BarstowRick's H&P Layout Restoration

How cool John, how cool. Thanks for the memories.

 

I'm stuck. At a dead stop.

I need a saw-zall to remove the last remains of a previous leg. Do I borrow or buy one? I'd rather buy a Athearn Union Pacific Big Boy.
The project is: I want to add an L Girder to help stabilize the new legs, I need to remove the stubble of a previous leg. We had to cut the legs off and that didn't go so well. The screws used to tie the legs in place came in from the outside and then I went and added risers and ended up adding/making a box outside of a box, so to speak. Now I can't get to the screws to remove them. Isn't this fun!!??

Now it's time for WHAT on TV?? It might be entertaining. The media will be one sided and a mute button? That won't work!!

Later.

 

Some suggestions to try. A hacksaw maybe since you can take it apart and reassemble around the item. Dremel has a variety of cut off wheels including metal rotary saw blades and is good for getting in tight places so you may be able to take the piece out in pieces. And last a keyhole saw.

 

John and Hemi, and of course anyone else tuned in here.

You can see in the left corner the remnants of the old legs. I need to remove the old cling on's remnants of former legs that hangs down. It's about three to four inches of stubble that sits right in the way.

Hemi, I wish you were nearby as well. I've put a call out to my son-in-law and we shall see if he has one. Thanks for the link.

As you look at the picture below. You can see three different cling-on's. One just above the electrical outlet box, the other one below it and one to the left. The one to the left was an add on for the Grain Elevator. I won't be replacing the legs at these spots. To narrow and makes the layout tippsy.

If all else fails I'll get my trusty chisel out. I just don't like pounding...on the layout.



To explain what I'm up to. In Big Bear country the layout was sagging and I did add a leg to support it. This time around I want to strengthen it up with a new placement for the legs and addition of L Girders.

Now back to the layout.



You can see the first L girder it runs Vertical (with a screw sticking out) and the second one runs Horizontal. I want to put one in just like it to the left. It's the former leg cling-on's I need to remove in order to make it happen.


I think Chubbily must have smelled something that gave him an Awe moment. Those blue eyes sure stand out. Siamese influence. He's my baby Bengal Tiger. Just a nick.

Where's my chisel? Still unpacking. Those of you who've moved, know all to well how that can go.



Here's the new L Girder and it went in nice. Happy with the results. Follow the vertical L girder up to an angle and one leg will be going in there and the other below it. That will stretch things out nicely.

Now it's time to continue the horizontal L girder to the left. But first and you know that story.

This part is for free. I won't charge you. Chubbily wanted to get in the picture. There's a story about him and how he came to find me, or me him. Kids in the park had sprayed ant poison and I think hair spray on him. Trying to kill him. It almost worked. When a neighbor found him and brought it to my attention. I scooped him up gave him a bath and began working on his eyes that were all matted up. Got him to take some Benedryl and found some Termiciyin Ophthalmic Ointment and begin to treat him. Small enough he still required bottle feeding. Not a problem I'm up every two hours any-old-way. I gave him three days at the most. To my surprise he made it. He's been a good little bugger or friend, ever since. Today: Requiring Benedryl and occasional eye salve to keep him healthy. The vet provided me with some Antibiotic and strict instructions, as they usually do.

Thanks again for the comeback.

 

Okay, Sawzall problem solved. Son-in-law has one and I will borrow it over the weekend.

Alright!!

Yeah, I saw it on TV. Not sure what to say. Thinking it's going to be close.

Okay, have a good weekend everyone.

 

You wouldn't believe and there again you might. I don't know how many times I talked to the Dad's about this. Most blew me off with, "They are hunters doing what hunters do." And yes very proud of them.

It gets worse. They were capturing cat's and other wild beasts (baby raccoons) and pitting them against each other in a betting ring. Right there in the mobile home park. Some cat's showed up on You Tube having been filmed in Lucerne Valley. Cat's against snakes, rattle snakes, cobra's and python's. Illegally transported from outside America. They were fighting bull dogs against pit bulls. You never saw any of their pets survive to long. Good animals with sweet nature's forced to fight to stay alive. I don't know about you but I find that incredibly inhumane.

The ring in Lucerne Valley did get busted up. I haven't heard much about what's happened in the mobile home park.

The guy that bought my trailer died and I hope it wasn't the result of foul play on behalf of the same kids that broke into my place and attacked me.

If you think the police or sheriff's department is there to protect you. You have another thing coming. Excuse me while I choke on my own sarcastic laughter. I'm the same guy that used to work side by side with these guys and has nothing but respect for them. Their hands are tied and it's only going to get worse if everyone has their way. Sigh!!

There's more I could tell you. About kids that showed up from Mexico, don't speak English and according to the kids in the park that do speak English...these are kids that don't have parents. They would be taken in by families and then disappear. They weren't being brought here to find a new life. Think about it... and the children used in sex crimes. Does that ring a bell.

Start packing if you know what I mean.

 

They are only there to draw a chalk outline, or arrest the wrong person for defending their property. Yea know all about that! So I have a friend named Ruger that spends a lot of time with me. You could say we are attached at the hip.

 

If you all dont think the police are here to help us....move to Mexico....the police down there will take real good care of you !!!

 

I got it, I got it...NOT!

Well put.

 

My brother in law ...a police officer here in Show Low...was killed by a drug dealer running down the sidewalk ...firing a gun...in 2016. I have very little respect for anyone bad mouthing the police !!!!! nuff said !!

 

I wasn't bad mouthing them but they have not been very helpful to me when I have needed it. I always enjoy being attacked by a dog that belongs to a 10-12 year old kid. And when I shoot a round in front of it to scare it off I am being threatened with being arrested for discharging a firearm. (this is on my property with the dog trapping me and my kids on my front porch by the way) Nothing else scares this dog off, it only makes it more aggressive. I was also threatened to be arrested if I were to have shot this dog. The owner of the dog only was talked to over the issue, nothing was done on that end either. So there is the basis of my comment.

I have the upmost respect for the police. I have been through some of the same training as a part of my duties in the Navy. I understand they are under severe pressure with 90% or more of the contacts they make. I support them as well. I though have run into a few bad apples in my time and honestly prefer not to interact with them if I don't have to.

 

Perhaps I left the wrong impression. Sorry to hear of your brother-in-law. How many stories I've heard or seen the result of. No one goes out and jumps up and down, burns out businesses when this happens. Instead we give the fallen hero's an honorable funeral and wonder what we could of done better. This retired mortician has seen enough grief. I have the utmost respect for them.

In today's world, it's a very simple resolution. Quit resisting arrest. Your only asking for trouble if you do.

It's the future of law enforcement that has me worried.

Well, we need to get back to trains and my layout. We won't solve any problems here.

 

Gree...back to trains. BTW...I love cats...they taste just like chicken !!

 

Nice cat!

 

Thanks, I kinda of like that cat as well.

Oh, they don't taste like Chicken and with the parasites will most likely make you sick. But I now a certain ethnic group that eats them. They say they taste good in taco's.

Hopeless absolutely hopeless.

 

I appreciate the heads up and advice. Perhaps a little late on the up take. Just noted you are a staff member. I don't know if condolences are in order or congratulations.

 

Getting us back on track. While we wait for me to get my layout back on it's own feet.

On a cold and blustery December day, I was fooling around and trying out different passenger train consists, making up different trains. An older wig wag, (magazine) article regarding the Grand Canyon, brought to memory seeing trains that looked like freight trains and yet were passenger trains. I think John A., and Russell Straw both forwarded a pic., of a Santa Fe Super Chief with Santa Fe freight blues on the point. Sent to me from periodical's they had at home. So I looked at making up a train pulled by a mix bag of F type locomotives.

Below: Santa Fe's Grand Canyon with express reefers on board. Strawberries from the greater Los Angeles area or it could be Orange's from Riverside or Redlands, for all I know. Possibly a Christmas Rush.



This pic., was taken at a yard that was under constructiion at the time. A incomplete yard, the upper yard, also known as Ashfork Junction.



Here the Grand Canyon is running by on the main.

Incidentally this is a section of the layout you haven't seen yet. It fits over the top of the second section that I'm currently installing legs on. Fun Eh!?

That one lone wire sticking straight up indicates I'm working on wiring up the turntable. Not the easiest job. I may get into this later.



Above the Grand Canyon crossing over Dry Gulch Bridge. This train is made up of a collectic mixed bag of reefers and passenger cars. Bachmann reefers mixed in with Atlas and Micro-trains. Odd assortment. You also have Standard/Heavy Weights mixed in with Streamline cars. Most of these are older Rivarossi and Model Power passenger cars. All before the really fine stuff from Kato and Micro-Trains came along. Fun while it lasted.

I was reminded that the silver streamline car in the consist is actually an early Kato version of a shorty. Someone came along and decided he needed it more then I do and it left H&P property in a hurry. Don't worry he bought it.

Below: The Grand Canyon headed down hill.



Below: The observation car and missing a coupler will receive a Micro-Trains working knuckle coupler. Scheduled to go on for this run but It didn't make it.

Say good bye, for now.