jasond Posted April 1, 2022 Share Posted April 1, 2022 OK, I've tied the rope to the bottom of my staircase so if anything mysterious happens again I might be able to pull myself back to ... er, reality?! In the good old days the computer system would have a system manual and chapter 2 would tell you what you could do. Chapters 3 to ... whatever, would tell you what to try if anything, yes anything went wrong / didn't work anymore / etc. These days all of this useful stuff might be on the machine and can't be access... no don't go there Jason. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted April 2, 2022 Author Share Posted April 2, 2022 Okaaay..... while we all try & work out what colour the sky is on Planet Jason, let's have a "spot the difference" picture - or 'what is wrong with this F-Unit?' It's so obvious it's no challenge at all, and there are no prizes either!! 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted April 2, 2022 Author Share Posted April 2, 2022 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted April 2, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 2, 2022 never mind the headlight, they stopped the train and shut down the engines, but when they start up, a big cloud of black clag will shoot up,and you’ll know you’re looking at the only SOO re-engined by Alco. Simples! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasond Posted April 3, 2022 Share Posted April 3, 2022 Popped over to Trowbridge (Wilts) this afternoon where two of us were running American stuff on the West Wilts O Gauge Group (WWOGG) track: Atlas C628 on a track repair train and a Gem RDG Camelback 0-6-0 on a frt with appropriate caboose. One of the Central Loco Works knuckle couplers on one of my LaBelle coaches I retro'ed many years ago to a D&H MoW car is all gunged up, needs a clean. Apart from that ... er, I've got chicken pie and veg for dinner and ... OK, OK, the rotary switch on the fiddle yard's not working, so I'll have to go along on a night nobody's there and try to fix it. At least no-one will know who made it worse. Schtum all. I'll take some LaBelle kits to Winchester in October. Next WWOGG meet Tues night, 17.00 hrs onwards Jason 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 Jordan, what's new of your layout please? 😉 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted April 10, 2022 Author Share Posted April 10, 2022 7 hours ago, JAMO said: Jordan, what's new of your layout please? 😉 Sorry for the delay, Jacky. I've yet to tackle re-posting all the lost photos on here too. Probably not a lot of progress made while RMweb was AWOL, my time was taken up with making corrections to the new Minerva 7mm Class 14 engine. On Portway Terminal, recently I started on the warehouse building flats at Shortside North yard. I also trimmed the 'blank' end piece. The light colour hides it against the 'sky' a bit too much, but maybe some darker edge trim will help. The door stands out though!! Now, it'd be really nice to be able to open the door & push cars inside, but this is a brick outside wall of the house, 2 floors up. So instead, I've come up with another idea:- Behold - the "virtual warehouse"!!! Ok it's a cheap pine plank under the layout, and requires a lot of imagination, and ignoring the 'hand of god' as stock is moved, but it sort of increases the spur capacity quite nicely! With two cars in the virtual warehouse, the track in the yard is clear for more, look!! 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Regularity Posted April 10, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 10, 2022 1 hour ago, F-UnitMad said: Sorry for the delay, Jacky. I've yet to tackle re-posting all the lost photos on here too. Wait: they may yet reappear when the full back up is restored. Quote So instead, I've come up with another idea:- Behold - the "virtual warehouse"!!! In other words, a scenic fiddle yard - a useful and active variant on the “universal industry” of an interchange, where cars/loads are swapped between operating sessions. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 The little shelf under the layout is a good idea to store the cars which are supposed to be inside the warehouse 👍 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted April 13, 2022 Author Share Posted April 13, 2022 The Portway Terminal Railroad has been trying to combat the growing problem of graffiti. Somehow, it seems to be a losing battle.... 2 1 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 Some progress at Enderlin, my micr-O layout/diorama that is supposed to be the far end of the Portway Terminal Railroad. Rails are all spiked down now. There isn't much room to go mad with 'Jordan track', but I've done my best.... 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted April 14, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 14, 2022 I look forward to a video showing how bad you have managed to make the track. That doesn't sound quite right it cannot be easy maing 'bad' track that still works. I suspect US trucks cope much better than UK 4 wheel wagons on dodgey track. Good work. Don 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted April 15, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 15, 2022 (edited) That does look really good, and I think the extra width helps. The track laying is right up to a quality job, too. Looking at it, that’s all you need in a layout, isn’t it? keep it simple. Edited April 15, 2022 by Northroader 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted April 15, 2022 Share Posted April 15, 2022 19 hours ago, F-UnitMad said: Some progress at Enderlin, my micr-O layout/diorama that is supposed to be the far end of the Portway Terminal Railroad. Rails are all spiked down now. There isn't much room to go mad with 'Jordan track', but I've done my best.... Waow! That's good job Jordan! I like the idea of the "end of the line" (like the movie with the same name). Nice atmosphere! The "Jordan track" is very good! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted April 17, 2022 Author Share Posted April 17, 2022 I reckon I might not have enough Crew riding on my Plymouth Switchers??!! ..... 7 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMO Posted April 18, 2022 Share Posted April 18, 2022 A crew work. Well, it's because they need more weight for adherence 😆 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted June 3, 2022 Author Share Posted June 3, 2022 Apologies for a delay in updates. Life as ever gets in the way of important stuff like model trains. What recent work there has been on the layout has been a start made on ballasting the industrial spurs, and working on the one grade crossing that is assumed to lead to Shortside Industrial Park, at the start of the spurs. A first patch of ballast glued in place, a grotty mix of various Woodland Scenics stuff and real brick dust collected from various DIY jobs that involved drilling holes!! I've added inner guard rails to the Main and the Branch at this grade crossing, on 148th Street*... I've also made a start on putting in a third set of rails in between the two lines, as if another line was lifted years ago but the rails in the street left in situ. No photos just yet. I will use thin sections of wood glued in as 'shuttering" edges for the road surface, which will be ready-mixed coving adhesive spread in place like I did for the yard at Shortside North. * 148th Street - see what I did, there?? Works if you say it the American way. 😉😁 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted June 3, 2022 Author Share Posted June 3, 2022 I have two other grade crossings that will need doing, eventually. Both include a bit (or a lot!!) of forced perspective, to get a 'receding in the distance' look in a narrow board width. Telegraph Road, in between Shortside and Portway Center... And County Road, near North Bend... 11 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 (edited) On 02/04/2022 at 11:16, F-UnitMad said: Okaaay..... while we all try & work out what colour the sky is on Planet Jason, let's have a "spot the difference" picture - or 'what is wrong with this F-Unit?' It's so obvious it's no challenge at all, and there are no prizes either!! So, what was with this pic anyway? Edited June 6, 2022 by Talltim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted June 6, 2022 Author Share Posted June 6, 2022 3 hours ago, Talltim said: Sok, what was with this pic anyway? Normal F-Unit... SOO 2228A, nicknamed "Old Baldy". That's a clue.... You're not the first to ask, though ;) 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western Star Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 16 hours ago, F-UnitMad said: Normal F-Unit... SOO 2228A, That's a clue.... You're not the first to ask, though ;) Sir, Please Sir! I know... can I answer? am I correct? Graham 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted June 7, 2022 Author Share Posted June 7, 2022 2 hours ago, Western Star said: Sir, Please Sir! I know... can I answer? am I correct? Graham After you were the first to ask, you'd better not get it wrong!!! 🤣🤣 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western Star Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 3 hours ago, F-UnitMad said: After you were the first to ask, you'd better not get it wrong!!! 🤣🤣 Seeing as I asked several weeks back, just what was the answer then? Oh, I know! One sees like Cyclops and the other is as blind as a bat. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted June 7, 2022 Author Share Posted June 7, 2022 44 minutes ago, Western Star said: Seeing as I asked several weeks back, just what was the answer then? Oh, I know! One sees like Cyclops and the other is as blind as a bat. Sort of, I think..!! Every single F-Unit left the factory with a headlight on the top of the nose. The second, lower headlight in the door was an option, not all F-Units had them. But the upper one, no option, it was part of the design. Soo 2228A suffered some sort of collision damage, & the local shop rebuilt the nose, rather crudely & sans upper headlight, which made a remarkable difference to the appearance of the loco. At least I thought it made a big difference, until I posted the photo & posed the question... 🙄🙄🤦♂️🤦♂️ It reminds me of the difference between DP1, the prototype 'Deltic' which was designed with a similar headlight on the nose, and the 22 production Deltics (& DP2) which did not, and the featureless, bulbous nose became particularly prominent in BR Blue, with the whole nose end in yellow. Meanwhile, Cyclops & blind as a bat reminds me of the definition of a good Railway Foreman I read about once... "A good Foreman has to have the eyesight of a hawk, & be as blind as a bat. The real skill in the job, is knowing when to be which." 😉👍 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western Star Posted June 8, 2022 Share Posted June 8, 2022 (edited) This extract seems appropriate, us mere mortals being so small alongside their imposing form. "The Cyclopes (singular: Cyclops) were gigantic, one-eyed beings with enormous strength. Source: https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Cyclopes/cyclopes.html" Where did you read the quote about the foreman? regards, Graham Edited June 8, 2022 by Western Star Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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