Good afternoon. Started off at 28 degrees with cloudy skies. Some snow is expected tonight.
Looking at the current radar, a lot of you are getting some precipitation. Glad I'm not in the north east right now.
View attachment 33493
Karl - You do look busy in the photo. Like your paint storage. I used to have more room and stored my paint in an old display case, but no room for it any more. You'll really enjoy the trip on the D&S. We've done it over a dozen times and never get tired of the scenery. Fantastic trip.
Curt - Did you save any dumplings for the rest of us ????? Sounds good. Like the truck train photo. Perfect to the era I'm modeling.
Louis - Those Mosquitos were quite the plane. Could be configured as both a bomber and a fighter and capable of over 400 mph at altitude. Was always a fan of them. As
Sherrel mentioned, they were made out of wood. Also, keep the trolley photos coming. Really enjoy the period photos.
Greg - Rid-ex does work. When we built, we had to meet VA specs and with the number of bedrooms and bathrooms we had to put in a 2,000 septic tank. With only two kids, and now that we are empty nesters, we have only had to pump the septic tank 4 times in 41 years. Glad the snow is your way. Like the photo. The ore cars look familiar.
Tom - That some nice power equipment. I miss my old tractor with the snow blower attachment like your John Deere. Picked up an Ariens with a 48" mowing deck, 48" snow blower and a double extension rotor tiller for $3,000. It was a year old demonstrator., Picked ap a three point hitch for it and got a one bpottom plow and grading blade for it also. That tractor worked 12 months out of the year. We had a 100 ft by 30 ft garden back then. Where we're at we can get some pretty bad drifting and that snow blower was quite the rig. I kept a quarter of a mile long lane cleared as well as my driveway and the neighbors. After around 30 years of constant use it finally died on me one afternoon while mowing. It started running rough and I felt something warm on my leg. Stopped and looked at the engine and you could see the bottom of the piston and the rod through the side of the block. They wanted 42,000 for a new short block motor so it was finally retired. Ended up picking up a new Husqvarna with a 48" mowing deck as we keep a 2 acre lawn. The new tractor was $2.300. I put a plow on it in the winter, but still got a nice 2 stage snowblower as the driveway would start getting a bit too narrow. I use the blower to clear the berms on the edge of the driveway if needed.
Sherrel - Did you make a mess while the other half was on her trip? Bad boy. You should take your daughter out to dinner for the help.
I did run trains today and enjoyed all of the switching. Here are a few photos.
View attachment 33498View attachment 33499View attachment 33501
Here the Alco switcher is taking an empty Gon from the yard and spots it at the salvage yard and an NP NW2 picks up a couple of reefers and takes them to the yard for an outbound freight.
View attachment 33502 View attachment 33503 View attachment 33505
Here the little 70 tonnner backs into the factory and spots a couple of box cars and parks in front of the freight station where it is usually kept when not in use.
Hope no one gets snowed in. Later
Did some chores earlier. I'm helping the wife in the kitchen from time to time in preparation for tonight's family get together. No train room time again today. Tomorrow I hope to get back to the build.
