Tornado Warning!
No, I don´t mean those mean whirlwinds that leave a path of destruction where they passed through - I am talking about the one and only mainline steam engine built in the 21st century in Britain, with the boiler coming from Germany.
Tornado is a reproduction of LNERs famous Peppercorn A1 Pacifics, who all had been scrapped at the end of the steam days in the late 1960s. In 1990, a group of people formed the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, which aimed at building an A1 Peppercorn Pacific. These people were regarded to be a lot of mental cases at that time, but after 18years of drumming up support, collecting money and hard graft, the A1 "Tornado" was born! Today, it is the only 100mph steam locomotive in the word that travels at speeds of 90+mph on a regular basis. Deutsch Reichsbahn 18 201 is even faster, but rarely goes faster than 85mph.
See this fascinating video about her maiden run at a speed of 100mph!
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Good morning. Would be great to see that Tornado come by at full speed!
When we bought the house years ago, the backyard was sloped towards the house. Got water in the basement through a window well one time.
I spent a lot of hours and days, by hand, digging and sloping the yard away from the house. The yard now drains to the opposite end. Haven't had water since. (I know, I know, I shouldn't be saying that. The jinx will be a foot of water in the basement after the next rain.)
TF, please take this in the spirit it's given. I know you and others will greatly miss your friend, but what a blessing that he passed away in a few short days, not lying for months in a hospital suffering.
Russ, hope your doc appointments go well and you can get a new hip soon.
I'm still waiting on the tree man to finish taking out the dead tree in the backyard. I talked to him on the phone and he promised today or tomorrow. I hate being a pain in the rear to someone.
Have a good day.
York1 John
Howdy .
Ulrich .... Thanks for the Tornado video. I recall seeing the Mallard in the British Railway Museum in York, England. It set the record for fastest steam locomotive at about 115 mph.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Heartland Division CB&QIt set the record for fastest steam locomotive at about 115 mph.
Add 11mph to that, Garry! Mallard was the one and only steam engine hitting 126mph on a speed run on July 3rd, 1938. The German class 05 Hudson missed that target by less than 1mph on May 9th, 1936.
SeeYou190 Heartland Division CB&Q Kevin ...... Nashville is a about a 100 miles from here. Mostly via I-24. . Garry: This trip is going to be ten 12 hour days one right after the other. I am setting up a training center this week, with the first class beginning on Monday. Any free time I have will be consumed by application engineering on the new heavy lift crane they are proving in the same facility. . I will be back in Nashville (plans anyway, these things change) the following days, and I will be free. . Sunday September 22nd Sunday October 20th . PM me if either of those days look promising.-Kevin .
Heartland Division CB&Q Kevin ...... Nashville is a about a 100 miles from here. Mostly via I-24.
.
Garry: This trip is going to be ten 12 hour days one right after the other. I am setting up a training center this week, with the first class beginning on Monday. Any free time I have will be consumed by application engineering on the new heavy lift crane they are proving in the same facility.
I will be back in Nashville (plans anyway, these things change) the following days, and I will be free.
Sunday September 22nd
Sunday October 20th
PM me if either of those days look promising.-Kevin
Kevin..... At this point, those dates sound good. Let's wait until we are closer to them. Sunday afternoons should be okay . ... There are two layouts here at the lake. Mine and also a friend has an Illinois Central layout.
MLC.... You may wish to think ahead to Kevin's possible dates if you want to see the layouts here too.
..
Ulrich ... That is fast.
gmpullmanLived in this house 35 years and never had a weather-related basement soaking. Now, two in less than nine months?
It looks like your using vinyl plank fooring, and laying it right on the concrete floor. Probably about the best you can do, along with whatever it takes to get the yard, and the window well to drain properly.
I've seen window wells with an actual drain that connects to the buildings basement drain tile system, and I've seen some where the area beneath the window well was completely filled with washed stone, from the drain tile on up, the latter being a deep window well required for an egress window.
I hope you got it solved this time Ed.
Mike.
My You Tube
Garry: I was thinking the same thing. So I will check dates and keep watch.
mbinsewiIt looks like your using vinyl plank fooring, and laying it right on the concrete floor.
That is correct, Mike
The cheap particle board that was in there since 1987 has served me well but it is time to go. The rest of the basement has rubber-backed carpet tiles that can easily be removed if necessary.
The engineered plank floor locks together extremely well and has a soft foam backing. It floats on the concrete, no adhesive.
I put 4" perf drain pipe in the window wells but I'm planning to dig all the washed stone out and refill with fresh stone. I did put a clean-out in the drain and it is tied to the footer drain. I believe the huge inrush of water was more than the 4" pipe could handle.
We model railroaders sometimes have few choices when it comes to available space. Fortunately, 99.9% of the time my basement is very dry and comfortable. Watch out for that .01%
Thanks, Ed
I am in the middle of replacing a busted kitchen faucet. Three simple words -- I HATE PLUMBING!
Richard
Good Afternoon,
Just sitting here sipping a little wine and eating a bit of Wenseydale cheese, a fine English cheese.
Speaking of speed records, the Canadian record for steam is 112.5 mph held by a CPR F2a Jubilee. It is a 4-4-4 for those unfamiliar with such a class. It was the only CP loco with 80 inch drivers. CN only had one class with 80 inch drivers and that was the 5 Hudsons they built in 1930. Supposedly they hit 100+ but there aren't any confirmed records.
Ed, sorry to here about your basement water issues. I can relate. We have what is a giant window well, about 12' long, 3 deep and 10 wide. It gives a lot of light with 4 large basement windows and makes for a nice lower patio where the waterfall is located. Anyway before we had the landscaping done there was a big rainstorm and it filled with water. Downstairs it was like looking out into a swiming pool. All that water drained into the basement. There is a drain linked to the weeping tile but it wasn't up to the job. Since then we haven't had a problem but I have a sumbmerisble sump pump that I use to lower the water level in the pond if there is a heavy rain so it acts like a catch basin. I also have serious pump with a 11/4 inch inlet and a 3/4 hp electric motor. I had to go to a specialty pump place to get flexible pipe that large.
A lazy day today. Just couldn't get motivated to do much.
CN Charlie
TF condolances on the loss of your friend.
Had an echocardiogram on Monday. The tech asked me if I ever had one before. I said I don't know how many but this could be my 50th. It showed something called diastolic dysfunction, which the cardiologist made it sound like it was not to bad, but maybe she is good at putting lipstick on a pig.
Br Lion What is your dress code? There was a TV piece on Franciscan Friars tending a garden where the produce is given to the poor in Baltimore. Aside from one day last week, we have had no days suitable for wearing a long sleeve, full ankle length robe, gown hoeing the ground and not breaking a sweat.
The side story was the ground was ruined from years of only growing corn and they were restoring the soil. However the land belongs to the order, so choices were made years ago.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
RideOnRoadI am in the middle of replacing a busted kitchen faucet. Three simple words -- I HATE PLUMBING!
I don't understand this.
What is wrong with lying on your back in a contorted position stuck halfway into a kitchen cabinet, working over your head and having all kinds of junk falling into your face, with your fingers stuck into a opening that is ½ inch wide?
York1What is wrong with lying on your back in a contorted position stuck halfway into a kitchen cabinet, working over your head and having all kinds of junk falling into your face, with your fingers stuck into a opening that is ½ inch wide?
The rotator cuff tear that makes it hurt after 30 seconds and your arm totally worthless after 3 minutes?
Good one John, I found it actually easier to remove the sink entirely, when replacing a faucet. The right angle faucet wrench works ok, but it's still a major pain to do it all in place.
TF
Condolences on the loss of your friend. As we age, staying on the green side, it is distressing to observe our friends departing before us. Out of twenty or so men I fished with over the years, there are only four of us left now. Of the fourteen I worked with on the local P.D. there are only three of us left.
Wet Basement
My house is built on ledge, where I thought I had depth, I drove a steel rod in the only crack in the ledge, giving the illusion of about eight feet of soil to remove before hitting ledge. (was only 3 1/2 feet) and where I thought I had about seven feet to ledge ended up being a very large rock. So my basement is such-- on the NW corner I am reduced to movement on my hands and knees, and on the SE corner I could build a 12 foot skiff--on end. The ledge, not granite, is rotten quartz, and being 2/3 of the way down the hill acts like a huge sponge. I have two 4 inch drains on the uphill side, piped into two 4 inch drains on the downhill side. If they ever plug I will place a screen over the cellar door and start raising trout.
Plumbing
Mrs. was going to give the dog a bath the other evening. In the process I heard the dreaded "Oh-Oh". After giving specific instructions to not pull on the hose the shower wand is fastened to, yep--pulled that sucker apart. Not to worry, had another nipple to screw into the buried (hidden) fitting for a different shower head. But of course I snapped the fitting by overtightening, and yes, yes, the bathroom floor was flooded as she bathed the dog.
Today was get supplies day, and on the way home I stopped off to pick up some caulking irons, oakum, and a seam puller from another retired commercial fisherman.
While there he asked me if I could use some fiberglass mat. Certainly, I can always use that type of material, working on a 14 foot glass boat at present, can always use stitch mat, and cloth. When I left his garage I had enough material to build a 28 foot lobster boat. The back of the truck was loaded to the extent--I could go coon hunting as the headlights were a good 40 deg. above the road.
My neighbor, (the one with the BIG almost Empty garage) had some help filling it this afternoon. He is also the one rebuilding a 28 foot wood lobster boat. Kinda think he is weighing options about a fiberglass layup. There is enough material there to do three, at least. After loading and un-loading my truck had enough energy to take a long shower in the other bath, will fix the broken one tomorrow. All I have to do now is find the paper I wrote the dimensions on as to the location of the access door I so skillfully hid in the wall, doing an amazing job of blending the plaster, and painting--so that I cannot see where it is.
Rotator Cuff
Still in PT after my fourth operation on the right side, so far have only had to have one on the left.
Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play??
Best to all, prayers for those in need.
herrinchoker
Evening all.
Flo - The biggest Chocolate milkshake I can get, please. Thanks.
Yep. Milkshake today. Comfort food, as I had to bury my kitty today after w*^k...
Max Cat - He suddenly stopped eating his hard food recently, but was still eating soft food, so we just figured maybe his teeth were starting to bug him. (He was 14 years old, we think... Rescue kitty. They think he was 2 when we adopted him from the shelter 12 years ago.) Then, 3 days ago he stopped eating all together. We scheduled a vet appointment, but then yesterday he got much more serious symptoms. Vet examined him today (emergency wet clinic, not our normal one.) and said he either had cancer, or a serious thyroid issue. Suggestion was that he be euthanized, due to the seriousness of the symptoms. (He lost 15 pounds in those 3 days, and was started to show signs of internal bleeding yesterday.) So, we decided to mercifully end his suffering.
So, for the first time in 12 years, I am kitty-less.
TF - Sorry about your friend. It’s never easy to lose someone, but as someone alluded too, it’s tougher yet when it’s stretched out.
I have to attend a funeral this weekend for a friend who lost his battle with cancer. His last appointment (a week ago) his Dr. told him he could expect only another 4-5 weeks... He didnt make it to see the sunrise last Friday morning. While it was a long battle, in the end he went quick, so his quality of life was still decently well. He even had scheduled a party at his place for this coming Saturday, shortly before he got suddenly worse. His widow is honoring that by still having the picnic/party. (After the funeral.)
Unfortunately, I think another friend is getting close to also losing his cancer battle....
Ed - Sorry about the wet basement... I know what that is like, as mine is constantly wet, every time it rains. (It’s a unfinished area, and the foundation was made of fieldstone back in "the olden' days" of the late 1800's. While we have firmed up the foundation quite a bit, there is still a couple spots where water comes in. Fortunately, with so many "escape routes" it doesn’t stay in the basement for long!) And yes, our weather has indeed been wacko lately!
Glad to hear that you like that newer style flooring. I was considering that instead of carpet tiles for my new train room, as it would cut down on dust, and that might be better for me with the asthma.
Ulrich - Thanks for the neat video on Tornado! That would be something pretty awe-inspiring to see in real life, especially when at speed. (I will just have to settle for the virtual sighting, and imagine the sound, smell, and feel of her rushing by headed down the line.)
Lion - Had I known I was driving in Russia, I would have expected the idiot to do something like that. Only other difference is, I would not have missed him! (At least based on all the online videos from there anyways.)
York - I wish some days I could get away with not driving for a few days, but with me being a delivery driver by profession currently, I kinda can’t get away with that.
W*^k - Got asked what held me up today on one delivery, as it was a bit over 1 hour long... The issue was that the girls sent me to two places on the same trip, in the exact opposite direction from eachother! So, yep... it took a while. Round trip was 42.4 miles. (Thank you Mapquest!) Total drive time, without considering road construction, traffic, delivery time, or the freight train that went through in front of me (no complaints from me on that last one! ) was exactly 1 hour. Add in those, as I encountered each and every one, well.... A bit over 1 hour (I showed the trip out and back, counting delivery time, as approximately 1:15) is not terribly off. (Of course, the girls did not tell the boss they sent me to both places on the same trip.... Probably because he would have asked why they did it that way.) I only used the Mapquest mileage and time to prove that I wasn’t somewhere goofing off, or wasting time.
Not sure if the boss liked my proving that I wasn’t goofing off or not.... Time will tell.
Well, I am off to the quiet slumber coach for the night.
Hope all are well, and all enjoy the night!
And goodbye Max, I will miss you.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Ricky ... Condolences to you for loss of a friend who died of cancer. ... Also, sorry to hear Max Cat has died.
Good Morning!
It´s a wet and windy day - typical for August!
Ricky - I am sorry rto hear about losing your friend and your cat!
There are too many departures recently and too few arrivals!
Seeing steam engines at speed is some sight! Now and then I am able to catch a steam powered excursion train speeding down the mainline adjacent to the condo I live in, but that´s a rather rare occasion. In Britain, there seems to be hardly a weekend throught the our without a steam train running somewhere in the country. They are very well receiwed with the public - just everybody loves a steam train!
Here is some footage of steam locomotives at speed in Britain!
ricktrains4824Glad to hear that you like that newer style flooring. I was considering that instead of carpet tiles for my new train room, as it would cut down on dust, and that might be better for me with the asthma.
The new flooring is excellent. Years ago I put some Pergo flooring in a room I converted into an office. The dense foam underlayment was pretty expensive so I went with the cheaper, light weight foam. Poor choice since it is an upstairs room on a plywood substrate the Pergo acts like a sounding board so anything you drop makes lots of noise. Otherwise it has held up beautifully. The Pergo had to be glued at the edges with a special PVA.
This recent stuff I used in the basement train room interlocks very precisely and it has a pretty dense, rubbery pad already applied. In fact if you don't have it perfectly tapped in to place it will not lay flat. I carefully use a smooth block of hardwood to lightly tap the joints in place. It will reduce dust and make cleaning easy — but I don't know yet how well I'll be able to see Kadee coupler springs against the wood-grain look
I have enough left over that I'm going to use it as a type of base moulding. Previously I had the vinyl base and I didn't care for that.
My condolences on the passing of both your friend and Max.
I think a few of those auto wrecks were in North America, judging by the signage. There's tons of those "dashcam videos" on Youtube, of course. No shortage of wacko drivers.
PRR_Brakeman_tone by Edmund, on Flickr
I hope everyone is doing well —
Ed
BATMAN
“Both optimists and pessimists contribute to the society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute”. — George Bernard Shaw
Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them.
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Good Morning All,
Just a regular to go please Zoe. Not much to report - digging ditches on the layout and shaping them so I can partly fill them with sculptamold and paint.
Bear - love the quotes which I have passed on to the pilot in the family.
I agree Ulrich - too many passings. On the arrival front though we are waiting on the arrival of #1 grandchild. If nothing happens by Tuesday, they plan to induce so.....
Shop is humming with our two biggest weekends of the year coming up the end of the month. Lime Rock Festival and Watkins Glen Historics. We have a rig at Monterey for the big meet there as well but I opted not to go with the crew I did send. Been there done that got the t-shirt. Ciao, J.R.
Condolences on losing your beloved cat, Ricky. I'd like to see a picture of him, if you can post one.
I saw a poster the other day that said, "Be good to your pets... they may be a part of your life, but you are all of theirs." Made me sad to think of how many cats I've had over the years that are gone now. But I know I gave them the best life I could while they were with me. I'm sure you did the same for Max.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
Good Afternoon!
Time for some coffee and a piece of cake to fill my sweet tooth!
J.R. - that´s good news! Keeping my fingers crossed for a "safe arrival"!
Well, after all these videos on British railways, engine and workings, it´s about time for some railway modelling, as the Brits say for model railroading.
The British railway modellers have a reputation for building highly detaile and atmospheric exhibition layouts. Over there , building a basement or room filling layout over a time span of several decades seems to be the exception rather than the rule. As there are many, many shows all year around to display a layout, there is a large number of wonderful layouts open to the public!
Join me in visiting a few great small British N gauge layouts!
Mornin' folks!
Haven't had much time to do any replies for a few days, but I have sat down and read the news on the forum a couple times each day...
Steam Locomotive records? Why the first really big one was set not far from where I used to live near Batavia, NY. On May 10th, 1893 Engine 999 of the Empire State Express, a New York Central locomotive pulling several passenger cars, set a world land speed record of 112-1/2 miles per hour on its run from Batavia to Buffalo, New York. Now there were actually three slightly different readings for that run, but all of them were 110mph or faster. Depends whose stop watch was the most correct. There is a 3 mile straightaway just past Pembrook, NY and the engineer opened the throttle to notch 8 and the fireman had a good hot bed of coal in the boiler. They just let the girl fly for that middle mile and then hit the brakes to slow back down for the upcoming curves after the 3rd. mile...!!! The info on the loco can be found here: https://www.cnyhistory.org/2016/05/locomotive-sets-land-speed-record/
BTW, the last cars of the Empire State Express bought by the NYC are owned by the R&GV RR Musuem in Rush where I am a member. We will be once again have them on the mainline of the LA&L this fall for the Fall Foliage runs. I hope to be on the train as a carhost.
I will taking my lady friend out to the museum tonight, and hope to get her a cab ride in the 80 tonner. We are going out to dinner and then to the Museum for the monthly meeting. She says she likes trains and is looking forward to being there with me. (grin) This weekend we are running the steam trains pulled by Viscose #6. This is the 3rd. year we have had the old girl pulling trains for us. Major fun!!!
To all who are suffing losses at this time, do know you are in my prayers!
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
The Mallard went 126 mph.
The following is from BBC News.
Seventy five years ago a world record, still unmatched, was achieved by a steam engine called Mallard.
For just a couple of minutes the locomotive thundered along at speeds of 126 miles per hour on a stretch of track just south of Grantham.
To mark the occasion the engine will be reunited with five of its sister locomotives at the National Railway Museum in York, attracting enthusiasts from all over the world.
Good morning. Dark and threatening outside. No walk this morning.
Batman, I probably missed it, but how did your son make out in the hospital? Does he have a long recovery ahead?
Today our local school starts, and I get to stay home and work on the layout. Life is great!
Nothing else new from flyover country. Condolences on all your losses.
Heaven is a better places now. Sparkie has crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
I hate Rust
Ken,
Sorry for the loss of your friend, remember the good times----
Ken, My deepest condolences to you! Always very hard to lose a friend. My FIL used to have a sign on his portch that read, "The more I deal with people, the more I love my dog!" A lot of truth in that...
Just had a friend from the Missionary Baptist Church here in Geneva stop over a look at my old sound equipment I am trying to find a good home for. His Church will take the whole lot. They have been doing a major rebuild of the church and the old Sanctuary is now going to become a Theater/Nightclub sort of space. They will be using my old equipment for the main sound system in there. Glad they can use it (I am donating all of it to them). More stuff out of my way!
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