Tinplate ToddlerIt may sound weird, but getting ready for a new phase in our lives is even exiting - to a certain degree, that is.
Whoa! Top of the page. Drinks are on me. Chloe, I'll have a LARGE Porter, with an Oatmeal Stout chaser please.
Cheers everyone!
Mike
Good Afternoon!,
Boy, am I filled up! Too much of Petra´s special "mack and cheese", supported by a bowl of fresh tomato & Romaine lettuce - yummy!
We will slowly start to pair down. When we moved from our 2,000 sq.ft. house into this 800 sq.ft. apartment, we already disposed of a felt couple of tons of stuff, some by selling it, quite a lot made its way to the dumpster. We still have way too much clutter - things that have not been touched in 10 years are earmarked to go. Quite a bit of the furniture will also have to go, when we move into the new accommodations, which will not exceed 650 sq.ft. That´s all we can afford, but actually all we need, too. Each item we dispose of will not have to be transported to wherever the place finally will be, which will save us a pretty penny in total.
It may sound weird, but getting ready for a new phase in our lives is even exiting - to a certain degree, that is.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Good Morning All,
15F but the s**w held off. The trucks are down the road with 8 cars for West Palm Beach and the start of another season. Loading yesterday went really well with no hickups so that was good. Back to shop w**k today.
Ken - I have what is now an old MRC Prodigy squared and one throttle. It works fine. My mainline is all so far unconnected Peco under track electric switches. Once I get the yard all done, I will have a bank of nearly 40 levers along the front edge of the yard to switch that part of the layout. Once you clear the yard throat, all switching in there is manual off the front of the layout. I can then put the remote electric switches in a box with a diagram on it to do the main and secondary areas. The idea of programming off the layout is useful and I have a programming track, but many of these decoders seem to need the extra power of the main for all the bells and whistles. The ability to do that remotely is appealing.
Ulrich. I understand the appeal of stepping away, but I would as you are doing keep the items that mean the most and by all means, keep the tooling. Things haven't gone your way for a while but you have been an inspiration for many of us who have similar issues. I walked away from this forum and my layout as life just got too complicated. I was greatly heartened to find the diner still here and old friends at the counter when I came back. I am now spending time regularly on the layout instead of vegetating in front of the one eyed monster upstairs. Hopefully things will look up for you once you have a new location. Even in a small space you could still do a diorama and see if you can challange those other masters of detail in a small space. Best to you and Petra, but I really hope you continue to visit us here.
Time to go forth and battle recalcitrent cars. Today a Lotus 6 and a Sabra (Israeli sports car from the 50's). Chow, J.R.
hon30critterKeep your layout.
That will not be possible, I am afraid! We will be moving into a 1 bedroom apartment and there just won´t be room enough for a layout. I also need the cash tied up in it for the move, as we will have to hire help to do it. Professional movers are expensive. Of course, I will keep the "crown jewels", i.e. the loco Petra gave me, my brass HOn3 D&RGW T-12, and that little British train, as there is too much sentimental value attached to these for me to sell them.
Some time ago, the thought of giving up on the hobby was rather frightening, but not anymore. I am sure, that, once we found a place, have moved and settled in, I will pick up something to waste my time on, but I doubt it will be connected to model railroading.
BATMANDoes anyone know what these are?
Do they go round-and-round?
CP_2860 by Edmund, on Flickr
Ed
Good evening from the West Coast, it is 1c and we are expecting another 15cm of snow tomorrow, although I'll believe it when I see it.
I had a loooong post ready to go earlier and the site crashed so you get the coles notes version tonight.
Does anyone know what these are? Twelve of them could be mine.
Spent a good part of the day working on my Ngineering lighting for the roundhouse and also ran some trains so that makes today a good day.
My daughter was at a party and was playing some sort of trivia game and she got a question about what was the first transcontinental railroad in America? She was allowed to phone a friend, so because it was a train question she phoned me. Ya Dad will know, Ya right. Well, I told her and she won the game on that final question. It is the Panama Canal RR. Now I am not that smart to have known that, however the wife and I were doing research on a possible trip to Panama and I just happened to read that very fact yesterday. Don't tell my daughter, in her eyes I am brilliant and that doesn't happen too often, so I am milking it for all it is worth.
Ulrich, that Mr. Schmid is one talented guy, I love seeing such good work. I wish I was better at getting my colours right, I often ask my daughter for help as she is a good artist. We bought her an animation computer for Christmas and she is drawing and making animation stories, moving one's sort of like a cross between cartoons and lifelike. I am not sure how to describe it. Anime is what they call it I think, man is she good. The computer has a huge screen on it and she draws freehand on the screen. She hopes to do that for summer work before University this year. Last year she could have worked on the Lego movie but could not commit for long enough so she had to pass. They start at $36.00 an hour doing colour matching and that is most likely where she would have started. The video game industry is also screaming for computer artist. She took three years of that in high school and can run just about any program. They have incredible media labs at her school. She still wants to be in the Medical field and has developed an interest in forensic pathology. She applied to six Universities and all have excepted her and offered her good scholarships and other funding, she has some tough decisions ahead of her.
The kid had a lunch meeting today with someone from the production end of things in the movie industry. Looks like his summer employment will be behind the camera instead of in front of it this year. Some sort of production assistant by the looks of things. Long as the money is good he is happy and he is learning yet another aspect of the biz. He will also be taking two online courses from Carlton to speed up his degree so he can sneak into law school earlier. Just looking at his workload exhaust me, I do remember I was young once and set off to tackle the world with the same enthusiasm. I wish I could do it all over again. Only this time, remembering the mistakes I had made along the way.
I think it will be an early night, working with those tiny lights and other small bits for hours has taken its toll. I'll go yak with the daughter for a few and then hit the hay.
All the best to all.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Tinplate ToddlerSo I guess it is time to say good bye to a hobby, which has accompanied me almost my entire life! The train has reached the end of the line!
Ulrich,
For Pete's sake don't quit the hobby! Take a break by all means, but don't do something that you will regret later. Keep your layout. What you might get for it in cash will pale when compared to what you will lose if you sell it.
You are great at posting very interesting railroading videos. Perhaps you could make that your focus for a while.
A lot of people who have supported you through your travails would be disappointed and upset if you were to go missing. Don't turn your back on our support.
To quote you - "Cheers!!"
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Good evening
Ken . Thanks for explaining Decoder Pto.
Eventuly, I will try decoder pro. I am now focused on completing scenery and buildings on the layout. My coal mine scene will be nearly the last of my scenes other than filling in a few void spaces. Then I can back to working on trains most of the time, and then I want to try decoder pro.
Today , I worked on track maintenance. I corrected some trouble spots .
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Eveing Diners
Flo, give the gang and I a please.
Max Man I finger Stick and only had a sip of the sugar soda.
JR Decoder Pro is a program you install on your computer. You need a computer interface. In my case I use a Digitrax PR3 and it does a lot of neat stuff!
1 You can program your decoder either on the main line or safer progaming track.
2 Saves your engine to a roster where you can view the saved CV's.
3 Can do a factory default setting like I did on the CB&Q F7 C unit then rewrite the CV's.
4 You can run the layout with your computer. Many driffrent ways of doing it but I am simple so I use it as a throttle. But with the gizmo's you can have it control your turnout and engines in a prest fashion.
If you are or going DCC it is the way to go!
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
Thomas Schmid - the Swiss guy building the Asian Market diorama, has been doing some work on it, adding more detail.
Here are a few pics of his great work.
What an incredible amount of detail!
Thanks for the response Lion. Recently we have had a 14 year old arrested taking photos of Metro North trackage from a public street and a while back one of our museum members was arrested for taking pictures of Amtrak and detained just south of Poughkipsie though whose property he was on was debatable. Carrying all the get out of jail free cards and instructions are probably an excellent idea. Didn't have any similar issues overseas but there you go. J.R.
Howdy, everybody . We returned from Nashville late last night for another visit to Shelley's Mom. I let Shelley decide how often we do that. Still hoping her 93 year old Mom can recover eventually.
Ed ... Thanks for the cherry pie. I'll have a slice, please. ... ... Yum !
Ulrich ... I think you should stay in the hobby. Find a fun little project to keep you busy. Maybe you could scratch build something.
Lion ... Glad it is okay to take subway photos. Probably, law enforcemnt has higher priorities such as controlling vandalism.
I'm going to go work on my layout now. I'll continue with the coal mine project.
GMTRacing Rare Wildebeast is good, well done ribs better. Lion, love the interior pics of the subway. Probably can't do that these days.
Sure you can. Personal photography on NYC and on the Subways is perfectly legal. If you are suspicious they may come and look at you, but it is legal and they will just check ID and let you go.
Anything that you can see from any public place is fair game.
Ancilliary equipment is not permitted, no tripod, monopod or flash allowed.
PATH is a port authority operation and they will arrest you.
Those of us who take many photos keep a copy of the rules and the Police Department instructios to their officers in our wallets. But most of the PD knows that photography is allowed.
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Good Afternoon!
It´s been a nice day, but somehow I feel a little blue! My back is still killing me and I definitively could use more sleep.
After over 55 years in this hobby, I notice that my interest is rapidly declining. My tinplate layout just sits there, collecting dust. I don´t feel like running a train or working on it. I had this feeling before and not only once. It usually meant it was time to start another project, but this time I think it is final. The reason might be that my means are way too limited, both in terms of space and money, to build anything big enough to fulfill my "operational needs.
So I guess it is time to say good bye to a hobby, which has accompanied me almost my entire life! The train has reached the end of the line!
Typical pandemonium this morning as we finish up and load for our first race weekend. Two more cars enroute that we are bringing to help out other teams and our own to load. It all gets fraught and the s**w/ice last night didn't help. At least the repairs I did to the lift gate have been ok so far.
I'll just have a regular to go please Zoe. I'd really like to stay here but I'm late, I'm late, I'm late. J.R.
Good Morning, Crew! It's 26 degrees with a snow flurry passing over our town here in NE Ohio. We must have picked up a light coating of freezing rain and sleet that mixed in with a light snowfall overnight. The walk and driveway around the car will need the ol' ice melter treatment later on. Yesterday I ordered air hoses and grab irons off of eBay for my rolling stock repair/maintenance work. The Red Caboose AAR grabs may turn out to be too thick though and, if that's the case, I'll order the Detail Associates grabs that I've used before. I'll be at the workbench again today to continue with this project. Have a great one!
Russ
Modeling the early '50s Erie in Paterson, NJ. Here's the link to my railroad postcard collection: https://railroadpostcards.blogspot.com/
Good Morning and Happy Presidents' Day to the folks here in most of the USA.
George by Edmund, on Flickr
Cherry Pie all around!
I did manage to do a little editing on part of the California State Railroad Museum video. Maybe it will be ready for the big time by the end of the week.
I hope everyone had a safe and happy weekend.
Regards to all — Ed
Track fiddlerRibs-R-Done, help yourself,
Hey TF,
Those look as good as the ones we had last week! You are right about most of the flavour being in the 'bark', but I like the meat that is not covered in baked on BBQ sauce just as much. I have a thing for tender meat.
How about sharing your recipe for your sauce?
Cheers!!
It was one of those good lay around nap days.
Sometimes you need one of those. Especially on a Sunday. I had nap car on and I lived up to it's name. Those crashes in the end were intense though weren't they? I ate and I napped
Perfect What a Beautiful Sunday.
I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.
TF
Steven, if that's the case, bring it with a pile of marshmallows!
Are one of you midwesters or east coasters planning on visiting Las Vegas in the next few days? The National Weather Service just issued a winter weather advisory calling for up to 2 inches of snow by morning in the Las Vegas Valley.......please keep your weather to yourself
I'm originally from Pennsylvania, so this is nothing. We'll see what happens by morning.
Oh, I guarantee walmart doesn't carry snow shovels or salt.
Terry
Inspired by Addiction
See more on my YouTube Channel
Evening folks,
TF them ribs look good I'll take a whole rack!
Terry, according to one of those tabloid mags hot cocoa "cures" memory loss!?!? Whenever I go to the grocery store I'll read the covers of those to see what craziness they've come up with now, I always get a good laugh.
Some bored youppers decided to hold a contest to see whom can guess when a florescent Orange Saturn takes a plunge through the ice on a frozen lake.
https://rotaryimk.org/car-plunge-contest/
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
Good Evening All,
The Daytona 500 is on red flag so I thought I'd pop in for a minute. Don't usually watch NASCAR and today is a reminder. Actually I'm a lousy spectator anyway.
Ken, glad you got your engine woes straightened out. What is a decoder pro? I haven't gotten that far and am still in the get the road number to function and not much further. Hope you feel better soon.
Rare Wildebeast is good, well done ribs better. Lion, love the interior pics of the subway. Probably can't do that these days.
I have most of the track in and all the yard in ready to prove. Pretty much decided not to tear out the yard throat as it is just really too late so I'll plant all the towers and service stuff as I can. I'm thinking since I have both steam and diesel that the steam stuff - sand and water plus the coal and ash pit - will be on the lead to the turntable, all in line since steam needed to come to the roundhouse at days end. Diesels have access to the back shop through the turntable to the round house and through the back of the roundhouse to the back shop. Alternatively if we tie the diesels up outside they still have access to the back shop through a rear door so I can then put the diesel service stuff - sand, water, fuel on the yard lead past the turntable so they can get filled up and out without using the steam service stuff . That also leaves the yard throat clear if I do it right. In reality the New Haven didn't have any steam left past the Fifties but It's my layout so.....
All for now. Lets see how long it takes to finish the race now. Chow, J.R.
Afternoon/evening fellow diners. I'll just have some hot cocoa, haven't had any for a while.
I've either been too focused on work or can't wait to continue with model railroading, I didn't even realize it was a holiday weekend and have an extra day off.
Crazy 4 game home stand with the Golden Knights, losing to teams we should be winning, then finally last night, playing like they should. One road game, then another 4 game home stand.
Well, what an eyebrow raising day. I was going to grab the diorama and go get some pics of my current project. Good thing I got delayed with putting on some parts. Here's why:
The weather started nice with a few broken clouds. As I was getting ready to leave, it got cloudy and the sky turned dark. Can you believe, about 2 hours ago, we had hail and thunderstorm? Then rained for about an hour. That hot cocoa is sure tasting good.
I've heard of "if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes". But definitely unusual weather for February here in Las Vegas.
Anyway, going to go plan my next project.
cudakenHad a low blood surgar attack at 2:00 AM. GL level was only 50 when I tested it!
Out of curiosity, do you test with the finger stick method or do you have a CGM (continuous glucose monitor)? If you don't have a CGM and are on Medicare, get your doctor to prescribe one. Then you can test as often as you want without worrying about sneak attacks.
And, yes, you probably overdid it with the stuff you ate/drank. The Cheerios are probably in the range of 23 carbs or more for 3/4 cup and the soda w/sugar, well if I hade one of them it would probably be my carb allotment for an entire day.
Flo, the gang and I a please.
TF Ribs sure look good! Sorry I missed your call today. As far as your question about what is going on with the house at this point kind of a stand still.
The contractor I want to use is on vaction in Fld. I did get his bid on the roof and rotten fascia we know about for $9663.00. When I spoke about taken out Home Equida Laon he suggested new windows at $400.00 a window and I have 13 of them. Plus the needed floor joist we spoke about. Till I get a semi firm prices on the other repairs I am holding off on the loan. I am hoping $25,000.00 will cover the things I need done and pay off a small personal loan.
Train Front Happy Happy Joy Joy! Got the Mighty CB&Q F7 C unit running! Did a hard decoder reset and rewrote the saved CV's from Decoder Pro and they are running great again!
Ed Hang on to the parts, I am sure I will kill something sooner than later.
Flet like poop most of the day. Had a low blood surgar attack at 2:00 AM. GL level was only 50 when I tested it! Had some soda with surgar and ate a Jeffro Bodine sizes bowl of Cheerios. Think I over compensated in carbs.
BATMAN TF, the guitars you posted about in the filosophy Phriday thread are pretty cool. Do you play as well? I would not get any work done at all if I had to walk past those. I have to walk past mine when I go into the trainroom and sometimes, often in fact the guitars are as far as I get. All the best to all.
TF, the guitars you posted about in the filosophy Phriday thread are pretty cool. Do you play as well? I would not get any work done at all if I had to walk past those. I have to walk past mine when I go into the trainroom and sometimes, often in fact the guitars are as far as I get.
I can understand that. No, I don't play the six string. Erv has been trying to show me how to play and I try hard but my hands are too big for the six string.
I used to play bass very well when I was young. It's not like riding a bike. My brother has about 5 bass guitars. He borrowed me one and it started coming back to me very slowly. I am the perfect candidate for a bass guitar because my hands are big and my fingers are calloused from doing construction all my life.
I spend a lot of time in Erv's garage in the winter as we are good friends. He told me to pick up a Bass so I have more to do when I am there. I am going to do that.
I used to own a Rickenbacker fretless bass when I was young. I wish I still had that. Like a familiar tool, it is the extension of your hand.
I will purchase a quality bass guitar yet this winter. I do enjoy my time with my friend Erv.
Thanks Brent. TF
Watched this today and see Jason Shron is in it.
Well, I just did a whole lot of KMs on the bike and would love some Wildebeeeest and ribs. You guys sure are generous, no wonder I like you.
It is 8c in the sunshine today, there is still lots of snow on the ground which is testament to the unusually large amount for this area.
Went to get the kid last night and the lanes into the arrivals level at the airport had ground to a halt, he phoned the car and said there were no cars at all getting through. I had him run up to the departures level as I was just far enough back to be able to get into those lanes. It was very deserted on that level, snagged him and we were off with a quick stop at the Tims near the Air Canada cargo shed. He was bagged from a tough week of exams. He didn't stay up long, just had a quick chat and that was it.
He got in my good books today when he came down for breakfast, he looked up at me and said wow Dad do you ever look fit. I said want to go for a run? He said not a chance you'd clean my clock. He still looks to be pretty fit, not hockey tournament fit, but pretty good.
He told us his professors all think he can get into law school after three years instead of the usual four as his grades are just about perfect. That would save a whole year of tuition and living expenses. He thinks he may come back to Vancouver for that.
I am working on doing some lighting and have some Ngineering lampshades. They say to soak them for five minutes in denatured alcohol before painting. So should I use lacquer thinner or paint thinner? Experts, advice appreciated.
The house is quiet this weekend, too many things going on to have the usual crowd in. Tomorrow is a holiday here and we will have the inlaws and my sister and BIL over for a pulled pork feast tomorrow. Imported U.S.pork is so cheap right now they are practically giving it away.
Ribs-R-Done, help yourself, I have plenty I am full from Lions rare wilderbeast he shared with me. Thanks Lion!
Pork is a different story, we don't eat that bloody. It cooks all day until it falls off the bone........ help yourself, I'll get out some more.
PS. Take the one on the right. It is not burnt, that's just the coloring from all the Special homemade BBQ Sauce I've been brushing on all day. That black stuff holds all the flavor you know
Thank you Lion.
I do prefer my wilderbeast bloody with some sour cream and horseradish to dip it in....... do you have the young asparagus to go with that