ShermanHill
Well-Known Member
Pitts?
Running Bear's May 2020 Coffee Shop
- Thread starter bnsf971
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Texas Hobo
Well Known Hobo
PRR Modeler - Yes it is a BLI. I've been using it pretty heavily for 2 weeks now and I'm very happy with it. It has a great low speed, pulls 12 or so cars on level track and 7 up a 4% grade.
McLeod
Forest Lurker
Sherrel - The cabin building adventure was during the Kodak Instamatic flash cube days, and I didn't have one, so no photos exist. I'm afraid those aspen poplar logs have long since turned into compost.
Other than pure greed, I don't know why it costs so much to ship stuff. When you consider how many small packages they can fit onto a single airplane for the shipping cost they are asking, it's a wonder why they even bother to haul people around. The package shipment industry is a billion dollar business, and it's only going to get better.
Bummer! I've owned this home for 25yrs, and the most problems it's given me in that time involves the hot water tank. This very morning, I sprung a leak in the copper cold water pipe feeding the tank. And it's Victoria's birthday this weekend, so the plumber will cost double bubble, or I wait until Tuesday. All I can say is Thank You to who ever invented electrical tape!
That otta hold her until Tuesday!
Boris - Nice photo. I'm not big on the engine, but, I like the car line-up. Looks like #4 is a Hudson, and #7 is a Studebaker. I'll bet the owners are sorry they traded in those babies now! I'm sorry as ell I traded in my 1970 Mustang fastback for a lousy $500.00.
Willie - Now I know why you spend so much time mowing grass. You need to put another train shed out there; a big one.
Sherman - Yep, that's a Pitt's S-2. Not mine, though. You gotta be rich to own one of those, so I'll have to build mine out of the G-kids Lego.
Well, I need to go plant corn. The wife has it growing in the house, and it's big enough to go outside now. See you soon.
PRR Modeler
Well-Known Member
Afternoon All,
Started out with chores then pretty much finished up with the stone part of the build (still have to decide on a exterior light later). There are several add on wood structures and a loading dock yet to do. I think I'm on tap for painting the kitchen ceiling this week also. Talked to Phil a couple of times this week and he is hanging in there.
Willie- Interesting saloons. I'm glad your house and train shed stayed dry.
Alan- WOW. That is amazing at half size.
Chet- Thank you.
Toot- Nice photos.
Karl- Congratulations...I think? That is also how you tell a teenager is lying.
Sherrel- Thank you. When I get done with building my buildings. After this I believe I have 2 or 3 Cornerstone buildings to go. I'll build the roundhouse after the layout is started.
Joe- Neat looking Centipede.
Mikey- I know it feels good to be home.
I hope everyone has a good night.
Started out with chores then pretty much finished up with the stone part of the build (still have to decide on a exterior light later). There are several add on wood structures and a loading dock yet to do. I think I'm on tap for painting the kitchen ceiling this week also. Talked to Phil a couple of times this week and he is hanging in there.
Willie- Interesting saloons. I'm glad your house and train shed stayed dry.
Alan- WOW. That is amazing at half size.
Chet- Thank you.
Toot- Nice photos.
Karl- Congratulations...I think? That is also how you tell a teenager is lying.
Sherrel- Thank you. When I get done with building my buildings. After this I believe I have 2 or 3 Cornerstone buildings to go. I'll build the roundhouse after the layout is started.
Joe- Neat looking Centipede.
Mikey- I know it feels good to be home.
I hope everyone has a good night.
SHERREL and WILLIE- Thanks for your comments. CURT Always a pleasure talking to you.
MOH is fighting with her IMMUNE system again. I'm fighting Arthritis and blood where it don't belong. I see the tummy doctor tomorrow. Probably have to swallow a camera -maybe just a colonoscopy.
and today is our 39th anniversary. Joy to the world
Wish all good health and a quick return to normalcy.
Phil
MOH is fighting with her IMMUNE system again. I'm fighting Arthritis and blood where it don't belong. I see the tummy doctor tomorrow. Probably have to swallow a camera -maybe just a colonoscopy.
and today is our 39th anniversary. Joy to the world
Wish all good health and a quick return to normalcy.
Phil
Burlington Bob
Well-Known Member
Good afternoon America, how are ya? Got up at 5:00 this morning and the wife and I sat on the front porch with our dogs on our laps as we drank coffee and watched the sun come up. Really love being able to do that!
Started reading posts on here this morning and got sidetracked with things the wife thought were more important. I imagine there are a few here that know what I'm talking about!
Anyway, we went to Rock Island State Park and thought we might walk around if there weren't many others there and take some pictures. Well, by the time that we got there, half of the people in Tennessee were already there! We just turned around and headed back home. On the way back, we decided we would try again during a weekday morning when there would be a chance of fewer people then. We'll see. Others might be ready to risk their lives for a little walk in the park, but there's no way my wife and I are!
As a consolation, we decided to order take out from Olive Garden. The server came out wearing a mask as we wore ours. Probably somewhere between a 5-10% rate for mask wearers by the general public here. There were a lot of people dining inside, but the wife and I will not be one of them until things change drastically! We want to be around for a while longer. The wife read a post on FakeBook that said something to the effect that the opening up of the states doesn't mean that we don't have to worry about the virus anymore, it just means that they will have an opening for you in the hospital! So make wise choices!
Started figuring prices for materials from Lowe's for a 10x12 shed with a gable roof and I should be able to build it for under $2000. That would include insulation and drywall and all the fixin's! I'm not going to get real elaborate, but I do want it to be nice. Now if I could just get it built for that price! It's a good thing I like doing that kind of work, but I just don't enjoy it as much as I did when I was young. It should all be worth it though!
Stay safe and six feet away!
Started reading posts on here this morning and got sidetracked with things the wife thought were more important. I imagine there are a few here that know what I'm talking about!
Anyway, we went to Rock Island State Park and thought we might walk around if there weren't many others there and take some pictures. Well, by the time that we got there, half of the people in Tennessee were already there! We just turned around and headed back home. On the way back, we decided we would try again during a weekday morning when there would be a chance of fewer people then. We'll see. Others might be ready to risk their lives for a little walk in the park, but there's no way my wife and I are!
As a consolation, we decided to order take out from Olive Garden. The server came out wearing a mask as we wore ours. Probably somewhere between a 5-10% rate for mask wearers by the general public here. There were a lot of people dining inside, but the wife and I will not be one of them until things change drastically! We want to be around for a while longer. The wife read a post on FakeBook that said something to the effect that the opening up of the states doesn't mean that we don't have to worry about the virus anymore, it just means that they will have an opening for you in the hospital! So make wise choices!
Started figuring prices for materials from Lowe's for a 10x12 shed with a gable roof and I should be able to build it for under $2000. That would include insulation and drywall and all the fixin's! I'm not going to get real elaborate, but I do want it to be nice. Now if I could just get it built for that price! It's a good thing I like doing that kind of work, but I just don't enjoy it as much as I did when I was young. It should all be worth it though!
Stay safe and six feet away!
PNKFLOYD
Mikey
I finally looked through the posts since I left on Tuesday. It is an amazing read!
Alan- The serialized story of your building the COSF consist has an avid following here. If you were to stop now, you would get hate mail for a month!
Willie- I feel like I have had a personally guided tour of your layout every time you post pictures and descriptions.. Thank you for your time and efforts.
Everybody else contributes in one form or another with comments, pictures and questions. I do not agree with every thing said on the forum and there are some posts that I do not have much interest in, but I read each one. Strange how much I learn about many subjects.
Alan- The serialized story of your building the COSF consist has an avid following here. If you were to stop now, you would get hate mail for a month!
Willie- I feel like I have had a personally guided tour of your layout every time you post pictures and descriptions.. Thank you for your time and efforts.
Everybody else contributes in one form or another with comments, pictures and questions. I do not agree with every thing said on the forum and there are some posts that I do not have much interest in, but I read each one. Strange how much I learn about many subjects.
No worries Mikey! I'll be pushing through to the finish line, but it may get quiet for a while. I have about 5 or 6 cars to do windows & window treatments for, and that stuff isn't very exciting!
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kbkchooch
"retired" conductor
Ah cantrair my friend. Some of us twisted folks will want to see the "boring" stuff too!
Burlington Bob
Well-Known Member
Good morning America, how are ya? 66° and mostly cloudy as the sun makes its appearance. The weather forecast includes rain for the next 8 days! I sure do hope things run the normal course.........then that will mean they are wrong and it will be dry!
Karl, I have a question for you. Is that picture of you with a face mask, or a picture of a former prolific member here? I ask because the first time I saw it, I thought of him. I haven't looked up any of his past posts to check the similarities, so I may be all wet! It wouldn't be the first time!
Everyone stay safe and six feet apart!
Karl, I have a question for you. Is that picture of you with a face mask, or a picture of a former prolific member here? I ask because the first time I saw it, I thought of him. I haven't looked up any of his past posts to check the similarities, so I may be all wet! It wouldn't be the first time!
Everyone stay safe and six feet apart!
Patrick
Alien Attitude.
Good Morning all,
After 9" of rain in 72 hours, I was finally able to get some yard work caught back up. Saturday was drizzly until late afternoon, so yesterday was the day. Spent 4 hours trimming, cutting down a boxwood bush that got too big (wanted to take it out years ago, but the wife said it hid the side garage door from the street), and then mowed and spayed the weed killer. I was going to spray the trees, but wind speeds were a little high. Then I finally got some train time yesterday. The remote switch engines came in on Friday, so I got the final 2 yard switches in and all work. It was nice to move an engine in the yard and on the tracks as I desired without having to stand up to move a switch. I still need to mark them and their direction, as a switch in the wrong always seems to cause a derail. I also cleaned up a tools and excess off the layout surface, so now I can start working on the layout landscaping and such.
Sadly, I have 72 channels on an OTA antenna and still find there's nothing on, but at least I'm not paying for it.
Politics: “Poli” a Latin word meaning "many" and "tics" meaning "bloodsucking creatures.
Do mosquitoes count?
After 9" of rain in 72 hours, I was finally able to get some yard work caught back up. Saturday was drizzly until late afternoon, so yesterday was the day. Spent 4 hours trimming, cutting down a boxwood bush that got too big (wanted to take it out years ago, but the wife said it hid the side garage door from the street), and then mowed and spayed the weed killer. I was going to spray the trees, but wind speeds were a little high. Then I finally got some train time yesterday. The remote switch engines came in on Friday, so I got the final 2 yard switches in and all work. It was nice to move an engine in the yard and on the tracks as I desired without having to stand up to move a switch. I still need to mark them and their direction, as a switch in the wrong always seems to cause a derail. I also cleaned up a tools and excess off the layout surface, so now I can start working on the layout landscaping and such.
Sadly, I have 72 channels on an OTA antenna and still find there's nothing on, but at least I'm not paying for it.
Politics: “Poli” a Latin word meaning "many" and "tics" meaning "bloodsucking creatures.
Do mosquitoes count?
I could tell you how to classify those mosquitoes, but then I would get BANISHED FOREVER!
Challenge accepted! Prepare to be bored LOL! These cars are all 1990's vintage. In those days brass cars didn't come with interiors. They were also lots cheaper than they are now! Side note: a guy I know just picked up his new Union Terminal Imports brass "City of Miami". Only 15 sets were made. I'll bet he plunked down somewhere between $11-12K for that train with the four brass E units. He mentioned a discounted price of around $725 a car. And I thought I spent too much on trains! But I digress...
So no interiors. How to hide that yawning empty space? it is obvious. Adding interiors to the train isn't really an option. Most of them would have to be scratched and I don't want to spend several more years on this train. The best option is tinted windows and window treatments. Most commercial tinted styrene is too dark and the wrong color, so I bought clear and tinted it myself. I use a mix of Tamiya clear blue and clear green to get a tint that's pretty close to what I see in photos. It's been installed in this car, but it's hard to see the true color because of that blue cutting mat. The COSF cars all had venetian blinds and curtains. I'm skipping the curtains, and going with venetian blinds. The sheet of blind material you see is a decal. They'll have to be cut out and positioned one at a time. Tedious with a capital T!
The Overland's 10-6 blunt end sleeper will get an interior. This interior is from a Walthers car. It's going to have to have surgery before it gets mounted, because the car construction won't allow a slip in fit. More on that later! Windows first!
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
Good Morning Everyone. Clear and 62° again this morning. The ever changing forecast is now predicting rain starting next Thursday, moving up by a couple of days, and continuing at least a week! May is usually our wettest month here.
Due to the overcast and rainy days, the pool water cooled off a bit over the weekend. Starting over again at 75°, still it may reach a comfortable temperature this week. It probably won't matter tomorrow when it dries out enough to resume mowing. In the meantime, I cut down a couple more trees last week and I can use my outdoor time today to cut them into firewood lengths for next winter.
OK, we broke the quarantine yesterday and went out to Houlihan's restaurant with another couple who were anxious to get out of their home as well. Seemed relatively safe, 25% indoor seating which wasn't even all taken, all employees were wearing gloves and masks, and the manager himself cleaned tables/chairs as the guests departed. They also had disposable paper menus, a nice thought. When we asked for salt and pepper, they brought over a couple of grinders and wiped them down with an alcohol wipe before setting them on the table. However they weren't serving draft beer and we had to settle for bottles. But Sunday was all day Happy Hour so the cost wasn't too extreme.
How about some ham, eggs and a nice toasted English Muffin this morning Francine.
Thanks for all of the likes and comments yesterday; Rick, Guy, Chad, Sherrel, Joe, Curt, Phil, Bob, Hughie, Jerome, Mikey, Garry, Patrick.
Out in the train shed, I made some more progress with scenery in the scrapyard. At this point I am calling the project almost complete except for a few minor exceptions. It is a milestone of sorts as I now have three more feet of layout scenery completed from fascia to backdrop. It still needs a bit of tidying up on the misplaced scenery junk.
I had these "control panels" in the detail drawer for a few years now, I got them in a box of junk in an estate sale. Don't know exactly what they were for, but I always knew that I would use at least one of them one day.
First thing today is to add the signs and a gasoline storage tank.
I also need to add the rail spur gates and a "junkyard dawg", all of which I have but just ran out of time. As I run across some more scrap when I clean the workbench, I will also add it. I do need to obtain a HO scale front end loader to replace the 1:64 Matchbox one. Later today I will also begin to add some tall weeds here and there
Sherrel - Finally got your stimulus check! Was it delivered by the Pony Express?
Guy - Good temporary fix on the pipe. Mowing - That's only a small sliver of what I face. It gets easier toward the end of June when the rains stop and I can get on a biweekly (or longer) cycle.
Curt -
Phil - A belated Happy Anniversary to you and your wife. Best wishes to both of you with the medical issues.
Bob - Nice view from the front porch.
Patrick - I saw on the radar over the weekend where you were getting hit pretty hard with the rain. While I didn't get as much as you did, it just seemed like it just wasn't going to move off.
Everybody have a glorious day. Stay safe.
Due to the overcast and rainy days, the pool water cooled off a bit over the weekend. Starting over again at 75°, still it may reach a comfortable temperature this week. It probably won't matter tomorrow when it dries out enough to resume mowing. In the meantime, I cut down a couple more trees last week and I can use my outdoor time today to cut them into firewood lengths for next winter.
OK, we broke the quarantine yesterday and went out to Houlihan's restaurant with another couple who were anxious to get out of their home as well. Seemed relatively safe, 25% indoor seating which wasn't even all taken, all employees were wearing gloves and masks, and the manager himself cleaned tables/chairs as the guests departed. They also had disposable paper menus, a nice thought. When we asked for salt and pepper, they brought over a couple of grinders and wiped them down with an alcohol wipe before setting them on the table. However they weren't serving draft beer and we had to settle for bottles. But Sunday was all day Happy Hour so the cost wasn't too extreme.
How about some ham, eggs and a nice toasted English Muffin this morning Francine.
Thanks for all of the likes and comments yesterday; Rick, Guy, Chad, Sherrel, Joe, Curt, Phil, Bob, Hughie, Jerome, Mikey, Garry, Patrick.
Out in the train shed, I made some more progress with scenery in the scrapyard. At this point I am calling the project almost complete except for a few minor exceptions. It is a milestone of sorts as I now have three more feet of layout scenery completed from fascia to backdrop. It still needs a bit of tidying up on the misplaced scenery junk.
I had these "control panels" in the detail drawer for a few years now, I got them in a box of junk in an estate sale. Don't know exactly what they were for, but I always knew that I would use at least one of them one day.
First thing today is to add the signs and a gasoline storage tank.
I also need to add the rail spur gates and a "junkyard dawg", all of which I have but just ran out of time. As I run across some more scrap when I clean the workbench, I will also add it. I do need to obtain a HO scale front end loader to replace the 1:64 Matchbox one. Later today I will also begin to add some tall weeds here and there
Sherrel - Finally got your stimulus check! Was it delivered by the Pony Express?
Guy - Good temporary fix on the pipe. Mowing - That's only a small sliver of what I face. It gets easier toward the end of June when the rains stop and I can get on a biweekly (or longer) cycle.
Curt -
Only my head and shoes get wet!
Phil - A belated Happy Anniversary to you and your wife. Best wishes to both of you with the medical issues.
Bob - Nice view from the front porch.
Patrick - I saw on the radar over the weekend where you were getting hit pretty hard with the rain. While I didn't get as much as you did, it just seemed like it just wasn't going to move off.
Everybody have a glorious day. Stay safe.
montanan
Whiskey Merchant
Need another cup.While getting the first mowing of the lawn done over the weekend, I also succeeded in turning myself into a crispy critter, getting a pretty good sun burn on my legs, arms and the top of my head. Should have known better.
Ray - Like the photo of the trains on the grade. Looks familiar.
Willie - Nice detail work. Nice photos. That scrap yard is coming along.
Joe - Like the photo with the Jersey Central locomotive. What kind is it?
Supposed to be in the mid 70's this afternoon. Will try to get a little more outdoor work done, Wearing a hat.
This is the yard and shop for the Virginia and Truckee RR in Virginia City, NV.
Later
Beady
Well-Known Member
Uh, hello?
Judging by my Alerts, it's been about 3 weeks or so since I was last here, and it's been twice as long since I've touched a train or a Lego. It's a shame, since this confinement would have been the perfect opportunity for both. I just had a tele-visit with my doctor, and he's tentatively diagnosing me as suffering from something-iopathy, which translates as heightened depression, as evidenced by a lack of interest in what you normally find enjoyable, or words to that effect. He's going to switch one of my meds to see if that helps, but I first have to be weaned off the one I'm now taking.
I've had a fairly obvious thought about the Legos: Anything you put together will eventually have to be taken apart. Since many of my sets are in the multi-thousand piece category, I've got some thinking to do. Luckily, Legos are a more dependable investment than gold; the price only goes up. One, for example, the Taj Mahal, I bought for $325 and it's in an unopened box. Even though you can still buy it directly off the Lego site at what I paid, they are selling on Ebay for upwards of $600. Used, I could still get my money back; but do I want to build it just to take it apart again? Besides, once built, it's got a damned big footprint.
The trains, on the other hand... Well, I don't really know. The immediate task would involve removing cobwebs and other cleaning tasks. Then, it appears I'll need to begin the job of adding weight to most of the cars. Either that, or figure out another way to keep them from derailing when they go through double crossovers. The first job would be tedious as hell; the second, let's just say I doubt my ability.
Ah well, let's see if I can get back to my normal, cheery self, first.
Judging by my Alerts, it's been about 3 weeks or so since I was last here, and it's been twice as long since I've touched a train or a Lego. It's a shame, since this confinement would have been the perfect opportunity for both. I just had a tele-visit with my doctor, and he's tentatively diagnosing me as suffering from something-iopathy, which translates as heightened depression, as evidenced by a lack of interest in what you normally find enjoyable, or words to that effect. He's going to switch one of my meds to see if that helps, but I first have to be weaned off the one I'm now taking.
I've had a fairly obvious thought about the Legos: Anything you put together will eventually have to be taken apart. Since many of my sets are in the multi-thousand piece category, I've got some thinking to do. Luckily, Legos are a more dependable investment than gold; the price only goes up. One, for example, the Taj Mahal, I bought for $325 and it's in an unopened box. Even though you can still buy it directly off the Lego site at what I paid, they are selling on Ebay for upwards of $600. Used, I could still get my money back; but do I want to build it just to take it apart again? Besides, once built, it's got a damned big footprint.
The trains, on the other hand... Well, I don't really know. The immediate task would involve removing cobwebs and other cleaning tasks. Then, it appears I'll need to begin the job of adding weight to most of the cars. Either that, or figure out another way to keep them from derailing when they go through double crossovers. The first job would be tedious as hell; the second, let's just say I doubt my ability.
Ah well, let's see if I can get back to my normal, cheery self, first.
Boris
Beach Bum
Willie: Nah, Sherrel just lives in the wrong state. Got mine on Wednesday, I must live in a wrong state too. BTW: Nice progress on the junkyard.
Chet: Baldwin built a small number , maybe 10, for the CNJ, so they could retire their fleet of 4-6-0 Camelbacks. They were designated as DL 6-4-2000, or something to that effect. They were unique, in that they had operating cabs on both ends, for quick turnarounds. Had the usual Baldwin shortcomings, so they were gone by the mid 60s.
Alan: We are spoiled by contemporary models. I actually bought a few donor Walthers pre-ww2 sleepers on clearance from Trainworld to install an interior in an old Walthers metal side 6 section - 6 double bedroom sleeper I want to salvage. It will be quite a project. Enjot working on that tapered end 10-6.
Bob: Great view.
Phil: Sorry to hear that, hope all goes well for both of you. Prayers offered on your behalf.
Curt: Moving along nicely with the hydrocal structure. It really looks good now.
I have already been out this morning, I had my Annual Echo - Cardiogram at the cardiologists. Took about 20". Later this afternoon I go to my Primary Doctor. We are going to have to go grocery shopping tomorrow, so... it will be the first time in a while I have been out two days in a row.
I made some real progress in the train room last evening. I resolved some of the problems of the previous track plan with regard to the Pulp and Chemical portions of the Paper Plant.
It's a perfect place for the Smallwood Street Warehouse building formerly located on the other side of the layout. I have to reconnect the running track and replace the switch leading to the pier. It's like suddenly it's coming together.
- Status
