Early Risers.

[petethemole]

Happy Birthday to Stewart and Lily and Good Afternoon awl. 

 

Not much happening here except annoying trivia that block my attempts to achieve marginally less trivial tasks that are clearly of importance only to myself.  I was up 'til 2 am looking for one of three matching carrier bags, as the world was going to end if it wasn't found.  It wasn't; we're still all here and it turned up this morning, very well hidden under something else where we'd already searched....

 

Nearly time to start the tea/dinner/evening meal, a vaguely Italianate pork and bean dish.  

 

I may get some stuff done this evening.

 

Stay safe and elfy.

 

Pete

[Happy Hippo]

35 minutes ago, Ian Abel said:

Morning all,

 Back later to read all that has happened, and it sure is a LOT of pages

 

For now, yesterday I got most of the track basically set out to determine where the garden railway would "venture", and have a questio0n for those with same...

 

Possibly I'm in the minority being in the US, the track is a mix of LGB and Aristocraft, more Aristo, so here's the questions;

i) Will the fishplates alone provide a decent enough connection initially for the track power, given I'll use some pliers to make sure there's a lot of positive contact. I've got a honking Aristo G-Gauge controller that's going to be used to start with.

ii) With the Aristo, they have screw attached fishplates, see below;

will they provide good enough additional electrical route, AND how the hell do you manage to get those tiny screws installed down on your hands and knees without losing the buqqers??

 

 

No, the LGB ones won't:  Despite your efforts with a pair of pliers, they will work loose, and then the inside faces of the fish plates will oxidise and that will be the end of the current carrying capability.

 

The other issue you will encounter is expansion and contraction. So with the Aristo version I'd be wary about bolting everything up solidly. Those brass sections of track will move quite considerably in the extremes of temperatures you have in Minnystoater.

 

I'd leave the fish plates fitted 'firmly', but not bolted together and then solder in leads to carry the power between lengths of track.

 

I do know of one individual who soldered a lead at each end of the rail length and then having laid the track connected the leads up with chocolate box connectors, which meant he could do all the soldering at bench top height, and then just finish it off with a screwdriver once down on his knees. This system also makes it easier to lift a track panel if required.

 

Of course, you should really (really, really, really) be considering battery electric radio control and live steam which would negate any wiring whatsoever.

 

NHN will sell you everything you need(and some)!

 

 

[tigerburnie]

Adding a spoon of Marmite(or Bovril) to baked beans adds a certain je ne sais quoi 

[Happy Hippo]

2 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

Adding a spoon of Marmite(or Bovril) to baked beans adds a certain je ne sais quoi 

So does grated camel dung!

[BoD]

1 minute ago, Happy Hippo said:

So does grated camel dung!

How do you know.

 

Many happy returns, Stewart.

[Happy Hippo]

I have been reading with interest that as the lock in continues, alcohol sales have soared with many people in the 40-70 age bracket buying (and drinking) far more cheap alcohol.  The article also went on about the problems of social isolation.

 

The Obergrumpenfuhrer and I must be really odd because we are not suffering from any social deprivation by being physically isolated, and neither are we drinking  gallons:  In fact our alcohol consumption had gone down considerably.

 

I'd put this down to the isolation which has lowered our stress levels by removing the idiots with whom we generally had to deal with on a regular basis.

 

When this C-19 saga is finally over and social interaction once again becomes the norm, please spare a thought for those of us who will have to return to suffering from pillock induced stress and the comfort eating and drinking that this produces.

[Happy Hippo]

12 minutes ago, BoD said:

How do you know.

I know sh!t.

 

I really do (do).

[roundhouse]

Happy birthday Stewart. The meet up Baz started to plan would have been on Saturday coming but we will have to wait till when ever we are all allowed to travel and places reopen when ever that might be. Our Cumbrian friends should have been in London this weekend to fly to the USA tomorrow but obviously that will not happen. I get quite down when ever I see the reports on the possible bleak future for international travel but at least we are safe for now. A bit unhappy at the mixed messages coming out from our leaders about over 70's being in self isolation then told they weren't told to do do. Does that mean Mum could go out for shopping rather than being couped up all these weeks. I don't mind doing it for her but now it could be that I should not have.

 

Anyway been doing digging for patio extension whilst still being able to run ttwind.

 

Ian A, I solder stripped mains wiring across the joints on Peco track but it does require a powerful soldering iron and over the 25 years some have come away so have been relying on the fishplates  which do require moving to get the electric contact back but with 200 feet of track that hadn't been used for give years its been fairly easy to sort out.  Battery is a better way to go but I have not had to modify any of the locos and I used to have our late friends locos running aswell when he was still around

 

[Happy Hippo]

6 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

Happy birthday Stewart. The meet up Baz started to plan would have been on Saturday coming but we will have to wait till when ever we are all allowed to travel and places reopen when ever that might be. Our Cumbrian friends should have been in London this weekend to fly to the USA tomorrow but obviously that will not happen. I get quite down when ever I see the reports on the possible bleak future for international travel but at least we are safe for now. A bit unhappy at the mixed messages coming out from our leaders about over 70's being in self isolation then told they weren't told to do do. Does that mean Mum could go out for shopping rather than being couped up all these weeks. I don't mind doing it for her but now it could be that I should not have.

 

Anyway been doing digging for patio extension whilst still being able to run ttwind.

 

Ian A, I solder stripped mains wiring across the joints on Peco track but it does require a powerful soldering iron and over the 25 years some have come away so have been relying on the fishplates  which do require moving to get the electric contact back but with 200 feet of track that hadn't been used for give years its been fairly easy to sort out.  Battery is a better way to go but I have not had to modify any of the locos and I used to have our late friends locos running as well when he was still around

 

 

 I would really like a Geep like that one, where did you get it please? (I presume it's to 1:29 scale)

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Not done much today, in fact I've done s*d all. Now to tackle Farcebook, starting a bit earlier and hope to get through it all before bedtime.

[roundhouse]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

 I would really like a Geep like that one, where did you get it please? (I presume it's to 1:29 scale)

Its a USA Trains gauge 1 but I am not too sure now its so many years ago. It might have come from Van Nuys models in LA as I know that I bought one loco there. Not sure that the shop is still there though. A garden railway specialist is in Princes Risborough not far from the station and another in Kent is Chalk garden Rail who i also used to buy a fair amount from. The USA Trains Atlantic Coast switcher came form a hobby shop on the outskirts of Orlando and did get quite a bit of attention in the airport departure lounge at Sanford as we carried it onto the plane.

[Joseph_Pestell]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

 

 

I'll take another guess at this:

 

"I'm having the cats"

"No you're not - I am!"

 

"Think again"

"Dream on, they're my cats!"

 

"We'll have one each then"

"No way are we separating them - they'd hate it"

 

"Well you're not having them, and if I can't then they'll have to go back to the Shelter"

"Better that than separating them or you getting them, you B'Stard...."

 

Yes, that can happen too. In our case, with an old dog (13), it would seem wrong to take him away from where he is used to however much I am missing him. He also helps my ex-wife to feel a bit more secure living alone in a rural location. 

 

But my cousin did have the sort of scenario that you describe with visiting rights for the two Westies having to be written into the divorce agreement.

 

Of course, there are also the cases where separation and divorce leads to homelessness. Rough sleepers can't take up an offer of accommodation in a hostel because they can't take their dog there.

[New Haven Neil]

Evening orl.

 

Richard, 'fraid I can't help Ian with fishy plates etc - we no longer sell Aristo/Accutrack as it, well, doesn't sell!  Very slow mover in the UK, while we can sell masses of Peco G45. The cure for dodgy fishplates is of course, live steam.  Or battery electric if you must.....track power lasted about a minute on my railway.

 

Indoors its OK.  Oh....

 

Beautiful runner, great detail, can't pull the skin off a rice pud compared to the Paneers.

[Coombe Barton]

5 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Indoors its OK.  Oh....

 

Beautiful runner, great detail, can't pull the skin off a rice pud compared to the Paneers.

Drool.

 

Nope, can't afford it.

[Coombe Barton]

Oops!

 

Awl!

 

Incoming!

 

[New Haven Neil]

Absolute bargains - obvs I pay trade, but even at normal selling price a smidge under £200 (RRP of a OO pacific now) they're a steal.

[leopardml2341]

Another outsidey day; lots of toy fetching by Doggo - he's kn@ckered, I'm kn@ckered we've both had main course, he's had puddin' I'm just finishing mi beer, then I'll have my puddin'.

 

In all likelihood I'll then want to sleep, but I'll resist so hopefully sleeping better tonight than last.

 

In case I don't check back later, happy star wars day for tomorrow.

[Coombe Barton]

2 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Absolute bargains - obvs I pay trade, but even at normal selling price a smidge under £200 (RRP of a OO pacific now) they're a steal.

It's not just that, it's the rest of the layout and the space. I don't have that much.

 

[New Haven Neil]

16 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

It's not just that, it's the rest of the layout and the space. I don't have that much.

 

 

Yes I understand - that's why our cars stand on the driveway, and the bikes and O Gauge are in the garage.  Even then I have scary 4 foot 6 inch radius curves but the panniers are OK on them.

[Coombe Barton]

My garage is full of geological and other samples. I don't have the money to bring it into use.

[Barry O]

Today has seen a narrow win (3-2) by me. This morning things were mended, then this afternoon..many disasters.. but late on.. it all came back together! Wooooopppppiiiiidddddooooo!

 

Now for a beer.

 

Baz

[Coombe Barton]

... get up and go somewhat absent.

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2020/05/03/the-continuing-rise-of-idiocy/

[tigerburnie]

Evening all, a dry and pleasant if somewhat cloudy day, having not been out for an exercise bike ride or walk for a couple of days we decided on a walk to the beach, which is about a mile away, too cold for a paddle, but nice to see the sea. Because of the lie of the land and us being in a single storey building, I can only see the sea from home if I stand on the roof, not a great idea at the moment...……..or any other moment for that either.

No muddling today or even playing of trains, next project is to get a new signal box and then try adding all the rodding, I keep putting it off as it looks tricky and I've never fitted any before(not helped by the instructions with the stuff that says install before ballasting...….ooooops too late that's been done).

[J. S. Bach]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

I know sh!t.

 

I really do (do).

You work for Cologard (or its UK equivalent)?

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

I have been reading with interest that as the lock in continues, alcohol sales have soared with many people in the 40-70 age bracket buying (and drinking) far more cheap alcohol. 

There has been a resurgence in the sales of cheap industrial "light" lager in the US - a category that has been flagging due to pressure from hard selzers on one side and craft beer on the other. Reported here, Busch Light has seen increases of 44%!

 

The craft brew industry is hit hard. Some whose primary outlet is draft sales in bars are dumping beer. (I noted the story of the Alnwick brewery offering 'free' beer in exchange for NHS donations mentioned here the other day.)

 

It is a topsy turvy world. US vegetable growers and dairymen are dumping food or plowing it into the ground because their supply chain is set up for bulk purchase by restaurants, not individual packaging for supermarkets. Meanwhile drive-through lines at foodbanks are miles long and people are being turned away. We had a miles-long traffic jam in Portland when a local steakhouse sold the contents of their meat stores. 

 

Some producers have figured out how to donate to food banks rather than dump, but these seem to be the minority. Supermarket sales are way up, but they are now hotspots for infection for the staff.

 

Meanwhile the meat packing industry has some of the highest rates of COVID-19 infection. Many pork and chicken processing plants are shuttered because of the health risk to employees. The POTUS has invoked the Defence Production Act to mandate they be kept open.

 

Late night comedy wags have suggested that had the NIH/CDC pointed out the COVID-19 threat to the bacon supply much earlier in the pandemic the administration's response might have been far better.

 

Edited May 3, 2020 by Ozexpatriate