Model Railroader & Business Owner

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I spent a month or so living the life of the unemployed.  Now I’m living the life of a person about to start a business.  Business plans, cash flow analysis, market research, municipal permits, insurance, accountants, bookkeepers, business registration, 2 tax registrations …. there’s a lot to consider!  I should have taken more time when I was “unemployed Scott” to work on the BS&T!

I am “working on the railroad” but at a slower pace than when I was “employed Scott”.  As an employee there are a lot of things that do not get in the way of a hobby. But, when I do get to work on something hobby related I certainly appreciate it more.

I’ll share some of the things I’ve been working on as stress relievers soon.

There short and sweet.  Must get back to work.  Lets see…. should I work on market surveys or cash flow?

Scott

Your Digital Coach

(oops, that’s a different blog!  Sorry)

Time for an update!

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It has been a while since I’ve posted here and a lot of you have noticed… and commented.  As you’ll read I have been a little distracted.  I guess it’s time to post an update.

A lot has been happening lately.  To start with, for the first time in 26 years I am unemployed.  The company I worked for was sold.  To make a long story short I am starting a technology consulting and support business.  I’m looking forward to the new challenge and independence (hopefully financial as well as personal).  Stay tuned for the launch of the web site.

This has been our busiest summers for model railroad visitors.  To begin the summer we had an operating day with a gang from Moncton (James Whatley – living in Ontario, Milne Hall, Jim McMahon, and Dave Wood) on July 27th.  Ed Cooke, a new friend from Ontario, joined us that day as well.  Ed has a family home not far from Summerside and comes to the Island quite often, so he’ll be operating with us a few times a year.  On August 10 we hosted Stanley Conley from Ottawa who was vacationing on the Island and Wayne Woodland from Halifax (a former Islander).  Another group from Moncton (Jim McMahon, Dave Wood, Allan Bishop and his son) came on August 31 for another full day of operating.  Ron Day from Yarmouth joined us for a special operating session on September 2. 

This is the operating group from July 27th.  A fairly rag-tag lot, don’t you think?

We also had the pleasure of hosting Shawn Naylor for a few operating sessions.  Shawn is a summertime regular when he is home from work for the summer months.

Ed getting the prelim on the train orders (July 27th op session)

It was fun meeting the new folks and sharing time with old friends.  Bringing people together is one of the great things about model railroading.  You can be a loaner, if you want, but you can have a great time with a group if you want to do that too.

Shawn and Milne working in Stevenville (July 27).

As for the garden layout, the MTR didn’t progress much beyond the last photos I posted.  I guess I got a little sidetracked and couldn’t get my mind back on the project.

Look at the evil grins!  You just know these are the bad boys of the op session! (July 27)

Now we are busy getting ready for the Truro train show.  Brian and I have a little over a week to get some scenery done on our new 5th Street modules.  I’ve also been busy making trees that I will have available for sale at the show.

Later

Scott

Today’s Work on the MTR

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I started doing some fine tuning on the grade today. I managed to complete the longest stretch that will require fill. There are several other areas with minor bumps and hollows, but this was the worst section.

Besides grading I also added a siding to allow me to “play” a little. The turnouts are very short radius by LGB and are not in the best of shape. They have caused a few problems. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open for some better used (read affordable) turnouts.

After I finished this area I had to pull out a train to test it out. There are a few other dips around the loop that I’ll have to fix, but the train ran for about an hour without a glitch (after I fixed a few problem areas.

Once the grading issues are resolved I’ll be ready to add better subroadbed and ballast.

Here’s a picture without all the tools and track laying about…

Later!

Scott

First Photos of the MTR!

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Last weekend I finally managed to place the track to figure out where it will go.  Now I am finally finding some time to post them.

This first step is just to determine the route the track will take.  It was also a test to see if I had enough track to do what I wanted.  I had more than enough track and I was able to fit it almost exactly where I had pictured it.

Since most of the track was used it was unsurprisingly quite dirty.  It was actually black, as brass will do when it is exposed to the elements.  I started using sandpaper to clean the track but that was going to take a lot of time.  So I tried my 1/4 sheet palm sander.  It worked wonderfully and in less than 30 minutes the tops of the rails were nicely polished.  Next I brought out my S4 and Lenz gear to test it out.  I was totally surprised that, even though I was relying solely on rail joiners to carry power around the loop, the locomotive ran completely around the loop without even a hiccup!

The next step will be to level off a few low areas.  I’m going to use rock to create a retaining wall in one area, and make some wooden cribwork in another.  I’ll just use soil to level off some minor dips. Then I’ll mark the right-of-way so I’ll know where to dig a shallow trench about 4″ wide and a couple inches deep for the crushed rock roadbed.  After the roadbed is tamped in place and leveled I’ll put the track back in place, sprinkle more crushed rock between the ties as ballast, and it’ll be ready to run again!

 

Later!

Scott

An Update

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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

E-Pass #7 – Amber, Shea & Western

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Well, since mangling my thumb with a table saw I haven’t been able to do much, model railroad or otherwise.  So the only “new” thing I am able to share is an “old” E-Pass.

The Amber, Shea & Western E-Pass was sent to me on April 12, 2000.  It was an “N” scale layout (not another one!) built by John J. Quinn of Northridge, CA.  I use the past tense because after some searching on the internet I finally found a site that directed me to John’s new layout web site.  The AS&W was dismantled due to relocation.  The Berryville and Summit Point Railway is John’s newest creation.

John has lots of construction photos and some pictures of scenery on the site.  You should check it out!

Scott

Visiting Operators

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I’m sorry I haven’t posted in a while. It’s a long story but it involves finishing up a fence project (full size 1:1 scale), cutting boards, and a table saw. I’m now typing mostly one handed, but my left thumb is on the mend.

Anyway, my injury didn’t stop us from hosting a few guys from Halifax for a model railroad weekend this past Saturday and Sunday. Bruce Castle, Doug Murray, and Doug Whitman made the trek to the Island on Saturday primarily to give us some advice on planning an MFMR Convention – since we’ll be hosting next year and have never done one. The side benefit was that they’d be able to operate our layouts while they were here.

So, as soon as they arrived we went to Derwin’s Canadisle Rail for a quick operating session. There are a couple pictures provided by Derwin in the gallery at the bottom of this post.

Then we headed into Summerside to visit and operate on Brian’s NeverDone Railway. Brian had some photos posted of the operating portion of the visit, but I don’t see them today. I’m not sure what’s going on with that.

Anyway, after operating at Brian’s we came back to my place for supper and to discuss all that’s involved in organizing an MFMR Convention. I think we learned a few thing we hadn’t anticipated so the visit was worth it from that perspective. Then we finally got to do some operating on the BS&T. Brian had to leave so I was pressed into service. As a result I didn’t get any pictures, but Derwin sent me a few (he must have been slacking off).

Scott

Music from Phil Collins Delayed

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I am a big Phil Collins fan.  I have been since I first heard Genesis so many years ago.  If you are waiting for a new album you could be waiting for a while. He’s started working on a model railroad in his basement and has put his new album on hold, indefinitely.

Click here for the story…

Scott

What did I do this weekend?

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I did nothing that most people would consider directly related to model railroading (other than operating last evening that is). However, as I took advantage of the brief bit of nice weather we had over the weekend to rebuild the fence/view block around part of our patio, all I could think of was that this was getting me one step closer to starting work on my G-scale empire.

I kept looking longingly at the area in our back yard where the layout (or at least phase 1 of the layout) will be located. I had visions of what it would look like and how I could add certain features. And then, BAM! The hammer hit my thumb instead of the nail as I was rudely brought back to reality.

The fence is almost complete. A few fine evenings should finish it up. Then it will have to be stained, the deck and steps need cleaning and re-staining, and perhaps a few other odd jobs around the yard, and then I’ll be free to start the garden layout. Well, I’ll be free to start it as long as nothing else finds it’s way to my, or Kim’s, to do list.

In the meantime, I’ll be looking at the area for the layout and dreaming of what I’ll do there for a few more weeks. My thumb will heal eventually, as long as I stay away from the hammer!

Scott