KriegslokBR52
Well-Known Member
I always wondered why Brits put blow off cocks on their steam locomotives facing forward, it seems counter intuitive.
Running Bear's May 2024 Coffee Shop
- Thread starter Bill Tidler Jr.
- Start date
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A young one in my yard in 2013.
It simply the way they were designed, but early mornings and if the loco was stationary for a long time means it will take longer to get the cylinders hot and the steam not to condense back to water, so the drain cocks were left open, any water in a closed cylinder can hydraulically blow out the ends.
But it's more likely someone overfilled the boiler, and the engineer decided he would prank the cameras, but he should not have moved at all as no one on the footplate could see where they were going.
Google search.
If the Ho bug is still gnawing at you, get a loop of unitrack and set it up to see if its any better for you.
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santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
I'm not Curt, but I can answer since I have a few of them from time to time. Basically skunks will eat anything as they are omnivores. But they prefer meat like worms, grasshoppers, crickets, small rodents (mice or rats), snakes, etc. They particularly like dog and cat food that is left out by homeowners and will also raid a chicken coop for feed, eggs or baby chicks. They'll also eat other bird eggs or turtle eggs. When meat is in short supply, they will eat berries, nuts and garden crops as well as most any other vegetation. I see them in my yard gnawing on acorns from my Bur Oak trees.
A young one in my yard in 2013.
KriegslokBR52
Well-Known Member
Sounds like your thing about model railroads are..."natural disasters"
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KriegslokBR52
Well-Known Member
Look at that, you've become a daddy
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
It simply the way they were designed, but early mornings and if the loco was stationary for a long time means it will take longer to get the cylinders hot and the steam not to condense back to water, so the drain cocks were left open, any water in a closed cylinder can hydraulically blow out the ends.
But it's more likely someone overfilled the boiler, and the engineer decided he would prank the cameras, but he should not have moved at all as no one on the footplate could see where they were going.
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
This is not nearly as significant as the Key Bridge in Maryland. Hughie would know more since it is in his neighborhood. The railroad was not an active rail line and Pelican Island is only populated by students at Texas A&M University at Galveston; whose campus is on the island. I think that there are a few industries along with the campus there, but I don't believe that there are any residential or business areas on the island. This is the only bridge to the island and while it is closed, the authorities did allow anyone remaining on the island to use it to evacuate. Evacuation was not mandatory. There are numerous stories on the Internet regarding this. The Texas Highway Department is planning to replace this bridge in 2025.
Google search.
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John from Indiana
Well-Known Member
I had a Lionel train as a kid. My dad was a boilermaker for the Rock in Oklahoma. He met my mother on a Cheokee reservation and they moved to Dalhart, Texas along with my mother's mother, Bunny. They lived there and moved to So Cal with all the other Okies. They settled into a house in Glendale, Ca., my Grandmother stayed in Dalhart. My dad took a piece of plywood and made a train table for me in the shed...somewhere around '53. The Lionel train was an O-27. My older brother had an American Flyer train (much larger) with figure 8 overhead configuration. My dad made me a much larger layout for my bedroom. Don't remember what happened to the S gauge layout, probably my brother took it back and hawked it. I kept the train table and started in on HO. I was on a local SoCal TV show, Engineer Bill, and he gave me more train items and the rest was history. My dad took me to the SP yards in Los Angeles often and I remember seeing a Cab-Forward on a turntable. He took me to the shop and I watched as a steam locomotive went overhead on a crane. I went into an early diesel and the noise was deafing. We rode his pass on the SP and went to visit relatives all over (even though the pass usually meant the milk run train or the mail train. I got bit by the bug and Joan and I have been on every Amtrack train coming and going and in every season in every state available except New England. Went to NYC, and couldn't leave fast enough
Texas Hobo
Well Known Hobo
Good afternoon, all! The threat of severe weather is keeping most folks home, traffic light. It does appear the people north of Houston are going again to be hit with the heavy rains, up to 6" predicted. Some of the folks haven't been able to get out of their homes and those that got out cannot return. Now more rain on the way.
Pelican Island Bridge
The island's only residents are the Texas A&M students. There are a few business and industries on the island as well as a naval museum.
Far lower left is the bridge in question. Built in 1960. Traffic is being allowed off, but currently no traffic allowed on. There is an oil rig/platform repair company and a medium sized shipyard, the Texas is being repaired there, The area that says Military Reservation is new to me. There is a Marine Amphibius base at Fort Point, maybe they use the island to practice beach landings. I didn't know there was a Pelican Island in Alberta.
I think you can do pretty much everything in N scale that you can do in HO. Todays kits are so much better and the selection has grown. True the selection is greater in HO, but the quality, in my opinion is the same. I built my layout to both watch trains run and to be a switching layout. The eyes and the fat fingers do make N a little bit more challenging, but it can fun and turn out just as detailed as you wish to make it
STAY SAFE
LATER
Pelican Island Bridge
The island's only residents are the Texas A&M students. There are a few business and industries on the island as well as a naval museum.
Far lower left is the bridge in question. Built in 1960. Traffic is being allowed off, but currently no traffic allowed on. There is an oil rig/platform repair company and a medium sized shipyard, the Texas is being repaired there, The area that says Military Reservation is new to me. There is a Marine Amphibius base at Fort Point, maybe they use the island to practice beach landings. I didn't know there was a Pelican Island in Alberta.
I think you can do pretty much everything in N scale that you can do in HO. Todays kits are so much better and the selection has grown. True the selection is greater in HO, but the quality, in my opinion is the same. I built my layout to both watch trains run and to be a switching layout. The eyes and the fat fingers do make N a little bit more challenging, but it can fun and turn out just as detailed as you wish to make it
STAY SAFE
LATER
troyphoto
Snarky Old Fart (in training)
Thanks everyone for the comments about N v HO scale. Right now I'm leaning to keeping my N-scale stuff. I've got the upper deck I could do a point to point HO on if I really want to do scene vignettes of greater detail. Keep the lower level N-scale and continuous run with some switching and industries.
I need to print up some 10mm (1:160 orcs) and see if they have any detail left.
There are mini makers who specialize in 10mm or even 6mm. Those figures tend to be a bit thicker and more rotund to keep them on the "sprues" (AKA Supports) in the 3D printers.
I need to print up some 10mm (1:160 orcs) and see if they have any detail left.
There are mini makers who specialize in 10mm or even 6mm. Those figures tend to be a bit thicker and more rotund to keep them on the "sprues" (AKA Supports) in the 3D printers.
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migalyto
Well-Known Member
Sounds like a great plan! You already have a great start on an layout, with the bench work already mostly in place. The 17" radius is still pretty good in N, and will run anything out there if you ever would decide to change eras.
If the Ho bug is still gnawing at you, get a loop of unitrack and set it up to see if its any better for you.
Texas Hobo
Well Known Hobo
Some very powerful and destructive storms just blew through Houston and the surrounding areas. Winds reported at 120 mph. 800,000 plus without power. Windows are blown out of skyscrapers in downtown. Huge transmission towers toppled, high voltage wires on the ground. Semi blown over. At the hobo camp not anywhere near that kind of damage. Here mostly 30 mph wind and 1 & 1/3 inches of rain
traiNscale
Well-Known Member
Good morning
- ZRH Airport up and running
- rain
- around 15 celcius
Question of the day: Water based Acrylics or others?
@PRR Modeler you asked for pictures. But maybe i lost track so what pictures are you asking?
- ZRH Airport up and running
- rain
- around 15 celcius
Question of the day: Water based Acrylics or others?
@PRR Modeler you asked for pictures. But maybe i lost track so what pictures are you asking?
chadbag
Well-Known Member
Is it ZRH or ZHR?
traiNscale
Well-Known Member
ZRH = Zurich (Switzerland)
Bill Tidler Jr.
Retired N&W/NS Signalman
Good morning!
Nickel Plate Road EB 627 a 2-8-2 (Mikado) locomotive with a circus train at the TP&W crossing in East Peoria IL
Photo: Jag Williams collection. (unknown date)
Nickel Plate Road EB 627 a 2-8-2 (Mikado) locomotive with a circus train at the TP&W crossing in East Peoria IL
Photo: Jag Williams collection. (unknown date)
JimKrol
Well-Known Member
Zurich was the first airport I ever went through, that had guards with machine guns standing at the corners of the aisles. This was in the 90's.
ctclibby
Well-Known Member
Good Morning All!
61F @ 50% dark with stars
Everything seems to be settling down here. Maria has new/old drugs to get her through it all. She actually got on the rider and did some mowing yesterday afternoon. Just sitting does not seem to cause undue breathing problems, nor does the pollen, dust and stuff coming out of the grass blown out by the mower.
It never ends does it? We are on well water and a few times yesterday the water went to 0 pressure ( 0 water too ) for about 5 to 8 seconds. No water coming out of the pressure tank bladder with 28Psi rock solid, so I suspect that the pressure switch is the culprit. Get to play with that after it gets light. Lots of Iron in this well so the siphon could be plugged. Thing turns off @ 40/50Psi ( don't remember ), it just takes awhile to turn on. Fun Fun; drain system, get pressure switch off the tank without breaking anything, put new on.
Get to play with the weed wacker so we can do around the perimeter fencing once. I say once as Maria got some of that magic stuff that keeps grass from growing ( No, not gasoline ) and will spray that along the fence bottom. Then start leveling for the garage floor. That is gonna be fun - have 36'x40' planned for garage/shop and from eye-balling the current location, we drop almost a foot from front to back; 6" from side to side. I am getting better on the tractor and can get stuff pretty much flat.
I actually put a tool/craft box together for getting rolling stock ready for the layout. I currently have over 700 units that might need metal wheels, Kaydee's, weighted, aligned with inventory pix. Sure would like to deal with the car numbers at this time but that may have to wait; I do put an inventory # on the bottom of the rolling stock to keep them individuals. If I can do a couple/few every night while watching the boob tube I should be caught up in a couple of years. Of course I will be buying rolling stock so it is a never ending story.
Oh, as a fun note, Zipply is now offering 50Gig down- what? Probably marketing hype only. You can buy 10Gig NIC's ( copper ) for your pc's, but would need whole new switch/hub technology. And what about WiFi - 1Gig connection speeds ( not through put ) are pretty much max for us normal users. I do have fiber from house to train cave, but there is no way ima gonna use fiber between machines. 1Gig CAT5/6 is just fine for what I do and I can wait for those terrabyte transfers - Ya, just like the old days, go and fire up the 8088 then go find coffee, smoke and shoot the breeze for a bit before keyboard pounding.
Later
61F @ 50% dark with stars
Everything seems to be settling down here. Maria has new/old drugs to get her through it all. She actually got on the rider and did some mowing yesterday afternoon. Just sitting does not seem to cause undue breathing problems, nor does the pollen, dust and stuff coming out of the grass blown out by the mower.
It never ends does it? We are on well water and a few times yesterday the water went to 0 pressure ( 0 water too ) for about 5 to 8 seconds. No water coming out of the pressure tank bladder with 28Psi rock solid, so I suspect that the pressure switch is the culprit. Get to play with that after it gets light. Lots of Iron in this well so the siphon could be plugged. Thing turns off @ 40/50Psi ( don't remember ), it just takes awhile to turn on. Fun Fun; drain system, get pressure switch off the tank without breaking anything, put new on.
Get to play with the weed wacker so we can do around the perimeter fencing once. I say once as Maria got some of that magic stuff that keeps grass from growing ( No, not gasoline ) and will spray that along the fence bottom. Then start leveling for the garage floor. That is gonna be fun - have 36'x40' planned for garage/shop and from eye-balling the current location, we drop almost a foot from front to back; 6" from side to side. I am getting better on the tractor and can get stuff pretty much flat.
I actually put a tool/craft box together for getting rolling stock ready for the layout. I currently have over 700 units that might need metal wheels, Kaydee's, weighted, aligned with inventory pix. Sure would like to deal with the car numbers at this time but that may have to wait; I do put an inventory # on the bottom of the rolling stock to keep them individuals. If I can do a couple/few every night while watching the boob tube I should be caught up in a couple of years. Of course I will be buying rolling stock so it is a never ending story.
Oh, as a fun note, Zipply is now offering 50Gig down- what? Probably marketing hype only. You can buy 10Gig NIC's ( copper ) for your pc's, but would need whole new switch/hub technology. And what about WiFi - 1Gig connection speeds ( not through put ) are pretty much max for us normal users. I do have fiber from house to train cave, but there is no way ima gonna use fiber between machines. 1Gig CAT5/6 is just fine for what I do and I can wait for those terrabyte transfers - Ya, just like the old days, go and fire up the 8088 then go find coffee, smoke and shoot the breeze for a bit before keyboard pounding.
Later
troyphoto
Snarky Old Fart (in training)
Well, howdy there internet peeps that those breaking wind. Stay safe (from either kind)...
Nothing new on the mother front. A quiet nite. Today is likely to be discharge day. We'll see.
Tinnitus: Got the new hearing aids. Starkey Genesis.
So far, the app on the phone is OK. I've seen better and worse. BUT, the tinnitus program has been working after one day.
Caveat, the increase in my tinnitus definitely seems stress related. The immediate stress related to mom is abated, but a more long-term stress is settling in as we start the arguing about her need to head to the skilled care facility.
The tinnitus program is interesting. I can adjust the volume per ear. I can speed up or slow down the cycle. Cycle of what? How about a mix of white noise variations. Sometimes it's kind of surf like. Sometimes it's outdoors night-time crickety. Others times, it's white or pink noise. And it varies from ear to ear. Sometimes they overlap, usually they're off-cycle from each other.
It's kind of loud right now, because my tinnitus dropped through yesterday once I got the new aids. It was running about a 7 when I went in to the audiologist. Now it's a 4.5. My goal is to hold it steady and/or drop it through today.
The audiologist said that I should eventually get to using the Tinnitus Masker function for just a couple hours a day. Ramp it back up whenever stress causes the tinnitus to flare.
I did get my Orcy Manticores attached to the bases without breaking wings off. Unfortunately, I forgot to put the magnet sheets on the bottom of the bases. Transporting the orcs to and from the game store is best done in a Really Useful Box (in the US, Sterlite is a similar brand) with a piece of 16 gauge steel glued to the bottom of the box. Magnet + Steel means the models stay mostly in place.
The rule is to make the base look full. Technically, there should be six manticores on that base. Three barely fit with the terrain bits. Even then, I had to add cork bits (aka, the "Strategic Rock") under a raised foot or three. Super glue plus Baking Soda filled in the gaps and stengthened everything up. Still have some touchup painting to do on the bases.
Slightly better fit on this base, but baking soda was still used.
Tomorrow is no hobby day. Luncheon with the wife's family. Now that MIL is in assisted living, the grandkids are getting sentimental about not being able to gather at Grandma's place for holidays. What used to be Thanksgiving and Christmas is becoming every hallmark holiday.
I don't begrudge them their desire to see grandma, but they're looking at my wife or her sister to "Host" the gatherings, since grandma sold her house and is now in a one-bedroom flat.
Wife and her sis are begrudgingly planning these little parties. We thought we were good, trying to do a big get-together family-reunion at our condo clubhouse this coming Aug. And SIL does the Christmas dinner at her condo clubhouse.
But there's like 15 more chances to get together scream the adult grandkids.
Great!, I'm going to remind them. Get your arses in gear and plan it yourself. Remember, Grandma has a five-mile max radius of travel. Long car rides take a big toll on her.
That's it for now.
Nothing new on the mother front. A quiet nite. Today is likely to be discharge day. We'll see.
Tinnitus: Got the new hearing aids. Starkey Genesis.
So far, the app on the phone is OK. I've seen better and worse. BUT, the tinnitus program has been working after one day.
Caveat, the increase in my tinnitus definitely seems stress related. The immediate stress related to mom is abated, but a more long-term stress is settling in as we start the arguing about her need to head to the skilled care facility.
The tinnitus program is interesting. I can adjust the volume per ear. I can speed up or slow down the cycle. Cycle of what? How about a mix of white noise variations. Sometimes it's kind of surf like. Sometimes it's outdoors night-time crickety. Others times, it's white or pink noise. And it varies from ear to ear. Sometimes they overlap, usually they're off-cycle from each other.
It's kind of loud right now, because my tinnitus dropped through yesterday once I got the new aids. It was running about a 7 when I went in to the audiologist. Now it's a 4.5. My goal is to hold it steady and/or drop it through today.
The audiologist said that I should eventually get to using the Tinnitus Masker function for just a couple hours a day. Ramp it back up whenever stress causes the tinnitus to flare.
I did get my Orcy Manticores attached to the bases without breaking wings off. Unfortunately, I forgot to put the magnet sheets on the bottom of the bases. Transporting the orcs to and from the game store is best done in a Really Useful Box (in the US, Sterlite is a similar brand) with a piece of 16 gauge steel glued to the bottom of the box. Magnet + Steel means the models stay mostly in place.
The rule is to make the base look full. Technically, there should be six manticores on that base. Three barely fit with the terrain bits. Even then, I had to add cork bits (aka, the "Strategic Rock") under a raised foot or three. Super glue plus Baking Soda filled in the gaps and stengthened everything up. Still have some touchup painting to do on the bases.
Slightly better fit on this base, but baking soda was still used.
Tomorrow is no hobby day. Luncheon with the wife's family. Now that MIL is in assisted living, the grandkids are getting sentimental about not being able to gather at Grandma's place for holidays. What used to be Thanksgiving and Christmas is becoming every hallmark holiday.
I don't begrudge them their desire to see grandma, but they're looking at my wife or her sister to "Host" the gatherings, since grandma sold her house and is now in a one-bedroom flat.
Wife and her sis are begrudgingly planning these little parties. We thought we were good, trying to do a big get-together family-reunion at our condo clubhouse this coming Aug. And SIL does the Christmas dinner at her condo clubhouse.
But there's like 15 more chances to get together scream the adult grandkids.
Great!, I'm going to remind them. Get your arses in gear and plan it yourself. Remember, Grandma has a five-mile max radius of travel. Long car rides take a big toll on her.
That's it for now.
Good morning. It's cloudy and 79.
The new iPad is working well, though I was forced to update my phone so it would play nice with the iPad. And of course now my phone will no longer allow me to upload photos to my employer's application, because my employer's application isn't secure enough for Apple's liking. And uploading photos is a requirement for my job.
The joys of technology...
The new iPad is working well, though I was forced to update my phone so it would play nice with the iPad. And of course now my phone will no longer allow me to upload photos to my employer's application, because my employer's application isn't secure enough for Apple's liking. And uploading photos is a requirement for my job.
The joys of technology...
TLOC
Well-Known Member
Good morning from the Vegas desert. It should hit 100f degrees today and even though it’s a “dry” heat, it’s hot. Tonight is Adele and while I’m not a big fan, it will be good.
The niece got engaged Wednesday and FaceTimed Terry and me yesterday. Very happy for her. Later yesterday my sister told us that Wednesday was big beyond just the engagement as the niece’s college loan balance of $16,000 remaining was forgiven. Political rant was typed and deleted b4 sending!!!
Started the internet research last night on the next batch of weathering to be started on next week when we return home after our golf event. Sent the info of prototype pictures to the client and he responded about 30 minutes ago. Basically said, you’ve done 50+ cars for me, weather them as you see fit, but please only 1 rust bucket! He does know me. So 4 medium weathered, tagged with no graffiti cars with a medium dark Midwestern track kick up and 1 rust bucket.
Enjoy your day
The niece got engaged Wednesday and FaceTimed Terry and me yesterday. Very happy for her. Later yesterday my sister told us that Wednesday was big beyond just the engagement as the niece’s college loan balance of $16,000 remaining was forgiven. Political rant was typed and deleted b4 sending!!!
Started the internet research last night on the next batch of weathering to be started on next week when we return home after our golf event. Sent the info of prototype pictures to the client and he responded about 30 minutes ago. Basically said, you’ve done 50+ cars for me, weather them as you see fit, but please only 1 rust bucket! He does know me. So 4 medium weathered, tagged with no graffiti cars with a medium dark Midwestern track kick up and 1 rust bucket.
Enjoy your day
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