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Elliot's Trackside Diner, Mark XVIII Locked

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Posted by Cederstrand on Thursday, September 17, 2009 11:10 AM

Extra strong coffee in a  SANTA FE  mug, please & thanks.

The LEDs finally arrived. Now I can finish the wife's hospital. Oh, should I use solid or stranded wire for all the structure lights and what gauge should I get??  Thanks!

Have a great day all.

Cowboy Rob

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Thursday, September 17, 2009 11:16 AM

Cederstrand
The LEDs finally arrived. Now I can finish the wife's hospital. Oh, should I use solid or stranded wire for all the structure lights and what gauge should I get??  Thanks!

The nice thing about LED's is they don't pull much power. You can have the resistor down under the layout and run the wires (20-22 gauge should work nicely) up through the structure to the LED.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by howmus on Thursday, September 17, 2009 11:35 AM

jeffrey-wimberly

Cederstrand
The LEDs finally arrived. Now I can finish the wife's hospital. Oh, should I use solid or stranded wire for all the structure lights and what gauge should I get??  Thanks!

The nice thing about LED's is they don't pull much power. You can have the resistor down under the layout and run the wires (20-22 gauge should work nicely) up through the structure to the LED.

 

Like Jeffrey said.....  only unless you are using a hundred or so of them, you can use even finer wire, I would use 22 - 24 or the finest I have.  As far as stranded verses solid.... makes absolutely no difference.  Use whatever you have.  I prefer solid for all my fine work as it stays where you put it once bent.

Ulrich, the smile is from the Cooley side of the family.... Das ist, ja gut!

Barry, Barry, Barry......... (shakes head)  Trying to blame Todd now.... The thread I was referring to has been long buried.  It showed siding and spurs and other abandoned MRR stuff on our layouts.  Came at just the right time for me to create that scene.  I was going to tear out the netire area and start over.

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by TMarsh on Thursday, September 17, 2009 11:38 AM

blownout cylinder
Todd did that---he stuck it on my trailer so he could have more space for all those airbrush caps he was importing---

Whoa, whoa, whoa...., WHOA! You can't prove that! Nope not one bit. Pictures? I'd say with all the photo editing programs they can't be trusted. Witnesses? HAH! Unreliable. These guys can be bribed with food, locomotive identifications and weathering tips. You just can't prove I was anywhere's near.

Yeesh, I never expected the Spanish Inquisition.

 

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. Laugh

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Posted by pcarrell on Thursday, September 17, 2009 12:04 PM

Ulrich, Ray, I'm thinking the beard might stay for the winter, but I'll probably keep it short.

Philip
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Posted by Robby P. on Thursday, September 17, 2009 12:28 PM

 Good afternooon.  Went and got a tooth fixed this morning, but I'm still numb.  Feels like I got inot a fight with George Forman.

 I started to paint the upper part of the layout mountains.  I added some rock color, and woodland scenics fine grass foliage.  

 I have a question about the "fine" stuff.   I have a blender, but it just gets it to a "bush" size, and some smaller pieces.  Is it true that a food processor will get it fine?  Better than a blender?

 Well I guess I will pop back in later. 

 

 "Rust, whats not to love?"      

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Posted by pcarrell on Thursday, September 17, 2009 12:45 PM

Robby P.
Went and got a tooth fixed this morning, but I'm still numb.  Feels like I got inot a fight with George Forman.

I was gonna tell ya that I hoped it went well at the dentists today.  Guess it did if you fought with George and are still here to tell about it!

Philip
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Posted by Robby P. on Thursday, September 17, 2009 1:21 PM

Big Smile 

 "Rust, whats not to love?"      

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Posted by LSWrr on Thursday, September 17, 2009 1:49 PM

Ulrich,

WELCOME BACK

BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret)
 L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Thursday, September 17, 2009 1:52 PM

 Glad you're doing better Ulrich. Keep it up on the recovery.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
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Posted by BamaCSX83 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 2:22 PM

Ulrich -- Glad to have you back in the diner, also glad to hear that your healing up well. 

Guys, I'm not really sure how big the room is going to be as I haven't built it yet.  Probably 20x20, or so.  I may take that layout and make it two levels, or I may just build the building larger and make it all one level.  Biggest thing I want is to be able to get a "reasonable" representation of the 150-ish miles of rail between Montgomery and Dothan, AL.  I think that this layout will allow for that.  It'll have most of the industries that are acutally along the line, and allow for me to either run a "switching" layout (operating the Hyundai switcher, the COEH, or the switcher at the Equity Group elevator), or I can run the mainline and still be able to cut and shove a few cars into places here and there.  Of course the primary idea is to get together with a few people and run it all at the same time. 

Well, I'm going to be hanging out on here for a while, along with doing a few other things around the house, so I'll check back in in a few.

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Posted by howmus on Thursday, September 17, 2009 2:32 PM

TMarsh
Yeesh, I never expected the Spanish Inquisition.

 

(SLAM!)

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to Model Railroading, and nice red uniforms!

 

 

I'll come in again...

 

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by Packers#1 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 3:24 PM

Robby P.

 Just stopping in right quick.  Gotta get to the dentist Blindfold.

 

lol, I had to go to the dentist today as well. No cavities, haha, I've never had one in my life.

Got another soccer game tonight, hopefully it doesn't get rained out. 

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

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Posted by BamaCSX83 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 3:37 PM

eh, speaking of rain, its doing that right now.  I think I'm going to get some house work done, in this case, some dishes and some laundry.

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Posted by howmus on Thursday, September 17, 2009 3:54 PM

 

(SLAM!)

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

Our three weapons are fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to .............

 

 

I'll come in again...

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by GMTRacing on Thursday, September 17, 2009 4:09 PM

No dental hygene dilemmas here.

Bama - a 20 x 20 on two levels should do nicely. John Armstrong has some trackplans that double and triple the run length by looping back and climbing to the next level - might be right up your alley. Running an escape route out the back of your yards might help as well and alow continuous running early on while you do the rest of the layout. I think even in sketch stage the yards should be 3 -4 times longer especially to accomodate the ladders. In practice with multiple levels you are concentrating on the engine and train you're running and tend not to notice there are additional tracks above and/or below your train. In the end it'll be your railroad and besides - ha ha No one expects the Spanish Inquisition !!

Jeff - I was thinking the shelf couplers would help with grade transitions - good to know it's true.

Catch y'all later - time to get over to the house for more woodw..k.   C U L, J.R.  

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Posted by BamaCSX83 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 5:51 PM

Yeah, I know that the ladders should be a whole lot longer the yards, and I really do plan on making them a lot longer, and probably adding some cross-overs between the ladder legs.  I've glanced at some of the Amstrong plans and they wouldn't be a bad idea at all since a whole lot of the running is in the woods, so it can be more or less hidden through the climbs to the next higher level.  Although since I've honestly not build the building to house the layout, I'm not 100% sure what size I'll have to play with, but I know that the track plan that I have can be fairly easily adapted from a LARGE single level layout to a multi-level layout with just the addition of climbs from level to level, or if space is a problem, a helix (don't really want to do a helix, but if I have to, I will). 

Well, I had some fun today, I took the bike this morning and went up to Montgomery to meet with my mom and do some running around to prep for my working with Advance Auto Parts (namely getting some good black work pants), then rode back.  Thankfully it never rained a drop on me while I was running but boy oh boy it has come a couple of good downpours after I did get home.  Now all I'm doing is waiting for Amy and Heather to get home so that I can figure out what we are doing for the evening meal and plans for afterwards.  Guess I'm going to check some things out on some of the other forums on here and see if there's anything interesting happening.  I'll be in and out...

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Posted by JimRCGMO on Thursday, September 17, 2009 7:22 PM

Good Evening, Chloe, how about a helping of Petra's strudel (okay, a small one, but I haven't put on that much weight, really!), and a D&RGW mug of coffee, please. Thank you!

Sir Madog
I really feel having been given a new chance for my life - to start all anew. Petra and I will do a lot of thinking on how to make best use of this and if you allow, we will share our thoughts with you - to be followed by a supply of Petra´s special Strudel! Chef

 

Hey, Ulrich, you can post just about any thoughts if she's providing all that daily Strudel... Yeah!!Dinner Yep, it sure sounds like you had an amazing gift - and I for one am glad you came back. Thumbs Up Follow Herr Doctor's orders and don't do like some of us do (and over-do!). Great to hear that you're gonna be back home (and I hope Petra didn't hurt herself when she picked you up....)Whistling

Eddie, I'd tend to agree with what Todd said on getting your foot in the door with that job. Around these parts, getting into teaching is a bit like that - many teachers start out substitute teaching, and as the bosses get used to seeing your face around, you have some 'brand recognition' (so to speak) once a full-time position you are after opens up. Like your layout ideas - I'm guessing the red part on the right side (inner edge) is an interchange, right? The staging yards on the left (top and bottom) will indeed be longer than drawn - but I'm sure you already know that. How big will your basement/layout space be? Oops I see you posted that..

Ah, speaking of towns, my co-worker got to the Bollinger County Sheriff's Dept. this morning, got done assessing the client, but then couldn't find his way back out of the magnificent town of Marble Hill, MO (pop. 1502)... Wink We gave him a little razzing after he got back to the office, of course.

Todd, thanks for the 'assist' - today at w**k wasn't too bad. Well, it helped that two of my morning follow-ups didn't show up, one of my two regular therapy folks rescheduled, and my 2:00 (after my lunch time) didn't show up at all, helped. I was able to get away to the local hospital (where we often go when we're on-call) and get my photo taken (they're updating the IDs we have to have for there). Helped with my being able to help cover some extra walk-in people (we got a little bit of a 'traffic jam' for a while mid-day). Looney Tunes? I LOVE Looney Tunes Big Smile - spent many a Saturday morning glued in front of the TV, watching varieties of the L.T. genre (Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner and Wiley E., Chip and Dale (the chipmunks, not the ones for adults...), Foghorn Leghorn and all...) Hmm... that would kinda fit in with the answers for Philly Bill, wouldn't they? ("Ah said, ah said, that's a joke, son!")

Gary, have a good trip (again), and I'm sure the layout will await you when you return, too.

Philly Bill - just to clear things up, that other word that Lee was (not) using was the one about the fluffy white stuff that falls from the sky in colder weather... (depends on how much of it that you're having to shovel, as for how bad of a four-letter word it is to each person).

jeffrey-wimberly
I knew I was getting close when I found rails under there.

Laugh

Uh, Robby, have you checked with the CFO about using her blender for the scenery stuff? No? Well, then is your insurance policy and major medical paid up?Whistling

Careful, Ray - someone who wandered into the Diner might not know that you're just foolin'. You ARE foolin', right, Ray? Uh, Ray?...(tiptoeing closer to the door....)

Almost forgot - CONGRATULATIONS on getting to move back into your house, JR! Thumbs UpYeah!!

I'll be sampling this tasty, yummy strudel (at the RC stool closest to the door). Prayers for healing up, good riding weather, some time for "w**king on the railroad", and having fun in the process of this thing we call life.

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau

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Posted by BamaCSX83 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 7:46 PM

*comes in with a platter of burgers, cheese, bacon, and all the other requisite fixin's*  I brought dinner for all y'all chow hounds, yes ma'am that includes y'all too Chloe.  Figured it would be better to bring the rest of dinner in here so it could be put to good use than to save it for left overs. 

Jim, the red area you see is COEH (Conecuh Valley RR) trackage into Troy's industrial park.  Two customers are there, Wayne Farms (agricultural feed elevator) and KW Plastics (plastic pellets).  The interchange is right along the mainline here in Troy, AL.  Normally the COEH drops outbounds off around 5pm Monday-Friday.  Between 6:15-7:00pm on weeknights and again on sunday night, CSX (specifically train Q650) picks up the outbounds and drops off inbounds then continues on to Montgomery.  And don't get me started on Looney Toons, I remember back around the first of the year Boomerang (Cartoon Network "oldies" channel) had a Looney Toons marathon.  I was in heaven, and so was my daughter.  Well, I guess I'm going to hang out on here for a while and see what kind of stuff I can mess around with. 

I'll be in the window booth watching the nighttime action.

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Posted by Packers#1 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 7:50 PM

 Well, we got rained out. I'll take a slice of cake and go sit in the corner booth for a bit.

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

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Posted by ns3010 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 7:59 PM

Evening all. Chloe, I'll have some funnel cake and a RBF, thanks.

Ulrich, Glad to hear from ya! Seems taht you're doing better, and that's always a good thing. Maybe now you can stop in more regularly.
Lee, aw, I kinda like the S word...
as long as my parents don't make me shovel the driveway... but that doesn't happen because we usually park up on the street (my house is downhill from the street, and our driveway is rather steep, so we built parking spaces up on the street)
Robby and Sawyer, Hmmm, I also went to the dentist, last week. That's ironic...
EDIT: Sawyer, you just said the R word that Lee said not to say, but you said it even though your not supposed to say it because saying that word is saying a bad thing. So basically, don't say the R word that we're not supposed to say. What was I saying again...?Smile

I'll be at the RC if ya need me, waiting for the latenight intermodal.

My Model Railroad: Tri State Rail
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Posted by Packers#1 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 8:16 PM

ns3010
Robby and Sawyer, Hmmm, I also went to the dentist, last week. That's ironic...

EDIT: Sawyer, you just said the R word that Lee said not to say, but you said it even though your not supposed to say it because saying that word is saying a bad thing. So basically, don't say the R word that we're not supposed to say. What was I saying again...?Smile

 

Yeah man. My dentist is a model railroader too though, haha.

lol, you mean rain?

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Thursday, September 17, 2009 8:23 PM

  I got most of the junk off the layout today and spent a lot of time and energy sorting things into boxes. This evening I got an invitation from my parents to go down and have dinner with them. That's something I seldom refuse. Pork chops with sauteed onions, mixed vegetables and salad. That was good. My average daily meals combined supply about 900 calories at the max. I can safely say I went over that today.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
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Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
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Running Bear Enterprises
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beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by ns3010 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 8:34 PM

Packers#1

Yeah man. My dentist is a model railroader too though, haha.

lol, you mean rain?

Now that's ironic...

And yes, I mean that R word. Which, according to Lee, we're not supposed to say, but you said it again, and this could be a problem if you keep saying what we're not supposed to say, especially since you've said it again, even though we're not supposed to say it.


And I just remembered, I turn 16 in 9 months, and therefore get my permit. 9 months can't pass quickly enough... Yes, I'm impatient!

My Model Railroad: Tri State Rail
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Posted by Packers#1 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 8:54 PM

ns3010

Packers#1

Yeah man. My dentist is a model railroader too though, haha.

lol, you mean rain?

Now that's ironic...

And yes, I mean that R word. Which, according to Lee, we're not supposed to say, but you said it again, and this could be a problem if you keep saying what we're not supposed to say, especially since you've said it again, even though we're not supposed to say it.


And I just remembered, I turn 16 in 9 months, and therefore get my permit. 9 months can't pass quickly enough... Yes, I'm impatient!

 

Ah, I love living in SC. I can get my permit when I turn 15, which is in about 2 months.

ok, I'll try not to say the r word, lol

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

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Posted by BamaCSX83 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 9:18 PM

I remember when I was waiting for my permit, so anxious, yet so nervous.

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Posted by howmus on Thursday, September 17, 2009 9:42 PM

JimRCGMO
Careful, Ray - someone who wandered into the Diner might not know that you're just foolin'. You ARE foolin', right, Ray? Uh, Ray?...(tiptoeing closer to the door....)

 

Bring out...............................

                             The Comfy Chair!!!

(followed immediately by huge dissonant chord played on cheap electric organ.......)

Evenin' folks,

Just got home from a meeting of the Rochester Chapter of the National Railroad Hysterical Society.  Had a great presentation on the Rome, Watertown, and Ogdensburg RR, bought a book, and generally had a good time.

Flo I'll have a hunk of Strudel and a cup of decaf to tide me over.  I'll go sit at the front booth and see who comes and goes for a while.

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by BamaCSX83 on Thursday, September 17, 2009 9:49 PM

Evening Ray, just stopping in for a RBF and I think I'll join you, if you don't mind.  I've got a quick question, just something to pick your brain...Given the "standard operating procedure" of today being six axle diesels and high horsepower, what would the likelihood of something along the lines of a GP40-2 anda GP38-2 lashed up together pulling a local, or even a manifest freight in today's world?

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Posted by howmus on Thursday, September 17, 2009 10:00 PM

BamaCSX83

Evening Ray, just stopping in for a RBF and I think I'll join you, if you don't mind.  I've got a quick question, just something to pick your brain...Given the "standard operating procedure" of today being six axle diesels and high horsepower, what would the likelihood of something along the lines of a GP40-2 anda GP38-2 lashed up together pulling a local, or even a manifest freight in today's world?

 

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........

I don't know...

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...................

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

Moderator
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Posted by blownout cylinder on Thursday, September 17, 2009 10:01 PM

TMarsh
Yeesh, I never expected the Spanish Inquisition.

Now where is Torqmada when you need him?Whistling We have your DNA on them----Smile,Wink, & Grin

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ray: We went approximately 4000km this summer doing that 'shunpiker' thing.I've given up trying to count all the pix we gathered of what are called 'vanished villages' ---some are just cemetaries with an attendant church converted into a house, or even just plain old mounds stuck there with remnants of roadways between them. I'm starting to think about looking through some of my photo collections from around here again, scanning them, and then posting a few of them every so often on this forum.Maybe others here might have some old pix sitting around---? They make great idea fodder for whoever needs 'em!Smile,Wink, & Grin

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello and good evening---or summat

Lotsa fun driving 'roun' today with lotsa construction destruction happenin'---they even had university bridge kinda jumbled up for a bit. trying to get anywhere was fascinating----NOTGrumpy Oh well, I got all the dang stuff I needed to get done so's I be a happy camper---Smile,Wink, & Grin Saturday is going to be a looooooonnnngg one---starts at 8am---ends at 7:30pm----sheeesh----2 seminars-----anyone want to take them over? No? ----Aw Nuts----Wink 

Ulrich: I think this diner could handle philosophical topics very easily--- What you posted made perfect sense here---Take care! 

Chloe, I'll have one of Petra's Strudels with a coffee please----I'll be right at the RC for now---Smile,Wink, & Grin

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/

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