Good morning TF. Thanks for the comment.
How are you feeling? Any better yet?
Even though my layout's town was kind of OK, it is mainly the track arrangement that dissatisfied me. It will be good to take out everything and start over, with the track layout improved.
I know you're N Scale also, so you'll understand -- the single biggest improvement in the new layout will be the three thousand rerail track sections I will put in. I am so tired of trying to rerail my Kato passenger cars when something happens. I originally put in three rerail sections, thinking that would be plenty. NO!
Another improvement will be adding more sidings and staging tracks. Before I started, I really didn't see much need for that. Now I know better.
It will be fun to actually lay track again, build some bridges, etc., and I'm looking forward to it.
You've inspired me with your bridge-building skills. I'm going to attempt to build several myself.
Edit: Top of the Page!
It's time for lunch here. OK, everybody, get out your lunch boxes and join me for lunch out on the playground.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
Good evening Diners. A coffee please, Janie. Give everyone in the Diner a drink of their choice and put it on my tab.
TF Having scaffolding on a bridge giving an idea of having something others do not have on their layout. That is, until they 'pinch the idea'.
I do like to make my layout 'a little different'. Adding little cameos that have nothing to do with the railway, yet become part of it (indirectly).
Had a good afternoon running trains.
Dawn has asked me to make burgers and fries, with the trimmings. So that is tonights dinner.
Glad there is improvement in health amongst Diners. Long may it continue. Let's have the Diner full!
Stay Safe.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
York1It's time for lunch here. OK, everybody, get out your lunch boxes and join me for lunch out on the playground.
Thanks for the offer, John, but I think I'll just stay in the office today. For some reason an Ice Cold Coke sounds pretty good right about now
Coke_in the office by Edmund, on Flickr
When did kids and factory workers stop toting lunch buckets to and fro? I had one that was painted like the "General" locomotive
Cheers, Ed
David, I DO have a bridge with scaffolding on my layout. It's an old Atlas Chord Bridge model. I found a set of Painters (I think they were Woodland Scenics) and decided to build the tiny scene into my model. I painted the bridge with rust-colored primer and weathered it. But, one end of one side was new-looking silver paint, and the border between the colors was where I put the scaffold and painters. I decalled a panel truck for Leo DaVinci and Sons, Painters.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley David, I DO have a bridge with scaffolding on my layout. .
David, I DO have a bridge with scaffolding on my layout. .
I knew someone would 'pinch the idea'.
Just not that quick.
Good morning Diners. So quiet in the Diner. I'll have a full English please, Chloe.
Busy with jobs to do around the house before running trains.
Back in Panama City. What have we here. Not everything is perfect. After every running session does the platform get removed and put away? just like my old portable one. As for the crumbling pathway? I never got the mixture right. The railing is good though don't you think. (The boy from the other picture has gone )
IMG_0876 by David Harrison, on Flickr
Thoughts & Peace to All who Require.
Good morning, diners. Just coffee this morning. I will get donuts later.
Just a quick read of the diner's posts -- it's a busy day scheduled here.
Have a good Sunday, everyone.
Good morning everyone.
It is sunny outside, but the weather is in the 40s this morning. Too bad it is a Sunday, or the kids would have had a Snow Day finally this year.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
'mornin
My sleep routine, if I can call it that, has been pretty goofy lately. I think today is a good day to "reset" myself, stay up for the duration and hit the lower berth sometime around midnight tonight.
David, I came across the patent drawings for the "Jull" snow extractor which might make for interesting reading and research for you:
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pdfs/US393240.pdf
The Union Pacific had two and were in service through 1949. That must have been one amazing machine to see in operation.
Speaking of snow, Dee Ann made a quick trip home to get some supplies and she borrowed her sister's Dodge Ram pickup. Our drive is still pretty thick with ice and hard packed snow.
When she was ready to leave the truck was stuck with only the right-rear wheel spinning.
I got in the cab and tried to figure how to engage the 4 wheel drive. After TEN minutes of button pushing, rocking, revving and all that I finally got the tractor and hitched a sling to the ball hitch.
Nope! She ain't movin! All 3 wheels of the tractor were spinning trying to get traction.
Finally I sat back in the driver's seat and tried to figure out WHY the 4WD was NOT engaging. What a fiasco. This silly thing has a little dial to select P-D-N-R. The first message that came up on the screen was, "key fob not near vehicle" press enter to continue. (Dee Ann gave me the fob) engine was always running anyway?
"Virtual auto parking brake engaged, place in park to release" Press enter (one of about 22 buttons on the steering wheel!)
"Must be in neutral to select drive mode" press enter...
"Virtual parking brake must be engaged before selecting drive mode: Must be in PARK to release parking brake" Press enter.
Somehow, finally! I got the right combination of fob, brake, park, neutral, enter, who knows what else (bluetooth?) to get the silly for wheel drive engaged!
User Friendly? NEVER did like any Chrysler product (sorry, Ken)
Press enter!
The neighbor's dog Griffin likes to check out the snacks we toss out to the chickens:
Griffin_1-22-15 by Edmund, on Flickr
I think it's time for a bloody mary and a spinach-cheese omelette. The girls are laying plenty of eggs lately, any takers?
Regards, Ed
Good Morning Diners!
Got a couple inches of snow yesterday and it sure was nice to see some more of it. (Remember, I'm one of the weird ones who likes it.) Weatherman said "No more". This morning? Another 4-6"!
gmpullmanI think it's time for a bloody mary and a spinach-cheese omelette. The girls are laying plenty of eggs lately, any takers?
Ed, what a fiasco trying to put a truck in 4wd. That's kind of silly in my opinion. In my truck, I turn a dial, it shifts it in/out of 4wd no matter what position the transmission is in, how high up I have the stereo, or how many people are with me.
Got some work done on the layout yesterday, but alas, nothing photo worthy yet. The in progress pics aren't even worth sharing yet, but hopefully soon. Working on the start of a stream. Never modeled water yet in any form, so this could get interesting.
Mike
Interesting Ed.
Last year my four-wheel drive shifter linkage in my Dodge Ram became dis-engaged. It was a little rubber grommet that went into a smaller steel hole in the linkage arm. Then the shifter pin had to slide through the rubber grommet hole in the center.
Easier said than done when you're crawling around under the truck freezing your fingertips to the Bone trying to get that rubber grommet to go in the steel hole
POOR DESIGN!!! Not being an engineer I could design a better one in my sleep! What's wrong with the old school design (a steel pin going through a steel hole with a cotter pin)?
On my re-group warm-up break over another cup of coffee I found a YouTube video (I just love YouTube)! They demonstrated you take the smallest stainless pipe clamp and tighten it around the rubber grommet. Remove the pipe clamp under the truck and slip the Grommet in the hole quick before the memory comes back.
This worked Like A Champion immediately but then it was time to stick the pin through the center hole in the rubber grommet and I forgot the Vaseline inside the house like I saw in the video
Wiggle, wiggle Nope! ...Wiggle, wiggle Nope! ...TOO DRY Freezing my fingerstips to the bone again
It's desperate times like this you come up with some Rocket Scientist Engineering very quickly. I hacked down deep to produced a Nasty Luger directed to the Pin...... SUCCSESS!
I hope you can forgive my crudeness as there is no rule book under an ice cold truck when only one solution exists
Hey!, That was a very poor design Chrysler did but when it works it's a simple shift to engage your four-wheel drive.... PERFECT!!!
Why do all these Engineers feel the need to keep re-inventing the toothbrush. The day I need a new truck and find out they're more difficult to operate than my phone is the day I go further back into the used car lot to find a gently used truck with highway miles.
Griffin doesn't appear much larger than the chickens The chickens don't appear too shy which leads me to believe Griffin learned his lesson from a few Pecks of the Past
That fresh egg omelette and a bloody sounds quite satisfying and I will be happy to join you, Thanks May I presume we'll be having the chicken that laid the eggs for dinner or will we be having leftover Goat Stew this evening?
TF
Track fiddlerThe day I need a new truck and find out they're more difficult to operate than my phone is the day I go further back into the used car lot to find a gently used truck with highway miles.
Amen!
Here's what the "shifter" looked like on this RAM:
Dumb-Dodge by Edmund, on Flickr
DON'T confuse it with the radio knob! My dad had a '58 Rambler with "push-button" drive. He hated it! Of course, Rambler > AMC > Chrysler. Where good ideas go to die.
My Chevy Colorado has a knob on the lower dash, identical to and right next to the headlight switch. Of course they are so small no one over 40 can see them, besides being hidden by your knee. I don't know what happened to "tactile feel" so you could differientiate different controls in the dark. Guess all the "senior" engineers got a buyout and are long gone.
Anyway, Breakfast was great! Roads here are nasty and we're due for another 8-10" of fluffy. After my Amsterdam-induced nap I'm headed out to make a few passes with the Deere.
Stay warm, folks!
No silly 'puters on this baby:
An aura of another time by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
What's Calvin and Hobbs up to?
Morning Paper by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
Good afternoon from the sunny Pacific Rim.
I don't usually eat breakfast or lunch, just dinner, but today I woke up really hungry and made myself an omelet with ham, onion, tomato, and cheese. It was soooo good.
Then I played the guitars for a couple of hours and got to work on the last Rapido Super Continental line car that has been giving me grief for the last gazillion years. They all run perfectly now as I had the throttle on high for two hours and not a hiccup. I have learned a lot about getting Rapido Supercontinental line cars to run right.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrruM7eFj1s&ab_channel=BATTRAIN1
I also have two of the mid-train domes, one from the last release and a new one from this latest one. The first one has been perfect out of the box, the second, not so much. The wheels were horribly out of gauge and there is a washer that goes between the bolster and the truck which was missing on one end. It runs perfectly now.
TF, I know how you are feeling I can fix anything on my 22 year old truck, I am having a hard time trying to figure out if I should keep it or not. It only has 150,000 miles/ 240,000km on it. Everywhere I go people want to buy it from me as it has the 7.3ltr diesel in it which is really sought after even after all these years apparently.
Too many great memories make parting with it difficult. Here we are driving the old KVR railbed.
That truck took us to some pretty remote ghost towns over some gnarly terrain. No accidents and well looked after.
We have a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid and I would not even know where to start with that thing. We have owned it 10 months and I still have never lifted the hood on it. I wouldn't know what I was looking at so why bother. It sure is nice though.
I spent nine hours in the trainroom yesterday and two today, gotta love it. The Canucks are on in an hour and there is rum on the bar. Live is perfect.
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."
Good evening to all my fellow model train friends out there.
All is going good enough here in Otown for the time being but it is extra crazy right now with tons of tourists for the first time in almost two years and they are acting crazier than ever before but oh well because the money is nice.
I retire from WDW four years ago and I miss the job because work was wonderful but every so often there would be a group of tourists that really made me want to find other work.
Really love all the train pictures that you include Ed because they inspire me to do new things to the train set up.
1971_Z28It is extra crazy right now with tons of tourists for the first time in almost two years, and they are acting crazier than ever before.
No kidding.
Our current group of tourists down here are all insane. Having Winter residents back after having vacant houses for 20 months is another issue. The stories I have been hearing are absolutely horrendous.
Good morning Diners. A large coffee on the go please, Janie.
A busy morning and afternoon, so just a brief visit.
Riccarton Junction. The start of North British Railway's Border Counties Railway.
The Junction had no road access. A few modelers here in the U.K have modeled the scene for that reason. The people in the village worked for the Railway Company. Everything came in and went out by rail. The local store was on the platform.
Note the houses rising two by two up the hillside. The people living there grew vegetables in their gardens.
http://disused-stations.org.uk/r/riccarton_junction/index.shtml
1 by David Harrison, on Flickr
Stay Safe Everyone
Good morning, everyone. Bacon, eggs, and black coffee.
Florida! That's a magic word around here in January and February. I was a tourist there not too long ago, but I hope the locals liked my money -- I tried not to act too silly. I did yell loudly on Space Mountain, but that was the extent of my craziness.
It's another day of destruction at my house. Yesterday, I ruined one of my block signals trying to get it off the layout. It can be fixed when I get the new layout ready. Today, the intermodal yard is biting the dust.
Next week the fun begins. I'll travel to the nearest train store and start buying some track. I'm going to have fun.
That weekend of NFL action wore me out. All four games, all decided on the last play of the game! Last night's KC-Buffalo game was something -- I don't think I've ever seen a finish like that.
Have a good day, everyone.
Good afternoon all from beautiful, snowy west Michigan.
Got another 4" or so of the fluffy stuff today. Frustrated that I have to be at work on days like today. It's just so beautiful to see and get out in.
John, I agree. Those were some fantastic football games this weekend. I have to admit that watching that Chiefs/Bills games yesterday I thought it was sad that one of the teams season was going to end last night. They both deserve to keep playing, and that's coming from a long time Chiefs fan. Two more wins this season for KC. That's all I ask.
SeeYou190Having Winter residents back after having vacant houses for 20 months is another issue. The stories I have been hearing are absolutely horrendous.
Ed, I have to admit, at first glance that "Morning Paper" photo looked like a well done model pic to me. Maybe the general lack of focus in it? I don't know, but it got me.
Have a good rest of your Monday everyone, and for those feeling under the weather, or down on their luck, prayers for healing.
Gidday Dave, I’m making the presumption that that Canadian Northern Snow Plow has a similar boiler setup as this “Lesley Steam Snow Shovel”, (interesting description) and that “awning” was a “temporary” (??) fix to give the fireman more protection from the weather!
Hi Bear,
Thanks for those drawings. I agree that the plough I'm modelling would likely have been powered in a similar manner. The output shaft would have to be mounted a few feet higher, or run on an angle, because the side facing blades are mounted higher on the plough I'm going to model. Once I have figured out the functioning blade drive mechanism, I will see if I can find an early locomotive to steal the boiler and the drive cylinders from. The gears, bushings and shafts are enroute from NSWL.
There appears to be very little space behind the fire box for the crew in your pictures. Hence the extended roof overhang. A curtain would only make sense given the operating conditions.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Monday — Monday
Well, it doesn't mean a thing to us retirees, just another day
Water Level RouteEd, I have to admit, at first glance that "Morning Paper" photo looked like a well done model pic to me. Maybe the general lack of focus in it? I don't know, but it got me.
I've laways liked the blur in these "pan" shots. You can "feel" the movement. As for theconductor/brakeman with the newspaper, I can attest to just how important it was for the various crew and railroad workers to have their favorite "distraction" along with them on the job.
I took a similar shot on Horseshoe Curve (no snow/no paper):
RR_views_0038 by Edmund, on Flickr
Usually management looked the other way. I'm sure it's a different atmosphere today. I rode in the cab with the engineer on one of the NEC "Silverliner" MU cars. He had a little TV setup on the console and was busy watching football (it was Thanksgiving weekend so I don't know what teams play then but he was intent on not missing ANY of it) that was in the early 1970s. In light of a few high-profile wrecks I believe the pressure was on to force management to take a more active role in enforcing rule book regulations.
I have a few Preiser HO figures posed with open newspapers. I "could" fit one in the cab of a locomotive ant it would be perfectly "realistic" but it would fall into the category of just not looking believeable.
1971_Z28Really love all the train pictures that you include Ed because they inspire me to do new things to the train set up.
Thanks, Z
How about a look around the backshop on the C&NW one year after Pearl Harbor?
North_Western-Backshop_edited-1 by Edmund, on Flickr
Lots of activity here. Look how huge those Worthington feed water heaters really are! Lots of asbestos around. You can expand the view on this photo quite a bit.
Here's a look at the New York Central Collinwood back shop in Cleveland. I spent many hours watching all the activity here in the '60s as a little tyke:
Collinwood_shop by Edmund, on Flickr
Other than a few tracks, everything here is bulldozed flat!
Yep! It's a Monday alright...
Rollover_1 by Edmund, on Flickr
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Water Level RouteGot another 4" or so of the fluffy stuff today.
Ed, I like the blur of the motion too. Adds action.
Water Level RouteWe didn't get 4" of snow. It was more like 8". Pretty neat if you like it!
I'm ready for it!
Deere_X-590_cab by Edmund, on Flickr
and if that don't tackle it I get out the big guns!
IMG_2908 by Edmund, on Flickr
Gotta keep the road clear so the cats can romp and play!
IMG_5400_fix_small_crop by Edmund, on Flickr
Life in the Snow Belt.
Water Level RouteAs in coming back to find damage to their houses?
Yes, in some cases lots of damage.
Roof leaks left unattended for 12+ months, vandalism, squatters, rodent infestations, and everything else.
Some of the worst stories are sewage gases entering the houses causing horrendous odors.
I really feel for some of these people.
Good morning Diners. It is cold outside, so a bowl of porridge and a glass of whisky please, Brunhilda.
Just a quick visit as Dawn is making a list of jobs to be done (by me ) .
I have just received some new 'toys' for the railroad and will show them on the nexr WPF and my layout thread.
Back later.
Good morning
Usually I don't really appreciate a Honey Dew List either, especially the long ones Good luck with that David
P.S. Did anyone see the clip on Christmas Vacation when Clark Griswold "Fixed the newel post". He must have had that old list for quite a while
https://youtu.be/0IcFNiNDb8E
Just stopped in to say Hi.
I may have to dust off my oil paints when my younger daughter and I get together like we do every Spring to paint at the park picnic table.
Good afternoon, everybody. It's happy hour time where I live, so drinks are on me.
I've been taking out buildings, cutting down forests, and digging out wires. The layout is going away. I've decided to keep the table as it is. It fits one of the guest bedrooms I've been graciously granted by the person who makes the rules. I'm having fun drawing track designs for the new layout.
This time, I think I am going to try to do what many of you have done -- name my railroad. I'm coming up with lots of ideas, but most sound pretty silly once I think of them.
Whatever virus I had, it is going away. I'm feeling much better today. I actually got tired of sitting and watching TV. That's not normal for me -- I can be lazy and watch hours of stupid TV programs without ever feeling guilty.
I hope everyone is having a good day today.
I never named my railroad either, but I did name the town Moose Bay. It gives me a handle which can be useful for accessorizing or making decals to name things like the Moose Bay Transit Authority, Squirrel Creek or the tiny station at the end of the branch line, Bullwinkle.
I like to use he names of bodies of water, whether real or imaginary, as place names or railroad names. I also like Native American names.
Hi Everyone,
Brunhilda, coffee with cream and a side of grits, please. It's cold out.
Been under the weather a bit. Had to miss work today. When I was young, I could generally work through it and sweat it out, not anymore.
That toppled string of tank cars looked like a very laborious job to get those all upright and on the trucks. Just speculating, but I think it would take the crews the better part of a week to finish if not longer.
John: looking forward to seeing your new layout. It would be nice to see before and after pics, but however, looking forward to it.
The pundits are calling the Chiefs - Bills game the best game ever. Well, nothing lasts forever, but the 1958 Championship between Giants and Colts was widely regarded as the best ever. The Colts had Johnny Unitas, arguably the best ever, and the Giants had Y A Tittle, another great. I suppose it doesn't matter. Not too many people around that would remember the 58 game.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
Post Hog!!
I think naming the layout and things on the layout is part of the fun. The names an be real, imaginary, or even just plain silly. Your layout, your choice. The name of John Allen's great layout was a pun. Pronounced "Gory and Defeated", but wasn't spelled that way. On the other side, you had Whit Towers' "Alturas and Lone Pine", which are real towns along the eastern Sierras. Or one could even do a combo.