Welcome back everyone. I hope you all had a good Christmas and got some rest in there somewhere. Let's see how we all did. Saturday: Was hectic as the last remaining gifts came that morning and were quickly wrapped. We had Christmas Eve with the kids and grandchild that afternoon. A good time was had by all but quickly ended. It was nice to visit and relax with the kids. CHRISTMAS: As planned, we got up and ate a small breakfast, then Ang and I had our own small exchange of gifts. She got me a new heater for the garage, a book on the Ford in line sixes and an original 1970s, made in the U.S.A. tea pot. I was pretty happy with my gifts! We then headed up to her grandmas and had a nice turkey dinner and gift exchange. I had brought parts for the Falcon so on the way home, we stopped at her dads to drop them off and for her to see the car for the first time. She was pretty impressed with my purchase and loves the Falcon a lot more than the old Wrangler, in fact she already has plans for it. Monday: Not much as I was tired. I did finally manage to get my workshop and office situated so I should be able to start working on the layout again once New Years is over. Other than drink coffee and work slowly on the home office and workshop, not much was accomplished. So how about you? How was your holiday weekend? Let us know. We'll assemble again on Friday the 30th to do this one more time for 2022. Until then, have a great week, short for some of us, be safe, stay healthy and as always... High Greens!
I spent a good portion of the weekend working on the digital model railroad --- I got a bunch of track laid, and spent a lot of time getting JMRI set up to match the railroad -- and learning how to build the trains etc
Good mornin to Y'all, I too, hope Y'all had a great Christmas!! My weekend went as expected. Saturday evening was wonderful. Spent it with our Daughter, Son-in-law and of course - our Granddaughter. Sunday: Spent the evening at my Sister's house. Had a grand time. Monday: Refurbished a shelf, then installed it in my Mom's bedroom. As well as hung her TV. And - in between all of the Christmas activities, I managed to get most of the striping done on my FA project. I have never experienced Micro Scale decals like these. Solvaset and Mr. Mark Softer barely touched them. After multiple applications - the decals are finally "starting" to lay down. Y'all have a great week, Wolf
Happy Holiday week to all. Between Christmas and NY's. Best week of the year. Friday, did some last minute Christmas shopping. Saturday during the day, the Mrs and I both worked on the dinner for 9 folks Christmas day. Late Saturday went up to Lake Gaston to my sister's lake house for Christmas eve dinner w/ all of my siblings and our immediate families. That is a tradition my mother used to host every Christmas eve and now my sister does the same. Sunday, Christmas day we had neighbors here late morning then in the afternoon all of our kids and their families came for the afternoon and Christmas dinner. We roasted an Italian porchetta, used a 7 1/2# pork shoulder the butcher deboned and "butterflied". The Mrs. put in herb and garlic paste spread and then I rolled it up like a jelly roll and "Lace tied" it up. (I learned how to lace tie putting in decoders and tying the wires together.) So... I got to sneak in some modeling in the kitchen. Monday, I finally got into the train room and did a little wiring work and got the 2 new circuit breakers mounted. I still have those power districts "hot wired" around them. Next step is break that bypass and get the breakers in-line w/ the power district wiring. Have a great week all and enjoy it!!
Good morning all, Our Christmas weekend went as planned. Saturday evening my wife made a great steak dinner for us and then we watched a new Christmas movie. On Sunday she made another meal and we took that over to her dad's and had a dinner with he and his wife. In short sessions throughout the weekend I worked with the Azatrax point to point controller. Made a tempoary setup with some Unitrack and got it all going including moving the points on a turnout. I also got the new power supply installed on the main layout, found out that the layout had been drawing as much as 1.5 amps depending on how many turnouts were moving at one time. The old power supply was rated at 1 amp so lucky it lasted as long as it did. The new one is rated at 4 amps. On Monday I worked on a portable IR sensor setup to be used with the point to point system on the AsianNrail layout.
Friday got some modeling done as bowling was canceled due to the cold and wind. So I got one side of two cars decaled. Also watched the Glass Onion on Netflix. Saturday stayed home all day and finished decaling also wrapped presents to get ready for Sunday’s trip. Also had our FaceTime visit with our children across the country. Sunday, went to our sons house in North Ridgeville for Christmas dinner with them and my son’s wife’s parents and we had a great time. Monday, recovered from the weekend worked on building a boxcar based on a decal I have along with a good picture of the car I found in my new ACF boxcar book and the modifications went easier with my replacement battery operated Dremel tool I got for Christmas. Rick Jesionowski
I've been busy... not just this weekend, but all last week. Since I'm on break, I was able to get to the basement and do stuff, train stuff, fix broken stuff, laundry, chores, and, you know, stuff. This past week our son came home on leave from active duty in Texas with his girlfriend and he'll go back again late this week. On top of that we have a church member in ICU, one that passed away whose funeral is this coming Thursday, my pastor of visitation, who was going to co-officiate the funeral with me, was quarantined at home when his wife tested positive for Covid, then he tested positive over the weekend so I'll be doing that funeral solo. Saturday, I did laundry, and worked in my workshop on my ongoing projects of converting my 1970's collection of trains to metal wheels and Kadee couplers as well as a few collections that I have received in recent years as donations, and one received last week from the Swap Meet forum. Saturday evening was our church Christmas Eve service. The roads were crappy, temps were somewhere near zero with high winds so attendance wasn't great at 75, but our attendance online was 39 more. Sunday, was Christmas, and church, so I was up and out early. The choir director, choir, and organist were all given the day off and my wife played guitar for the few hearty souls that made it out (about 20). Unfortunately, the software that does our recordings and live stream had a temper tantrum and didn't work so the folks who tried couldn't join us from home. In the afternoon, our family gathered at our house for our Christmas celebration. I got one train made of candy, new slippers that I very much needed, and a new cordless shaver that is a huge upgrade from the $20 Walmart special that I've been using off and on. Monday, we had family (and bonus kids) in the house all day, but I did get a little time at my workbench, and, in the evening we went to the nursing home where my Mom lives and most of our extended family joined together for the larger family Christmas and the joint stuffing of Christmas stockings (some of which are the originals from 50-60+ years ago). First is the candy "train" that was in my Christmas stocking (from my wife) Next are the Amtrak passenger cars from the Swap Meet that are now tuned up and ready to go to the Sebring Model Railroad Club. As well as the freight cars from the same source, all tuned, couplers converted, wheels upgraded, and weight added to NMRA specifications. And finally a few from my 1970's collection including one MoW car that used to be a track cleaner and which is my earliest attempt at weathering, and one 80 ft. flat car that I bought at a train show. The flat has almost nowhere to add weight so I added what I could and attached a note that it needs to have 3.5 ounces of cargo. The conversions of the tiny coal cars were tricky but I got it done.
About the only thing I did was post to join the Winter Party for my first time. Haven't done anything I posted, just played with my new Amtrak stuff and things I bought before Christmas Apparently the only thing I accomplished was being Lazy But it was fun
I hope you had a wonderful and peaceful Christmas. We experienced a nice Christmas with our family again. There was even time to continue the staging yard construction project. But see for yourself...
Wow, obviously wood working is another hobby of yours? It looks so, clean and organized Is that real track in the last photo or paper cutouts or something, where you have the real switches/turnouts laying on the bench work?
My weekend went mostly as predicted. Did not have to work Sunday, thankfully. Just a quiet day, trying to catch up on some much needed rest. Chatted with a conductor friend about current RR events. Read a bit more of that V&O book.
Great Christmas's all 'round! Glad everyone was so blessed. Went out of town Saturday. Was at daughter's home where they were experiencing planned rolling blackouts. I did not notice a difference. Went to other daughter's on way home. A good time was had by all. I am still building the Jersey cow. Hindered by "piddling". Have a great Holiday week!
Well, Moose wasn't feeling all that well -- stress of the season! Friday: Started redesign the main control panel, but wasn't able to do anything on the layout, therefore turnouts still troubling operations. Saturday: Managed to help Mrs Moose and the cats make and eat dinner. Nice relaxing evening... Sunday: Mr & Mrs Moose managed to eat a big breakfast. Moose went back to working on ideas for redesigning the main control panel while Mrs Moose worked on a special brunch to take to step-son's. Drove down to step-son's house. Step-son's truck was gone. Whaaa? Yeah, should not have been surprised (1) ... Had a nice brunch, and then interrogated step-son about his new girlfriend and why she wasn't there to eat Mrs Moose's fine brunch that she slaved over all morning ... Yeah, step-son explained about his girlfriend's absence: "She didn't want to drive all the way down to his house only to have to drive all the way back up to her house for dinner with her friends." He's been dating this woman for a year and has yet to introduce her to his mum... Monday: Ate left-overs and continued working on ideas for redesigning the main control panel. (1) The rest of the story: Step-son decided he needed to help a buddy with something, knowing that his mum and Moose were on the way. Da Mooses waited for an hour for step-son to finish and return. Whilst waiting, Mrs Moose cleaned step-son's filthy kitchen and dining area. Kitchen towels? Fabric or paper, either one? Nope ... Mr Moose snooped into step-son's garage to see what motorcycles, quads and parts of other barely-recognizable automotive parts he might have -- this month. Hmmm, his quad was half apart because he damaged the drive belt "messing around" and didn't know how to put it back together again. He traded his last dirt bike for a Beull. How many dirt bikes he's had in the past 2-3 years, Moose has long since forgotten. Moose inquired into why the Buell was painted white (not a standard Buell color) and without "Buell" markings, had fluid dripping from underneath the mono-shock, and slight indications of cracks in the sidewalls. Yeah, another "great deal"... He's a mechanic! Arrrg!
Despite the long weekend, I didn't get much done. Friday was fill with chores. Saturday, I made it down to the layout and just got settled in at the work bench when the wife informed me that we were going to attend the early Christmas Eve service and go to dinner with friends after rather than stay home during the afternoon and attend the evening service. It was a good time but no trains. Sunday was Christmas and we had guest over for lunch. After that we did go down and run a few trains before going back upstairs to watch a movie. Monday I was feeling a bit under the weather so did pretty much nothing. Back at work today and feeling completely wiped out. Did get a couple of cool train cars for Christmas so all in all, it was a good weekend. Here's hoping you all have a great last week of 2022!
This is ME flex track with concrete ties. I just put it down as a reminder. It doesn't have the final radius yet. Since it will be a loop, I still have to pay attention to a few things. I wait of my latest purchase...a reverse loop modul https://www.ldt-infocenter.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=en:ksm-sg
Didn’t get too much accomplished. Spent a lot of time with my family-catching up, playing board games and assisting with Lego builds. My wife got the family Ticket to Ride,which was a big hit. I gave each of my daughters a passenger car, so we’ll install passengers and lights sometime soon. I took a few minutes and organized some excess I need to part with eventually and I installed decoders in a few Fox Valley GEVOs. In between family stuff I researched prototype photos and sketched out some thoughts for a future layout based off an industrial park. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ran my Christmas train on my layout (original 1973 train set) and got crated: HO 48x42x42 inch wood shipping crates. After gluing the first one, I found that the "lid" (the bottom in this image) easily snapped into the rest. Total of eight crates. These are 3D printed models by a local producer/vendor.
The weekend as a whole was excellent, with one big exception. Saturday: My daughter's flight from Syracuse to Chicago got delayed by seven hours. She bagged the entire itinerary as travel was chaos. She is now scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning. We did drive my mother-in-law back to Bellingham. My son, in the meantime, had a pumpkin pie baking in the oven and was working on the clam chowder when we arrived. Christmas Eve dinner was great thanks to him. Sunday: Started with a quiet cup of coffee. Then some cinnamon rolls before shredding wrapping paper to find the goodies inside. All the while sharing the event on FaceTime with my daughter. Trying to make the best of her travel debacle, she had gone to Target on Saturday where she found clams for her own chowder, and a turkey for Christmas dinner. Her fiance' had to work both days, so they spent a couple unplanned meals together. Back in Bellingham, my wife's maternal aunts all came over for dinner. The first time the four sisters had been together in a long while. After everyone left, my wife and son joined me for a walk to the lagoon and through town. Monday: Boxing Day soccer match was a success. Lunch was sliders made from leftover dinner rolls and ham. My wife and mother-in-law went to visit other family while I took a solo walk along the water and back through town to pick up a few groceries. Then my brother, his wife and his daughter with family all came over for pizza. It was a bit less work and I think we all enjoyed the change. It was a great holiday weekend. Wish my daughter could have made it, but her arrival tomorrow will extend the festivities. A few gifts are still trickling in as mail and package delivery were shut down by last week's snow and ice. Not much train related activity. I did get the new VIA Rail book published by Rapido Trains. Haven't had the chance to look through it yet. Stay safe,
