Tehachapi, BC

[Chris333]

Fill in all those drywall screws along the backdrop while you can still reach it 

[Scottl]

Transformative!  Now the Vortex is really a mysterious and far off place 

[GaryHinshaw]

Fill in all those drywall screws along the backdrop while you can still reach it 

Yes!!  And reprint and hang the backdrop properly!  It's definitely on the list.  (Actually, the backdrop is still easy to reach from the access points, but point well taken.)

One of the satisfying aspects of this stage of the build work is how quickly it can make such a big visual difference - at least compared to my rate of ballasting progress...

[C855B]

Very interesting that you abandoned vertical orientation for the terraforming. Why the switch? - I thought the result was pretty good.

Good tip on the oscillating saw/scraper blade. I'll use that where the hand-held drum sander won't go.

[GaryHinshaw]

...Why the switch? - I thought the result was pretty good.

...I'll use that where the hand-held drum sander won't go.

The main reason I switched is because of the new tool.  Last year I was carving vertical slabs one at a time with a flexible knife blade, then adding each slab to the stack.  This approach was dictated by the limitations of the knife (and the keen desire to avoid dust - hence no rasp).  I was finding it hard to control the contours as I built a section up, so I put the project on hold.

The new tool makes pretty quick work of carving, and I can work with large sections at once and easily produce convex and concave surfaces.  As such, there is really no difference between shaping vertical or horizontal slabs, so I went with the latter.  This way I can cut large sheets that fit between roadbed sections and rest on the benchwork.  And they form a nice tidy roof over the Vortex. 

I tried to source your drum sander locally, but no one carried it.  However, when I was shopping I found the Dremel tool and scraper blade and figured it was worth a try.  It's turned out to be everything I wanted.

[lashedup]

Between Gary and Mike, my tool collection just seems to get bigger. Luckily I already have an oscillating tool!  Looks really good and what a difference...

[GaryHinshaw]

A quick tech update: I will be hosting two ops sessions in early May associated with the RMMBC and one of the tasks on my list has been to sort out some lingering JMRI/CATS issues.  One of my home-road crew members, Victor Gilbert, came over yesterday and we began hashing those out.  For a couple of separate reasons, I was having trouble with the most recent JMRI releases - generally 4.8 and higher, but I think we've finally come to terms with them.  So as of today, I now have working installations of both JMRI/4.11.4 and CATS/2.39 running on both the Mac and the Raspberry Pi. 

The configuration we want to use going forward is to use the Pi as a dedicated layout machine and to display the CATS panel on the Mac via VNC Viewer and WiFi.  This lets us cut the physical (USB) cable between the layout and the laptop, which is the first step towards remote dispatching.   As of this morning I was able to sit in my living room and control routes, signals, turnouts (and even trains...) from my laptop and/or phone.  The next step is to set up a voice connection between layout room and the d/s machine.  We're thinking that an omni mic in the layout room and a push-to-talk mic at the d/s console would do the trick.  Operators would not have to carry phones/radios, they could just talk to the room mic, and it would simulate the party line atmosphere of real radio traffic.   The short term goal is to locate the d/s in the house, to alleviate crowding in the layout room.  A longer term goal is to d/s over the internet.

In the meantime, landform/foam work continues.  Photos coming in another few days.  Hoping to have a few interim sessions in early April to see how the operators handle having the Vortex covered over. 

[Scottl]

Sounds like great progress!  I can hardly wait to dispatch from Ontario 

[reinhardtjh]

So close!! But, yet not really.  Work will have me in Seattle 4/25 through 5/2.  I'll be busy though. It's the go live weekend for a new plant.

I hope everything goes great!

[GaryHinshaw]

So close!! But, yet not really.  Work will have me in Seattle 4/25 through 5/2.  I'll be busy though...

Oh, no way!  Are you sure you can't swing a Saturday stay-over?  We operate on the 4th and 5th; the night of the 4th has layout open houses; and the 5th has a fantastic line-up of clinics, including the unveiling of Max's steamer.    If not then, perhaps you could swing a day trip over the previous weekend?  I'd be happy to host a visit to TBC and could probably arrange a visit to Mark's C&W.

-gfh

P.S. @Scottl - you are very likely to be our first remote guinea pig -- er, I mean d/s.

[Scottl]

Can't wait!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Yes!!  And reprint and hang the backdrop properly!  It's definitely on the list.  (Actually, the backdrop is still easy to reach from the access points, but point well taken.)

One of the satisfying aspects of this stage of the build work is how quickly it can make such a big visual difference - at least compared to my rate of ballasting progress...

Amen to that!

I miss those days.

[GaryHinshaw]

Supervisor Banjo (2003-2018).  Rest in peace old boy.  You had a good long run.

[Scottl]

Sorry to hear about Banjo, Gary.

[glakedylan]

sorry for your loss
Banjo looks like he was a wonderful companion
thankful for his 15 years
sincerely
Gary