Track fiddlerActually you're not too far off Lion. Our condo has limited space so one needs to get creative. Our Pan-Tree is right above the stove. Judy is too short to reach the pans so I feel like a Cherry Picker when I get one down for herLaugh
We have like that for our pans and utensils but the rack is very much lower from the ceiling, but then our ceiling is so high that even you could not reach it.
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Probably not.
Meanwhile after viewing Trains, One should expand their horizons on other pastimes in Florida, ... Such as feeding the fish.
https://youtu.be/IsFqiab8UwY
And if you can tolerate the annoyance of WAY too much screaming taking the sport a bit further. Otherwise I'd recommend grabbing your earplugs for this one.
https://youtu.be/OdnHGm5VGwM
TF
Good morning, everyone. It's late morning, so it's time for brunch. I'll try something different -- sausage, eggs, and black coffee. If I start to experience withdrawal, I'll make bacon later and put in on my hamburger.
Charlie, keep that cold weather up there. It was cold this morning, compared to the past few days. It was 24°F with a north wind when I walked. That's not real cold, but the past few days of 50-60°F makes it seem worse. My wife is upset that the warmer weather means the starlings have come back earlier. They are cleaning out her suet and woodpecker bars.
GMTRacingThe weekend went ok though I had to park one car with engine issues not of our doing. Best part was the driver and car we've had the most issues with of late made the podium and finished first in class. We were really pleased.
Congratulations, JR. It's nice to have all your hard work pay off like that.
Texas ZephyrNot visited this thread in years.
It's nice to have you at the diner again. I don't think I was in the diner the last time you were. It's good to have you here again.
gmpullmanOrange? Reefers? These we got! More Juice, Please! by Doug Lilly, on Flickr
More Juice, Please! by Doug Lilly, on Flickr
Ed, that's impressive. I don't recall seeing any clean, bright cars like that in a long time.
Bear,
My problem is that knowing I’ve a BIG day of W**k ahead, is that I get angry with myself not being able to get back to sleep!!
I can sympathize, but that is something that has gone away with retirement. Nothing like sleeping like a 70-year-old baby.
Mike, good luck with the car shopping. Like you said, this is not a good time for car buying. Even my old Durango is worth almost twice what it was worth a year ago. Of course, back then it was worth only two dollars, so it wasn't much of price increase.
Lion, does the Abbey have a designated cook, or do you all take turns cooking? I'm afraid no one would eat my cooking, good pans or not.
David, that's not good news about your wife. She has really suffered with her condition. I'm glad you can keep her and your spirits up with what is a discouraging situation. I'm not sure if you want, or are free, to say how she was exposed to that.
TF, I've got the places for two of the new bridges planned. I have plans for two more later. I've never built bridges before, so this will be new. Temporarily, I got some wooden boards laid out so I can lay some track and get trains running while I build the bridges.
This is a reminder of why I picked N scale several years ago. I can get quite a bit of track into the small guest room allowed by the wife.
For those I mentioned and those I didn't mention, I hope everyone has a great day today.
York1 John
York1 David, that's not good news about your wife. She has really suffered with her condition. I'm glad you can keep her and your spirits up with what is a discouraging situation. I'm not sure if you want, or are free, to say how she was exposed to that.
Hi John. We are allowed to say Dawn caught Novichok whilst in St Petersburg.
It has been a constant 'battle' since our return some 5 years ago.
But hey! Dawn is a fighter. She'll not let the xxxxxxxx grind her down; as she reminds me (often).
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
David, We are all rooting for Dawn,
John, I see you are using the WS foam inclines. You will find you need to massage the top and bottom to keep the track smooth and prevent derailments there. I extended the inclines and sanded them smooth especially the top.
GMTRacingJohn, I see you are using the WS foam inclines. You will find you need to massage the top and bottom to keep the track smooth and prevent derailments there. I extended the inclines and sanded them smooth especially the top.
JR, I actually didn't use the WS inclines. I cut out foam shapes for the track roadbed, and supported it underneath with more foam that I shaped into the incline. I covered the sides with Sculptamold just to cover over the foam until I can decide what I will be doing with the sides of the inclines.
I took Brent's suggestion to cut a trench out of the foam and begin the incline under the foam's surface. I was able to make a very gradual rise from the surface doing that.
I did lay out some track, alligator-clipped some wires, and ran a locomotive with some cars up and down the inclines before I glued anything. It would be just like me to get everything built and then find out it wouldn't work.
I'm more worried about the top now. Since I will be building the bridges, I will need to make sure I have it exactly level leaving each side of the bridges. I'm not sure I will get that right on the first try.
GMTRacing David, We are all rooting for Dawn, John, I see you are using the WS foam inclines. You will find you need to massage the top and bottom to keep the track smooth and prevent derailments there. I extended the inclines and sanded them smooth especially the top.
This is why the cookie cutter inclines are the best. I did that once and it was PURRFECKT
York1Lion, does the Abbey have a designated cook, or do you all take turns cooking? I'm afraid no one would eat my cooking, good pans or not.
No we hire our cooks. They are the only employees we have at the moment, qalthough we had hired maintenance persons at one time, an maybe in the future we may hire others, but as long as we have enough young vocations to do cleaning work that will not be necessary.
We use the young people for these jobe because they need to have some work around here, but we do not yet want to burden them with rewponsible work when their primary work at this stage is to attend classes, study and prayer. We can dump them in the soup later.
And of coursed older monks also do cleaning. I cleaned the break room for 25 years and enjoyed the work, but my body is no longer up to that, thus my retirement at such a young age. I will be 74 in June.
NorthBritWe are allowed to say Dawn caught Novichok whilst in St Petersburg.
Florida or Russia?
Here are more passenger train films, this time from 1936. Watch for the fancy automobiles in the station parking lots:
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
BroadwayLion NorthBrit We are allowed to say Dawn caught Novichok whilst in St Petersburg.
NorthBrit
Russia.
People in Florida wouldn't do such a thing.
Good morning Diners. A coffee on the go please, Janie.
It is raining and is forecast for the rest of the day.
Having work done in the house, so helping out.
Hopefully back later.
NorthBritRussia. People in Florida wouldn't do such a thing.
Yeah, after my post I googled the thing and it became obvious.
Sorry about this, I will put Dawn on our prayer list
Good Morning All,
Back to 12F this morning. Just a regular to go please Zoe.
John, sorry they looked like the WS inclines after you covered them. the transition at the top is indeed more daunting. If you,ve tested it you should be ok. The bridges are not so critical but I tried (this in HO) to use a full length of track through them so the joints were far from the bridge itself. I had three short girder bridges on inclines and they were no issue as they were all in the same plane as the adjacent track.
You're up early Lion. So what is a cookie cutter incline? I fon't remember that term.
All for now, we are at the final day for the Lotus 11 before it leaves for Italy and it's new owner. As always, the last little bit takes the majority of the time. Ciao, J.R.
Good morning
Errand day and cold and grey out there. Starting a new Loco Fund for a new Alaska F7 AB set I like as soon as I pay off my last Oops on my train card
The layout is taking shape with some nice contour you have going on there John As JR pointed out and it seems your aware of the importance of grade easements at the foot of the incline and the tail as it gradually plains out to level ahead of the bridge.
(Edited as I didn't understand at first) I agree the cookie cutter method that Lion likes was to my liking and that's what I ended up doing. My brother liked the WS risers and said they are So Quick!
Quite impressive how you used Brents idea cutting the grade approach into the foam base Some friendly advice to just make sure your Bridge Approaches are gradual enough for the length of trains you want to pull up them A quarter inch per foot of rise or less and you should be Golden
You do some really clean sharp looking work John
Lots of phosphate mining in Bone Valley. Today and Tonight.....Two day & two night CSX FloridaTrains
https://youtu.be/244IuzO-JlM
Well, ...Make that three??? I didn't think that first Night Train would ever end appearing out of the darkness from under that bridge...(237). I didn't see a Pusher! They must have some really good Knuckles down there Florida appears quite flat which must be an advantage to their Railroad Industries
Hoping the best for Dawn David
GMTRacingYou're up early Lion. So what is a cookie cutter incline? I fon't remember that term.
This is what I used for my 3/4" plywood sub-roadbed. I spliced, glued, screwed and clamped the beginning of my "incline" to the mating edge of the flat section— while still laying flat. Then made two cuts on either side of the right-of-way back about 18" or so (for HO) on the already anchored flat section.
Once the joint was set and the glue dry I began to raise my incline to the desired grade and the "cookie-cuts" allowed the base plywood to spring upward in a graceful arc.
This has worked wonderfully for me in the almost 30 years my layout has been operating. I might try foam for my next layout. Then again, I might not
The 4449 Freedom Train visits Lakeland, Florida, 1976:
Memorable portrait, 1976 by Fred Clark, Jr., on Flickr
Cheers, Ed
Like those Bicentennial Trains Ed
My understanding of cookie cutter was if you were building a layout with many inclines for different elevations, you'd cut the whole layout stencil out.
After that placing all the risers accordingly to the heights they need to be and fasten the cookie cutter back on top of the ascending and descending risers.
Then put the other filler pieces of the cookie cutter puzzle back in at the different levels. The long middle cookie in the last picture hadn't been raised up to the right height yet
I just learned FEC Railway all runs on natural gas. Mexican Conglomerate, Grupo Mexico purchased FEC for 2.1 billion dollars in 2017. 350 million down and 1.75 billion in debt. I guess they're doing alright.
Image courtesy of the Miami Herald.
GMTRacingThe bridges are not so critical but I tried (this in HO) to use a full length of track through them so the joints were far from the bridge itself.
That's a good idea I hadn't thought about. Since this is a first for me making bridges, I'm thankful for suggestions.
gmpullmanThis has worked wonderfully for me in the almost 30 years my layout has been operating. I might try foam for my next layout. Then again, I might not
I hadn't really planned on using foam. I was keeping the same table and layout dimensions on my new layout. However, when I took the old layout apart, there were too many cutouts, holes, caulk, and a large river to make the old plywood smooth for the new layout.
I decided that instead of buying new plywood, I just covered the entire thing in ½ inch foam. The result was a nice, even, smooth surface on top of the old plywood. I'm happy I did it. The foam is very easy to work with.
Track fiddlerMy understanding of cookie cutter was if you were building a layout with many inclines for different elevations, you'd cut the whole layout stencil out.
That is a pretty amazing layout, TF. To me, an inexperienced layout builder, it looks complicated. Very neat!
I wish I had some Florida trains photos to share. I've been to Florida a number of times, but never stopped to take any pictures of trains.
Last year, the kids, grandkids, and I went to Disney. This is the view from the door to our rooms of the 'train' coming right into the lobby. We could go down in the elevator and catch the 'train" to the Magic Kingdom or to Epcot without ever going outside.
I guess I will have to sit down and start looking for some online photos of Florida trains.
It's too bad that one of our 'main' diners from Florida is unable to post! Kevin, I hope you can get the posting issues straightened out and give us some first-hand photos of Florida's railroads.
Thanks John I have been waiting for you to post a picture of that Disney Monorail.
I took my kids to Disneyworld when they were very little. They are 31 and 29 now. I don't remember the monorail because possibly they didn't have it back then. Or I just don't remember.
I do remember the long day we spent taking many pictures of all those beautiful small buildings of different parts of the world in Epcot Center. That was back when you took your film to Walgreens to have it developed. I couldn't believe they charged me at the counter because when I got home someone had exposed them and they were all orange
Went to Disneyland some years after that but haven't been to either one since.
Good afternoon from the sunny Pacific Rim where it is 12c.
I have a weekend I am not looking forward to. The lady whose Estate I foolishly agreed to look after is having her huge memorial, two years after she passed as restrictions on church occupancy have been lifted. It was all planned out long before she passed and all I have to do is pay the bills as the church people have it all planned out as per her instructions. I think the actual Bishop is conducting the service as this woman was influential and a big contributor. I am sure I will be the target of a few people who want to know who is benefitting from the Estate. I have already had too many obnoxious people wanting to know. The lady asked me to be her Executor some 30 years ago. I remember her saying I would like you to be my Executor because you won't take any BS from anyone. I have a reputation and a drawer full of wills of friends. So far no one has found out who the beneficiary is and they won't find out from me.
I am tempted to take my guitar and do a tune.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S8Q2M4CBVU&ab_channel=jencom1971
Her Estate is worth a lot and it has been a lot of work managing the assets, I can't wait for things to be wrapped up but that will be a while. She was an American from a very wealthy East Coast family. Lots of lawyers and accountants on both sides of the borders. At least I have all her assets North of the border now, so that makes things much easier.
I have a wedding on Sunday. The wife's nephew is going down. He's a nice kid. Not my kind of crowd though.
TF, I don't know about those people feeding the fish.
David, hope your wife gets over this bad spell soon. My wife's health is not great and I am getting more concerned as the days go by. I am 65 but my Garmin says my fitness age is 43, I wish I could swap with my wife.
John, good progress on the layout, it will be nice to see the trains running on it.
It has been slow going on the bathroom reno as the phone keeps ringing. Wife just came in from getting her hair done, hubba! She now wants to go to a big bathroom showroom somewhere. I am having a deadbeat day anyway so why not.
Filled up the truck as it was empty, 150 litres of diesel was rude to the CC but the diesel was a lot cheaper than gas. I don't fill it often so that's a good thing.
My daughter is coming home again this weekend, I think she wants to use my airbrush for a project. She got a 99.38% on her fall term at University, no wonder the Government has hunted her down for recruitment. I think she may be going to Ottawa for the summer as a lot of security vetting is already going on. I went through something similar in the mid-eighties.
Well time to get off my butt and go look at a new Olympic-size bathtub for the wife.
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."
Batman - didn't know bathing was an olympic sport. If so my grandson would get a gold medal. I think my son is considering a wet suit for Sams bath time.
Track fiddler I took my kids to Disneyworld when they were very little. They are 31 and 29 now. I don't remember the monorail because possibly they didn't have it back then. Or I just don't remember. TF
We took my daughter to Disney in Florida when she was a pre-schooler. She's 31 now, so it's the same timeframe. I distinctly remember the monorail when I was there.
I was in my mid-40s then. I got to see Disney through the eyes of a child. It was much better than through the eyes of a grown-up. The sheer wonder and amazement at seeing Cinderella and The Mouse, right there in person, is an experience every child should have. We went again a few years later. She liked it then, too, but the magic of the Magic Kingdom was already fading. I am glad I got to ride the teacups with her while she was still young enough to appreciate them.
While you have pre-school grandchildren, take them to Disney. Visit in the spring or fall, when the weather is nice enough and you're not bound to the rigid dictates of school vacations.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
And that about did it! Now I want a cookie or 3 and it's a good thing we have some. I don't even care if it spoils my dinner
I guess I ain't that old that I roamed the Earth before Trains That Monorail must have been there.
I hear ya Mister B. The memory of the Joy lit up on both my daughters faces will stick with me for a lifetime
Mispost
Well, we went to the bathroom store. I had no idea we were looking at thousands of dollars. Freestanding tub, faucet, and shower faucet set and a pair of faucets for the sinks we're looking at over $10,000.00!!!!!!
I saw some tubs in the fields being used for livestock troughs on the way home, think the wife will notice?????
One thing I love about shopping with my wife, whether it is clothes, furniture, or bathtub fixtures she goes in picks out what she wants and we are out the door in no time.
Diesel is 20% higher than what I paid two days ago. When I think about what is happening to those people in Ukraine the price of fuel here is a none issue.
Daughter is on her way, hope she is in a piano-playing mood, I could listen to her play for hours. I am in a TV/ movie mood, Titanic, Game of Thrones, and Lost are series she plays from really well. I best go dust off the piano as it has drywall dust on it even though it is miles from the bathroom, she'll be out for blood if she sees it.
She just sent a pic. I never get tired of the scenery and it is 14c to boot.
Florida railroading circa 1970:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POlaR26dD1Y&ab_channel=PinkFloyd
Okay, I have an iron will when it comes to proper nutrition, but even I cannot turn down a gingerbread man and I never could. The legs goes first.
The kid that is staying with us for four months was heading back to Victoria for the weekend while the daughter was coming home, He took a pic of her ferry as they passed and sent it to us.
We stopped and picked up a huge Sushi feast on the way home. While the daughter went and got that I went and got another bottle of Glenlivet 12 to wash it down with.
The liquor store was taking donations for the Red Cross to help Ukraine, the cashier said everyone was donating big time so I had her put $50.00 on the card along with the booze. The Federal Government matches the donations so why not.