A crisp puff of cool air hits us as today we are reminded that the last day of summer is upon us. Are extremely high temps behind us? It's time for weekend modeling plans. I've started my weekend modeling early. As I type this, my Boston & Maine GP9 is pulling a small freight around the layout. Last weekend I purchased some BLMA 33" metal wheel sets and I have installed a few sets on the equipment that is running right now. So far, I really like them. Although my weekend is starting with some modeling, it wont stay that way. Tomorrow morning, I'll be heading out early, as in 4:00am early, to meet up with a good railfan buddy in Bloomington. From there, we are heading to Galesburg to photograph and chase this weekends special run of the Illinois Railroad Museums Zephyr. This will entail early morning breakfast, roadside eats, camera and equipment use, driving skills and plenty of tails of the one that got away. A fun day planed indeed. One the way back from chasing trains, I'll finish the night by watching Angela's son play Soccer. Sunday will be more Soccer, so I doubt I'll get any modeling in that day. The local train show in nearby Cisco is coming up and I would like to get more done on the T-Trak modules, but it is doubtful that will happen this week. So how about you? Does your weekend include chasing trains in the wild? Maybe you plan to stay at your work bench and detail locomotives or finish detailing them. Scenery time? Is train show season in gear in your area yet? Whatever your plans may be, let us know. Tell us what you plan to work on or do this weekend. We'll all come back on Monday the 24th and see how we all did. Until then, have a great weekend and... ​High Greens!
I need to lay more rail on the east side of the yard. Also parting with 10 or 11 cars on Trainstore and evil-bay. Shorter weekend for me than usual, usually off Friday but I'm still at work. We'll see how much I get done Saturday morning and Sunday morning before preachin' time.
Ah, I remember those Saturday mornings coaching soccer for my daughter. I never really played the game, and barely knew the rules, but a few other guys and I ran the "intramural" program after the great split when kids have to choose either "travel soccer" or "intramural." As it turned out, we had just enough girls for a game every Saturday morning, and that's exactly what these kids wanted. After a while, we gave up on drills and just let them get out and have fun. One father, whose daughter was slightly behind intellectually, thanked me for running what he said was "the best program in town" for his daughter. (She graduated with her class and went on to college, by the way.) When the town started up a middle-school lacrosse program, "my girls" formed the core of the team, and remained that way through high school. Now, if I can just have some success on acquiring that static grass. Supposedly, it's in the shop, so I'll have my weekly sojourn to the LHS rewarded this week. Then, I can finish up the scenery around Mooseport, and perhaps do the first pour of the water in the old mill canal. I did a bit of decal work after getting home each day, so I have an F7A and F7B ready for just a touch of weathering and the final coat of matte spray before putting in the window glass. I've got detail kits for two more F7As, so I have that project to do, too. These are ancient Athearns, all numbered 2376, a number which the Milwaukee assigned to a GP9. I changed them to prototypical numbers, and added a number for the B unit in case I ever power it or use it for sound. I hope to get some bicycle riding in, too, now that we've got nice weather. Winter will be here soon enough....
I have some 33" metal wheels to install in some Microtrains cars; about a dozen bad order cars that need attention, track to lay, and I need to do a traffic analysis to make sure my freight car fleet really meets the needs of my industries. And I'm trying to do some switching daily, mostly to keep the track clean.
My brother and his gal pal are due tonite and tomorrow it is off to see the greatest Draft Horses in North western America and western Canada on saturday/sunday right here in Sandpoint ID . The 6 up frt wagons on saturday doing backing and turning skills and the team pulling is just awsome .. like catching an ABBBBA lash up and the thunder associated with them , Belgian, Clydesdales, Percheron, Shires and a breed of ponies out of British Columbia doing speed turning . On Sunday the 8 up frt is too much ! I will take my camera and hope to get some train shots as the track runs by the fair grounds.
Tomorrow I will be running a modular T-Trak layout with my modules and my clubs modules at a show in Mahopac NY. 10A-3P at the firehouse. Sunday i'm just going to relax and conserve energy for the upcoming week working on my kitchen.
More of the same for me this weekend. Working up in the train attic. This will go on for months and months since I am building it out myself. I don't mind building out stuff. I will do all the construction work EXCEPT sheetrock when it gets to that. I'll wire it, put in the insulation, frame, paint, but I don't do sheetrock or sanding. Also I'll be working some at my workbench on a few models. In anticipation of getting my train room done, I am considering getting started on some "building" kits. I have a couple of SRM kits and FSM kits that now may be a good time to start chipping away at them so they'll be ready when my layout benchwork is done.
