long island jack

Thinks have slowed up a bit lately with work and helping Jon G,but i've managed a hour here and there to add some more detail. Ray

Jack They are spot on,going to start weathering them to night if i get time,got to fix the cats and dogs on first. Jon On my to do list,don't seem to get many weekends free now ,so will have to wait its turn. Ray

Shortliner,came up trumps on Friday,with a box full of goodies,just need a bit of weathering down Cheers again Jack,see if you like this,there all spot on, do you want the box back??. Ray

do you think this is what he's trying to create Ray

My son just got back from the states bearing gifts (mainly sound decoders) of a couple of vehicles. still need a couple more cars and a pickup truck, also a couple of semi's with trailers. think shortliner can help me out there?? It's all starting to take shape now,just the rest of my freight cars to weather,fine tune the couplers and the odd little detail here and there. i'm now ready for loads of running nights,no better way to find any operating problems,so i can fine tune magnet postions etc,looks like i need to get some beers (maybe a poly-pin might be better) in for when we start, it will be thirsty work. Ray

Nick I too like the Rutland box car,found it and another one (different number) in a box under a traders stand £5 the pair,both had Kadee couplers,one had kadee wheels sets in. Said he had them for a couple of years ,hence in the box under the table,got 3 Walthers CP 60' wood pulp cars the same time all with kadee's and different numbers £10 the 3,these are in store for a future project. love ratching around at swap meets and under tables you never know what you will find,sometimes nothing,sometimes you strike lucky. Ray

There must have been Real ale pub nearby or asleep under the layout Ray

Some scary landings there chaps!! Not been doing much modeling lately,with work commitments and helping Jon Grant at St Albans with Sweethome Alabama,i've had no spare time. Did managed a couple of hours after tea (after fitting a new shower,got to get some brownie points for my next trip to help Jon at Glasgow) today and built a few dock plates for my loading dock areas. Ray

So does that mean us British have a broader out look in modelling,or is it something to do with the way we exhibit our layouts over here,with the different vatiety of scales and countries modelled or is it just to try and do something different, in stead of the run of the mill British outline (no offence meant). It's nice to go to a exhibition and see something different what ever scale or country,i do get a bit fedup seeing the same old,same old,when i'm not exhibiting i like to go to different show,but that's getting less and less,there's nothing much new and unusual (on the Northern circuit) most exhibition tend to cater for the British outline modeller,unless it's a specialist show,which tend to be in the south of England (south of Manchester). I'll just have to keep on promoting American railroads over here the best i can,and hope i can convert a few. Ray

Got to agree with you about the "attention of a goldfish",there's more to layouts than the trains,wonder if this happens at exhibition/meets in America,when there's a British layout there,and the cry goes up "it's only another British layout"!!! Caught up on a few of things on my "to do list" over the last week or so,i've modified the scenario cards (they where to big) and installed some magnets to hold them. Got some vechicles at the weekend at the American meet at Hampthwaite (still need a couple more), just a coat of paint on the front of the layout and some legs to build then she's done. Had a couple of inquires for shows for 2014-15,so my see some of you's about. Ray PS May do the one day exhibition at Hampthwaite in July if it goes a head

More of a urban modeller myself,but one of my favorites layouts at the moment is Sweethome Alabama,by Jon Grant,superb!!!

Prof klyzir I've got a cunning plan for that,we are both going to dress up as women, they can multi task!!!!!!!!. Seriously,at British exhibition you don't get many people asking that many questions about American layouts (hope this layout proves me wrong),and the speeds that i'm going to be switching at i should be able to answer most questions,if we don't get to the last card by the end of the show,it's just a couple of minutes job to set it up for the next day. Ray

The numbers in the left hand side are operational procedures,which are at the bottom of the operational notes, eg 3 next to off spots,means cars must go behind caboose,due to broken coupler/brake hose Ray

For the past week i've been playing trains testing out my operational procedure using scenario style cards (switch list) so far it seems to work ok,just a bit of fine tune of some couplers and standardizing on Kadee #5/148 (hate those Backmann/Mchenrys). First thing i have is a setup card, this tells me where every car goes before we start. Once thats done we have a set of operational rules which we must try to follow ( we'll get use to using the horn and bell). Then i have a set of 8 cards which tells me which cars to drop off,pick up. We start at card 1, putting the cars that are to drop off on the fiddle yard track,in any order (engine on front,caboose on back),this way each card can be different each time,where it say 40' boxcar and there's more than one in the train,it's up to the operator to choose which one goes where,and so on, there will be bad order cards, mainly broken couplers/brake hose which have to be move to off spot locations,once we have delivered/pickup we head back to the fiddle yard. Next we pick card 2 and go through the same procedure,to add a bit of variety, cards 2,4,6,8 are different on both sides. Each odd numbered card 1,3,5,7 takes about 45-55 minutes, cards 2,4,6,8 take about 15-20 minutes,the plan is the first operator does card 1-2, then sets up card 3,which the second operator does then card 4,and so on, this will give each operator about 60-75 minutes break to have lunch and a look around the exhibitions or sit on his butt(layout will only need 2 people all weekend), be time we get to card 8 everything should be back in place for the next day. With most exhibitions being about 7 hours,and everything goes to plan, we should just be finishing about 4-ish,then allow a little time for talking to the punters,we shouldn't be far of by the end of the day. Will have to get my fellow operators around while were off, for some dummy runs (with some beer in of coarse). I'm sure there will be some fine tuning to do,but won't know that till we've run it! PHEW!!! Ray

Jez Don't get downhearted,i think what everyone's trying to say is why change something thats not broke,if you feel you have to do all these alterations thats your choice. Me personally think it's a cost i can't justify,especialy when i have more than one CF7,and on the lookout for more,if i did the alterations to one,i'd have to do them to them all,especialy if i was using them as a pair for switching. Keep the thread going, as Shortliner said if only one persons follows your example it's been worth it. Ray

Jez Ok if you have all those parts to hand,i went down the toothpaste in the gears and cutting a bit of the brushes first to see if that helped. Worked a treet,my 2 CF7 don't get passed notch 2 so there's not any gear noise,haven't got around to adding sound yet,something else on my "to do list". Ray

Just for a bit of daftness,i'm at a lost end this morning so took a photo of the Erie local!!!! Ray

Thanks for all the kind comment chaps, i've enjoyed building "59th and rust",i suppose i'll have to start running it now to see if it all works as i have planned it!!!!!!!! Ray

It's 1972 and the PC local is doing some switching,while on the main, the Amtrack 2 hourly passenger train amble's by in the hand's of Budd RDC unit. Ray

Boiler done for cradle car, just couplings to change on them,the plan is to run them with barrier cars,either flat cars or gondola's on each end. One empty on to the layout and propelled up the cement branch and exchange for a loaded,and run it as a out of gauge load,because of the tight clearance etc. Ray

Another project i did this weekend was build the AG Boilers in house cradle cars,for carrying the there boilers,just got the boiler to build for one of the cars and add chains. Ray

The rest of the people are in place. Jack just vehicles to sort,will have a think as to what i need then see what you have! Helping those losts tourist again Ray

Started to do some non-working lights on the buildings,and added a few workers going about there business,need some more people to do the street end. Then it's down to vehicles looks like i'm going to have to send to the States for these, no one seems to have the vehicles i need in the UK. Ray

Andrew Hope this is better Ray

Don't worry Andrew,i really got the B23-7 to run on "Franklin park","59th and Rust" won't get passed the mid 70's early Conrail,just had to try it on the layout,all the door spots are setup for 40/50ft box cars,couldn't use modern cars to big. It's usually SWMBO that stands behind me,with rolling pin (flo out of handy cap) not mallet.!!! Ray