I've noticed lately that when editing my posts, either during composition or after posting, using the cursor to highlight a line of text (to copy or erase it) no longer changes the background colour, making it very difficult to see. I'm using the "Gauge Dark" style. Is this the result of a change here, or have I accidently changed a setting on my computer?

Wayne

I wasn't sure where to post this, and a moderator may wish to move it, but here goes:

One of my favorite train movies is "Emperor of the North" and I just bought a DVD and watched it again.

Anyway, watching it carefully, I have a few questions:


1) One scene shows the hobos picking a lock to set a turnout to divert Shack's train as it leaves the yard. Did they really use locks to keep a turnout in one position? Wouldn't ALL the locks on a railroad have to use the SAME key??

2) In the scene where Shack's train ducks off into a siding just BARELY avoiding a collision with the oncoming train ( a classic scene!) HOW did the turnout get set to divert his train off to the right? Also, did the oncoming train just push the turnout back to a straight position? Wouldn't this have caused a derailment or am I confusing the real world with model railroading?

3) Another scene shows Lee Marvin ("A#1") being beaten with a chain by Shack. He reaches down and pulls a pin or something and uncouples all the cars behind the car that he was on while the train was still in motion. Was this really possible?

4) Towards the end of the film, Lee Marvin and "Cigaret" are riding along underneath a car. Shack is attempting to dislodge them using a rope and a heavy metal bar bouncing up and hitting them as they ride. Lee Marvin pushes something with his foot and causes the entire train to come to a screeching halt. What was it? Was this possible?


5) I noticed one of the boxcars on Shack's train was yellow and might have had "Green Bay and Western" lettering on it. Is this correct? Because if it is, then my "Yard Boss" train set has one of those boxcars!


All best, and thanks,
Joe

This happened yesterday. Not newsworthy enough with the politicians snowed in. 100 cars derailed.
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Charlie

This has nothing to do with trains...but is still some great modeling...even if it is all about cars.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24796741@N05/sets/72157604247242338/show/with/2346008881/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/24796741@N ... 346008881/</a><!-- m -->

dwight77

Well - i finally took the "Before" pics:

I'm going to take one of these 2 gons....
   
and cut the middle sections out to make 2 separate single truck cars that look kind of like this:
   
The idea being to make the cars short enough to be useable on the tight radius (4 ft diameter) curves of my layout and also to use them in the new Mine diorama underneath the layout:    

Ok i want to take my modeling a step further id like to hand lay my own track and i know some of us here have tried and done. So heres my question what do i need to get the job done? Any info would be great as i and any one else thinking the same would like to hear As for those that like rivit counting or just like detail heres a site for you <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.proto87.com/">http://www.proto87.com/</a><!-- m -->

Digging through the box of freight cars I had as a kid, this is possibly the only one that could be useable for my pre-1920 layout. It is a life-like reefer, of unknown prototype. It has a steel underframe and wooden ends, so I think it could pass for something built between 1910-1915. Since few people are experts on pre-1920 rolling stock, I think I can just update the cast-on details, add a few more details, make a few modifications to the paint, and I doubt many will know if it is accurate or not.

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I actually started this project before the challenge started but it seems like an appropriate entry...especially since I don't have anything else in the works right now. If you've been following my blog you know I'm trying to make more realistic cabooses both for my freelanced road and the Penn Central trains I run.

My Spring Bash contest entry will be one of the N8's I'm working on. The N8 cabooses on the Penn Central are former Pennsylvania RR cabins. I'm creating two of them using old Tyco cabooses. I've been holding onto a Railroad Model Craftsman Article from 1970 that describes this conversion that makes a "reasonable looking N8". Here is a proto photo of an N8: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1076248">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1076248</a><!-- m -->

Here's the classic Tyco caboose (purchased from the back room of my LHS for $2.99).


First step...change the shape of the Tyco caboose so it looks more like an N8. This involves cutting the roof so the cupola can be turned around and centered.

After that I needed to cut the small window so it matched the larger ones and then fill in the center window so there are only two as on the prototype.
I used Green Putty to fill in seams, sanded, and then primed.


A little more sanding and then time to paint the body green...


There seem to have been a variety of paint schemes for PC cabooses...all green roof, all black roof, green cupola on black roof, but it seems that most of the photos of N8s show the latter option. I masked the cupola and painted the rest of the roof black.


Adding decals is next. I needed to purchase some more PC lettering online from Microscale. They just arrived so I'll post pics after that job is finished.

Ralph

I thought soldering was a pain in HO. Now that I'm in N, it's even tougher and it caused me to not solder very many feeders to my track. I got your standard soldering iron, but I think I need a very small one. I took a quick look around the web, but some companies idea of mini or small probably aren't the same as mine. Does anyone have a particular small soldering iron that they like for things like soldering feeders to rails, and if so, what brand/model do you use? Thanks.

I know I shared this with a couple of forum members the last Shuttle Launch, so I thought I'd pass on the message again for those who might be interested.

News Release taken from the NASA Shuttle Web Page.

Quote:NASA Managers Say "Super Shuttle" Sunday Launch a "Go"
Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:00:50 PM EST

Officials meeting at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida reviewed space shuttle Endeavour's readiness for flight at the L-2 prelaunch meeting. They unanimously decided to move forward with the STS-130 mission countdown to launch on Sunday at 4:39 a.m. EST.

Mike Moses, shuttle launch integration manager, said, "We're really looking forward to this launch carrying up node 3 and the cupola.

"From the shuttle program perspective, looking at our launch readiness, we're in really good shape. We had a fantastic review this morning," continued Moses, "Unanimous poll, everyone's pressing forward to go for launch."

Bernardo Patti, ESA's International Space Station program manager, said how happy and proud he is to see the last two European elements ready for the space station. He also commented on the great support and cooperation between the space agencies and how rewarding the process has been.

Mike Leinbach, shuttle launch director, reported his team is not tracking any technical issues and everything is on track for the rotating service structure rollback at 8 a.m. Saturday and loading of the external fuel tank with propellants around 7:15 p.m.

"The team is energized and excited about the countdown... looking forward to getting Endeavour off the ground Sunday morning," said Leinbach.

Kathy Winters, shuttle weather officer, said the forecast has improved and there's only a 20 percent chance weather would be an issue at launch time. Although it may be a little chilly and breezy, no constraints should be violated. The forecast at the transoceanic abort landing sites in Spain and France also looks favorable.

Saturday at 7 p.m., NASA TV will air the fueling of Endeavour's external tank at <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.nasa.gov/ntv">www.nasa.gov/ntv</a><!-- w -->. At 11:30 p.m., live launch coverage will kick off on NASA TV.

You also can follow Endeavour's exciting countdown to launch with NASA's Launch Blog from inside Kennedy's Firing Room 3 beginning at 11:30 p.m. and continuing through main engine cutoff -- when Endeavour reaches orbit on its two-day race to the station.