Ed's new big blue

[chuck geiger]

We need photos as you go....Good luck, what a great prototype to model.
Is that the area where the G-Men are chasing Will Smith and Gene
Hackman in ENEMY OF THE STATE?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Lol, excellent CR in B'more reference! I'm not doing Consol coal, but close darned close...

So yesterday afternoon we headed over to Chaps Pit Beef and I introduced my Dad to two Baltimore staples: Pit Beef and Gravy Fries.

With our stomachs full we headed over to the ReStore and scoped out the door situation. If I had wanted 24" doors, I would've been SWIMMING in them, but they only had one 36"er. So we got that, I also got 2 sets of 18" bifolds, since together they make 36", and a 30" one, just as a backup.

As we were shopping though, we heard the low rumble of an EMD 567. Knowing that the Canton was right outside, we headed out the front door just in time for one of their SW1200RSs to trundle by with a bunch of Southern waffle side paper cars. I had never caught anything on the Canton, and it was a nice treat.

I checked out (for a grand total of $24.50, including 4 doors, a $.50 tub of spackle, and $4 worth of plate glass) and we loaded up the wagon. I could fit 2 doors in diagonally, no problem, but the extra 2 meant we had to lash the gate closed.

Here we are loading up.


After a long hit trek across Erdman Ave, up Belair Rd and then across Taylor (where I learned that I'm getting a Lowes, even closer than my Home Depot to my happy surprise), we got the doors home and shleped them into the basement.

Next up was a trip over to Home Depot for the support structure. $40 worth of dimensional lumber  (nothing fancy) and hardware later we returned to begin carpentry.



At that point, my mother and mother-in-law, who were out shopping, got back and were ready for dinner, so that was almost the end... (we headed to Ryan's Daugther, which was pretty tasty and surprisingly empty, for those keeping score).

After dinner, we returned home and I wanted to finish getting the Kidney off its shelves, so I could move them around and use them to support some of the new construction. This actually exposed a few leg design flaws, which we solved, but which also meant my poor folks probably didn't get home till 1:30a.

Here's the free-standing Kidney, ready to continue to look pretty until I tire of looking at it:


This morning I spent some time moving things around, and bracing the 18" bifolds into a solid slab. I'm going to be heading up to Philly today to do some additional lumber cutting with the folks, so this is probably as far as I've gotten this weekend, however, I'm in a very good place to start attaching legs when I get home and get it all up in quick order.

[Nato]

    Nice Progress report so far. It just happened that "Enemy of The State" was on cable here last night (Memorial Day) and I watched it again with some friends after a Brat on the Barbi at someones condo. Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[AlkemScaleModels]

 Most of us enlist our sons to help build layouts. I don't know too many that get their dad to help. Very cool!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Most of us enlist our sons to help build layouts. I don't know too many that get their dad to help. Very cool!

I've been very lucky to share the hobby with him.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm posting this here (from weekend update) to preserve the continuity:

I made more progress, finally getting one of the new doors up on its legs:


Which meant I could start fooling around with in-situ planning:




More pics, including of the legs: http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/1615LayoutConstruction

[seusscaboose]

Most of us enlist our sons to help build layouts. I don't know too many that get their dad to help. Very cool!

add me to the people you know who enlist their dad for help.

it got me starting to think (not intended to hack the thread) but... would it be a safe bet that the bulk of us were brought into the hobby by our dad's?  therefore, wouldn't it logically be something to share with them?  I agree some of us (Pud, Chooch, myself, Steve, Lee) share the hobby with our families (children) but as you say, how many share it with their parents... only thinking outloud...  now back to your regularly scheduled thread (nice progress Ed!)

[Iain]

Actually, I'm in the process of building a couple of turntables for my dad's HO layout, and yes, he started me.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Made some more progress tonight. Got my second door up on its legs.

Here the general foreman inspects my work for tomorrow:

[GaryHinshaw]

Based on my experience, that inspector should be easily bribed...

Cool to see things taking shape.

[Dave V]

Ah, a blank canvass of benchwork.  So much promise, so many possibilities...!

Oh, BTW Ed...  I know you're ALSO working the MG modules.  I picked up a copy of The January 1985 Trains in South Dakota last weekend for a buck.  It has a 13 page spread about the Conrail on the Mountain, including the descriptions and locations of all trains between Conway and Altoona as of 10:55 on 31 August 1984.  The pics are almost all 1984 and include MG, the Curve, Cresson, etc.

I could scan it in for you if you don't already have it.  The piece is entitled "Still the world's busiest mountain railroad."  The issue has a cover shot of a CR GP40-2 leading a westbound Trailvan up the curve in the snow.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ooh Dave, I could definitely use a scan of the MG pics.

And yep Gary, I've definitely included "scratches behind the ear for inspector payoff" in the project budget. Which is, actually, only about $100. I'm $20 in with the doors (including a spare 30"er) and $40 in at Home Depot for the legs and hardware, so I still have $40 worth of styrofoam to buy.

[mcjaco]

I agree some of us (Pud, Chooch, myself, Steve, Lee) share the hobby with our families (children) but as you say, how many share it with their parents... only thinking outloud...  now back to your regularly scheduled thread (nice progress Ed!)

I still do lots of modeling work for my Dad.  His eyes aren't what they were.....they never were good, so I do the detail work on his stuff.  He helps me out with little projects here and there.  As he's gotten older, he's turned into more a railroader watcher than a modeler. 

Either way, enlisting the help of a family member or friends always make the job easier, and more fun.  Great base Ed, can't wait to see this develop!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

More progress last night.

The third door is now up on its legs, and I can begin the actual details of the track planning, although I think I should put the styrofoam on top first.

[Pomperaugrr]

I would definitely recommend putting the styrofoam on top before getting into track planning.  That way you can use push pins to hold lengths of flex track and turnouts in place.  I did that with my Housatonic RR.  I had the basic plan figured out and drawn up, but I placed actual flex track sections and adjusted them until it looked visually pleasing and operationally reliable.  It is easy to make changes and laying out the actual track brings siding capacities back to reality.  On paper, a spur or siding may look great, but on the benchwork it might look woefully small.

Eric