Another weekend is in the books. How did you do? First off a correction: On Friday I stated that the next full moon during the day, Friday the 13th would not happen for another 200 years. I was wrong, in actuality it is 49 years. As far as trains this weekend, not much as work requires me to build model airplanes on what little free time I have. I did relax a little bit and work on some design work on my N scale layout but that was it. How about you? What did you get done? Friday's posts have been down the last few weeks so summer is here with the activity down. For us die-hards, let us know what you did. We'll all get back together on Friday the 20th to do this all over again. Until then, have a happy and safe week and... High Greens!
Wow, I'm a die-hard? Yesssssss! Half a century ago, my Mom found a box-of-trains at a yard sale and bought it for me. Inside were 3 all-aluminum Mantua passenger cars, old even then. There was a baggage combine, a diner and a coach. Fast forward to the 21st century and my very first eBay purchase - a matching observation car and later a second coach. Some had faded yellow Santa Fe decals, almost impossible to see against the silver background. A while back, when Gigi the burgundy GG-1 showed up, I began a project to add a matching stripe on the cars, give them numbers and even names. Saturday, I got them all back on the railroad. The cars are named after "historical" figures, Governor William J. Le Petomane, Hillary Rodham Manson, C. Montgomery Burns and Alferd Packer. Of the four (I didn't name the baggage car) only Mr. Packer is real. I thought it appropriate to name the dining car after the only American ever convicted of cannibalism. Sunday was a beautiful day, but I had already been tasked to repair a couple of bad boards on the back deck. So, off to Home Depot. Removing the bad sections was easy, but the boards were only partly bad, and the good parts took some time to get off. I had to reinforce some of the framework, too, so this ended up being an all-day job, although an outdoor project like this on a nice day is actually kind of a nice way to spend a Sunday. I discovered that I can fit 8-foot boards in my VW Jetta. On that trip to Home Depot, I also came home with the lumber for more benchwork. It's on to Phase 3....
For once I did something vaguely model railroading that wasn't club related. SAT. WE TOOK A TRIP DOWN TO Fremont to see the very new Tri City model railroaders 2 layouts. Then Sunday, for Father's day, we went to the Cal State Railroad Museum,, then we came home and I got the free time to work in the garage storing buildings and car projects and assorted junk to make space to work on the layout.
I got done what I wanted to get done and nothing more. Huunh? It was Father's day and this father wasn't going to do anymore then he could get out of. I thought I was out a Peco, Medium Curve Switch when it dawned on me I had a box of old track I hadn't looked through. After sorting straight pieces, curved pieces, short pieces, long pieces, some that needed to be trash canned, and various brands of sectional track. I found an old, dirty, roadbed glued to the back of, some glue and paint on the rails, Medium Curve Peco Switch. I cleaned it all up and wondered why I hadn't trash canned it along time ago? There's only one way to find out if it's going to work...you guessed it...install it. After some minor filing and flattening the switch out I was amazed at how well the freight cars moved through it. One minor derailment and that was fixable. Phew! Followed with a big sigh of relief.:wideeyes:
I got the trusses built and installed, (hung?), and very minimal run time on the SW. Only enough to know it's fine. Surprised at how quiet it was, no lube or anything done to it, just put it on the track and let it run a couple of 22" laps in each direction slow and quicker. Apparently no issues. Now it's back to the pits and floor.
