With the heat damage my module received at the recent Train Show in Urbana, I have started anew on my small town of "Gridley, TX." Here's the "official news release". April 11, 2000 Gridley, TX. An F-5 Texas Twister hit the small town of Gridley at 8:20pm CDT. There was no loss of life, but the town was litterly "scraped off" the face of the landscape. The Twister missed the BNSF/AOW Railshops but showed no mercy to the Downtown area. The winds were so strong, they removed train track, road surface, and even Coyote Ridge. "We will rebuild and get Gridley back on Track!" said Rodreges Chives, mayor of Gridley and former employee of the AOW. "This is a railroad town and we expect to receive help from the BNSF/AOW Railway and also UP." BWTidaback KCSW News Get the idea? If you have any similar rebuilding stories, let's here them! I plan on having "Gridley" ready for the Carl Sandberg Train Show held during Railroad Days in Galesburg, IL. I'll keep you all posted on the progress. So far, we have replaced the entire top with new plywood. Next will be a new leg system and I hope to get the cork laid by the end of the week. ------------------ RAILROADING-TO-THE-MAX! Brent Tidaback
Brent, what an imagination ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com http://Andersley.homestead.com http://galleryusarail_tehcaj.homestead.com http://eurogallery.homestead.com
Thanks! The "F-5" was a good old fashion wrecking-bar. I was planning on saving the original top, but it just wasn't working out. So, my friend RoyalBlue(Steve Zink), suggested we just start from scratch. I've also received help from Brian Falasz, carpenter extrodinar'! With all the help I'm getting, things should get back up and running pretty quick! ------------------ RAILROADING-TO-THE-MAX! Brent Tidaback
That is what I missed about model railroading was the world within a world (the image created in our minds). I always found it to be great fun coming up with various story lines to explain history and charater of the world we see through our layout. One of the several reasons we enjoy Model Railroading is stimulant it provides to our imanginations. (as I have said before, I am a terrible speller, blame it on spell check )
Well, I got the new leg system installed on my module! I hope to start laying track by this weekend! YIPEE! ------------------ RAILROADING-TO-THE-MAX, Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Style! Brent Tidaback
Brent, what type of "heat damage" did the module receive in my former city of residence? BILL ------------------ ship SOO!
hey man my new mods are almost worthy of the plywood plains name man. I have the inside and outside mains left to do on the last of the three. very cool interlocking on one of em. and there going to be kinda expendable as far as can use only one or two or three and possibly can be split up to cover vacancies in the layout maybe, we'll see. later buddha.
Everyone- The roadbed is down for the mains. I'm changing the track plan a little, so the rest of the roadbed is going on Tuesday night. Bill- Well, my modules were under a skylight at Lincoln Square and the sun played heck with them. My ground cover and ballast cracked and the track expanded, making a nice hump in the yellow and blue lines. The track actully came up off the roadbed. So, when did you live in Cham-bana? makinbaconline- Sounds good. What are you going to do with the old ones? ------------------ RAILROADING-TO-THE-MAX, Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Style! Brent Tidaback
Brent, really sorry to hear about the damage to your setup. Must have been heart-breaking. Glad to hear you're on your way to rebuilding, and hope it goes smoothly. Lived in Urbana (Barr Ave) during the mid-60s while based at Chanute. Loved the area, and go back about every three/four years or so. Always amazed at the growth in the area, especially along I74. BILL ------------------ ship SOO! [This message has been edited by SOOperSOO (edited 24 April 2000).]
UPDATE: The track is down and ballasted! Plants and Trees are starting to grow again and the Streets are getting repaved! Gridley is really starting to look like a Small Texas Town again! I'm staying in Normal, IL. all weekend to finish up. I was going to take Amtrak up there, but they're all booked, not a seat to be found! ------------------ RAILROADING-TO-THE-MAX, Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Style! Brent Tidaback, Member #234
FLASH! Southeast Texas Power is ready to install new Power lines into Gridley, Texas. The Cables will be laid sometime today and the BNSF/AOW will be able to resume rail service by the end of the day. The clean up of the F5 Twister is almost complete and should be finished by June 24th. (Just in time for Galesburg Railroad Days.) ------------------ RAILROADING-TO-THE-MAX, Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Style! Brent Tidaback, Member #234
Good work, Brent! Let us know if trains roll on schedule You sure build faster than I do ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery Alan's European Gallery Alan's British Steam Gallery
Fast! need to lease some EBCRL equipment Happy Railroading! Dane N. ------------------ TAMR2860-AKA BC Rail King TAMR2860@Canada.com for TAMR info. To send a general TRAIN! E-Mail send to BCRailKing@Canada.com
Whew! Man am I bushed! I went all weekend without any sleep, BUT IT WAS WORTH IT! I haven't gone without sleep for that long since my "Roll Playing" weekend parties during college. I still have to re-wire everything and then give it a test run. At least the sceanery is done, that's the hard part to me. I want to thank Steve "RoyalBlue" Zink, Geri Altum (a club member) and the rest of the staff at Adventureland Hobbies, Normal, IL. for all their support this weekend. I think if I would of heard "why don't you take a nap?" one more time last night, I might of gone "Postal"! Well, back to the boards so I can get some more sleep tonight! ------------------ RAILROADING-TO-THE-MAX, Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Style! Brent Tidaback, Member #234 [This message has been edited by Maxwell Plant (edited 29 May 2000).]
What is your first train gonna be? Happy Railroading! Dane N., now with the sandwich being digested ------------------ TAMR2860-AKA BC Rail King TAMR2860@Canada.com for TAMR info. To send a general TRAIN! E-Mail send to BCRailKing@Canada.com
It's rumored that it will be Christened with my new Kato SD40-2's, one Santa Fe, one Burlington Northern! YEEEEEE HAAAAAAA! ------------------ RAILROADING-TO-THE-MAX, Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Style! Brent Tidaback, Member #234
DUDE!, You like rock man. No really dude, I mean wow totally kick *SS man. So will the first train be intermodal, mixed freight, coal? Also, do you have any before and after pictures? Good luck and by the way.....Why Don't you take a nap! (I am jumping to the floor now to avoid your gunfire Later, Matt [This message has been edited by mtaylor (edited 30 May 2000).]
Brent, do you want to come over and finish my layout??? ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery Alan's European Gallery Alan's British Steam Gallery
Brent. Congrats on the work. Lets hope there are no hassles with the runnong and wiring of the layout... things seems to have been ok so far.. Sleepless nights I can relate to . 6 month old son teething..