RailPro User Group
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: G8B4Life on March 20, 2020, 11:01:35 AM
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We don't have a members lounge area so I'll just have to put this in general discussion.
It's rambling time...
How is everyone doing (genuine concern)? I hope your all coping well with whatever measures you are having to take to keep yourselves safe at this time. I am starting to go stir crazy.
I won't regale you with how things got this bad (if you read between the lines you should figure out what's happened) but I'm now stuck at home with nowhere to go, due to the exchange rate wasting my currency nothing to buy to do an RP project that I'd like to do because everything's too expensive now; and no money coming in to pay for anything anyway.
Any other project that I could do either requires parts (money I shouldn't spend since I'm not making any), is not stimulating, or is of any use to do so. I'm starting to not know what to do with myself.
I sincerely hope that your all doing well and that none of you find yourselves in the same situation that I'm now in due to that damn virus.
- Tim
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Alive and well, still working at the moment, but lots of stress with the constant changes from COVID-19.
Planning to hibernate this weekend as the need to shut off the brain is high. Maybe I'll do some RP installs (I have all the parts ready to go), maybe detail some locos.
Take it easy everyone.
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Hello, All. We are still alive and well if you disregard my roaring vertigo. At least my left ear now hears sounds I haven’t heard in 30 years.
I still have many different projects to work on, the parts are at hand so I shouldn’t have a problem with boredom.
I hope everyone weathers this storm well.
Take care.
Cecil
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... I'm starting to not know what to do with myself.
How is that statement even possible from a model railroad hobbyist? ;D
Michigan is semi-locked down. We have been to the grocery store once but otherwise not gone off the property in the past 10 days. When you think about it, not much different than any other day except I really miss ordering pizza. :'(
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Now that some of our club members have started to go back home for the summer it looks like the few of us will continue to be somewhat active as what else can we do? If they lock the gates on the school grounds where our club has our model train building then we will be doing home projects. Oh those honey do things just might get done this year. Yes dear.... TOF. in Yuma
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I was finally able to get a dash-9 up and running, with the head lights, ditch lights and number boards all wired separate, and a speaker and KA. That being said, in 2009 I took a week long pandemic virus course at the FEMA training facility (the week I was there, is when the swine flu began). My layout is a 2ft X 7ft, with a 3 ft extension on each end. All 6 of my freight cars are the food advertising box cars. So about a year ago, I was toying with a "pandemic" switch puzzle, emergency deliveries against a timer, sudden priority changes, if I had a passenger coach it would include delivery of aid workers and evacuation of passengers, ect... so I guess I will continue to work on that, and watch the Mandalorian and Witcher again.
Kevin
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Our illustrious governor just ordered all non-essential businesses to close and all non-essential workers to stay home. I stocked up on food earlier in the week. It's been either too cold or too wet to work outside so I've been splitting my time on the computer or running trains. It's been surreal. :o
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Hanging in there, self quarantine after spending 2 weeks in Florida. Picked up a DCC ready NW dash 9 that arrived in the mail today along with some scenery supplies. Should keep me busy-also continuing to work on the American Flyer winter project. Our club is suspending all meetings until further notice and our annual public show is cancelled. Take care everyone and run some trains
jim
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The governor of Washington decreed that dental offices close our doors to everything but emergency treatment only for the next 8 weeks. So essentially I'm not working. It'll be a long 2 months for me.
I have a ton of projects that I can get done though. Lots of freight cars that need weathering, a few cars to build, a few locomotives that need KA's installed as well. I will likely pick up another locomotive to build up, along with a LM-3S/PBM-2 combo. Why not? It's not like I don't have the time to do it.
-Kevin
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We are well here.
We are fortunate because we work from home so there are not many changes for us. I've been waiting to see what the border closure will mean for me as I cross the border several times per week for shipping. All indications are that I can still do my commercial crossings so, it's basically business as usual here. Which is good because as more people are told to stay home, more people want their decals sooner.
I wish you all well in these strange times!
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It's good to see everyone's well and doing ok.
How is that statement even possible from a model railroad hobbyist? ;D
A long time ago Alan I would have said the same thing, however these last several years with 99% of my stuff (models and tools) packed away because I can't just set them up and leave them out, and lacking parts to start projects my modelling too a huge dive. To compensate my hobby time stimulation changed to software development to solve RP's at the time woes with internet connectivity. With that fixed I've run out of software projects too, well, none that wouldn't get people upset at me like what happened with TR.
I guess there is a couple of things I could do, some modelling but I'll probably be disturbed by the other occupant here so I won't get to enjoy "me" time, and I could do some decal artwork, but I've now got no where to print it.
...So essentially I'm not working. It'll be a long 2 months for me.
I feel for you Kevin, I've already been there for that long already this year due to the previous bushfire crisis, and now these virus containment measures have just killed my entire industry. Zero work, Zero job. It'll be a long few months indeed.
- Tim
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Hello from Germany.
We have almost a complete shutdown here. :(
We have a ban on going out. You can only leave your home to buy groceries (not much left in the shops), visit a doctor or go to work, although many companies are closed. Working from home is sometimes still possible, including me. But only a few hours a day. Because there is nothing left to do. So there will be less money the next few weeks and months.
It doesn't look really good and I hope it won't be as bad for us as it is in italy or china.
We have enough food for such emergencies for a long time. Since the completely wrong going "German Energiewende" everyone has been waiting for the big electricity blackout almost every day. ok, not everyone, many obviously do not understand where the electricity comes from ::)
But I would never have thought that the country would be paralyzed by a virus.
So I have a lot of time for the family … and of course on the layout is mutch left to do :D
and my reef aquarium gets a big service, lately done only the necessary things.
I won't get bored 8)
Stay healthy.
Marco
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It sounds like the challenges are numerous. Glad to see everyone is in good spirits, both domestic and abroad, and at least having some hobby work that needs to be done.
I've been flying mostly empty airplanes around the country. (Kpack, I was up your way recently. SeaTac was deserted). 99% of our international has been shuttered. Airplanes, those that aren't parked, are 20% full. Airports are empty. Vegas is a ghost town. And my airline is parking 75% of the fleet for May. I've already spent 4.5 year out of the last 10 on furlough and being in the top 39% of my company now I'm still not protected. I truly feel for the small business owners who don't have the capital reserves of the Fortune 500 and are stressing over the next few months.
We have plenty of staples, lots of ammo, and several vets in the neighborhood. I also have more passenger cars to build than I probably have years remaining. We didn't freeze hard enough in North Texas this winter and the weeds are spreading faster than COVID so that's my imminent threat assuming I don't contract the bat virus before I get home.
Stay safe and I hope to 'see' everyone here on the backside of this.
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It sounds like the challenges are numerous. Glad to see everyone is in good spirits, both domestic and abroad, and at least having some hobby work that needs to be done.
I've been flying mostly empty airplanes around the country. (Kpack, I was up your way recently. SeaTac was deserted). 99% of our international has been shuttered. Airplanes, those that aren't parked, are 20% full. Airports are empty. Vegas is a ghost town. And my airline is parking 75% of the fleet for May. I've already spent 4.5 year out of the last 10 on furlough and being in the top 39% of my company now I'm still not protected. I truly feel for the small business owners who don't have the capital reserves of the Fortune 500 and are stressing over the next few months.
We have plenty of staples, lots of ammo, and several vets in the neighborhood. I also have more passenger cars to build than I probably have years remaining. We didn't freeze hard enough in North Texas this winter and the weeds are spreading faster than COVID so that's my imminent threat assuming I don't contract the bat virus before I get home.
Stay safe and I hope to 'see' everyone here on the backside of this.
An aviation fan, I just finished Wide Body: The Triumph of the 747, the story of Boeing's post-war development of jet technology. Bill Allen (and Juan Trippe of Pan Am) bet the company on the triumphant vision of the jumbo jet, wonder what he'd say about Boeing's current mess.
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It sounds like the challenges are numerous. Glad to see everyone is in good spirits, both domestic and abroad, and at least having some hobby work that needs to be done.
I've been flying mostly empty airplanes around the country. (Kpack, I was up your way recently. SeaTac was deserted). 99% of our international has been shuttered. Airplanes, those that aren't parked, are 20% full. Airports are empty. Vegas is a ghost town. And my airline is parking 75% of the fleet for May. I've already spent 4.5 year out of the last 10 on furlough and being in the top 39% of my company now I'm still not protected. I truly feel for the small business owners who don't have the capital reserves of the Fortune 500 and are stressing over the next few months.
We have plenty of staples, lots of ammo, and several vets in the neighborhood. I also have more passenger cars to build than I probably have years remaining. We didn't freeze hard enough in North Texas this winter and the weeds are spreading faster than COVID so that's my imminent threat assuming I don't contract the bat virus before I get home.
Stay safe and I hope to 'see' everyone here on the backside of this.
An aviation fan, I just finished Wide Body: The Triumph of the 747, the story of Boeing's post-war development of jet technology. Bill Allen (and Juan Trippe of Pan Am) bet the company on the triumphant vision of the jumbo jet, wonder what he'd say about Boeing's current mess.
Boeing used to build some wonderful machines. The last of which was the 777 in my opinion. Their merger with McDonnell Douglas was the beginning of their end. They replaced engineers with accountants and it shows.
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Seems to happen to a lot of companies. The company I just retired from is unrecognizable from when I hired in 30 years ago. Not in a good way.
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Seems to happen to a lot of companies. The company I just retired from is unrecognizable from when I hired in 30 years ago. Not in a good way.
Nothing ever stays the same, and the above could be said for the Class 1 railroads.
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Nothing ever stays the same, and the above could be said for the Class 1 railroads.
Change is constant to be sure. Who it benefits and at who's expense varies greatly. It is concerning to me where the win/loss is trending. Inequality extremes are a recipe for disaster. They don't MU together well. ;D
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Greetings from Western N.Y. I live in Niagara County and by Morning we will have over a Hundred Cases I suspect,but we are healthy and doing fine spending a lot of time in the Basement cleaning out and rearranging Running all the Locomotives DC DCC and Rail Pro.
Crzytrnbuf
Everyone stay Healthy I am on Facebook, Dennis Michael Patrick McLaughlin I also admin 5 HO Groups if any one is interested friend me.
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Doing OK so far having done the shelter in place for three weeks now in northern California. My employer is still listed as an essential business, but as of today the plant is very slow/not very busy and had a volunteer layoff for the hourly. I've been working from home, setup a desk in the garage and really love the model train distraction too. Really though working in the garage separates me from the house enough so my wife and son can focus on school and it's like I "left for work". I thankfully had a little forethought to stop by Hobby Lobby and stock up on airbrush thinner, Turpenoid and some other supplies to keep busy with. I haven't done anything with RP in a few months until in the last week as my son and I have done a little switching with my 6 year old son, he easily figures out the RP controller and loves to control the locomotive, though he hasn't quite figured out how the load feature will cause the loco to take a long time to move and stop.
What have I been working on? Scenery, for the last month on my Ann Pere Free-mo module.
https://danrisdon.smugmug.com/Trains/Free-mo-and-Models/Free-mo-Ann-Pere-Junction-Module
This week I started working on building some flatcar and gondola loads. Several months ago I cut some steel and aluminum material at work into HO scale width/length steel plates to build flatcar loads. I built several and then realized other modelers may be interested in these as well and then I went a little crazy and built several steel plate loads and branched into I-beams and now pipe. I have them for sale and my current "inventory" can be seen here:
https://danrisdon.smugmug.com/For-Sale Pricing and direct contact are listed there too (not meaning this to be a "for sale posting")
Another batch of pipe was painted tonight, and I have some I-beam material on order from Ebay, so there will be some more loads coming soon.
I've been meaning to get back to working on several (9) locomotives which are at the stage of needing Railpro installed, LED headlights, SMD LED ditchlights and I'm hoping to do this soon as soon as a some parts arrive from PDC and then they can be completed by weathering.
Dan Risdon
Roseville, CA
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Greetings from north central Ohio. We are well and spending time working on benchwork, wiring existing trackwork, painting benchwork and preparing to install led lights in two locomotives. We will begin laying new roadbed/track next week after the paint has cured, then more wiring etc.
Had to cancel all my medical appointments locally and with my hearing doctors in Columbus due to the coronavirus threat there. Hometown seems to be virus-free at this time but not certain.
Bored? How on God’s green earth can anyone be bored? I haven’t even mentioned working on my RC aircraft!
Seriously, stay home and stay safe. It also allows you workforce aged folks a taste of retirement.
Best wishes for all,
Cecil
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What have I been working on? Scenery, for the last month on my Ann Pere Free-mo module.
https://danrisdon.smugmug.com/Trains/Free-mo-and-Models/Free-mo-Ann-Pere-Junction-Module
Epoxy and cab-o-sil... awesome combination. In my younger days I used the same to repair fiberglass and SMC hoods on semis. The shop I worked at also had shredded flax fiber as an epoxy filler. Wow wee did that ever make a strong combination. It thickened like cab-o-sil but resulted in a vastly stronger material. We used to joke, next time this truck is in an accident our epoxy/flax repaired area will survive unscathed.
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Greetings from Western N.Y. I live in Niagara County and by Morning we will have over a Hundred Cases I suspect,but we are healthy and doing fine spending a lot of time in the Basement cleaning out and rearranging Running all the Locomotives DC DCC and Rail Pro.
Crzytrnbuf
Everyone stay Healthy I am on Facebook, Dennis Michael Patrick McLaughlin I also admin 5 HO Groups if any one is interested friend me.
Welcome Dennis! I sent you a request.
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Doing OK so far having done the shelter in place for three weeks now in northern California. My employer is still listed as an essential business, but as of today the plant is very slow/not very busy and had a volunteer layoff for the hourly. I've been working from home, setup a desk in the garage and really love the model train distraction too. Really though working in the garage separates me from the house enough so my wife and son can focus on school and it's like I "left for work". I thankfully had a little forethought to stop by Hobby Lobby and stock up on airbrush thinner, Turpenoid and some other supplies to keep busy with. I haven't done anything with RP in a few months until in the last week as my son and I have done a little switching with my 6 year old son, he easily figures out the RP controller and loves to control the locomotive, though he hasn't quite figured out how the load feature will cause the loco to take a long time to move and stop.
What have I been working on? Scenery, for the last month on my Ann Pere Free-mo module.
https://danrisdon.smugmug.com/Trains/Free-mo-and-Models/Free-mo-Ann-Pere-Junction-Module
This week I started working on building some flatcar and gondola loads. Several months ago I cut some steel and aluminum material at work into HO scale width/length steel plates to build flatcar loads. I built several and then realized other modelers may be interested in these as well and then I went a little crazy and built several steel plate loads and branched into I-beams and now pipe. I have them for sale and my current "inventory" can be seen here:
https://danrisdon.smugmug.com/For-Sale Pricing and direct contact are listed there too (not meaning this to be a "for sale posting")
Another batch of pipe was painted tonight, and I have some I-beam material on order from Ebay, so there will be some more loads coming soon.
I've been meaning to get back to working on several (9) locomotives which are at the stage of needing Railpro installed, LED headlights, SMD LED ditchlights and I'm hoping to do this soon as soon as a some parts arrive from PDC and then they can be completed by weathering.
Dan Risdon
Roseville, CA
Looking good Dan!
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Greetings from north central Ohio. We are well and spending time working on benchwork, wiring existing trackwork, painting benchwork and preparing to install led lights in two locomotives. We will begin laying new roadbed/track next week after the paint has cured, then more wiring etc.
Had to cancel all my medical appointments locally and with my hearing doctors in Columbus due to the coronavirus threat there. Hometown seems to be virus-free at this time but not certain.
Bored? How on God’s green earth can anyone be bored? I haven’t even mentioned working on my RC aircraft!
Seriously, stay home and stay safe. It also allows you workforce aged folks a taste of retirement.
Best wishes for all,
Cecil
Cecil:
Are you near downtown? We stay on the south side, or at least we used to, on our layovers in CMH. Some trains and City BBQ may be in order if you're close.
Jacob
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Jacob,
I live north of Columbus, Ohio, in a small city called Mansfield, about 70 from the Columbus airport.
I have gone to Columbus every two or three weeks since my Cochlear implant was done on 22 Nov 2019. Mansfield is just off I-71 about half way to Cleveland. Easy access on and off. Very convenient.
My layout is small and still under construction. Give me another year and it will be operational and you will be welcome to come by, if your layover allows.
It will be a small switching layout with no continuous running, strictly out and back. It will be more or less flat with some grade changes in places and only about ninety feet long. I am undecided about a turntable but will need a way to turn any steam engines that could pop up.
As I get closer to operational I will PM you with directions. Being retired, I am home most of the time, except in the summer when I fly my RC airplanes.
Every one is welcome to drop by, send me a PM and I will give you a phone number.
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Jacob,
I live north of Columbus, Ohio, in a small city called Mansfield, about 70 from the Columbus airport.
I have gone to Columbus every two or three weeks since my Cochlear implant was done on 22 Nov 2019. Mansfield is just off I-71 about half way to Cleveland. Easy access on and off. Very convenient.
My layout is small and still under construction. Give me another year and it will be operational and you will be welcome to come by, if your layover allows.
It will be a small switching layout with no continuous running, strictly out and back. It will be more or less flat with some grade changes in places and only about ninety feet long. I am undecided about a turntable but will need a way to turn any steam engines that could pop up.
As I get closer to operational I will PM you with directions. Being retired, I am home most of the time, except in the summer when I fly my RC airplanes.
Every one is welcome to drop by, send me a PM and I will give you a phone number.
Cecil:
Sounds great! Assuming my airline survives this pandemic I'll look forward to it.
I have a similar issue with my Dallas Union Terminal module set. Several trains terminated at DUT and needed to be turned. There was a turn table at the coach yard which was 2-3 miles south and no very convenient. The terminal built a wye over the Trinity river for the sole purpose of turning power (even later diesel A-B sets) and cars that were directional.
Every RC sim I've tried I always crash the thing. It's difficult to fly from the ground. I applaud those that can!
Jacob
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My last civilian job was with a manufacturer thirty miles southwest of Little Rock, AR, and I flew at the field along I-40. We would periodically get a C-130 Pilot from LRAFB who brought his shiny new P-51 Mustang and asked if we would teach him to fly RC. What he actually meant was to watch him crash, he just didn’t know it.
One of our Instructor Pilots would pull out the club trainer plane and tell him he was welcome to fly with an instructor and they invariably blurted out “I fly the big ones, I don’t need an instructor!” We would then tell him the several of the members were full size pilots, many retired USAF and USN pilots. He would relent and agree to the buddy box system and away they went. The instructor made the take off, turned out of traffic, leveled the wings and said “She’s yours” and they plane immediately nose dived. The instructor would take over and the pilot wannabe would invariably say that it was harder to learn to fly RC than the big ones. One receives different signals concerning the aircraft attitude.
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The instructor would take over and the pilot wannabe would invariably say that it was harder to learn to fly RC than the big ones. One receives different signals concerning the aircraft attitude.
I don't disagree with that at all. My kids can fly the wings off the sim at Hobby Town. I do as you stated above; Kamikaze straight into the dirt.
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I've been working on loads for two weeks and ready for a break. Yesterday I did a load of I-beams and today completed a load of steel tubes. Tonight cleared off the styrene materials, wood 2x4 and 4x4s and pulled out a couple locos to complete electronic installs.
Epoxy with, cabosil, and cat hair or chopped fiberglass do indeed make very strong joints. Composites are one of the few completely repairable materials to use, if it cracks you just add a little wet layup. All fixed. End up with a strong structure, strength of plywood and weight of styrofoam.
Dan Risdon
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Hello All,
I’m glad to read so many in good spirits and relatively sane. Boredom is no joke.
I’m currently stuck deployed with no return date insight. I was able to order my first pack of sergent couplers and the tracking says they can be picked up, however the post office on this base is closed until Monday. We happened to have a 96 (rare these days) for Easter, so I’m stuck in the barracks with nothing to do.
We are locked down except for work, and chow. They even closed the gym! Unheard of on a Marine base.
We are working every other day in a six day work week, to limit the amount of people in our shop at one time.
While i have always wanted to not have to work, I also thought I’d be able to go do something with the free time I’d had.
Now i have the free time and not allowed to do anything with it.
I can’t express enough how much i support everyone still going to work and trying to keep the country from completely flat lining, and i feel for those that are having financial issues due to being forced to not work.
God bless, stay safe, don’t lose hope.
-Glenn
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Hello All,
I’m glad to read so many in good spirits and relatively sane. Boredom is no joke.
I’m currently stuck deployed with no return date insight. I was able to order my first pack of sergent couplers and the tracking says they can be picked up, however the post office on this base is closed until Monday. We happened to have a 96 (rare these days) for Easter, so I’m stuck in the barracks with nothing to do.
We are locked down except for work, and chow. They even closed the gym! Unheard of on a Marine base.
We are working every other day in a six day work week, to limit the amount of people in our shop at one time.
While i have always wanted to not have to work, I also thought I’d be able to go do something with the free time I’d had.
Now i have the free time and not allowed to do anything with it.
I can’t express enough how much i support everyone still going to work and trying to keep the country from completely flat lining, and i feel for those that are having financial issues due to being forced to not work.
God bless, stay safe, don’t lose hope.
-Glenn
Semper Fi Marine and get home ASAP.
Welcome to Sergents!
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I finally have a date to come home! This is exciting, I finally get to hold my wife and daughter again. It’s been a long 8 months of a 6 month deployment.
Ahh, who am i kidding, i will get to open several engines and rolling stock items that i bought while deployed. Lol my wife showed my the mountain of boxes that have shown up to our apartment. Haha
I can’t believe everything that’s happening in the US, and all of the world... from the virus pandemic to the protesting a civil rights movement... It’s all incredible and being sequestered to a military base during it all, I’m sure I’m in for a shock when we return home. Many things are changing, several for the better, I’m sure.
Stay safe, and keep modeling.
Cheers,
-Glenn M.
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It's good to get home, Glenn. Been there, done that. Your new toys await. Stay safe, and get a mask. ;)
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Great to hear, Glenn. I made a few of those while serving in the Army but ours were for at least a year. My kids grew up while I was traipsing around the world.
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Great to hear, Glenn. I made a few of those while serving in the Army but ours were for at least a year. My kids grew up while I was traipsing around the world.
Yeah, I can’t imagine that and thank you for your service. Luckily my MOS has me at air fields. And currently not needed in any war zones, so the rotations are not long, usually.
My wife also bought me my first RailPro locomotive module, computer interface module, and a power backup! I was not expecting that! this is awesome! I think i am going to install them in my new to me Union Pacific 1996 heritage unit, along with a par of sergent couplers and eventually some manga-lock brake lines and MU cables... I think that’ll look real enough. Lol
It's good to get home, Glenn. Been there, done that. Your new toys await. Stay safe, and get a mask. ;)
This whole masa’s everywhere thing is wild annoying, and definitely gives people a false sense of security. Lol
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The mask certainly is annoying, but I believe it is the first line of protection beyond staying home. Even more so than social distancing.
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The mask certainly is annoying, but I believe it is the first line of protection beyond staying home. Even more so than social distancing.
Yeah, I agree it helps, I just think people think it does more than it actually does.
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Op sessions re-starting in my area (NYC burbs) in July. I'll pass on being in a basement with 10 other people or more at that time.