peach james

I got the 1st rail done on the next piece (piece #3), and the 2nd rail is all but 2 done. 3rd rail has been wire wheeled to expose metal (rather than rust & dirt...). Contractors in the plant all day long limited my welding, along with a visit from one of my friends (he's an ex submariner, one heck of a guy). I looked at my steadily decreasing pile of 1 1/2" rail material (1 1/2 * 1/4"), and I have enough here to make up 5 sections of track of ~9' each. Next on my purchase list is going to be some (like about 2600 or so) Stainless 1 1/4" #10 wood screws and some Trex plastic wood, so I can start sleepering the sections I will be able to make up. I also need some 3/4x3/4 Aluminum L, for making the fishplates out of. (4x5=20 of them...), and stainless 1/4-20 nuts & bolts. I have a pair of Tom Bee 7.5" trucks on order to make up a riding car/driving car. My intent is going to be to get to having all the material I have here done into rail, then lay it loose on one side or the other of the front, and run a train by the end of spring. 1 day / 2 nights more that I know I work, plus whatever else comes my way. That then shows actual progress on this whole madcap scheme !

We manned Bow Thruster/Bridge Comms, Tillers when we went through Suez in 2008. Our spaces were not UMS, so that part wasn't an issue. IIRC, either chief or EO were in the MCR the whole way through too, to allow for some top cover in event of problems. (Closed up Special Sea Dutymen (*) for both canal passages that year...). The old man fell asleep in his chair, but we got delayed several times and it was well > 24 hrs for him. (*) I doubt it is still called this, given the removal of the "seaman" rank titles from the RCN (edited for clarity). Now called "Sailor" (Ordinary-Able-Leading-Master Sailor) James

First 112" long section (don't judge, it's being made with someone else's rail...) is done with 7.5, 5, 3.5 gauge tracks (or something LIKE that, I haven't got anything big enough to measure the 7.5 gauge directly...and didn't bring the tools in to measure the others, but the gauges say they should be...) I have enough material here for about 40' of track more. I started on the next piece, and have to go visit the parking person...

As it changes colour depending on angle, then I think you probably have it just about perfect. The diesel comment was because you'd said that you were going to plonk a Brit on there for the first photos- I knew that you only have the diesel's in EM, for running. My choice would be 70038 (Robin Hood), even though that's a Eastern engine. Mostly because my 3.5" Brit is Robin Hood, as the builder was from Nottingham. It won't fit, so no, it's not going on Gill Head ! (and it weighs 126 lb in its shipping box ).

Cough's and Sneezles Spread Diseseal's ! Lovely work as usual...though the choice of loco is a bit "sus" as the young lad would say !

And the words out of my mouth today are "pig dog troll", as expressed in Roadside Prophets. Why, you ask? well, 11.7/8- 8 = 3.813 3.813/2=1.906 And guess where I did NOT put the spot for the first rail in NOT at 1.9" from the end of the tie. So now I have a length of 5" / 3 1/2" finished, and another that will get finished, that are semi useless. I'll have to re-mark the remaining tieplates that are here for try #2. Oh well... (perhaps not "well", that might not have been the word I used...) James

no need for mirrors- just park by braille, they do it all the time around here...

And the decisions are welded down: Track gauges so far- 3.5031 and 5.031. Will knock up the gauge for 7.562 soon- I have another shift next week. I started onto the 2nd length of track, and welded all the tieplates on it.

If they are close enough to see it with a periscope, it's a flaming datum waiting to happen... and one island or two, it's going to get 4x 533mm torps...

I finished milling out the slot in the rear boiler bracket for the garrett- so next up is fitting the new 3 jaw to the lathe (requires the D3-1 pins to be slacked), and then turning some track gauges to length. I'll have a chat with my consultant engineer about the gauges first- as mentioned above, I am unsure which combo is a better one. 3.5 and 7.5 for sure, but there are 2 ways to do this, and I'm not sure which makes more sense. The advantage of 5" is that UK built (and ROW) built locos are fairly available. 4.75 is a odd gauge (although fairly common here in North America). It also means regauging the garrett from 5", and making it not able to be used overseas if I ever get the moxie to take it to the UK. The larger advantage is gaining the 4th gauge of 2.5", which I have a soft spot for... One thing is sure- the decision will be welded down on Tuesday. James

Nope. Not Turtledove's books They are by Taylor Anderson, not Turtledove. Turtledove started with a book called "The Guns of the South". You can add SM Stirling to the list- I'd go with Draka first, but it gets rather dark in places.

Jason responded to me, and said "I can't say a thing, as it would be stepping on the toes of the UK team". Ah well, not like the world will end if it is a joke (I got taken in 2001 by one...). Worst is we're out some ego & disturbed electrons, no $ so far (and we get Lion either way...) James

So, 7.x gauges... Dart is 8.340" over the outer edges of the wheels, and 7.250 flange-flange. That means 1.090" wide for both treads, or .545" on each wheel. 7.250+.545=7.785 "fall in" gauge, vs a track gauge planned of 7.562. That means I have .228 to play with, in a positive way. 7.562 gauge it is ! Next up is if I go with 2.5"/3.5"/4.75 or if I go with 3.5"/5" for the inset gauges. I think I would do better with 3.5"/5", as I don't own any 2.5" locos, and though I would love to have them, they are a bit smaller than riding behind would be comfortable. The ruling grade is 1/48 (easier to measure than 1/50). As posted ^, I have started with a little bit of welding.

It's going to be a home track, with no turnouts planned... allegedly, it is possible to run both, but requires very tight tolerances through the turnout. (like 7.510 or similar...). The engine was built in Ontario, which is 7.25", and I live out in BC, where it is 7.5". So... if it works, good, if it wasn't going to work, FIDO. is the thread for it here

I think for those worried about rods and gear drive, you need to look at what Rapido have already built. They have an example of an 4-6-4 where they used both...so seek out some video on Youtube of the Rapido Royal Hudson, or perhaps see if you can see one in person in action. The suggestion of a geared 0-4-2 running as a 0-6-0 makes a lot of sense to me. I'm well aware of how lightfooted a 14xx is in larger size- I just sent my dad out to measure his for track gauge. (it's a 7.25" gauge one...which I'm contemplating if it will run on 7.5", and the answer appears to be "yes" ). Further to the topic here, I sent Jason a message asking to confirm that this is a real announcement, and suggesting that perhaps they want to change the release time to 12:30 on April 1st to make it clear this is not a joke. I am sure they have a range of stuff that was supposed to happen, and that Hornby's announcement has spurred on the initial release. James

The start of making track: Boiler at work 1 by Peach James, on Flickr

Yep, one and the same. There are relatively few lakers that are newer than the mid 80's, of a fleet of 170 or so. Most of the steam turbine ships were converted in the 80's to diesel, Port Weller Drydock made a regular habit of building new engine rooms over the summer, and fitting them over the winter. My certificate is "3A, Engineering Officer of the Watch qualified for a 21 000 SHP cross compound plant, PRO class", which means I direct qualify as a 3rd class Marine (Steam) ticket with TC, if I got my MED endorsements (Firefighting/Lifeboat). Since I'm unlikely to ever use it, I haven't bothered. The only 2 ships that pay that interest me are in Ontario, so are too far away to go be engineer on. (RMS Seguin & PS Trillium). I'd like to spend some time involved with SS Master here on the west coast, but it's a question of _which_ time... James

PS Trillium SS Arthur M. Anderson (Cross Compound Steam Turbine) I know the # is getting smaller- my mate JPR sails for CSL, and he doesn't use his steam ticket... James

To add to what Robin has posted, I'd absolutely have to agree- if you want to "operate" a layout, it is possible to, with DCC and automation, run as a part of a system rather than as a single operator. That's just not really possible under DC, even if you use some fairly sophisticated systems. Let's say your interest is modeling a station with goods yard- you can do so with DCC, and have the computer control the trains passing through the station- be it single or double track. And you can do the "fun" bit of taking the goods train, and shunting the yard. Or, you can set it up so the computer runs the goods train, as you run the passing through passenger trains...or, if 3 of your mates come over, the 3 of you can run trains (in a post COVID world...) such that one of you is running passengers, one running the goods in the station, and one is staging trains. The automation effects that even RR&Co 5.0 offer allow for those sorts of multi posiblities that simply can't happen at one time if you have a conventional layout. The availabilty of all kinds of RTR means that it is far more practical now than it has ever been in the past for any of the big 4, and BR. Basically, you don't have to scratchbuild anything, and even kit building is far more optional than required. The quality per pound that you get now is better than ever if you want to model like that.

I'm thinking here it would be Lamb's Navy Rum- which is available from BCLDB. I think I have a 1/4th of a bottle of dual purpose (151- good for stripping paint and stomach linings...). I also have several flagons of Pussers, but they are not to be opened (!) as they are commemorative ones...though mostly not Wade China ones.

My advice is do not mix DCC and DC on the same layout. EVER. UNDER ANY CONDITIONS. You will destroy something. You will then get mad at why object let magic smoke out. And then at yourself because it's really your own fault not anything else's. (that one was about $300) If you want to run bankers, go DCC. It's the simple answer to running two locos at different speeds on the same piece of track. (costs you about $28 for the chip for the 2nd loco...) DCC Decoders on DC- smooth DC only. I fried an ESU decoder using a PWM controller (MRC Tech 2-2400). So, I'd recommend against running DCC chipped locos on anything other than a straight DC (not even pulse power DC) system. That being said, if it is a reasonable design of PWM, it _should_ be OK. Just don't get mad if the magic smoke comes out, because you've been warned... (that one was a $100 chip...) DCC Decoders and Relco's- yep, decoder is going to fry. $28 down the tube... DC on DCC (as allowed by Digitrax, and some others...). It's really AC. Do you want to do that to a permanent magnet motor? (not for long, it won't. Total cost so far with that one is $0) The answer is that DCC for DCC, and DC for DC, and don't mix the two or likely it will cost a fried chip. I'd note- I quite often end up with layouts that are mixed...hazard of the job, I'm afraid...as I am the Train & Town Co-Ordinator for a couple of Lego shows, where I am usually the only DCC person...That being said, I also cost each show at 1 chip/day, because someone will do something silly to something of mine, and poof...

Na, someone asks them what they are sinking a boat...

I spent 14 days looking off the west end of an eastbound tug- in the form of USNS Salvor, with HMCS Protecteur riding astern...

Strangely enough, a topic covered on the Platforum's audio recordings- apparently, still preferred for plow work, probably due to having enough heater to heat the cab when plowing snow. (RS18's are also mentioned as being a good choice...due to not being EMD and having less problems with ground fault relays...) https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xMDc2OWVmOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== (other versions are available)

Sounds like a "Mad" Magazine "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions" retort !