Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 2, 2014 Author Share Posted August 2, 2014 ... anybody want to exchange a Kato Union Pacfic SD40-2 for my pair of Athearn RTR SD40T-2s or SD40s? Or Genesis MP15ACs.... I've had the weirdest epiphany. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted August 2, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 2, 2014 No don't do it or you will end up ripping up track as many times a Coachman does!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 2, 2014 Author Share Posted August 2, 2014 (edited) No, I just realised that I had been collecting locomotives for a pike I'll never build, and that I had no emotional attachment too. As I worked on the 824 I realised that - love it or loathe it - most of my direct personal experience has been with the UP post SP takeover. 824 is one of the locomotives I've seen and enjoyed in the flesh. So I'd like to make one (or both) of her Colton partners, which are SD40-2s, 1612 and 1579 in my photo below Even my Phoenix ideas really need UP lightning scheme GP40s.... All the SP stuff I have has no place on a late 2000's LA set switcher pike. Nor the ATSF stuff either. Will have to patch it all to BNSF... So I need a clear out, and would willingly trade out my SP stuff rather than throw it to ebay. Edited August 2, 2014 by Dr Gerbil-Fritters Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted August 2, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 2, 2014 No, I just realised that I had been collecting locomotives for a pike I'll never build, and that I had no emotional attachment too. As I worked on the 824 I realised that - love it or loathe it - most of my direct personal experience has been with the UP post SP takeover. 824 is one of the locomotives I've seen and enjoyed in the flesh. So I'd like to make one (or both) of her Colton partners, which are SD40-2s. Even my Phoenix ideas really need patched SP GP40s, and UP lightning scheme GP38s.... All the SP stuff I have has no place on a late 2000's LA set switcher pike. Nor the ATSF stuff either. Will have to patch it all to BNSF... So I need a clear out, and would willingly trade out my SP stuff rather than throw it to ebay. I know the feeling... Having just gone through all the US stock... I realised that I have a load to repaint/patch paint/Renumber/redata or do the full job of repaint on. Then there is the older stuff.... Do I just clear out all of the older stuff that I first started on, or do I just accept that it's yard filler and not for running? Such hard questions are raised! Thanks Or should I just sell them? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 No, I just realised that I had been collecting locomotives for a pike I'll never build, and that I had no emotional attachment to. Dr G-F, just being evil - have you seen this? http://www.atlastrainman.com/HOLoco/tmhogp39-2ph2.htm (First small image) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 3, 2014 Author Share Posted August 3, 2014 pH that's just plain wicked! one of my absolutely favourite RRs! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 3, 2014 Author Share Posted August 3, 2014 Besides, how many trains can anyone run at one time? Currently having more fun than I could have imagined with one locomotive, and a dozen freight cars. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 ... one of my absolutely favourite RRs! I knew that - I've seen your pictures and description of it on here. That's why I posted that link. You seemed to be coming to a definite decision about the way your layout should develop. I just felt I should sow a little bit of doubt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 3, 2014 Author Share Posted August 3, 2014 That's a great post (Freedom Layouts) This is my second serious go at building a layout, and I have to say that I would baulk at building something much bigger. For a start, I'm amazed at how much cash and time it's absorbed before I even got to place any rolling stock on it. Secondly, I just don't have time to devote to a big layout, nor a handy crew of fellow modellers available to work on it. Even if they were there, the nature of my job gives me more than enough people time, and I relish the solitude of my modelling activities. Finally, being able to wander down for an hour after dinner and either do a small bit of switching, or noodle around on several half completed projects, is exactly the therapy I was looking for. As long as it connects with my emotional attachment to the many happy hours I've spent trackside in California and Arizona, it's doing what I'd hoped. I think sometimes I got too distracted by videos I've watched, or articles I've read, or photographs I've liked and tried to emulate them, rather than build something which meant something to me personally. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecougill Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Greetings Dr., Of course everyone has a personal preference but I have found great satisfaction with a smaller, simpler layout. The freedom to lavish time and attention to a project in an unhurried manner has been quite gratifying. The true essence of a hobby. Best wishes on your endeavors. Regards, Mike Cougill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 I was just looking at a shed layout on RMWeb on video. Very enjoyable it was too - but something was nagging at my brain and it suddenly occurred to me that the Geology was all wrong and didn’t really make sense in terms of changing elevations and the way the model railway handled them. I know you, Mike and many others have mentioned this fact ad nauseum - plan the geology of the area to be modelled first before thinking of planning track layout. Everyone (seemingly) knows that the original railway engineers wanted to follow contour lines as closely as possible whilst getting their railway between point A and point B. They had shareholders to answer to for unnecessary expense on bridges, tunnels, cuttings etc. We all seem to know this yet it’s the first fact to fly out of the window in all the excitement of track planning. One of the passions that I share with the good Dr. is a love of Arizona (and in my case New Mexico). In Arizona the geology tends to be stripped bare (not many trees in the way, except in the Flagstaff area, simplistically). Now I realize why Lance loves Florida.... Just a late night thought. Best, Pete. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 A handy consequence of my love for Arizona is that I can get away with flat tan coloured benchwork and call it 'scenery'! In truth, I'm not so much for scenery. I am aiming for an overall neat presentation, with the railroad front and centre (center!) a little touch of ballast, some essential buidlings and supporting props, powerlines, lighting poles etc. The minimum for an 'impression' of the place I love. I would cite David barrow as an influence here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Reichert Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 A handy consequence of my love for Arizona is that I can get away with flat tan coloured benchwork and call it 'scenery'! In truth, I'm not so much for scenery. I am aiming for an overall neat presentation, with the railroad front and centre (center!) a little touch of ballast, some essential buidlings and supporting props, powerlines, lighting poles etc. The minimum for an 'impression' of the place I love. I would cite David barrow as an influence here. DAVIDBARROWCMSF002.JPG That's the man who thinks we should leave the "model" out of "model railroad". His domino(e)s didn't go down too well on the Model Railroader Magazine readers letters either. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 (edited) Yes, vive le difference and all that. To be honest I only really love Arizona by the time I’ve reached the latitude and altitude of Sedona - still heading north! Not one to linger around Phoenix.......... Best, Pete. Edit: I have to be so careful typing originally I had typed “attitude of Sedona” - no freudian slip, meant altitude. It’s the high desert for me. Edited August 4, 2014 by trisonic Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 High desert, low desert - as long as there's a railroad across it, I'm happy! And just had confirmation today that work will be taking me back to Phoenix and LA in September.... lovely. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 That's the man who thinks we should leave the "model" out of "model railroad". His domino(e)s didn't go down too well on the Model Railroader Magazine readers letters either. Andy Ah, MR... the home of the 8 x 4 table top.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted August 4, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 4, 2014 At least in September it might only be 100 degrees F!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 4, 2014 Author Share Posted August 4, 2014 (edited) Very interesting, Simon. Would a similar process be gone through using contemporary stock? I'm aware if trying to factor in this sort of thing to slow down switching, and that's a really handy crib sheet. I also use a lot of momentum on the throttle, as I want my locomotives to take a moment to spool up and slow down, not shoot off like a rocket and stop on a dime. My Atlas GP38-2 has a lot of physical momentum through flywheels and it's great to switch with. Apologies for probably incorrect use of physics terminology I hadn't realised that my usual practice of stopping before the coupling in order to align the couplers was a prototypical feature! I just thought I had shonky couplers... Edited August 4, 2014 by Dr Gerbil-Fritters 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 At least in September it might only be 100 degrees F!! Last time I was there it was 114f the time before 116f - “But it’s a dry heat..........." Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 5, 2014 Author Share Posted August 5, 2014 I also enjoyed reading Trevor and Mike on the sublect of weighting cars. I've got mine up to 170g, but am going to get them up to 200. he improvement in handling is noticeable. Clearly, If I were to be running 100 car freights it would be a different issue, but as I'm shoving or pulling no more than eight to ten, the extra weight adds a lot to my enjoyment. I think a weekend session with Daughter as Engineer is called for. Actually, I may get her to be the Conductor... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 5, 2014 Author Share Posted August 5, 2014 Last time I was there it was 114f the time before 116f - “But it’s a dry heat..........." Best, Pete. Shawmut Hill, June 2007... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Add to that Monsoonal moisture today.......... Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 5, 2014 Author Share Posted August 5, 2014 I had a nasty near miss in a monsoon in August 2009... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 11, 2014 Author Share Posted August 11, 2014 Work has taken up rather a lot of time lately, but I've managed to get on with some trackwork. I relaid the industry tracks, as I wasn't completely satisfied with them. Looking west.... looking east... I abolished the lumber pad and installed the sharp curving lead to the cemex plant.... and the short spurs that hold the empty cars after unloading at the silos. In the end, I couldn't resist the urge to model a cemex plant, as it's one of the signature items in my 'emotional attachments' list. I've also been working on some freight car weathering, and I'm quite pleased with the flaking paint and generally rust on this one. Also on the work bench are a pair of SP SD40s which are part way through being decalled and modded into a pair of patched SD40M-2s, again as part of my on going attemot to model what I've seen or that I connect too. It's amazing how much pleasure this little pike is giving me. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parthia27 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 That's the man who thinks we should leave the "model" out of "model railroad". ... because he is very focussed on operations and as such does the minimum amount of scenery he feels is necessary to facilitate such. Dr GF, I love what you are doing and get even more of kick hearing that you are having a hoot whilst doing it. I'm trying to negotiate with Mrs Clover atm on investing in a shed, our garden isn't the biggest, is an odd shape, and we have 'very' different opinions on how big a shed might be. She is thinking 6' x 4' whilst I am currently arguing for 16' x 8'. I'd settle for 12' x 6'. The next problem is how I would put in the base and insulate / line the shed feeling as I do atm. Think it will be a project for next spring / summer when I have finished negotiations and saved up the funds necessary. TTFN Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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