BigGRacing
Aka. Gary Russell
LHS mentioned a turntable to me this aft, $350 for a 120 foot one......little out of my price range still.
Running Bear’s June 2021 Coffee Shop
- Thread starter bnsf971
- Start date
- Status
AND IT LOOKS TO BE A MIGHTY FINE HOLE!
Texas Hobo
Well Known Hobo
I'm of an age where I call someone else to to it! LOL
IronBeltKen
Lazy Daydreamer
Karl - the thing I always need to be on the lookout for when I overtax my back, is: shooting pains, numbness and/or tingling in the left leg. That's the symptom of a pinched L5 disc that has swollen up and is pressing against the spinal cord. Interestingly enough, the last time that happened to me was ~5 days after I [single-handedly] hefted a Rubbermaid tub full of heavy-duty extension cords into a trailer during a FCSME knock-down at Timonium after a show. All because I was in a hurry and didn't want to wait for one of the other guys to be available to help me with that task, d'oh!
Luckily I already had an ortho doc who could give me a cortisone injection, since this wasn't the first time I'd gotten this injury. General soreness in the back muscles never lasted more than a day or two, if even that.
IronBeltKen
Lazy Daydreamer
Good evening Shop Dwellers, it's finally starting to feel like summer here in central MD, with 70*F under partly cloudy skies. And thanks for the "likes" and comments, all of you who shared them!
Sherrell - I see you have the same problem I always have when furniture needs to be moved: Lack of a 2nd adult male to share the load! Sorry to hear that those blood thinners prevent you from taking taking ibuprofin; I suppose tylenol doesn't do squat to relieve pain?
MILW-Steve - congrats on the successful TT hole excavation! It looks like an incredibly clean and smooth edge, what type of cutting tool did you use to make it look that good?
Karl - did the vet take Bud's calendar photo awhile back when you were getting him his first shots? (BTW - I'm surprised you don't spell his name with two d's on the end, that would seem like a natural fit for a model railroader's dog
)
FWIW, just so y'all will know this is for real, here are some pics of each aisle were I've hung all [or most] of the skirting. I had to shoot them this way since a broad panoramic view of the entire layout is impossible due to the separated tight spaces.
This is the southernmost (or bottom in the diagram) aisle #1, which is the first area visitors see when they enter the trainroom. (Apologies if you've already seen this shot, I think I might have posted it a few weeks ago):
The daylight coming in thru the window sort of overwhelms the exposure.
Here is aisle #2, the "middle" one; the blob is on the right, the mill peninsula on the left:
...and here is aisle #3, at the "top" or north side of the space. Mill peninsula on the right, main yard on the left, and my portable workbench parked in the center:
The area at the end has to stay open since that is where my console and command station are located.
The only thing left now is to install curtains on the West wall shelf, where my auto plant tracks are located. Someday, all of these spaces will actually be presentable...
Good Night - and have a Pleasant Tomorrow!
Sherrell - I see you have the same problem I always have when furniture needs to be moved: Lack of a 2nd adult male to share the load! Sorry to hear that those blood thinners prevent you from taking taking ibuprofin; I suppose tylenol doesn't do squat to relieve pain?
MILW-Steve - congrats on the successful TT hole excavation! It looks like an incredibly clean and smooth edge, what type of cutting tool did you use to make it look that good?
Karl - did the vet take Bud's calendar photo awhile back when you were getting him his first shots? (BTW - I'm surprised you don't spell his name with two d's on the end, that would seem like a natural fit for a model railroader's dog
)Guy, I can show you what the skirting looks like today on the 3 east-west "horizontal" aisles. If what you mean by "finished product" is a fully-decorated layout surface populated with trains, that's gonna be another 2 or 3 months - depending on how many evenings and weekends I end up having at my disposal.
FWIW, just so y'all will know this is for real, here are some pics of each aisle were I've hung all [or most] of the skirting. I had to shoot them this way since a broad panoramic view of the entire layout is impossible due to the separated tight spaces.
This is the southernmost (or bottom in the diagram) aisle #1, which is the first area visitors see when they enter the trainroom. (Apologies if you've already seen this shot, I think I might have posted it a few weeks ago):
The daylight coming in thru the window sort of overwhelms the exposure.
Here is aisle #2, the "middle" one; the blob is on the right, the mill peninsula on the left:
...and here is aisle #3, at the "top" or north side of the space. Mill peninsula on the right, main yard on the left, and my portable workbench parked in the center:
The area at the end has to stay open since that is where my console and command station are located.
The only thing left now is to install curtains on the West wall shelf, where my auto plant tracks are located. Someday, all of these spaces will actually be presentable...
Good Night - and have a Pleasant Tomorrow!
CambriaArea51
Well-Known Member
I don't have the muscle pain but I run out of gas sooner than I use to and may take a day to recoup.
Hey IBKEN - Tylenol it is for both the Spousal Unit and myself now. It is O.K. - just does not seem to work as fast nor last as long as Advil. I could almost get instant relief from one Advil whereas the Tylenol seems to take an hour for results?
On another note - I have a three car garage which I have all my tools, saws, etc. on one side and the double door side my spouse has filled up with all sorts of things - which we will start getting rid of a lot of it. Somehow I have managed to misplace two pair of 12 inch water pump pliers and one 12 inch crescent wrench. Damn if I can find them anywhere and I know that as soon as I purchase another - then they will show up??
DakotaLove39
Always Improvising
Wait, what? I take a vacation and now there's another MILW modeling Steve in Minnesota? What has happened.
Hi Steve, I'm Steve and I also model Milwaukee Road. I'm sure we'll cross paths at some point.
Jaz avalley
Station cat
I have seen this problem before,you have a nice weathered piece close up,a bit of work that you really feel good about,but in the surrounding area at a distance is lost.
you can either keep it as is it does not look that incongruous and there are plenty of old tunnels that look clean in this manner,
or if it bugs you then a thin wash over the lot, go light do several layers rather than one heavy if you go this route..... May-might-not guaranteed may bring it in line,
had you not mentioned it, I personally would not have seen it as a flaw.
the rocks and greenery look the business and perhaps you judge it unfairly against them
I personally would google tunnel mouths and check out similar reference material before I felt pushed.
I think that if you do the same to it as the rock face it will not look right,that’s just one persons opinion and you might easily paint it and prove me wrong,overall at the moment this area to me is very pleasing.
I will also say for the record if only one person comes along and criticises something do not feel that others will necessarily agree,and even on a forum if a top dog critiques his sycophants will all pile in agreeing,so even one forum is not a guarantee something is off,I go by the rule your layout your rules,and for me there are no rules I break them all the time lol.
I can say if that was on my layout, I would be pleased and have no compunctions to alter it. add some figures,an old worn out building yeah but alter it definitely no.
I would also try here a couple of picture at H0 eye level for a figure because I think you have the potential for some excellent photos that could trick someone,
question do you have natural sunlight in this area? Or a way to dim light and set shadows? It is one aspect often over looked as you do not ‘model’ it
Jaz avalley
Station cat
Wow I have never been such a bad neighbour that the others just up sticks and left......laughs out loud
seriously though loss of jobs? Loss of local water? Do you know why the exodus?
Jaz avalley
Station cat
Does it have to be a working one, I saw someone doing a real place,and they had costing issues also they modelled a static one instead,looked the business,and it could be a place holder until a working one was affordable
Jaz avalley
Station cat
Bodybuilders purposely tear muscle to build it up the repair gives extra,I think as we get older we see no positive side to pain,and are more aware of the dangers,and yes the pain takes longer to heal or easier to retest,I carry buckets of water and heavy kit for gardening,I wear sensible shoes and often wellies because of all the stinging nettles I can usually walk into,and my wrist,my hands,a sore hip or back can often be explained by over exertion, best eat a good protein meal it helps recovery in a long term sense,I prefer to not try drugs as I have a nasty habit of being allergic to them,luckily penicillin and pain killers so far are not on that list my mum was allergic to the penicillin family and in her day that caused her a lot of issues. Hell nowadays I only wear high heels on good flat pavements as I cannot afford to mess up an ankle, a friend got drunk fell over her mates dog ended up with 6 weeks and a major knee op, she was a karate black belt well she can’t do that anymore she now walks with a limp,my 4 in heels sit forlorn and abandoned in the back of the cupboard, and will likely never see the light of day again grrr did not notice I hit underline...
Don't fret over that --- WILLIE does that all the time! LOL, even though he claims otherwise?
Here I thought I would be the first one on today? We did have TOOT(RAY) who would be on here this time of day/night from his '"down under" country at about 7 PM, and then here you are JAZ at already 10 AM.
I realize that I am not making much coherent talk at the moment. Slept for maybe three hours and then awakened by the fact that I still have some "hurt" from the furniture moving - plus the window frame repair that I tackled yesterday.
I was trying to use a couple model tools to repair some molding and one of my "flex" extensions for the moto tool broke .
Couldn't be the fact that it is 50 years old? OK, did out the heavy ammo and use the SKIL tool built with this extension.
https://www.micromark.com/Pro-Flex-Shaft-Heavy-Duty-Hand-Piece-Kit
OK that worked for about 10 min before craping out! Don't know at this point it it is the moto tool, or the flex shaft, or a combination of both; the motor was lugging - so something is amiss?
I better go and grab a kurig coffee. I see that MEL has not turned on the lights?
Our ranch was the employer for the town, and as fewer people were needed to work it over time, the residents moved to the metropolises of Thayer (population 2000), and Doniphan (population 1995) to find work. Both towns are roughly 40 miles from Riverton in opposite directions.
kbkchooch
"retired" conductor
Ken, I wanted to, but that idea was nixed by the others in the family. Bud was the name hid foster mom had given him, and it stuck. When we got Bailey I wanted to name her Kelly (Married with children reference) but also got shot down.
His pic was one Sharon took in the back yard and submitted.
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santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
Good Morning All. Clear and 62° here...it's not raining! NWS says no more rain until Saturday, then rain for 6 of the next ten days. Wish that I could send some to Sherrel. Right now, even though most of the standing water is gone, the ground is so saturated that the mud doesn't even stick to your shoes.
Looks like the weekly grocery/beer trek will be quick this morning, as no other stops are in the plan. Regretfully, I have to start buying lettuce again as the garden stash has run out. If I can get to it today, the onions in the garden are ready for harvest. I have also been hand-pollinating squash plants all week. That's just to ensure a harvest in case the bees are not on the ball. The green beans, peppers and tomatoes are self-pollinating so I don't have to deal with them.
I am making some progress in pumping the water off the swimming pool cover so that I can remove it. It has a huge cache of fallen leaves in the center that I can't reach, so it won't be as simple as just pulling it off when the water is gone. Inevitably some those leaves will spill off and then I'll have to vacuum. Most years when there isn't all of this water on top, the early spring winds get underneath the cover and fling them off before this stage. Wind forecast for the next ten days is for less than 8 mph, so Mother Nature won't be any help after I get the water off. Water temperature is holding steady at 77°, almost but not quite tolerable. It will drop though once the black cover is removed.
I grilled some chicken thighs last night to go with a load of green beans that I picked yesterday morning. Sure was delicious. I picked enough beans to make about four pints in the pressure canner, which I will do tomorrow after adding another good picking to it. I may even try freezing some of them which I haven't done in over twenty years. I normally don't have freezer space for long term storage of them. This winter I didn't make as much bread as I usually make for summer use, as we are both trying to maintain a low-carb diet.
I'll have Taylor Ham and scrambled eggs this morning Flo. And just half of an English Muffin...low-carb diet!
Thanks as always for the likes and comments regarding the latest projects; Chad, Guy, Karl, Steve, Rick, Justin, Patrick, Sherrel, Tom O, Garry, Ken, Hughie, Tom.
Not a lot of real photogenic progress in the train shed yesterday. I painted some more parts of the structure.
I'm not too sure that I like the color of the dimensional lumber framework here. I don't really have a "yellow pine" color to use. These are done with Polly Scale Catwhisker Yellow, and overcoated with Polly Scale Dust. The front porch on the right is just primed for now. The whole kit is in the same bland gray color that the sprues show. All of those holes in the porch are for detail parts to insert in to. One drawback to these DPM Landmark kits is these holes. If you want something in another place, it requires filling in the holes and cutting off the mounting peg on the parts. Twelve of the 25 detail parts for this kit go on this porch. The next step is to paint all of the detail parts (and porch as well) before further assembly on the porch itself.
Over on the layout, I laid out the track and the cannery for a test fit. I was able to move the cannery back a bit over 5" to gain more room for foreground structures and scenery.
I didn't get a chance to cut the backdrop yet, but that will happen today.
Steve - Let's hope that the remodel goes as smoothly as the turntable hole.
Guy - How is your wife getting rid of the ants? Since I am an organic gardener, I don't use poisons. I simple pour boiling water on the mound and that works. Although it sometimes takes a second application until the queen is stewed. Once she's gone, the whole colony dies.
That sure is a nice looking grain elevator, too bad that it's abandoned. Any chance that it will reopen?
Ken - The skirting is looking really good. I have the same issue as you do when it comes to taking overall layout pictures. Everything is so tight, even though the aisles are ample enough.
As I posted yesterday, one of the attractions on our road trip to Central Texas was to the San Antonio Aquarium. It is an interesting place that's not all aquarium. It is a place to bring the family for entertainment. There are certainly enough aquatic displays, but there is also a couple of game rooms with arcades, a ball pit, rides and a couple of places with mammals and birds. It has two (of five) monkey cages where you can go in and pet monkeys and have your picture taken. Definitely for the kids.
I guess that these are really Ring-Tailed Lemurs. You can see a couple of the benches for the photo-ops.
Another mammal there is a porcupine.
It's also a tough place to take pictures, but I got a few.
The first exhibit was kinda neat.
Then there were some colorful fish.
More tomorrow.
Everybody have a great day. Be safe.
Looks like the weekly grocery/beer trek will be quick this morning, as no other stops are in the plan. Regretfully, I have to start buying lettuce again as the garden stash has run out. If I can get to it today, the onions in the garden are ready for harvest. I have also been hand-pollinating squash plants all week. That's just to ensure a harvest in case the bees are not on the ball. The green beans, peppers and tomatoes are self-pollinating so I don't have to deal with them.
I am making some progress in pumping the water off the swimming pool cover so that I can remove it. It has a huge cache of fallen leaves in the center that I can't reach, so it won't be as simple as just pulling it off when the water is gone. Inevitably some those leaves will spill off and then I'll have to vacuum. Most years when there isn't all of this water on top, the early spring winds get underneath the cover and fling them off before this stage. Wind forecast for the next ten days is for less than 8 mph, so Mother Nature won't be any help after I get the water off. Water temperature is holding steady at 77°, almost but not quite tolerable. It will drop though once the black cover is removed.
I grilled some chicken thighs last night to go with a load of green beans that I picked yesterday morning. Sure was delicious. I picked enough beans to make about four pints in the pressure canner, which I will do tomorrow after adding another good picking to it. I may even try freezing some of them which I haven't done in over twenty years. I normally don't have freezer space for long term storage of them. This winter I didn't make as much bread as I usually make for summer use, as we are both trying to maintain a low-carb diet.
I'll have Taylor Ham and scrambled eggs this morning Flo. And just half of an English Muffin...low-carb diet!
Thanks as always for the likes and comments regarding the latest projects; Chad, Guy, Karl, Steve, Rick, Justin, Patrick, Sherrel, Tom O, Garry, Ken, Hughie, Tom.
Not a lot of real photogenic progress in the train shed yesterday. I painted some more parts of the structure.
I'm not too sure that I like the color of the dimensional lumber framework here. I don't really have a "yellow pine" color to use. These are done with Polly Scale Catwhisker Yellow, and overcoated with Polly Scale Dust. The front porch on the right is just primed for now. The whole kit is in the same bland gray color that the sprues show. All of those holes in the porch are for detail parts to insert in to. One drawback to these DPM Landmark kits is these holes. If you want something in another place, it requires filling in the holes and cutting off the mounting peg on the parts. Twelve of the 25 detail parts for this kit go on this porch. The next step is to paint all of the detail parts (and porch as well) before further assembly on the porch itself.
Over on the layout, I laid out the track and the cannery for a test fit. I was able to move the cannery back a bit over 5" to gain more room for foreground structures and scenery.
I didn't get a chance to cut the backdrop yet, but that will happen today.
Steve - Let's hope that the remodel goes as smoothly as the turntable hole.
Guy - How is your wife getting rid of the ants? Since I am an organic gardener, I don't use poisons. I simple pour boiling water on the mound and that works. Although it sometimes takes a second application until the queen is stewed. Once she's gone, the whole colony dies.
That sure is a nice looking grain elevator, too bad that it's abandoned. Any chance that it will reopen?
Ken - The skirting is looking really good. I have the same issue as you do when it comes to taking overall layout pictures. Everything is so tight, even though the aisles are ample enough.
As I posted yesterday, one of the attractions on our road trip to Central Texas was to the San Antonio Aquarium. It is an interesting place that's not all aquarium. It is a place to bring the family for entertainment. There are certainly enough aquatic displays, but there is also a couple of game rooms with arcades, a ball pit, rides and a couple of places with mammals and birds. It has two (of five) monkey cages where you can go in and pet monkeys and have your picture taken. Definitely for the kids.
I guess that these are really Ring-Tailed Lemurs. You can see a couple of the benches for the photo-ops.
Another mammal there is a porcupine.
It's also a tough place to take pictures, but I got a few.
The first exhibit was kinda neat.
Then there were some colorful fish.
More tomorrow.
Everybody have a great day. Be safe.
McLeod
Forest Lurker
Good Morning!
And it's going to be another rainless, hot day here in the north. I don't call the morning cool at 60°F very cool. In fact, I had a heck of a time trying to sleep over the night; sleeping with the covers removed and a pair of electric fans running was the only way to get any shut-eye.
It was so hot yesterday that I took the day off from being retired, and walked out to the rail bridge crossing the Athabasca River. My hope was to sit in the forest shade and catch a train crossing that rail bridge.
The trip was almost a complete failure, as no train came by during the 7 hours I was lurking in the forest. All I got for rail photos were a bunch of boring empty rail bridge photos:
That river boat and a voyager in a canoe were the only humans I saw all day on that trip.
I did have music, though. There were Solitary Sandpipers playing their pipes over the entire time I was there.
The bowl is dug into the anthill so the entrance holes are just seen above the surface, and left alone from there. Trouble is, you wind-up with a dead spot where the bowl is dug in.
She'll also take the time to dig with the shovel and force them to move on. It all depends on the circumstances, though. She's hesitant to use boiling water because it kills her flowers too.
The grain elevator has locked gates and fence surrounding it. I'm not sure if it will ever be used again, but, it does seem to be well maintained. I believe it's last use was as an alfalfa pellet plant some years ago.
I suppose I'm building a new trestle for my wife's Honeysuckle vines today. She has me doing all kinds of things in her garden as she makes inroads to attract Hummingbirds. She also wants me to model a Hummingbird birdbath, which I have researched and have ordered a solar pump for.
I'm going to make it using styrafoam; so it really isn't to far removed from layout modeling.
Thanks for all the likes on my morning posts. It is really appreciated.
Have a good one!
And it's going to be another rainless, hot day here in the north. I don't call the morning cool at 60°F very cool. In fact, I had a heck of a time trying to sleep over the night; sleeping with the covers removed and a pair of electric fans running was the only way to get any shut-eye.
It was so hot yesterday that I took the day off from being retired, and walked out to the rail bridge crossing the Athabasca River. My hope was to sit in the forest shade and catch a train crossing that rail bridge.
The trip was almost a complete failure, as no train came by during the 7 hours I was lurking in the forest. All I got for rail photos were a bunch of boring empty rail bridge photos:
That river boat and a voyager in a canoe were the only humans I saw all day on that trip.
I did have music, though. There were Solitary Sandpipers playing their pipes over the entire time I was there.
Willie - To kill ants, my wife uses a 50/50 mixture of borax and icing-sugar placed in a covered plastic margarine container. The container has holes drilled just below the lid around the circumference of the bowl. The holes are just big enough for the ants to get in/out.
The bowl is dug into the anthill so the entrance holes are just seen above the surface, and left alone from there. Trouble is, you wind-up with a dead spot where the bowl is dug in.
She'll also take the time to dig with the shovel and force them to move on. It all depends on the circumstances, though. She's hesitant to use boiling water because it kills her flowers too.
The grain elevator has locked gates and fence surrounding it. I'm not sure if it will ever be used again, but, it does seem to be well maintained. I believe it's last use was as an alfalfa pellet plant some years ago.
I suppose I'm building a new trestle for my wife's Honeysuckle vines today. She has me doing all kinds of things in her garden as she makes inroads to attract Hummingbirds. She also wants me to model a Hummingbird birdbath, which I have researched and have ordered a solar pump for.
I'm going to make it using styrafoam; so it really isn't to far removed from layout modeling.
Thanks for all the likes on my morning posts. It is really appreciated.
Have a good one!
MilwRoader_Steve
Well-Known Member
Thank you sir, and to all the others who have complimented and/or remarked upon my hole. as they say, "One small step for [a] man, one giant leap for layout-dom."
I really was having quite the anxiety attack re that hole!! To answer the question, I have a good jigsaw and managed to find a decent blade. Drilled two 5/8" holes tangent to the circle and started there. I am a bit concerned that there is no mechanical connection (screws, for example) holding it in place. Instructions say to make a very small cut where the crew bosses and push into the foam. Has anyone else installed one of these in that manner? Or does everyone go ahead and drill and screw the base. I can see that the bosses in the foam will hold it, and it would be very easy to goober up the level/set by using screws through 1 inch of foam. Any voice of experience most appreciated.
Hoped to make progress last night, but alas, no. I have an evening meeting tonight 1830 - 2000, so probably wont get anything done this evening, either. Oh well. This weekend is packing up the kitchen and ripping out old countertops. And moving that huge fridge. But I am golfing tomorrow, hell-or-high-water, as it may be the last chance for several weeks.
MilwRoader_Steve
Well-Known Member
Glad to meet you, Steve! My layout will be freelance, but will emphasize the northern roads. I have a GN 4-8-2, A Burlington switcher, a CN 4-4-1000, and a Porter 0-6-0T with a steel mill ID. CArs are mostly MILW, GN, CB&Q, etc. I am most anxious for shows and markets as I have only one caboose (Burlington green), but they always seem so pricey. But I have convinced myself to stop buying locos/rolling stock until significant work complete on the layout. I'm still in the infancy stage of this hobby.
I would be glad to lay eyes upon one another and glean wisdom from your experience! At any rate, I hope to be a useful contributor here upon the forum. ------Steve
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