Here's an earlier non-train-room project for a weekend this summer--the "anti-aviary." Birds have been such a pest that we decided to net the entire 24 x 24 foot veggie garden. This is the frame before we netted it. It worked wondrously:
How wondrous was it? Well, here's a carrot. The brazen threshers, voracious seed-eating birds, couldn't get in: Just some of what we do when we are not in the train room!
I guess those Italian cars are kinda cranky, but my lancia has been a joy to drive and own. It's just so rusty I decided to get a nicer body. and yes it's the same fiat engine. My lancia is front wheel drive so it's really awesome in snow. just climbs up onto it and goes so long as it's not so deep I get high center. And yes Form before Function is a flaw in italian design at times. lol It sounds like you know alot about cars. I may have to pick your brains via EMail about car restoration. This is my first Restoration job and right now it seems daunting. Sorry off topic. Oops.
Geeky and I have taken this discussion of Lancias off-line. But, since the topic did include "trains or otherwise," I thought I'd show you some other weekend things that keep me busy. I have two fish ponds--this is the largest, about 18 by 26 feet, and 6 feet deep: The koi are getting as nearly as big as my 30-pound cats:
Pete,about the camper.Just do what we have done and buy a small nice used one.Mine is a 28' bumper mount.Wife would love to have a 5th wheel trailer,but I pointed out the same to her as you did your wife.We pull our current trailer with our suburban. As far as my weekend plans,my bathroom project is coming along.Maybe when I get done I'll post some before and after pics.
Hmmm... I used to do aquariums a lot years ago. Now you are giving me the pond fish craving. Oh oh. Then again I could see a nice trestle crossing the pond with my G scale on it. Oh oh again. Must stay focused, geeks cannot afford too many hobbies. Must remodel house first!
halfpint, Something 28-feet long hanging off the bumper of a Suburban still gives me the heebie-jeebies if I have to drive it. I know everyone says it's a piece of cake, but this is a guy used to sportscars maybe 14 feet long, 46 inches high, and weighing 2000 pounds. AARRUGGGH! (But they are nice.) geeky, The bridge across the pond is already designed! The 1500-foot loop is too. But, man, that track is expensive! Pete, stay focused! Finish the N scale! Think about 50 tons of ballast, instead of Woodland Scenics bags. Do people do O-scale outdoors?
In approx. 8 hours, I am leaving for Portland, OR on Amtrak. This will probably be the end-all be-all week of trains for me and my 4 year old son. My wife? She brought books Now, if that darned westbound Capitol Limited could be within 3 hours of being on time for once! We will make our Chicago connection.
Bi-annual festival at the Vista Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, where my NTrak club is a member. I'm the DIC (Director In Charge) and I'm leaving for setup just as soon as I finish this! Also this weekend I have to finish the lasering for the top on our new transfer table at the SDSoNS layout, then get back to work on installing signal systems and making LED street lights for the yard module... Tony Burzio San Diego, CA
IF track tool order is delivered, I will rip up selected sections and relay. IF MT couplers (assembled) are delivered, I will change my Spectrum 2-8-0 tender coupler. If my wife did not insist, I would not be spending Sunday visiting her brother in Westhampton.
My plans for this weekend include our annual train show for MVNS (Mississippi Valley N Scalers) in Kirkwood, MO. We host a show, including our modules, and some other folks, (lego trains, Lionel, and an HO module layout). Also included are a large area for dealers. I plan to run my BNSF coal drag pulled by SD70MACs, and I'll attempt another run of my 1951 Super Chief. I was only able to run about 6 cars of the 10 car consist due to uncoupling problems with the Con-Cor cars. I've tuned them up again, so we'll see.
This coming weekend I have to finish up the arbor, put away all the tools, and clear up all the waste. I suspect three 10-yard dumptrucks will show up while I am doing this. They will drop 30 yards of stones--I think that's 30 tons--in various places for Jeanne's latest projects. I have told Jeanne that these are wonderful projects, and to hire some young backs to complete them. I intend to spend from 12 noon to 7 PM Saturday in the train room fixing all the little goofs in preparation for the BIG PHOTOSHOOT. Sunday I will read the papers, and watch my beloved New England Patriots try to extend their winning streak. Then I will go back into the trainroom from about 2:30 to 6 PM. Tasks are yet unplanned.
Back on line after my move. My weekends will be filled with un packing. I did measure my train room, (first night I was there). It will be about 13 x 14 feet. I'll be posting the initial plans for the SVRR this week I hope.
I did some safe CSX today. Grabbed the camera and drove to a good spot outside of Clifton Forge VA. Although the light wasn't the greatest, I got a couple of decent shots ot a SD-70MAC in dark future paint. If the weather is good, I will go to Moss Run (near the WVA line) and shoot the Amtrak Cardinal. Len
I'm detailing two SP SD-7's with MU hoses, MU cables; round deck mounted MU housings; Extended exhaust stacks; cab mounted bells with bracket; steam generators; rotary beacons; spare truck mounted knuckles; speed recorders and Trainline BLMA air hoses. I also weathered a gondola and made a load of scrap iron that I weathered with burnt umber; raw sienna and raw umber. Tomorrow I plan to start a CMR 135' turntable kit. Stay cool and run steam....
Bob, Please keep us informed on your progress on the CMR kit. I think a lot of us are thinking about this kit.
That's a healthy size for a nice N empire! Always is great fun to see how plans evolve. So am looking foward to seeing what you develop. Boxcab E50
Boxcab thanks to you and Fosteringill I won't have to go on a diet to run trains. < a grateful gryphin gryns .>
Pete: I am going to do a tutorial on the building of this kit with photographs..... I've already thought of that... I've completed the "beginning" phase... Stay cool and run steam.....
Bob, I'd sure appreciate that. While I've got my Walthers kitbash turning reliably, I haven't tackled the finished wiring for the bridge. Last time I built it this way, it was always incredible finicky, many times requiring a little pressure by the great hand from the sky to level things off. I'm not sure I want to go through that process again.
