Random thoughts about the MT Mail Car

[mcjaco]

I just checked it and the link takes you to the blog entree "More of Robert Diepenbrock's Harriman Headend Cars" like it should.

Will see about getting the longer notes chopped so that they won't throw the Notes off.  Also need to make a correction with the C&EI entree.

Should have been more clear.  Your hyper link reads like this:

See the Wheelts of Time blog.

[jmlaboda]

Should have been more clear.  Your hyper link reads like this:

See the Wheelts of Time blog.

That should be fixed now (might have to hit refresh) along with an error with the two C&EI drawings...

Also Jerry, what exactly does "irregardles" mean?

I'm still trying to figure out what the heck Peteski is talking about???

Even in the wide-window the Notes lines seem to be shifted about half a line down (or up?) in reference to the other fields to the left of notes.

And, likewise, trying to figure out what he is talking about here since "his" screenshot shows everything to be in line...

[DKS]

I'm sorry to say that your tables will continue to have trouble until they are rebuilt using proper HTML. This is what some people will see--the lines of information are all mismatched:



You cannot place all of the content for a single column in one cell with line breaks; you need to place each row of information in individual table rows. Also, in looking at your code, the table tags are all mixed up--table header (TH) and table data (TD) tags are interchanged. Plus there are other coding errors that could be causing any number of issues in various browsers.

Here is a useful resource on building tables: http://www.w3schools.com/html/html_tables.asp

And Peteski was trying to be a wiseass--irregardless is considered "improper" English--it's preferred to simply use "regardless": http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irregardless

[jmlaboda]

Just wondering... what resolution is that???

[DKS]

Just wondering... what resolution is that???

It does not matter. A browser window can be sized to any width--it does not need to be the full width of the screen. If you view the web page in a smaller window, the table content will get jumbled. The only way to fix it is to code the table correctly.

Here's what the first three rows of information should look like in HTML:

<TABLE WIDTH=100% BORDER=0>
   <TR>
      <TD><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#990000 size=3><U>Road/#</U></FONT></TD>
      <TD ALIGN=CENTER><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#990000 size=3><U>BUILDER</U></FONT></TD>
      <TD ALIGN=CENTER><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#990000 size=3><U>DATE</U></FONT></TD>
      <TD><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#990000 size=3><U>NOTES</U></FONT></TD>
   </TR>
   <TR>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#FFFFFF size=2>B&amp;O 78 - 80, 82</FONT></TD>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP ALIGN=CENTER><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#FFFFFF size=2>PULL</FONT></TD>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP ALIGN=CENTER><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#FFFFFF size=2>1913</FONT></TD>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP>&nbsp;</TD>
   </TR>
   <TR>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#FFFFFF size=2>CP 3750 - 3776</FONT></TD>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP ALIGN=CENTER>&nbsp;</TD>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP ALIGN=CENTER><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#FFFFFF size=2>1918</FONT></TD>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#FFFFFF size=2>3 - 2/2 - 4 window pattern, to 3 - 2/2 - 3</FONT></TD>
   </TR>
   <TR>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#FFFFFF size=2>CB&amp;Q 2305 - 2315 <FONT color=#FFD700>**</FONT></FONT></TD>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP ALIGN=CENTER><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#FFFFFF size=2>ACF</FONT></TD>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP ALIGN=CENTER><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#FFFFFF size=2>1914</FONT></TD>
      <TD VALIGN=TOP><FONT face="Arial Black" color=#FFFFFF size=2>3 - 2/2 - 3 window pattern</FONT></TD>
   </TR>

...ETC...

</TABLE>

You can do away with all of the repetitive font tags by using CSS: http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp

[jmlaboda]

It should do better now.  I have rewritten the table to be a little more "HTML correct".

As for my previous use of the line break code within a TABLE you would be surprised at how many websites say that it is proper to do just that.  I've found over a dozen of sites just off the first page of my Google search that states that <BR> can and should be used, but for the purpose of the roster I understand the point you are making and, thankfully, it didn't take quite so long to rewrite it.

So... take a look...

http://n-scalevarnish.info/index/varnish/MT-RPO.htm

[peteski]

It should do better now.  I have rewritten the table to be a little more "HTML correct".

As for my previous use of the line break code within a TABLE you would be surprised at how many websites say that it is proper to do just that.  I've found over a dozen of sites just off the first page of my Google search that states that <BR> can and should be used, but for the purpose of the roster I understand the point you are making and, thankfully, it didn't take quite so long to rewrite it.

So... take a look...

http://n-scalevarnish.info/index/varnish/MT-RPO.htm

It looks good (the lines are properly aligned irregardless of the browser window size. 
While it might be proper to use <BR> in tables, that doesn't mean that it will result in a correct display.

[OldEastRR]

Lost in all the irritation at irregularities in jmlaboda's MT RPO page was any praise or congratulations for the hard work he put into it, irrelevant of any complaints that were made. Luckily, none of the errors were irrevocable. Good work, man!

[peteski]

Good work, man!

Big +1!  Not just that page, but all the painstaking work on the rest of jmlaboda's website.

[DKS]

While it might be proper to use <BR> in tables, that doesn't mean that it will result in a correct display.

This.

(Not to get too pedantic or take the thread drift further, but <BR> in table cells is recommended only as a means to make line breaks within single blocks of contiguous data, not to create entire tables with rows of content that must align.)

Good work, man!

Big +1!  Not just that page, but all the painstaking work on the rest of jmlaboda's website.

And this! Well done.

[Mark5]

Jerry,

Thanks for the immense amount of work that you put into this, and all your passenger train resources!

Mark

[thomasjmdavis]

Jerry,
I don't know where you find the time for all you do, but many, many thanks for all the time and effort you put into the Passenger Car Photo Index, N Scale Varnish and all the associated pages.  The ONLY "problem" I have with the new page is that now I have several more projects on my list inspired by your work (in this case, C&EI and NYC baggage-express cars).  The resources you provide are invaluable.

Tom D.

[jmlaboda]

The ONLY "problem" I have with the new page is that now I have several more projects on my list inspired by your work (in this case, C&EI and NYC baggage-express cars).

You might want to hold off on the C&EI models... I am having to redraw it since my dyslexia caused too small of a door for both car types and I am having a devil of a time trying to get the drawing to work right.

I know what you mean about more projects, I have a CP RPO that it will, hopefully, eventually, become a baggage - express - mail like the GN 50 and 51 cars as a wood sheathed car resheathed with steel and in MofW service.  I still need a second model as well as my N-scale ruler (which has been missing for over a year now thanks to a move.  While I will be trying to keep some of the underbody details the fishbelly center beams will be replaced in a similar fashion to that of Claus Schlund's PRR 70' mail car.  It will be interesting to see how exactly this kitbash will go.