I still plan to post photos of my 0-6-0 converstion to an oil-burner. But for now, a few quick thoughts about what I've accomplished so far and where I plan to go.
Work has been slowed by the time demands (and fun) of getting our new puppy settled in, but I have laid some more track. My plan, as I mentioned previously, is to finish this section of the layout, including scenery, before moving on to the rest, which includes the port and industry areas, etc. Briefly, my reasons are:
1. I like scenery work (including structures) and would like to get to it.
2. It would be nice to get all of my rolling stock on the rails and operate it, even for some (at this point) limited switching.
3. I'd like to put up my backdrop.
4. There is a possibility that we will move to an "age 55 plus" or similar patio home community in the next year to year and a half. The move would be short, within 10 miles or so. We are in a nice neighborhood but really think we'd enjoy more being among people our own age. We will want to do something like this eventually, anyway. A move would doubtless entail adapting my layout plans to a different room configuration. My layout is in "modular" 28 inch and 48 inch sections, and at its current size would be an easy fit in just about any spare bedroom, so I think it's best for now to completely finish the segments I've built so far; by the time that's accomplished, it may be time to move.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Happy New Year!
Now that Christmas is over, I'm getting back into model railroading again. The coal-to-oil conversion on my 0-6-0 is complete and I will include a photo in an upcoming post, along with a listing of the reference materials I used.
I've also completed testing the track laid so far. The 0-6-0 is my "severest critic" in smoking out any problems with gauge or alignment, and thus far there have been few corrections required, and those have been made. In this phase of the layout I still have a couple of sidings to lay; the ties are down, just need rail. I hope to complete this in the next few days. Once that's done it's time to start putting freight cars on the track, after any damage from packing and moving is corrected, along with any extra detailing I feel moved to add.
At that point the track on the "left" and two-thirds of the "top" of the layout will be done (see track plan in a previous post). I'm going to stop there and begin scenery and structure work on that portion before I go further in the track plan. More about that, and the rationale behind it, in a future post.
A non-railroad aside: Two weeks ago we acquired another dog, a cocker spaniel/poodle puppy. She's now two months old and is already partly housebroken and is learning to play fetch. Her name is Molly and we're delighted to have her.
I've also completed testing the track laid so far. The 0-6-0 is my "severest critic" in smoking out any problems with gauge or alignment, and thus far there have been few corrections required, and those have been made. In this phase of the layout I still have a couple of sidings to lay; the ties are down, just need rail. I hope to complete this in the next few days. Once that's done it's time to start putting freight cars on the track, after any damage from packing and moving is corrected, along with any extra detailing I feel moved to add.
At that point the track on the "left" and two-thirds of the "top" of the layout will be done (see track plan in a previous post). I'm going to stop there and begin scenery and structure work on that portion before I go further in the track plan. More about that, and the rationale behind it, in a future post.
A non-railroad aside: Two weeks ago we acquired another dog, a cocker spaniel/poodle puppy. She's now two months old and is already partly housebroken and is learning to play fetch. Her name is Molly and we're delighted to have her.
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