Thanks Bob,

I will check out Bowsers offerings.

Stephen

Thankyou, Mr Bachmann for you taking the time to answer my question. Ihave never believed in one word questions or answers.

Could the post counter be added to our profile pages for the people that use it for real reasons? So only that member can see how many posts that have been made? and not public so all the air heads wont get a big head.

Thankyou again,

Stephen

Hi Jack,

My Camera is a old Kodak DC 3400 digital 2.0 megapixel.

One the Big Hook yes its a 250 ton crane built in 1925 I believe for the GM&O for years it was the wrecker in Jackson, MS then moved South to McComb for the equipment display there, under condition if the IC or CN ever needed it all they had to do was relay a switch and come pick itup. It was last used in 2005 in Louisiana  on the Lake Pontchartrain spillway Bridge after Hurricane Katrina roared through. IC had a second big hook in Jackson that was sold toa scrapyard but it ran so good it never was scrapped but used to load and unload the cars of scrap.

Stephen

Sorry, didn't mean to sound like an arse,but I get asked that alot. Steve don't you have a real life ect.... And sorry it just hit me the wrong way at the wrong time.

Stephen

i Harold,

I once had a life, then it got snuffed out working on a Railroad bridge that collasped and took half my right foot in 2003, anda 6 month recovery time in the hospital, Since then well my life is living month by month on SSI cant get disability even tho I cant work no more and won't go into details not fitting for a model Railroad board.

Since Diabetes has screwed up my sense of balance in whats left of my feet killed the nerves in my hands to the point i have to pay someone to custom decal cars for me my life is on the computer in a comfy chair while all the real healthy 31 year olds I soon will be 32 have real lives. Like my two friends that now work for IC and complain about having to runSD 70's all day...

Pardon any typos sometimes my fingers have trouble on the keyboard those nerves are dead as well.

The life less poster

Stephen

I have noticed over the last few days thatour post numbers are stuck as I was browsing my stats page on my profile. Is this some kinda error or what? I kinda like to use and see them so I know how active I am on various boards.

Thanks

Stephen

Here's the latest complete IC project  for my non prototypical IC line a prototypical IC wood Caboose for the Mississippi Division in case anyone missed it on the other link.Those Tichy trucks are picky until I added intermountain Metal wheels I might have to send in my plain Jane caboose to my friend Robert to decal and repaint for me.

 

He's the  one that did the custom paint and lettering on this one for me.



Theplain red one in the photo the other wood cab is a old MDC kit

Stephen

Well guys it was a success I used a new Kadee #148 coupler it was a tight fit to get it to go in the slot but once in there it lined up perfect thank goodness the little black friction pin was a bugger to get out and once it popped free it flew to never never land but with the snug fitof the #148 you cant tell its missing and yes I tested it out it will pull 20 fairly heavy Atlas and Walthers loaded pulpwood cars fine and double head with my Spec 2-8-0 Now to find a replacement bell that looks decent.

Stephen

Hi Lanny,

Its about 90' feet long single track with a 4 track yard and Gulf Yard for interchange with my friends GM&O line out of Memphis when he comes down. All track is handlaid code 250 rail even the switches are scratchbuilt. If I would quit spending so much money in HO I could add to the G scale but finding IC or ICG equipment in LS is almost impossible.

But recently I did trade a Athearn SD70 for a ICG GP10 in 1:29th scale custom built and painted.

the G is on hold right now as we decide about trying to buy this land or some down the road to build a new house without steps in it because of my feet and one sense of balance anymore from foot surgery back in 2003 on a Friday the 13th of all days LOL. Its been a little over 3 years now so I can laugh about it and move on.

A friend gave me the best pick me up in awhile a story about this model builder in the Northeast he can build almost anything in HO scale and paint it to almost be perfect he has one handicap he has been totally blind since birth. Now I know a little nerve damage and eye sight problems might drive me nuts with 70 dollars worth of Champ decals in HO to play around with but I have no reason to give up on my hobbies I just need to pick a darned era I run everything from steam to modern diesels if I picked one era I could save some money LOL.

See here's an example of my problem in both HO and G 



A good friend of mine once commented you walk into Steve's world you almost expect to see Rod Sterling and hear the Twilight Zone theme lo.

l

I can almost hear the Engineer on the Green Diamond GP9 ask where in same hell did this beast come from lol.



Mississippi Div IC hack with proper caboose trucks.

Stephen

Hi Lanny,

I will do my best next Sunday if body and weather are with me. I just got in some proper ICRR caboose trucks for two AMB wood cabooses I built awhile back one has been fully decaled and built the other is in just a simple plain jane red to simulate a Y&MV caboose once I get the proper decals done.

Been busy building 12 MDC 3 bay offset hoppers for the IC in the black Main Line of Mid America scheme from the 1950s and 60's.



I might not have proper steam but darn it I got the rear end covered lol.

Yeah Locomotive paint is not cheap. Two gallons of ICRR black $1,600 dollars in 1998 when we had to touch up a GP38 after a little mishap on the short line. Thankfully on the Mountain the ICRR donated most of it when they repainted the old girl but ICRR no longer had any graphite in their paint locker. Plenty of black plenty of white but no Graphite in 1999 or so.

I am currently working on two Walthers IC 50 Sieco Woodracks in the modern scheme down south we gottahave wood racks on the locals lol and Boxcars full of cotton.



Well I guess it is time for a new paint job and new lettering, might wait until my friend Rob pays aa visit to bring my GM&O Gp38s back.

Stephen

Ugh! I should just keep quiet after seeing all the great work above. I have been adding correct trucks  to wooden AMB wood cabeese for the ICRR and building 12 old MDC 3bay off set hoppers with the 1960s black IC scheme of Main Line of Mid-America on the sides. Sorry no current pics of those.

In Large scale a derrick car based on the Y&MV prototype and some custom Y&MV hoppers.







Stephen

  Well based on Lannys good words I just ordered one off of Evil bay so I will see how well it works, got to be better than the old IHC track cleaning caboose that the track cleaning solution softened the paint on the car. It will soon be scrapped.

Stephen

Hi Ray and Lanny,

Thanks so much on the info on the 2-6-0 it figures locomotive I pay 15.00 for is closer than one I paid $300 for I guess Mr. Murphy is in town lol.

I did some close to home question asking concerning the 4-8-2 and her current state of mis dress. White lettering is correct for a very few and I do mean few Steam rebuilds at the end of Steam 1959. When IC ran out of the proper color aluminum paint and never did order more of the McComb shops.

Also I asked about the cistern cars in use on the IC during Steam he (former ICRR engineer) told me the McComb shops built two for a set of IC heavy Mountains like the one in the photo at McComb both of these were assigned to the two locomotives between New Orleans and Jackson and both carried the same number as the locomotive did. these were experiments when running IC's Banana and Strawberry dispatch freights to keep them from having to stop for water so much.  Both were scrapped in 1960 one was used for a sand car at McComb and was wrecked when a runaway diesel hit it the other was returned to a normal IC tender.  One of these runs almost cost him his life in 1955 when another train stopped in front of his Hot Shot and he rear ended a Centralia caboose. The locomotive I forgot the number wrecked and landed in a deep ditch he was trapped in the cab for over 6 hours, thankfully for him none of the steam pipes burst but all limbs were broken his right leg in 15 places. His last time in a locomotive cab came after retirement in 1966 when they moved the Mountain to the park where she sat for years. they moved her the reefer and caboose under her own power. ICRR 2542 was completely overhauled in 1966 before being given to the city.

Now Lanny on the silver paint. Yes it is the wrong color but they didn't have $3,000 dollars to buy the proper fire proof Graphite gray it cost $500 a gallon in 1959 made by Dupont It took 6 coats ot cover the firebox in Graphite gray! the side rods are covered in a special weather proofing to keep them from rusting and it only comes in one color. The display manger said they are hoping one day to return her to steam since #2500 in Illinois is not complete in her piping and was not overhauled before going on display.

I will attempt to get more detailed shots next Sunday if my body lets me. And yes gas is a minor problem $2.85 a gallon down here for reg and my Dodge ram 1500 quad cab sure does love it lol but I love the ride it gives me just as much and wouldn't trade it in on nothing else.

Top side photos I can get from one side only and that is from a hill right beside the tracks and station  I am not able to do any climbing I am missing half my right foot from a bridge accident on a short line in 2003 so the cane in the photos is a must for me and not a fashion statement lol.



Thanks guys for all the help ya'll have given me and the encouragement to continue on and not have a big Ebay fireside sale on 400 plus HO items mostly IC or ICG and 100+ in G . Pardon any typos ithas been a long long day.

Stephen



Heres a live one, I call it the future meets the past, a father and son watching a 1920s SP 2-8-2 steam into Vicksburg , MS in 2003, when I get down and depressed I load these shots I know our hobby is safe I saw it in the little boy's eyes and him asking "Daddy when we get home can I play with Thomas?""

Oh and for all the steamboat lovers like me"steam Saluting Steam"



SP #745 salutes the Mighty Mississippi Queen in 2003, can we say I had a personal moment of wiping tears from my eyes from a 28 year old. One old timer just smiled and looked atme "Yes Son it brings back memories for me too I haven't seen this in Mississippi in over 60 years.

once more guys enjoy. Oh Lanny my Birthday is May 15th I wll accept a modified 4-8-2 in exchange for all these photos 

Thanks guys for the comments and recamendations.

Stephen

  yup, don't mess with papa's pride and joy. The locomotive and tender were completely overhauled 2 days before she was put on display at first in a park then finally by the passenger station. How many GP38's does it take to move a Mountain? Two if you dont yank out the drawbar on the second unit.LOL

Some locals are trying to talk the IC/CN into putting her back into running condition. Now that would be sweet!

you dont realize howbig she is until you stand in front of it LOL! She was converted from a 2-10-2.



I plan to head back down that way and get some more detailed shots of her and the Big Hook that is on loan to the city.



Stephen