Could someone give us a quick run-through on what all the different "icons" on the red circles next to the thread/topic listings indicate..??
I only know that when the circle is gray it indicates that there are no new postings to that thread since I last read it... :oops:

I'm looking to use a removeable extension for my layout. Hopefully others here use one and might give me some tips on how to build one. How to connect/disconnect power, attaching it to the layout, etc, etc. Any help would be appreciated.

I am about to build my first wood rolling stock craftsman kit, a PRR bobber cabin car from "Ye old Huff N Puff". It was recommended to me by my LHS to use Scalecoat sanding sealer for my wood kits(for now I have several) before painting the wood surfaces. Reading the instructions last night I see you can use the sealer in an airbrush when thinned. So this is my question(s), how should I use this sealer? By using an airbrush or a paint brush? What do you prefer? Or do you even use this product? :?:


Thanks for your input,

Mark

A photo of the open engine. The frame is one block of metal and the hood and cab are two plastic parts that clip right on the base. A very simple and straight forward design making maintenance very easy.
The 8-pin DCC decoder plugs in easy with standard wire length but I cut the wires to custom length to ensure a better fit of the hood.


Four intentional nasty photos made while break in to show the details. Make your own judgement if that is good enough for you (the hood is only put on the frame but not snapped in). The model is unmodified just out of the box. The couplers are Walthers but they are metal like Kadee. The LEDs are warm white (not the ugly yellow or blue ones).





It is a great model in the moderate price segment. I like to see Bachmann (S2) and now Walthers (SW1) offering nice switchers at competitive prices.

Modifications
1. Replace the two large resistors with wires and remove a capacitor (gray block) right under the decoder. They are the RFC suppression components. That may make the model illegal in some states (hey we are the outlaws :o ) but you gain some space and a better motor control of the DCC decoder.
2. Put a small strip of a plastic sponge on top of the decoder area. It will help to reduce the vibrations of the hood and reduce the noise even further.

This was my second choice for my Orphan Challenge, in looking at the time frame that I was allowed I knew I would not finish, so I decided to do something else. Now that the challenge is over I decided that this would be a good project to pick away at for the next year...

I wanted to build some logging and heavy equipment but really did not have a place to put it on my current Free-mo modules. In looking at this building I figured I could change it into a heavy equipment and truck repair shop and fil lthe yard with interesting equipment. It would also give me a place to park my stuff and photograph it when finished.

This building started as as part of a garage I was going to build for my layour in Kansas. Since then I have removed the small vehicle section and decided to use the small side area as a machne shop and crew area.

Here is what I started with.



I have removed the back end of the buildign to place in some larger windows and started on the machine/crew area of the building

Here is the front view


and back view


My next task is to frame in the large rear widnows and make some repairs to some of the studs.
I also have around 25 large trusses and 12 small trusses that I need to build.



I did build a jig for the trusses, but it is still very time consuming...

There we have waybills for 2 cars going from J&M / Clifton Forge to Potomac & Baltimore RR.
I thought it would be good to start from where they are getting loaded. The photos are wide & narrow due to editing. This line is from 5 to 6 feet off the floor. Very close to the ceiling I cut out the ceiling on the top and the sky on the bottom. I think I will show an unedited pic first to give an idea of what I mean.



Now to start the story.

MyJ&M is a small railroad that is one day away from going broke, oh wait I think it went broke yesterday. I think you get the picture. The C.E.O. Is also a part time brakeman.

Pick up a load of crude at the Johnson Oil co. oil well.



Pull it out and hook up the caboose.



Now it goes to the wye at the top of the mountain. This is here for two reasons. 1.So you can change ends of the train, or turn around. 2. go in different directions. Coal mine one way, oil well and small town the other. I have added a drawing to help identify where the photos are.

The layout tour featuring Werner Brandt’s HO scale Gateway to the Sunset Route layout has been cancelled.

This layout tour was to be held in conjunction with the Banning (CA) Centennial Train Festival on October 19 & 20. All other Train Festival activities will take place as scheduled, including operating modular railroads, a children’s train ride, a railroad swap meet (Saturday only), hobby clinics, a model contest with displays, and information booths/exhibits featuring contemporary railroading, railroad history, model railroading and current public transit developments.

Festival Website:
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Bob Chaparro
Moderator
Model Railroads Of Southern California
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Hey Les,
I answered your PM several days ago. I received a PM today from a couple of members indicating you were trying to get ahold of me, so I sent you a PM.

I checked my PMs just now, and those 2 messages are still in my "outbox", meaning they never got sent.

Meanwhile I have been PMing others with no problems. Don't know why I can't PM you.

Here is a cut and paste of the answer to your questions...

Quote:Hi Les!

Yes, Southern Maryland Oil can receive crude, and Metropolitan Fuel and Aggregate receives single and multiple loads of coal, sand, salt, gravel, coke, and the very rare but sometimes necessary load of firewood. The grades of coal received are:
Anthractie:
Mine Run 8"+
Lump 4-5"
Egg 2"
Stove 1 1/2"
Chestnut 1"
Pea 1/2"
Buckwheat #1 3/8"
Barley 3/16"
Buckwheat #3 1/4"

Bituminous:
Mine Run 8"+
Lump 4"
Egg 3"
Pea 2"
Nut 1"
Slack less than 1"

Any mix or match of loads will suffice. My layout is a plywood and foam tabletop but I will do my best to get good photos of what you send. I look forward to hosting a car or cars.

The BNSF line runs parallel to Grand Ave (US60) for about 50 miles, from just south of Wickenburg to close to downtown Phoenix. I'm not sure which came first, but it's been this way for around 80 years. The rails and the road come closest through Sun City and for about four or five crossings, where there's only room for one or two cars to clear, waiting for a light to change. Drivers frequently think it's OK to wait on the railroad tracks just beyond the gates, and when a train does come, they usually can't go back or forward. This happens several times a year. This time, at around 4AM today, a pickup truck got creamed and wound up underneath a tank car. Fortunately, the driver jumped out in time, but that's usually not the case since most of those accidents involved Sun City folk, and if they're like me, they couldn't jump over a snake, never mind out of a car. Anyway, here's a link to the story if you're interested click here. There's one interesting photo of the truck under the tank car. I just wonder how they get it out without lifting the car off of it first. :?

I dug up some more old photos from the Penvan Railroad Historical Society's archives.

Here's a Delaware & Hudson box car being pulled from the Whist Manufacturing Company's siding after being loaded with round tooits (75% right handed and 25% left handed). It's being shipped to Potomac Yard for delivery to the Round Tooit distributors Ltd. in Potomac, MD.



Here's the D&H box car being placed at the interchange with another outbound car, an empty GERN covered hopper that's going to Clifton Forge, VA.