Good afternoon, 'Tie Placers & Spike Drivers',
Hi Flo, Francine, How are you both this Cold Chilly Day? Your keeping it nice and warm here in Jeffrey Running Bears' Dinner. It makes a big difference.
It's very chilly here in my neck of the woods, I had .12 inches of rain and it was still drizzling lightly as I was reading the measurement, so I put the inner tube back in the rain gauge to let it collect what it may.
36°F Mudge Ranch Station Report is about 3,100 ft. elevation, it's slightly cooler & wetter than my location.
12:22 PM PST on December 20, 2017 (GMT -0800) | Updated a few seconds ago
43°F | 27°F
36°F - Feels like 35°F, Mostly Cloudy with a slight drizzle;
Wind is from the WNW at about .5 mph with Gusts too 3 mph;
Humidity is 70% {even though is was drizzling}?
Today is forecast to be Much Cooler than yesterday.
Good morning. 44°, and cloudy.
Sherrel: #148 couplers are my standard. buy 'em in the bulk pack. Much easier to work with.
David: The Cascade Trains are by design a unit, if one derails, they all tend to follow. Acela is similar, in that they are semi permanently coupled, but unlike the Talgo, they ride on normal trucks and are not articulated.
Say Joe: Thanks for the info about the Cascade Train. I rather figured it was something like that especially when only the rear A & B units were left at the rails and even then the B unit was at least partially of the rails. It seems odd that for light weight cars it would require A & B units on both ends which I assume the commuter train had. What are you referring to saying Talgo? I remember that term in relation to the old style of Mantua couplers. I never thought there was a prototype like that. Those were very hard to get uncouppled on HO cars.
I also think having a standard set of passenger trucks under each end of the car makes a lot more sense.
It's interesting what you wrote Sherrel about your using the #148 couplers, I also rather like the more prototypical look of them and am going to have to start trying them when I place my next order with my distributer.
Say Curt: I meant to say thanks for letting me know that your stock pens came from Walthers. I imagine they are a wood kit? I think Life Like also has cattle pens along with some of the Doggies as well. Did Walthers pens have any Doggies included? I'll have to look them up but I'm a long way from getting ready to need or place them except for the measurements.
The other thing about your Old Time Saddle Tank 0-6-0T loco that resembles my 0-4-0 square saddle tank loco' is the fact it doesn't have a front coupler either. I made a front draw bar that attaches and pivots in the top center of the frame just behind where the cow catcher would attach. I just used some heavy brass stock that would stand the gaff of pushing and pulling and bent it into a drop style bar and attached a coupler to it with a #80 bolt that I taped the brass bar to hold. It looks cute as heck to see both Loco' double headed or the one with the drawbar used a a mid train helper climbing a grade or moving a load along.
Both Life Like Loco's are fairly well speed matched so they run great together.
If I can figure out how to get pics and video posted on Flicker so I can post them on the forum I show something.
Hope all have a good day.
