Good Morning
Welp, it looks like another hot one today--temperature at least at 90F with humidity sitting at 90%---and about a 30% chance of a couple of passing sprinkles for us'uns.
We are going to go into w**k this morning to pick up a few things from the office and then i'll spend the rest of the day basically on call---I'l be on call until tomorrow morning
Todd: I have a project car myself, a 1970 mustang fastback with a 351 cu. in engine with a C-4 tranny---mmm--odd mix that. This thing needs an engine ovverhaul and a tranny rebuild of sorts. Clutch plate is stuck(?).
And we still have a few oil roads north of us as well
Flo, I'll have the full breakfast plate and a coffee as well please---I'll be at the window booth waiting for the sunshine to come up
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/
Hey guys
Been monkeying with trains and cleaning the work bench for the past few days.
Ray, sorry about your friend. May he recover, or pass in peace.
Ken, I'm normally a Ford guy, but I'm loving the Daytona.
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.
Good morning.
I was pretty busy yesterday and didn't get a chance to stop in. Both of my cars (ex.Rock, and the RBOX) are doing good on eBay. I have to finish up the customers car today. Not much left to do on it.
Jim.......I have the meeting with the consular next month, and I will see how it goes. I'm excited about going back. I hope it all works out.
Jeff.......I can't wait to see how your new layout (section) will work out. I have my days to where...."What if I change this, move that".
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Good morning all,
The party yesterday was great. Beautiful weather, though a bit windy, but sun all day and no rain. The food was less than fantastic though, even though it was from a well known Chicken BBQ/roasting restaurant who does catering as well. Chix BBQ, Baked beans, mac salad, pot salad {potato}, taco salad, veggies, corn cobs, shrimp/tail sauce, fruit paltter and cheese and crackers, and your choice of: beer, wines, H2O, and sodas. There were about 50-60 people there, we knew about 1/3 of them, and met about another 20%. The Birthday boy was happy at his 60th b-day party and friends and relatives of all types there. A good time was had by all.
Today it is raining outside now, so better yesterday for the party than today!. We need the rain though. We are about 3/4 inch behind "normal". APPLE GROWERS say their crops are coming in early as we had an early warming trend and a hot dry summer so they a re about to start pickin' and grinin'. THey do say this years crop will be less than last years by aobut 20% I think they said. Like everything else, the price of apples and apple products will thusly likely go up in price! HEY, any of you model an apple orchard???
mouse smell seeems to be dicipating better now, but still there lingering.
Well, that's all for now
TTY'ALLL8R
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Good mourning all, Flo my usual please. Great day to be a MRR today. After getting a few nice comments on some photos I have posted here and WFP I decide time to work on the layout. Going to do some ballasting and maybe do some painting.
Jim "Just checking, do you have that loco yet, or are you still alive?" You lost me?
Rob I like that picture as well, I all so forgot how much I like the way the Dash 9 looks. But, it now runs better than it looks! Got to love NCE D15SR decoder!
Keith What you have there is a 1970 AAR Cuda. Stands for All American Racing. Car came with a 340-6 Barrel (Dodge where called 6-Packs while Plymouth where called 6-Barrels), fiberglass hood with fresh air, side pipes and rear lip spoiler. They where made only in 1970 so Chrysler could road race them.
Far as when did muscle cars died? To most of us alive at the time, it was 1972. Street Hemi was gone and stander engine in the Road Runner became a 340, I was heart sick. Little did I know in 1973 it would become a 318 2 barrel?
Nice looking batch of house's you have there as well.
Packer Nothing wrong with liking Fords, till you have to work on one! I had a 68 Cobra Mustang with a 427 Medium Riser. Had to pull the vale covers to pull the intake? Plus, had to undo the driver motor mount and jack up the engine to change the rear spark plug? Runner would kick it butt till 80 MPH, but after that the Mustang would pull it big time. Never did check the rear gears but they had to be in the low 3:00 to high 2.70 range.
Todd You are about 80 miles from me. Far as letting it sit till you can do it right. IMHO it is not the way to go. So many cars just sit and sit, then one day it becomes a thing taking up spaces. When I was messing with cars, I would pick one section and do it, then another section. That way I was never over whelmed with work or cost.
If it was me, I first get the heart beating. I could come up, help yank the 383 and paint the bay. You would want to replaces all the rubber, cost around $80.00. Rattle can the radiator. Paint for the engine bay would be around $200.00 depending on the color and clear used.
Nothing like some fresh paint to get the heart started.
My 69 Charger, with another 426 Wedge. My cost was $150.00 at the time.
70 Cuda 383
Think about it, I have done a lot of project cars.
If you don't have a pre oiling tool, I can send you mine.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
Mornin' everyone!
Zoe I'll have the #2 special, over easy on the eggs..... What can't do THAT up here? Well Scramble them then! Oh with bacon and home fries and lots of dark roast coffee in a FGLK Mug if you please...
I'll be in the front booth watching the drizzle outside.
Dark and gloomy here in the Finger Lakes today. Currently there are drops of water falling out of the sky and a strong possibility of a thundershower heading this way. Temperature is now at 70°F with a high this afternoon of 78°F. Doesn't look like I will get the lawn done again...... Now in Moosonee this morning it is 20°C with a high of 28°C and Thunderstorms and some 31km/h wind as well.
It is possible I may get to do some model railroading today..... A couple nights ago I was looking for some items to take to the picnic for our raffle to help pay the costs of the museum in hosting us, and happened to look at a bunch of plastic bags hanging on pegs on the stairwell. Remember those lost model tools, lathes, and belt driven items???? Yep, they were in the last place I looked!
Later!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Good morning. It's 82 and mostly sunny. The high will be 99 with a heat index of 112 and there's a 30% chance of rain.I got a new Dremel last night to replace the one that died on me after only a total of 20 minutes use. We'll see how long this one lasts. Today I'll be pulling up more track to make way for the new right of way.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Good Morning. Coffee please, I'm on the move. Today is "our day together" at the ILINOIS STATE FAIR!!! Then or before we will visit Mom.
Again, no MRR time allotted.
Keith- Loved the small town list. Many of which are, or at least were, true of here. Especially the wrong number one. Up until about '97 or '98 we only had to dial the last four of the number. So many times if you did get a wrong number you knew the other person, "Hello Bob?" "Nope this is Jim." " Oh Jim. I meant to call Bob. Sorry bout that." " No problem, how much rain'd you get last night? We got......" Now with the influx of transplants, not much of that happens anymore. Kinda losing that small town feel and more becoming like a sudivision of Springfield. Anyway, feel free to google earth or something else Williamsville Illinois if you wand to see some small town square ideas before they fade away into the past and become a mini mall for a Subway Sandwich place or, just to look around and see some older homes. We have quite a few. If you have a small space and you want a tiny sorta used to be town google earth Fancy Prairie, Il. I like the part where you can "drive around" on Google Earth.
Ken- Car's been painted, just needs another coat or two of clear. Engine is in, just need the floor panels for the fuel tank to be set properly and then hooked up. And like I said the tranny. I used the cam I used the first time around on this rebuild but now I want to take the cam out as I don't want the "lump" any more. It was an ol odd Comp Cams 306 deg half inch cam that spec'd out at 50 about the same as a 292 but would shake your seat and burn your eyes at an idle. I have a set of cast iron stage VI heads on it, but took off the dual quads and replaced with the stock intake. Needs a Carb to run right but I could get by with either the 600 DP I have laying around or the main carb on the dual setup. A Carter AVS. The pistons are 10:1 flat tops. What I mean about not rushing it is, like the tranny. I don't wanto fill'er and hang it to get it to move then have to drop it and take it apart. If I install it then it'll stay under there because, "aaw it only bangs ever once in a while. Besides mostly it's going down or when I'm trying to play Ronnie Sox. (which I don't do anymore by the way) I'm usually stopped when I want to go into 1st anyway". I know how I am. What I DO need to do to get it on the road is windshield and back glass. The body man that did the work, had no trim or glass to go by and got the corners too shallow. (you know that ribbon glass outside corner problem they had.) Now, of course, they sell corner pieces so, I need to get a pair, install them and then look for glass. I have all the rubber and turn the motor over about once every month or two with the oil primer. Yup, got one. I'll have to get the garage cleaned out around her and get a picture.
Welp best get a movin.
Have a Great Day!!!
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.
Ezra's getting slightly disturbed.
jeffrey-wimberly Ezra's getting slightly disturbed.
EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT! EARTHQUAKE HITS TRAILER PARK IN SUNDOWN LA!!!
Jeffrey, don't blame Ezra for gittin' disturbed-ded. Looks like he has had a bad day! Look forward to seeing your progress on the "new and Improved" version!
Todd, I do have a MP 284 cam, good street cam. Little bit of a lump, but a good driver. If you need some phone numbers for the glass, let me know.
Guess what you have is not what I pictured in my mind. Looking forward to seeing some pictures as well.
Ken
Jeffrey- I too am looking forward to watching your rebuild and Ray's too. Also Keith's build. I like progress photos as much as completed photos, so yours will be very welcomed. Helps me see how others do things.
Ken- That's usually the reaction I get from people. After hearing that I have been working on this redo project for twenty years, they either think I just have to put a battery in and turn the key, or it's still in buckets and tubs. Actually what's happened is I get toi work on it in spurts. Then off for a year or three, then back to it, then off. Life you know. Last four years with Mom's situation has left me with little time to do anything, BUT, I do have the money set aside for the trunk floor, I just have to get around to ordering it. THAT is what has been holding me up for mainly the last several years. Why I don't order it and let it sit for when I get an afternoon free, is beyond me, but goes with my wacky ways of doing things. My main goal, and so far I have been able to do it, is to owe nothing on the car. Cash and carry. Just like my other hobby.
Not sure if I told you guys, I'm kind of embarassed to say it but I also like ........model railroading.
OK, QUIT SNICKERING! I hear you guys in the back. I can't help it I like playing with little trains. There. I said it. It's out. Now you know so just let it drop.
If you can read this... thank a teacher. If you are reading this in english... thank a veteran
When in doubt. grab a hammer.
If it moves and isn't supposed to, get a hammer
If it doesn't move and is supposed to, get a hammer
If it's broken, get a hammer
If it can't be fixed with a hammer... DUCK TAPE!
Coffee in a UNION PACIFIC mug, please.
***Jeffrey, looks like Ezra is do for a visit it Nurse Ratched at the mental ward, or did he blow himself up causing all that destruction?
Have a good day y'all.
Rob
Afternoon, Flo, I'll have a RBF and a RBS (that'd be - respectively - Root Beer Float and a Roast Beef Sandwich...) please, and thanks!
howmusI WON! I WON!!! THAT should make up a good batch of Squirrel Stew don't you think, eh? Peanut butter flavored as well......
And a little more worrisome note - any word from Ulrich recently? I'm concerned because of his previously mentioned health problems, and how long it's been since he was by the Diner.
Johnboy, I haven't assembled any hydrocal kits so far, so I'll be watching to see what tips you get (and save them in case I get one o' those. Oh, I just recalled, I think the Thomas Yorke bank/store building I have is hydrocal; the Frenchman River bank kit I got is a resin one, I realized. Suppose we'll all learn about hydrocal together in here...
Chris - that's an interesting story on Kate Shelley and the bridge. (I looked it up) And boy, do I wish you were as much into D&RGW and/or ATSF - I'd pick your brain totally clean (and I mean that in the nicest way)! On your CAP article, you could lead with something like "I found that there still are indeed some respectful teens around..." (Of course, as behind as I am on posts, you've probably turned in your article by now, but it's the thought that counts, right?) Thanks for those other pics of the Horst (not to be confused with a Hurst, which IIRC is something to do with shifting and muscle cars, right, CudaKen?) - I've seen them before...somewhere... And I do know - now that I've seen your pics - that they are different from a winterization hatch.
[Edit]:
cudakenJim "Just checking, do you have that loco yet, or are you still alive?" You lost me?
Okay, we're all breathing a bit better, Barry, now that we realized those were two different topics about your defib-device and what you were ordering from Tiger Direct. Of course, if you had gone to MIT, it might not be that hard, eh?
Keith, thanks for that link for the Knopfler song. Love his stuff (with or without DS)!
Ray, could you get a video from another Diesel Days and show it to your BIL somehow (Got a laptop you could load it onto)? If Bernie's still alert enough, he might appreciate it. At least now he won't have to be stuck in a hospital, and maybe more family will be able to see him at the hospice center. Is it more like a home than a hospital? Will be requesting peace for him, and comfort for the family members.
CN Charlie, it does sound like you have a talented dog there! That's a woot, about him pawing the remote. (Just don't let him watch which buttons do what, or he'll be sneaking in and watching the TV when you're in bed for the night, and emailing directions to all the other Diners' dogs and cats!)
Jeff, I hope the layout remodeling goes smoothly for you. That will indeed free up some more space for you in the trailer - will you have any more sidings besides what's on the drawing you posted? Love that sign for Ezra's track crossing! (Snicker..chuckle..)
Garry, glad you're still around, and let's have you celebrate a bunch more of those anniversaries. Man, Gus' dock got sliced, diced & shredded, didn't it? How'd your company's visit go? I sorta recall it was this week/weekend, wasn't it?
Rob, after your question about THAT carbine, I was wondering - have you been having trouble with varmits around the farm (four or two-legged)? Just curious...
Dick really got himself in a heap o'trouble, between the floor burn and the (non-)bouncy yard mower. Heal up soon!
As for old Dremels, I'm thinkin' mine might be 20-30 years old. I just haven't used it a lot. I'll have to see if it's the old Wisconsin kind, or what. The one I got came with a bunch of attachments in the case when I bought it.
Todd, the big question on your class reunion was: did you have more hair and less pot-belly than your other classmates?
Keith - AWESOME!! Definitely that's a layout worth brain-pickin'!
Robby, two suggestions - go for grants and scholarships (any and all available) FIRST, before considering other kinds of financial help. Second, if they offer you student loans, do NOT do as I did, and say, "You'll give me $X000 this semester? I'll take it!" (They DO have to be paid back, y'know, and that goes for through bankruptcy, maybe even after death!) Instead, first figure what you realistically need for expenses that semester, maybe add a small percentage for just-in-case, and only get the loan for that (lower) amount. Trust me, you do NOT want to have any more loans than absolutely needed to pay back after you finish school. If you can do it by selling weathering and cars on eBay, do it that way. (My ).
Pretty good weekend of on-call so far. One call to a jail yesterday morning, and another to the ER about 2:30 this morning. Luckily, I'd gone to bed early, and THAT trip only took me an hour, since the client wanted to go to detox voluntarily (cocaine problems), and the charge nurse knew who to call to cover the transportation costs to the detox center. Today, no pages so far, and I hope to take another look at one of my P2K boxcar kits and maybe start putting it together. May have photos tomorrow afternoon. Didn't get any comments on my gondola and flat car; not sure if that's a good sign or what...
Probably see everyone tomorrow. I want to get home before those blackflies and horseflies come out in full force!
Prayers for those needing peace, comfort or healing.
Blessings, and good night,
Jim in Cape Girardeau
"Howdy all ! Why of course coffee" *Walks over to the juke box and puts in a dime*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UPAfnfZBEU
Todd, now don't get lost on youtube.. but talkin of small towns and country music... well here's another 'Foot Tapper' Ringlin Ringlin by Jimmy Buffet. So if you like country, pull up another page and have some music to listen to while you read my post.
On a small note here, I've been in MO. for all the seasons. Now I know if it was summer, you'd never see the buildings.. but spring time would have been a better time and better yet.. Autumn would the best.
Galaxy.. here ya go~ http://armhammer.com/ sprinkle this stuff on the floor.. wait 24 hours and then vacuum it up and presto.. the smell has been absorbed and gone. I could have sworn I mentioned it to you~
Jeff, I never did get a reply on that steering assembly.. you get both parts?
Jim, I wasn't planning on showing the pics.. I kinda felt like a dork. But since you brought it up.. I'll do a show and tell.. more show and less tell though. I also figured these are not for the WPS, mainly because the layout is not mine. And the photo quality is lacking along with the flash, and along with my word I'd show them only in the Diner.
So here's the Exclusive.. only at the Diner.
'
You see those switches? He made them.
Take this bridge in the background (center) .. anyone know the name? How many ppl have this type of bridge? If any.
Take a look at the shop.. the detail... the people in action. Blow up the pic and look whats going on~ Inside and outside. To hear Bob talk, is to leave one's mouth open and not say a word. The phrase "With my eyes and mouth WIDE OPEN~" Also.. the turntable on the right. Wooden and I believe Bob told me they were made that way for 'Snow Country' and it would be much easier to get the snow off than the conventional bowl type turntable.. that would end up gathering snow. To be honest.. I don't know if I have any pics of it..lol. Well certainly not today. I took 45 shots until the battery ran out. Stay tuned for more ~ !
Now on this pic, I wish I would have gotten more of what I wanted. But in short.. if you look real close, you'll see some rusted bolted areas. On top of this trestle there were actually bolted plates (double bolted with a plate) that he made to give the final touch. Bob was even kind enough to give me a demonstration on weathering many items. A real treat to see a first hand demo.. by a master.
Each and everyone of these buildings had action, real live action.. you could spend an hour on this section alone. Now I suppose I could go look up Bob's photobucket... but for me.. each pic reminds me of what mental photos I was talking in. Remember Bob talked while I looked. I was over-whelmed. Bob sat down and showed me how he made his telephone poles.. lol.. I wish I could explain all this more.. but I was on Cloud Nine.. what can I say?
Well break is over.. time to get back to work. I'm burning daylight. If anyone would like to see more pics.. or ask a particular question.. I might be able to answer it and show some more pics. I asked Bob an awful lot of questions and the answers he gave .. well just blew me away. And just maybe.. I'll even go visit Bob one more time if anyone has a real good question. Bob was kind enough to give me another invite.. and said he was available for tomorrow.
Keith
monkied with one of my Gp9s. Didn't like my old weathering and it needed some help (it's the same one that got stepped on before) so I decided to take some really think alcohol and try to scrub off the apple barrel paint weathering. Well it faded even worse than that BSB GP20, looks like a green UP unit (top grey).... I'm letting a black wash dry to see if that'll help; if that fails, airbrush it a darker color.
Do want to pick up some smokey valley handrails. I know for a fact walthers is out (I tried a few years ago, they were out then).
Ken, hate to say but I agree with you there. The oil filter (centered on engine, above the crossmember, clutch cable is in the way), clutch cable adjuster (many of the wires and the oil dipstick), and the distributor cap (remove upper intake, after dicontectting throttle body, and air intake.) are all a pain to get at in my car. on the V8 versions of the fox mustangs they are a bunch easier. But mine won't get a V8 till I graduate.
Barry, missed your post about your 1970 fastback. Those ones are my favorites
Jeff, slightly disturbed is an understatement
Robby, be careful with financial aid. They tend to stick you with it worse, IIRC some have intrest. I'm relying on my scholorship to get me through.
Jim, you wouldn't happen to have the instruction sheet for those P2K boxes would you? I have 3 sitting in pieces and some need parts. If walthers doesn't have them (id bet money they don't) I could try "modernizing" them
Blazzin Jeff, I never did get a reply on that steering assembly.. you get both parts?
The invasion of the main part of the layout has begun!
Howdy, nothing for me thanks I'm stuffed as I just got back from the ILLINOIS STATE FAIR!!! Did the annual walk around to see the same stuff I saw last year, EXCEPT we got to see the Field dogs work. Got there in time to watch them demonstrate the retrievers. They were using Labradors and explained and demonstrated how the are excellent at remembering where the "target" landed and they can retrieve up to as many as 5 or six birds one at a time, bringing them back one at a time then going out to a differnet location and getting the next. I said that explains why Missy remembers everywhere her treats are stored and which one is where. I like all dogs and many make great family pets, but I do believe the hunting type dogs make the best family pets. They don't sem to have a mean strek in them and just looove people, especially the retrievers. Lovey licky don't realize their too big for your lap dogs.
Keith- It took a lot of willpower to keep my eye off of the right side of the screen, but I managed. The fact that the video had some interesting photos of run down buldings and looking to see if I recognized any town names helped also. I enjoyed the song too, I hadn't heard that one. I liked it. As far as the photos go, pass it to your new friend his work is excellent and I'm enjoying your show. I personally don't mind flash shots though I agree some in WPF seem to have a problem with it. That, however, is just a few. Don't worry about it too much for your shots if the lighting isn't perfect. I agree with you not posting his there for your reasons, I'm glad he let you post here though
Jeff- I hope the diner windows were closed or the eggs may be a bit gritty from all the dust flying around.
TMarshJeff- I hope the diner windows were closed or the eggs may be a bit gritty from all the dust flying around.
Huh...so THAT's what THAT is on my scrambled eggs this evening...I thought it was some kind of Canadian pepper/seasoning... Guess it's what I get for sitting by the open window...
Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood Evening,
My day thus far: Overslept, mowed yard (with some breaks), did some w**k in the RR room. Loving Wife had an idea for greatly improving my slower and sllooooooooooooooower computer. Simple, easy, quick, not-too-expensive "fix" for it. She's now up to three trips to Cedar Rapids, and the simple, easy, quick "fix" still hasn't come to reality. God love her for trying...I do. Of course, my expectation THAT the simple, easy, quick "fix" would prove to be otherwise...fulfilled again. Hey, the power of negative thinking! Prevents disappointment. Although, I did say to Rerun: "I expect to be profoundly disappointed" as she yelled down the stairs at me "you're not going to believe this..." Actually, I had no trouble believing "this," nope...no problem at all. I optimistically predicted epic FAIL...we got epic FAIL.
So, how was everybody else's day??? I see JEFF is irritating Ezra with major disruptions, TODD was making the rounds of the State Fair, and KEITH was treated to a nifty tour. Oh and JIM? Hurst (not to be confused with Horst) is also used for "shifting" bits of car away from the occupants... Yup, the same Hurst THAT made shifters for race cars also made the first "Jaws of Life;" also known as a "Hurst Tool."
I see we're talking about smart dogs. The black lab part of Rerun must be why he is so good at stashing treats all over the house and going after them. Mirrors don't do much for him, but he enjoys watching TV, unless it's got Poly-Ticks on...then he'll leave the room.
JIM: Nope, haven't written the CAP story yet. I'm stuck, stuck, stuck, STUCK on a headline for it. I've been kinda skimming topics in here lately so sorry I missed the pics you tacked up. As for picking my brain, like I told STEVEN, I'm no expert on CNW...not by a long shot. I just model what I saw, what I shot pics of, and what I can find pics of.
On THAT note...I'm gonna yield the floor...been flappin' my jaws long enough.
Chris
The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!
Hello everybody ...
Hope we hear from some MIA's soon. Where's Ulrich? Where's PC? Inch? Paul? Several others.
Jeff .... You may change your nick name from Spray Can Rembrandt to to Crow Bar Rembrandt. Holy Smoke!
Chris ... Those Chicago Central geeps look like some on Gus's layout here. He's a retired IC engineer from Iowa, and he did operate some of those engines.
Keith ... The photos are impressive.
Jim ... How's the Cape G frozen custard business this hot summer? I'd love to have some right now. Oh well. Good luck with the box car kits.
Our company left today, and so I worked on the layout this evening. Still working on track for Union Station.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
*Door slowly opens, walks over to Jukebox and picks a soft country sound*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rcXD-Em4Kk
"Howdy folks again! I've got pics .. so I'm sitting at the counter.. Water please.. Ice water"
Whew.. I did yardwork.. LOL.. on a hot day. Imagine that I got what I asked for~
Yo ! Chris , Todd take a look at these pics.
Now somewhere maybe in this photo.. lol.. well maybe you can see it.. the double bolted plates (Lower Right). I was blown away by it. I figure I'll be on my way oh.. next January to find some extra small nuts and bolts... (if there is such a thing) at the local hardware store.. cut em up.. and make a silicone mold. Then make some and then glue them on .. here and there. LOL.. on N Scale? Well I dunno.. maybe not.. but it sure looks nice.
Oopsie.. same photo.. but I had to get a shot of Bob's weathering.. of course the flash photo washed away the true detail.. but I'm sure you can see something. Also.. in the background there is a small foot bridge.. or something.. well thats made from two culverts. Imagine that.
' Bob even took the time to show me how he made the waterfall.. with cotton? Whoa~ And those trees.. handmade.. using balsa wood for the trunk.. and the static flock. I call those Lodgepole trees.. they seem like it to me.
I wish you could have been there, to my understanding, people have come as far as Australia to see Bob's layout. On a side note here.. Bob did show me .. so much.. even down to the railroad ties.. which did have a gray tinge to them. This pic of the water tower .. well my flash really doesn't do it.. but on the bright side (no pun intended) you can see the colors Bob used to weather the water tower. Just take one look at the crossing tower.. and you see action. The details.. carefully laid out.
I think every building has lights and some of the buidlings have sound. I believe there was even a general sound of the whole layout that has a 24 hr recording. Bob showed me his roofing techniques that were.. well .. even down to placing alcohol on the finished roofs.. to give the roofing a furrowed edge..like real roofing.! When you place the alcohol on the roofing.. the edges start the curl up.. as the alcohol dries.
I know .. lol.. lousy photo.. but.. it shows me everything I need to see. Just looking at the placement of the buildings.. give me a better understanding of what to shoot for. "Aim high, son`" gheesh.. the placement of the billboards, the barrels.. the junk piles.. cracks in streets.. grass growing in the streets.. whew.. like I said.. I could have sat and studied one area.. for an hour.. taking notes.
I know.. I know.. not the best photo.. but I tried to zoom in.. and catch the finer things.. instead of a clear pic.. far away. I don't have the best camera. Jeanne bought it on sale~ 200 bucks.. with a warrenty of 20 years.. or two feet.. which ever comes first. But anyways.. you can get an idea of the magnitude of detail I was trying to capture.
I'm not going to say too much.. other than I love that 'Speedy Relief' billboard and the careful attention to detail everywhere I looked. Even down to the grass in the tunnel.
This second shot caught more of the detail in the foreground.
Oopsie.. did it again.. but not going back.. you see what you get.
When I say most of these buildings had lights and sound.. well this Saloon.. had sound.. down even to a gunfight with shooting.. and the flashing of gun shots that could be seen through the windows.
One more shot of this area.. I caught his 'Big Boy' going by.. of course its DCC.. would Bob have anything else but DCC. I didn't have the heart to tell him.. I'm a simple guy going with DC.. he might have asked me to leave...lol.
Take a look of the weathering detail of the roofs.. on everything. Bob told me he comes home every night and puts in 2 - 21/2 hours.. every day on his layout. Whoa~ it shows.
The flag at the school.. well that is real prototypical to me.... aside from being at a school its the old style of American flag.. with the Stars all lined up. Now you can not see it on this pic, but the attention to detail was down to even the school teacher waving at the kid and his parent arriving at the front of the school.
The Newstand caught my eye... aside from all the people around and about.
All I can say, if the flash wasn't working.. I might have not gotten some of the finer things.. that might have been in the dark.. so to speak.
The waterfall to me looks like its 'Flowing' I told Bob, this whole layout is alive .. I can't explain it Bob! Little did I noticed until I was almost leaving.. I saw an article that said the same thing.. in the title. I knew it wasn't my imagination. Just look at the water flowing.. wow. Yes.. he made that cool bridge. 98 percent is all hand made. Less than one percent of the whole layout.. well I'd guess.. is plastic .. and for special reasons.. Like his special turntable that came from Germany. No I don't have a pic of that... I ran out of juice in the camera.
Just one of many projects I would gather that Bob works on .. all at the same time.
I didn't even mention that his buildings.. well the roofs come off.. and the detail in the buildings .. well .. its all there~ I saw it with my own eyes. Yep.. he lifted off the roofs of the buildings.. detailed inside and out.
The information I was receiving was .. well more than you could imagine.. I felt like a kid in a candy shop. Every question I asked.. the stuff he told me. I must admit.. I was so greatful for Bob's tour.. I told him.. "Bob... if you ever find yourself out and about with car trouble and need a ride.. call me.. I don't what time it is.. I'll come get ya~!" Thats how greatful I am.
Like I said earlier.. there was so much going on.. to take a shot.. without zooming.. I was going to lose it.. but as you can see.. I lost something~
Well thats it.. now can you see why I said.. 'In the presence of a Genius'? .. "With my mouth and eyes wide open"
small note.. I'm not going back to re-read this.. I'm tired.. and my spelling .. well.. what you see is what you get.
Keith aka Blazzin
Keith: Like those pix!! That is some layout there
Welp. I get to go into w**k this morning to call my weekend oncall as off until next Friday. The rest of today will be spent hunting for a decent soundcard for my new computer Digital Audio workstation.
Then it'll be off to the LHS to see what new stufff showed up there--they got a whole pile of stuff there--heeheehee
Flo, I'll have a coffee and a bagel with cream cheese please---I'll be at the RC for a bit
Morning guys; just a quick stop in before I head off to work this morning.
I went to the bay last night (Or fishing as Kieth calls it). Picked up a athearn RTR SW1000 with a decoder installed for $69.99.
Chris, never heard that one about hurst before.
Good Morning Folks!
Just a cup of coffee please!
Nothing new going on, just passing through
Where to start......Um.....The house loan didn't work. The wife's student loans came into play, even thou they are in deferment. The company needed a paper saying she's in school for at least a year, but the college she's going to will only do it semester to semester. We will call another company and see what they say. What else.........I gotta mail out a customers car out today. He was pleased with it. I also have another boxcar to do, and I will start on it this morning.
Vincent......The loan I'm applying for is a "pell grant". You don't pay it back. Now if I don't get approved for it, they have one I would have to pay back.
Keith......VERY nice.
Jeff........Looks like you are making some progress.
Barry.....Pick me up a few things
I will pop back in later. Have a good morning.
Felt pretty good yesterday and got one of the Honey Dos done. Transplanted some vines my wife has and made a trellis for it.
I did get some ballasting done, pictures are in WFP. Did OK, still need to work on my Ballasting skills.
All so built a few Accurail covered hoppers kits. As a whole, not a bad kit and parts fit better than the old Athearn BB kits. But, sure was not impressed with the pegs that hold on the coupler box lid and the trucks. Plus no working couplers and plastic axles?
Will drop by later folks, have a great day.
Another nice day today. I must do the Church stuff this morn, then I do believe I will mow today. The yard needs it more to even up than anything. Also I still have not got back to around the berry bushes. I think I should do that part first. Then w**k at 5.
Robby- sorry top hear about the loan. All that work..... but hey! The house does look great! Good luck trying around.
Ken- Were the Accurail kits old? Or could they be? I had several, (I like them because they are pretty good kits, and fairly cheap too) and the couplers were functioning. They got ditched in favor of Kadee's, but they were functionable. I think. I did have a real old kit from the '70's that had H&H and cast solid non functioning knuckle couplers. But ya on the plastic axles.
Well, gonna take today as it comes.... no, I guess I won't. Just remembered I already have a plan.
Zoe, I'll have a blueberry muffin (With lots of real butter) and a cup of dark roast coffee in a R&GV RR Mug.
Had a big thunderstorm pass through here about 6AM today. Woke me up and got the kitties all nervous. Got an inch of rain yesterday and during the night, Drought's over! I need to finish the lawn THAT didn't get completed last week.......... Should be fun.
Blackie and Monét go to the vets this afternoon for their annual check up and shots. THAT is always fun......
Kieth, sounds like you had a great time over the week end!!! How neat to have someone like Bob G. right in your area!
Robby, good luck with the financing!
Well, I see breakfast has arrived, so I will sit and catch up on some goings on outside the diner...