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American O Scale: "Portway Terminal Short Line, MN".


F-UnitMad
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22 minutes ago, Donw said:

I was surprised to see Google Maps called it a city we would call it a village. 

 

Don

AFAIK it's to do with legal definitions. Whereas in the UK it's a religious thing - a 'city' is somewhere with a Bishop's Seat - in reality a Cathedral, in the US it's to do with local government functions.

Or something like that!! :scratchhead:

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15 hours ago, F-UnitMad said:

for Portway's 'heritage' trains - or caboose ride in plain English!!

Jordan, as you are as pedantic as me (where and when relevant), you may understand and appreciate this thought...

 

If you are drawing an analogy between how things are described here and there, then might the UK side of things be more appropriate as "brake van rides"?

 

regards, Graham

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Maybe I should've said "in plain American", then. :scratchhead: :mosking:

31 minutes ago, Western Star said:

 

If you are drawing an analogy between how things are described here and there, then might the UK side of things be more appropriate as "brake van rides"?

 

regards, Graham

I wasn't thinking of the comparison in those terms, more the description of the awful reality of the experience, as opposed to the high-sounding descriptions things are sometimes given to make them sound better.... ;)

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Ticked off another little "round tuit" jobs this evening. Ever since naming one of my Plymouths "Shortliner Jack", after our late & sadly missed colleague Jack Trollope, I've been meaning to name my first Plymouth after it's original owner, Editor of Airfix Model Trains mag & it's successors, Chris Ellis. :sungum: :good:

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The dry-rub transfer sheet is now rather old, and the result not quite as neat as I'd like, also hampered by the fact it's running short of many of the letters, restricting the amount of attempts available.

On the other side of the loco I had to use bigger letters. At least the loco is named on both sides. "Shortliner Jack" is on the Engineer's side only!! :rolleyes: :blush:

 

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As far as I know, and hope, this is not a posthumous naming!! :wacko:

 

A question for the Collective, though. I've noticed that when U.S. locos are named after a person, they'll often read "The Joe Bloggs" (or whatever). Whilst "Shortliner Jack" seems to stand alone ok, should I put "The Chris Ellis"..?? :scratchhead: :dontknow:

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No 'progress' to report as such, either at Portway Center or Enderlin, but playtimes er, um, I mean Operating Sessions can be such fun. :sungum:

Here's a couple of pics at the end of tonight's little run, taken from a viewpoint I haven't photographed much recently. The trio of Plymouths spot some empty outbound cars for collection by the Portway Center depot/office, then tie up for the night back on the branch line, out of the way....

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Simple pleasures. Happy bunny. :D

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On 04/05/2021 at 22:38, F-UnitMad said:

A question for the Collective, though. I've noticed that when U.S. locos are named after a person, they'll often read "The Joe Bloggs" (or whatever). Whilst "Shortliner Jack" seems to stand alone ok, should I put "The Chris Ellis"..?? :scratchhead: :dontknow:

Oh and the lack of response to this question means I shall leave number 24 as "Chris Ellis", rather than "The Chris Ellis". ;) :good:

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17 minutes ago, F-UnitMad said:

Oh and the lack of response to this question means I shall leave number 24 as "Chris Ellis", rather than "The Chris Ellis". ;) :good:

 

Over here The Chris Ellis sounds odd unless used in the phrase 'Not the Chris Ellis'. I didn't respond as I have no idea which sounds more normal in the US.

 

 

Don

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10 hours ago, Donw said:

 

Over here The Chris Ellis sounds odd unless used in the phrase 'Not the Chris Ellis'. I didn't respond as I have no idea which sounds more normal in the US.

 

 

Don

Yes that's what I thought. On this side of The Puddle "The... " sounds odd. 

Ah well, Rule #1 and all that - I shall leave it as it is. :yes:

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On 04/05/2021 at 22:38, F-UnitMad said:

I've noticed that when U.S. locos are named after a person, they'll often read "The Joe Bloggs" (or whatever). Whilst "Shortliner Jack" seems to stand alone ok, should I put "The Chris Ellis"..?

Jordan,

 

I have noticed that (at least in Maine!) the loco would bear the name "Chris Ellis", but in photo captions it would be referred to as "the Chris Ellis".

e.g.

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32 minutes ago, Regularity said:

I have noticed that (at least in Maine!) the loco would bear the name "Chris Ellis", but in photo captions it would be referred to as "the Chris Ellis".

Yes, good point. They will also refer to plain numbered locos as "The 1234"* in the same way.

 

* other locomotive numbers are available. :D

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Did a bit of ballasting today, the main line by the side of the transload spurs at Shortside Yard North.

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Currently drying out from the 'wet' water/dilute pva/eye dropper process.

 

Tedious.... :rolleyes: :banghead: but necessary, of course....

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...and a bit more while I was in the mood and things seemed to be going well..!!

A bit further up the main line past Shortside North...

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And around North Bend towards Green Ridge. This was the curve I relaid from an unworkable 26" radius to an easier & more generous (!!!!) 36" radius....

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 Of course, 'places' such as North Bend and Green Ridge are in reality seperated only by a matter of inches, but I like to think that naming bits of what is really a relatively small layout helps to convey an impression of distance, at least in the imagination, and create the idea that in the real world they could be seperate by several miles, at least!!! :scratchhead:  :mosking:

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I ......   HATE    ...........      BALLASTING....!!!!  :mad_mini:  :ireful:   :banghead:

 

But the results are worth it....

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I realised today that I haven't ballasted a switch in ages :scared:

The switch at the north end of Portway Yard soaks this evening in dilute pva....

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Onwards and upwards..... :tease:

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15 hours ago, F-UnitMad said:

I realised today that I haven't ballasted a switch in ages :scared:

The switch at the north end of Portway Yard soaks this evening in dilute pva....

...and a quick check this morning revealed it has dried out ok and wasn't all gummed up!! Wow!!!  Success!!! :sungum:

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More glacial progress... the second switch to be ballasted - the one from main line to freight branch -  soaks in dilute pva....

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Note the mis-match of the ballast at the toe of the switch - I shall have to pretend some maintenance and fresh ballast was done on the main in the recent past. :scratchhead:

All my straight switches are #6's. They look fine on the freight branch, but at the planning stage I did print out from the FastTracks website plans for #8 switches, to see what they'd look like on the main line. They were rather longer than the #6 - obviously!! - so I decided to go for #6 instead, especially because the extra length of the #8 would have shortened the car capacity of the siding at Portway Center. But just sometimes I do wish I'd gone for #8's on the main, and having ballasted this one, tonight is one of those times.

But hey-ho, the job is done and there's no going back this time. A good lie down in a dark room and that slight tinge of regret will pass. :yes: :good:

Edited by F-UnitMad
Spelling, D'oh!
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One thing that has worked at this point on the layout is the contrast between the main and the siding & branch.

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There's much more in terms of weeds and dereliction to be done to the siding, but the differences are plain to see, including the fact the main is higher than the siding, by about 5mm. The rail heights are also pretty obvious (main is Code125, sidings Code100) and of course the difference in maintenance standards!! :sungum:

PS - feel a bit better about the #6 switches from eye-level views like this, as well.... ;)

Edited by F-UnitMad
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Happy to report the switch is working and not gummed up, all ballast dried out (it is warm in the loft in this weather!!)

I've been a bit concerned because often in the past I've over-diluted the PVA, resulting in ballast that looks like it's stuck down, but isn't, especially when caught by something when track cleaning. :banghead:

This time around it's been a rather thick dilution of 50/50 PVA & water - hence my concern with the switches - it goes on a tad gloopy and takes a while to soak in, and a bit more spraying with 'wet' water first, but it's drying nice and solid* as a result so I haven't had to go over any of it again. :good:

 

*Edit - except for the switches, of course!! :rolleyes: :mosking:

Edited by F-UnitMad
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5 minutes ago, JAMO said:

To avoid to glue the miobile parts, you can use WD-40.

I have heard of that advice before, but not sure how it would affect other areas of the switch, as it too would soak into the ballast? I think it's mainly for switch blades that are hinged or have a pivot of some kind, and probably with plastic ties; mine aren't like that, the blades just flex from somewhere along the ties where I stop spiking them down. But they slide on extended tie plates as per the prototype, except most of my tie plates are cut from thick brown paper (or thin brown card, not sure which!!) so I don't want dilute PVA getting in between the blades and the plates, which could jam things up once dried out if it did. :shout:

 

 So far, though, so good. ;)

 

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