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Is anything driving you crazy right now?

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Is anything driving you crazy right now?
Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 1:30 PM

For about four weeks I have had a boxcar roof on my workbench. It is fully assembled with a nice roofwalk and seperate corner grabs, and it is painted in a nice glavanized finish.

.

The problem is, I cannot find the boxcar that goes with it!

.

This has been eating at me for about a month.

.

What is eating at you right now?

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 1:47 PM

Not being able to build a layout because the basement isn't finished yet and it's a big job.  That's what is eating at me for about a half a year now.

As my British wife says, just "soldier on".

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by G Paine on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 1:56 PM

I am working on a Lonestar flatbed trailer; it came with a donation to Boothaby Railway Village. First time with this brand. A well made kit in a class simlar in difficulty to Jordan kits. A lot of fine detail parts, easily broken. I had to change what I had planned a couple of times because parts broke. Super Angry

Also, I have not been able to find a suitable tractor for it. Walthers has discontinued Alloy Forms and CMW does not have any undecorated tractor truclks in the catalog now. Guess I will have to order somethng from Sylvan Scale. More delays....

George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch 

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Posted by Silverliner266 on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 1:59 PM

On one of my sidings I have a frieght house, I don't like that frieght house. Unfortunately I just can't justify doing something different with it right now so it sits, a bland, shoddy, plastic reminder that I should have gone with a different kit. 

Just an N scale guy in an HO scale world.

Reading Railroad in a small space. 

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Posted by mbinsewi on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 2:06 PM

I have been digging through all my storage containers, and still-in-box kits, because I KNOW I have two Walthers 74' TOFC's, the kits in the white a stripped narrow box.

I'm coming to the stark realization, I might have sold them along with some Conrail semi trailers.  Indifferent 

Another thing is decals!  I'm trying to get some spine cars finished, and I have 5 yet to be decaled.  I struggle with decals!  Once I get started, I'm good, it's just getting started.......I keep doing other things!

It's just so stressfull being a model railroader!, why would anyone do this?  Laugh Smile, Wink & Grin

Mike.

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Posted by PRR8259 on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 2:20 PM

deleted

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Posted by doctorwayne on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 2:48 PM

SeeYou190

"Is anything driving you crazy right now?".

I don't need to drive...it's within walking distance.

I've had this Korber roundhouse for perhaps 40 years, but started building it about four years ago....

It's not high on my list of things to do, but a few days ago, I decided to re-visit that stalled project. 
While it's going well-enough, I'm also going through Evergreen strip styrene at an alarming rate (over $130.00 worth last week).  I hope that the additional stuff that I ordered at that time comes in soon, or the project will soon stall again.

My plan (perhaps more a hope than a plan) is that it will have a one-piece removeable roof.  While the structure will be at eye-level on the upper level of the layout, I don't plan to add much in the way of interior detail and will definitely not add lighting, but I do want the interior to be readily accessible. 

Here's where construction is at, as of about 5 minutes ago...



While the cost is manageable, the time which this project is consuming is driving me crazy...I'm generally a slow worker anyways, but this one seems especially slow.

Wayne

 

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Posted by mbinsewi on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 3:26 PM

Keep it up Wayne, I'll stick with my decals, you stick with your roundhouse!  Laugh

And I only hope that this does NOT turn into another philosophical "whats wrong with this hobby" thread!

I'm sure that's NOT what the OP had in mind when he started it.  It always seem to come from the same places.

Hey, but I did get started on my decals, and I did find one of the missing TOFC's, so life is great!

Mike.

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Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 3:29 PM

My painted and decaled Athearn 50' reefer shell has been sitting on my file cabinet for months.  I went looking for the other parts to put it all together and I can find the box, the weight, frame, bolster, trucks, couplers and brake detail, but there is a big cylinder (air?) that sits under the door that is MIA

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 3:51 PM

Yes. .... Technology drives me crazy....... .nuff said. 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by rrinker on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 5:51 PM

riogrande5761

Not being able to build a layout because the basement isn't finished yet and it's a big job.  That's what is eating at me for about a half a year now.

As my British wife says, just "soldier on".

 

 Change it to almost 5 years. Oh and first I have to "unfinish" the basement, and I'm right there.

                                                 --Randy


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by angelob6660 on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 6:13 PM

When researching Burlington Northern almost half the stuff is BNSF. BNSF wasn't formed in the late 1980s.

I'm planning on getting just books on the BN skipping the internet, altogether on the subject.

Modeling the G.N.O. Railway, The Diamond Route.

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

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Posted by steemtrayn on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 6:13 PM

We can have this...Image result for new haven ep5

this...

Image result for broadway limited imports p5a

and this...

Image result for broadway limited imports s2

but we can't have this...

Image result for prr baldwin sharknose

WHY????

Image result for broadway limited imports s2

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 6:14 PM

Five years?  No thankyou.  Thankfully wife is a hard worker and is helping to push progress along.  She got distracted last couple weeks re-tiling the new shower floor which the contractor botched.  She is pretty handy.  I am going through a lot of mud on the corner areas which there are a lot of, what with those four boxed in ceiling beams.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by NS6770fan on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 7:39 PM

The only thing bothering me at the moment is not having the correct silver to paint side frames for my UP 1943! The original trucks were binding, so I ordered a new pair and they only had black, so now my 1943 looks very Unprototypical, but it will have to wait.

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Posted by gmpullman on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 9:31 PM

SeeYou190
What is eating at you right now?

Heartland Division CB&Q

Yes. .... Technology drives me crazy....... .nuff said. 

Well, I love technology i.e. LEDs, cube speakers, wi-fi connected throttles.

BUT when it decides to go wonky it can cause an Excedrin Moment Bang Head

Presently, I have a Broadway Limited Heavy Pacific that I recently bought from their Refurb Outlet. Now, I'm well aware of the QC problems that many of their Paragon3 decoders have had. I've had to deal with a few of those already.

SO, this Pacific. Excellent running locomotive. I'm planning to add an Elesco FWH and make it into an ERIE K5. I test ran it on address 3 with no issues.

Then, I programmed the decoder address to the road number 2925 and made a few other minor changes to sound levels, momentum and such, using JMRI and a Sprogg II.

Then I place the engine on the layout and call up 2925 and nothing happens. Confused. I tried address 3 also but no-go.

So, back to the programming track and JMRI. Using the "Identify" button I get "Address 1610 found, no such roster entry". Huh?

Now, I enter the CVs for 2925 individually: 17=203, 18=109, 29=34. Read them back and all is good.

Back to the layout, no go! Enter 1610 into the throttle and the engine runs, but backward and in 14 step mode.

A real head scratcher! If I program any other address, 2924 or 2926 or simply 25 everything works fine.

Why does this happen? I haven't contacted BLI just yet. I could renumber the locomotive... but again, WHY?

Just one of those goofy, frustrating "digital glitches"? I can live with the engine programmed as "25". Down the road, I'll probably switch to an ESU decoder, anyway.

Cheers! Ed

 

 

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Posted by rrinker on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 10:27 PM

 What's it read back for CV29, a value that would be 14 steps, reverse, or is it reading the 34 you actually set it to? Sounds like it's missing or flipping some bits. 

                      --Randy

 

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
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Posted by riogrande5761 on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 8:26 AM

rrinker
 
riogrande5761

Not being able to build a layout because the basement isn't finished yet and it's a big job.  That's what is eating at me for about a half a year now.

As my British wife says, just "soldier on".

 

 Change it to almost 5 years. Oh and first I have to "unfinish" the basement, and I'm right there.

                                                 --Randy

What do you mean unfinish it?  Do you have to rip out drywall?

We are making good progress.  The frustration is it's a bit like "a watched pot never boils" - the pot does boil but sometimes perception is it takes a lot longer than we would like and we get impatient.

Aug - Oct 2018: Electrical, plumbing and pre-rough inspection stuff was completed while other working was being done on the house and taking precident.

Nov: Permit to finish acquired.

Early Dec: started drywalling:

Early Jan: most walls drywalled:

Those beams and vents boxed in on the ceiling (seen in 2nd photo) are all drywalled now as well and all metal corners installed - some of them mudded.

Instead of drywalling ceiling, installing suspended (drop) ceiling to keep access to wiring and plumbing easier.  Plan to install 2x2 troffer lights.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

  • Member since
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Posted by Silverliner266 on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 8:30 AM

steemtrayn

We can have this...WHY????

Image result for broadway limited imports s2

 

 

This drives me crazy, one of the brass manufactureres even went as far as to make one of these in N scale but no one has ever done a Reading T-1. I would pay good money for that just to have a Ramble on my layout. 

Just an N scale guy in an HO scale world.

Reading Railroad in a small space. 

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Posted by gmpullman on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 8:49 AM

rrinker
 What's it read back for CV29, a value that would be 14 steps, reverse, or is it reading the 34 you actually set it to? Sounds like it's missing or flipping some bits.                        --Randy

I'll write down the exact details and post it in a separate thread instead of tying up this one, Randy. In the next day or so I'll get to it.

Thanks, Ed

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Posted by eaglescout on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 10:13 AM

Don't close on the new house until February 14th.  Have plans drawn for the new layout but itching to start construction.  Plan to box in a back corner of the garage to cut down on dust and that I am able to climate control.

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Posted by dknelson on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 10:34 AM

doctorwayne
a few days ago, I decided to re-visit that stalled project. While it's going well-enough, I'm also going through Evergreen strip styrene at an alarming rate (over $130.00 worth last week). I hope that the additional stuff that I ordered at that time comes in soon, or the project will soon stall again.

Gasp!  That's .... that's ... that's a lot of styrene!  But bless you Dr Wayne for helping keep the good folks at Evergreen in business.  

Dave Nelson

PS the punster in me can't help note that if you are going to "stall" on a project, what better project for stalls than a roundhouse?  Angel  

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 10:52 AM

eaglescout

Don't close on the new house until February 14th.  Have plans drawn for the new layout but itching to start construction.  Plan to box in a back corner of the garage to cut down on dust and that I am able to climate control.

Sounds like a good plan to prepare the room for the layout before building.  No basement?  How big is the layout area going to be?

I knew I would have at least a year after closing before I could start on my layout.  Looks like it's going to be around 18 months but the house was neglected and bank owned when we bought it and we knew there was going to be a lot of money and time invested from the git-go.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 5:15 PM

riogrande5761

 

 
rrinker
 
riogrande5761

Not being able to build a layout because the basement isn't finished yet and it's a big job.  That's what is eating at me for about a half a year now.

As my British wife says, just "soldier on".

 

 Change it to almost 5 years. Oh and first I have to "unfinish" the basement, and I'm right there.

                                                 --Randy

 

 

What do you mean unfinish it?  Do you have to rip out drywall?

We are making good progress.  The frustration is it's a bit like "a watched pot never boils" - the pot does boil but sometimes perception is it takes a lot longer than we would like and we get impatient.

Aug - Oct 2018: Electrical, plumbing and pre-rough inspection stuff was completed while other working was being done on the house and taking precident.

Nov: Permit to finish acquired.

Early Dec: started drywalling:

Early Jan: most walls drywalled:

Those beams and vents boxed in on the ceiling (seen in 2nd photo) are all drywalled now as well and all metal corners installed - some of them mudded.

Instead of drywalling ceiling, installing suspended (drop) ceiling to keep access to wiring and plumbing easier.  Plan to install 2x2 troffer lights.

 

 Well, it's currently finished into 4 areas, the laundry area is still bare cinderblock, but the other 3 rooms each have a different pattern of paneling, nailed right to some 2x3s, no insulation, no proper header and footer. And the floor is carpeted with a disgustingly dirty carpet that has to come out, and there is a drop ceiling but the tiles look like they are ancient, or at least very dingy and stained. SO it all has to come out, so I can put up proper walls and do it right. i WISH it was completely unfinished, that would have been much easier to deal with. Oh and in one section there is a really crappy bar. Liek REALLY bad, not worth doing anything but taking a sledge and some crowbars to. After I remove the plumbing to the sink - inlets only, there is no drain! It just runs out on the floor (or I guess the put a bucket there). 

                                      --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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Posted by Erie1951 on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 5:27 PM

What's driving me crazy right now? I've been opening up manufacturer's original boxes containing HO RTR or built kits of rolling stock, safely stored, only to find broken detail parts, couplers off, etc. Looks like I have my work cut out for me and I hope that I have enough glue to get it all back into place on the models! Sigh

Russ

Modeling the early '50s Erie in Paterson, NJ.  Here's the link to my railroad postcard collection: https://railroadpostcards.blogspot.com/

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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 8:48 PM

Yeah.  Coming home every night waiting for my track and it's not thereTongue TiedSad

TF

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Posted by oldline1 on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 9:14 PM

Well,I retired 6 years ago with grand visions of a large version of the Western Maryland Thomas Subdivision. One thing led to another and I finally got a new building constructed, wired, heated, ACed and finished last May. It's 14x16 rather than the planned 20x30 but I can live with that.

What's driving me nuts is the pace I'm making on the layout. I have the benchwork up and all the cork down and sanded. My work bench is done and the paint booth awaits a new blower. It seems every time I start working something gets in the way. Allergies, bad back, family obligations and a ton of other things. Seems like every time I make plans to get out there something comes up! Just can't win! But it still beats the daily grind of the airline and aircraft!

oldline1

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 9:21 PM

Well, if I was going to let something drive me crazy, like Wayne said, it would be a short walk.

But, I'm pretty calm and pragmatc most of the time.

I would like to get started on the actual layout construction, but work is really busy, and the track plan is not quite done - hope to finish that up real soon. I'm expecting to be able to begin benchwork in the spring.

My new to me basement is unfinished, well it has painted block walls and a painted floor......

I do plan to install some sort of ceiling system, like a drop ceiling but  different....more on that later. I would never install drywall on a basement ceiling of house I plan to live in - it is an invitation for repairs that require cutting holes in it........ 

And I will not be framing any walls, or installing any drywall. What would that accomplish other than subtract nearly a foot from the length and width of the space?

The layout will be around virtually all the walls, and I will install backdrop material on furring strips, or directly on the block walls from the benchwork up.

No need for insulation down there, the whole basement is below grade, it is comfortably warm in winter, and cool in summer just the way it is.

 

Ready to get started as soon as time allows......

Sheldon

    

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Posted by mbinsewi on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 9:31 PM

Great!  It looks like a nice clean and dry area.

I did the furring strip, only from the layout up, not all the way down, insulated between the strips, because the top two courses of block are above grade.  From there down it's poured concrete.  I figured the extra little bit of insulation wouldn't hurt, than I drywalled it, and finished it, and painted the back drop on that.

I only WISH I would've done the ceiling.

Mike.

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Posted by Pruitt on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 11:54 PM

I was right smack in the middle of installing my small roundhouse when I had to stop for a vacation trip to China. I left it just a bit further along than this:

 Two weeks left before I get home to continue work.

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