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Thank you, Austin. Mighty kind words!
And, conversely, I visit your YouTube channel routinely, and when I see
you feature a specific car or engine, I make a link to your YouTube
video for that car or engine in the NASG web site's "Product Gallery"
section, so hopefully you get some traffic from that.
- Peter.
On 02/04/2025 04:43 PM, Austin Birkey via wrote:
> Peter...I mentioned using the website to solve a wiring issue I had
> not previously encountered nor did I have in my references.
> I'll be putting a YouTube together on this project and will include
> not only the reference I used but show how to find schematics....the
> engine is a 336 Northern.? Any video I do one one of these engines
> sees a good amount of traffic. Hopefully I'll drive more towards the NASG.
>
> And thank you again for the tremendous work ...dare I say
> transformation...you have made to the website.? It really is the one
> place to go for all things S!? Well done! ?
> Austin
--
Peter Vanvliet (info@...)
owner, Fourth Ray Software
Houston, Texas
(personal web site)
|
The NASG, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) "Educational" non-profit corporation,
so it is able to accept donations, and for U.S. residents, the
donation may even be tax-deductible. Contact a member of the NASG
BOT for more info (I'm not a lawyer).
- Peter.
On 02/04/2025 05:43 PM, John Degnan via
groups.io wrote:
GREAT
NEWS!!!
?
So, with
that said, I have a suggestion...
With all
of these advertising campaigns going on... would it be
possible for the NASG to run a RAFFLE to go along with it??
I'm talking about a raffle to win a FREE freight car???? I,
for one, would definitely be willing to purchase and donate a
(non-AF) ('scale') freight car, or two, to this cause!? And I
challenge ALL other S scalers to do the same!? If the NASG
would take donations from us for a few months to see how many
of us will donate to this cause, these donations can be the
prizes for the raffle!
?
Or better
yet... maybe a few of us could team up to purchase one (or
more) diesel locomotive(s) to donate to this cause of
PROMOTING OUR SCALE!?!? Anything to entice people to come and
give S a try is wort it to me!
?
Challenge
issued!
?
?
John D
Scaler164
--
Peter Vanvliet (info@...)
owner, Fourth Ray Software
Houston, Texas
(personal web site)
|
HI Austin,
I just subscribed to your channel and clicked on the bell.
?
I am not a flyer guy but just an all around S guy. So I will enjoy your videos when you post them. Thanks for the channel.?
--
Mike Swederska
Meramec Valley Lines
Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16
https://www.youtube.com/@mikesscale3149
Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!
|
GREAT NEWS!!!
?
So, with that said, I have a suggestion...
With all of these advertising campaigns going on... would it be possible for the NASG to run a RAFFLE to go along with it?? I'm talking about a raffle to win a FREE freight car???? I, for one, would definitely be willing to purchase and donate a (non-AF) ('scale') freight car, or two, to this cause!? And I challenge ALL other S scalers to do the same!? If the NASG would take donations from us for a few months to see how many of us will donate to this cause, these donations can be the prizes for the raffle!
?
Or better yet... maybe a few of us could team up to purchase one (or more) diesel locomotive(s) to donate to this cause of PROMOTING OUR SCALE!?!? Anything to entice people to come and give S a try is wort it to me!
?
Challenge issued!
?
?
John D
Scaler164
?
?
On 02/04/2025 5:24 PM EST Peter Vanvliet <peter@...> wrote:
?
?
And, more good news: we had a massive record number of unique visitors to the NASG web site during the month of January.
Since the current BOT of the NASG started the various advertising campaigns, the web site has consistently gotten more and more unique visitors, month over month. From my perspective, there appears to be a lot of interest in S, and it is growing. So, I simply cannot buy into the doom-n-gloom of S' future; the real-world metrics say otherwise.
- Peter.
On 02/04/2025 11:14 AM, Mike Swederska via groups.io wrote:
?
So, for all the negative talk on this group lately about the future of S. I am supper excited for this year.?
?
Thank you again for the wonderful web site.?
?
--
Peter Vanvliet (info@...)
owner, Fourth Ray Software
Houston, Texas
(personal web site)
|
Thank you, Austin. Mighty kind words!
And, conversely, I visit your YouTube channel routinely, and when I see you feature a specific car or engine, I make a link to your YouTube video for that car or engine in the NASG web site's "Product Gallery" section, so hopefully you get some traffic from that.
- Peter.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On 02/04/2025 04:43 PM, Austin Birkey via groups.io wrote: Peter...I mentioned using the website to solve a wiring issue I had not previously encountered nor did I have in my references.
I'll be putting a YouTube together on this project and will include not only the reference I used but show how to find schematics....the engine is a 336 Northern.? Any video I do one one of these engines sees a good amount of traffic. Hopefully I'll drive more towards the NASG.
And thank you again for the tremendous work ...dare I say transformation...you have made to the website.? It really is the one place to go for all things S!? Well done! ?
Austin
--
Peter Vanvliet (info@...)
owner, Fourth Ray Software
Houston, Texas
(personal web site)
|
Rich..not sure if the following is helpful or not as I do not have a good way of measuring the following... But I get comment probably once or twice a month from some one saying they are new to the hobby and have questions.? Sometime they received an uncle or grandfather's flyer and want to get it going.? Sometimes they just tell me they are new to the hobby. In the past year I have had contact with two people just getting into Flyer that I have had better follow up with.? In both those cases they are super excited and find themselves getting bit by the train bug HARD.? In the both case these 50 something guys had purchased significant amounts of flyer with in the first few months of getting started. A third group I've seen some fun emails from are people who have retired (65+) who have a flyer set packed away that they want to get operating.?? With our question I've seen more start-ups reach out from one of these three groups in the past year than in all the previous years combined. Be encouraged! Austin?
On Tue, Feb 4, 2025 at 02:24 PM, Peter Vanvliet wrote:
Since the current BOT of the NASG started the various advertising campaigns, the web site has consistently gotten more and more unique visitors, month over month. From my perspective, there appears to be a lot of interest in S, and it is growing. So, I simply cannot buy into the doom-n-gloom of S' future; the real-world metrics say otherwise.
While it's great the NASG website is getting a lot of new interest, the real-world proof will be how many of those folks get into S, be they coming from other scales or newbies.
?
Rich G(ajnak)
|
On Tue, Feb 4, 2025 at 02:24 PM, Peter Vanvliet wrote:
Since the current BOT of the NASG started the various advertising campaigns, the web site has consistently gotten more and more unique visitors, month over month. From my perspective, there appears to be a lot of interest in S, and it is growing. So, I simply cannot buy into the doom-n-gloom of S' future; the real-world metrics say otherwise.
While it's great the NASG website is getting a lot of new interest, the real-world proof will be how many of those folks get into S, be they coming from other scales or newbies.
?
Rich G(ajnak)
|
Peter...I mentioned using the website to solve a wiring issue I had not previously encountered nor did I have in my references.?? I'll be putting a YouTube together on this project and will include not only the reference I used but show how to find schematics....the engine is a 336 Northern.? Any video I do one one of these engines sees a good amount of traffic.? Hopefully I'll drive more towards the NASG.
And thank you again for the tremendous work ...dare I say transformation...you have made to the website.? It really is the one place to go for all things S!? Well done! ?? Austin
And, more good news: we had a massive record number of unique
visitors to the NASG web site during the month of January.
Since the current BOT of the NASG started the various advertising
campaigns, the web site has consistently gotten more and more unique
visitors, month over month. From my perspective, there appears to be
a lot of interest in S, and it is growing. So, I simply cannot buy
into the doom-n-gloom of S' future; the real-world metrics say
otherwise.
- Peter.
On 02/04/2025 11:14 AM, Mike Swederska
via wrote:
So, for all the negative talk on this group lately about the
future of S. I am supper excited for this year.?
Thank you again for the wonderful web site.?
--
Peter Vanvliet (info@...)
owner, Fourth Ray Software
Houston, Texas
(personal web site)
|
And, more good news: we had a massive record number of unique
visitors to the NASG web site during the month of January.
Since the current BOT of the NASG started the various advertising
campaigns, the web site has consistently gotten more and more unique
visitors, month over month. From my perspective, there appears to be
a lot of interest in S, and it is growing. So, I simply cannot buy
into the doom-n-gloom of S' future; the real-world metrics say
otherwise.
- Peter.
On 02/04/2025 11:14 AM, Mike Swederska
via groups.io wrote:
So, for all the negative talk on this group lately about the
future of S. I am supper excited for this year.?
Thank you again for the wonderful web site.?
--
Peter Vanvliet (info@...)
owner, Fourth Ray Software
Houston, Texas
(personal web site)
|
On 2/4/2025 2:20 PM, Rich Gajnak via groups.io wrote: Would the molds even be any good after 20 years?? Weren't they silicon rubber?? I suppose the patterns would be OK.
(snip) Rubber molds are long gone.? The patterns are styrene. Take care Bill -- == Author of Military Crime Fiction == Amazon Page - Fair Winds of Death Fair Winds of Deceit Fair Winds of Doubt == Scale Model Railroad Products == == Manufacturer - Retailer - Importer == Bill Wade B.T.S. 1782 Trinity Rd Belington, WV 26250-7621 Phone: 304-823-3729 Fair Winds Always!
|
Would the molds even be any good after 20 years?? Weren't they silicon rubber?? I suppose the patterns would be OK.
?
Rich G(ajnak)
|
I have several of these kits waiting to be?built.? I have actually cleaned the flash off the parts.? But my old laptop will not run the small discs.? So if someone would email me the instructions or print them out and mail them I would much appreciate it.? Let me know if you need some compensation or trade. Thanks, Steve Wolcott
|
The Sn3 molds are owned by P-B-l which has some stock. I do not know about flex though.
So I checked their catalog. They have code 70, but I didn't see code 55.
Talmadge C 'TC' Carr
Sn42 and Mn42 in 1923
group_list@...
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On 04February2025, at 10:14, Mike Swederska via groups.io <MikeSscale@...> wrote:
I also have supper high hopes for the track needed to start becoming available to the public from Micro Engineering again. I also hope they make the Sn3 flex along with the S standard.
|
Read this and went and ordered from Scale America.?
|
I received my NASG membership renewal in the mail and went to the website to perform the renewal as I always have done in the past. Worked great with no issues.?
While I was there on the web site I spent some time looking around and to my happy surprise, I found that one of my videos was being featured.?
Next, I went to the News page and to another surprise I saw that the Scale America web site was updated. And there are finally pictures of the products.? Upon going to their website, I saw that they acquired the RRM brass castings. I don't know about you guys,
but I was just wondering what happened to them just the other day. I am so darn happy to know that they are back available again. I see that they still have 63" drivers available. "Tom."
Next was the S scale Micro Scale decals becoming available again. Very nice. I did not see any Mopac but maybe in the future?
I also have supper high hopes for the track needed to start becoming available to the public from Micro Engineering again. I also hope they make the Sn3 flex along with the S standard.?
So, for all the negative talk on this group lately about the future of S. I am supper excited for this year.?
Thank you again for the wonderful web site.?
-- Mike Swederska
Meramec Valley Lines
Modeling Mopac equipment in 3/16
https://www.youtube.com/@mikesscale3149
Don't let perfection get in the way of good enough! Keep model railroading fun!
|
I believe it is Preston MN in Fillmore County that preserved a grain elevator and found a MILW ribside to go with it.? This some years after the tracks of the Southern Minnesota (later MILW) had been lifted, so the car had to be trucked.
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Never say never till the chubby guy gets down on all fours!? Actually it reappeared and is now in place.? So I hope to put the hand valve in place along with the chain down to the bell crank this evening.? The photos that Bob
sent had a couple of details that I wasn't totally understanding, so many thanks for those.?
And Jim's words on instructions is worth looking at.? I built a sample of the SOO Line stock car--yes it requires lots of blow by blow illustrated instructions.? Sometimes the instructions could benefit from revisions too, meanwhile
the kits are needing to be sold, so time is a factor.? Then I remember when Jess Bennett was asked to write an article on one of his big engines for the S Gaugian, but told to make it fit into two pages!? Or then you have some of the kits I've sold (BBB) where
the box contains 4-6 large pieces, a couple of grabs, some strip wood and not a clue what to do next!? A test for a creative writing class!
I was given a ancient Mac lap top but I can't get to come alive--too costly for any further investment though.? Same with printers--I have a beautiful and heavy Canon that I can't get to function either, so we use a cheepie Epson.?
At any rate it's a trip downstairs to that unit and I need a 'permission slip' from my better half to print with it!
Back to the ribbed car--I think another couple of evenings might secure a completion for it!? Painting and lettering will have to wait--we're due for several days of rain!
It's a bit interesting that with a quick walk from my house, as a kid, I could see them nearly everyday. But I was young to the point that a boxcar was just a boxcar!? When I was old enough to understand a bit more, the grain
hopper had arrived then, in a few more years later they pulled up the tracks!? end of that story!? My hometown started a museum once,? the men who knew how, built a sod house, found an old one-room school house, and specialized a wagon used to haul fill for
the RR grades.? The former local station agent inquired into acquiring a boxcar for display, but whomever he talked to said they didn't have any and ignored the fact that my hometown, for a few years was the "Grain Capital" of the world!? Apparently whomever
was still trying to run a railroad didn't care much--it was like the fall of Saigon--everybody for themselves!
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
Hi Bob --
I know the space in your train room is limited.? Can you work somewhere else using a card table where?it can be close?to your?computer?? ?Even though I have a work table in the trainroom, some of my bigger structure projects require me to set up a card
table with a protective covering for workspace that I can leave a project on until it is done.? ?It can also be near my computer.? For a smaller model, like the boxcar, I could also put a laptop computer on the table, If I had one of those!
I have one of those kits.? Let me know what I need to watch for, please.? I use a medium viscosity instant glue for this kind of project, along with some instant setting?solution, if needed,?but it will be an interesting project when I get?around to it,?no
matter what. . Still way too much railroad to finish first.? I am hoping to get back after?it during the second part of this month, after taxes, meetings and bridge playing are out of the way.? The darn calendar fills up way too fast.? Sandie and I are the
embodiment of the old saying about?being retired, that we are busier now than when we were working!? ?
Have fun!
Bill Winans
I bought one of the Milw horizontal boxcar kits from Smoky Mt kits.? I'm wondering if any others have either completed the kit or might be working on one.? I started mine a few days ago.? It's looking like a great project and somewhat challenging
too.? I actually I really like a challenge but I'm a bit out of practice; not to mention lots of gluing techniques change when you're using resin parts instead of typical plastics
Since it comes with a mini cd for the bulk of the instructions along with a collection of prototype shots, you sort of need a nearby computer or at least a screen to reference along the way.? I have a Mac in the next room, but I have to?
crawl several feet on hands and knees to my workbench so that's not fun at all.? Couple that problem with the written descriptions being subject to interpretation which really slows me down!?
On top of that I dropped the brake wheel housing last night, then I found it, then I lost it again--so that's my tail of tribulations so far!
Bob Werre
Phototraxx
|
Never say never till the chubby guy
gets down on all fours!? Actually it reappeared and is now in
place.? So I hope to put the hand valve in place along with the
chain down to the bell crank this evening.? The photos that Bob
sent had a couple of details that I wasn't totally understanding,
so many thanks for those.?
And Jim's words on instructions is
worth looking at.? I built a sample of the SOO Line stock car--yes
it requires lots of blow by blow illustrated instructions.?
Sometimes the instructions could benefit from revisions too,
meanwhile the kits are needing to be sold, so time is a factor.?
Then I remember when Jess Bennett was asked to write an article on
one of his big engines for the S Gaugian, but told to make it fit
into two pages!? Or then you have some of the kits I've sold (BBB)
where the box contains 4-6 large pieces, a couple of grabs, some
strip wood and not a clue what to do next!? A test for a creative
writing class!
I was given a ancient Mac lap top but I
can't get to come alive--too costly for any further investment
though.? Same with printers--I have a beautiful and heavy Canon
that I can't get to function either, so we use a cheepie Epson.?
At any rate it's a trip downstairs to that unit and I need a
'permission slip' from my better half to print with it!
Back to the ribbed car--I think another
couple of evenings might secure a completion for it!? Painting and
lettering will have to wait--we're due for several days of rain!
It's a bit interesting that with a
quick walk from my house, as a kid, I could see them nearly
everyday. But I was young to the point that a boxcar was just a
boxcar!? When I was old enough to understand a bit more, the grain
hopper had arrived then, in a few more years later they pulled up
the tracks!? end of that story!? My hometown started a museum
once,? the men who knew how, built a sod house, found an old
one-room school house, and specialized a wagon used to haul fill
for the RR grades.? The former local station agent inquired into
acquiring a boxcar for display, but whomever he talked to said
they didn't have any and ignored the fact that my hometown, for a
few years was the "Grain Capital" of the world!? Apparently
whomever was still trying to run a railroad didn't care much--it
was like the fall of Saigon--everybody for themselves!
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Hi Bob --
I know the space in your train room is limited.? Can you
work somewhere else using a card table where?it can be
close?to your?computer?? ?Even though I have a work table in
the trainroom, some of my bigger structure projects require me
to set up a card table with a protective covering for
workspace that I can leave a project on until it is done.? ?It
can also be near my computer.? For a smaller model, like the
boxcar, I could also put a laptop computer on the table, If I
had one of those!
I have one of those kits.? Let me know what I need to watch
for, please.? I use a medium viscosity instant glue for this
kind of project, along with some instant setting?solution, if
needed,?but it will be an interesting project when I
get?around to it,?no matter what. . Still way too much
railroad to finish first.? I am hoping to get back after?it
during the second part of this month, after taxes, meetings
and bridge playing are out of the way.? The darn calendar
fills up way too fast.? Sandie and I are the embodiment of the
old saying about?being retired, that we are busier now than
when we were working!? ?
Have fun!
Bill Winans
I bought one of the Milw horizontal
boxcar kits from Smoky Mt kits.? I'm wondering if any
others have either completed the kit or might be working
on one.? I started mine a few days ago.? It's looking
like a great project and somewhat challenging too.? I
actually I really like a challenge but I'm a bit out of
practice; not to mention lots of gluing techniques
change when you're using resin parts instead of typical
plastics
Since it comes with a mini cd for the
bulk of the instructions along with a collection of
prototype shots, you sort of need a nearby computer or
at least a screen to reference along the way.? I have a
Mac in the next room, but I have to? crawl several feet
on hands and knees to my workbench so that's not fun at all.?
Couple that problem with the written descriptions being
subject to interpretation which really slows me down!?
On top of that I dropped the brake wheel
housing last night, then I found it, then I lost it
again--so that's my tail of tribulations so far!
Bob Werre
Phototraxx
|
If the current owner of the rights to the BTS model would like to make some return on their investment by doing another run of the BL-2s, I would suggest they do not wait too much longer to do so... because when my need becomes dire enough, I will simply resort to paying someone with CAD experience to design a new and likely superior shell, etc. for 3-D printing this model... effectively making the investment of whoever bought the rights to the BTS model a waste of money. And I can see my need for some BL-2 locomotives materializing somewhere around the end of summer time this year. I don't intend to wait much longer than that. Chop chop for some ching ching.? :)
John D
On 2/4/2025 8:27 AM, Rich Gajnak via
groups.io wrote:
On Tue, Feb 4, 2025 at 03:12 AM, Talmadge C 'TC' Carr wrote:
BTS has none?
BTS made these 20 years ago, around 50 units according to the
NASG website.? Pretty sure Bill can tell you they sold out a
long time ago.
?
(snip)
The last BL-2 left here in 2004.?? Production ended with 75 kits
going out the door.??
Some years ago, a fellow S modeler purchased the patterns,
remaining decals, and rights to the BL-2.???? I have passed John
D's request for a rerun to him a couple of times and no response.?
It was a fun project, and unlike most in S Scale, it actually made
a bit of money!?
Take care,
Bill
PS - Third novel - Fair Winds of Doubt - is now
available on Amazon, B&N, and here, of course.??? Both the
Virginian and Norfolk & Western roads were mentioned.?
--
== Author of Military Crime Fiction ==
Amazon Page -
Fair Winds of Death
Fair Winds of Deceit
Fair Winds of Doubt
== Scale Model Railroad Products ==
== Manufacturer - Retailer - Importer ==
Bill Wade
B.T.S.
1782 Trinity Rd
Belington, WV 26250-7621
Phone: 304-823-3729
Fair Winds Always!
|
I have my work table in the basement and the desk top computer upstairs in the dining room so I printed up the instructions off the disc. I find it easier to follow on paper anyway¡..old school they say! ? ? ? Bud Rindfleisch
|
Do you have a printer?
Michael Fox
I bought one of the Milw horizontal boxcar kits
from Smoky Mt kits.? I'm wondering if any others have either
completed the kit or might be working on one.? I started mine a
few days ago.? It's looking like a great project and somewhat
challenging too.? I actually I really like a challenge but I'm a
bit out of practice; not to mention lots of gluing techniques
change when you're using resin parts instead of typical plastics
Since it comes with a mini cd for the bulk of the
instructions along with a collection of prototype shots, you
sort of need a nearby computer or at least a screen to reference
along the way.? I have a Mac in the next room, but I have to?
crawl several feet on hands and knees to my workbench so that's not fun at all.? Couple that
problem with the written descriptions being subject to
interpretation which really slows me down!?
On top of that I dropped the brake wheel housing
last night, then I found it, then I lost it again--so that's my
tail of tribulations so far!
Bob Werre
Phototraxx
|
John Degnan
Talmadge C 'TC' Carr
Jeremy Lighthouse
Bob Werre