Weekend Update 10/31/10

[wm3798]

What a great weekend!
I had a chance to scan the show tables before the scheduled departure of the Laurel Valley coal special, and picked up some great deals on some bridge piers, a Walther's sawmill kit, some electronics, and of course, some rolling stock.  Then it was show time!



The 100 car train attracted quite a bit of attention!



I was so intent on negotiating the Bantrak circuit, I was completely oblivious to the fact that they were giving away children in the next aisle!


All those hoppers looked good strung out on the layout.




Bryan and Tim notice that they have the same glasses, while Ed conspires to wreck the train for a third time...


Conrail helpers bring up the rear.





After the run, we packed everything up, and the hoppers are now all boxed up and ready to be shipped to their various destinations.  I'm really happy with how this project came out.  Who knows... maybe there's a mid-80's Laurel Valley X58 in the future?

Thanks to all who took part in the project.


Lee

[Bob Bufkin]

Almost forgot.  Rob your bridge is a great piece of work and the photos don't do it justice.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Almost forgot.  Rob your bridge is a great piece of work and the photos don't do it justice.

Oh yeah! I'll second that!

Also, I love that CR helper shot. You guys joke, but running that many cars around that layout was no easy feat. NTRAK is an unforgiving environment for large, heavy trains.

[DKS]

Bryan and Tim notice that they have the same glasses...

Ha! No wonder I got them mixed up...

Here's a few more shots to add to the mix.











Things don't seem to be going well, by the looks on the faces. Someone uttered the dreaded word, "stringline."

[wm3798]

Oh, I almost forgot, while all of those shots came from my camera, I put it into the capable hands of Mr. Smith for many of them...  Thanks, David!

N trak does seem to attract large, heavy railroaders, though, Ed!

 ;D
Lee

[DKS]

Oh, I almost forgot, while all of those shots came from my camera, I put it into the capable hands of Mr. Smith for many of them...  Thanks, David!

You must have had bunches of fun picking out the usable ones from the thousands I shot...

[Sokramiketes]

Ha! No wonder I got them mixed up...

Here's a few more shots to add to the mix.

It's Jason Statham and Fisher Stevens of Short Circuit fame!

[Ian MacMillan]

Dave's look of utter disappointment is C L A S S I C

[wm3798]

Now with sound and motion!

Lee

[tom mann]

Dave's look of utter disappointment is C L A S S I C

He looks like is he thinking:  "Why in the hell would anyone spend money on these little trains?". ;D

[tom mann]

I also have to comment on Rob's bridge scene:  it was the best application of a glass/plastic surface to represent water I've seen.  The colors and depth was spot on.

[GaryHinshaw]

Dave's look of utter disappointment is C L A S S I C

It makes you wonder what's going on around that corner: they look like gawkers at a very bad accident.

It's Jason Statham and Fisher Stevens of Short Circuit fame!

 ;D

[tom mann]

It's Jason Statham and Fisher Stevens of Short Circuit fame!

Show this to Paul Zane so he can charge more money next time!

[ArtinCA]

They're compact fluorescents Art.  Mounted on 18" centers (more or less).  Lots of light which is good for these old and getting older eyes.  Here's a photo.  I stole the mounting distance from our own JustTrainCrazy (Kevin) but the mounting contraption is all my own - for better or worse.

Thanks! That picture helps alot! Good idea there.

Art

[sizemore]

Actually I believe we were looking at the "Fire" module and I noted that gravity was not arcing the water down due to gravity, but we surmised that the boom was in motion since the water arced from left to right.

Ah, Newtonian Physics!

The S.