Early Risers.

[Barry O]

Franconia...the home of Francenwein.... It comes in bottles since copied by Mateus Rose...or so the locals told me!

 

Her indoors had a list of minor things for me to do. All complete including:

Mowing lawns

Cutting hedge

Fixing gate

Do some ironing

 

I was allowed lunch.

 

 

Ah, wait, side 2 of work list spotted.. Bummocks! Ah well more to do.. Bye for now

 

Baz

[NGT6 1315]

I suspect the trams will probably have magnetic track brakes although probably only for emergency use (be interesting to know if that is the case?) just like DB has.  On the mainline railways in Germany the magnetic brake is required to achieve a certain, highly impressive, level of retardation and has allowed German 'Distant' Signals to be kept at the same standardised distance from the 'Home' Signal for many years.  The magnetic brake on new designs of rolling stock is also (I suspect still?) required to undergo a practical test to prove that it is up to spec - quite an 'interesting' process so I understand.

Yes, trams in Germany must be equipped with magnetic track brakes since (ISTR) 1955. On railways, my knowledge is that EBO does not explicitly demand mag brakes to yield the required retardation, but in practice, only these brakes and, more recently, magnetic induction track brakes are practical options as wheel brakes with sufficient "grab" would inevitably result in skid and flat spots.

[Ian Abel]

Morning...

After about three weeks of excessive activity and the ability to post diverse and sometimes interesting photos of our travels, I find that returning to "normal" and having nothing of interest to report is rather disappointing <sigh>.

BIN day today, both taken to kerb in humid overcast conditions. Nothing of note yesterday beyond being extremely tired and continuing to recover from the long flight day.

 

Pete, agreed, JFK is THE place to fly into in the NYC area, BUT, as with many of the cities that are options, our choice was/is more dictated by the availability of seats on connecting flights. Whilst there are good availability of seats trans-atlantic to JFK, BOS, DTW and ATL, those cities also suffer from being larger hubs for Delta/Delta Connection and are always very hard to get on flights standby in and out. EWR being a NEW trans-atlantic option for Delta (since March) and a non-hub location will generally be a better choice for available seats... oh well!

 

17 here right now, overcast, high humidity and expecting 27 for the high.

 

On with work...

[roundhouse]

I enjoy doing different airports around the USA.

 

Smallest was Skagway; landing on the lake in Seattle the most unusual.

 

I still reckon Portland, Oregon is one of the most pleasant as airports go. They have even had a beer named after the carpet by Rogue called 'PDX Carpet'!!

 

This year will be doing Washington Reagan airport for the first time.

[NGT6 1315]

Another bit of nerdy trivia I found interesting: On the car ingress roster for last night, arrivals between midnight and roughly 2 am were marked with time indications in the format of, for example, 24:47 or 25:15. By "extending" the time scale to beyond 25 hours, it is easy to highlight that cars arriving in this period were part of the timetable for the previous day, so the car arriving at 25:15 would have arrived at 1.15 am by the common clock.

[Judge Dread]

Hang the swine!

Don't monkey about, say what you mean!

[BoD]

P1110311.JPG

 

 

Dave

Did a quick double take there

For a fleeting moment I thought it was Roseberry Topping in North Yorkshire. Definitely a similar shape.

 

I thought 'That's one heck of a ride Dave's done today'.

 

Edit: left picture in but it didn't show. It was the second picture.

Or click on th .jpg link thingy above

Or just ignore my ramblings, I won't be offended.

Edited June 4, 2015 by BoD

[railsquid]

Another bit of nerdy trivia I found interesting: On the car ingress roster for last night, arrivals between midnight and roughly 2 am were marked with time indications in the format of, for example, 24:47 or 25:15. By "extending" the time scale to beyond 25 hours, it is easy to highlight that cars arriving in this period were part of the timetable for the previous day, so the car arriving at 25:15 would have arrived at 1.15 am by the common clock.

 

Interesting - that format is used in Japan quite a lot to indicate a closing time in the early am, so you'll see e.g. a bar advertised as being open from "18:00 to 25:00". First time I've heard of similar use elsewhere, I'm sure I'll have an opportunity to make use of that trivia .

[NGT6 1315]

Interesting - that format is used in Japan quite a lot to indicate a closing time in the early am, so you'll see e.g. a bar advertised as being open from "18:00 to 25:00". 

 

That is something I didn't know yet either!

[Robert]

wheel brakes with sufficient "grab" would inevitably result in skid and flat spots.

Coming back from London to Hastings on one occasion, back in the days of the DEMUs, we were on the fast train which only stops at major stations. Coming through Frant, a bloke decided the train should have stopped (it shouldn't have - next stop after Tunbridge Wells on the semi-fast is Wadhurst) and he went in the Loo and pulled the communication cord.

 

The train performed a very effective emergency stop, but the rest of the ride down to Battle was very uncomfortable with flats on the wheels. I should imagine St. Leonards depot had their work cut out with that unit!

[DDolfelin]

They are cheaper in the larger sizes (why buy smaller sizes anyway?) and Hobbycraft do sometimes seem to have sort of clearance type offers which can make then very cheap - which is just as well the way I built the shunting puzzle on our module (it is on a separate foamboard 'baseboard' about 10 inches above the ply top which is on the module frame).. The big benefit of using foamboard is that it is relatively simple to modify (at which point Debs should go and do some Collie cuddling) this

 

First it is excellent stuff which you can get into place quickly for making contours or even forming a complete hill

 

DSCF4383 ModA.jpg

 

This forming the landscape skeleton, and even front edge, of the module

 

DSCF4407 Mod B.jpg

 

But it has the advantage of being relatively easy to modify or cutaway/cut down

 

DSCF5601 ModC.jpg

 

Enabling you to use a sheet of it laid flat(ish) to create a  lightweight base for a little shunting layout while simply standing it vertical with a fillet to keep it upright will take quite a bit of weight in compression

 

DSCF5729 MOD D.jpg

 

So giving you room for a little shunting layout with the controller handily placed underneath

 

DSCF5771 MOD E.jpg

 

Thanks for that, Mike.

The stuff I bought is about 4mm thick but I've still made a mountain out of it!

About £1.85 per A3 sized sheet.

The stuff you have shown looks much more substantial.

[PhilJ W]

Coming back from London to Hastings on one occasion, back in the days of the DEMUs, we were on the fast train which only stops at major stations. Coming through Frant, a bloke decided the train should have stopped (it shouldn't have - next stop after Tunbridge Wells on the semi-fast is Wadhurst) and he went in the Loo and pulled the communication cord.

 

The train performed a very effective emergency stop, but the rest of the ride down to Battle was very uncomfortable with flats on the wheels. I should imagine St. Leonards depot had their work cut out with that unit!

I hope he was caught and fined.

[The Stationmaster]

Thanks for that, Mike.

The stuff I bought is about 4mm thick but I've still made a mountain out of it!

About £1.85 per A3 sized sheet.

The stuff you have shown looks much more substantial.

It's only 5mm DD but in some places the flat(ish) bit with the track on has been laminated (so it doesn't break when I lean on it ).

[Oldddudders]

Coming back from London to Hastings on one occasion, back in the days of the DEMUs, we were on the fast train which only stops at major stations. Coming through Frant, a bloke decided the train should have stopped (it shouldn't have - next stop after Tunbridge Wells on the semi-fast is Wadhurst) and he went in the Loo and pulled the communication cord.

 

The train performed a very effective emergency stop, but the rest of the ride down to Battle was very uncomfortable with flats on the wheels. I should imagine St. Leonards depot had their work cut out with that unit!

I think the Depot Engineer was a genial chap called John Perry. In all truth, his staff did wonders making those DEMUs do the biz for year after year. St Leonard - the Patron Saint of DEMUs!

 

I have downsized a trio of pics from Sunday's LM Test Day. I hope they whet appetites. First is a Nissan. It does it all the wrong way round with engine at the front and effectively FWD! To date they have not got the energy storage and retrieval system to work, so they were hopelessly slow. But were fastest through the speed trap....

 

 

In the second category, LMP2, many cars now have a roof, thus making them much more attractive than the "cheese" shape of so many years. Colour is a very personal thing. Tracy Krohn is currently #278 on the Forbes Richest Americans list. So who am I to argue?

 

 

Finally Porsche. They have the speed this year, but Audi's reliability and ability to return from adversity is still the one to beat. Also available this year in red or white versions. All equally quick.

 

 

Progress is inevitable. 50 years ago Phil Hill was told in practice to really push in his 7-litre Ford Mk II, and set a lap record of about 3m 30 s. Since then there are chicanes right, left and centre, so the circuit is a lot "slower" - yet on Sunday a Porsche managed 3m 21s.

[bbishop]

Evening all.

Tuesday 5pm, cycling to London for a meeting, downhill into the wind, when I got something in my right eye. Stopped off at a pharmacy for Optrex, caught a train up to London, and had a couple of goes with the Optrex, but without success. So caught a train back to Lewisham, spent five hours in A&E, for a check there was nothing *in* the eye. As I was anaesthetised up to the eyeballs (literally), I managed a quick post.

Managed to do yesterday what I had planned, with a very sore eye, but 100% by public transport rather than by bike.

No better this morning so off to my optician (one hour wait), who packed me off to Moorfields Eye Hospital. After a four hour wait, and a very large dose of anaesthetic, a young lady found a piece of grit under my eyelid. Equivalent size to a 14BA nut. Her desk has some very deep gouges from my fingernails, I do not like my eyes poked! I've caught up with ER whilst my eye is numb and I'm putting myself on the outside of a 660ml bottle of Staropramen to aid my recovery, but I'll have quite a shiner tomorrow. Another post to ER, a couple of e-mails to answer, then an early night.

Best wishes to all.

Bill

 

PS: Thanks for all your support, appreciated.

Edited June 4, 2015 by bbishop

[BoD]

Sorry to hear all that Bill, but glad the grit has been found and your eye is sorted.

Your sight is a most precious thing.

[bbishop]

I'm off to Germany by train later this month, two nights in Augsburg, five in München.  And this from someone who models a Franconian town.  Also travelling back alongside the Rhine.  Planning day trips from both cities, but I'm staying in the Intercity hotels, who provide a pass on the local public transport, so trams will also be involved.  Night all.

 

Bill

[NGT6 1315]

And the weathering continues:

 

 

 

I should think these big ole ALCOs can well take some soot topside.

[BoD]

..... but strange things can happen when cycling.

I remember doing the Yorkshire Dales Cyclway when a bee (or wasp) flew into my mouth and stung my lip.

I got the bu$$er back though, my reflex reaction bit it's head off.

[laurenceb]

Evening all.

 

Tuesday 5pm, cycling to London for a meeting, downhill into the wind, when I got something in my right eye. Stopped off at a pharmacy for Optrex, caught a train up to London, and had a couple of goes with the Optrex, but without success. So caught a train back to Lewisham, spent five hours in A&E, for a check there was nothing *in* the eye. As I was anaesthetised up to the eyeballs (literally), I managed a quick post.

 

Managed to do yesterday what I had planned, with a very sore eye, but 100% by public transport rather than by bike.

 

No better this morning so off to my optician (one hour wait), who packed me off to Moorfields Eye Hospital. After a four hour wait, and a very large dose of anaesthetic, a young lady found a piece of grit under my eyelid. Equivalent size to a 14BA nut. Her desk has some very deep gouges from my fingernails, I do not like my eyes poked! I've caught up with ER whilst my eye is numb and I'm putting myself on the outside of a 660ml bottle of Staropramen to aid my recovery, but I'll have quite a shiner tomorrow. Another post to ER, a couple of e-mails to answer, then an early night.

 

Best wishes to all.

 

Bill

 

PS: Thanks for all your support, appreciated.

Nasty!!!!

[AndyID]

And the weathering continues:

 

 

 

I should think these big ole ALCOs can well take some soot topside.

 

Wonder if this is where they got the inspiration for that color scheme

 

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.tri-angrailways.com/images/D_Diesel-Victorian2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tri-angrailways.com/Aus%2520%26%2520NZ.htm&h=432&w=800&tbnid=mqR-uGkWkFYcXM:&zoom=1&docid=zAcv_5ylm2rlNM&ei=PaRwVd3tDoz7sAWa1IHwDg&tbm=isch&ved=0CEUQMygaMBo

[roundhouse]

 

 

I'm off to Germany by train later this month, two nights in Augsburg, five in München.  And this from someone who models a Franconian town.  Also travelling back alongside the Rhine.  Planning day trips from both cities, but I'm staying in the Intercity hotels, who provide a pass on the local public transport, so trams will also be involved.  Night all.
 
Bill

 

yes those hotels are very handy and they are often attached to the station.

Edited June 4, 2015 by roundhouse

[New Haven Neil]

Ah, missed last night - TT.

 

Jock, she's hanging on in there but as today was also their wedding anniversary, it's a bit shaky.

 

I don't know yet what happened to the Frenchman, but that place is straight, so really not sure how he managed such an accident, machine failure presumably. Bad luck.  A German visitor was also killed later on roads, head on to a car, sounded like he was on the wrong side....not unusual unfortunately.

 

Some TT photos from last night and tonight's practice.

 

 

[Killybegs]

I think the Depot Engineer was a genial chap called John Perry. In all truth, his staff did wonders making those DEMUs do the biz for year after year. St Leonard - the Patron Saint of DEMUs!

 

I have downsized a trio of pics from Sunday's LM Test Day. I hope they whet appetites. First is a Nissan. It does it all the wrong way round with engine at the front and effectively FWD! To date they have not got the energy storage and retrieval system to work, so they were hopelessly slow. But were fastest through the speed trap....

 

IHD_0452a.jpg

 

In the second category, LMP2, many cars now have a roof, thus making them much more attractive than the "cheese" shape of so many years. Colour is a very personal thing. Tracy Krohn is currently #278 on the Forbes Richest Americans list. So who am I to argue?

 

IHD_0526a.jpg

 

Finally Porsche. They have the speed this year, but Audi's reliability and ability to return from adversity is still the one to beat. Also available this year in red or white versions. All equally quick.

 

IHD_0858a.jpg

 

Progress is inevitable. 50 years ago Phil Hill was told in practice to really push in his 7-litre Ford Mk II, and set a lap record of about 3m 30 s. Since then there are chicanes right, left and centre, so the circuit is a lot "slower" - yet on Sunday a Porsche managed 3m 21s.

 

The weather doesn't look great Ian, the UK weather map shows you having a heat wave!

[Barry O]

some big hitting in a local Derby tonight . Horsforth beat Horsforth Hall Park. The Horsforth captain was a man on a mission - 50+ in the first 5 overs... lots of big sixes.

 

Dom

that Alco looks very interesting - weathering looking good!

 

Have a nice sleep everyone!
 

Baz