Weekend Update - 5-3-2009

[RockGp40]

Nothing for me in terms of modeling, but I got to do some impromptu railfanning of my own this past week +. This was my first "family" vacation, so off to Myrtle Beach by way of Harrisonburg, VA, for a wedding, and a quick stop by the in-laws in Bassett, VA. Sorry, no pics. I was driving and the Mrs. couldn't have cared less.

On 4/24, I worked my last train with my regular engineer Joe on the MDDE. He retired with 30 years that day, mostly with the MD & DE, but also a few with Conrail.

Friday night, I caught an NS intermodal going west through Haymarket, VA. I also caught him going by Chapman's Mill on the Fauquier/Prince William Co, VA, line. Saturday, 4/25, I got to briefly railfan through Harrisonburg VA on the old Chesapeake and Western RR, now all NS. The highlight there is the 130' mill on the north part of town. As a little sidenote, I think this would be an awesome scene to model.

Sunday, I caught several NS unit trains of black diamonds pounding the CWR in Bassett, VA.

Monday, I got to parallel for about 10 miles of what I believe to be the Aberdeen and Rockfish RR between Bistoe and Candor, NC. This was strictly by accident. We misread a street sign for Alternate Route 220 thinking it was Route 220. I didn't see a switch to any customers in that stretch.

I also got a good glimpse of the wildfire damage in Myrtle Beach and surrounding areas. As we arrived Monday, there were Blackhawks still making water drops on hotspots and crews working the ground. All but one morning the fog combined with the residual smoke and stayed thick through the AM hours.

[justTRAINcRaZy]

.....Monday, I got to parallel for about 10 miles of what I believe to be the Aberdeen and Rockfish RR between Bistoe and Candor, NC. This was strictly by accident. We misread a street sign for Alternate Route 220 thinking it was Route 220. I didn't see a switch to any customers in that stretch.

That would be the ACW (Aberdeen, Carolina & Western) that runs between Biscoe and Candor. I think the A&R's tracks end at their shop in Aberdeen.

KB

[lock4244]

Worked on some trailers with some home made decals....

A "politically incorrect" trailer for 2009 is perfect for my 1973 layout - once I saw a picture of this on Hank's Truck Picture website I knew I had to have one.....

Looks good, Pud, but McSquinty and the smoke nazis are going to come by and put a huge warning on that trailer then lock it in a black metal case.

[Puddington]

Worked on some trailers with some home made decals....

A "politically incorrect" trailer for 2009 is perfect for my 1973 layout - once I saw a picture of this on Hank's Truck Picture website I knew I had to have one.....

Looks good, Pud, but McSquinty and the smoke nazis are going to come by and put a huge warning on that trailer then lock it in a black metal case.

......and then add a huge freakin tax to it..................?LOL

[Caleb Austin]

Alright, I just painted this riverbed...


And worked up this pre-dawn scene...

[Puddington]

The riverbed and river look very nice and I really like the pre dawn shot - very realistic !

After all; everyone knows that "the kitty" likes the night..............right Lee ?

Nice work.

[Iain]

I spent Saturday at the North Carolina Maritime Museum's 35th Wooden Boat Show.  One of the associated events, and a real treat to watch, was the National Boat Building Challenge.  Teams of two race to build a boat that later in the day actually has to be dropped in the water and rowed.  Scoring is based on speed and quality of construction and speed in the rowing race.  The winners built their boat in about two hours and forty minutes.

Sunday I was in a regatta around Carrot Island.  With an 18-22 knot breeze, I spent much of my time horrizontal over the water, but it was fun as hell.

[cv_acr]

I spent Saturday at the North Carolina Maritime Museum's 35th Wooden Boat Show.  One of the associated events, and a real treat to watch, was the National Boat Building Challenge.  Teams of two race to build a boat that later in the day actually has to be dropped in the water and rowed.  Scoring is based on speed and quality of construction and speed in the rowing race.  The winners built their boat in about two hours and forty minutes.

How many points do you lose if your boat doesn't quite make it to the finish line?

[justTRAINcRaZy]

A little late, but just now got my pictures "developed".

Had an Ops session this (last) weekend. Total of 13, including 2 dispatchers, 1 trainmaster and 2 yard operators. We ran 51 trains including the locals.

[AlkemScaleModels]

Worked on some trailers with some home made decals....

A "politically incorrect" trailer for 2009 is perfect for my 1973 layout - once I saw a picture of this on Hank's Truck Picture website I knew I had to have one.....

Now you need a Porsche 956 with that same logo to go with the trailer!

[Iain]

I spent Saturday at the North Carolina Maritime Museum's 35th Wooden Boat Show.  One of the associated events, and a real treat to watch, was the National Boat Building Challenge.  Teams of two race to build a boat that later in the day actually has to be dropped in the water and rowed.  Scoring is based on speed and quality of construction and speed in the rowing race.  The winners built their boat in about two hours and forty minutes.

How many points do you lose if your boat doesn't quite make it to the finish line?

Every boat that is not finished within four hours is not scored.  It isn't uncommon for the boats to leak, but this is accounted for in the scoring for quality.  Every boat that was put in the water finished the rowing race.

[Puddington]

Worked on some trailers with some home made decals....

A "politically incorrect" trailer for 2009 is perfect for my 1973 layout - once I saw a picture of this on Hank's Truck Picture website I knew I had to have one.....

Now you need a Porsche 956 with that same logo to go with the trailer!

Now Bernie: you've given me a new target for the next week's posting.... anyone got a 1:160 F1 car.............LOL

[Day One]

I've always been partial to the Rothmans Honda NSR 500

[pfs]

917-30

[AlkemScaleModels]

917-30

My favorite quote about the 917-30 (from Wikipedia, but I've read it elsewhere too).

The following quote has been attributed to Donohue: "If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough horsepower."

Donohue, Penske and Porsche decided to set their goals very high with the 917-30. After making various aerodynamic and suspension modifications to the car, Donohue set the then world closed-course record driving the Porsche 917-30 at the Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama in August 9, 1975. His average speed around the 2.66-mile (4.28 km) high-banked oval was 221.120 mph (355.858 km/h). Donohue held the world record for eleven years, until it was broken by Rick Mears at Michigan International Speedway.