I thought it was time to post a short update on what’s been going on lately. Some of you are aware of the little accident I had with my table saw. If you aren’t – I darn near cut my left thumb off about a month ago. It is healing well, although it is still a little numb and tingly and, because of that, I try not to use it too much. Hopefully the feeling will come back. In the meantime I’ve been able to get a few things done the last couple weeks.
I’m on the last stages of finishing the fence in our back yard that I was working on when I decided to mangle my thumb. It’s about 1/3 stained. When that is done my last few chores are to stain the deck and steps before I can start my garden railway. I’ve decided to call it the MTR, or Mucked (up) Thumb Railway.
About a month ago I ordered an MRC G-scale sound decoder to put in my S4 loco. It was about the same price as a non-sound equipped decoder so I thought I’d risk it. I installed it this past weekend and was quite disappointed with it. There doesn’t seem to be any volume or speed adjustment other than acceleration and deceleration. It is a VERY basic decoder. I think I’ll be able to add a manual volume control and will live with the lack of speed adjustment. It’ll do.
I’ve started clearing the right-of-way for the MTR. So far I’ve trimmed some of the lower branches of the pine trees on the border of my property where some of the line will run. Depending on the weather (if it’s to nice I’ll be staining something) I should get that finished by the end of next weekend and will start placing track to see where I can get things to fit. Then there will probably be some more tree and shrub trimming required.
I’ll get some pictures this week to show where the MTR will run. Stay tuned!
Scott
Geez Scott after reading that storey, I hope you give second thought to equipping your G Scale layout with a rotary snowplow for winter time op’s (grin)!!!!
It will require a lot more than a G-scale rotary snowplow to keep trains running all winter in that part of the yard. I do not intend to run the garden layout between December and April or May. But, if you would like to come over to run trains outdoors during that time, you are more than welcome to grab a shovel! HA!
Scott
Glad to hear that the thumb is healing well, Scott.
Blimey, I hope that the feeling comes back soon! I have a look in from time to time from over here in the UK, you write an interesting blog 🙂
It is getting better every day. I’m almost ready to try some small fincky stuff like install a decoder.
I must apologize for the lack of content during the summer. Other than our weekly operating sessions, where we are usually short staffed providing little time for picture taking, not much else happens on the layout, so there’s nothing new to report. I hope to have plenty to talk about when September rolls around.
Thanks for being a regular reader. I’m glad you enjoy the site!
Scott
Scott
Did you get lost in the back yard…. where is the pictures you promised
and how is the thumb
Doug
Nope, didn’t get lost in the back yard, just lost in work and chores. You’ve heard of “the calm before the storm”? Well it been the other way around at work – “The storm before the calm”. That would be the calm of unemployment.
Anyway, between that and getting ready for a dinner party/BBQ Kim had this week I’ve been too busy to post anything. That has been fixed now since the first pictures of the MTR are up!
Take a look…
Scott