...and you don't even have a cat.
The other eveniing my beautiful wife and I were in our cellar, taking pictures of the deplorable condition of things down there. We noticed a quite large hole just below the foundation, where some pipes had been run through for the water.
I was leaniing over the half-wall to get a better look at it when I saw two big yellow kitty eyes looking back at me! Just a matter of maybe a foot away! Then a black kitty face appeared, along with a friendly "meow."
Well, long story short, we now have a black cat with medium length fur, and a very small patch of white fur on her chest. She is getting used to being around people, and last night she even jumped up on my lap! I have been able to hold her on my shoulder, and pet her since the second day after we found her. I really love cats! And dogs, and squirells and racoons, and skunks and....

We have a very large Landscaping company near me. Since I use the main roads to and from work, I always see their trucks. They bought a new SUV for the approaching spring season.

On the license plate, they decided to make a cute statement for a landscaper:

GRN GRSS

I, of course, having visited these threads way too much, began laughing - because instead of reading it: Green Grass"

I read it as GERN Grass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I guess GERN Industries will be producing sod soon too.......

If you didn't notice yet, we have changed the logo at the top of the forum to:
[align=center][b]
Big Blue Trains Forum[/b][/align]

It also has our slogan that we have kept for over 10 years:

[align=center][b]Keep It Gauged[/b][/align]

The reason behind this is that we wanted to have one standard logo.

Another reason is that it now gives us the ability to offer our members a way to express themselves while, of course, helping out the funding of the boards.

I am pleased to announce, the Big Blue, Gauge Net Store:

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All profits made here will go directly into the upkeep of Big Blue... Thanks for looking!!!!

A guy named Catt led me here. Looks like a nice place. I'm setting up a 4x8 with the help of my boys. They are 6 and 8. Takes twice as long to get anything done, not to mention the distactions of everyday life. See ya'll later.

I thought that I had mentioned this before, but I can't seem to find it: is there some way we can get an icon or symbol to denote those Threads to which we're subscribed? I was reminded of it by this POST

What I'm suggesting is something like the boxes containing check marks, as shown under "Rating", below:

[album]638[/album]


Wayne

Okay so, im getting real sick of sitting here and waiting to start on my M&ET modules. Still also waiting to hear back from the 2 places i turned in resume's to for a new job...

So if i cant buy the things i need to start the M&ET modules and buy the things i need to finish the CAT Rental Moudle right now i will compromise and work on something that i can build and start building right now. Its killing me not being able to work on anything.

Anyways, so i dismantled most of my old shelf layout but i left a few sections up that i had planned on using for storage. But i had a change in plans cuz i hated seeing all the sweet buildings i had built up and just sitting there. After going to Palm Springs this past weekend for my Girlfriends Cheer Competition and seeing the UP mainline along side State Highway 10, I have decided that this would be a pretty cool scene to model. I plan to have model a section near the house that we stayed in for 2 nights in Palm Desert. I want to model Highway 10, Washington Street exit off the 10, and the double UP tracks that pass by the area. I also am adding in a small section for switching that is totally fictional lol.

This layout is 12'x4'x18" L-shaped shelf layout. HO scale of coarse and should make for some very nice picture spots. Im making my Highway 10 model 6 lanes wide (3 in each direction) which is what it is in real life. Im also adding in a 2-1/2" section that separates the 6 lanes. I noticed that it is sorta like a ditch, so i will make mine like that as well and adding in a little water here and there.

I also noticed that alot of the double UP tracks were lined with trees on both sides of the 2 tracks. the only reason i can think for this is a wind break because the run alot of double stack trains coming from the Port Of Long Beach inland.... But i thought this would be a neat thing to model so i will do that on the left side of the layout. The tracks will also be elevated a bit from the highway, as i noticed this was another thing along Highway 10, the tracks were up higher.

The overpass/ exit for Washington Street will be a bit of a challenge. In real like the exit for the street travels up and meets up to a high overpass that crosses the highway and tracks. I want to do this as well, should make for another cool detail.

Right now, the only thing i will need to get are overpass kits and some Central Valley Mainline Tie Strips, Couple Central Valley #8 turnout kits, and some Code 83 rail, which hopefully by the time im done working out all the kinks and layout of this layout ill have a job to buy the above things lol

The small switching section which is 4'x18" includes all the following Walhers Cornerstone Buildings and Backround Buildings:

2 Buds Trucking Backround Buildings bashed together to make a long building
1 Centennial Mills Backround Building
1 Armstrong Electric Motors Backround Building
1 Heritage Furniture Backround Building combined with a George Roberts Printing Building

Here is a few pics of the layout of the buildngs and the start of the right side of the Highway

















More Progress to come soon!! Also finally have a reason to do a tutorial on how to do roads with Woodland Scenics Smooth-It, so i should also have that up tomorrow

Every time I log on here, I find myself all over the place trying to find all of my posts, as well as all of the other ones that I am keeping track of. So, I have opted to follow the lead of others. I am going to consolidate all of my build threads into this one. This will cover everything from kit construction, loco construction, layout construction, et al.

Stay tuned, there is some interesting stuff to come.

Matt

I have been playing with 2 track plans and contemplating a 3rd (still in progress) my dilemma is that I like each for different reasons:

track plan 1 has tons of switching opportunities, a grade change (heading left from the door at the first turnout, towards the back of the layout goes up about 2.5" and towards the front of the layout goes down about 2.5" and ducks under the upper tracks at the far left), street running which could be a + or a - and the lead on the left interferes less with the door than in the next option. Negatives would be more work to complete, grade changes could create "challenges" during switching sessions.... it also comes out over the edge of my workbench more than I would like... addendum: not sure I like the switch back on the back of the left leg behind the yard trackage.

track plan 2 faster build, less trackage and potentially more scenery and structure opportunities and is more likely to be completed in a reasonable time frame thus winning me a bottle of Gibson's finest Canadian whiskey for completing a layout before Squidbait. Negatives: less switching opportunities and longer lead in behind the door .... oh and Squid is less likely to approve as it will be completed much quicker (not sure if that really falls under negatives but I am sure Squid will think so).

Currently plan is to hand lay everything in code 70 and run MRC prodigy wireless. Benchwork would be freestanding as it will eventually come out of this room and move to our store when we get a bigger location (and my son moves out so I can build my big layout in the basement).

I am still not 100% comfortable with the narrow yard area on the left side in either plan but am very limited in this area as it cannot encroach too much on the bench and I want to ensure I have access to the window (there is a window on the left side of the room). Open to criticism or pats on the back.... but am hoping for a bit more than "wow that looks nice".

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I originally put this in bigsteel's finally building layout thread, but thought it was worth repeating here...

Bob Boudreau (of Fundy Northern fame) has an excellent overview of shooting specifically for railroad models...

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Andrew

I have had this Bachmann Spectrum dash 8-40CW sitting in the box waiting for me to do the decal job on.
I got the nerve up and removed the LMS factory painted lettering. Used IsopropyL Alchol 99%.I usedMicro Scale decals to add the wet noodle and make into 3 foot model for the CN/IC Dash 8-40CW. I could not justify the price of the atlas ready to run model. I had the Spectrum model so off came the LMS markings just like in the real world and CN was put in its place.
I had fun doing it and learned a few things.I only ripped one noodle. I am very pleased with it, now have to get some decal sealant and call it good. I am not ready yet to do the front number boards but I am very pleased. Will fill the void of my leasers.
Now the Leaser CEO is very happy the bigger leasing companies are coming for overhauls and repaints.
New units added to the fleet this month
AC 4400 CEFX 1049 Athearn( ready to run model)
Dash 8-40CW CN 2456 Bachmann Spectrum

I now understand the joy of detailing and making your own models

Stuart Warren
CEO
Canadian Locomotive Leasers
Go Big or GO Home