Good Morning from northern Nevada
Hot Coffee for me.
Not used to being up this early, I'm a night shifter, but having two 4 day weekends in a row has my internal clock a little wonky.Anyway. It's 27 degrees under a sunny cloudless blue sky. The 9000 ft snow capped Sierra Ridge 35 miles away in Carson City is clearly visible.
In light of another thread here on these forums I got to thinking about a challenge, a dream of sorts that started more than 36 years ago.
I grew up with the Reading Railroad in a northern suburb of Reading PA and can remember watching many Reading trains running up and down Temple Hill...later Conrail. One particular train, however, sticks in my mind. The 'Joanna Turn'. It was an iron ore train that ran back and forth from the Grace Mine in Morgantown to the blast furnaces of Bethlehem Steel in Bethlehem. The train was pulled typically by three of the five GP40-2's the Reading had.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2706616
It was during highschool 36+ years ago I decided to pursue the dream, to accurately model the five engines. Well...finally...the dream is almost complete. 3 are finished and on the layout and the other two are in the works with decals and some touch up remaining. Though it's a very small thing in much larger picture, it's a milestone as a modeler.
Just thought I'd put it out there
Have a great day everyone.
Mark H
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
Garry,
When I first saw Your other pic', I took a quick glance saw the long frame and thought it was a tandem. That is how the kits were, long frame tandem, short frame single axle. Was that a new kit You bought? What happened to the tandem axle bogie? The tandem bogie was held in place by a screw, the single axle was held in place by wire around the rear axle housing. If You didn't have the tandem axle bogie set-up A-line has a up-grade kit for Ulrich Tractors, that come with axle bogies axle's, wheels and vinyl tires to replace the cast metal wheels the kit came with. And you could have left the mud flaps on, just reverse the way that they went on and they won't hit the dolly legs. I'll take OMG back now. LOL.
Still like to know about the stone wall though.
Take Care!
Frank
Btw: I would have cut the large king pin off the trailer and drill a hole to start a #0 3/8 long round head screw in the hole and cut the head off, instead of drilling out the tractor's fifth wheel hole, that way the trailer can ride in the Intermodal trailer hitches, I do that to all the trailers, the ones that have the large king pin, Herpa and some other European imports are like that.
Frank ... The kit was made by Alloy Forms. ... It had the two pieces for the bogie with crude looking leaf springs molded in. I could not use that because there was only one drive axle with wheels. ... They did include the wire, but I just super glued the tube which holds the axle to the frame. I placed it directly on the frame ahead of the molded-in place to screw in the tandom assembly. ... Later, I filed off those molded-in pices so I could again glue the tube under the hitch. .... The frame sections now have plastic strips with super glue on each side of the frame to hold it together. It should hold together okay after placing on the layout. It will not be moved often. ... I will remember your suggestion for the trailer king pin. Look at the Great Northern trailer and it sits too high on the resin kit tractor I made because of the king pin. The GN trailer is an Ulrich Models kit just like the Burlington trailer.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
That explains a lot. I thought the Tractor was a Ulrich kit. I built quite a few of the Alloy forms kits and they can be a pita to complete. A lot of filing and fitting. Just finished a Mack B61 Tandem flat bed that have had to have one of the worst castings I ever saw, but I managed to get it worried and completed into a nice looking model which I will post pic's of soon, probably on WPF.
The Blue truck in the pic' is a Alloy Forms 1969 Diamond Reo, scracth built interior window glazing, brass tube exhuast stack. The trailer is a white metal casting from Leetown, no longer in business.
Btw: That Diamond Reo pic'. is History....for that crossing is no longer there. Started on redoing that area for the Rail/Truck Terminal.
crhostler61I grew up with the Reading Railroad in a northern suburb of Reading PA and can remember watching many Reading trains running up and down Temple Hill...later Conrail. One particular train, however, sticks in my mind. The 'Joanna Turn'. It was an iron ore train that ran back and forth from the Grace Mine in Morgantown to the blast furnaces of Bethlehem Steel in Bethlehem. The train was pulled typically by three of the five GP40-2's the Reading had.
My grandmother`s house is in Birdsboro PA......right along the old tracks that the Grace mine train used to run on...........tracks were rebuilt 15 years or so ago for the reopening of the Trap Rock quarry.
Dennis Blank Jr.
CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad
Evening Flo. I'll have a glass of that good ol' Jeffrey's Tabasco Lemonade that everyone is raving about and since we a in Nawlins how about some jambalaya.
It has been cold here in the high desert of eastern Nevada. I had 4 degrees Fahrenheit this morning. I don't mind the cold, but if it is below 20 degree F, I want a little snow for insulation too. It is supposed to warm up this weekend again, I hope so. Maybe I can go out to the shed and clean some lumber up.
Yesterday I spent the day inside cooking my family's good old German traditional good luck food for the New Year. A pork roast and sauerkraut. I can't believe I hated sauerkraut as a kid and now I would eat it at least once a week if I had it. Also made mashed potatoes and green beans to go along with it.
I also watched the NHL Winter Classic. It is almost unfathomable that I would watch a Washington Crapitals game, but since it was the first game on any channels that we get since October I watched it anyway.
Maybe I will drop in again later this weekend.
Robert H. Shilling II
Good evening.
Robert ... As much as I admired Jeff, I doubt I will ever drink tobasco lemonade. .... I'll have the Root Beer Float (RBF) which was always popular in the Diner instead.
Frank .... I like the Diamond Rio a lot. You are the truck expert in my opinion. ... One more comment, before I shortened the frame on the Mack, I Googled imgaes of Mack tractors, and found some that looked right. I did very little measuring, but used the "eyball method" to decide where to cut the frame..
Happy Model Railroading !
Modelling the UK in 00, and New England - MEC, B&M, D&H and Guilford - in H0
Good Evening Everyone
Yes it's been a long time and at first when I saw the name change to the Diner I never expected the change was in memorium. Though I never knew Jeff I was impressed by his talents, more to the point his enthusiasm.
The kind words exspressed in the posts speak highly of the man and I just wanted to pay my respects.
Fergie
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5959
If one could roll back the hands of time... They would be waiting for the next train into the future. A. H. Francey 1921-2007
mikelhhJeffrey was one of the good guys.
You ain't just whistlin' dixie on this one. Nice fellow!
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
yes Jeffrey sas a very special person to all of us
Lael
My thank you to Ulrich for the outstanding transition and make over of the Diner. I know Jeffrey appreciates the change.
A prosperous/health filled New Year to all.
herrinchoker
Evening Dinners
Flo, a JSTL and a Chaser, what do you mean your feet hurt? You feel like you are working at MC Donalds? Yea, I can see the Dinner is busy. Would you mind giving the Buick guy a as well? Guess you mind, I take it over my self.
Work was just awful today and I am sure glad it is over! Plus I found out are hours are being cut. Just the news I wanted to hear.
Gary Thank you for the comment on the Old Dutch Hoppers! I real cannot say why I like them, but I do. I single handly drove the price up on E Bay 6 years ago!
YGW My Old Dutch Hoppers are not like the ones your Dad might have bought you! All of the Hoppers have been worked so I can body mount Kadee #5's couplers. Trucks have been worked so I can use Proto 33" wheels and weight have been brought up to NMRA weight.
I sure enjoy the looks of confusion I got when folks at K-10 Model Trains open house gave me when they saw a PCM Big Boy (Engine in the photo) dragging 33 Tyco Old Dutch Hoppers and they where not derailing! Douglas I think you just might be a keeper, even with being a GM guy. Far as Model Railroader folk being nice, as a whole on the same lever as Mopar folk. While I have only meet one Mopar Guy I really did not like faces to faces. Model train folk, never faces to faces. But, more train trolls than Mopar Trolls on line. Well I am beat, so see you all Saturday. Cuda Ken
I sure enjoy the looks of confusion I got when folks at K-10 Model Trains open house gave me when they saw a PCM Big Boy (Engine in the photo) dragging 33 Tyco Old Dutch Hoppers and they where not derailing!
Douglas I think you just might be a keeper, even with being a GM guy. Far as Model Railroader folk being nice, as a whole on the same lever as Mopar folk. While I have only meet one Mopar Guy I really did not like faces to faces. Model train folk, never faces to faces. But, more train trolls than Mopar Trolls on line.
Well I am beat, so see you all Saturday.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
Evenin' folks!
Janie, just a decaf right now........
Fergie! Good to see you. long time since I saw you around here. I do hope that life has been treating you well and you have had some time to work on your layout. i still miss your post in here. Don't be a stranger!
Been a mixed day around here. I have my clinic pretty much roughed into Powerpoint and got a few other things done. But... My sister called me around noontime........ She was getting ready to take her little cat Clim over to the vets as he has been not doing well. Not eating well and now was looking and walking like a geriatric cat (he is about 4 years old). Clim is the ferral cat that adopted my sister and her other cat Claude. Early evening she called to let me know that Clim was/is severly dehydrated and the xrays they gave him showed his liver is about twice normal size.... They kept him for observation and to get him hydrated over night and run some more tests, but it doesn't look good for the little guy. She will know by tomorrow whether it is best to put him down or whether he can be treated. She also leaves next Thursday for a 3 week trip to India. She is not doing well tonight!
Clim, who is very skittish around everyone he doesn't know, was as good as gold over at the vets.... I feel sorry for Claude who may be losing his best buddy. My cat Blackie goes to the vet on Monday for his blood sugar reading. This will decide whether he has to go on insulin or whether he can stay on the pills for a bit longer. They sure do get into your heart, those little guys....
Tomorrow here in the Finger Lakes we are to be getting snow changing over to freezing rain and ice... "Oh Joy, Oh Rapture"!
Hope all of you have a safe and restful night!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
NewportAdd Quote to your Post
"Little Sister" ..... We miss your brother, too.
Thanks for keeping in touch with us. How is your Dad doing?
Fergie .... It's good to see again. Still buying 2-10-2's ? LOL
Mikelhh .... Nice seeing you. feel free to visit again.
Several other new posters, You are more than welcome to keep posting.
.................. A small plane crashed near here this evening, and a 7 year old girl survived. She walked through the woods to a house where the homeowner called 911. It took a couple of hours for police to find the plane with four dead people in it. The plane is reported to have been flying from Florida to Illinois.
Today's Quotable Quote:
Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right. -Isaac Asimov, scientist and writer (1920-1992)
-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.
Heartland Division CB&Q Newport Add Quote to your Post "Little Sister" ..... We miss your brother, too. Thanks for keeping in touch with us. How is your Dad doing?
Newport Add Quote to your Post
I repeat Garry's sentiments emphatically!
Hi guys,
have to work today so just dropping in quick before I go. I will be back tonight sometime
Good Afternoon!
Janie, I need something nice & sweet to munch on - just to soothe my wrecked nerves. I am spending hours searching for ideas for a more compact layout, but in vain. I am about to chuck it and pack my trains away. Reading the February issue of MR, which arrived in today´s mail, didn´t help. I do like that new N scale project layout and the way it is built on door, covered with foam, but I cannot "germanise" it, let alone add catenary to it.
I am in a bad mood today!
Ulrich: CHEER UP, old pal!
DO put it "away" for a while. You are overloaded on your dreams vs. reality!
The reason I "stopped" with the trains is that due to the failing of my "expansion plans" {due to lack of room, plain and simple}, I got FRUSTRATED and was ready to chuck it all, sell all my HO stuff on the dreaded evil-bay, and GIVE UP on trains!
Remember: I had a 3.5 FOOT x 5.1 FOOT HO scale layout! A 15"r inside oval, 18"r outside {interconnected trhough regular "snap switches"} and a few spurs inside the inner oval for a "yard" and 2 spurs for "engine storage and servicing" facilities on the opposite side of the oval from the "yard". THAT is a LOT to pack into such a small space IN HO scale!!! And I had a mountain on one side, and a town in the center, and so forth. It wasn't really "too much" for the space, it was OK.
Now, I wnated to make it 4.2 FOOT x 6.1FOOT, bUT there is really NO ROOM, especially on the 4.2 side! An around the room layout is OUT of the Q.
I became so distraught over the fact that the layout would not fit tha I aobut tore out what is left of my hair, and it drove me mad! I want {and need} to eliminate the 15"r oval, as 15 is just really too small.
So, Instead I have taken a break {3 years, yes, but a break no less}.
NOW< I am thinking of {and drooling over} z scale. a Small layout in an "under the bed box" {plastic container}, but bigger than a brief case. If it weren't for the expense, I'd jump right in! I still MAY! There is one US dealer who has new quantities in of z scale stuff, and it can be had now for a song and dance {meaning it is actually IN STOCK now}. I am so tempted, but the Credit card got a bit over used at Xmas. {and the green gifs will help pay that off}.
So, TAKE A BREAK! we won't disown you if you become an armchair modeler for a bit, I promise!
Remember, in all of life, GREED is an enemy! {maybe you are greedy over space?}
well,
~I did the marketing, spent a few dollars more at the grocery store than i intended by $20, but, got about 55 cents off a gallon of gas for my efforts.
~I don't know why, but the left side of my back hurts morethan usual. MOH gave me a massage, and said that there weas a big knot in the muscles there, feels like it is back, I don't know why. My shoulder held up though.
~Z scale is REALLY tempting me! The onliest thing that is keeping me from firing up the Credit card is that I WON'T be able to do much with my arm strapped to my side for 6 weeks for a short time!
~Also thinking of a 4x4 or AWD vehicle as a backup to what we have. Saw one at a dealer this morning for $5990 for an 05 chevy Equinox. DOn't know/couldnt tell the mileage and the dealer wasnt open yet. DOn't know if that is a good deal or not? Would like to get a SUbaru Forester, but they are sSO expensive, even for a car hat is 15 years old. Not looking for a new one, not looking to spend a small fortune, but want something decent so....what to do? what to do?
~anybody have any experience with a chevy Equinox? GOod? BAD?
well, make it a GREAT day.
[quote user="galaxy"]
Ulrich ... I like the project layout because it is CB&Q. Looks good to me. .... However, your talents and knowledge should enable you to make a layout without referring to a project layout.
All of our adult kids have birthdays at this time of the year. Today, another one daughters has a birthday. ...... Dang! Nobody is getting younger !
In that plane crash near here last evening, the 7 year old girl walked barefoot in cold rain through the woods to find a house. Her father, mother, sister, and cousin were killed in the crash.
I have many projects to do on the layout. I am going to take time to prioritize them. I still have more construction of benchwork to do and more track laying.
[quote user="Newport"]
galaxy Heartland Division CB&Q Newport Add Quote to your Post "Little Sister" ..... We miss your brother, too. Thanks for keeping in touch with us. How is your Dad doing? I repeat Garry's sentiments emphatically! Dad is doing great was worried their for a bit. keeping tabs with my sister about dad. he has going over one herdel just a few more for dad it will take time.
Hi, Little sister Lael!
Did you get my PM {Private Message} that I sent you? Scroll up and on the right side margin is the green box with your "welcome Newport" in it, nad below is a box that has a link to "messages" , click and it will take you to your PMs {if you didn't know already}
Tell your father, we wish him well, and to TAKE care and take it one step, one day at a time!
I wonder how he is coping,they say losing a child {of any age,any reason} is the hardest thing to get over.
Tell him how much he meant to us here on this forum!
Did you see what I wrote about Jeffrey on page two of this thread? It just came pouring out...and I meant every word of it!
Make it a great day, Little sister!
Your Dad might recall my calling him about Jeff a couple of times. Both times were when Jeff was hospitalized and we wondered where he was. If he remembers calls from Kentucky, they were from me. I can tell he is a very good man. .... Best wishes to the entire family.
So we are in Louisiana, Hhhmmm, that is one State I have never been in. Sure is nice scenery though.
Chloe, I see you girls got new uniforms as well. Very sharp but don't you think those skirts are a little short ? When you get a chance I will have the Southern breakfast with a HC. to chase.
We are really enjoying a visit from our youngest Son and his wife. They arrived New Years Eve and will leave for home on Monday.
My Son has been helping me with a door "conversion".. I have a two foot door into my staging tracks in a long narrow room/closet 14'x4+ ft. the door to it is located in the entry hall into the train room and swings into the hall. Buthe the hall and train room had no door on it and that s.Yard door doesn't reach across the hallway, but I felt that as the Grandson gets older and sometimes we have visitors that use the bedroom right beside that area , that it would be a good idea to be able to close the trains off from free access.
So, we had a bi-fold door that wasn't being used that has the same oak pattern to it as the original door. We took that bi-fold apart and attached half of it to the edge of the original door so that when it is folded back onto the door it will still close properly for the staging yards. As you open that door the bi-fold section can fold out and meets with the far side of the hallway and closes off both the staging yards and the train roon to free access. The door opens past where it will reside in a hallway closed position so that you can get behind it to secure the two doors into a solid position so that it won't bend when locked in place by a dead bolt. It is working out well. Just alot of figuring.
Trains have been running well. Right now I have benn running all steam power. A GS4 on the passenger trains and a Consolodation on the secondary Branchline. The yards riight now are serviced by a 0-8-0, all are Bachmann.
The main branchline is closed to operations right now as a bridge is out waiting for me to get that river poured. That is getting very close now, the river bed is all done just a bit of ground cover to put down close to it and I will make it rain until the river is flowing. (Envirotex)
We had a late night last night and everyone is just getting breakfast finished up and Ithink they all are going out to shop. Not me unless I hit HD. for a bit of additional hardware.
Hope you all have survived the Season well. It was sure good to see Jerry and Fergie and some other Old Timers as well as some new folks in the Diner recently. Welcome and Welcome back.
Keep smiling ya all, it sure looks good on ya.
Johnboy out...................for awile
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Mornin'.... uh.... Afternoon folks!
Zoe, I could use some Seneca Lake Blend Dark Roast coffee in my FGLK mug and a couple of the jelly dougnuts over there on the counter today.... I'll be in the back by the wood stove just chilling out for a while.
Just got an email from one of my division members letting me know that an old friend and mentor from back when I was first Superintendent of the NMRA Division had passed on New Years Day.... He was a fine modeler ("n" scale) and at one time was the American Vice President of the Region. We attended several events together back then and I can say we lost a great modeler, and a fine gentleman!
I just put together my new electric snowblower (the old one has a problem with the switch I think...). I could have tried to repair the old one, but it would have involved tearing the entire machine apart to replace the switch and then, it might not have been the switch. Hope this one last longer than the old one did. This one is a Toro, came assembled except for putting the upper handle in place. Took about 5 minutes to get everything done.
Good to see the diner being full this month. Hope the new folks will stick around and join in the fun!
Dark and gloomy outside the door here in the Finger Lakes Region today. Currently 30°F with the high around 36°F. Calling for about an inch of "Wintery Mix".... May get to try out the new machine.
Have a great day!
V8Vega Today 61/36 and we have had about the same since I got back here after Christmas and this is cold to us. But there's hope starting tomorrow low to high 70's and lows of around 45. Heartland thats a dramatic story about the plane crash and the little girl, I'll look for that in the paper. Galaxy first Google Chevy Equinox and read Wikipedia. At the bottum are things that likely will lead to a Equinox forum if there is one. Edit: they just had a full story on the little girl and the plane crash on TV here in California.
Today 61/36 and we have had about the same since I got back here after Christmas and this is cold to us. But there's hope starting tomorrow low to high 70's and lows of around 45.
Heartland thats a dramatic story about the plane crash and the little girl, I'll look for that in the paper.
Galaxy first Google Chevy Equinox and read Wikipedia. At the bottum are things that likely will lead to a Equinox forum if there is one.
Edit: they just had a full story on the little girl and the plane crash on TV here in California.
Here is one of the national news reports. It was on all major TV networks.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/kentucky-man-helps-brave-girl-survived-plane-crash/story?id=27977292
There are a lot of trees in this area as well as the lakes. Glad the plane did not go into the lake.
V8Vega Galaxy first Google Chevy Equinox and read Wikipedia. At the bottum are things that likely will lead to a Equinox forum if there is one.
Dennis,
I am aware of that and am searching, but I wondered if anyone here reading had any experiences with the vehicle.
I can read all kinds of things about it all over the net, but I ALSO can add any experiences guys HERE have had with the vehicle! Many on here I "know" much better than I do "Schmuggie in St. Louis" or "Hildegard in Phoenix" or "Viper st1 in Honolulu".
SO that is why I am asking.Never hurts to ask.
Make it a great day!
I am really having a bad time today. My breathing issues have hit me again, whatever improvement there was seems to be gone. Will hit the hay early today - like Scarlett O´Hara said "After all, tomorrow is another day".