Another week is almost done, just a few more hours for some and they can work on any number of modeling projects. It's time for Weekend Modeling Plans! I'll get started tonight as my club, N-Trak of Bloomington-Normal will set up our modules in Decatur for the Decatur Train Fair. I personally have not been to this show in years, so I'm excited to see some old friends, run some trains and see if there are any good deals to be had. Today, if I have time, I'll add some details to my two T-Trak modules. I really need to make a sign for the cafe I have named "Rick's Place". I think it will be a large guitar with his name on it. I'll also sort and set out a few trains and cars to run this weekend. I no longer run my super detailed locomotives and cars at shows (to many hands) but I do have a few locomotives and cars I have painted without details I can run without worry. I'll probably run one Iowa Interstate and one Chicago Central as well as a 1950's McGinnis B&M. Should be a fun weekend. So how about you? Are your maps out or GPS set to a model railroad show? Are you running with a club or just looking for deals? Maybe your plans are to stay in the work shop or layout room and work on freight cars or buildings. Whatever your plans may be, let us know. We'll all come back on Monday the 17th and see how we all did. Until then, be safe and... High Greens!
It's a few more weeks until train show season here in New England. Once again, I'll haul myself down to the LHS and hope to find my static grass. If it's there, I'll be putting some in place, but if not, well, it's an excuse to haul myself down the the LHS again next week. I will probably continue the F7 detailing project, and maybe I'll once again try to figure out how to pop the shell off one of my Milwaukee cabeese. I want to put some marker lights on a couple of them, but I can't get the shell off. Then, it's about time to begin the process of adding Envirotex to the canal in Mooseport, although I'd prefer to do that after I've got the static grass down. It might be better to wait for cooler weather, too, so I can keep the windows closed and avoid the pollen blowing in through the screens.
I've got some sheetrock to put up on the walls in my kitchen this weekend as well as being at my towns museum to oversee the operation of the museums layout for some visitors on Saturday. I also have to finish the wiring on my T=Trak modules for a show next Saturday in Mahopac, NY.
In reverse order, I'll be helping a friend break in his new shelf layout on Sunday; laying track on my newly installed benchwork sections Saturday, and cleaning off my workbench tonight.
I am trying to redo the wire thingy on my first Tortoise switch machine installations. Stuck up too high, caught loco. Not enough space between rails for my snipper to cut them off. Remove Tortoise from under layout to cut wire approx 1/16 inch. Couldn't reassemble and get wire back into hole in throw rod (I am trying to poke wire from hole in one inch of foam table). Didn't get it in throw rod hole, but close enough to see it is now TOO SHORT. Now I need to find a piece of strong "piano wire." I may have some in my upright tubes in back corner of layout room or in outside workshop. Or I may have to go to hobby shop. Remove Tortoise again. Attach foot long wire to Tortoise. Thread through table and reinstall Tortoise. Then try one more time to cut to fit. Adjusting track, turnouts, wiring on my FIRST layout section is a priority. Lower priority is cutting down too-tall pilings on my pier nightclub so it will only slightly higher than my seawall. I think I have figured out an approach... Lots of other things I want to start, but...
Hopefully going to finish the bench work for the layout I'm building. Then maybe lay track if I'm lucky!
Will definitely be working in the "Train Attic" Saturday and Sunday AM. Continuing to prepare for the first permit inspection. It slow going when you're building something alone... but plodding along and making headway. I'll be up there each morning. Tomorrow afternoon going to a football game and tailgate so not much tomorrow afternoon. Maybe some modeling at the workbench Sunday afternoon.
