http://bigbluetrains.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7004

I posted a response in this topic, what do you all think?
Pete

I'd like to use the woodland scenices foam for my layout for different grades, anyone that uses foam how do you mount the track work? Glue or nails?

A year or so ago, we had an abortive effort at a car exchange, which seemed to peter out because only a few guys were involved. I sort of treasure the photos I have of cars from other layouts that I ran on mine due to that exchange. I also note that another forum is currently having a very successful tour at <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.thewhistlepost.com/forums/whistle-post-traveling-car/14584-introducing-2013-twp-locomotive.html">http://www.thewhistlepost.com/forums/wh ... otive.html</a><!-- m --> in which Lester Perry and I have both participated.

It seems to me that the fairly minor trouble and expense of putting a car in the mail and taking pictures of it is outweighed by the fun and satisfaction of the program and the fellowship you build through it.

Does anyone have thoughts on how a program like this might be revived here?

Here in Windsor , Ontario , there is a regular good sized column called " The Vault " that I think one local individual manages with help from old farts who send in pictures of our fair city as it was decades ago . I really enjoy the column that now has over 55 pages of archives .....I think it is an aid for a model railroader modeling an older era , too .

Any of you guys have local media that does the same ? It sure is a refreshing read from the usual daily crap .

T

I've been doing some scenery on my layout and I've been using the old go to way of painting my foam board base tan, then sprinkling on some ground foam. Everywhere I've done so far still has a real toyish look to it. Just looking to see if anybody else has any drastically different scenery ideas cause I'd like to try something new I think.

Model Railroads Of Southern California’s thirty-ninth layout tour takes place on Sunday, September 1.

This will be a self-guided tour of thirty layouts at twenty-four locations throughout Southern California.

Four home layouts and one club are appearing for the first time on our tour program: Rob Caves’ HO scale Eastern California Railroad, Ray Dunakin’s 1/24th scale In-ko-pah Railroad, Phillip Hermsmeyer’s On30 Ocean Shore Railway & Navigation Company, Frank Licata’s O-27 Pisano Railroad and the Chula Vista Live Steamers Club.

Altogether there will be thirteen HO scale standard gauge layouts, three HO narrow gauge layouts, two N scale layouts, four O scale/O-27 layouts, two O scale narrow gauge layouts and three garden railroads, including one in 1/24th scale and one in 1/23.3 scale.

Photographs of many of these layouts may be seen on the National Narrow Gauge Convention layout tour page at:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.33rdnngc.com/layouts/">http://www.33rdnngc.com/layouts/</a><!-- m -->

Click on the layout owner’s name and then click on the photos to enlarge them.

You do NOT have to be registered with the Convention to see the layouts which are open on September 1. This is a free event and you may bring relatives and friends. Below is the layout list, schedule and addresses.

If you would like description of the layouts contact me at:

<!-- e --><a href="mailto:chiefbobbb@verizon.net">chiefbobbb@verizon.net</a><!-- e -->

before August 27.

Persons taking this tour assume all risks and liability for their personal safety. Although I am the Moderator of Model Railroads Of Southern California, I am not responsible for personal loss or injury to persons taking this tour.

Be sure to check the Model Railroads Of Southern California website the day before the tour to check for any changes to the schedule or layout lineup.

If you cannot make this tour more tours are scheduled including:

• Central Coast Railroad Festival – October 10-14
• Banning Train Festival – October 19 & 20
• PCR Convention (San Luis Obispo) – April 30 - May 4, 2014


Other layout tours for 2014 are now being considered in addition to the PCR/NMRA Convention layout tour.

Bob Chaparro
Moderator
Model Railroads Of Southern California
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Model_Railroads_Of_Southern_California/">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Model_Rai ... alifornia/</a><!-- m -->


HOME LAYOUTS

Rob Caves
Eastern California RR (HO)
9:00 to 1:00
2085 Santa Rosa Ave, Altadena

Roger Clarkson
R&F Railroad (HO & G)
10:00 to 1:00
1463 Rimroad, Riverside

Al Daumann
Burney, Redding & Western (HO)
11:00 to 4:00
443 Valley Gate Road, Simi Valley

Ray Dunakin
In-ko-pah Railroad (1/24th)
12:00 to 4:00
4665 Huggins Street, San Diego

Bob Grech
Western Pacific Railroad (HO)
10:00 to 7:00
17302 Elm Street, Fountain Valley

Steve Harris
Rio Grande Southern (HOn3)
10:00 to 2:00
12424 Sierra Rojo Rd., Valley Center

Phillip Hermsmeyer
Ocean Shore Railway & Navigation Co. (On30)
10:00 to 5:00
1920 Alderwood Circle, Vista

Dennis Ivison
Southern Pacific & Arizona (On30)
10:00 to 4:00
9962 Lenore Drive, Garden Grove

Lloyd Lehrer
Western & Terminal RR & Navigation Co. (HO & HOn3)
9:30 to 4:00
401 9th Place, Manhattan Beach

Frank Licata
Pisano Railroad (O-27)
10:00 to 4:00 2306
Alscot Avenue, Simi Valley

Burton Maxwell
Westside Lumber Co. (HOn3)
1:00 to 6:00
318 Rose View Place, Chula Vista

Bob Olds
Tidewater & Western Railway (HO)
9:00 to 1:00
641 Vista Bonita, Newport Beach

Bob Parcell
Dynamic Hobbies Store Layout (O)
11:00 to 5:00
811 E Florida Ave., Hemet

Dick Roberts
Nevada County Railroad (HO)
12:00 to 5:00
760 Camelot Parkway, El Cajon

Bob Treat
Snow Creek Railroad (1/20.3)
10:00 to 3:00
3650 Copley Avenue, San Diego

CLUB LAYOUTS

Calif. Southern Model RR Club (HO)
12:00 to 3:00
12140 E Firestone Blvd., Norwalk

Chula Vista Live Steamers
12:00 to 3:00
Rohr Park
4548 Sweetwater Road, Chula Vista

East Valley Lines (N)
10:00 to 4:00
5200 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles

Gold Coast Modular Railroad Club (HO)
9:00 to 7:00
Murphy Auto Museum
2230 Statham Blvd, Oxnard

La Mesa Model RR Club (HO)
11:00 to 5:00
1649 El Prado, San Diego

Los Angeles Live Steamers
11:00 to 3:00
5202 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles

San Diego 3-Railers (O)
11:00 to 5:00
1649 El Prado, San Diego

San Diego Model RR Association (HO & O)
11:00 to 5:00
1649 El Prado, San Diego

San Diego Society of N Scale (N)
11:00 to 5:00 1649 El Prado, San Diego

Santa Susana RR Hist. Society (HO)
11:00 to 4:00
6503 Katherine Road, Simi Valley

South Coast RR Museum (HO)
11:00 to 4:00
300 N. Los Carneros, Goleta
Southern Calif. Live Steamers
11:00 to 3:00
2100 Washington Ave., Torrance

NOTES:
Please observe individual hours of operation for the layouts. No smoking at any layout.
Information current as of 8-23-13.
Roger Clarkson – Home is on Rimroad (one word), not Rim Circle.
Lloyd Lehrer – Upstairs location. Parking limited to two cars at a time or park at end of block.
Bob Olds – Important! Please park on the side of the street opposite the driveways/garages. Not handicap accessible.
Bob Parcell/Dynamic Hobbies – Park in rear.
Gold Coast Modular Railroad Club – Located inside the Murphy Auto Museum. No admission charge but a donation is appreciated.
San Diego Model Railroad Museum – Admission is required for clubs located within the museum (La Mesa, San Diego 3-Railers, San Diego Model RR Assoc., and San Diego Society of N Scale):
Adults - $8.00
Seniors (65+) - $6.00
Students (with ID) - $3.00
Military (with ID) - $4.00
Children 14 and under - FREE when accompanied by an adult
South Coast Railroad Museum – Park in parking area past fire station, proceed to museum visitor center and ask to see layout.

Quote:Railroad entrepreneur R.J. Corman dies at 58
Published: August 23, 2013

R.J. "Rick" Corman, the Jessamine County entrepreneur who built a backhoe business into a multimillion-dollar railroad and construction company, died Friday. He was 58.

Company spokesman Noel Rush said Mr. Corman died about 11 a.m. at his home in Nicholasville. Rush said the company's officials would have a statement later.

...on a quiet July morning.




Grand Valley Mogul 34 steams quietly on the station main, the throb of her air pump occasionally punctuating the already humid morning air. On her drawbar, a boxcar with express shipments for the Dunnville station, and combine Willowglade, the usual passenger accommodation for this daily-except-Sundays 9:35 train.



Nearby, on long-term lease from the CNR, is 0-6-0 7434, a 1919 product of the Canadian Locomotive Company in Kingston, Ontario. She's been here since carloadings at GERN increased dramatically in the mid-'20s.



With two short blasts of her whistle, the 34 begins to ease away from the station. In the distance, another train appears on the passing track:



As the 34 finds her footing, the newcomer slows for a stop:









The first order of business is water, and the head-end brakeman is on the ground quickly to pull the pin:



The 630 pulls ahead to the water tank, and the fireman has the spout down almost as soon as the tender stops:



While the Mike is getting its drink, the 0-6-0 scurries out onto the main and momentarily blocks the crossing while the switches are re-aligned to give access the the passing track:



The diminutive switcher eases up to the parked train - the first five cars are for Lowbanks' destinations:



The joint made, the engineer waits while the brakeman heads back to make the cut. Meanwhile, the 630 backs towards the coaling tower:



...and no wonder, too, as the coal remaining in her bunker is almost right down to the stoker screw:



Amid all this action, another train appears, this one on the station main recently vacated by the little Mogul and her train:



As the newcomer slows as it passes the station, the switcher is accelerating backwards with her cut of cars:



On the pilot is a CPR boxcar with a load of shingles for V.A. Wagner Lumber:



...followed by a carload of supplies for the Lowbanks shop:



...and a load of kerosene for the Northshore's oil house:



...50 tons of Anthracite for Hoffentoth Coal & Ice:



...and two loads of stoker coal for the coaling tower:





Bringing up the rear is EG&E 2305, an empty ice service reefer to be spotted at Hoffentoth's Ice House for re-loading. In this weather, there are ice service cars, loaded or empty in most trains, as many businesses and dwellings still rely on ice for refrigeration:



While only five cars, the switcher's crew is a bit cheesed-off knowing that the switching crew at the Port Maitland interchange with the TH&B didn't bother to block the cars properly, as the kerosene and one load of stoker coal are destined for the oil house track, with the other carload of stoker coal going straight to the tower's receiving track. The load of Anthracite in between, along with the shingle car, are switchback moves, while all others are push-and-drop.

However, spotting those cars will have to wait, as both mains are currently tied-up, with a westbound waiting at Elfrida (the next town east of here) for clearance. The switcher pushes her cut back into the track where she had been waiting previously, and the crew settles back to wait some more...time perhaps for a smoke or something from the lunchpail.



Now the newcomer slips forward...



...with four loads of bulk Flux from GERN....



...followed by two carloads of bagged Flux products and a carload of Anhydrous Flux...



...and finally, three cars for the CNR at Mount Forest, two empties and another load from GERN Industries:



Here's an aerial view (all aerial views courtesy of Secord Air Services) of the train as she reverses onto the passing main. As you can see, the loco is well out onto the Maitland River bridge:



...and a closer look, with the switcher and her charges, still waiting in the hole. V.A.Wagner is the green buildings in the background, with Hoffentoth Bros.' coal elevator the red structure beyond that:



With the joint made and the brake hoses connected, the head-end brakeman walks forward...



...while the 630 trundles back towards the main after replenishing her fuel supply:



She then backs to the waiting train...



...and after a brake test and an exchange of whistle signals, the pair blast out of town, hoping to gain momentum for the grade which begins just beyond the Maitland River bridge;



They'll run non-stop to South Cayuga, where the train will be split, with part heading south to Dunnville, while the remainder (and the locos, once they've been turned) will run north to Mount Forest.

Anyone interested in another operations-oriented thread on the Grand Valley lines can check out this older one, Extra 727 East.

Wayne

The Central Coast Railroad Festival ( <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://ccrrf.com/">http://ccrrf.com/</a><!-- m --> ) will take place October 10-14, 2013 (Thursday-Monday) in San Luis Obispo County and Northern Santa Barbara County.

As was done in 2010, 2011 and 2012, I will organize a self-guided layout tour as part of the Festival. We had nineteen model railroads and garden railroads on tour last year and hope to have these plus some new railroads this year.

If you live in San Luis Obispo County or Northern Santa Barbara County I would like you to consider opening your railroad as part of the tour.

Participating in a layout tour is a great way to share your work and meet your fellow model railroaders. You’ve probably worked hard on your railroad so you might as well get some recognition from people who will appreciate your efforts.

All you need to do is operate your trains and chat with visitors. I will do all the planning and publicity, as I have done for thirty-nine previously tours since 2006, including the 2008 NMRA National Convention, the 2008 Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society, several NMRA regional conventions and the upcoming 33rd National Narrow Gauge Convention.

Please contact me OFF LIST at <!-- e --><a href="mailto:chiefbobbb@verizon.net">chiefbobbb@verizon.net</a><!-- e --> if you are interested or just have questions before committing to the tour.

Thank you.

Bob Chaparro
Model Railroads of Southern California
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Model_Railroads_Of_Southern_California/">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Model_Rai ... alifornia/</a><!-- m -->

P.S.: I will be organizing the layout tour for the Pacific Coast Region/NMRA annual convention in San Luis Obispo next spring
( <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.pcrnmra.org/conv2014/">http://www.pcrnmra.org/conv2014/</a><!-- m --> )
so keep this in mind as an opportunity to show your railroad, also.

+++++
Other Scheduled Tours

National Narrow Gauge Convention – Aug. 27 to Sept. 1
Banning Train Festival – October 19 & 20
Pacific Coast Region/NMRA (San Luis Obispo area) – April 30 - May 4, 2014

I have, to my delight, found a local supplier of styrene, though not their primary line. They make all kinds of display cases that may be useful to folks here.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://carneyplastics.com/default.htm">http://carneyplastics.com/default.htm</a><!-- m -->
I emailed Dave out of the blue, and I have been a real pain, and he has put up with my questions, made suggestions, and has been more helpful than most people would be face to face. Please check them out. For the second time this week I have hit on something. He is a slot car modeler too, so not entirely strange to us. Maybe we can convince him to carry a line of plain sheet styrene just for HO train modelers in addition to his other stock. He is placing a 4X8 sheet of .060 styrene on his regular order to save me shipping, and I can pick it up at their show room. Pretty neat I think. The price is very reasonable. Not worth all of his effort but very much appreciated.

They make all kinds of display cases and plastic items.
Charlie