Never having space to setup my trunk full of HO trains; twenty-five years ago I saw lgb displays at Opryland and Philips Toy Mart in Nashville. Room for an outdoors train set I have. Purchases of the red diesel Playmobil starter set and four short pieces of straight track ware made for my then two year old son. Over several Christmas’ more Playmobil was acquired through the mail from Watt’s train shop, but my son never took interest. One year he opened a box of track and said “here dad, this must be for you.” So every year I set the train up, through the living room, around the tree, and spend a month dreaming of my outdoor empire before it’s all packed away again. This year is different - I discovered gscalecentral and spent three months lurking to the end of pictures. Having never acquired the necessary track for the 120’ main line figure eight, I took advice from the forum, and chose the most level plot, closest to the refrigerator, and made a start setting out the track I have. Now if I manage to post a picture, the saga may continue; otherwise it’s not worth our time.
Middle Prong RR and the land grab
- Thread starter Edgar
- Start date
Welcome to the Forum..
as you have probably found.. Once you have somewhere to run trains, the amount of modelling / track-laying, tends to slow a little.
Enjoy your trains!
PhilP.
as you have probably found.. Once you have somewhere to run trains, the amount of modelling / track-laying, tends to slow a little.
Enjoy your trains!
PhilP.
I tend to be slow in many respects. I was hoping for the photo to be full blown, instead of a thumb nail requiring additional effort by the reader.
-saga continues-
A few of the ground rules come to mind:
1- no existing flower beds will be disturbed.
2- no additional track purchases and materials must be found and salvaged here.
3- RR will go round with minimum r3 curves.
4- must have fiddle/switch yard
5- no double line across human trails.
Existing track: 8-R5; 16-R3; 48-R1 curves. 9-4’ straight; 6-2’; 36-1’. 13 R1 points.
A few of the ground rules come to mind:
1- no existing flower beds will be disturbed.
2- no additional track purchases and materials must be found and salvaged here.
3- RR will go round with minimum r3 curves.
4- must have fiddle/switch yard
5- no double line across human trails.
Existing track: 8-R5; 16-R3; 48-R1 curves. 9-4’ straight; 6-2’; 36-1’. 13 R1 points.
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It may take a bit to figure this picture posting out. The initial plan was for a basic oval for running a train while doing necessary chores. Several folk here had commented that having the train disappear behind something adds to effect; so the oval plan was modified to go around the yukas. A dozen yuka had to be transplanted elsewhere to accommodate the limited track and the nashing of teeth by war and finance commenced. Having broke rule number one, if I’m going to be guilty, then guilty I’ll be; the wailing and teeth nashing over the yukas cost her twenty additional feet of flower bed on the other end of the line.
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Regarding 'Domestic Authorities'..
It is easier to get forgiveness, than permission.. But don't push too hard, or too often!
At least, in the early stages..
It is easier to get forgiveness, than permission.. But don't push too hard, or too often!
At least, in the early stages..
The braking of rule number one with the flower bed confiscation
the domestic authorities have been well tested and proven to possess great staying power. Permission to railroad the flower beds under no circumstances would be granted. So only patients will see forgiveness. Thank you for the kind advice, I’ll be needing plenty of it.Regarding 'Domestic Authorities'..
It is easier to get forgiveness, than permission.. But don't push too hard, or too often!
At least, in the early stages..
We have internet issues here, especially when it rains. And it keeps on raining. Plus I’m not too Swift with cellular communications. Anyway the braking of rule number one (with the flower bed confiscation) resulted with the braking of rule number two (no new track) to keep from braking rule number three (minimum R3 main line). We need a R3 point to run over a section of flower bed. If I’d had all this thought through, war and finance would have been consulted on the debit issue before the flower bed was ripped up. However with plastic in hand we may as well get get a cross piece for the fiddle yard and some rail insulators (hopefully this usurping of permission postpones a too soon future negotiation.)
Jasper, yes it’s a late 60’s Kent hollow body bass.
I’ll be hard pressed to take a picture around here with out junk from other interests creeping into the shot. I easily digress and intend to stick mainly to discussing trains as my three favorite bar room subjects tend to get me in a lot of trouble. I’ve never participated in online forums for this reason, but judged this one to be a safe place with a small easy going crowd.
Paul, somehow I received little of heat deserved over my train this past month. Kind of scary. Maybe she’s content thinking there won’t be a hundred feet of track in the living room floor next winter and doesn’t realize I can pull track, boards, and all evidence there of from the yard in less than an hour. When this current iteration of a plan started festering last month, I wittily informed her I would be spending about $800 on necessary track and electronics; knowing I would be shot down. This act set me up well to come back two weeks later, that it would only be $140 for the switch and crossing.
PhilP, was the first to welcome me here and commented that I would find less time for modeling and track laying after I get a train running. That struck me sideways; how did this guy so quickly figure out how lazy I am. Maybe that it took twenty-five years to get around to it? The fact is, since I ran the first train three weeks ago, literally hours have been spent perched on the deck, watching the train go round, and sipping a cold one as I contemplate the next move.
I started my post wanting to thank the members for the many hours of entertainment I’ve enjoyed these past months by making a contribution; no matter how simplistic it turns out to be.
Edgar
I’ll be hard pressed to take a picture around here with out junk from other interests creeping into the shot. I easily digress and intend to stick mainly to discussing trains as my three favorite bar room subjects tend to get me in a lot of trouble. I’ve never participated in online forums for this reason, but judged this one to be a safe place with a small easy going crowd.
Paul, somehow I received little of heat deserved over my train this past month. Kind of scary. Maybe she’s content thinking there won’t be a hundred feet of track in the living room floor next winter and doesn’t realize I can pull track, boards, and all evidence there of from the yard in less than an hour. When this current iteration of a plan started festering last month, I wittily informed her I would be spending about $800 on necessary track and electronics; knowing I would be shot down. This act set me up well to come back two weeks later, that it would only be $140 for the switch and crossing.
PhilP, was the first to welcome me here and commented that I would find less time for modeling and track laying after I get a train running. That struck me sideways; how did this guy so quickly figure out how lazy I am. Maybe that it took twenty-five years to get around to it? The fact is, since I ran the first train three weeks ago, literally hours have been spent perched on the deck, watching the train go round, and sipping a cold one as I contemplate the next move.
I started my post wanting to thank the members for the many hours of entertainment I’ve enjoyed these past months by making a contribution; no matter how simplistic it turns out to be.
Edgar
Agreed and back to trains. I intend to move this saga to another section of the website (possibly pictures) and would like to finish my introduction with a few more statements. First, my RR is named for the small creek that crosses the driveway. Current maps refer to it as Boaz Branch. An old map referenced it as the middle prong of Williamson Branch. I found the equivocal nature of the term ‘middle prong’ amusing, and used it to name my railroad. Second, the ground rules for construction of the railroad have been reclassified as guidelines (hopefully this brings the ruling authority back into compliance.) and lastly, the image in mind includes: Moose Rack Mountain; Sesame Street; a mine and furnace paying homage to the industry’s that brought tracks through Sladen to Cumberland Furnace; and a decent spot to take a picture. Thank you 
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I see a candidate for 'Moose-Rack Mountain' in that picture? 
it look's idyllic.. What is it like when the stream is in spate?
it look's idyllic.. What is it like when the stream is in spate?