Heck, it's close enough to quittin' time on the 3rd of July to start the festivities. Joe, a Harpoon for me, and a round for the rest of the bunch.
Calamine Lotion for you, JB. Despite all the advances of modern science, this old pink stuff is still what I use for poison ivy. Well, that and Round Up. The Calamine goes on me, and the Round Up goes on the weed patch - with a vengeance. I buy the concentrated stuff and mix it as needed in my tank sprayer. One application gets the bulk of it, but I usually hit the same area again a couple of weeks later to get the stragglers I missed.
Summer Swim Team season is in full swing once again - we started off 2-0 this year. Our Annie got some seconds and thirds, and is still working hard at it. She's on a physical conditioning mission all year long now, and I hope it will last a long lifetime for her. No meet this coming weekend, but she's still got practice all week. She's lifeguarding and giving swim lessons to the little ones now, too. At the meet on Saturday, she and the other instructors all had their little posse's of mini-swimmers.
Chuck, the Revolutionary War was right in my neighborhood. Our little town of Bedford sits between Lexington and Concord. I like to tell people it's where they went to get drunks with muskets to start the fighting with.
The Pit-Bash is pretty much done. This is my favorite photo so far. I've posted it on a couple of other threads already, but I'm so happy with it that I'm gonna do it again. (Hey, if you're drinking my beer, you've got to put up with things like this.)
Well, a safe and sane 4th to you all. We've got a camping trip planned for the weekend, so I might be hard to find the next few days.
Yeah, sure, Joe. One more...but that's all.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Good Afternoon Everyone;
It is a little too early to start, but have a Scotch striaght up waiting for me when I get off work in 48 minutes. I'm going to need it. I'm working on a three storey building and I am painting the windows and there are a whole lot of them. So far I have the 1st floor done and I am half way through the 2nd floor. I'm hoping to take some progress pictures and post them when I get a moment. Quitting time is getting closer. Better go and try to finish my work for the day.
GUB
Time to head home for the day. I'll have that Scotch in about 25 minutes depending on traffic. Then it's off to lawn bowling. I just might get time to paint a window or two before.
Happy Independence Day Everyone, Don't forget why we celebrate it.
Joe I'll have a cold beer here, thanks. Feels kinda wierd going to work after being off for the past 4 days but I'm not complaining. Got the day off tommarrow and man do I need it, seems like at least 2 days since I have had one. May get some time in the train room tommarrow if I get the mowing done, as for now I am going to spray on some OFF and go out on the deck and drink a few and hold down my loung chair.
Have a safe and happy 4th. Mike
I'll take a cold tap too, Joe and in celebration of the 4th. a round for the house too!!
All is right here...Still covered with a major Poison Ivy rash (now blistering....just thought I'd throw in a verbal visual) but not as itchy with the Prednisone in the system and with the use of a lot calamine and an old home remedy of "mashed up" Jewel weed (also known as Jimson weed, I think) as an ointment. With all of the self medicating, I'm doing better!
Mr. Beasley, that turntable is looking really good. Nice job! You have a great eye for detail...I love it.
I still haven't done any scenicing / landscaping at mine or around the Sawyer Lumber shops either for that fact. I did however spend some time ballasting, putting in a grade crossing, leveling dirt, planting grass and shrubs at Sawbill Jct. today. I hope to spend some more time in the Trainroom tomorrow, as I have the day off (no work, no Showboat....Nothing!) and I don't really feel up to working outside....Rain or Shine! So, I'll putts on the RR.
You all have a great, and safe 4th. of July!!
Guten abend, mein freunden. And good evening to you, Joe. Lowenbrau for me, and top up the others. I'm as dry as this dessicated desert.
Well, the inevitable happened. Got back from shopping, unloaded the vehicle, then went into the layout room to stow some plunder and, possibly, caulk down the next length of roadbed, which I estimated to be a ten minute job. When I reached for my tools, they singed my fingers! That plus sweat cascading into my eyes killed my working plans.
As I left the layout room I checked the thermometer - 116 degrees!
The weather weenies came up with the same number, which tied the record high for this date and is only one degree short of the all-time high for LAS (Our official temperature is taken at McCarran.) Not only that, but there's no relief in sight. Bummer.
Looks like progress, which had been moving right along, will now be crawling on its hands and knees from water hole to water hole. Wish me luck!
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Chuck, sounds like a cold one was indeed necessary after that scorching 116o F temp!
I'll have a cold one too! Not as hot as your southwest temps, but our heat index up here got to the 103o F level.
I've been working on my Stewart Industries HO Yard Service Facility Work Pit. Filed down the metal castings and cemented the side castings, they are drying now. I need to get some concrete grey paint to give them all a nice coating before piecing them all into the pit shape.
Ryan BoudreauxThe Piedmont Division Modeling The Southern Railway, Norfolk & Western & Norfolk Southern in HO during the merger eraCajun Chef Ryan
Evening Everybody;
I'll have a Scotch on the Rocks tonight. In between repairing the benches at the Lawn Bowling Club I've been painting the windows and doors for my Furniture Factory. Very tedious work. I'm nearly done the second floor. That leaves the third floor to do. Oh well ... it keeps me out of trouble. Have a good night.
Good Morning Everbody;
I'll have a coffee and perhaps an English Muffin to begin with.
Not much planned for today. I'll put the last bench together at the Lawn Bowling club later this morning. Also, I've got to get the doors built for my next door neighbors cupboard that I built last summer. And of course I will continue painting the doors and windows of the furniture factory. Also have plans to build a photo backdrop so that I can take progress shots of the project.
Bought a Revell plastic kit of an HO scale N.Y. Central "Hudson" yesterday that will eventually sit on one of the shelves in the office.
Our trip to SF is getting closer.
Well that's about all for now. Have a great day.
Good morning: A coffee, please Joe...
GUB: What have you (your group) decided on for a tour loop while doing your S.F. trip? I sure hope you get to take in at least one (or more) of the railroad related options!
As for here, things are about the same....The Poison Ivy is STILL giving me fits! It's actually much better, but when it's hot and I'm sweaty...I REALLY itch. Yesterday it got up over 90 and the humidity was WAY up too, so I didn't sleep well. Seems I was up every hour or so sloshing more Caladryl on.
The one and very only up side to this "Mr. Itchy" thing that I have going on, is that I am spending some time in the Trainroom during a timeframe that I normally wouldn't be. I've been ballasting, landscaping, pouring concrete, building boardwalks and grade crossings at Sawbill Jct. most every day (at least a few hours each day) all last week!!
And, I'm going to play trains again today for a while...Before dress rehearsals for Showboat late this afternoon and evening. So, I'm off to build something.
colvinbackshop wrote: GUB: What have you (your group) decided on for a tour loop while doing your S.F. trip? I sure hope you get to take in at least one (or more) of the railroad related options!
For starters we are doing the Roaring Camp Railroad on the way up. I am hoping to visit a highly recommended train shop in Santa Clara. Of course the cable car museum in SF. The Nappa Wine Train seems to be the one everyone is looking forward to and because there is Gormet Food, Good Wine etc., I am able to get in a few more requests. It also appears that we are also going to Sacramento to the Train Museum there. I think that's about it for train related activities. But who knows .....
Why are we on page 3? Gotta go to a project party this afternoon in Brampton. Not likely I'll be on the computer tonight.
Page 3 again? Well... I guess everybody is busy at work, home and play. Besides the weather's been great, perhaps a little to hot. Still at work for another four hours or so. Hope to get a few more windows painted before I go Lawn Bowling tonight. I'll check back later and perhaps have a drink or two.
'Morning, Joe. Coffee and toast, please.
Managed to come up with a faster way to deal with a somewhat problem with some of my plywood. The steel is great for leveling things lengthwise, but not crosswise where it tilts on curves between risers. Until yesterday, I'd been forming and attaching wedges, each one only a few inches long (can you say tedious?) Well, just on a whim, I decided to put a strip along the low edge, then sand it so the subgrade would be level crossways (according to my torpedo level.) Once it was shaped, I sprayed a little water on and spread drywall mud across the whole subgrade with a 3-inch knife. Lo and behold, everything held. Yesterday afternoon I re-moistened the set mud, added a second coat (to make up for shrinkage) and let it be. This morning I checked it - level enough to support foam! Finished eight feet of subgrade in less time than I'd spent on the preceeding three, with a better mounting surface to show for it.
So, this morning I caulked down the foam underlayment - cardstock template and flex track to follow. Progress, it's wonderful!
Joe, I'll have a cold one and I'll buy a round for the house too.
Chuck...Sounds like you've discovered a "method" and yes, progress is great and a good thing! Do you have wood moving because of all the heat you folks have been having?
Wish I could say I'm experiencing some progress in the Trainroom, but Showboat is now taking front and center. We open the show tomorrow! For any of you interested...Our whole family made the cover of Varity (the local paper). If your interested in checking any of it out, go to http://www.grandrapidsmn.com/ and click on Varity. You can also see pictures on there picture service. I'm the "OLD" guy with gray bread escorting my wife Toni and Raeanne is in light Purple on the top left of the boat and elsewhere!!
I've got my workweek in as of today...So I do hope to play a bit with the trains tomorrow, not having any additional demands, before show time...We'll have to see how that all plays out.
So, until latter...
JB
What do you do for a living. It's only Wednesday here and i got two more days to go before the weekend.
Thanks Colvin, Joe bring me a cold beer please, thanks.
I got home yesterday and some local kids came down and wanted to see the train, so I lead them out to the train room and as I opened the door, WHAT??? But my 15 year old Austrialian Shepard had apparantly gone in Monday evening and I didn't know it as I locked up Monday night, and was stuck there almost 24 hours in the hot room with no water. It could have been worse. All she did was tear up the carpet in a couple of places, crap in the floor in 3 places and make about half dozen wet places in the floor, and play hell with the layout around the trestles. Not a whole lot of damage. broke the handrail on my NEW loco, broke the railing off the highway bridge, broke several trees, pulled some track loose from the trestle, and the such as that. I am glad she is old and not a young puppy! A young dog would probley have torn it up a lot worse. So, yesterday I was not a very happy modeler.
I went in there a few minutes ago and I couldn't stand the smell, as I cannot leave the door or window open while I am at work because of the chanches of severe thunderstormes here in SW Okla. I will more than likely have to rip up all the carpet. Oh well, some say that carpet is not a good thing in the trainroom.
I guess I'll go for now and have another beer. Joe a round for the house on me. Mike
Mike, sorry to hear about the episode with your dog! Sounds like you have a lot of clean up to do now, so good luck with that stuff. I like the carpet in my train room, it is easier on the knees and I try to vacuum often.
Cheers,
Ryan
Good morning everyone. Just coffee for me this morning, Joe. I've decided to shed a few pounds. Having trouble bending over to tie my hockey skates. Yeah, us goalies don't mind being wide, but we want to maintain some mobility, too. Still, I've never understood why nobody's ever put a Sumo wrestler in the net, at least just to see what would happen.
Well, JB, daughter Annie now has her Junior Operator's License, so she can drive herself to swim team practice in the morning. They've got a good rule on those Junior Licenses - they can't drive around with any other sub-18-year-olds unless there's an adult in the car. So what does she do? Well, she's got herself an 18-year-old boyfriend now. I don't know if that was part of the decision-making process on this one or not. The two of them are lifeguards. Not exactly the Pamela Anderson type, but I'll have to admit that they're an attractive couple.
We've got a simpler pet situation - a parakeet in a cage. She was recently moved upstairs near the trains, and I've noticed that she brightens up and chirps back when I'm running the trains, particularly the sound-equipped Hudson. She likes the bell and the whistle.
Now it's time to work on the shopping district along Saint Anne Street. I built up the base where the City Classics supermarket will go, and I've measured the styrene pieces for the base level that the buildings will sit on. Besides the market, I've got a theater and 3 ancient Plasticville shops. I'm going to see what I can do with them in terms of painting and customizing. I've also identified a spot where I'll put a trolley stop over in that part of town. That's going to be another cobblestone section, and I'm looking forward to that.
I'll bet you exercise the Hudson more now that you have an audience for that great sound.
Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.
The Hudson has an unfair advantage. It won't fit on the turntable, or in the roundhouse stalls. So, it's always out on the main line, since I'm short on siding and yard space.
That contrasts with the GP-9s, which are disadvantaged by having no sound. I've got to pull the shell off of one of those and see how much room there is for a speaker...
Kiwi (the bird) likes steamers better than the Alco RS-3 or the SW8 when it comes to sound.
MrB,
You will have to do some creative changes. How about a special engine shed? You could always do a scratch built.
Good morning...At least for a bit yet!
Well...Opening night went pretty well. There was trouble with the boat, the generator, the sound system and our Barbershop Quartet got off to a shaky start...But EVERYTHING else went well. I'm thinking it will go better this evening!
I did make it to the Trainroom for a little while yesterday and played with pouring more concrete, but mostly just retreated there for some pondering. Today I have some yard and garden work to get done but will also make some time for finishing up some landscaping between the team track and the wye.
GUB, you asked about my workweek and job. I have a few jobs, but the main one for the summer is working for the school district as their pool operator. I am an hourly employee, but in a way salaried. As the operator, I have to work when ever I can (around scheduled activates and / or doing maintenance) with long days, split days, split shifts and so on. Therefore I am a "flex-hour" employee. This can be a real pain, but it works both ways affording the flexible schedule for both myself and the district and I take advantage of the "flexing" to my benefit when ever I can.
In a nutshell, this means that I work when ever I can or have to and as long as the job gets done I have a free reign. This mostly applies to summer with less or no demand for pool use and I can often get my hours accomplished in two to three days....Even though it's a hard schedule for the school year, it is still a win for me regarding the afforded flexibility.
Gotta' run...
JB, I would like to see photos of your wye. One of our next stages will include one.
Good Morning Eeveryone;
Well I found us on page three once again. This can't be happening. Well ... I know eveyone is busy so I guess .... that's okay.
At any rate I'll have a coffee, small orange juice, scrambled eggs, sausage, homefries and rye toast to get my day started. Could I hace a little dill in the eggs please. Not too much. Just a hint. Thanks.
Vacation time is almost here and I still have a thousand things to do at work before I can leave, But leave I must and perhaps some of the work just won't get done ....
Today I need to go shopping for a Memory stick, longer strap for the digital camera, spare battery and perhaps some two ways. Of course there are the usual staples and unmentionables, so I will not mention them here. The wife needs to go to the "Tall Girl Shop" to see if there are any sales before we go.
Tonight, a bunch us are getting together to go over the final plans for the vacation, itenary et al. Need to do the Wasabi Shrimp and if time permits the Prochutto Wrapped Jumbo Shrimp (Grilled). Not sure what else is on the menu. Not my department, this time.
Let's see ... three more sleeps, or one and a half days of work and we'll be driving off to Buffalo. Actually I should say "shuffleling off to Buffalo". Wednesday morning we fly to vegas for an overnight stay. Thursday we fly to LA and then up the coast (3 days) to SF for a full week. Thank you everyone for your suggestions on where to go, eat,drink and what to see both train an non train related.
I guess I had better get going here. Maybe I can get a little modeling in. Still haven't finished painting the Mill's 2nd floor windows. Then there's the 3rd floor... oh my.... then there's the addition to build .... and painting the walls but I have to paint the sills a different colour ... oh my.... It's a good thing that I am not a tight schedule to get the building roofed and closed in like in real life construction. Oddly enough the slow progress doesn't bother me at all. It's very relaxing working on the project for a few minutes at a time, getting one or two windows painted and then coming back later to do some more. Maybe it's the age thing.... but then again....
I know I am rambling... So having finished my breakfast, I will take my leave and check back in later. Bye for now. Everyone Have a Great Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good morning: I'll have the Big Breakfast (same as GUB. That sounds really good) Joe and keep the coffee coming too please.
The show "flowed" better last evening and our quartet actually sounded the best yet.....With one more for the week this evening, we can relax a bit (maybe spend some time playing with trains) until next Thursday.
GUB: Have fun on your vacation! And really...You don't have to worry about getting all the work done beforehand...It'll still be there when you get back. I know this for a fact.
Gear-Jammer: Me thinks that you may be disappointed with my wyes. I didn't feel as though I had the space to actually put in a decent sized wye so I have only portions modeled. I have often thought of changing "SOMETHING" to able to model a complete operating wye and if I were starting over I think I would make a better effort to include one BUT........
So, even though I have two wyes, neither are a full wye. One depicts a single leg running off pike, with a spur track at a logging camp and the other is at the end of my trackage at Sawbill Jct. It depicts two legs, again with both running off pike. In "real life" the wye at Sawbill Jct. had both legs of the wye continuing on with one to Sawbill Landing to the N. and the other to Forest Center to the N.E. I've done the same...but still no working wye.
The logging camp, Cascade, is still pink "Terafoama", Sawbill Jct. is becoming more sceniced, but the track does only runs to the backdrop....But, If you would still like, I can snap a picture of the two areas.
JB,
It is still interesting to me. When our wye is complete, we will be able to access the sawmill area from the logging camp, or from the mainline. We will also be able to go directly to the logging camp from the mainline, bypassing the sawmill area. That is the section that we will do next. Larry is working on tressle with an incline, curve and a turnout. I call it a major brainstrain.
'Morning, everyone. Irish coffee for me, Joe.
Sue, did I read correctly that Larry is building a curved trestle with a turnout on the trestle? Not unknown, but tell him to include LONG, WIDE outside-the-ties walkways for the benefit of the poor guy who has to walk alongside the loco to get to the switchstand. (Peter Josserand mentions a requirement to fill ballast to tie height 150 feet in both directions from a switchstand. Methinks the same rule applies, although a little selective compression may be possible. The switchtender still has to get from the loco's gangway to the switchstand.)
JB, glad to hear that Showboat is sailing smoothly. I'm only sorry that I'm nowhere near close enough to take in a performance.
GUB, sorry you'll have such a brief stay in my home town. Next trip, give yourself more time. There's a lot more to Sin City than casinos. (OTOH, right now isn't a good time to wander around in daylight, or even the early evening hours - unless you like the idea of becoming cannibal barbecue. 107 yesterday, down slightly from 116.)
Things are moving along on the layout. I posted a comment on another thread about making progress in several categories at the same time. Right now my big push is tracklaying, so this morning:
Then the temperature in the garage reached 96 degrees, so I quit.
Well, I have to toddle off to the mailbox. See you all later.
A round of beers and Fenway Franks for everyone. We're off to see the Red Sox this afternoon!
JB, you'll love this. Our club's swim coach has done a great job with the team, and we've picked up a lot of new, young talent in the past couple of seasons. We've also hung on to some of our veterans, so we're pretty deep in most age categories now. Earlier this week, though, he was hit by a car and broke his leg while riding home on his bike, simultaneously training for a triathalon. He was unable to make it to the swim meet on Saturday, so the team really wanted to "win this one for Tom."
Yeah, fat chance. For the 8 or 9 years we've been at the club, we haven't come close to beating this larger, deeper team from a bigger town. But, as I stood by the pool watching Annie in the backstroke, the announcer told the crowd that the score was very close, and the outcome would likely depend on the graduated free-style relays, women's and men's, which end each meet. The opposition picked up first and second in the women's race, so it was up to our men. It looked like we got off to a good start, but then their #1 team pulled ahead. However, the crowd gasped as one of their first-team swimmers left the block very early on the relay, and they were disqualified. We won by the very tight score of 2 points. They had won this one for Tom.
I've gotten a bit done on the layout, but most of my last two weeks work will never be seen. I'm building up the surface and preparing to pour the water putty for the shopping district, Saint Anne Street. Every bit of the foam and styrene I've glued down since the turntable project will eventually be covered with roads, buildings, sidewalks, gypsolite and "earth," so I'll have to take a picture for the history books once I pull the glue-weights off.
Now, let's see how those Sox do today against the Blue Jays...
tomikawaTT wrote: Sue, did I read correctly that Larry is building a curved trestle with a turnout on the trestle? Not unknown, but tell him to include LONG, WIDE outside-the-ties walkways for the benefit of the poor guy who has to walk alongside the loco to get to the switchstand. (Peter Josserand mentions a requirement to fill ballast to tie height 150 feet in both directions from a switchstand. Methinks the same rule applies, although a little selective compression may be possible. The switchtender still has to get from the loco's gangway to the switchstand.)
Chuck,
Yes, and it gets worse because it is on an incline. We have noodled it out in every way to have the turnout on solid ground but it won't fly. He made a curved template of plywood the width of the track. He is good at putting everything on paper before he starts, and the math always works. He gets after me because of my chicken scratch drawings. It seems to work for me, but no one else could follow the plan.
The switchtender gangway was his major concern and he has allowed for the width.
Thanks. I will update when photos are available.