I didn't see one from Des Plaines either, and I was hoping to get some more box cars. I am running one though Sunday night on Tomalco Track but that's probably not what you are looking for.
On Fri, Nov 29, 2024, 10:03 AM Mike Swederska via <MikeSscale= [email protected]> wrote: Has anybody gotten a black Friday sale email from any of the S-Scale Hobby Shop¡¯s? I normally get one from Des Plains and other Hobby Shop¡¯s that I¡¯ve done business with but this year the only one I got was Tonystrainexchange and it was for N & HO Scale Locomotive¡¯s.
--
Mike Swederska
Meramec Valley Lines
Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16
Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!
|
Has anybody gotten a black Friday sale email from any of the S-Scale Hobby Shop¡¯s? I normally get one from Des Plains and other Hobby Shop¡¯s that I¡¯ve done business with but this year the only one I got was Tonystrainexchange and it was for N & HO Scale Locomotive¡¯s.
--
Mike Swederska
Meramec Valley Lines
Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16
Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!
|
"S"pousal arrangements.....
Many of us knew a gentleman in the Chicago area with a large HO collection.? He wanted to switch to S scale and started buying S stuff.? His wife was concerned about the cost and was told the money was coming from the sale of all the HO trains.? She calmed down and life went on.? Eventually, the gentleman passed and the wife had the task of cleaning out all the train stuff down in the basement.? Imagine her surprise at finding all his HO trains in a locked storage area adjacent to the train area.? I hear she was rather upset and moved to Mexico.? We all do it differently......
Cheers........Ed L. -- Ed Loizeaux Los Altos, CA
|
Re: Building Your Own Turnouts
Learning how to hand lay turnouts allows for a lot of peculiar turnout shapes, various curved turnouts, asymmetrical?wyes, and so on.? ?Buying jigs for every possibility is grossly too expensive.? ?Building in place is fun.? If you mess with more?than one gauge, there are more than a dozen versions relating to dual gauge -- I know, because I think I have built at least one of every type.? Some photos are attached.? ?One is of a curved std gauge turnout of 75" and 78" radius that is two feet between the points and the frog, a #16.? You can't buy that!? There is also a photo of one of Dick Karnes' "puzzle tracks" where the turnouts also include a crossing through them.? Amazing!?
Have fun! Bill Winans ----------------------------
On Thu, Nov 28, 2024 at 6:47?PM Richard Dombrowski via <heisler3x3= [email protected]> wrote:
I have used the fast tracks jigs in the past and found it goes
faster to make all the parts in batches rather than doing one
complete turnout. You get into a rhythm and playing music helps
too,
Rich D in Maine
On 11/28/2024 3:44 PM, Charles Kinzer
via wrote:
I think many feel that
building their own switches is some sort of daunting process.?
But if you can do some basic soldering, cutting of rail,
filing, and such, it is really just a bunch of individual
steps strung that I feel are well within most modeler's
capabilities.
Most of the switches at the
Central Coast Model Railroad at the San Luis Obispo Railroad
Museum were made using Fast Track fixtures.? Somebody with
average skills made most of them.? I don't think there is any
high skill level needed for any of the steps.? Just follow the
steps they have on their web site.
For somebody balking at the
idea of making their own switches, it might at least be worth
giving it a try.? Fast Track says the first switch might take
you three hours but eventually you can get it down to 45
minutes.? And many sizes AND wyes AND curved turnouts.
Yes.? It is a lot more work
than just buying them ready made.? But it does solve the
problem of "i can't find ready made switches I need."
Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer
On Thursday, November 28, 2024 at 12:06:33 PM PST, Bill
Roberts <bill@...> wrote:
> From: John Hutnick
> Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2024 22:30:17 PST
>
> . . . I suggest . . . building your own.
. . Give it a try.
For those who cannot wait for drop-in
turnouts, attached is a two-part Dick Karnes article on
building your own.
Dick uses an unusual approach to making the
frog. I myself have not built any turnouts using his
method, so I cannot comment on his technique. Instead, I
saved the article to try out on my next layout.
Otherwise, the recent discussion has revealed
many options for S scalers beyond the beginner stage. I
found the most interesting was the reference by TC
Talmadge to the kits from S Scale Track Works <>
that include the frog, guard rails, and point rails.
¡ª
Bill Roberts
|
Re: Building Your Own Turnouts
Group,
Hand-laying switches by Ed Reutling from O Scale Trains Magazine, May/June 2004.? Two jpgs below.
I opted for copper clad ties for the points and frog area.? Not intimidating and it works.
?
Thank you,
Matt Hogan
?
?
?
|
Re: Building Your Own Turnouts
I have used Fasttrack to make double slips.
On Thu, Nov 28, 2024 at 8:47 PM, Richard Dombrowski via groups.io <heisler3x3@...> wrote:
I have used the fast tracks jigs in the past and found it goes
faster to make all the parts in batches rather than doing one
complete turnout. You get into a rhythm and playing music helps
too,
Rich D in Maine
On 11/28/2024 3:44 PM, Charles Kinzer
via groups.io wrote:
I think many feel that
building their own switches is some sort of daunting process.?
But if you can do some basic soldering, cutting of rail,
filing, and such, it is really just a bunch of individual
steps strung that I feel are well within most modeler's
capabilities.
Most of the switches at the
Central Coast Model Railroad at the San Luis Obispo Railroad
Museum were made using Fast Track fixtures.? Somebody with
average skills made most of them.? I don't think there is any
high skill level needed for any of the steps.? Just follow the
steps they have on their web site.
For somebody balking at the
idea of making their own switches, it might at least be worth
giving it a try.? Fast Track says the first switch might take
you three hours but eventually you can get it down to 45
minutes.? And many sizes AND wyes AND curved turnouts.
Yes.? It is a lot more work
than just buying them ready made.? But it does solve the
problem of "i can't find ready made switches I need."
Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer
On Thursday, November 28, 2024 at 12:06:33 PM PST, Bill
Roberts <bill@...> wrote:
> From: John Hutnick
> Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2024 22:30:17 PST
>
> . . . I suggest . . . building your own.
. . Give it a try.
For those who cannot wait for drop-in
turnouts, attached is a two-part Dick Karnes article on
building your own.
Dick uses an unusual approach to making the
frog. I myself have not built any turnouts using his
method, so I cannot comment on his technique. Instead, I
saved the article to try out on my next layout.
Otherwise, the recent discussion has revealed
many options for S scalers beyond the beginner stage. I
found the most interesting was the reference by TC
Talmadge to the kits from S Scale Track Works <>
that include the frog, guard rails, and point rails.
¡ª
Bill Roberts
|
Re: Building Your Own Turnouts
I have used the fast tracks jigs in the past and found it goes
faster to make all the parts in batches rather than doing one
complete turnout. You get into a rhythm and playing music helps
too,
Rich D in Maine
On 11/28/2024 3:44 PM, Charles Kinzer
via groups.io wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
I think many feel that
building their own switches is some sort of daunting process.?
But if you can do some basic soldering, cutting of rail,
filing, and such, it is really just a bunch of individual
steps strung that I feel are well within most modeler's
capabilities.
Most of the switches at the
Central Coast Model Railroad at the San Luis Obispo Railroad
Museum were made using Fast Track fixtures.? Somebody with
average skills made most of them.? I don't think there is any
high skill level needed for any of the steps.? Just follow the
steps they have on their web site.
For somebody balking at the
idea of making their own switches, it might at least be worth
giving it a try.? Fast Track says the first switch might take
you three hours but eventually you can get it down to 45
minutes.? And many sizes AND wyes AND curved turnouts.
Yes.? It is a lot more work
than just buying them ready made.? But it does solve the
problem of "i can't find ready made switches I need."
Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer
On Thursday, November 28, 2024 at 12:06:33 PM PST, Bill
Roberts <bill@...> wrote:
> From: John Hutnick
> Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2024 22:30:17 PST
>
> . . . I suggest . . . building your own.
. . Give it a try.
For those who cannot wait for drop-in
turnouts, attached is a two-part Dick Karnes article on
building your own.
Dick uses an unusual approach to making the
frog. I myself have not built any turnouts using his
method, so I cannot comment on his technique. Instead, I
saved the article to try out on my next layout.
Otherwise, the recent discussion has revealed
many options for S scalers beyond the beginner stage. I
found the most interesting was the reference by TC
Talmadge to the kits from S Scale Track Works <>
that include the frog, guard rails, and point rails.
¡ª
Bill Roberts
|
Re: "S"pousal arrangements.....
Hey
My HO Club in the local depot has a free magazine table for visitors to help themselves.
Always room under the table to put magazines in line to be displayed.
Very handy
Roger Haag. ? Hendersonville, NC
APPLE VALLEY MODEL RR CLUB
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Nov 28, 2024, at 7:14?PM, Dick Karnes, MMR via groups.io <rnk2202@...> wrote:
?
When my wife Ilze and I were first married 55 years ago, we set up a plan to fund kitties, one for each of us.? We would pool our respective incomes and pay our kitties first, then use the remainder for household and living expenses as well as savings.
Today we still feed out kitties.? The only rule is that neither of us has any say on what the other spends kitty money on.
Model Railroad content:? My kitty funded a lot of S scale stuff, including a time payment plan for paying off a River Raisin NYC H-10a.
--
Dick Karnes, MMR
|
Re: Building Your Own Turnouts
As I remember it, Hermann Darr made turnouts in both Sn3 and S standard.? I think it was Don Heimburger who might have sold me a pair.? These were just tacked down to a sheet of cardstock, roughly in gauge.? I think it was also just a discounted price that caught my eye.? I know where one is on the layout while the other is "someplace" else.? Otherwise I could do a photo or two but that wouldn't be Kosher either.
Bob Werre
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Group,
As a reminder, there are over 1,000 individual items documented and cataloged related to track on the NASG web site. Both current and out-of-production. "Current" items have links to their manufacturer's web site's specific page for your convenience. Various reports for how you want to do your search start on this page:
Enjoy,
- Peter (as NASG webmaster)
|
Re: "S"pousal arrangements.....
When my wife Ilze and I were first married 55 years ago, we set up a plan to fund kitties, one for each of us.? We would pool our respective incomes and pay our kitties first, then use the remainder for household and living expenses as well as savings.
Today we still feed out kitties.? The only rule is that neither of us has any say on what the other spends kitty money on.
Model Railroad content:? My kitty funded a lot of S scale stuff, including a time payment plan for paying off a River Raisin NYC H-10a.
-- Dick Karnes, MMR
|
Re: such a deal--no inflation--no gouging, but these aren't made anymore either!
The Heralds are now in the
dumpster--the recycling one!
Next up is the Tru Scale wooden roadbed
and some Shinoraha turnouts--next week for those!
Bob Werre
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Hey
Spouse are dangerous to train stuff ?
?
My wife pants with excitement at the thought of throwing
more things out¡ªat our ages not yet grounds for divorce
but a serious difference of opinion.
S Heads,? I've been given a small stack
of S Gauge Heralds.? So anybody with $12.00 for
shipping only, can receive these valuable timeless
issues!? I just want to cover the shipping costs.?
I'll occasionally dig out an article mentioned on this
list--then I spend a couple of hours looking over
other issues.? Names from the past will enrich your
knowledge of our merry band!?
Hurry, cause, my wife is on a terror
campaign to unearth some room for more of her things!?
Not to mention the garbage can is now empty leaving
lots of room!
Bob Werre
|
Re: Building Your Own Turnouts
Group,
As a reminder, there are over 1,000 individual items documented and cataloged related to track on the NASG web site. Both current and out-of-production. "Current" items have links to their manufacturer's web site's specific page for your convenience. Various reports for how you want to do your search start on this page:
Enjoy,
- Peter (as NASG webmaster)
--
Peter Vanvliet (info@...)
owner, Fourth Ray Software
Houston, Texas
(personal web site)
|
Re: "S"pousal arrangements.....
For many years MRR had a running joke about husbands having to conceal how much they spent on trains from their wives.? My favorite among them was the husband who consistently undervalued what he spent on anything for his wife, only when he died for her to
sell it for far less than he had paid.
My late wife, who had a pretty good job when I was mostly-retired, gave me a generous train allowance each month, although if I exceeded it, she would ask me whether I was borrowing on the next month or if I were going to sell something.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
I have a friend who made this arrangement with his wife:? For every dollar spent on trains, an equal amount will be deposited into a special fund for remodeling the kitchen.? When the fund reaches the cost of a kitchen remodel, the remodeling will happen.?
Everyone is happy.?
?
I have another friend who has an understanding with the FedEx driver serving his house.? The driver toots the horn as he goes past the house.? The driver then delivers the package two doors down the street to a trusted buddy.? The friend, later, goes down
to the buddy's house and picks up his trains.
?
Cheers and Happy Turkey Day...........Ed L.
--
Ed Loizeaux
Los Altos, CA
|
Re: "S"pousal arrangements.....
Well,? my better half and I took a
different path.? When we decided leave the trailer trash lot and
look for a house the financial world was not favorable.?
Unfortunately at the time interest rates were even high by today's
standards plus most homes here are tract homes without many sizing
options!? We looked but really never really found one, but
eventually we settled for one that fit our budget with an old note
with less interest.? We had hoped for gas appliances, a fireplace,
perhaps a place/or yard for a RR, and large enough kitchen--we
settled for none of that and three notes too!?
Now three years later during another
dip in the economy, we could have slipped into several sweet
situations!? In fact this November several modelers have announced
new homes with large RR spaces and I assume the wife will be happy
too!? The downside to all that is they are building a fair ways
away where local labor is somewhat less, property less too; but
driving? further is an obvious downside though so they are often
faced with a 2 hour commute.?
The big things were a train-room and a
good sized kitchen.? As many know, I built much of my second floor
train-room with very little outside labor.? The kitchen as anybody
knows is another matter.? In the end the RR building vs kitchen
was about 1:10 in favor of frying pans!?
My problem with individual finances is
that 'honey' is still working Part Time, so she has an income vs,
my SS!? She also has inherited some rental cropland back home, so
I gotta be really good!? My income from the BBB just doesn't cut
it!? So if I just don't give away everything, have mercy on me!?
Like Ed, I want to smile too!
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
I have a friend who made this arrangement with his wife:? For
every dollar spent on trains, an equal amount will be deposited
into a special fund for remodeling the kitchen.? When the fund
reaches the cost of a kitchen remodel, the remodeling will
happen.? Everyone is happy.?
?
I have another friend who has an understanding with the FedEx
driver serving his house.? The driver toots the horn as he goes
past the house.? The driver then delivers the package two doors
down the street to a trusted buddy.? The friend, later, goes
down to the buddy's house and picks up his trains.
?
Cheers and Happy Turkey Day...........Ed L.
--
Ed Loizeaux
Los Altos, CA
|
Saw this in my opening news page on the computer...
Bill Winans?
|
Re: "S"pousal arrangements.....
I have been very lucky in several ways, but especially with my wife.? ?We have been together?for 52+ years, married 51+.? ?She knew from the get go that I had trains (photo on our wedding day of some of them on display in?our rented?apartment) and that if at all possible, I would have a place to run them.? She has been very supportive of this.? ?I have two personal rules: never put the family finances in jeopardy; never collect, only buy things with the intent and ability to run them.
A quick story about the building of?our house in 2004 -- we spent the morning with the contractor's rep on what we wanted in our new house.? ?Right off the bat, we opted for the optional one room wing over the garage for the trains with all the needed lighting, etc..? ?After all was said and done, we had a bite to eat at the local McDonalds.? ?While there, she was telling me what?she was thinking?during the meeting,"If he can have the train room, I can have the tile floor.? If he can have the train room I can have the optional cupboards, etc., etc., etc.."? ?Then I said,"I know what else?you were thinking."? "What's that?"? "He's an idiot!"? ?She almost fell off her chair, she was laughing?so hard.? ?
That is how we have stayed together all these years.? ?As an aside, she pretty much knows what everything costs (not necessarily what it might be worth, because you only find out when you try to sell it) partly because she was a partner in the hobby?shop we had, but also because she was the one who often wrote the check for my purchases.? ?
I don't recommend hiding the cost of your toys from your life partner.? The stories of wives who sold things for far less than they were worth because she was told they didn't cost nearly as much as they really did are pretty common...? ?
Happy Thanksgiving! Bill Winans -------------------------
I have a friend who made this arrangement with his wife:? For every dollar spent on trains, an equal amount will be deposited into a special fund for remodeling the kitchen.? When the fund reaches the cost of a kitchen remodel, the remodeling will happen.? Everyone is happy.?
?
I have another friend who has an understanding with the FedEx driver serving his house.? The driver toots the horn as he goes past the house.? The driver then delivers the package two doors down the street to a trusted buddy.? The friend, later, goes down to the buddy's house and picks up his trains.
?
Cheers and Happy Turkey Day...........Ed L.
--
Ed Loizeaux
Los Altos, CA
|
Re: Building Your Own Turnouts
I think many feel that building their own switches is some sort of daunting process.? But if you can do some basic soldering, cutting of rail, filing, and such, it is really just a bunch of individual steps strung that I feel are well within most modeler's capabilities.
Most of the switches at the Central Coast Model Railroad at the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum were made using Fast Track fixtures.? Somebody with average skills made most of them.? I don't think there is any high skill level needed for any of the steps.? Just follow the steps they have on their web site.
For somebody balking at the idea of making their own switches, it might at least be worth giving it a try.? Fast Track says the first switch might take you three hours but eventually you can get it down to 45 minutes.? And many sizes AND wyes AND curved turnouts.
Yes.? It is a lot more work than just buying them ready made.? But it does solve the problem of "i can't find ready made switches I need."
Charles E. "Chuck" Kinzer
On Thursday, November 28, 2024 at 12:06:33 PM PST, Bill Roberts <bill@...> wrote:
> From: John Hutnick
> Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2024 22:30:17 PST
>
> . . . I suggest . . . building your own. . . Give it a try.
For those who cannot wait for drop-in turnouts, attached is a two-part Dick Karnes article on building your own.
Dick uses an unusual approach to making the frog. I myself have not built any turnouts using his method, so I cannot comment on his technique. Instead, I saved the article to try out on my next layout.
Otherwise, the recent discussion has revealed many options for S scalers beyond the beginner stage. I found the most interesting was the reference by TC Talmadge to the kits from S Scale Track Works <> that include the frog, guard rails, and point rails.
¡ª
Bill Roberts
|
Building Your Own Turnouts
From: John Hutnick
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2024 22:30:17 PST
. . . I suggest . . . building your own. . . Give it a try. For those who cannot wait for drop-in turnouts, attached is a two-part Dick Karnes article on building your own. Dick uses an unusual approach to making the frog. I myself have not built any turnouts using his method, so I cannot comment on his technique. Instead, I saved the article to try out on my next layout. Otherwise, the recent discussion has revealed many options for S scalers beyond the beginner stage. I found the most interesting was the reference by TC Talmadge to the kits from S Scale Track Works <> that include the frog, guard rails, and point rails. ¡ª Bill Roberts
|
"S"pousal arrangements.....
I have a friend who made this arrangement with his wife:? For every dollar spent on trains, an equal amount will be deposited into a special fund for remodeling the kitchen.? When the fund reaches the cost of a kitchen remodel, the remodeling will happen.? Everyone is happy.?
?
I have another friend who has an understanding with the FedEx driver serving his house.? The driver toots the horn as he goes past the house.? The driver then delivers the package two doors down the street to a trusted buddy.? The friend, later, goes down to the buddy's house and picks up his trains.
?
Cheers and Happy Turkey Day...........Ed L.
--
Ed Loizeaux
Los Altos, CA
|
Re: such a deal--no inflation--no gouging, but this is made anymore either!
Whether here or in the UK, modelers in these groups are frequently complaining that wives, spouses are always telling them what to do.? I assume that many men here are older, have joint finances, and it is too late.? Separate funds are really worthwhile.? Are there cases where one partner is slightly more in charge???
Now as to what train things we accumulate, much is of somewhat nominal value:? if husband dies, it can be given to friends, donated to train clubs, into dumpster.? Valuable things go to an auction company like Stout.? Learn Ebay - just make multiple accounts to spread money.? List things on husbands IO sites.
It is not that hard for a wife to get some benefit from whatever trains the husband buys.??
Now is the basic thought for the train husband to spend zero on their hobbies?? To what end?? Male predeceases female, then she spends how she wants!
Now I am 77, my partner Noreen and I have been together for some years.? We keep separate money and have never married.? Noreen says that she simply got me when I was too old to train(no pun).
|
Roger Haag
Bob Werre
Dick Karnes, MMR
