Don't sweat too bad, unless I'm working on something. Sitting in the shade, with a slight breeze isn't too bad! Gets worse though, if it's muggy, because there's thunderstorms around somewhere! Tornado watch for here this afternoon/evening. Expired about 8PM. GP30 upgrades and upgraded power supply are ordered. Should ship out Thursday. Should be good, once installed and working right! Track crews got busy today also. Installed another power drop to the loop out front. Had to find original wires, so I could splice in! Couple more power drops to both loops yet, then I should have a pretty even power distribution all around! Seems to have helped. Train does not appear to slow any longer, as it did before. And a 32# or so coal train(12 cars/lighted caboose) does NOT help! Then again, neither do the curves and slight grade! Just wish yard was a bit larger!! Longer run, larger curves, small yard perhaps...... Oh well, guess I can't argue, lucky my folks let me build what I have!! But they enjoy it also. I know neighbors and other folks in the neighborhood enjoy it's! Especially the kids!! Many times, folks don't know the train is there, until they either see it moving, or hear the sounds!
Project items have been ordered. Airwire/Sound parts ordered, as well as an upgraded power supply. Have steel wheels for 1 car on the way, 2 pair locomotive couplers and 2 pair freight car couplers. At this point, I think I'm pretty much finished upgrading things. Just an ALCo PA to convert to Airwire/Sound. And an LGB DRGW #50 and a BLW Goose #6. I'd be happy to get the #50 to Airwire alone. I've thought of leaving the Goose as DC and running it on its own solo loop. However..... And with high temps for a while, I can do the above work downstairs, where it's nice and cool.
Almost a week now, since electronics were "supposedly" ordered. Was told, they probably ship Thursday. This was last week! Still waiting to see if order is actually gonna be sent now! Have not seen, or heard anything about it. My KD parts order should be heading out maybe tomorrow. They state 24 hours after processing. Still, have plenty I can do in the cool of the basement, regardless of Scale!
Shop crews surprised today! KD parts ordered arrived. Having big problems with Email right now. Can't get it!! So, I had no idea when parts shipped. Could also very we'll be why I don't know anything about electronics order! Nextlight coming Friday, to install fiber cable. New internet connections then! So, I'll end up with a new email address before long. Nice thing is, it's fiber optic, so it'll be much faster! And hopefully, no more email send/receive failures! Guess Dad has been trying to get it fixed most of the afternoon. Anyway.... Have gondola and flat car couplers, steel wheels for said flat car and couplers to convert ALL GP30's to KD couplers. Will probably have most of that work done this evening. Currently laying in bed, in the A/C, waiting for headache to go away! N Scale meeting today. Was OK, despite my hosed up Left knee now. After a nasty fall almost a week ago! Went anyway, even though temp today was 2-3* shy of the Century mark! Only slated to be 88* tomorrow! Still hot, but at least under the 90+ degree mark! Oh well.....
Current maintenance work is done. Crew got KD couplers installed on GP30's last night. Need to make slight modifications to 2 units. Coupler hits body and forces the coupler down just a bit. Found that if I grind out the coupler cover, where it hits the body, it sits just about spot on. Grind lid to about half its thickness and only about 1/8" off the rear of the lid is all I need to do. Minor work, not visible and works out OK. Now, I just need to see why electronics have not been shipped yet! Still waiting for that. Said it should go out Thursday. And this was last Tuesday! Will check in, once Internet and email situation is corrected. Would consider running something, since it's gonna be near 70 for the next couple of days! A messed up Left knee this time says NO, you're not!! Guess I gotta do one of a couple of things: Stop slipping and falling to floor. Stop getting older! And only one of these I have NO control over! Gee, I wonder which one......
A couple quick updates. 1. Minor misunderstanding on electronics. Package shipped out today. Should have it Monday! 2. Been looking at the front yard recently, and decided it was time to make some major changes! Started on changes in front. Gave up, after I started getting to hot to continue. Minor track project in back to complete. Replaced a problem switch! Was source of derailments. Had hoped to complete tonight, but didn't feel like it. Might try to complete sometime tomorrow. If I think my knees can manage it!! Changes coming. Just not sure when. Or how long project might take. Will add to the looks of what's there now, and add more operating interest, and challenges. Gonna be fun, when eventually done!
No drawn design. Entire railroad was built on the fly! Making changes as I went. Or, after letting it sit for a while, as I ran trains. Should make scenery easier to accomplish. Moving proposed tunnel to a new, easier to access location. Revised track will also be elevated a bit, to add a bit more character. And the hill where this track is going, is going to gain elevation! Going a bit more vertical this time! Things now, are too even and uniform in both shape and size!
Back yard reassembled and tested. Works OK, except for dirty track! Didn't get much more done. Some wicked lightening and thunder! Some big raindrops hitting, as I powered down locomotive! Might see if I can get the front finished up tomorrow. Then, I can slowly start taking the inner loop down in sections. And removing the hill/plants/rocks a little at a time, as I can manage. Nice thing, is I still have a loop to play on! Plus the run to the back and return.
Inner loop is complete. Track was connected earlier. Kneeler/stool I was sitting on, decided to buckle and take me with it! Missed the big wooden bridge, but not the rocks! A few minor scrapes, but nothing too nasty! Elevated inner track as well. Think I can start moving dirt in, to start elevating the track. Still have the hill and rocks to break down and rebuild. However, that will be done, probably after dinner, when it's almost a bit cooler!! Into the 90's for at least the next 8 days, last I heard. Ran a simple train for about an hour. Single GP40 and caboose. At last check, the electronics for the GP30's is stuck in Commerce City, CO. Stuck until Sunday night/Monday morning. To be delivered Monday, sometime! Will have a project to work on, during the heat!! If I choose NOT to do minimal work, I'm gonna stay inside, downstairs, where it's nice and cool..!! May look into finding adult coat spray, and shoot the coal train. Take the shine off the cars. Maybe Krylon, IF it doesn't attack the plastic!! Oh well.....Back to Ghost Adventures for the moment!
Might have to look into that before long! Later in the day, after it cools down a hair! A bit of yardwork has begun today. Started adding dirt to track, to get a better idea of the elevation. Should be ready to work on new tunnel area in the near future. Gotta figure out how to construct it now! A few teasers from today! Tempted to sprinkle dirt over coal hoppers, then back a few cars up and over the open track! As if train was bringing in, and dumping fill material! Might work temporarily, after track is clean! Liking how it's shaping up, so far!
Decided to have a bit of fun today! Backed a short, 4 car hopper train up new track alignment! Wanted to have it look as if the train was bringing in a few loads of fill dirt for under the track, as it slowly backed over temporary support bricks! Also turns out, hoppers can handle the 8 foot Diameter curves here, no problems! Caboose dropped. Started slowly backing train up new grade. A bit farther up the grade. Train stalled at this point, until I connected power feed at lower end of track! Bad connection somewhere I think. Back as far as I cared to go! Last 2 cars leaning pretty good! Track not supported very well from that point. Spent maybe 45 minutes watching train run. Wasn't too hot by this time! Quit before mosquitoes came out to try and eat me alive! Gotta watch it. West Nile case(s) reported just north of town! Loveland/Ft Collins area.
Thanks!! But... Track techniques are pretty much the same as when I first started. Really have not changed anything. In this case, as was last track lift, I use the bricks to hold track at approximate elevation. Then, as dirt is dumped over track, bricks are pulled out. Then, I can backfill the inside, once rocks and plants have been moved. Final ballasting/leveling once track and dirt work is complete. Neat thing is, once rocks and plants are moved, and I get the last of my track set in place, I can start running trains over the realignment. Will let me work out any minor problems in the early stages. Now, to hook up the Bridgewerks MAG-15 and try running a train with the new power source. Still trying to figure out the Airwire/Sound install. Can send one unit back, to have electronics installed for me, and use that as a template to complete the other 2 units myself! Only $85 to have electronics installed, plus shipping costs. Unless someone local could do install. Oh well......
Track crews were a little busy tonight! Added quite a bit more dirt to support the new track. Once level, the new alignment looks to be at least 6" higher!! Next step, is removing plants and rocks where track goes and finish the grade. Then a bit of running, to make sure everything is as close to perfect as possible, before moving on. May attempt some work tomorrow. At the immediate moment, I don't feel much like moving! My knees are hurting something nasty right now! Hoping the Motrin helps a bit, so I do NOT have to break down and take a couple of Vicodin for the pain! Photos tomorrow, since it was too dark to see much, when I finally called it a night. The elevation change is really going to add some character to the railroad I think! Depending, I MAY have to go for at least 1 more truckload of dirt!! I'll know more as I get farther along. Even had someone stop, while walking her dog, and ask if I run trains outside! Said I do, when I feel up to it! Usually evening, when it's not so hot. That way, the locomotives don't go into thermal shutdown. Said she knew a young child that would LOVE to see the railroad and train(s) running. Said she'd bring him by one evening when I'm out playing! Should be decent tomorrow. Rather cool for the day. A bit more so, since I'll be under the tree! The 3-4 days of hot, hot. Then 3-4 days of potential rain towards the end of next week. So said the news forecast!! Likely to change between now and then too, so......I take it lightly and with a LARGE grain of salt!!
Got Mom to help remove rocks and yank out plant(s). Plant removed was a ground cover, that covered almost everything! Rocks dug up and set aside. Track lowered into place and grade roughed in. The area that was cleaned up. Isolated thunderstorms possible for about the en t week. Which means we MIGHT see something. Longmont situated just so.....Storms go north or south of us. Same in winter. We may get nothing, or we could get hit pretty good. Never know. My usual on the issue: I'll believe it when I see it! Backed a short 4-5 car test train up both sides of new grade. Worked pretty good. Looks good. Just gotta fill in a couple of spots and do something about the wicked reverse superelevation in a few spots! Cars, while nothing fell over, had a nasty lean to them, that made you wonder if they were gonna stay on the track!
