Elliot's Trackside Diner XXV- Milepost 25

[LSWrr]

I used the Walther’s brick street system on my layout and that worked out well.  My concrete roads are Elmer’s Styrofoam board, painted.

[der5997]

Good afternoon Diners: Just a black tea and a molasses cookie please and thank you. I'll be over at the Rivet Counter

Todd:

If you bring the scenery to the building, the 50/50 white glue you use to attach the ground foam or dirt or whatever, will leech enough to attach the building to the layout, but usually not solid enough to make you think you're gonna bust the thing to pieces if you ever want to relocate it

   I find the really neat thing about white glue in this regard is that you can soak it down (wet towel laid on the area to be treated and left a while) and simply lift/scrape off the bit you want to move/adapt . that's how I deal with ballasted track changes, as well as clearing spots in scenery to get down to bed-foam for placing some new feature.

BurnsvilleJim (aka hcc25rl):

Elliot - I don't get it.

  to the Trackside Diner. Think of a "nothing is off topic" topic where mrr things are discussed, questions asked/answered and life shared without the hassle and nit-picking often found elsewhere, all in the setting of a virtual 50s Diner (where of course you can order virtually anything LOL). Right now, I must confess there is a rather strange assortment of staff filling in for the regulars, but "this too shall pass" - as thankfully did the mechanized food fight of late 2009. so, sit back and enjoy the company, and the occasional change of scene (every 50 pages we open at a new location - this one involved a move from the yard to Milepost 25 which is the first out of yard limits move for the diner in some years.)  Please tell us about tyour mrr interests, layout, etc.

Sam:

But I got one, on my right shoulder, of the nails from Jesus' hands forming a cross, that also looks like it is piercing my skin.  I didn't tell them about it.  My mother found out about it, only because I forgot I had it and wore a sleave-less shirt around the house one day, and she saw it.  Her exact words were "Nice tatoo, DON'T let your father see it!  He'll go ballistic!"

...One cool mom and dad! From your description, that cross of nails, IIRC, was first made the morning after Coventry cathedral in England was destroyed in a WWII bombing raid, The nails were long mediaeval iron ones, collected from the ashes by  parishioners, and made into that cross shape, and placed on the remains of the high altar with a note "Father forgive..."

 Chris:

I've tried several times, but this excellent picture of beer can chicken won't function. It won't even function on Photobucket. Don't know why...it's 0430 and I really don't give two hoots 'n a hollar... It's a shame though...durn nice picture, even if I do say so me-self!***

I wondered if it had been saved as an odd file type, but then I saw that it's in your Photobucket as a .jpeg, so it ought to open fine.  If your were to delete it from PB, and re-upload a slightly differently named version, might that work?...Oh, and do be careful with the rattler, the Massasauga may be small, but its venom is mighty. I guess it's here to keep down any mice that may be foolish enough to visit!

Barry:

finding bits and pieces of little parts from a jar that I thought I had screwed the lid on. I did not do such hence all kinds of small pieces/parts fell out and promptly scattered themselves under the layout.

...had much the same incident the other evening, but with Plastruct Liquid glue! Unfortunately, I was working at my computer desk, and the flood got to my keyboard. The first casualty was the space bar and the RHS alt keys becoming fused together ( a quick fix with an Exacto knife). The second I haven't been able to figure out, and your suggestions are welcome, gang. The RHS Shift key doesn't function. It moves OK, but nothing happens "on screen" when it is used, everything stays lower case. All the other keys around it are OK, just the Shift has taken umbrage.

Ray:

Was THAT Ryan's famous Beer Can Chicken I saw earlier on the grill?  Mmmmm Good!  maybe for supper tonight.

  speaking of Chef Ryan, here's some of his chocolate truffles he posted on his food blogsite. I said I'd drop them off for him the next time I was in. Enjoy!

So, what have I been doing with the layout?  Some time back I bought a Cornerstone sanding tower kit,  and decided that the older one of the pair was just too out of era for my comfort. Googled up a modern facility, and have been busy with that - I showed you the track-side delivery bin and its bulk tower as far as I'd progressed,   last time in. Then CapeJim kindly sent me an article from MR on sanding towers and such. So, I've now built the small units that get the sand from covered hoppers for both the freight yard   (attached to the bulk tower) and the passenger yard  (free standing and to serve the "modern" cornerstone tower when its built.). what took most time however was finishing the delivery bin. I had to get rid of the vertical beam, and so lower the delivery hose as the whole thing was just too high, remember I was guesstimating from a photo with no figures to scale from, and got it wrong. The whole thing is probably just too large for the prototype, but it is what it is! Now it's on to figuring out how to make safety caged ladders for the new tower and bin. The MR article shows how, but converting from HO to N is a wee bit tasking!

I'd better get this to press and feed Rosie-the-dog as it's that time again soon. TTFN

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Isn't it amazing what you can find in a box of Cracker Jack? I should be able to have some fun with this. It's Tyco but what the hey. I received it in a package with a bunch of other cars that were made around the same period. Two from Tyco, two from Bachmann, four from Mehano and one from AHM.

[fireman216]

 Holy cow Jeff...talk about a flash back...I had that same exact tank car when I was a kid..wow. I remember always having an issue with that thing staying on the track...but as a kid I didn't have the tools or knowledge to fix that stuff. I always sat in the yard somewhere.

[Blazzin]

howmus

Blazzin

1. Ah the width of the roads?  I think I have read somewhere here .. that one inch represents one road.  Just guessing.. for N scale.. 1/8th equals 1 foot?  And most roads are legally 8 feet.. so 1 inch.

 

Ah.......  8 feet???  Nope!  Try 12 feet......... per lane.  Got parking?  One side.... or both? Add another 7/8 feet per parking lane or if on old city streets.....  traffic has to wait.. while other traffic clears.  If no curb.. add 2 feet for the shoulder.... each side.  At least THAT is the most widely used modern data. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/480617

THAT said, a bit of selective compression might be in order. 

73

    I thank you now.. right up front.. and each and everyone of you.. and ~ I shall give a response to each one,..  and share what I've learned.  All of you have taken the time to reply valuable information.  It has to be a two way street.. lol.. no pun intended. 

That being said,  you and I know you are an artist.  And an artist sometimes does not paint what he/she sees, but paints a better version of what they see as the subject matter.   And~ lets say  ... would never draw conflicting lines.. but fudge a bit.. and move something over. 

  That being said, .. lol...

1.  'Selective Compression' shall be one of my choices.  Compressing the traffic car lanes to what I would call 'reasonably acceptable.'   And / or pleasing to the eye.

2.   I know I have at least 4 different sizes of N scale. So aside from the compressing of lanes or/and curbs.. I shall choose to use the smaller versions of cars and trucks. 

3.  I have first decided to map out the areas.  In doing so, by placing a sheet of paper out, laying out the buildings.... drawing out the maximum (proposed) 'foot print' of the buildings and also the maximum area for sidewalks,  I can ALWAYS CUT BACK.   By doing so,  I leave myself room to adjust and just figure on the maximum with room to alway cut back and / or to just 'slide the building here.. or have "No Parking" here next to this curb' and so on.

4.  Keeping that all in mind and with the theme of 'Selective Compression' .. Writing all this down, has brought forth new and old ideas I've read.  But after everything is mapped out... I would even guess,  changing the dimensions of the streets.  Just the opposite of having thing 'all perfect'  but to 'crimp the size ot the streets .. ever so slightly.. change it from parallel lines.. to deminishing lines.. with 'lines of perspective'  well at least..change em a tad.. so the human eye doesn't notice ether.  Either what?  That the lines are not parallel, and that they can't see the perspective lines.. but the mind does... LOL... I hope that makes sense.  And.. and~ even using smaller cars for the background to aid in some type of .. what .. horizon?  Ok.. I thank you again.

[Trainman Sam]

der5997

One cool mom and dad! From your description, that cross of nails, IIRC, was first made the morning after Coventry cathedral in England was destroyed in a WWII bombing raid, The nails were long mediaeval iron ones, collected from the ashes by  parishioners, and made into that cross shape, and placed on the remains of the high altar with a note "Father forgive..."

Thanks, my parents are pretty cool.  BTW I wasn't aware of a history to the nails tied together, THANKS, makes more of a conversation piece now!  And, maybe I am a bit dense, but what does "IIRC" mean?

I just picked up a Bachmann SD40-2 w/DCC from thebay... pretty cheap too (I'm not too worried about it, I have purchased several items from the seller, and if it doesn't run that great, it'll just get modified as funds allow!  I plan on adding sound to it at a later date as well.  Here's a Prototype Pic:

 

And here's the model I just picked up:

Just needs weathering, and number change... voila! (hope I spelled it right, the wife and spell checker isn't home)

With THAT purchase I now own all of the currently operational locomotives on the NH&I roster!  Here is a list:

#40- Baldwin Consolidation 2-8-0

#7087- C30-7 (former CSX)

#5577- SD40-2 (Former CP Rail, still wearing those colors but has been put to work!)

#2198- GP-30 (Former CR 2198/ PC 2198/ PRR 2250)

Here's a link to a website with their complete roster:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=NHIR

I am just one step closer to my layout!  I have decided to attempt to build the New Hope Station section of the layout plan as a "domino" that way I have something to work on without having to try to build the whole thing now!  We shall see!

CHLOE!?!  Is that you!?!? Am I glad to see you!!!  Please tell me you're back for good?!!!  That we won't have to deal with the "critters" anymore! Whew...  May I please have a RBF in a NH&I Hurricane Glass? Thanks!

[AmanaMedic]

Good afternoon.... wow...still a full-house 'o critters!

DER JOHN: On THAT rattler...I've got my 3/4-length firefighter boots on...and brought my axe, which is very well suited for chopping the hiss out of snakes!!! Neat (yet sad) story on how the "Cross of Nails" originated, I never knew THAT. On the photo...I sure don't know why it didn't w**k...I'm guessing some PhotoBucket fluke!

We'll give it another whirl...

GARRY: THAT's a cardboard road? Who woulda knew? Very nicely done! I tried cardboard once, on the photo set. I must've soaked it too badly while applying gravel and other "stuff," warped the ever-living heck out of it! I try to minimize THAT side while shooting my creations. Photo Set 2 will try something different...

VINCENT et TRAINMAN SAM: I found the article on those BN Fuel Tenders. Looks like a fairly easy kitbash of the Athearn 62' tank car, which works for part of the fleet. It's not the most detailed article (RMC Kitbashing Award), but I think you guys could w**k through it just fine. If interested, lemme know 'eh?

TODD: I found the pic of THAT bridge west of Boone... might give ya some ideeeerrs for "tweaking" your bridge.

Welp, I see the raccoon has his/her/its order pad at the ready...guess I'd best order something! Double cheeseburger basket with a Coke please 'n thankya...no, not Barry-sized this time...

*sigh*

I'll have me a seat at the RC, if the bear don't mind! Too bad we don't have beer in here, knew a guy in Central City who had a pet bear. He used to take it to the bar and buy it beers. Then again, I guess once they'd finally cut it off, it would get...cranky!

Chris

 

[Blazzin]

Robby P.

 Keith.......For roads I use "Smooth it".  Its made by Woodland Scenic.  Its about $5.00.   You just mix with water, and get it about like cake mix, and pour.  Its also sand able, but it will make a mess!!  I was thinking that maybe "plaster paris" might work just as good.  

    For starters,  I had read about the 'Smooth It' and is probably a second choice for me.  The mess I am not up to the quest. I shall be going with the styrene for two reasons.

  1.  I like the cut version of making sidewalks with them.

  2.  I like the paint and crack idea then stain it / wash it with a darker color to give the looks of 'cracked pavement.

 1....... I would put the buildings down first.  Let the road come to them.  Don't wanna have the road down, and then change your mind.  After where the buildings would go, maybe outline the base of them.  So you know where to pour your road/sidewalks/etc....

  Whoa  Robby,  now this one sparked many ideas and thoughts.  This is probably one of the best ideas and a hard one to explain to others.  I won't go into my earlier thoughts concerning the cart before the carriage.  But to approach my questions in the first place would see to be a 2 part question.

  1.  What do you do.. or how do you do a dioramma ... First?  That is, you first need to 'Map' it.. and what do you do first to aid in your wants and needs.

  2.  What do you do first.. when building it.

  But being I really knew nothing of what to do,  each persons reply gave me a different look at what needed to be done... 'First'

  So Robby,  your explaination gave me the idea of mapping out each cluster of buildings.. and leaving plenty of room to work with.  By mapping it out on paper.. leaving lots of room to cut down.. and lots of room to move the sheet.. I get the feel of   "letting the road come to them~"  Thank you.

  It is also fun,  did I mention it?  And on paper.. you can erase.. and change.  Also.. each sheet of paper / cluster of buildings and be moved arround to 'Just see"~

 2.... I wouldn't glue the cars.  I like to move mine around the layout.  One minute a car is at the warehouse, then the next I will put it at the switch tower.  Kinda changes things up.  I did see somewhere that some people were using a sticky wax for the people on the layout.  So if you wanted to move them, you could.

 Hope that helps.  

[Blazzin]

howmus

Afternoon folks!

Ah, little squirrel, I'll have a Dr. Pepper if you please.  Maybe you can get the raccoon to help carry it over to the front booth now that the Moose have left and the deer cleaned up the mess they made....  What?  Oh, (sings) "I used to be a Fox, a good old Fox too.  But now I'm finished Foxing, I don't know what to do..."  (any Woodbadgers out there???)

Kieth, They didn't have many "modern" streets and roads way back in 1925, so I have no experience putting in blacktop on the layout.  Now gravel and brick.......   However, I would get all the buildings ready to go the layout in the rea yu will be constructing.  Do some measuring to be sure everything is going to fit and look right.  Then remove the buildings and put in the roads/streets/highways/etc.  Then install the building permanently, add scenery, and last of all the stuff THAT can be moved around.  Aka: cars, trucks, people, racoons, squirels, foxes, moose, and other critters found here in the diner.   The road will do little to interfere with putting in buildings and scenery, but buildings and scenery may make it a PITA to w*rk on the highway.......???

Later!

73

  To hear each one of you describe of what to do first has been so valuable.  To piece each version together.. well I gotta tell ya..   "I got iT~!"  Your idea, along with another.. I came to the conclusion of just mapping each set of buildings.. on paper.. to be moved around..  Lots of fun.  I thank you.  I took valuable information and put it to use.  I'm taking this seriously.  Here's a downward shot..  and each set of buildings.. can be moved.. with their appropriate footprint.. and sidwalk markings.  (all four pieces of paper .. meet at the middle each street.. so I have a floating.. free movement.. of each cluster.

  thank you~

[howmus]

 Afternoon folks!

Oh Mr./Ms... Raccoon, I see your doing wait duty again tonight.  I'll have a hot chicken sandwich, mashed potatoes w/ gravy and a nice house salad with Creamy Blue dressing and  cup of decafe.  I'll go sit between Chris and the bear at the Rivet Counter.

Spent part of the day on the phone with Caboose Hobbies.  My credit card wouldn't go through for them and the item I really need now for the engine house is, of course, out of stock!   I told them to put the card through again and it worked this time, but the parts............   This happens almost every time I have a part I need in a hurry.  Only good thing is Walthers now list it as "In Transit" meaning they are loading it on the boat somewhere in the "Very Far" and it ought to be arriving some time this decade.

Chris the photo of the beer/chicken came through on my computer with no problems before.....  BTW, love THAT bridge!!!  I know what modifications I need to make and how to do it now for the "Bridge to Nowhere".

Just went on line to check on the Jury Duty.....  Don't have to report on Monday.  Need to check again Monday Afternoon to see if I need to report on Tuesday......  One day down 4 more to wait on.

Picked up some long shank Kadee couplers today at the LHS.  Going to use them in a couple of my 80' passenger cars to see if they can take the curves on the SLOW better.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, I should rebuild the entire layout and have 48" radius curves and the problem would be solved and they would look soooooooooooo much more prototypical, etc., etc., etc.  Ain't gonna happen!

Later!

73

[Blazzin]

LSWrr

Keith,

I would place the buildings where you think they look the best and (in pencil) trace their footprint on the bench work.  The cut out your sidewalks and set them with the buildings and when you get the look you want trace the corners of the sidewalks, adjust the traces of the buildings if you need to.  Then install your roads, and then permanently install your sidewalks and buildings.

  Ah Lee.. lol.. you're a poet and don't know it.  Does all this you wrote rymne?  In a nut shell.. where were you when I was reading all this.  Lol.. I could have just asked you~  Well I did learn something.. enough to share.  No one mentioned the 'retaining walls' .. I bet those go last.

[Blazzin]

  Garry.. wow.. nice pic.  Is this N scale or HO or what?   Nice of you to share.  So thats what its called?~

  Forced perspective.. got it~

  As far as Tatoo's go.  My daughter wouldn't listen.  She got one anyway.  I told her.. just as I tell many young people.

  Hepatitis.  And which one? lol.. Hepatitis A B C D or E.  What is really scary.. there's probably Hepatitis F G H and I?

  That they haven't discovered yet~  All I can say..

  If there ever was one particular group of people.. lets say young people that came down with hepatitis.. what would be the percentages of them also having tatoo's.

  Now of course there are many ways to get hepatitis, but I'm talking about young people that have the illness, and also have a tatoo.  Young people would be surprised.

  This is not to say getting a tatoo will make you come down with something nasty,  I'd just like young people to realize they are sharing a needle.  Getting pricked by

a dirty needle.. well how can I put it.?

  Confucius say~  Health is like bubble.. one *** of dirty needle.. all gone~"

[Blazzin]

howmus

Mornin' everyone!

Chloe!  Good to see you here this morning!  We missed you...(the new staff just isn't as amiable, if you know what I mean.  Well maybe the raccoon but............)

Heartland Division CB&Q

Pancakes coming up!

 

 

Ingenious!  Have to remember THAT next time I go camping.........

    OMG!  That is so funny.  Don't let Jeanne see this,  she'll want to go camping just to try something like this1  Fantastic.. to think we've been missing out on this all these years.

73

 

[blownout cylinder]

Keith: A couple of road shots----

Something might work!! I do have others here---

Good Afternoon/Evening--

I forgot this is reading week----eeerrgh. No classes or Seminar tomorrow---church on Sunday though

Chloe?---Oh hello Ms Squirrel, I'll just have a coffee tonight please ---thanks--I'll be at the RC for a bit

[AmanaMedic]

Blazzin

Pancakes coming up!

 

Heck, for the Clarence Fire Dept. annual pancake breakfast, our guys mix batter in 5 gallon buckets, and use a paint stiring auger on a drill... "MORE POWWWWWWWWER! *grunt grunt grunt*

RAY: Hey, glad the bridge pic will help! The Chicago and Union Pacific NorthWestern double track main is down in a cut, hidden by the Iowa summer weeds. It is a neat old bridge, scary to drive over...but still neat. Speaking of "neat," a board-by-board enginehouse floor???? Jeepers Creepers Crimenently!!!! Sure looks good, but I'd be going bug-house doing THAT! As for the bear, every so often, he asks if I know of any "pick-a-nick baskets," and if I've seen "the forest ranger" around. Hmmmmmmmmmm.

My how strange this place has gotten since we moved!

KEITH: Yer awfuly quiet today!

Chris

[Blazzin]

  Lee,  Ya know I did read something about that stuff.. I should pull out an old Walthers and check.

  But two things came to mind concerning those brick roads.. are they printed.. ?  Or some matte 3/D feel? 

  And the other is .. Do they have N scale?

  I have a pic .. that Ulrich sent me.. of the train station I am using.  If I remember correctly .. aside from a streetcar I can't fit it, there are brick payement that look really nice.  Ah don't mind me.. just catching up on some reading.  Been busy lately mapping streets.  I'll get around to looking up Walthers.

[twhite]

Afternoon everyone from CloudyCal: 

Weather is overcast, but not as dark as my mood right now.     The little Brass Baby started acting up again, so I tore into it to see what the matter was.  Everything LOOKS okay, but back together, it jerked and hummed and wobbled and snarled.  Now I'm a pretty good brass repairman--I've been doing it for about thirty years or so, but this baby just has me STUMPED!   Works right for about ten seconds, then all H breaks loose. 

I finally gave up in frustration, called Bob Zimmerman at Caboose Hobbies and asked if I could return it for repairs.  He said no problem, just ship it out, they'd take a look at it.  I have no idea what it is.  First of all, I can't get into the reduction gear boxes to see if one of the gears is stripped, but it acts as if one is.  Runs perfectly in reverse, spins the drive rod in forward.  Say, WHAT?     I've taken the gearboxes off and run the mechanism on a piece of glass, and there are no hangups on the drive rods, but as soon as I put the gearboxes back on--WHAM! 

I hate to say it, but I think I got Ripped Off.  Not by Caboose Hobbies--I've been dealing with them FAR too long to think that.  But I think I got Ripped Off by the guy who put the locomotive on consignment to begin with.  I think he Trashed it, then decided to investigate the market to see what top dollar for this particular model was, then put it in at Caboose on consignment at a WAY inflated price for its condition, and guess who bit for it?  Yup, little old me. 

There's only one problem.  I really LIKE this little baby, she's cute as the Devil, and the repainting is coming along pretty well.  But right now, I hope whoever this guy was, when he went to deposit the check from Caboose Hobbies, that he fell flat on his face before he got to the teller machine and severely injured his nose, LOL!  

Actually, the way I feel right now, I hope he got hit by a truck in the parking lot.

So, anyway, I'm shipping her back to Bob at Caboose Hobbies this Monday.  I know that their brass repair department is absolutely tops--I've heard nothing but positive reports about it.  But I have a feeling that this Little Baby is going to incur some additional expense OVER the inflated price I paid for it. 

Oh well, live and learn.  I counted up how many used consignment brass loco's I've bought from Caboose Hobbies over the years (14) and any 'tweaking' I've had to do with them has been on the Very Minor side--mainly just breaking them in.  I'll definitely continue to do business with them, they're a great bunch of people.  But THIS little baby is a complete mystery to me.  Hopefully, she'll return to me in good shape and I can put her to work on the Yuba River Sub. 

I guess my Austrian stubbornness is kicking in now:  "I don't care HOW much your repair costs, I bought you and you're going to RUN for me!"

Oh, PS:  She has a Rio Grande Green boiler, now.  If she were RUNNING, she'd be cute as all get-out.

Okay, end of Rant. 

Best to all, prayers to those in need.

Tom

   

[Packer]

Guys, I think the animals may be invading more than just the dinner. I just had a fox run across my yard, and an armadillo is laying in the middle of the road.

Not much done for the day other than spray the Kato Century frames I had modified a while back black. I fogot to do that earlier, so when I was looking at the pair on my test track with a pair of  U28Bs (got the CB&Q mars light to work on the non-sound U-boat) I noticed the white chunks of styrene I used to mount the couplers to the frame instead of the chassis, which was done to be able to use newer atlas shells

Garry, That drill gone mixer is a riot. But how did you make such a good looking road out of cardboard?

Jeff, How long is that tyco tank car? Looks like one of those could be a possible canidate for a fuel tender (namly the ones with an expansion dome) bash, but after some modifications

Chris, Definently intrested in the aritcle. Buying one of the athearn RTR ones has proved to be trick since the fuel tender painted cars tend to go for over $50 on ebay; so bashing the BB version will have to do.

Tom, you got to do what you gotta do to get it to run. Hope you can get pictures soon, I think Green or Blue (russian iron) boilers are really cool!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Packer

Jeff, How long is that tyco tank car? Looks like one of those could be a possible canidate for a fuel tender (namly the ones with an expansion dome) bash, but after some modifications

About 8 and a half inches.

[Blazzin]

  Quote:KEITH: Yer awfuly quiet today!

  Chris you have no idea what quiet is.  Lol.. my dad was a quiet man.  He never talked.  If he replied, he was short on words and to the point.  He'd sit there in his chair.. smoking his pipe.. looking at the TV.. the TV off.. just resting.  His yes or no.. were a head nod.. usually in one movement one way or the other.   If you didn't catch it.. and asked him.. he'd pull his pipe out of his mouth.. in an almost exaspirated breath.. "We'll see~"  In a deep mid western tone..  I'm not kidding..lol ... if Jeanne was here right now.. she'd tell ya. 

  But Chris.. let me tell you.. one   (don't get me wrong.. my dad was a great guy) .. one time... when I was a boy.. my dad and I were on a drive together.  I sat there.. listening to country music.. with my dad .. driving along the highway,... oh about 45 minutes past.  I said something.. one sentence.. he looked at me.. and said.. "Boy you sure do talk alot~"

  My mom was pretty much the opposite.. hispanic.. yeah.. German farmer out of MO.. marries hispanic woman.  Well my mom, when she was mad at you.. (us kids had to do chores all the time) she'd beat ya.. with what ever she had in her hand.. lol. omg.. she'd chase after you with the belt.. speaking spanish.. something about "... straighting out the crooked tree while its young.. cuz if you don't the 'bend' stays in the tree when it gets older"  wack wack.. All 3 of us.. turned ok.. really~

  Now me being quiet.. heck I'm ready for some story telling~  We've got rain coming.. tonight.. and suppose to last for over a week.  Cold rainy nights.  Anyone in for a story?

  Barry .. nice pics.. thanks~!

 

[Robby P.]

 Just a quick stop.  A sweet tea to go.

 Keith........I'm glad I could help you some .  That's how I normally do it. 

[Cederstrand]

Bowl of fresh mixed nuts & cranberries, please. 

***Tom, good luck with the little brass loco.

I got a Bright Boy today for track cleaning. It feels fairly abrasive to me. Are these really safe to use on track?

Have a nice evening ALL.

Rob

[Packer]

Rob, some people swear by them, others swear by gleaming. The bright boy would be similar to taking sandpaper to the track, might be useful to smooth out some joints. However the grooves left by a brite boy tend to accumulate dirt, which means more useage. As a result I gleam my track too.

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Just a cup of decafe, Mr Fox.  MR. FOX!  (THAT reminds me of a song I used to teach to 3rd. graders way back when, "Oh, the Fox went out on Winter's night..........")  Ducks several flying objects......  OK, OK, OK! Man, we are touchy in here lately, aren't we!

I spent a couple hours w*rking on a couple passenger crs trying to get them to run better on the tight curves on the SLOW.  I added Kadee #46 long shank couplers to them in hopes of putting them back in service.  One of them is actually running very well now, but the other..........  No dice.  Derails every time it goes through a curve.  I have a new set of trucks ordered for it which may help.  They are 3 axle trucks and bind in the curves and pull very hard.  my little loco can pull them up a 2% grade with no problem but get into a 24" radius curve and they just stop the loco (Spins its wheels).  They are probably binding on something underneath.  I am most likely going to get some of the Rivarossi 60 fotters and run those.

I also took the opportunity to add about 1/2 oz. of lead to the Bachman 4-6-0 used on this train (Milk train with a couple local passenger cars).  It now pulls the 2 milk tankers and one 80' passenger car nicely up grades and around the curves (used to spin drivers with the same load), so I guess the evening wasn't wasted.

Guess it's time to call it a night.  My son wants some help with the rest of the stuff he has to get moved.  He says my trailer is just about empty (I think he needs a bit of help with the couple items still on board).  We now get to tackle the 10' x 20' storage place he has been renting.

Later!

73

[TMarsh]

I'm home.

Chris- Naw, that bridge is gradual and long compared to the one I'm talking about. Maybe I'll drive there tomorrow and take a pic. Only about a mile from mom's house where I grew up. Someone might could use it as a model........for a model. They've actually closed it off and put stairs on the ends to allow walking (easier than spelling pedestrian) traffic several years ago, but no more vehicles.

Ray- that's where I'm at, sorta, with my passenger cars. I have a  triple axle full dome and on the 24" radius flat it caused no problems. On the incline for this new layout the radius on the incline is the same . It pushed fine with my finger but I know that doesn't mean much. Hopefully I'll get the track some power and see how it pulls this weekend. I need to lay some track before the incline so I can hook more cars to see how it will work with a train. I haven't worked out what the grade actually is yet, but it's kinda steep. It rises 5 inches in oh, 8-10 feet of track. My hopes is to have the passenger train also service the upper portion which will house Gold Creek and the tourist town. I've got my fingers crossed.

The incline is obviously un-prototypically steep, but it will be hidden so not that obvious. Hopefully the mighty F40PH will drag it uphill. Along with a few other cars. I think it will. There will be no need or long freights but I'd still like it to be able too should I decide it's "necessary".

Bets get to bed I'm ORF tired about now.

Prayers for those in need.

Ever notice how that Owl just stares at you. Creepy.

[Anonymous]

 Good Morning,

I guess, I missed a day or two here in the Diner. Now let´s see, what do we have here. A raccoon wearing a waitress´s dress, a fox, a couple of chipmunks, a deer, pretending not see the fox, an owl staring down at us, a Massasauga rattler, hiding in Vinnie´s booth - has someone checked, whether he is still with us? I mean, alive? Ah, I forget the Armadillo. Back in the times of the Great Depression, they were called "Hoover hogs", and people ate them! I am really glad to see, that Chloe found her way back into this zoo.

Chloe, may I have my "French" breakfast, you know, it´s cafe au lait, 3 croissants, and butter/jam. Yes, I´ll stay here at the RC, sitting in those bar stools seems to be the safest place to be - mind the rattler.

In the last two days, I suffered again from those panic attacks the moment I left the house. This is really awkward - cold sweat, the heart beating like a jungle drum. I do hope this settles pretty soon, I cannot hide all day long in the house.

Rob - I´d suggest you stay away from using a BrightBoy to clean your tracks, unless you like track cleaning. Those grooves seem to speed up the process of the tracks losing conductivity. Gleaming seems to be the better way, although a little mor w*rk to do in the beginning.

Keith - I like the way your layout is coming along. As to those roads, I´d position the buildings where you want them to go and then "lay" the roads. I´ve used various methods to do this and found, that using a thin layer of plaster of paris works the best for me. I usually tack this strips of wood or bits of styrene left and right and fill the middle part with a "soapy" mix of plaster, with a little white glue added to prevent it from cracking. Try to get it as smooth as possible, so sanding is minimized. Let it dry for a minimum of 48 hrs, before sanding it, which is always a mess - the missus won´t like it. Then color it with washes of acrylic paint and isopropyl alcohol. The result looks good to me. Keep those pics of your progress rolling!

Tom - I am sorry to hear about your sweet loco. I hope that Caboose Hobbies can fix it for you in a jiffy - I guess, it just needs a new gear box. Keep us posted on the outcome!

Chris - that chicken sure looks a little overdone to me. I showed the pic to Petra and here comment was just "Men!".

Todd - how´s the benchwork coming along? 

Garry - I saw your pictures in WPF - just adorable!

Flip - I am glad the missus is doing a lot better.  I have been to a FREMO meet once, and to be honest, I won´t go there again. The guys take themselves a little too serious for my taste, leaving little room to what our hobby is about - fun! You should see the rule book they have developed over the years - much thicker than the constitution of the US, including all amendments. I guess, I´d rather do my own thing...

Vincent - those BNSF GP50´s with a tank car coupled in between look odd, but nice!

Lee - some years ago, my son (who is now 23), developed the idea of getting a tattoo. It took me weeks to talk him out of this. I had to employ the whole lot of arguments, like the pain, the health risk, the cost, the irreversibility of such a decision etc.. Now he is glad he did not do it...

I have been w*rking on the plan for the display layout. Did a lot of research on the prototype. The British model railroading landscape is so much different from the continental one. Their layouts are mostly masterpieces in terms of detail, and there are a lot of small businesses offering kits and stuff for scratch building. OTOH, there is hardly any R-T-R stuff available. Actually, I find this more suitable for my MRRing on a shoestring budget. Nevertheless, the total cost of the whole thing amounts to about $ 2,500 - and that´s without a loco or rolling stock.  I am still negotiating about the funding. 

We could agree on the plan, though. Here is the "final", i.e. prior to start of building, layout:

 

 The loco supposed to be serving the line is this little beauty:

 

It is a Great Western Rlwy 0-6-0 class 64xx Pannier Tank loco, which was built between 1890 and 1930. There is quite a number of them still around, serving at tourist lines throughout the UK. Quite a hefty puller!

Here is a short video of one of them!

O scale offers a lot of detail, and the sound is just magnificent.  It has a Zimo decoder, with a recording of the sound of the prototype loco. Add a high bass speaker to it and you got a lot of ooomph to the sound! (But don´t ask about the price)

Have a good weekend, you all

 

[LSWrr]

Good morning all,

Keith, the Walther’s brick streets are textured and come in HO and N scale. They are styrene squares and come with fire hydrants, manhole covers, storm drains, curbs, and sidewalks.  You get straight and curved sections of roads.  You can flip through my pictures and see what my streets look like in HO: http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2009626820029441264yZTxkZ?vhost=rides don’t mind the mess I haven’t installed a pelican street sweeper.  You can also buy sections of street with rails for a street car or a siding.

Rob, Take a cotton cloth with GOO GONE and clean the rails, then with a clean cloth apply Whals clipper oil.  Bright boys are great for very dirty track, but the clipper oil treatment will last you about 3 months.  I use the centerline track cleaning cars with the above products.

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning--

We have all kindsa SUN today!! 'Spring' is cuddled up with me and is purring away---and I'm doing the hunt and peck thing here--

Ulrich:--That layout looks to be an interesting set up and that loco!! BTW---there is a Komodo lizard doing accounting in the corner booth now

I'm having to get more stuff today---dang honey buy list keeps growing---and that usually means my train  budget is toast I'm not a happy camper ----as it appears that a certain thing in our house decided to die just as I got a wee bit extra money together

Oh well---forgot Albert's Axiom--$$$$ supply will be equal to the amount of things that will need replacing.

Since most of my roads are dirt/gravel with a small portion of downtowns having any asphalt I tend to be all over the map when it comes to techniques. I've got a few roads that have ground ballast being used for the gravel, some are just lightly plastered sections with ground dirt, and black styrene on sections denoting just recently done roads with regular styrene painted to represent aged and cracked roads----that actually are paved-

Hello Chloe---I'll have a coffee and a toasted breakfast bagel please----I'm going to see what the Komodo fellow is doing

[Trainman Sam]

Good morning my fellow modellers!

blownout cylinder

as it appears that a certain thing in our house decided to die just as I got a wee bit extra money together

Hopefully you can replace it without TOO much expense... Hope your weekend gets better.

I wanted to thank you guys for the tips on track cleaning!  I have been using the "brightboy" and wondering WHY it seems that I have to keep wiping the area down more often... I am going to get some Goo Gone the Wahls Clipper oil, that should help me out quite a bit.

Question though- How does one clean DCC locomotive wheels???  I have yet to be successful except to do wipe down the section of the wheels I can reach, place it back on the track, move it forward and then repeat the process... Gotta be a better way!

Well, wish me luck!  I am going to the Greenberg Train Show in King of Prussia today!  Talk to you guys when I get back!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Trainman Sam

Question though- How does one clean DCC locomotive wheels???  I have yet to be successful except to do wipe down the section of the wheels I can reach, place it back on the track, move it forward and then repeat the process... Gotta be a better way!

Quite simple. Place a paper towel wetted with rubbing alcohol across the rails. Place the loco so the front truck is on the towel and the rear truck on the rails, dail up the locos address and advance the throttle while holding the loco in place so the wheels spin. The gunk from the wheels is transferred to the towel. Turn the loco around and repeat.

I use a Kadee Speedi-Driver cleaner brush myself. I just clip it to the rails, dial up the required address, advance the throttle and touch the brush bristles to the wheels. The wheels spin and the dirt or whatever is gone.