T.H.E.R.R. Reborn!

mtntrainman Jul 9, 2012

  1. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    I Bought THE farm....

    Laser cut farm buildings. It comes with 5 buildings but I only have room for the 3 most important; Barn...Tractor Shed....Chicken Coop. The other shed and smoke house I will use later down on the 'Homestead'.
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    Tough build...especially with only one eye working :( It took me a week to build 3 buildings :(
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    But THE Horse Boarding Ranch is starting to look like one:)
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    Still have the 3 rail fence to plant...but that is a story for another time.
     
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2018
  2. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    You'll need to plant that fence but don'e expect it to grow.
    Got's to keep those chickens, goats, cows, horses and kids out of the road.
    Darn tractors a hay balers that pull out in front of you driven by 12 year olds. Sure glad my brakes work.
     
  3. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    I hate 'Reality Checks'....

    So last fall we had decided we would take down all the elevated track and make it all 'ground level'. This amounts to about half the layout. We went out today and cleaned track and ran some trains for the first time this year. we where sitting there watching trains run and THE Wife said we should maybe work on 'J&J Horse Ranch' for a bit. After about 30 minutes my back was hurting like all H*ll. She noticed and told me to sit down.

    "Reality Check" time.

    She asked me how long I thought it would take to dismantle the elevated track and redo it. I threw out an estimate and I got one of those 'one eyebrow raised' looks. She told me I couldnt even work on something simple like the horse ranch for very long...how in the heck do I think I can do all that track work !!!

    With my health getting worse by the week...her and I decided that we put a lot of work and time into elevating that track and that I most likely wouldnt get all that work done by next winter dropping it all down again. :(

    So for now the 'Track Realignment Project' is on hold. :(:censored:
     
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  4. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    It's frustrating when we realize age and the related health problems are catching up with us.
    Upside, you have a layout that a lot of guys and gals would be honored to have.
    Keep the faith and enjoy your layout if and when you can.

    You take care.
     
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  5. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yup. Upon reflection...There are a ton of 'small' projects that need to be done. Those can be done piecework. When I get tired I'll just watch trains run. It's why we do this hobby in the first place. (y)(y):D:cool:
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2019
  6. Rich_S

    Rich_S TrainBoard Member

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    I agree and this is why a shelf switching layout will never work for me. I have days when I come home from work exhausted, I do not feel like working on the layout, but I find it's relaxing just watching a train make laps in my little world. The older I get the more I find it's just as much fun rail fanning my little N scale world as it is working on a new building or scenery area for the layout. My layout might only be 24" x 80" but it keeps me off the street (y)
     
  7. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    I agree Rich. Sometimes I go into the train room, look at the layout as the train goes roundy-round and think, Gee, I made that. :)
     
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  8. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    You guys know I'm not a roundy round fan. Not even when I'm to tired. That's when I run a VCR Train tape and fall asleep. You may also know my layout is not a point to point. Now true confessions. :);)

    There are times I go in, set my control panel up, get a train started up the hill and as it reaches the summit about to come back down, I will add yet another train and allow the two to run around the layout no more then twice. Love the meets and even perform a station stop or two. Run them back into the hidden staging yard and start it all over again with two more trains. That's about as close as I get to watching my trains do the roundy round. Put the left foot out and the right foot back...

    Digs always the digs. o_O:p:LOL:
     
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  9. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    You are right George, there is always so many different things to do on a layout (big or small) and that helps break the monotony of things.

    I do like to have a train running while working on things other than track. Kind of just adds an extra bit of relaxation o the hobby for me. Was very glad to recently get back to that point again myself.
     
  10. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Well..the Nascar race is postponed due to rain. I figure I will go out and clean up the rest of the mess I made when I started dismaantling the elevated section. Not so much a mess with the track as there is with 'stuff' everywhere ! :eek:
     
  11. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    There is always a mess lurking around every corner in my house. Until I get unpacked and in some cases repacked there will always be messes. Good to hear your managing the situation and can still have trains running. That can't be all bad.
     
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  12. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Productive Fathers Day....

    I had the day to myself and went out to THERR RV all day...

    First I cleaned some locomotive wheels with a coffee filter and some 91%

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    Then it was track cleaning time. Everyone has their own method and this one works best for me. 1300 grit wet/dry automotve sandpaper on a sanding block. I can clean both mainlines at once in 1/10 the time it used to take !

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    Then I reroofed the motel. I used the same 1300 sandpaper ;-) Here is a plastic building with black plastic roof...
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    and my roof with the sanpaper. I think it's more than acceptable ;-)
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    Then i got to checking out moving "Chapel in the Pines" further back into the pines. Will surround it with more trees.
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    Planted a few more new trees along the road at "The Homstead"...
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    Checked out all the damaged fence at "J&J Horse Ranch" :-(
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    Finally got to run some trains...

    Did some switching in "Lucky Penny Yard"...
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    Then I ran my frieght trains for about 3 hours until dinner time...
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    Ahhhhhh...someone has been busy...LOL
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  13. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Busy fellow!!! (y)

    So what happened to that fencing? BTW- Is it plastic? Or etched brass?
     
  14. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    The pasture at the ranch is a nice clean area to put all my tools i'm using. Unfortunately...the fence took a beating :(:eek: Going to have to rethink using that area for anything but horses !! LOL

    Its etched brass...so I am hoping straightening it up wont be to big a job. :whistle::censored:
     
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  15. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Me thinks I recognize some train equipment. Good to see it again. Good to see it's hauling freight. How about those PA B units? Nice!
     
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  16. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    THE WIFE is real happy with the passenger cars. They are working well on her Excursion Train :D:cool:

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  17. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Gosh darn, if that isn't nice. I've seen parts of it in your pictures but not the whole thing. Nice E unit on the front and I like your steam Generator PA B unit. All sitting in the "switchyard". Grin!

    Party Hardy!!!

    That B-mann Nforthern, never had a chance. That's where mine sit. Except for the one I gutted and turned into a dummy, with Santa Fe F types pushing it around the layout.

    Looking good and glad you and your wife are enjoying your hobby.
     
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  18. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    Bet that made for a very relaxing yet productive day! Like what you did with those building roofs and love the Santa Fe Alco switcher! :cool:
     
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  19. Allen H

    Allen H TrainBoard Supporter

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    More fun than I had george.
    Good for you!
     
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  20. Rich_S

    Rich_S TrainBoard Member

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    Hi George, Looks like you had a very productive day. My favorite track cleaning object is the Cratex blocks sold by Walthers. When it comes to sandpaper, I've always liked the looks of sandpaper roofs. I think sandpaper does a very nice job of replicating the tar and gravel look on a flat roof. Do they still tar and chip flat roofs these days? I agree with Rick, that's a sharp looking Excursion Train (y)
     
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