[Edit] Aww man, I guess I’m buying this time. Oh the heck with it! Yall can go crazy if ya’ want to. I got plenty of funds to go around!
Garry: Man, you are so lucky. I love going to the KRM. Last time I went, I paid the extra fee to take a cab ride. I got to ride to Boston in the cab of the Monon BL-2 and back to New Haven in the cab of the Santa Fe CF7. The engineers, Jim and Tish, showed us (me and my brother) a fun time, and we got to blow the horns at most of the crossings. That day, the L&N 152 was undergoing an “unofficial test run” after being extensively rebuilt and left for Boston before most of the passengers arrived at the station. Once we got back to New Haven, we offloaded the passengers and went into the yard to do some switching so the 152 could get back into it’s garage once it returned from Boston. Coming within an arm’s length of that beast is something you don’t soon forget.
Now for some pics!
(That’s me in the cab on the conductor’s side)
(The BL2 rests in Boston before heading back to New Haven)
I went to work this morning, helped clean up the shop and being that there was nothing else for me to do, I got off at 9:15. I then went to Alexandria to raid the LHS and Hobby Lobby. At the LHS I picked up a P2K FA1-FB1 set (both powered, in UP colors, soon to change) for $130.00,a wayside warehouse w/steam whistle (I want the steam whistle for my industrial area, the warehouse can go wherever) and two bags of medium gray ballast. Total $170.43 At Hobby Lobby, I picked up two structures. The American Foundry Company and a water tower with a flashing light, both from Model Power, #771 and #630 respectively. The Foundry comes with a truck and both structures include two figures each and necessary lighting. $47.94 Total. Not too bad a haul.
The weather was so great here today. What a change from the miserable humidity earlier this week. I see Brandon made the Top of The Page. We should let him slide this time I’ll take some pressure off of Philip and his poor credit card, I’ll buy. Gee do they take the “green stuff” here?
GARRY: Thanks for the kind thoughts. I do relish my last goodbye with April, it was very special. We have a pet, his name is Jack. He’s a 7 yr old Dashound. A real good companion, he kept April company for her last 14 months that she was home fighting that cancer.
There are quite a few projects waiting for me to finish at the club. I started this spot earlier this year. This is where I used the Cripplbush rubber rocks. Another member is helping w/ the lattice and ground goop covering. I still have work at the portals/ retaining walls. And trees, trees and more trees. The distant trees are only polyfiber balls of various colors and size shrinks to the top for a distance affect.
This area of the viaduct will have a mill and river diverted into a canal/ sleusway with mill pond and falls. The sides will be tree/ brush covered hills.
The ME viaduct was a challenge in itself. The track starts out lower and straight at the left. It eases into a super elevated 54" radius turn and climbs @ .5% grade. Thank god for styrene shims and Pliobond. The trackwork is handlaid so extending the bridge track rails and spiking to the embankm
Good evening to all, I had to spend some time this afternoon watering the blueberry patch, every storm this week missed us, so all we received was 0.02" of rain. The berries are not blue yet, but they are getting bigger, and without sufficient rainfall, they weaken on the branches, and stay small. I spent some time adding the latest LHS purchases into my Xcel spreadsheet, and the latest MRR arrived, so I will be doing some reading tonight.
JEFF: I would say you did very well!!! I see it didn’t take long to get the budget in order. Did David go with you?
JERRY: Yes, I enjoyed that documentary on RR boneyard also. I had never seen how they pull up the ties, that was quite a rig. And the way that giant “claw” rips apart the cars and locomotive skins…WOW!!
RYAN: I see the front has settled in your neck of the woods, keep it there a while please.
BOBK: A lot cooler today working…no sweat drops on the woodwork. You guys are doing a bank-up job on that layout. Will it be coming to BigE in January?
PAUL: How are you guys holding up with all that flooding? I was watching the news and they showed that big dam that had most of the flood gates open, and they might have to open the rest of the gates to prevent that dam from breaking, but they said this would flood additional homes downstream.
I’m using 1/4 inch blue foam with old fashioned caulking cord as a roadbed. It’s flexible, slightly tacky, sticks down perminant with latex caulk, you can use a roller to create ramps for different rail heights, and since the hardware store has a hard time selling it, it’s dirt cheap It stays in it’s state of a firm putty, so noise trasmission is virtually nil. I hear wheels on rails, but thats it. No soundboard effect at all. It comes in brown and gray that I’ve seen. Here’s the stuff I’m using:
Thanks for the break on the bill! The credit card is toast and the bank account is almost dry after Dick came in last night and ate all the pie and ice cream!
I still say thats one of the most impressive layouts I’ve seen in a while. You’ll feel the urge to model again soon. In the mean time, try to get out and do some stuff. I don’t mean to get into anything heavy, just do something that gets you out around people. Buy some tickets to a sporting event or something, ya know?
Evening Gang: More rain today. It came a real gully washer this afternoon around 3pm. We were in town and couldn’t get to the house by the normal route because the creek was out of it’s bank and had about 2.5 feet of water going across the road. We went around and crossed the creek a couple of miles down stream and it was only 1/2 bank full. ??? Where did all the water go? The dam that was on TV was probably the one at Possum Kingdom Lake. They had 3 of the flood gates open and had planned on opening the 4th but decieded to hold off untill the Brazos river below the dam had gone down some. If the river does go over flood stage our sons place will get some flooding. The house there is going to be torn down this year so there isn’t any thing of value except our old swather that will get flooded.
We had to take Daisy the dog to the vet today. She has a couple of lumps on her belly. The vet said that they are in the mamery glands. She is going to have surgarey next Friday. We feel that it is cancer but won’t know for sure untill the biopsey. One more thing to worry about. Daisy is a 9 year old Docshound. Note to BobK.
Had to skip out on dinner here at the diner. My aunt invited me over for an incredible shrimp dish. Shrimp, stewed tomatoes, wine and fetta over linguini.
Dick: Shure was a great day. Didn’t break a sweat at all. A nice easy day for a change. Was just following the plumbers around and fitting the tall baseboard and cap to work with their cast iron baseboard heat. Man is that stuff expensive, runs about $40-50 a foot plus all the labor and fittings. Hung and trimmed a few of the last doors a jewel of a work day.
So another trip to Bob’s and a lunch at your favorite spot. Was there much rail traffic today?
Our layout is very permanant, It’s massive size and construction makes it impossible to even move w/o destroying most of it. The SSMRC ( ssmrc.org ) is always at Springfeild but at a table. We do have a video and photos of the layout and sell the latest club car. We are always just accross from Greenway and Overland. You know that that is just next to Bob’s, Tucker’s Hobbies.
Philip: That caulking cord is one smart idea for track laying. Really liked the pics. Looks like you’re moving right along. What grade do you need for the helix? How many turns? Thought of suspending the subroadbed w/ threaded rod? The blue foam looks just like the 3/8 fan fold insulation I use for vinyl siding jobs.
I do need to get out more and keep myself occupied. The little that I have done did help.
Paul: My mother is heading home to Round Rock, near Austin, on the 4th. So with all the rain is she going to have a house left? Hope you get a break soon. Sorry about Daisey, hope the lumps are nothing serious. So we got a Jack and Daisey, boy I never knew how fast those little dogs can run. He moves thos
I tested the FA1 and FB1 seperately and found that the FA1 had a cracked gear in the rear truck. I looked through my parts and found an axle gear from an Athearn F7. It was a dead match! It put it in in and the FA1 runs perfectly now.
The helix will be roughly 18 inches tall and will be double tracked. The outside radius will be 22"r and the inside 20"r. With 2" seperation between levels this works out to be roughly a 1.5% grade with about 9 stories. I was thinking of using threaded rods to support the subroadbed and using strapping metal for the cross supports because of it’s thinness. The whole thing is going to be a little hit and miss as to the height though. I’m going to be gaining height most of the way to the helix, so that may cut down it’s total height, which would be a good thing.
That’s the stuff!
In this area thre isn’t much that goes below track level, so I saved a few bucks by using this stuff over a thicker foam. It’s easier to work with too! I’ll use thicker foam in other areas. I already have a bunch of 2" think stuff waiting in the garage. It’s pink, and the stuff already on the layout is blue, so I’m going to have to get to the scenery soon or someone may mistake my layout for a nursery! [:O]
Now that the work contract is over with, it’s time to celebrate. Anybody like some watermelon wine?
[b]
Today’s Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 6/30/2007
Sundown Fire Dept., Station 23
Heat Index: 78°F
Humidity: 95%
Dew Point: 72°F
So Far Today
High: 76°F
Low: 73°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 3mph ESE
Today High: 92 Increasing cloudiness with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 90s. Light and variable winds becoming south around 10 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight Low: 72 Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. South winds around 10 mph in the evening becoming light and variable.
[/b]
Still in the Fog 350nm east off of Halifax and off the Tail of the Bank. The seas are calm for the most part with a bit of a lazy swell running but nothing of the ordinary.
Garry: Im thicked skinned and there is nothing you could say about my beloved 2-10-2 fleet that could hurt my feelings… Do you know what a 2-10-2 can do to a Diesel! I do Ill show ya some time!! Makes a cutting torch look like a sparkler.
Bob: More excellent pics, once again thanks for sharing.
Well not much else on the go as Im getting ready to wrap it up as Wednesday is crew change day. Got Grogers Grocery all but finished, the Steam shovel is finished, after having to re-rig it a second time! Used sutures,much better and easier to thread.
A good way to layout the subroadbed for the helix is to cut the arcs from 3/8 or 1/2" ply. Depending on the overall size you may need 2,3 or 4 sections per 360 degree circle. Once the arcs and the number of pieces is calculated, the holes for the threaded rod can be drilled. The holes can be slighty reamed eliptical to make the fit better. Don’t crank down on the nuts to tight or you can wave the plywood not allowing for the angle of rise. If you keep the drillings all the same position you just start at the bottom and work your way up. Lay the track on each level before continuing on w/ the next level of arcs. Remember to leave enough space for scab plates of ply and also future track cleaning. The 2" separation sems a bit tight. Is that railhead to railhead or 2" clearance net?
Some suspend the rod other suport from a base or both. I believe it’s easier on construction to start with a base and mount the rod. The sections can then be lowered into place chasing the double nut washers as you go. Then for stability, an upper frame can be built if desired to keep the helix from any racking.
You’re on such a roll, I figure you need the cheering section to keep it going.
Still in the shop beavering away. Did get some more “mud” time in last night and stained and ground foamed the section I’d done the night before. Started on ballast on the siding adjacent to the new mud as well, so some nice progress at last.
Another way to use the rods to support the helix and to keep the double nuts from warping the plywood is to use beveled washers or the wedge shaped square beveled washers used on I-beams (both available from Fastenal or other industrial suppliers). The square washeras are designed for a 1:6 slope beam side and work well for a variety of angle shim applications. J.R.
Good afternoon to all, just took a quick break for lunch. I awoke this morning with a no voice. I am very hoarse…don’t know how this happened, I was Ok when I went to bed last night at 11:30. I feel Ok, no cold, no fever.
BOBK: No train action of Thursday at Palmer on the Main line, but two GP38’s were on the VT and NE central tracks behing the station ready to pull out across the diamond on the north/south line of the VT central.
JEFF: Ohh great guru of Diesels…I have a question. I just purchased an Atlas Alco RS-1 and I am trying to find out how to remove the top to install a decoder. It looks like I have to remove the grab irons, then the cab, then the top by squeezing the lower part of the top to release what looks like tabs on each lower corner of the top half the shell. Have you done one of these Jeff?
Negative Ghostrider. The only Atlas loco I’ve ever had was a lemon. It was a switcher with some pretty bad truck problems. I sent it back and they replaced it with one that had a bum motor. I’ve had nothing to do with Atlas locos since. I’m sure they’re very good quality, but after getting two bad ones in a row, I wasn’t gonna leave the door open for a third one.
Now, if it’s anything like the Kato RSC-2 that I have, I remove the handrail ends from the cab the pinch the sides of the hood body in just behind the cab and about one inch from the end of the hood body and gently pull it up.
Good afternoon, Janie - how about a nice root beer float, please? After hearing about Dick’s foray into the freezer last night, I figured I’d better bring a bucket of ice cream. (Hide the rest and leave Vinnie on guard tonight…) Thanks, Bob K.!
Bob K., you bet the twins will take the “green stuff” for a tab in here (so long as it’s the folding kind and not the stuff from Woodland Scenics…)!
I got a nice surprise today - a knock on my door, and there was my daughter(!). We got some visiting and catching up, and she treated me to lunch (sort of for Father’s Day - I asked about the possibility of my getting a visit on a Father’s Day, perhaps alternating years with her father-in-law…). Turned out things are semi-on hold with them moving to a newer house. The potential buyer for their current house bailed, and the new(er) house sale was contingent on them selling the older one. But they’re supposed to have someone by this afternoon to look at their house, so maybe it might go through after all. Son-in-law (and RN) Andy has been thinking about going back to school for his Master’s and becoming a Nurse Practitioner. He could complete the degree here in Cape. Andy could still work most of his hours at the hospital where he is, and take the classes. So I’d appreciate prayers for wisdom and guidance for him & them (on the house, and on the M.S. for Andy).
I did decoders in both my RS-1’s (Atlas) and seem to remember a couple of screws on the sides of the fuel tank. If the job can hold til I get home (6 ish) I’ll refresh my memory and post an edit for you here. Just promise to leave me enough vanilla ice cream and root beer for a float - it’s been a long hot day and the rest of the peeps are pretty steamed about your last foray into the fridge here. J.R.
Thanks, Bob K.!