Was a nice warm day today! Was 68* when I started setting up! Too good to pass on, so I pulled out my GP40's, 10 cars and a caboose. I ran a train out front for a couple of hours, until remote batteries completely failed!! Throttle kept shutting down. So, I had to quit. Since I do NOT have any extra 3A batteries, to replace those in remote. Guess I have to get another 4 pack of rechargeable batteries for my remote! Have them charging now, so I might try again tomorrow, if weather is just as nice as today was!
Recharged my throttle batteries. All working pretty good. Since I've gotta hit, bad, by a nasty bug of some sort, I havent been doing much of anything, except trying to sleep. Cold or flu maybe!! Hope to get back out again, soon, to do some of the needed work on the railroad, or just get out in the fish air, and just sit and watch a train run. Have already gotten a couple of comments on the railroad! Mother/daughter pair walked by, and saw the train running. Said that it was "So Cool" to see. They had walked by before, but had always seen the track, never a train! Every time I get comments like that, it lets me know I'm doing something right!!
We've had a bug here, too! Hit the wife really hard. It's still winter.... We might even see some snow here tomorrow night. Did you ever finish building the track extension, I believe it was heading toward your back yard?
Track is placed, temporarily to the back. Need to cut and fit some sections yet. Also have to figure out what my options are, for auto reversing. Hope to start on that this summer, as well as make some minor grade changes to the front yet again!! Plans to remove part of the track in front, to adjust a couple of grade issues. Also fill in a section, that during heavy rain, has about 2" or more of standing water! Want to replace a couple of PVC pipes, with GMM 12" girder bridges. Will have 4 total in front, and a 48" wooden bridge in the back. My biggest concern now is, my method of getting track to the back! Free floating, as currently done? Concrete roadbed? Elevated? By composite wood material? Elevated? Using steel 'L' brackets, bolted to chain link fence posts? It's all there, I just need to figure out method of putting track down! Hope to at least get started. Maybe not finished, but started.
Didn't you have problems with roadbed heaves and tree roots? Your idea might not be as nice as being able to have it on ground, but could work as an alternative. It would certainly cut down the repairs needed every year after the cold and snows have gone.
Had trouble with tree roots. Roots lifted, buckling the blocks on top about 2". Affected the blocks only and not the track. Winter doesn't really cause too many problems. Have not had trouble with track heaving. My biggest concerns are adding ballast to low areas, leveling the track on curves due to low ballast! The slightest dip in the track, especially curves, causes me my biggest headaches, when wanting to run the K27 and narrow gauge train! That equipment finds every problem spot on the railroad!! Great trouble shooter!
Has been great, the last few days, for working outdoors. Unfortunately, I jacked up my right knee about 5 days ago. The second day, things really started going south!! Did this once before, and like that time, I do NOT know when, where, or how! All I know now is, crutches are now absolutely necessary. If I stand up, from either sitting, or laying in bed, I just about double over from the intense throbbing pain! Calling the Dr tomorrow, to get an appointment, ASAP, to check it out. Maybe jab a needle in and drain fluid build up, like last time. Pulled 70cc then! Was down for over a month last time. Thankfully, I'm NOT working these days, so I don't have to deal with the pile of paperwork required to take FMLA time. And I do NOT have to call out every night, until approved! Some phone calls have had me on HOLD, for 15 minutes, waiting for member of management to answer the $%&*-+ phone!! Burns up cell phone time in a BIG hurry!! No work, no running for indefinite time. :rats:
Good to hear you are running with all this nice weather. Not good to hear you messed up your knee, or that you have the flu bug that is going around. We are on the mend in our house, but this bug seems to linger a long time after the main part is done.
Bummer. Hope it is just a minor setback. That type of pain sounds like you tore something. If you lived here, there'd not be any outdoor activity. It snowed mid-day. Now back to raining again.
Ken, Think I succeeded in irritating BABY tissue behind the kneecap again. Not sure how or when though. That's what I managed last time. Knee problem could set me back by at least a month!! Maybe a bit longer. Once I can start walking again, it could be a couple of weeks at that point. Had 70cc fluid removed last time! Geeky, My sister, who works at a Drs office, suggested I take 5 Vitamin D, the equivalent of 10,000mg. Did so, then took 3 1/2 hour nap. When I woke, I noticed I was feeling a little better!! Now, about 5 days later, I'm feeling pretty darn good again!! Occasional cough now, for minor residual sinus drainage. CAUTION Just because this worked for me, does NOT mean it will work for you!! PLEASE do the smart thing and consult your medical professonal first!! My results are based on MY experience, and therefore, are NOT to be considered legal advice to ANYONE!! Again, PLEASE consult your medical professional first before attempting ANY sort of medical treatment!! Mods: Modify or delete post as deemed necessary!! Thanks.
Knee still a slight source of trouble! BUT, going slow, and building a small train, I enjoyed about 2 1/2 hours of train time today!! Cleaned up and had stuff inside again, about 2 minumtes before it started raining pretty good!! Had a decent cell headed this way. Not sure what it's done since I came downstairs. Working on falling asleep now!! Guess getting up a bit early, and laying in bed don't mix very well!! Had fun while it lasted. Amazing, as to how fast time can pass, when sitting outside and just watching a train run in circles!!
There is an old saying about how "time flies when you are having fun." We all know how it drags, when it is something we'd rather not be doing!
After Mom dug out a number of flowers that were TOO close to my track, and that needed to be moved anyway, I took time again Thursday, to run a short train, over the upset track! Just to see how bad it was. Turned out, I needed to do minimal leveling and all was good. Now, I think I'm down for the count for awhile!! Last Mom said, we are supposed to get SNOW on Sunday!! Not much, about 2" if that. So, any work, or running I may have had in mind, has just gone down the drain!!
Seems a bit odd. Usually when something like that happens to your weather, we are also having a similar bit of cooling. But nothing is forecast.
We ended up with maybe 2" of snow at best. By the time I was up and moving, the snow was gone! And the next week at a minimum, has isolated rain/storms in the afternoon/evening. Any work I was thinking of, is now indefinitely postponed. Might try, weather permitting, and not too ungodly muddy! No guarantees though! Granted, I enjoyed what little run time I did get to date. Not much, but enough.
Scrapes by, literally, some of Moms plants, that are growing too close to the tracks!! And those. That grow up between the rails, get run over regardless!! Hasn't been that severe since I had something in back several years ago! The one turnout I had then, was buried in about a 2 1/2 foot circle of weeds/plants!! And it was about an inch deep!! To the point the track could NOT be seen! Until the weeds were pulled out!! Since I started building out front, Mom has enjoyed it. In that it takes maybe 10 minutes to weed the entire yard!! Maybe half an hour if it's been neglected for a bit! And its coming out in full color now!! Will have to grab a shot or two, with flowers currently in bloom.
