Yes, yes, I'm still here...I promised my friend Ted DiIorio that I would update my "freakin' blog" tonight, as I admit, it is long overdue.......I spent most of the summer "away" from model railroading (at least actively working on the layout that is), but it's soon to be Fall, and the guys are coming over enmass this weekend to get me ready for the next shakedown session in November. Big things are in the works, but I am not ready to divulge just what yet, so stay tuned.
So, I actually have done some work (mostly wiring, and who wants to see a post about wiring, Ted?) and a little bit of track work. So with that in mid, here's the track work.......
This siding was originally opposite (behind) this spot, and it never really sat well with me. So I figured one night while I was bored (must have been no good NCIS repeats on TV), what the heck, lets move it! Not only do I like it (it is visually appealing to me) but it also "hides" the curve in the backdrop here (the backdrop in this spot is the previously reported "hole in the wall" that needs fixing this weekend). Eariler this Summer, Ted also suggested I rearrange my CNJ yard leads, which I did....
No, that's not the crack in Amy Pond's bedroom wall in the background...C'mon, no Dr. Who fans out there? Really?!?
Trust me when I say that the leads were a cluster *#@% before this......It all began when I wanted more of a switching lead, and Ted's suggestions were great and well reasoned......I even added a second passing siding. This extra part of the layout (the CNJ's Henderson St. Branch) is a fun addition to an all-LV layout, enough to keep two guys very occupied all night (or so I hope).
So, that's it. Nope, really, that's it......Don't make me take a photo of the wiring work Dave Ramos did last time he was here.......I'll do it, I swear!
Now see what you made me go and do Ted? You said "post to your %#!$ blog, Ralph", and I said "But Ted, I got nuthin'!", and you said "Stop slacking!".....OK, fine, you asked for it!
So, with that, exit our layout builder, stage right.......Hopefully, I'll have some exciting progress photos to share after this Saturday....Or at least some goofy photos of the guys trying to fix my layout. Either way, it should be interesting!
3 comments:
Glad to see you are still with us...
What's the story with the LV float bridges? Kit? Scratch? Dalek weapon platforms? (Yes, I can do Doctor jokes.)
Do they operate? (A lower-case "d" doctor joke)
Hi Riley!
Thanks....I tend to work at a snail's pace in between visits by "the work crew", but I gotta step it up now to make November's big shakedown session!
So, ya wana know all about the big bad, FB's, huh? I'd be glad to.....
It's a scratchbash of mostly Walthers and Central Valley components. The Walthers kit provided the uprights, headhouse and suspended apron, while Central Valley provided the girder bridge work and lifting yolk parts, among others. Apron hinges and various small parts were scratchbuilt or cast.
The model is a 90% faithful model built by Elliott Janofsky of Newburgh, NY. He tackled this about 7years ago for his layout, and wrote a subsequent article for the NMRA Scale Rails about it. Knowing DAMN well I would NEVER get to it myself, I "contracted' Elliott to build it for me. The stipulation being I had to purchase all the parts myself (easy) and wait for delivery - on his timetable. That was the HARDEST part!
It was delivered about a year ago now, and was just finally "erected" by my friend's Jay Held (with a helping hand from Jim Fawcett, too) this weekend. It took a lot of fiddling and fine tuning to mate the Walthers floats with it and to get cars to smoothly operate across the gap, since it is in effect, a custom fit.
They were built to operate, but it's not really practical. In that I mean that while they can raise and lower each bridge independently (Elliott built them so if you take the roof off the housing and spin the threaded rod, they will lift the yolks up and down) and the suspended apron is really separately hinged from the main bridge, AND the switchpoints on the one bridge really does work (it's one of the parts cut down from the Walthers kit), it's only really practical to flick the switchpoints with a pick or finger to change tracks. The chance of disaster is too much for anything else. All floats are semi-permanently moored to the bridges, and all cars are fiddled on or off the floats.
Oh, and I can understand your concern about them amsquerading as Dalek weapons platforms, but around here, we are more worried about Cybermen enslaving the dock workers! Oh, and we do have a TARDIS factory in downtown Jersey City....I'd take a picture, but I think the camera's psychic data card would only allow you to see tugboats and lighters......; ^ )
About time damn-it! LOL
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