artfull dodger

At the open house at RLD hobbies, my wife bought some second hand Marklin Maxi items. She got the pair of Union Pacific F7s that I am repainting into Chessie System colors. I also removed the digital board and replaced it with a battery pack and a toggle switch for now. It will get RC control once I remember where I put everything to do that. It was between the Maxi F units and the LGB version. The LGB looks better, but its sooo much larger and would have clearance issues on our small layout. Where as the Maxi fits quite nicely. She also got 2 of the UP passenger coaches, UP Caboose and a Western Pacific box car. All the UP items will get redone into Chessie system. So far the F unit has run nearly 3 hours on the battery that saw several hours of use at the open house running my LGB Stainz, and still has not needed recharging. Maxi to me was a strange 10 year experiment, designed by the gentleman that went on to start up ETS model train in the Czech Republic. They were a mix of prewar tinplate an modern era digital control and can motors. They have a charm unique to them and thier glossy paint makes them really look good under the Christmas tree. Mike and Michele T

So my little raised line is back in it meter gauge Austrian theme for awhile. Pics of the lines new 2120 Stainz #2 out on the line. Engine was miss listed on ebay, so I got it for under $100 shipped to me!!!! Engine was mint in the box. I removed the track pickups and am running with a battery in the high sided wagon behind the engine. Need a container or box to put in the wagon to install the battery inside of. Then I will use a much thinner, black feed line to the rear of the locomotive. Stainz is to small to put my standard battery power in the locomotive itself. So, its best to(gulp), run a trailing battery car. Enjoy! Mike

if I could get Bertie and my Ruby off to new homes, I would have the funds to get a Billy kit. I would go the kit route so I could paint the frames red in color instead of standard Roundhouse black. I would also go with a lighter shade of green than Roundhouse does. Something closer to the bog standard LGB starter set engine cab green. Mike

I wonder if the Billy body work can be fitted to the Lady Anne Chassis, along with the Billy Boiler. If starting from kits, it looks like this could be done. Roundhouse did something similar called Deko for a French hobby shop years ago. Looks like they also use the bigger outside fly cranks from William as well. If I dont get any bites on the Accucraft, its a moot point of trying to buy the kit engines. I think just the Euro style lanterns and valve gear will help. Biggesst issue is that Saddle tank engines were not popular in mainland Europe. Mike

Bertie is obviously UK looking by nature from Roundhouse. I have a buyer for my Sammie, but if nobody wants Bertie or my Ruby #5, I wont be able to afford anything else that is more European looking like a Billy or a William if one could be found second hand. So, could with a few simple mods, Bertie look more the part pulling my LGB rolling stock? Of the top of my head would be removal of the lamp irons and a single lantern from Regner(Similar to the one on a LGB Stainz) installed on a bracket in front of the stack. Removal of the brass chimney top or a different chimney all together. Body modifications are beyond my skills so the saddle tank and round windows would have to stay. Maybe do the Walscheart valve gear and loose the running plate above the cylinders(this would do away with the lamp irons). I would also put one of those lanterns on the back of the cab as well. With 3 or 4 LGB meter gauge wagons, I find the speed is controlable and he isnt trying to bounce off the track when he goes thru a turnout at one side. Running with lighter load he wanted to pick the points and derail if speed was to fast. Not so with a heavier load hooked up, even when the speed got a bit more than I liked. Ideas and suggestions welcome. I will have spending $$ with the sale of Sammie, so I can get all the upgrades to Bertie and more if I should choose to. Mike Silly NT's.....I have Asperger's Syndrome!

More progress pics, covered the peat with cyprus mulch and salvaged ballest from the old ground level line. The outer loop is almost fully ballested. I am going to add two potted dwarf alberta spruce trees around the rock waterfall fountain in the middle, then backfill that area with just mulch. This will allow easy removal of the fountain for winter storage as temps here can get 20-50 below 0'F with the wind chill, with actual air temp at 0'F or even below that a few degrees. Line is taking on an Austrian feel over UK at the moment, would be a good home for a RH Billy that I can paint similar to a LGB Stainz with red frames and green cab. Bertie looks ok with my fieldbahn cars, but not with the standard meter gauge cars, looks a bit dwarfed by them. Mike

Here is a short video of my Ruby #5 steamer running last night. She is decorated for Autism Awareness and is up for trade. I am looking for one of Roundhouses battery powered diesels or one of thier classic series chassis kits. Mike

I have 3 different engines to pull the train, a live steam Accucraft Ruby#5, an LGB 2-4-0 starter set engine and the original engine, a Kalamazoo 4-4-0. The train is made up of 3 redecorated Kalamazoo passenger coaches and a caboose. Here are some pics of the trains. Mike First up is the first car I did up for Autism Awareness, which is an LGB 2 axle Euro coach Here is the LGB 2-4-0 autism engine Here is the Kalamazoo coaches Here is the live steam locomotive Here is my pair of Lionel diesels Here is my custom 1968 Wheelhorse garden tractor And finally my Team Associated RC10

Here is Bertie running last week. Mike

Here are some progress pictures, no live steam today, just running my LGB 2073d on battery power. Off to an early mothers day gathering at my parents place! Mike

Here is a link to a short video of the lights flashing as they should. Mike

After I got that done, I ran my new to me Bertie on my railway. Haven't really ran trains since the steam up where I got the "level crossing" lights. Between burnout and really really damp weather, no trains got ran till today. Mike

The rainy weather finally moved out and allowed me to set up my railroad grade crossing lights I got a few weeks ago. I poured the concrete foundation pad with bolts imbeded in the concrete just before the multi day rainy spell arrived(we got nearly 6 inches of rain in less than a weeks time). Took most of the day to take things apart so that I could put them back on the bare mast after I bolted it in place. Still need to put the bell on the top of the mast, my ladder isnt tall enough to safely put that heavy thing back on the top. Mike

I think with proper work and using the "planters box" style bench work, the garden theme can be maintainted. I do plan to plant hedges around the bottom of the table, and put my stone fountain there as well. This will help intergrate the whole set up into the garden. And I will say that running manualy control live steam is much more relaxing when one can just sit on the deck and control the throttle with ease. One of the not so good conditions I get with my autism is poor body/space judgement, so I spent a few times on my hind end or falling onto my knees while trying to squat, or tying to reach over to slow down a model, I would get my whole hand run into by the engine as I misjudged the distance when I reached for it. So the raised set up, while smaller, is much more relaxing and stress free for me to operate. And the dog cannot get to it!. That being said, does anybody know of a weather proof, small, castle that I could use on the railway. I would like to put it on top of the mountain/tunnel I am thinking of. Mike

Here are some pics of the crossing flasher signal and its relay that actually makes them work. I will put it all back together when I am able to erect the pole in my back garden. Its all alum, so not real heavy. Very early models in the USA were cast iron and extremely heavy! Mike Here is the warning bell, it goes on top of the pole Here is the pole, the base is at the far end Here are the 4 light heads and mounting "spider" And here is the huge relay that alternates the lights.