I'll put my 2 cents in. I originally set up the Large scale on the back patio for Memorial Day, it has remained there and since we plan to have the backof the house redone I asked the builder to accomodate the train tracks into the garden!!!!!
I never intended to get into this but we have had a lot of fun outdoors and friends of ours who come over like hanging in the backyard where I have the trains.

The Hopper cars hold a bottle of beer nicely or a bottle of Scotch. After Labor Day I may take it down. This is a great hobby!!!

I like the LED idea as I find the WBB lights on the F-3's F-7's and steamers too dim.

I will put this on the backburner for now as a Fall project when the kids are back in school!!!

Quote from: J3a-614 on August 02, 2013, 02:45:09 AM
This coal-burning business reminds me of a story from the Cass Scenic Railroad in West Virginia. . .

For years, this railroad (which is part of the state park system here) ran "cinder cars."  These were, like all the other equipment on this road, former logging flats converted to passenger service.  These were open cars with only handrails and benches, no sides or roof.  I remember one being coupled next to the locomotive on the way up the hill.  Great place for sound, but there was a reason they were called "cinder cars!"

For a while the road quit using them, due to some complaints they got from passengers about those oily cinders and claims for ruined clothes.  One lady was upset and buttonholed the park superintendent there, exclaiming to him, "You've ruined my clothes!  You've ruined my clothes!  Your brochure says you run a steam train!  It does not say you run a coal train!" 

Gee whiz, where did she think they got the steam?  A laundry?


It's sad but its comments like the woman's above that make you realize how bad things are getting with the dumbing down of people in this country or lack of common sense

If you can post pictures of how its done that would be awesome!!!!!

Breathtaking!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I always get inspired to keep trying and just keep it fun.

Thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the info everyone!!!!

Narrow is correct.

I have had LGB track for years which was around the Christmas Tree from Thanksgiving till about end of January don't worry we have a fake tree!!!

And the plastic starts breaking down. When I switched to Bachmann TRack for the Indoors and brought the LGB outside, it accelerated the process of plastic breakdown. for the last 3 years we have had "Intensely" hot Summers plus very violent rain storms. So I started covering the track with a tarp. This really has helped. But at the end of the Summer I plan to replace the plastic ties.

Just saw on another thread the RS-3's .

Seaboard and Rock Island look really good!!!!!!!!!!! 
I also saw a Large Scale Peter Will "CHICAGO" version that is going to look really good around the Christmas tree and when I run some of the LARGE scales outside!!!!!!

Besides Seaboard which other line names are they offering???

When I took out my Dad's trains which had been sitting in storage for years, yes I admit I used steel wool to clean the tubular track, as was mentioned above there is nothing on the planet that will do a better job.

Once I got most of the corrosion and residue off I switched to Scotch Brite pads and Goo-Gone and the track has a nice "Petina" look. The main lines of our layout are Fas-Track but becuz there's is sentimental value in that old track we incorporated it into a small loop in the center of the lay-out and ran a bumper car line through the center of town.

Johnson Bar not only do we still have a "Drive In" but the owner put up a new screen last Summer!!!!!!!

People get there early tail gate dinner or snacks. Kids get into their P.J.'s

put up some mosquito netting, air-mattresses go up on the roofs of the SUV's and we all have a great time. It does get crowded sometimes!!!!!!

Thanks everyone for the heads up on the film can't wait to see it on the "BIG" screen!!!

Instead of steel wool use "SCOTCH BRITE" pads they are very effective and leave no pieces behind.

When I am in a hurry to do some basic cleaning, I put a little "GOO-GONE" on the Scotch Pad and follow up with an old rag.

I get a lot of carbon off the rails and the trains run really well!!!!!

I always take what the film critics say with more than a few grains of salt.

It's just that Michael Medved is usually pretty fair and I  was disappointed in his review yesterday.

I had already read what folks said about the film before yesterday and I respect the info folks share on the forum.

Like I said I plan to still see it . In fact last night the kids were asking about it and I told them we can see it at the drive in when it comes to town!!!

Thanks again for all the input everybody!!!

Was heading home from work early just a few minutes ago and just happened to put on the Michael Medved radio show.

He was commenting to a caller what a bad movie The Lone Ranger was and Johnny Depp was trying to make Tonto into a       

"Captain Jack" like character as in The Pirates of the Caribbean". My kids were listening and said they still want to see it. From what I have read on this Forum I will still see it with the kids for the "Train" scenes and entertainment.

It is supposed to come to our "Drive In" here in town that would be fun!!!!!

Dear Don

Sorry for the long delay.

As I mentioned in another thread one of my sons is on a ALL-Star Baseball Team and they have been playing 3-4 times a week since 4th of July and we are doing a lot of traveling. Even more now that they won the local Division and we are headed toward the Regionals.

One of my brothers is an Anthropologist Archaeologist on North American Indian Tribes with focus on the Midwest and Northern Plains. I will run the Tonto "look" by him and see what he says. I guess I loved the old Lone Ranger Series and can't grasp a new look for Tonto. As a little kid my Dad took us all to see the actors when they came to Chicago and I never forgot what an impression they made and how nice they were to all us kids.

Thanks for the info. I'll probably have to wait for the film to hit Family Video before we all get a chance to see it.