Do Trains figure in your interests?

[Jim Dick]

Ian,

I'm sure something could be done. I've seen coffee table layouts in N. As Ned mentioned, there is Z but I agree it's way too small to not become frustrating. One of our members, Dave Durway, is an N guage fan and has his own layout.

That reminds me, a couple of years ago we attended the forum Southeast area rally and Dave, Dave Reavus and I went to Folkston, GA. There is located the Folkston Funnel where all the trains into and out of Florida meet. It's quite fascinating. There wasn't a lot of traffic as they were working on the track somewhere down the line and the trains were being held up. Still, it was fun. Attached are two photos of the funnel. There is a seating area alongside the tracks with speakers that allow you to listen to the traffic contollers speaking with the engineers.

 

[Ian]

If I remember correctly there was a big flap about keeping the "firemen" on the engines after they were no longer needed for their main job. Not sure what they call them today but I'll bet someone is still in that position.

Some trains are running one man, most of the long distance trains run with just the two crew, called an Observer as far as I recall. The Guard in his van at the rear of the train is gone but not forgotten. Even on our big interstate passenger trains the role of Guard is taken by the Train Manager who is boss of the on-train crew.
[quote author=Jim Dick]I've seen coffee table layouts in N.[/quote] That was part of what I was thinking about. I've also seen others designed to rise vertically and fit into a cabinet about 9 inch deep and 2-3 feet wide and about a 2 foot rise. I have plans somewhere here for that. It is mostly a high cliff scene with a small narrow gauge train that comes down the cliff face via several tunnels then has a stop in a small fishing village near the beach. It then climbs back up the cliff to a transfer station where it meets with the main line. That's just one suggestion that has some interesting features, mostly in modelling and scenicking, but that's a good pasttime for quiet evening work.[quote author=Jim Dick]Attached are two photos of the funnel.[/quote] I only saw the one. Nice area. Seats and loudspeakers, that is really catering to the sticky beaks isn't it  LOL

 

[Jim Dick]

Ian,

I really miss the caboose we used to have, also called a crummy. That's where the Observer would be to watch the train as it went down the rails.

That layout really sounds interesting. One thing I thought I might like to try when we had the house was a narrow gauge system as we had in the mountains. There was the Climax engine and one other whose name has slipped my memory.

Not sure what happened to the other picture but it should be attached to this message. Will include a shot of Dave and Dave at the box seating. ;D

 

[Tom]

Ian,

I'm not sure if you saw this topic posted by Jim discussing the Tehachapi loop. Quite an engineering feat to bring long trains over the mountain. Jim posted some neat photos.

 

[Tom]

...the caboose we used to have, also called a crummy.

Or, in UK terms, a guard's van.

 

[Jim Dick]

Tom,

Interesting. There's a whole other culture to learn in railroading. Not only ours but those of other countries as well. I only wish our country could realize the value railroads have over moving everything by concrete ribbons!

 

[Ian]

Update: For those snowbirds that hang around Florida maybe you might like to slate your thirst for rail fun with the nice folks in the Florida Garden Railway Society shown in this article from the folks at Large Scale Online.  http://www.largescaleonline.com/library/free/article_529.html?page=1

For those higher up on that side of the country they also talked about the big East Coast Large Scale Train Show on this weekend, sounds like a big lot of fun if any of you are in the area.
Location:
York Fairgrounds,
Memorial Hall East, York, PA
Date:
March 31- April 2, 2006
Times:
Friday 4:00pm to 9:00pm, Saturday: 9:00am to 5:00pm, Sunday: 10:00am to 3:00pm
Show Car:
Western Maryland FA-1
Lehigh & New England 40' Steel Boxcar
Admission:
Three-Day Admission: Adult: $25.00, Children under 12 free
Friday, Saturday or Sunday one day admission: Adult $10.00, Children under 12 free

For More information go to: http://www.aristocraft.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=2

 

[Ian]

More about the show:

2006 ECLSTS SEMINAR SCHEDULE

Time Presenter Subject

SATURDAY
0900-0955 Jerry Chapman / Split Jaw Rail Clamps Improving Performance of Powered Rails
1000-1055 Bob Kelly / Garden Texture Large Scale Heavy Timber Structures
1100-1255 Mac MacCalla / Badger Air Brush Weathering
1300-1355 George Bellopatrick Installing Ball Bearings in Rolling Stock
1400-1455 Don Sweet / RCS New Englad Battery Radio Control
1500- Tom McCloud / Appalichan Gardens Small Plants for Your Rail Road

SUNDAY
1000-1055 Tom McCloud / Appalichan Gardens Small Plants for Your Rail Road
1100-1155 Bob Kelly / Garden Texture Large Scale Heavy Timber Structures
1200-1355 Mac MacCalla / Badger Air Brush Weathering
1400-1455 Jerry Chapman / Split Jaw Rail Clamps Improving Performance of Powered Rails

 

[fredethomas]

Ian:

Several years ago, in one of the RV magazines, there was an article about a fellow that travels with his trains.  He had a mh, as I recall, and in the full width bay, he took an 8 ft. sheet of plywood, built in some slides near the top, and put the plywood with the tracks permanently mounted on it.  It slide out almost the full 8 feet, and had some wooden legs for supports that he had also fashioned.  The trains themselves and other accourterments were stored safely in boxes in another bin.  He was one happy camper to be able to bring his trains along with him.  As I remember it, he traveled with a buddy, also a train-nut in another rig.  So maybe he had lots more of the parts in his rig also.

If there's a will, there's a way, and someone always figures out how to do it. 

Daisy T.

 

[Ian]

Daisy, I would love to see how he did that. I have often thought that there would have to be ways to indulge your hobbies, I was even thinking if you had trays, water tricklers and growlights then the green thumb brigade would even be able to grow small plants.
Ok, so if I can dream of one day owning a MH I can also dream how I might be able to use it. 

 

[Ian]

Living in a 40' motor coach doesn't leave much room for a layout anymore.

Jim, did you see the note just posted by Daisy? Maybe you could build a nice N-scale layout in a similar way?

 

[Chet18013]

I can testify that Jim likes trains. In fact here's a photo of Jim from our visit to SteamTown in Scranton, PA two days ago.

Chet18013

 

[Ian]

Awww Chet, c'mon, you just sent that to me so I could be jealous of Jim. Right?

Been a long time since I was in a cab like that. 1983 or 84 I think. A Historical special from Canberra down to Cooma over some of the worst grades in the New South Wales Railways. A wonderful day, loads of fun. I loaned them my HyGain 5 CB Radio and also 2 little walky units. I had to fit the CB into the cab and screw the cradle into the cabin's wooden roof. I think we mounted the CB antenna on the end of the coal tender.
We used the radios to coordinate the photo stops and the organisers were very appreciative of them. It made it just so easy to check when the photo line was in place and ready and also to check that all passengers were back from the paddocks so the train could move on. A wonderful day and the trip was a highlight that I will never forget. I can still feel the icy water in the creek we had to cross to get back to the train <brrrr>
---------------------------------
Edit: I have posted a picture of the WalkyTalky units in case somebody recalls them from the '80s. There were the PocketCom XB 100's. Take a look, it might bring back some memories.

 

[JGarrick]

If you like climbing around on the real things, you should stop at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum (http://www.lsrm.org) in Duluth. While you're there, drive the North Shore (or see it from the scenic railroad line the museum runs).

(Note: That's not my photo - I stole it from here: http://lighthousegetaway.com/lights/spltrock.html

 

[Jim Dick]

Hi Ian,

You can do almost anything if you are willing to give up the storage space. I saw one guy who had a Country Coach Intrigue. He had a woodworking shop on a slide in one bay!

 

[Ian]

... He had a woodworking shop on a slide in one bay!

Now that is keen.  I could certainly understand finding pleasure in playing with wood. Maybe his significant other and denizens of the park might have problems with him using his power tools. I can just see him parked in a nice quiet tree-shaded bay at Yellowstone, picking up his circular saw and working his way through some stubborn oak blocks. Smokey the Bear taps him on the shoulder and says, "Please leave the park, NOW!"

So I guess you or perhaps SWMBO has already spoken up for the the available space and a slide-based train set would be a little low on the space priority list?
Next option is to build and paint trains and carriages and then run them when you get to a friend's layout. Maybe that might not take up too much space. On second thoughts perhaps that's not such a good idea. To detail the trains you really need to be airbrushing them, SWMBO might not appreciate paint spatter over the furniture or kitchen curtains. I have found that some women just cant see the funny side of things like that <VBG>

 

[Jim Dick]

Ian,

Yes, he certainly would have to pick the time carefully for using the power tools. Out in the desert would work.

All my bays are full so I certainly don't have the room for a layout. Detailing N scale might not be too bad. I did my freight and didn't use an air brush. They probably aren't great but I enjoy them.

 

[Ian]

... but I enjoy them.

and isn't that all we really expect from our hobbies.
If, a big if but, if you did take up working on trains, what line / style / era do you think you might model?

 

[tyefighter]

If you guys like trains, check this site out.  It's about an hour north of Klamath Falls and hour and a half south of Bend Oregon on Highway 97. 

http://www.trainmountain.com/

 

[Ian]

Now that sounds like a fun site.

The next Triennial is scheduled to be held from June 26th to July 2nd 2006 with a five day "Work Week" immediately proceeding the meet.

Sounds like a good time to put Klamath County on the route for your travels

Train Mountain Railroad Museum is located in Southern Oregon on over 2000 acres of Ponderosa Pine forest in Klamath County, the home of Crater Lake National Park.Train Mountain currently has 69,900 feet (13? miles) of 7?" gauge mainline track and 133,250 feet (25? miles) of total trackage, which includes yards, sidings, and connector tracks.In the 2004 Guinness World Records? Train Mountain is recognized as the "Longest Miniature Hobby Railroad".
The Triennial Ramble is a clockwise Ramble scheduled for two weeks before and two weeks after the Triennial week at Train Mountain. Beginning in the Phoenix area it proceeds west to the Greater Los Angeles area. From the Los Angeles area it moves north along the coast to the Bay Area. After a visit to the Sacramento area, it continues on to Train Mountain.
Following the Triennial Meet at Train Mountain, it proceeds west to the Medford area and then north to the Portland area of Oregon. From Oregon it continues north to the Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. areas. It then heads east to Airdrie, just north of Calgary, AB and on to Winnipeg, MB.

Wow! 16 events plus other side trips along the way. From Phoenix to Winnipeg and all those train stops along the way. Can it get any better for a train buff?