I have used the pencil eraser trick several times with Bachmann steam.  In fact,  I bought one of the all eraser pencils for the job.  Remember that it works just like Ogden Nash's catchup bottle.."...first a little/And then a lottle."
Gene

That's what I meant!  I think I  uploaded everthing - which means there are probably some non-railroad pictures mixed in. 
Gene

http://s453.photobucket.com/albums/qq258/GeneMoser/?start=0

This should get you to pictures of the Valley Sub-division of the Alleghany Division of the Virginia Tidewater and Piedmont Railroad. 
Gene

Just what the hobby needs - another HO Big Boy, this one by Marklin!  Is it brass?  But even another brass BB at $1000+ seems a bit much.  But it's Marklin - what can I say?  What was their price for a USRA light Mke? 
Gene

Bob,
I don't think so.  But a year's membership is not that expensive and has some great benefits if you are a C&O guy.  There is a fair amount of information on the society web site though. 
Gene

The thief who stole a half mile of East Broad Top track has been convicted.  Darrell Lee Denton was convicted of two charges and sentenced to 12 to 36 months for one and 9 to 12 months for the other and fined $44,000 for one charge and $10,475.22 for the other.  Apparently the rail was valued at $77,000.  Most of the rail was recovered, but had been cut up for easier transport, making it impossible to relay that section of track.  Anybody know where there is some 85 pound rail lying around? 
His lawyer has asked for a reduction in his sentence because he's a first time offender.  Of course there is the matter of the stolen car he was driving when arrested in Nebraska....
Gene

I'm not sure I exactly understand your question, so I have two. 
First, by "plastic track," do you mean track with metal rails and a plastic roadbed? 
Second, do both kinds of track physically mesh with one another?
If the answer to both is "yes," then you can use them together.   
Bachamnn has two types of track, the older variety with steel rails and a black roadbed and the newer with nickle-silver rails and a gray roadbed.  The problem with the steel is it gets dirty faster. 
I hope this helps.
Gene

For you C&O buffs with the Bachmann K-4 who are dissatisfied with the Nickle Plate pilot on it, Peach Creek Hobbies has a lost wax brass casting pilot that is correct for C&O.  It costs about $8.  I have not bought one yet.  Father's Day and anniversary are coming, after all....  I understand there is a bit of work to cut and file, but it is one piece so soldering parts is not an issue.  Word is that it works on the Proto 2000 as well.
Also the C&O Historical Society magazine currently has a two part article on correctly detailing the Bachmann K-4.
Gene

I'm not an epert, but I believe gg is correct - this is classic 1940-1950 "spaghetti bowl" planning.  Far too much track, so much it doesn't make sense.  While I think you want sidings, what you have are two stub end yards.  Get rid of half of the track.  Make it run.  Do some scenery.  Play with it and go from there.
Gene

Now, why did you go and put the thread back on the mainline?   
Gene

I've also communicated with him and I like what has happened.  He's almost a day trim from me.  Almost.
Gene

I did a bit of checking today.  Apparently some years ago a bridge went over, among other things, EBT track which had not been used since 1956.  One bridge pillar would be so close to the track that it would no longe be useable.  Local outcry was such that the bridge got redesigned and built. 
I think there is a lot of love of EBT in the area and passing the hat might bring in a lot of money.  You know about school kids saving the USS Constitution, right?
BTW, there is a high school off 522 between Mt. Union and Orbisonia. 
I guess I'm going to have to head north again this year! 
Gene

I think one was Hatfield Wrangling and the other was Mac Coy Wrangling and they each had an interest in Penelope Siding. 
Gene

We're still trying to get our vegtable garden in.  We plow - it rains.  Now we have to do another light plowing next week if the rain holds off long enough for the dirt to dry out. 
Mine won't float - though it does have a lot of wood..... The only plaster is from plaster cloth, other than a few plaster castings. 
Gene

Bob, I thought it was a high school - it's on 522 between Orbisonnia and Mount Union.  I've never been south to Robertsdale - I thought that was where the track ran through a back yard.  In any event, unless the EBT starts running during the week during the school year, it's not going to upset many students.  Maybe a September/October football game...
Does the EBT still own the land where the wye was? 
Gene