Hi, I'm actually looking for corrugated translucent / clear siding material suitable for HO scale. Most industrial modern warehouses have these kind of yellowish translucent fiberglass siding. So far, my searches didn't yield any suitable results.

Any idea? I suspect I'll probably find it maybe in craft stores.

Thanks in advance!

Matt

for the last several years, I've been playing with the layout pictured below, which IMHO is the best 30" x 54" layout in N-Scale ever!


my scenicking was terrible, but the game it made was fun.

Givens and Druthers

(Railroad Name) - to be determined
Scale: N scale
Gauge: (Std, Narrow): std

Prototype: (the railroad you want to model): Fantasy. semi-modern with heritage steam. freight and passenger (eg: just about anything)

Era:
Region:
Railroad:

Space: 36x80 door

Describe Space e.g. basement. Provide diagram showing Overhead clearances and any obstructions or limitations.

Governing Rolling Stock: (Biggest planned): some amtrak passengers. Might eventually try a Tomix shinkansen

Relative Emphasis: (move the V)

|______________V________________________________|
Track/Operation .................................................. ..Scenic realism

I want to try better scenicking this time

|_________________________V______________________|
Mainline Running .................................................. ........ Switching

I want the option to do both, possibly simultaneously

Operation Priorities: (rearrange as required)

wanted: long, aesthetically interesting mainline run. as long as possible while leaving room for a small yard and challenging, but not frustrating, switching. Mountain scenery

Switching at the yard and at the industries should be able to be run without disturbing a train running on the mainline

No storage tracks planned, I'm not averse to use of the 0-5-0 switcher :mrgreen:


Typical operating Crew: __1____

Eye Level (Owner) : N/a
The door will be placed on a table and operated from a standard office chair, with occasional standing. with overall operating height somewhere between 36 and 40 inches.
Turnouts and coupling will be all manual (toothpick based decoupling). I do not plan to add DCC, but to operate the old fashioned way with a couple of power packs. one for the mainline run, one for yard and switching.

I'd like the option to link with my old layout, but I don't know that I'll have space for both. so that is optional and the old layout shouldn't be a consideration in the plans for this one


Add to this any features required or intolerable (e.g. duckunders, multiple levels).
Would like some tunnel/mountain scenery. A two level double folded dogbone mainline would be best. 2% grade max. prefer 11" curve minimum radius if possible on mainline. 9-3/4 is acceptable in switching area
switching area able to operate separately, but linked to the main line

4 RS-3's still in service on the Pocono Main. Second unit in CNJ 1554 (aka Pete) restored back to it's original as built appearance by the DL. She is owned by the ARHS and on lease to the DL. The other RS-3's are X-D&H units now owned by the Delaware Lackawanna.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jVo0wvNOm4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jVo0wvNOm4</a><!-- m -->


This one shows most of the DL's all Alco fleet.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc2-GObmqNk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc2-GObmqNk</a><!-- m -->


RS units in the snow.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kCeQYjntW8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kCeQYjntW8</a><!-- m -->

The 3's on a passenger excursion with CN 3254 just before she was retired.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hJfTCmKJrY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hJfTCmKJrY</a><!-- m -->


building a steam locomotive.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRsYIiUxZeQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRsYIiUxZeQ</a><!-- m -->

I've spent the last few weeks laying track and wiring the T & A ,using Microengineering code 55 flex and turnouts. The track is laying on standard pink foam and WS foam roadbed. I've temporarily put nails in to secure it, will remove nails and glue and ballast once switch machines, etc are in place...

Wiring is 98% complete with one spur left to complete. I've got good current throughout according to meter...

The problem is the locos all seem to be having wheel contact issues randomly around the layout with a couple of consistent spots....if the engine stalls or gets sluggish, lights dim etc. if I put very slight pressure directly on the loco, or put light pressure on both rails with my fingers either directly in front or behind the engine, it will move on....

Do you think once I glue and ballast I can try to square up bad spots with a piece of plate glass pressing down on both rails, or some other way?

Should I pull up the WS foam roadbed and replace with a sturdier cork?

I knew this track was delicate, and thought I took care in laying it down....but maybe not so much.

Any thoughts are good ones...I've spent a lot of $$$$ on this track and 30 turnouts, but I'm not so sure I should replace it with a sturdier code 70 or even the oversized code 80, which was bullet proof on my last layout, but I wanted to get a little more prototypical...and besides this Microengineering is beautiful stuff...

Not much going on

Bruce

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I just heard yesterday that a new British model railway magazine is being launched:

<http://www.greystarpublications.com/fsr/> apparently Bob Barlow and Tim Shackelton are the editors/staff of this one.

I'm not much of a scratch builder but I might buy 1-2 copies. Maybe this could help fill the void left by another magazine that recently ended (Model Railroad Craftsman, if I recall correctly).

Apparently, it's getting good reviews and there will be material in it for non-British layouts as well.

Rob

Dale Edwards the owner and co-founder of Kadee has passed.

My condolences to his family and employees of KD.

Have for sale 4 books. They are all used but in very good condition. The books and asking prices for each are:

1. "Tehachapi" by John R. Signor 1983 This in a great book on the history
& operations over Tehachapi Pass by both the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe
railroads up til the early 1980s. The book has numerous black and white pictures
of both railroads and maps showing the physical plant of Tehachapi Pass. $30.00

2. 1995 ATSF Track Chart Western Region by Railfan Depot. It covers the
Needles, Cajon, San Bernardino, Harbor, Mojave, Bakersfield and Stockton
Subdivisions. $20.00

3. Santa Fe Diesel locomotive Diagrams 1939 to 1972 data & diagrams
by Railfan Depot 115 pages $15.00

4. Homage to the Santa Fe by Merle Armitage Omni Publications 2nd printing
1986 141 pages $10.00

Will consider other offers if they are for for multiple purchases. USPS Media Mail.from 90706 They weigh 2.2 lb, 1.6 lb, 14.5 oz & 1 lb respectively. Prefered payment is thru PayPal (lajrmdlr@... using "family & friends) or USPS money order. Please email at the above addy w/ any questions about the books &/or shipping. Alkso please include your zip code to figure postage.

Thank you
Andy Jackson
Bellflower CA

   
   
   
   
   

You know, since having preserved bugs behind glass wasn't enough for me!

This is my Avicularia avicularia, also known as a Pink-Toe Tarantula. I figured it was a little more colorful and interesting than the generic big dessert tarantulas, though its a little smaller, only a 3 inch legspan right now. It can get up to 5" if I'm lucky. This one likes to live in the trees (arboreal).

So far its been a huge headache. In reality, these things are SUPER LOW maintenance, but because I'm new to large tropical spiders, it makes me neurotic all the same. Apparently, tarantulas in general have such a low metabolic rate they can go ages without eating, barely need any water, and sometimes they don't even move for days. Mine has decided to go the former route of not eating anything for a month. Normally, they might only eat 6 to 8 crickets in a month, and that would be considered a lot! In the wild, it likely survived on much less.

This makes sense to me, because how many creatures are going to stick around when a giant spider comes walking by?

In any event, its a VERY docile spider, and you can actually almost pet it, as it doesn't seem scared and it doesn't try to attack or bite (unlike some wolf spiders I had in the past, that would attack ANYTHING that went near them). I usually avoid bothering it though, since even though these things probably don't perceive the world like mammals do, bother it probably does disrupt it somehow.