09-05-2026, 06:01 AM
Happy Labor Day weekend, gang.
Hazy and 74 with 97% humidity and that pretty much describes the weekend. Highs in the 90s are predicted so it will certainly be uncomfortable to be outdoors for extended periods. I will definitely need to get my outdoor work done early in the day.
I did my outdoor work yesterday and was done by 11:30 but it was miserable even then. I cleaned up about 100 lbs. of acorns and got the yard mowed. This morning I need to dispose of the acorns and clean up the grave sites for my wife and son. I'll wait on the laundry until after I finish those projects.
A couple of weeks ago I decided to tackle a problem with a Proto 2000 0-6-0 which lacked pulling power. I had purchased it a few ears ago and have run it intermittently to break it in. According to an MR review it should supposedly pull over 20 cars. I can't get it to pull 10 and if there's any kind of grade it will only pull about 2 or 3 cars. So I was thinking (scary thought) that it just needed lubrication. Pulled the bottom plate off and it appeared there was a light oil already there. Figuring there was more of the drive mechanism inside the boiler I pulled the wheels of of their slots. Nope. No further access from that direction. Tried for the last couple of weeks to get the wheels back in their respective slots. Tried all kinds of tricks and tools to get it done. Then about 10 last night I was walking through the kitchen and decided to try again. No tools, just my fingers. In 10 minutes I had the wheels correctly located and the cover plate back on. Decided close enough for last night. This afternoon I'll finish putting it back together and give it a test run.
Tom - very nice video. Those engines have some serious power to pull a train that long.
All stay safe.
Tom
Hazy and 74 with 97% humidity and that pretty much describes the weekend. Highs in the 90s are predicted so it will certainly be uncomfortable to be outdoors for extended periods. I will definitely need to get my outdoor work done early in the day.
I did my outdoor work yesterday and was done by 11:30 but it was miserable even then. I cleaned up about 100 lbs. of acorns and got the yard mowed. This morning I need to dispose of the acorns and clean up the grave sites for my wife and son. I'll wait on the laundry until after I finish those projects.
A couple of weeks ago I decided to tackle a problem with a Proto 2000 0-6-0 which lacked pulling power. I had purchased it a few ears ago and have run it intermittently to break it in. According to an MR review it should supposedly pull over 20 cars. I can't get it to pull 10 and if there's any kind of grade it will only pull about 2 or 3 cars. So I was thinking (scary thought) that it just needed lubrication. Pulled the bottom plate off and it appeared there was a light oil already there. Figuring there was more of the drive mechanism inside the boiler I pulled the wheels of of their slots. Nope. No further access from that direction. Tried for the last couple of weeks to get the wheels back in their respective slots. Tried all kinds of tricks and tools to get it done. Then about 10 last night I was walking through the kitchen and decided to try again. No tools, just my fingers. In 10 minutes I had the wheels correctly located and the cover plate back on. Decided close enough for last night. This afternoon I'll finish putting it back together and give it a test run.
Tom - very nice video. Those engines have some serious power to pull a train that long.
All stay safe.
Tom
Life is simple - Eat, Drink, Play with trains
Occupation: Professional Old Guy (The government pays me to be old.)
Dinosaur Rider
Occupation: Professional Old Guy (The government pays me to be old.)
Dinosaur Rider