I wondered what caused the moderator exodus... I figured it couldn't have been coincidence!

Looking forward to the good community that was The Gauge being reincarnated here.

I'll even try to play nice.

Hopefully you folks can keep it alive without having to go the commercial route the other board went.

Cheers!

WOW!! My first ever first first post!!

Buy or trade - I have a Riva Lt Pacific & Riva IHB 0-8-0 loco (only) if you need parts.

I need a Riva BigBoy driverod, 2nd-3rd or 3rd-4th.

regards,

Well, it looks like I'm making the jump from the old forums!

This gives me the oppertunity to start with a fresh layout thread, since my old one was easily the most epically long and ancient thread within the first 2 pages of the HO section on zealot. It also lets me name it more accurately, considering I rarely have new pictures.

That said, I do have layout news!

Just today, I have taken on my second ever HO steam locomotive. I model Conrail, but a Pennsy J1 2-10-4 can never hurt.... I'll get pictures of the J1, and some extra old ones to fill the thread out soon!

Here is a Christmas-model train video that was posted on another site. Thought it was pretty cool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSFU0VZB2Nc

Has anyone read an Issue of On30 Annual by Carstens publishing? They have a lot cool projects and articles I have all 4 issues 2006-2009. 8-)

I wanted to let everyone know we have started a new Free-Mo group in the DC metro area. The group is dues free and we do not have a board or any real structure at this point. We are planing on building a free-mo layout and have something to take to train shows late 2009. We have started a Yahoo Group <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/capitolfree-mo/">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/capitolfree-mo/</a><!-- m --> to share with each other ideas and what we plan to build. Please join us if you would like or just join the layout at shows.
Dave

Back in September I chased the BNSF's Bayard Subdivision east out of Council Bluffs, Iowa. This is the former Milwaukee Road mainline to Chicago, now a branch operated by BNSF six days a week. It was featured in Model Railroader years ago as a "Railroad You Can Model" back in Burlington Northern days. The day I chased it the train had three locomotives, thirty-six cars, and a caboose. It operates six days a week as a turn going east and west on subsequent days with Saturday being the day off.

Recently I started a new layout, based on T-Trak standards. It is rather simple, yet meets my new criteria.
1) Can I enjoy seeing trains run. ( I won't be able to run long trains or operate, but I can enjoy seeing
them run after a long day of stairing at computer screens )
2) Will It fit in the space I have avalible. ( It is designed to fit on a closet shelf, out of reach of my young often too eager helpers)
3) Is it portable and will it allow for sharing of the hobby with others. ( yup sets up on a table in about 5 minutes and is easy to move.)
4) will it provide a challenge ( yup building beleivable scenes in a small space will be a fun new challenge.)

Anyway yesterday I finished the " Bench Work"



Over the next month or so I plan to enjoy building 8 "mini" scenes and sharing the proccess of building them with all of my friends here.

Most people on this board don't know me. I met ngauger through Geocaching. I assisted the Delaware Geocachers with getting their forum moved when someone could no longer take care of things. So I gave ngauger and ezdays a hand by getting a webserver set up to run a forum. I work in the IT field by day, so it wasn't a big deal for me to take on.

I think one of the moderators made a comment about why is path helping out so much when he isn't involved in model trains. Well, that isn't 100% true. I did have a train as a kid, but it is only seen at Christmas time now. It'll do a few laps around the tree. I never was as big into train modeling as some folks, but I use to take this thing outside and set it up different ways. It's a little hard when you only have enough track to make a circle or a slightly larger oval.

Anyhow, the train is up now and below are a few pics...

I just got all set up with pictures uploaded and a signature and a nice little avatar over at the other place. Don't fret, there will be a Waynesburg Southern thread started here soon. I built a helix this weekend. The tests on it went okay, not as well as I had hoped, but it will work. And I had to move it from its proposed location to one end of the layout. I will post pics when I get some taken. Thanks.

Craig