I've been busy working on my railroad, and have recently been building benchwork (well, OK, hollow-core doors on shelf brackets) in preparation of laying track. I've also been documenting my progress, random thoughts, blithering-idiot moments, etc., on this blog. What I forget to post here can be found there, but I promise to keep folks updated as major milestones come up (benchwork up, tracklaying, first train,etc). To be honest, I wish we had the capability to do blogs here as they can on Trainboard.com, but I'm not gonna complain. Well, back to work- those foam sheets aren't gonna attach themselves..........
Re: Layout progress and blogging Bob, Post a few pictures when you can. Alway nice to see everyone's progress. Model railroading is a hobby where you can do a variety of tasks and do them on your own schedule. AND it all accumulates. I am not always in the right frame of mind to build benchwork (sharp objects, you know) so I find something that does interest me. I recently put decoders in two locomotives and got them programmed and then completed some operations paperwork (engine cards, yard cards, train orders, etc.). I need to lay more track in the Springfield Yard but, if I don't, I still have enough other things to do that something is bound to interest me. Since it all adds up, we are always making progress. Keep us posted.
Re: Layout progress and blogging I echo Rick's comments, especially about posting pictures. They are truly worth a thousand words and have a very motivational effect.
Re: Layout progress and blogging Howdy folks, We can easily do blogging here, but I have never had a request before. If folks want to set up a blog on FRISCrg, I can enable that feature. Best, mike
Re: Layout progress and blogging I think we just need links to blogs. Rather than having them included on this chat board. Then whoever is interested can go visit. I equate "blogs" to op-ed pieces which are the writers opinions and musings and a "forum" or chat board like this is more like a magazine or textbook. Maybe a poll on the subject would be good?? Tom
Re: Layout progress and blogging Let's start the blogging discussion on another thread; http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread.php?5614-To-Blog-or-Not-to-Blog-that-is-the-question. The rest of the comments on this thread should be about Bob's layout progress. UPDATE: Based upon a poll of users, the introduction of blogging on the forum was overwhelmingly voted down.
Re: Layout progress and blogging Well, I didn't mean to open a can of worms, but I saw the thread started by Mike about adding blogs. I saw the total response, and I'm OK with it, so no hard feelings. As for layout progress, I work on it as I get time, and I hope to have pictures to post here soon. PS- my personal blogsite is railroad-oriented, predominately Frisco in nature. Politic-free zone............. SO..............'nuff about dat stuff. Back to the worksite. Highball, y'all!
A brief update: I put in a second track for staging, so as to represent both the ATSF/SLSF joint yard and Hugo, OK. They'll be semi-hidden behind a low backdrop, and since the benchwork is only 18" wide, I should be able to swap out cars and diesels via the ol' 0-5-0. I haven't finalized the trackage at Campbell Soup yet, but I envision a number 4 turnout or two. The brown-colored benchwork is where the doorway to the room is located. Since I don't care for duckunders (and my knees like them even less), most likely this will be a swing-up or swing-down section. Track radius is 22", and will consist of code 70 and 83 with code 83 in the staging trackage. Railhead height from the floor will be 54 inches. Turnouts will be manually thrown, and I'm leaning toward Caboose Industries products. Comments/suggestions/criticisms are welcome- this isn't the final plan by any means.
I think it looks great, Bob. Lots of operational opportunity and continuous running. I like to watch the trains roll by. I only have two turnouts and I'm also considering the Caboose ground throws. I guess the sprung ones will work with the unsprung Atlas custom line turnouts. I wish there was a more detailed ground throw offered though. How bout some photos, Bob.
Ah yes, photos..............I only have a few rudientary pics so far of the benchwork, with a couple of lengths of flex laying on top so as to test-run my diesels (OK, play with my sound-equipped H10-44 switcher ), but I'll see what I can come up with.
