JimRCGMOGM&O also went to Columbia (north of 66, up near the middle of the state), and Frisco also goes down through Poplar Bluff (in the southern part, near where the 'bootheel' of MO drops down). Are you modeling this area now? Ah, I see that Garry's covered some of your answer ('briefly'...). And that cavern that Garry's talking about is Meramec Cavern (near Stanton, MO, a bit northeast from Sullivan, MO). There used to be all kinds of barns in the eastern part of Missouri with 'Meramec Cavern' painted on their roofs back then. (A little like the tobacco brands on some barns in other parts of the country).
Thanks for the reminder on the Meramac Caves reference----that place had always intrigued me---especially after seeing the old barns with the signs---did I take any pictures then?------ Now I tell people --like the ancient mariner---take pictures of those cultural treasures---they disappear faster than--------
BTW---the 'interesting' aromas have not disappeared up here----we smelt them up here---driving around with the windows down kept us awake at times---especially on those straight roads---
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
Jeff- good for you. That's the best thing. Got any OJ/vitamin C? Maybe a bit of Sassafras tea.
Jim- Yes I know. How well I know. Like I said it's a track plan I can use and still run a 6 wheel loco if I choose. Problem is, I want more than I have room for ( sound familiar anyone?) so I settle for this. I gives me more than jus around in circles yet allows me too if I choose.
Can't seem to keep me eyes open..
Todd
Central Illinoyz
In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.
I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk.
Good morning.It's 72 and cloudy. The high will be around 86 and there's a chance of rain.It looks like today will be a repeat of yesterday. A lot of time in the bed alternately sleeping and watching the TV.
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
Its the weeeeeekend!!! Finally. Oh and its raining, UGH.
Not muched planned today. Take the wife to breakfast, and to her grandmas. Maybe later I can do some layout/weathering.
Jim.......Maybe in a week or so. I bough a Railbox, and another 2-bay hopper. That will give me something to do. Now the question is will/can I keep them. Seems like I sell more than keep for myself.
Jeff........Nothing wrong with that, as long as something is on tv. We have 200+ channels, and somedays not one thing worth watching.
Everybody have a good day.
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Good Afternoon/Morning, everyone,
I am not feeling well, totally exhausted, so this is just a short visit.
Flo, just some OJ to go.
Have a good one, y´ all!
Mornin. Today: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%.Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Light west wind.
Not much going on today, looks like some trainwork weekend.
Gotta take the perfect wife to supper tonight at the Lonestar. $15 off coupon that's gotta be used so nummy num time. I've got to say, they do a respectable job on steaks.
Good news from the Finance Dept. Due to the cool summer and not having run the air conditioner since the great tornado of 2009, the power bill was significantly lower. And I do mean significantly . That ended up (or as we say in the midwest, "indud" up) offsetting the last minute MRR funds sacrificeing donation that was made to the fundraising event last weekend. As it stands now, the monthly hobby funds can be transferred from the utility funds to replenish what was used for the meat purchase with funds left over. So, my little sacrifice of fun money (and then some) to help her out and made me a hero in the eyes of my lovey, has turned out to not really have affected me at all. Unless you consider I would have had more money. I prefer to not look at it that way.
Ulrich- Take care. We already have one sick. Still waiting to see if Jeff's gettin over it or it's just coming on. Boy I sure hope it's not just coming on. If I were you and it was over here, I'd be thinkin they're slipping something in the food. You aren't eating anything chocolate from them are you?
Have a Great Day!
Mornin' everyone!
Zoe I'll have the #2 special, over easy on the eggs, bacon, homefries, and a double order of sourdough toast along with some dark roast coffee in a FGLK Mug. Thanks, I'll be at the Rivet Counter.
Barry, that just good fresh "country air"........ Being a farm boy, most smells from farms don't offend me at all. Some of the "Factory" farms (especially hogs and chickedn...) that is a different story.
Jeffrey hope you are recovering from that nasty bout of flu......
Ulrich, you take care and get your strength back. Maybe you need another dose of pizza???
I got up early and made the run to the landfill for the Household Hazardous Waste day. Had some old hard drives to recycle. The guy took the whole box of stuff and started to seperate the items. I look over and he is holding up an ancient old HD and says, WOW! I laughed and told him that some of the stuff are real "Antee Ques!" Had a bumch of batteries, old oil paint (hobby stuff that has sat on the shelf for 25 years) and some enamel spray cans, as well as some dead flourescent bulbs.
The dinner went very well last night, got to sit with an old friend who is in his early 90s and his wife, a lady who I used to work with at school and her husband, and the local Methodist Minister. I did have to take a bow once........
I just remembered that I didn't tell you folks about the goings on in my neighborhood a couple days ago. What had appeared to be a fire on the next street over from me wasn't. (I think I mentioned it when I was talking about my sister finally getting a digital camera.) Turns out it was a "domestic violence case". A 57 year old man who owns the house was watching his 3 children. When his estranged 31 year old wife (they are either separated or divorced depending on who you talk to) came to pick up the kids, he evidently got in her car, got in an argument with her, and pulled a knife and tried to slit her throat. She somehow got him out of the car, backed up with him holding on, and then moved forward, ran over him and dragged him for a ways up the street. The kids witnessed the whole thing. She was treated and released after being taken to Strong Hospital in Rochester, he is in ICU in guarded condition. Broke both his arms and legs and multiple other internal injuries......
Todd, that reminds me I have to read my meters today. Hope my bill will just like yours..... A low one!
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Ray- I hope so too. I looooove those low power bills. I shall repeat what has been said earlier. What is happening with these kids witnessing this stuff with their parents. That part aside I guess he got off luckier than he intended her too. Sad.
TMarshI shall repeat what has been said earlier. What is happening with these kids witnessing this stuff with their parents. That part aside I guess he got off luckier than he intended her too. Sad.
We are fortunate in this community to have a couple mental health agencies who came to the scene and offered immediate and continuing support for both the children and the neighbors. The children were taken to their back yard and someone from Family Services stayed with them and tried to explain what was happening and comforted them during the time the police and firemen were there. They also made all arrangements for housing and continued support. A lot of the neighbors were very shook up over the whole thing and it was good that support for them was also evident. This is a nice middle class neighborhood where we don't think things like this will happen.............. Sometimes ignorance is bliss (until it gets shot down). I don't know whether I would say the Father got off lucky.... he may face some heavy criminal charges if he lives. I would also think that he will be in for a long and painful recovery and will probably face some severe handicaps as well........
Half cup of Decaf coffee, please.
The touch of numbness (more like a warm feeling) on left side of face/neck/arm is less. I have something to control BP until I see the Doc. It is possible this could be tooth related, rather than what it sounds like. I also still have parasites which I believe are running wild. Add this cra* to the Sarcoidosis and I'm not a happy camper at the moment. I just want to feel halfway human again. OK, whining session is over. Sorry about that.
Have a good day all. Going to shut down the puter awhile and listen to the rain.
Rob
Ray- When you put it that way, I guess you're right. I wasn't thinking of the consequentses of living. But still a sad day for all.
Rob- Added to the list.
Boy sometimes when it rains it pours around her. From the overtired, to the flu, to tragic losses and witnesses to these horrible events. Have to go to bed earlier to get them all in.
Good afternoon, think I'll have some BBQ...maybe a BBQ beef sandwich...yeah, that'll do! I had to w**k this morning, covering a fall festival in Ely, a little town between Cedar Rapids and Solon. It used to be on a Rock Island secondary main. The only food vendor was a group makin' and sellin' BBQ...but they all kinda looked like walking public health hazards... so I decided to pass on it. It did smell good at least.
JIM: I just write what the voices in my head tell me to... And, I'd be honored to join you and the King of Toddland (by the way TODD, thanks for renewing my pass to the RC! yer a good man.), I think I'd be in rather good company.
ROB, ULRICH, JEFF, and anyone else whose name I missed on the sick call roster...hope you guys take heed from everybody in here and get yourselves healed, fixed-up, back to well, and otherwise among the verticle and taking nurishment!!!!
Last night, I covered another high school football game. The Spartans of Solon traveled about 5 miles west of me to Stanwood to take on my "hometeam," the North Cedar Knights (who oddly enough, do NOT say "Ni!") The visitors stomped the hometeam, which wasn't much of a surprise, they're 5-0 now on the season, with 2 perfect seasons prior (and 2 state championships consecutively). I resisted the urge to throw in the Monty Python reference into my write-up. Then again, my boss is pretty cool...makes up a fake page called The Sham, for our monthly freebie paper. He models it loosely off of The Onion.
SAWYER: Hey, enjoyed the latest videos Seeing how many freight cars you've got in that amount of space really makes me wish I'd gone with N-sane scale. Then, I look around the RR room, and realize there is no way I can replace all THAT. Loving Wife would likely murderlate me! Plus, I about go cross-eyed with some of the stuff on the HO items anymore...
For the rest of the afternoon, I might revisit the track planning process...or might see if I can screw up the BN cement hopper. The latest Walthers order is enroute, and surprise, surprise, surprise...it has a back-order: the 70 ton roller bearing trucks. But, two other items finally arrived after being back-ordered all summer. I'm not gonna touch the IMCX CenterFlo until I find a photo of a gray one...I keep finding red repaints! Even though TODD graciously issued me a foobie pass...I'm gonna hang onto it, no sense in using it up right away...
Have a good rest-of-the-day,
Chris
The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!
AmanaMedicROB, ULRICH, JEFF, and anyone else whose name I missed on the sick call roster...hope you guys take heed from everybody in here and get yourselves healed, fixed-up, back to well, and otherwise among the verticle and taking nurishment!!!!
AmanaMedicSAWYER: Hey, enjoyed the latest videos Seeing how many freight cars you've got in that amount of space really makes me wish I'd gone with N-sane scale. Then, I look around the RR room, and realize there is no way I can replace all THAT. Loving Wife would likely murderlate me! Plus, I about go cross-eyed with some of the stuff on the HO items anymore...
haha, yeah man. I love n scale and how much RR I've gotten onto my 4x8!
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Chris- I've had the same thoughts about N-visible myself. I do get kinda envious of the amount they can get into the same space, but for the same vision reasons, shoot, I've got one of those magnifying light things already, and though I don't have a giant amount of stuff it would still cos a fortune to replace. Besides I like the size of HO so I'm good with it. Or as the kids would say, "I'm hip to it"
ting ting ting.... (tapping fork on the side of the glass as Flo strolls by grabbing from me.)
OK, poll time. RBF's all around. Sit down and give this some thought if you'ens would. (you'ens. I don't know were that came from)
IIIIIIIIII've been workin' on the raaaailroad, aaaaaall the live long.... never mind. Anyway, I'm working on the control panel and figuring out how I wanted to layout the layout (chuckle), when it hit me. Do I want a large control panel, which I started, or do I want several small ones located at the areas they control? Nothing has been done except cut the panel board and paint the base coat. Nothing attached or even assembled so there is nothing regarding what I've done so far that would influence my decision. The hot wire for the layout has been run but it is the negative/black/left wire that has not and a decision must be made before I proceed any farther.
My first thought was one large panel that controls all from where the power pack is (keep in mind at this point I'm DC) so I would be controlling all from one point. Plus it looks cool. That is what I had, but the layout was smaller and now I have added more team tracks, spurs and such, so I must make the panel larger. Then I started to think. So far, most all my switches are manual. I would be walking to the area anyway plus it would save on the amount of wire used to isolate the tracks. The mainline will be hot at all times but I'll have to kill tracks so locos can sit when not in use of course. If and when I go DCC this won't be as much an issue, except that more than likely I would want to stand where the coupling, uncoupling, switching, all that stuff is being done. I have already decided to have a separate panel for the yard/staging and that's what caused me to think of the rest.
As I see it there are pros and cons to each setup and I can't decide which would be the best,. If it were you, based on your experience of operating a layout, what would you prefer? The large panel so you would not have to walk to power track and throw switches? Or the small panel setup where you would be at the area affected. IF I use a large panel I would eventually power the switches ( more money), but if I use the small panels then I would probably only make the switches that are somewhat difficult to reach either powered or remote ( the choke cable thing). Keep in mind also that if I go DCC I would then have to go back to the main panel to throw the switches if I get that far by then. If I stay DC, or at least until I change, and go with the small panels, I'll still have to go back to the main panel to control the train. No thought or intent on remote throttles or such because if it comes down to that, I'll probably spend my money on DCC. The small panels would also benefit in the transition because the ground wire would already be run as a bus and I would just remove the toggle from the system and BAM! Wired for DCC. A single panel would require a bus wire ran. Not a major deal because the sections would still just have to be attached to the wire. No major re workings either way.
Ideas? Comments? Thoughts? No I don't want to go to the Electonics and DCC forum and ask, I trust you guys opinions. I'll undoubtedly get mostly DC vs. DCC arguments and besides, it's probably been asked a gazzilion times already and I'll get more of that than anything.
EDIT: Ya I know pos and neg, red and black don't really mean anything other than as it relates to the way the direction switch is thrown and the colors just make it easier to keep the left and right rails, depending on the direction of forward travel, separated.
Thanks for the RBF...now I'll toss-in my half-a-cent worth of opinionated opinion.
WHEN my "empire" is built, I envision small panels throughout. It'll be around the room, and I'll be following the yard job as it w**ks the industries and transfers. So...a master panel won't work for me. Your results may vary. But, it seems to me, that if you'll be following the trains along, it would make sense to have the knobs, switches, levers, whatevers; right there where you're w**king.
Like I said, my half-a-cent's worth. Oh, and I'm also going to stick with DC. Why? Well thanks for asking. In my version of Cedar Rapids, pretty much only one "job" will be w**king at a time. The 4th St. Corridor (which I hope to replicate partially) is single track. A CNW job would occupy it while switching Quaker, then get in the clear if the CCP had to come onto it for whatever reason. When the Iowa Northern or CRANDIC would go across town, they had to ensure the other RRs were in the clear. Turning off a track with CNW Job 22 sitting on it, so the CRANDIC 7 AM job can come up and visit the CC seems easy enough to me, and simpler than all the technical whosenwhat of DCC. I know there's guys in here who swear by the DCC, and you're welcome to it.
Plus, there will be just enough room for one operator, there won't be multiple trains running at a time... DCC is nice, it does some impressive things...I just don't need all that.
OK...I'm gonna go duck down out of sight somewhere...and see if the lessons in "how not to be seen" w**k or not...
Why is Flo pointing to where I'm hiding???
***EDIT*** Heh heh, I see why...I'm buying. OK gents, order up, THAT Editor made good on the expense account, so we're good.
Yep Chris, sounds like overall we have the same operating vision at least to a point. I don't see myself having operating sessions with others because well, frankly there's just me. A lone wolf I are. I like the idea of walking around the room with the train, but I also kinda like the idea of sitting there controlling. The only reason I would be interested in DCC is at some point I would like to run more than one train. Actually that point is now but not ready to spend the bucks. To have one run the main line and another placing cars at industries and switching the yard etc. would require a change of direction with one but not the other. I would be using the roundy round train as an obsticle rather than a time schedule or clock. You know have it done by the time it gets here or get out of the way. I could do that with segments and multiple controllers but DCC would be easier. Or so I would think because of crossing into segments and having polarity issues if I'm not ready (or just plain forget), matching speeds of controllers all that jazz. I want it to be as easy and trouble free as possible.
EDIT: By the way that's what I'm looking for, why you would or would not do it a certain way. And Flo remember, the RBF's are on me. Everything else now, hehehe......
Evenin' folks!
Chris? Stand up Chris! Chris? Ah.... Chris has learned the most important rule of "Not being seen". But we all know that he is hiding under the back booth......
BLAM!
Chris Glad you move quick! Also glad your expense account is still being funded!
I decided since today is suposed to be a much better day than tomorrow, that I would go over to the Finger Lakes Live Steamers open house. Steam bath anyone?
Cloudy and cool, but they had a huge crowd. Saw several of my old students there who said hi to me. One told his dad I am the reason he is now a musician (works in the music dept. of the local college.....). He is also interested in possibly buying some of my old equipment. Also ran into several other railfans that I know including the treasurer of the NMRA Division and his son. They were still waiting in line for a train ride an hour and a half after I got there so I decided to forgo getting a ride on the little trains.
Hope you are having a great day!
73
Well, it seems I won't have to worry about getting the vaccine for the H1N1 flu strain as I'm most likely developing my own immunity to it. The odds-on guess around here (about 96%) is that's what I have. Looks like I'm looking at the backside of it too.
howmus But we all know that he is hiding under the back booth...... BLAM! Chris Glad you move quick!
But we all know that he is hiding under the back booth......
Chris Glad you move quick!
Comes in handy somedays... but, that Duke fellow...he seemed kinda surprised by the blast, then dropped right back to sleep!
Neat pics, by the way... I don't dare let Loving Wife see them, she already has a list of ideas destined to turn our house/yard into some kind of amusement park/zoning violation...and turn me into an improper pauper!
Evening all,
Been working on the layout most of the day today, including another trip to the LHS to pick up some .156 tube for more signals. This week I finished mounting hoods on 23 homemade dwarf signals. I’m using “motherboard indicating lights”. Soon I hope next week I’ll have pictures for you. My backdrops came in from seniking.com and another 20 2 color LED lights for my target signals. Tomorrow I’m heading to Toledo for the train show and to visit relatives so I doubt I’ll be back on until Monday morning.
Jeff, keep improving and I hope you get well soon,
Lee
BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret) L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes
Whew---got all that done
I got my train time back! There was a glitch in my schedule that they found that made me work over the whole week and teach and do this and do that etc etc blah blah blah Now my schedule will be doing work in the afternoon then doing the classes for Fri night and the seminar series on the week end--and no super late all day during the week!
Ray: We'll definitely have that family on our prayer list---the children especially that hits children really hard-
Chloe, I'll have a coffee and a teabiscuit please---I'll be at the RC where it might be a little safer
I'm feeling better by the hour and am almost back to my usual nasty self. My sister is bringing me a salad from Arby's.
Evening, Janie, how about a slice of Petra's struedel and a CAW mug of coffee, please? Thanks
blownout cylinderI was thinking about that area now that I think about it--one of Eric's schoolmates is wanting to model that area in some way so I'm just garnering bits and pieces of info from all over the place. I'm kind of thinking about some ideas for scenery from around there--so if anyone has some ideas pass them on!
Barry, you could probably get a Woodland Scenics catalog from your LHS (or order from their website), since W-S (and DPM) are both located not far at all from the Rt. 66/Missouri Ozarks area (rolling hills, some cuts in the terrain, mostly deciduous with occasional smatterings of conifer trees here & there). One nice thing you could do also (if the layout is set in summer or early fall), is to have a small river with some tubers (inner tubes, that is) floating down the way. Let me know if your LHS can't get one, as I am sure I have one or more previous years' W-S catalogs that I could send along... I can tell you on the Meramec Cavern thing on barns, it was an all-caps, non-serif typeface (none of those little 'feet' on the bottoms of letters and such), with (if memory is correct) white letters, and kind of a yellowish 'drop shadow' to the right/below the main lettering, and "X MILES" next to, or under the Meramec Cavern part. Hope that is of use to you and Eric.
Well, I didn't get my track very much further along today. Was going to get to my tracklaying, but decided in a couple of spots that I needed to pull up the already nailed-down track. Then, I realized it would be good to be able to drill additional track spike holes in the track ties as needed, and I couldn't find my gray plastic box with the drill bits. Decided to go get another set, went by Sears, Lowe's, and Wally World, and wound up getting a titanium set at W-W for about $10. Then stopped by my son-in-law and daughter's place (it's his birthday today) to drop him off his card (with folding green gift). Got some visiting in with him, and then daughter, grandson Drew, and Sarah's mother came back, so I got to play with Drew (and with the dog, Joey, who had been outside earlier - sheesh, she has all the energy of a hyperactive 10 year old kid!). Andy mentioned that I could've borrowed their drill bit set, and when I got back home, I was thinking I could do that, get a refund for W-W and continue looking for my old set in the gray case. Wound up swinging back by and picked up his set (only the 1/16" one was missing, and usually those are the ones that break the easiest). Got some dinner, then came by Panera's to drop by the Diner, and here I am (with not a whole lot done on the tracklaying...) Oh yeah, we had a bit of a rainstorm move through, which I figure is making its way to you guys up the Ohio valley at least by now....
PC, I thought of you this evening - the suppertime news featured a (BMW) bike (parade?) with over 210+ bikes in it, which was supposed to break the old record of about 128 bikes in Europe (France or Switzerland, I think). They had bikers from all parts of the country, and some famous racing motorcyclist (forgot his name) who they briefly interviewed - he was talking about not being used to driving that slow, with stop and go driving like the 'parade' was, but going really fast...
TMarshProblem is, I want more than I have room for ( sound familiar anyone?) so I settle for this.
Nooooo, nupe, never-ever-ever happens to me, Todd! Anyone else? Hey, enjoy your dinner out with the PW. I'd consider a month when the MRR funds don't go down to be a good one, and any month when the available MRR funds increase, to be a great one!
Sawyer, good progress there on the layout - does your one track that heads for the 'woods' go all the way through to the other side? Should be fun to operate that one. Your mountains could even be taller than what you have (if you have the foam board to go higher for now).
Ulrich, rest up and take care of yourself - we don't want you coming down with whatever that was that Jeff had the other day. Got to have you energy to rouse the troops at the rehabilitation center there, right? Janie, send that man a container of the vitamin-packed, fortified OJ, also.
Ray, good to hear you were 'forced' to take a bow, with all the stuff I figure you do for others (which is, no doubt, more than you even tell us about, I figure). That is a doozey with the couple up there. As you said, you don't think it'll happen in your nice li'l neighborhood, but about any place can have somebody doing something they oughtn't to be doing... Hmm, wonder if I should apologize for inwardly smiling when I heard that he got the rougher end of the deal (after he started it all)... But sometimes what's wrong is wrong, period (IMHO). Nice photos of the live steam meet, too!
Rob, you can whine in here - but get to the Dr.'s office on Monday, okay? Have him/her give you something to kick those little parasites out on their keisters.... (And Todd's comment)
Chris, if it'll make you feel any better, my order of Preiser figures (from Dallas Model Works) came in today at the P.O., and (darn!) the Boy Scouts figure set was back-ordered, only figures in the order that didn't come in. Got a window washer (ladder and guy who washes (or for some of us in here, 'warshes') the passenger car windows, and a set of (US) railway personnel (including couple of air and gas tanks for a welder - who also was in that set - and the 'Occupations' set, which has postman with the 3-wheeled mail cart, sailor in dress whites, and a state trooper kind of figure). Guess I'll have to get a patrol cruiser from 1950's now, eh?
Jeff, since you are up enough to be posting that you're on the backside of the H1N1, that's a better sign, all right. Now I guess we know why you felt like for the past couple of days...
jeffrey-wimberly I'm feeling better by the hour and am almost back to my usual nasty self.
Todd, on your panel poll, if it were me (and bear in mind, I started out planning on DC, but due to the chance to get a DCC booster/control pack at a much reduced price, I'll be going instead with it), it would mostly depend on whether I wanted to be able to have others also operating at the same time. And there are walk-around throttles for DC, by the way (I have one, if you're interested), so you could be semi-tethered to a main control panel and still have some walk-around capability. So my penny or so, would be that if you would like to have possibly some friends by to also operate, the multiple panels might be good, but if it's only going to be you, go with a big panel (How far is the furthest distance from one side of the layout 'operator pit' to the other?)
I hear that the RC is a safer place to sit, so I'll be there till time for me to head home. Prayers will continue for all those under the weather and those recuperating, too, as well as for all the other needs mentioned.
Blessings,
Jim in Cape Girardeau
My sister just called me with comments about her new DVD player. I had recommended to her that she get a DVD player that had the 1080p upgrade. She hooked it up tonight and was absolutely floored by the difference in quality on the 32" in her bedroom. Tomorrow she's going back and getting another one for the 52" in the living room. I told her it pays to listen to a technophobe once in a while, even if he is your brother.
Good evening.........
Todd ....... Your layout plans look like they have potential for interesting operations.
Sawyer....Your layout looks great.
Ray ....... That is a terrible story. There seems to be a lot of craziness in the world. I like all the photos you posted.
Rob.... I hope you going to be OK. Sounds like that doctor appointment is getting urgent.
Ulrich....... Sorry, it is not a good day for your health. Still praying for your recovery.
Cal Tom ..... I saw those wonderful pix you posted of your fabulous brass locos in the loco/caboose thread. Too bad there was some complaing about numbers in the other guy's photos.
Jim CG .... Are you catching up on lunches this weekend? .... I add holes to ties Atlas flex tack, too. Is tha twhat you are using? I wish they provided more holes in the ties. Also, they have a goofy pattern for holes made at the factory. ...BTW, don't bang up your fingers this time.
Ryan .... We're planning to try one of your recipes next week. Bet it will be good.
Duke .... I saw you posted a photo of a 4-4-0 instead of a Berkshire. How can that be?
Barry ......... I'm glad you liked the Route 66 info. I just remembered we used to stop at Stuckey's along the way when I saw Walthers is selling a model of a Stuckey's......... Those were good days....
Lee ..... That is a lot of signals. Wiring could take a while, I bet.
Jeff ... I'm glad you are feeling better. Don't get the flu again.
Chris .... It sounds like you have interesting operations planned for your layout. DC works fine. I had a DCC starter set here briefly a few weeks ago, but I sent it back. It's a long story, and I never got around to telling about it here.
Now, the Football Special thread has info about the "Hawkeye Special" ... Interesting!
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Hey guys, just got back from sup.... what happened to the booth? Oooooh, I see.
Ray- Neat trains. What do they run on? Small engines?
Jeff- Glad you're feeling better. Take it easy another day just to be sure.
Lee- Looking forward to your pictures.
Jim- I'm not sure the rule of finding what you couldn't still applies if you take the new ones back. If you borrow someones and you no longer need them, then maybe.... Thanks for the input. Problem is, I agree with you too. The farthest I would have to walk is maybe 10 feet but the distance isn't really the issue as much as the convenience.
Garry- Thanks, interesting to put it politely. I must admit I have already discovered "a flaw or two" but for my purposes it'll be ok. Stuckey's yes! Landmarks of the American roadside. Shall I say it, yes I believe I will. Pecan Log. A truck stop in Springfield had a small Stuckey's sign show up a while ago. No remodeling, no red roof, nothing. Justa small sign as if an after thought tucked amongst the other stuff on the sign. So I went in to get a pecan log. Boy I didn't realize how big I had grown over the years. They look so tiny now that I've grown up.
Just stopped in for a cup of decafe before heading to bed for the night.
TMarshRay- Neat trains. What do they run on? Small engines?
Todd, all depends. I think all the steamers I saw today were coal burners. I know that many are fired using propane. The diesels are mostly small gasoline engines, but some are run on batteries as well.
You can see some 5 gal. white buckets in this photo. I saw several that had coal in them and were used to fill the tender.....
Good Morning/Good Night,
The doc gave me some pink little pill so I had a long sleep this night. Don´t feel really relaxed, though. As things were getting worse yesterday, I went to see the doc on duty. He ran a complete check-up on me, but could not find anything. So the good news is, that it is not the flu or any of that sort. The bad news is, that my batteries are really empty - the guy was mumbling something like "complex physical and psychic exhaustion" -am I now a case for the funny farm? I am getting worried...
Todd - that control panel issue is not an easy question to answer, regardless of DC or DCC. It is finally a question of type of operation and personal preference. If you like to model prototype operation on your layout, it pays off to be close to the train, not only for watching it, but also to do your power routing (DC mode) and operating of your turnouts. A central control panel would certainly make you walk back and forth all the time and thus hamper the operation. If, however, you want to see one or more trains "run" on your layout, a central control panel would be better to "direct" your trains.On the issue of DC vs. DCC, my personal choice would always be DCC, as it minimizes the wiring effort considerably and makes you control the loco, and not the track power.
Sawyer - liked your videos very much - especially the one where your Mom calls your for dinner! I have noticed, though, that there is a kink in one of the yard tracks- the one closest to the edge of the layout. You may want to straighten that one...
Ray - great pics! Live steam is just about as close to the real thing as you can get in a smaller than 1:1 scale. Too bad, the pics don´t transmit that smell o´ steam and hot oil...
Rob - Jeff - get well soon and take care! Hope the day comes when we can uncouple that chapel car behind the diner!
Flo, I´ll have some coffee in my LKAB mug and the the breakfast special.
It is going to be a sunny day here - maybe even the last for the year - so I may go for a little walk, if I find the strength to do it and someone to go with me.
A good day to all of you!
Edit:
I was ask to build a small HO scale display layout for the local department store, but before accepting this "job" I need to find out, what locos and rolling stock to use on this layout. It will be a 4 x 14 "table" with a background right down the middle, separating the display part from the staging part. The layout theme is a western town in the 1870´s to 1890´s with those typical features, like wooden water tower, stock yard, telegraph office, small depot, saloon etc. - the typical "John Wayne" atmosphere. I already have a simple track plan in mind, but what locos and rolling stock to use? Those Bachmann 4-4-0 are too toylike and the Spectrum 4-4-0 and 4-6-0´s too modern. As for rolling stock, are there any wooden kits available?. I was figuring on a wooden coach, some stock cars, a caboose and a couple of boxcars. I need to add, that the layout does not have to be finished by Christmas, as I will not be able to accomplish this. Any ideas?
Good morning all,
Been raining here since Friday afternoon, sometimes hard enough to block out everything past my front yard, this morning I woke up to thunder.
Garry, I’m planning to use the cirrcitron BD-2 or the BD-3 to wire the block signals, the dwarfs will be wired for the sidings but I doubt they will get connected to a block detector. Unless I hit the lottery! All of my animated semaphores will be going to the Bay-track for re-assignment along with the sensors that attach to the track. I would have enjoyed using them, but the sensors are not compatible with DCC.
Ok it’s off to the shower and then off to the Toledo Train Show, it’s a two hour drive and I want to be one of the first people in the door.