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Elliot´s Trackside Diner XXIV - on a new track Locked

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Posted by Robby P. on Sunday, January 31, 2010 1:01 PM

 Good afternoon. Its sunny but still cold!!

 Well I did some running around town this morning (aka shopping with the wife).  Now since I'm back home, maybe I can get some work done on the layout.  Plus I really don't wanna hear the "soaps" in the background.

  Todd.........One thing about my wife is...she gave me the whole basement (other than where a bathroom  should be).  I still had to do some convincing thou Whistling.  Maybe a lift out would work.  I was using something like Duke said until the wheel fell off.  I had to duck under and the wife couldn't at all.  I used two re-railers for the lift out part.  One on each end of the lift out part.  Kinda lets the train re-rail if something happens at the split (where the track was cut).   It works real good, and its the first time I even tried to make one. 

 Sawyer.... No snow, well us PA people dodged a bullet.  My home town got about 6 inches, and I thought you might have.

 "Rust, whats not to love?"      

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Posted by fec153 on Sunday, January 31, 2010 12:11 PM

Todd- Since you are going to have to do something about the door-way, put in a pocket door.

pc- How is your wife doing?

Prayers for all

Flip  [in chilly mid Fla.

 

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Posted by bjdukert on Sunday, January 31, 2010 11:17 AM
Todd   Before I redid my benchwork so that I don’t have a duckunder,this is what I was going to use to make it easier. Just sit down,give a little push as you bend over a little to clear the bottom of the benchwork,then stand up from a sitting position when you get to the other side.

Best to all on sick call and those recovering AngelAngelAngel

Talk to you later

Duke

"Don't take a wooden nickel,because it isn't worth a dime" by my Dad

"There are only 3 things you need out of life:A gentle grade,the wind in your face,and cinders in your hair.....But keep an eye on the water glass!" Jack Evans

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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Sunday, January 31, 2010 10:59 AM

 Todd: You should know by now that there is NEVER an end to moving stuff for the wife or the mother in law.

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Posted by howmus on Sunday, January 31, 2010 10:42 AM

Mornin' everyone!

Flo I'll have the #2 Special, over easy on the eggs, bacon, homefies, and a double order of sourdough toast all to go along with a cup of dark roast coffee in a FGLK mug.  I'll go sit wherever I can find a seat....  Been busy in here I see.

Tom W, yes we just trade one form of busyness for another.  I often envy you being able to be accompanying and teaching those kids.  Especially when they are learning Carmina Burana!  I guess THAT explains why we keep telling people we have never been so busy in our lives........ 

Todd....... GO FOR IT!

TMarsh
to my Mothers house, to move more of her Shi...Oopsthings. WILL THIS MOVING THING EVER END!!!!!! Banged HeadBanged HeadBanged Head

 

Hope I didn't start anything here......  

Barry I'd say for just the 3-5th. grade, there is about 300 entries here, and THAT doesn't include the Honorable Mentions which were over 100.....  Don't ask!  I should have them all set to go back to the school tonight.  Problem is they get all scrambled up in the process of judging and have to be sorted by Shool, Grade, Class, and whether they are Art or Poetry.  I think this is the last year I am going to touch any of the entries.  Someone else should get a chance to have all this fun!  Maybe they will decide to change the rules, who knows?

I have to go over to my sister's house in Canandaigua this afternoon to help her set up her new MacBook Pro.  Her first computer!  See we got her to finally get a digital camera last summer.  (Which she nows thinks is wonderful!)  Now she found out she needs a computer to really be able to work with and save her photos........  But don't worry she knows all about computers as she had an Amiga Computer in the mid 80's in her art room at school.....Whistling  She's even getting RoadRunner service since she has cable.  But she isn't going to tell anyone her address!  "Ignorance is bliss".  I'll give her 6 months. LaughSmile,Wink, & Grin

Best get moving and see what I can get done today.  Didn't make it to church.  I too overslept.  Later!

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 Sunday, January 31, 2010 10:00 AM

Good Morning. Was up late and overslept missing Church. Black Eye

Talked to the wife and she didn't bat an eye. Well, after she found out that the new plan doesn't get out of my space anyway. Didn't really expect her too though. If you think about it as far as she's concerned, so what. Kinda like when she asks me which shoes look better. She wasn't, however keen on the idea of moving the door. Turning it around was fine. I did let it slip about taking most of the basement, THAT got no response other than a quick glance from looking at the TV. Translation: "Not even worth me responding too". Just checking to see if she was listening. If women would do that, there'd be a lot less problems.My 2 cents

Tom- Yes I am grateful for the room. You bet I am. I just can't come up with a decent plan by myself to use it. And yes I'm sure things will change a bit before completion, but I have a good start point.

Chris- Good idea on the drawing table. Especially the pad part. But I do believe we have one, yea, here it is under this pile of trackplans. Sorry hoss, my fault, I'll clean the thing off and re file the plans, won't be needing them anymore it looks like. Yea, the narrow peninsula gap of 6 or 8 inches kinda made me say hmmm, but by adding about 6" to the width that would expand to at least a foot. At 6'3" and 190 with no overhang, 195 at the most ‘til I visit the "Reading Room", the rest of it isn't much of a concern. ( except the duck under) I figure I'd also make a guard out of clear plastic for the peninsula end so that the arm or shirt or whatever, will hit that first.

Keith- HA! Afford it! No way. Unless I do it over several years. Make that many years. Maybe. But, since that was my plan anyway, I figure.... Why not! I'm under no delusion that it will not be very expensive. It will, but so will the thing I'm working on now. They all are. The way I see it, in reality, if the new one doesn't get done for whatever reason, neither will the mess I've got now for the same reason. The difference will be, I'll be working on a track plan I will like. And once the track is laid and the train is running then things will slow down to a super duper crawl.

Ulrich- At 47, might as well say 48 come the 18th of March anyway, and that's just around the corner, I figure I'll probably have the time. Of course one never knows what tomorrow brings, might be shakin hands with St Peter and dancin' around sayin' "I knew it! I just knew it! Naaa na na naaaaa na " before I even get this post done. But I should be fine. Money of course will be the major factor.

EDIT: Made it.

Man with a diner, a kitchen, a modeling room, a library, and now a drafting area, how big is this car?

I have one other reason I may have difficulty getting done. Free time. Just been informed, in the previously mentioned indirect way, that I will be accompanying the Perfect Wife to my Mothers house, to move more of her Shi...Oopsthings. WILL THIS MOVING THING EVER END!!!!!! Banged HeadBanged HeadBanged Head

Have a Great Day!!!

 

Todd  

Central Illinoyz

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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 jeffrey-wimberly on Sunday, January 31, 2010 7:50 AM

Blazzin
  Jeff?  How ya been

I'm still here. My dyslexia went into maximum overdrive Friday and I haven't been able to read much for the past couple of days. It's cleared up enough now that I can read a few sentences with only a little trouble with words jumping around. Hopefully it will clear later today. Right now it's keeping the spell checker very busy.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
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Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
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Posted by blownout cylinder on Sunday, January 31, 2010 5:40 AM

Good Early Morning--

Welp.Good Morning Ulrich, nice to see you in here. I see a few people fell asleep in here as well. Chris looks like he's all tuckered out, why's he got a briuse on his forehead? And Todd is all asleep in the corner booth by Duke---must've been a really active night--Whistling

Apparently someone forgot to find out what the condition of the classroom area that ended up under water was like. I've got to go there this morning and find out myself--as I could not raise anyone who knew anythingBanged Head Then, if the thing is too wet find out whether anyone done anything to dry it out betterDisapprove Then do some frantic calling and etc.Grumpy

Chloe, I'll have what Ulrich's having for breakfast please---looks yummySmile I'll be with Ulrich at the corner booth----mmmm---I notice Flo's been working on the padded room instead----must be Chris's--or was it JimRC's idea? Might help in saving a few foreheads anyhow---Whistling

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

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 31, 2010 2:47 AM

 Good Morning

or should I better say -YAAAWN ?

Some of you folks stay up late - yessir! Wish I could do it, I start to get sooo tired at 10 pm, that I need to go to bed, but then I wake up in the middle of the night Sleepy

Zoe, I see you have put my "French" breakfast on the regular menu - very kind of you! Can I swap the cherry jam with the Swiss gooseberry  kind? Thank you, Zoe, very kind of you.

It is still sn*wing - not much, but the night gave us another 3" of that wet & white stuff. The weather guessers see no end to this. I am really developing a strong dislike for this season!

Todd - that´s a nice plan and certainly an ambitious one to build. Way too complicated for me, though - I´d never be able to come anywhere near of finishing it. I ´d also like a little bit more leeway in the aisles... Whistling (I need it).

John -  we used to spend our family vacations in Switzerland. We usually rented a little chalet in the mountains and bought the Hero jam by the bucket - the best I ever had, other than Petra´s homemade one!

Sue - hope to see you a little more often in here ...

 I am going to sit in the corner booth to see who´s dropping by...

Have a good one!

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Posted by Blazzin on Sunday, January 31, 2010 2:21 AM

  Todd.. go for it, if you can afford it.

  Tom.. nice looking under that paint.  Wow~

  Jerry, nice caboose.

  Jefff?  How ya been

  Ulrich,  I would think you're up by noW~ nICE pice of the snow,  I might want to do some of the back side of the mountain like that... So anyways..   Good morning to you and your wife Petra.

  Jim,  I'm gettin there,  wow .. this is becoming an expense... lol.

bye

Keith

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Posted by AmanaMedic on Sunday, January 31, 2010 2:01 AM

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzz *Snort!

Good grief!

OK...it's 0130...and I'm sitting here at the RC. Huh. Must've...nope....I did. Dozed off. Woke up just in time to go to bed.

Welp....let's see what's been a-goin' on in here. I thought I was dreaming that a happy/crazy guy was dancing around in here...seems I was only getting woke-up by TODD and his new plan! Smile,Wink, & Grin Thanks fer tacking it up on the wall...I've grabbed my copy and it now sits among dozens of other "great ideeers" in the "Layout Ideas" folder. I'd say, if you think you can tweak it to fit yer needs...then go fer it! I like some parts of it, the really narrow "aisle" in the top half makes me scratch my head a bit. I'd make it through, but I'd be sucking it in and still probably be taking some landscaping with me each trip. Note to self: NO pole-lines and/or signals along the aisle-side in THAT area...Whistling

Heck, I might be able to modify either half to fit in my space. But, each half is 12x12, and I've got an odd-shaped room. One wall (north) is 8'0 even, the longest (east) is 13'-8 1/2", then there's the 9'-10" (south), and finally the 7'-7 1/2" wall (west). Yeah.....it's an odd room in an odd house. I call it the "eightball house" for a number of reasons. One being, we're at the corner of Eighth and Ball...another being how it seems no matter what I want or need to do to this place, I'm perpeptually stuck "behind the eight ball." 'Ats also why I put the eight ball up by my name...

IF I get time later today (gotta do the water fight stuff for THAT), I'm going to look...again...at the "Free Haven Terminal RR" plan from the October 1990 MR. For many years, THAT was "the dream layout" that was gonna be like the area around Cedar Lake in Cedar Rapids. I had a bunch of sketches/ideers, switching scenarios, even some diagramed-out ops (like in the article itself). Lost 'em all somewhere over time...Disapprove I keep thinking it was all in the pile with the genuine discarded CNW switch lists out of the North Yard, from '88-'93...(my era) THAT Mr. RERUN found and shredded one fun day when he was a little puppy. DisapproveBanged Head

I fiddled with this plan not too long ago, but discovered one corner would've been about 4 feet (or more) deep...decided THAT wouldn't work so well. I'm going to try the "template" idea of tracing selected areas to fit MY space...might make this fly yet.

May just make something else fly...if/when I discover it won't!

Hey TODD...I think we need a drawing table in here, with a good light table/light box for tracing plans...whaddaya think? It could have its own dedicated coffee pot, and a padded area for repeated head-banging Shock What's THAT Flo? You don't want to have to watch over yet another coffee pot? Fine...we'll do it like in the career fire stations, last man to empty it makes the next pot.

OK...I WAS going to go back to sleep......

Have a great day everybody,

ChrisEight Ball

The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!

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Posted by last mountain & eastern hogger on Saturday, January 30, 2010 11:58 PM

 Whistling

Hi Fellas & Gals,  I see that Sue is back.   Where you been girl ?  we were getting worried.

Chloe,  I know it is cold out, but you know I would still like a RBF and a couple of oatmeal raisin cookies,  Thanks much.

For those of you who like READING, I have to tell you about two books. The first I have finished and the second ,I am half way through it.  Thumbs UpThumbs Up

They are by Clive Cussler.. The titles are  "THE CHASE"   and   "THE WRECKER"  and they should be read in that order as they kind of follow one another.

They are both novels written with lots of actual history, and both stories are to do with the Southern Pacific Railroad.

These are great reading as is all of Cussler's work, but being Railroad themed, I can hardly put them down..

I know you will think they are great too if reading is in your bag.  I get to do a lot of it at work if I stay off the forums here for awhile.

Check them out at AMAZON .COM or your local book store.

Prayers and blessings to all in need.

Sabbath tomorrow, so off to get some ZZZZZZzzzzzzssssss so I can make it to Church in the morning.

Sleep well.

Johnboy out................................for now.

from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North.. 

We have met the enemy,  and he is us............ (Pogo)

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Posted by twhite on Saturday, January 30, 2010 11:37 PM

Evening all from PartlyCloudyButNoRainCal: 

Weather is supposed to be 'unsettled' here for a few days, then another wet one due in Tuesday.  Which means, if the weatherman hasn't completely lost his mind that I can get some more work done on the Little Lady, tomorrow.   We're ALMOST past the stripping stage, but still a little bit more to go.  Lordy, that paint must have been BAKED on, LOL! 

Played Vespers tonight, had a HUGE coughing spell and naturally, it was right during the Homily.  Had to go outside and get rid of it.  Thank God for those little Listerine strips that you can suck on.  Got back in for the rest of it and the choir director asked me if I was okay.  Evidently I was Beet-Red from the attack.  But I was able to get through the rest of the Mass okay.  I apologized to the Priest, he just grinned and said, "Hey, if it GOT to you, then I did my job."  Neat Priest. 

Todd:  Wow--28 by 12 and a half?  That's some Major Room in my book.  Go with the dreams, my friend!   What a wife you've got, letting you have that much space.  If you're like I was with the Yuba River Sub, the plans might change while you're working it out, but that will all be to the good.  ENJOY!  Tongue

Ray:  Did you say something about 'retirement?'  We don't RETIRE, guy, we just take on new projects.  That's what keeps us young, LOL!   Remember, I tried retirement--got bored.  Went back to work and now I'm in the middle of "Carmina Burana" again.  And oboy, am I doing some WOOD-SHEDDING with that piano part!   It's one thing at 65, it's a whole new Ball Of Wax at 70, believe me!  Smile,Wink, & Grin 

Ulrich:  I love that photo from your window.  Where I live, I have to travel about 50 miles up into the mountains to get to snow, but it's worth it. 

Well, thought I'd post a couple of photos on the Great Stripping Project.  The boiler's down to mostly bare brass, but I've got to work on the front deck and the cylinders, still.  I can't do anything about the drivers--using stripper or paint remover will dissolve the insulation on one side, so all I can do is repaint and weather them.  But anyway, here's the results so far.  I just sorta/kinda put her back together for the photos (less pilot and rear wheels) just so you could see what she's SUPPOSED to look like.  Like I said, she's one of the 'little' Rio Grande 2-8-8-2's, built LONG before the USRA's came out (1913) but the Rio Grande thought enough of her to keep her around until 1956.  I think she's a little charmer.

Still have a lot of work to do on her, some re-stripping, re-weighting the boiler, re-painting her, natch.  I'm thinking of doing the boiler in the green shade that Rio Grande used on the series--kinda/sorta like the "Glacier Green" that GN used on some of their steamers.  What do you guys think?  Anyway, there's about a weeks worth of work left to do on her. 

Can't wait to get her up and running and hauling some freight!

Tom Smile

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Posted by blownout cylinder on Saturday, January 30, 2010 9:59 PM

Todd:  I'd say go for it. It sounds like a good plan and, with a few adjustments like you posted awhile ago, looks to be perfect for what you wanted---Smile,Wink, & Grin

Ray:  What was that about being retired? You just got retreaded?ConfusedLaugh BTW, how many Art/Poetry pieces are you sorting through?

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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Posted by Cederstrand on Saturday, January 30, 2010 9:57 PM

Turkey with veggies stew, please. 

***Der, nifty window module there.Thumbs Up

No snow here, just cold thick mud practically everywhere you step outside. Temp tonight is 23F, so perhaps some of that mud will harden up a bit.

Never made it to the train room. Tuckered out tonight.

Have a nice night all.

Cowboy Rob

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Posted by howmus on Saturday, January 30, 2010 9:41 PM

Evenin' Folks!

Zoe I need a hot chocolate with whipped cream on top to warm me up.  I'll be in the back booth by the stove trying to get warm.

It is colder than a .......................... outside right now.  I have seen it a lot worse mind you and have been out camping in much, much worse, but the thermometer is down to -6°F.  Lucky there is no wind, so the wood stove here at home is still heating the entire house for the moment.  Still, definitely a Three Dog Night out there! Tomorrow it will warm up a bit all the way up to the teens. Whistling  I did leave a little heat on in the train room tonight to keep it from getting too cold down there.  Hopefully keep it in the low 50s overnight in there.

DerJohn, thanks for the instructions for the Pliobond.  THAT is pretty much what I did, and so far it has held perfectly.

Going to have another busy week of meetings next week.  I have to clean up the train room and make sure everything is running well as the boys in Troop 1 will be visiting on Thursday Night. Monday night is an MLK Meeting, Wednesday is Deacons.  I haven't even thought of getting materials ready for those yet......  Heck, I'm still sorting Art and Poetry from 2 weeks ago.  At least I'm not bored.

Hope all of you have a warm, safe, and pleasant night!

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 Saturday, January 30, 2010 9:39 PM

Hi, it's me I'm back. Sorry I don't mean to hog the floor or blow the doors off the post count, but I'm pretty excited tonightBig Smile. I've finally found something I feel I can really work with. 

I've done some thinking and measuring. I don't know if this works for non subscribers, and I hope it doesn't cause any problems with Kalmbach either but this is the track plan I really, really....really like. With as I said, some modifications to make it a bit more like what I want. Such as a few pieces of track removed, a couple of reroutes here and there. Clean it up a bit for my druthers. But for a template this is perfect for me. Something to work on for the rest of my days.

The room is 28' X 12'6". The room used to be two rooms that the perfect wife allowed me to remove the wall and make one. One door is in the perfect place and that is in the lower left corner and would allow room for the door and the work bench and the storage drawer thing. The other door is on the left side and would be centered just about between the words Cemetery and Hotel. (can't imagine the hotel getting top dollar for a room there.Confused)The door swings in, but would be no problem to remove and reverse so it would open out. Which I planned to do anyway with the last revision of the around the room plan #3004. Since the room is about six inches wider, I would also make the layout wider and that would give a bit more room between the peninsula and the left side. I could also widen the peninsula 12 inches and lengthen the left side and that would allow for a broader turn in the peninsula and lengthen the whole layout. I could also extend the large yard in the lower left an additional 3 feet to meet the wall. OR leave the peninsula alone and just widen the gap at Foxburg and the same amount on the left side. Lengthening the layout, however would move the door farther into the thick part of the layout. Not a real problem I guess, I'd have to duck under to get into the room, but I'll have to duck under to access that part anyway. I know, duck unders, yuck, but at this point I don‘t see a way of getting the door into a narrower part for a drop down or lift out. At least yet. OR just leave the length alone except for the lower right. OR just leave all the length alone period. I must have 8 feet on the lower left wall for the bench and the door. I can lengthen the layout 2 feet comfortably and still have plenty of room, but the door would be completely unusable to access the room standing up. Of course, the part you could access is not an issue with that door as it already has a door that is in an un obstructed location. I do have room to move the whole door down the wall and adding the two feet of length, would put the door just below where the drawing shows their drop down, but I don't know if I can get that by the CEOWhistling.

Boy I sure would like to make this plan work. Well, it will work. It has all the things I want. Not necessarily the businesses exactly, but the large city, a couple of small towns, room for the tourist town, a cattle yard and small meat processing plant. Some hills, and more than just a flat plain. Boy this guy has real close to my wants, and pretty much the same space. Why can‘t I think up plans like this.

I'm lucky to have the room, so I might as well go for it. I know it's not gonna happen by this time next month, but At this rate I'll have the trackplan done, the benchwork done, the track laid and trains running, before I get a choo choo moving on this creation I'm fighting with. PLUS I'll have a layout I'll like instead of something I don't have what I want on because I couldn't figure out how to get it all on.

Guys, either talk me out of it, or tell me do it. I know they say the first layout shouldn't be the dream layout, (technically it's the third, but really the second because the first was really the only one completed.)but, I'm passed the rush into it stage, and I know mistakes are made and you can't just get things done with a snap of the fingers. But with your help. I think, no, I know it can do it. Besides, this way the walls can get painted all the way to the floor.Whistling 

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 blownout cylinder on Saturday, January 30, 2010 8:16 PM

TMarsh
Also thinking about ordering theRealistic Scenery How To Kalmbachs offering up for April delivery

Me too. I've got some ideas that need reworking and that book will help---

Of course I'm pretty happy with the way my layout is heading. The only thing that makes me grumpy are intermittent switches. Whistling, overcrowded yardsMischief, and disagreeable H16-44'sDead

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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Posted by TMarsh on Saturday, January 30, 2010 8:09 PM

Barry- I'm refering to ground foam and track ballast. Yes I am cheap. Plus the old layout section has code 100, so the track that I do have will probably be replaced so the newest part that is code 83 it will all match.

Problem is I just don't see me being satisfied with reworking the current layout. Ever. Every time I work on it a bit I see something I don't like or want/need to change. I'm wondering if starting over with a plan will be better and more time conservative than constantly reworking a layout that started with no plan. Just ambition and some lumber.

Also thinking about ordering theRealistic Scenery How To Kalmbachs offering up for April delivery.

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 Packers#1 on Saturday, January 30, 2010 7:59 PM

 Robby, it's 26 outside and no snow. There's like a no-snow embargo on Aiken, idk why.

John, glad I'm not the only one that happens to, lol. I've now learned though, make sure your trackwork is bulletproof. Caught that turnout before ballasting, thank the lord!

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Cherry Valley, Ma
  • 3,674 posts
Posted by grayfox1119 on Saturday, January 30, 2010 7:57 PM

Now John, those are great home remedies. I'm not sure I have enough b**** to try #2, that could really cause havoc also...LOL LOL.

ULRICH: That is a beautiful and peaceful scene from your living room window, love it !!

ROB: And you guys got more snow today ? It missed us to the south by 200 miles, were OK with that.

SUE: Doggone I missed you in the Diner !!! I heard the guys all bought you lunch !

Got down to 0.2F last night, actually daybreak this morning, down to 12F right now, so it looks like another cold Wolf Moon night here in New England.

Worked on layout today, doing more planning for inclines to keep the grades to 2.5% max.

Time for a hot chocolate, see you guys later, say hi to Duke and Ed if they drop in with Flip.

WA1VEI  "73"

Dick If you do what you always did, you'll get what you always got!! Learn from the mistakes of others, trust me........you can't live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself, I tried !! Picture album at :http://www.railimages.com/gallery/dickjubinville Picture album at:http://community.webshots.com/user/dickj19 local weather www.weatherlink.com/user/grayfox1119
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  • From: London ON
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Posted by blownout cylinder on Saturday, January 30, 2010 7:49 PM

Todd: I can see you doing a major change. I'd be wondering though about those unrecoverables and what you'd need to replace everything with. Tourist trap town? If it's the same layout I'm thinking it could be 2 of 'em!!

Lotsa fun!! heeheeheeBig Smile

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/

  • Member since
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  • From: Williamsville, ILL
  • 3,698 posts
Posted by TMarsh on Saturday, January 30, 2010 7:35 PM

RBF please.

I made it! Yes indeedy I made it. Spent about a half hour in the trainroom before I heard it. "Honey, do you need anything from the grocery store?" I left the land of delight and went into the other room to discuss the list. She then asked if I wanted to go with her. Past xperience says it is a way of allowing me to feel I have a say, and most importantly that the griping will not happen because she "asked" and I said yes when I could have stayed home. Ya. Sure. At any rate my time ended and I left, once again, for Springfield.Sigh

When I got home, I retrieved the mail from the box and it......Shock, PEEEEE YOOOOOO! Missy! What in the world have you eaten that could have made that smell?! My gosh go in Mommies room and do that. WOW! Sorry. The dog, uh, let one go. Deadwow. Anyway, I recieved my MRR today and wouldn't you know, the featured rairoad is the same outside dimensions as mine. That means it will fit in my room, and I like the plan. Best one I've seen for me yet. So you know what I'm a thinkin'. Basically there are a few mods that need to be done to allow for my tourist trap and the meat packing plant,and the beer distributor. I figure the large roudhouse isn't needed and the yard doesn't have to be as large. The mine can go and be replaced bythe distributor or the tourist trap town. Of course that's just a first thought. Some of the track he has I would not have so......, but it is a usable start. And, since I was going to rework the thing anyway, I'm thinking just start my third layout now, instead of tweaking my second and not ever being satisfied. Decisions, decisions.

Another RBF please, I'll be sitting here looking at this plan scratching my head going over the pros and cons.

I tell you what really has holding back on what I should do. The loss of the unrecoverables such a scenic material. Actually in the scheme of the overall layout, what I'm concerened about losing is small potatoes. I don't know. I really like the plan and see ways to make it more for me, or dare  I say mine, quite easily.  

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

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Shalimar. Florida
  • 2,622 posts
Posted by Packer on Saturday, January 30, 2010 6:45 PM

Hey ya'll, RBF for me

No snow here, just rain. Then it got cold and windy.

Garry, out of curiosity I looked to see if ex-Q F-units made it to the merger. It looks like there was only 1. F7 796, ex-CB&Q 168A. looks like it was retired in September of 1970, and the number was then given to a ex-NP F9. So it was only there for a whopping 7 months.

Lee, I looked but I couldn't find his trains. his cars were nice though.

Vincent

Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....

2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: Nova Scotia, Northumberland Shore
  • 2,479 posts
Posted by der5997 on Saturday, January 30, 2010 6:43 PM

Hello again Diners: Sue: Great to see you back in...lots of layout work done too. Thumbs Up  I thought I'd better put in an appearance before this location of the Diner became too much older. Life-in-general seems to have eroded the available mrr time, but I've been able to get a bit done here and there.

            For instance, last Sunday I found that the new MicroTrains trucks I'd put on a passenger car had a coupler trip pin that snagged on a turnout.(worked on the gauge Banged Head)  Adjusting that pin resulted in the coupler exploding, and that included the flight of the coupler spring!  By the greatest good fortune I spotted it on the carpet before treading on the thing.Also found the larger parts, and put it back together with the pin adjusted. The real fault was in the turnout,( so Sawyer you're not alone!) and that lead to my taking to heart a remark from an editorial / article in the January MR to the effect that "...any layout that has poor operation is a failure." 

            Pretty sweepingShock, and it stung me to action doing maintenance work where the tracks leave the left hand side of my movable  window module.   (It's movable so I can get out of the window to clean there, and also it's our upstairs fire escape should the stairs not be passable; so it's quick release, with no rail joiners to hold the alignment.) I had to re-align the approach tracks for "pitch" and "yaw" (thankfully no roll Clown); and since one of the three tracks is on a grade, that was yet more fun!  The "pitch" component meant correcting a situation I hadn't really noticed - the mainline approaching the window module did so at a slight up-grade, while its continuation on the module was exactly horizontal. Result was uncoupling of some cars (if it had been all, even I would have noticed before!) Soaking the track and ballast, lifting a few inches of track, inserting a plastic shim strip along the roadbed, replacing track (taking care of the "yaw"), re-gluing ballast, was the work of  - well more than a few moments; but the fixes worked flawlessly. Except.... except for one loco! The trouble there turned out to be an out of gauge wheel set in the rear truck. Felt less of a failure by the time that was over...then Lee goes and posts those incredible (0 Scale?) pics....feel like a whupped pup now!

Now, to pick up on things I had started before the Diner was moved....

Ray:  

Then using a soldering iron on the track to fix the rail firmly to the ties.  have any of you used this method?  I would like step by step directions if any of you have done it this way.
... I've browsed through the last days of the old Diner, and can't see that anyone replied to that, so, here's my My 2 cents ....not quite sure what Plio-Bond is. I've used a very similar sounding technique with just ordinary contact cement.

Step1) Spread a THIN layer of cement to base of rail.

Step 2) Let dry until tacky, or even touchable - it's not critical because of Step 4.

Step 3)  Place rail in position, press it into place, making sure it's exactly on the line, (and for subsequent rails, exactly in Gauge - you've seen Sam and JR's warnings!)

Step 4) Run a hot but solder-less iron along the railhead, pressing down to ensure good contact. The cement should melt, and re-set firmly behind the iron. You could find a pair of those small pliers that have a curved end to the jaw helpful in holding the rail while you iron it.

Step 5) Re-check Gauge, and adjust using the iron the re-melt the cement if necessary.

Step 6) go to the Rivet Counter and tell us how it turned out!

Ulrich:

and two kinds of jam,
  Have you tried the Gooseberry jam  by the Swiss Company "Hero"? Got some for Kris' Christmas stocking, and it was / is a hit!

I forgot to say "Ditto" to the kudos on your going to that Ealing lady's funeral. That was a friendly thing to do. Thanks.

Co-education did not exist in those days in Germany, so I was on an all boys school.
  The educational Gulags I attended were the same, and residential.  "The happiest days of your life" not. The only female teacher we had was the first year of elementary school, and she was a sadist. I know 7x8=56 because it was carved into my knuckles with the cut edge of a metal stripped ruler; her pedagogic weapon of choice.

TiptonBill: thanks for the breakfast menu, I'd forgotten that!

Steve:  Welcome back! Sorry to hear about the job situation, hope the firefighting works out for you - not that I'm wishing a lot of fires on the country! I think you know what I mean Big Smile. It's been good to get the odd video from you via Flip, but I don't recall much since the Tornado. That's a wonderful beast.

Here's a thing Kris sent my way a day or two ago.

THESE REALLY WORK!!  AMAZING SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES:

1. AVOID CUTTING YOURSELF WHEN SLICING VEGETABLES BY GETTING SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD THE VEGETABLES WHILE YOU CHOP.

2. AVOID ARGUMENTS WITH THE FEMALES ABOUT LIFTING THE TOILET SEAT BY USING THE SINK.

3. FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SUFFERERS ~ SIMPLY CUT YOURSELF AND BLEED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THUS REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON YOUR VEINS. REMEMBER TO USE A TIMER.

4. A MOUSE TRAP PLACED ON TOP OF YOUR ALARM CLOCK WILL PREVENT YOU FROM ROLLING OVER AND GOING BACK TO SLEEP AFTER YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON.

5. IF YOU HAVE A BAD COUGH, TAKE A LARGE DOSE OF LAXATIVES. THEN YOU'LL BE AFRAID TO COUGH.

6. YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'T MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE DUCT TAPE.

7. IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.

Time I guess for a hot chocolate with whipped cream - I'll pass on Chris's Hot Sauce, and be over at the RC. TTFN

"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Marion, Iowa
  • 1,263 posts
Posted by AmanaMedic on Saturday, January 30, 2010 6:00 PM

Robby P.
Check you PM's 

Yes sir, did, and done replied...thanks!

Good evening... I think a mug of something hot is in order...I'm semi-frozen from hanging out at the Coralville Fire Department's 35th annual Winter Water Fights. An old firemens' tradition...with a rather icy twist! Went looking for Solon, North Liberty, Tiffin, Oxford, and Swisher...only found Tiffin and N. Liberty. THAT will still be happy...she'll get a photo page out of 'em Thumbs Up

As with most things, a lot of "hurry up and wait." Thankfully, the Tiffin guys were well-supplied with "barley water," and graciously offered some to the fireman from ClarenceSmile,Wink, & Grin!

Now I've got 150 shots to sort through: pics I shot "just 'cause they were really cool...," shots of Tiffin guys to send to 'em, and the N. Liberty crew. THAT will get an abbreviated picture folder plus her usual 8-10 cropped, adjusted, processed (.eps format, 200 dpi, halftone dots) file.

But...for now, a good mug of..........HOT SAUCE?!?!?!?!?!

Sheesh...guess I shoulda been more 'pacific.

ChrisEight Ball

The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Shelby, NC
  • 2,545 posts
Posted by Robby P. on Saturday, January 30, 2010 4:52 PM

Just a quick stop.  Didn't do one thing to the layout today.  Maybe tomorrow.

Chris....Check you PM's 

Sawyer....Get any snow?  My home town in NC got a few inches.

 "Rust, whats not to love?"      

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  • From: London ON
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Posted by blownout cylinder on Saturday, January 30, 2010 4:23 PM

Good Evening--

I had a lazy day today---more or less just puttered around the trainroom doing a little bit o' this and a little bit o' that. Needed to essentially not do much of anything --- heeheeheeSmile

We won't really know what'll expect until later on tonight regarding the seminars--whether to cancel or not. If we do then I'll have to get out the ol' emails and blackberry and start stuffing messages hither, thither and yonWhistling

Chloe, I'll just have a couple of quadruplex burgers with mozzarella cheese and fried Portobello mushrooms and fries with gravy as well as a large RBF please---oh--and a large wild blueberry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream please.DinnerNo. I don't want the pie to be flung--I want to eat it. Not wear it---sheeeshGrumpy

 I'll be at the corner booth--Smile

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/

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Memphis, TN
  • 3,876 posts
Posted by Packers#1 on Saturday, January 30, 2010 4:08 PM

Robby P.

 Sawyer/Barry.....I found a few spots (derail) were do to soldering.   It does get you mad a heck thou.

Glad you got it fixed. I had one switch my locos started picking as well; found the culprit was a small piece of turf kicking the truck up. solder might have caused that other switch picking bit, but now my locos run fine. My U23B is still being a PITA though on that one switch; I'm thinking something might be up with the truck causing it to jump up. I've taken it apart a bit once to remove some ballast binding the gears; I'll do that again and see if something worked it's way into the truck.

Joe, nice BL2 catch!

Jim, we're getting nothing, nada, zilzh. no sleet or ice (which is good) and no snow (which is goodand bad). it is 28 outside right now, lol

Well, we lost 15-8. got in some good game experience though, and we'll work on what we need to at practice this week and come into our game next saturday (our only saturday match all season). David, I did manage to sprain my ankle i think, but I can walk on it just fine without pain; going down stairs sucks though.
The Rolex 24 at Daytona started today; I'll probably watch some of the race.

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Saskatchewan
  • 2,201 posts
Posted by last mountain & eastern hogger on Saturday, January 30, 2010 2:35 PM

Whistling

But the main thing is that Luigi knows Rob loves him...

Johnboy out.......................

from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North.. 

We have met the enemy,  and he is us............ (Pogo)

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