do exactly what you want them to do[:)][tup][yeah] and is there a low spot in the creek that is causing the dip you are talking about .

John You and some of the others here in the CS are really doing a good job as well with your scenery and I can only hope to do about ¼ as well as what all of you have done so far. My hat is off to all of you[bow][bow][bow][bow]

Talk to you later

Duke

[rtraincollector]

Evening all doing fine here . Hope you all are doing fine. Not much happening just a quick note to say hi and keep the page active

[Paul W. Beverung]

Good Evening Gang: Well there dosen't seem to be a whole lot going on tonight. I got to the basement for awhile before supper. I did some vacuming and some more thinking on how to handle what I've got. I'm still having thoughts about starting over. Oh well I'll just keep plugging on I guess. We have a cow missing. We can't pin down when she went. I'll call the Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers ***. and let them know. They will have the inspectors check the sale barns.

KenL: I'll add my cudos to the rest on the road and stream. I'll have to check out the Atlas forum. I need a good laugh.

I think that I'll say good night and hit the hay.

Good Night All

[der5997]

JR:

QUOTE: we found old lumps of coal about a foot down –

…interesting! And now you have your very own supply of coal for loads, etc. on your layout.[8D] I use coal that I find in surprising quantities as I do yard work around here. The previous owners must have heated with coal, not that there’s any sign of a coal fireplace or furnace system.[%-)]

Ken L: That road system, and your forced perspective is working very effectively. It looks like you have achieved what you were after with the river as well.[bow] Awaiting your reply to JR’s WS water system question, as you have made me rethink my “just use glossy mod podge” approach! Both JR and I have rough water in mind, where the odd dip wouldn’t matter.

QUOTE: those guys on the Atlas forum can really give me a complex - they're the Elitest of the Elite!

…so why go there? I stay in the CS, besides, it’s all the time I can spare anyhow![B)]

Mike:

QUOTE: Wonder if it’d work with dry wall mud, may have to do some playing.

…The theory I’m going off is the one in that Scenery book by Klambach. Use everything that’s compatible with latex type paint. I’m pretty sure drywall mud will fit the bill. However, you will probably have to bulk it up (my fav. is sifted sawdust). This will also dry up the mix a bit, should you need that.
I’m encouraged by your latest two photos



The ballast on that track has come way down the slope, just what’s happened in places on the ballast I laid last night. (It’s sat all day without being fixed, we were to town al day) I must wet it down and dribble on the glue before I go to bed tonight.

***: I read this evening that the price of gas right now has more to do with the refineries not being able to replace a polluting additive with ethanol quickly enough, and less to do with the price of crude.
Not that closing the straight of Hormuz wouldn’t push crude prices through $120 in short order! [:O]


Adam: thanks for taking care of business for the Owings VFD.[tup]
Would that be an average night, or especially busy?

Duke, and friends: Thanks for the kind words. Nothing improves a layout quite as much as soft focus on the camera! [:-,]

Must get on with that ballast gluing.

TTFN.

[TRENT B]

Well Guys- I'm gonna be a downer for a minute. I turned 36 this weekend and my own kid did'nt call or send a card.
Happy note: Kelly and the girls more than made up for it and my Dad called an wished me a good one!
Better news: got 2 Lionel HO rubberband drive engines fixed and ready to send out.
late so nite to all and prayers to all.
P.S. Kudos for all the pics- used them to help customers who had no idea what i was trying to tell them. So thanks for your help.
Trent

[pcarrell]

Evening All,

Notice I'm not at the top of the page?

Just thought I'd throw you all a curve ball and show up in the middle of the page for a change.

Well, off to bed.

I'm praying for all of you always.

G'night.

[Anonymous]

Hi all. Has anybody here ordered from IHC? I was wondering how quick shipping was? (I'll be locked up in a padded room waiting for my Pacific to show up)

ding

[wetidlerjr]

Good morning ! from Indiana.[:D]

[Anonymous]

Hi all

Got back from a weekend away to find a large box in the conservatory – my new LGB railcar has arrived. It's a RhB (Swiss metre gauge) overhead electric unit. Looks like I can't post a photo due to my useless ISP website builder package (it's just hung and refuses to accept any commands). Ah well, it's 2ft long, weighs nearly 4kg, and is yellow!

John, now there's a radio show they should repeat. The Goons were far ahead of their time and are still funny now, and I note they didn't have to resort to childish “ha ha, he swore” humour...

***, this was a fairly small burn on a concrete path, so it didn't seem that it could get out of control. I need to go back and burn it again sometime as while it's killed the grass off perfectly it's left a lot of dry grass behind. Given we're still getting regular rain and the lawns are very green I don't see it posing a problem. Ice is a real pain though – we had a multiway connector on the RV cold water system freeze a couple of years ago, the end broke off and we ended up with water everywhere. Interestingly enough they now fit brass ones rather than plastic, so the builders have clearly spotted a design flaw!

J.R. I think we just call them muffins – do you mean the flattish bread things that you cut in half and toast? Crumpets are different – they're the ones with holes in that absorb butter but aren't so good for adding toppings to.

Ryan, spot on, the response to a foul-up by authority is always to impose even more on the rest of us. I wonder if they'd be so enthusiastic about spending our tax money on daft ideas (think Millennium Dome – in England they built an expensive and pointless tent, in Wales we built a very useful multi-purpose stadium to mark the year 2000) if they knew they'd be held responsible...

Bye for now

[inch53]

Mornin all, just coffee today Zoe, had corn flakes with Leroy abit ago.
Got Leroy and KC today, so not much will get done round here. Did get some more work done on the layout yesterday, another hill ready to slap mud on, and other some odds an ends.
Glad every one enjoyed the pics an videos, hope to get out and get some more this weekend.

Cheese , sounds like you had a busy weekend of volunteer work, THANKS

Paul , we had a rash of livestock thefts bout 20 years ago round here. The feed store I was working for bought market hogs, and we helped catch 7 of them. 3 of them brought a hamp gilt in the back of a station wagon. I told them they’d have to come back later for the check. The county was waiting for them when them showed up. They got 2 years for their trouble.

John , # 1 son has some dry patching mix I’m going to try Thought maybe mix it up with thinned paint and sawdust.
Glad the pics helped you with the ballast.

Trent , don’t feel bad bout the kids calling. Most of ours never remember my birthday, but they always remember Mothers. Hope their not telling some thing.

Bout it fur now,
inch

[Fergmiester]

QUOTE: Originally posted by KenLarsen

Ozzie - Jerry - Dingo : Thanx guys for the positive feedback, I need it bad, those guys on the Atlas forum can really give me a complex - they're the Elitest of the Elite!

Jerry, be sure to post a photo of the mirrored interchange track!

Then why go there?[:(!] Ken from what I've heard the Atlas crowd are just a bunch malicious malcontents. Though it might be fun to lob a few hand grenades into their beloved forum, stir the pot and walk away, it's not my way...normally[:-^]

As for your water I wouldn't swim in it nor drink it[xx(] Though I must confess it is very well done as so are your roads. Apart from that all is well, well sorta and I'm just waiting for the posting of the April photo contest...Oops wrong forum.

Later

Fergie

[pcarrell]

Mornin' All,

Hi Zoe! Can you toss a Moxie my way please, .......thanks!

Kinda quiet around here lately, huh? Seems that way in the big rooms more then in here though. Spring is back and everybody is doing stuff I guess.

Trent,
If I'd have known I would've wished you a Happy Birthday!

Here, lets take care of that now.....







There,.....better now?

Happy Birthday!

[rtraincollector]

gettingt brave aren't we PC ?

hope all are doiing fine . acually had another set back yesterday even thou didn't mention it last night I had a light headedness for about 45 minutes and I felt my heart fluter a couple of times so I'm going to go see the doc tomorrow about 2:45 (glad wasn't dieing soonest could see me lol)

anyway didn't goto work today and won't tomorrow either as want to see dock first and then I have 1 + hour drive homew so 2 more days no pay. Oh well guess I really need to look into something not so physical I guess. And beside whats going to happen when my boss goes he's not that young anymore I keep getting told by my wife . He's 7 years shy of double my age lol. (he's 95)

and I'm to young to really be having these problems but I'am so I need to start doing something to get me back into shape I should be at 51.

Oh well have a good day probally will stop in later when PC is on top of the page most likely lol