The Home Machinist!

Just purchased a 12 volt horn on Ebay...includes horn, mount and compressor. Something like $17. Before the purchase, inquired about the pitch. Not the volume...the horn was advertised at 150 dB. The response was 105 to 110Hz. Haven't seen anything lower advertised on-line. As BDD eluded to, 1st gen...

Greg...so sorry to hear the news of Cal's passing. Thank you for capturing Cal's "life and times" in your post. There was no doubt, Cal was a true gentlemen. Willing to take the time to share his knowledge and experience with anyone in need of information in many subject areas. His background spanne...

If you go back in the Disc. Live Steam archives...believe it was Issues 29 & 30 that was a 2 part series on "assembling" turnouts. Nothing was really mentioned about the turnout design per se. The use of jigs, fixtures and gauges will go a long way towards repeatability in your turnout construction....

Still haven't gotten an answer to your question? Typical real life tie dimensions: 7" D x 8" W x 8.5' L. Depending on the RR, tie dimensions might vary from what was considered the "standard tie dimension". Depth and width were pretty much dictated by what the mechanical tampers could handle. I will...

So...has the Milk of Magnesia discussion run its course and reached the end? Shall we now look at some of the home shop machining virtues of: Immodium AD and Pepto Bismol next? Just havin' some fun here!!! Carl B.

Tim...you might check Railroad Supply Corp. Don't know if they still make these. Your other choice, would be Precision Steel Car. PSC has a larger variety of grab iron styles and lengths, but the material is "aircraft aluminum". Personally, I would opt for steel...but have to admit, when the alum gr...

Dianne...
Have seen some locomotives with cotton string or shoe lace wrapped steam lines. Looks somewhat realistic. Can paint either material if you want something other than cotton white...or something other than designer colors/patterns. Carl B.

Interesting write up. Sorry to read loco operating performance is suffering...at least the little tea kettle steams well. Maybe, too well. You listed various types of correction action as follows... 1. Raise the exhaust nozzle up into the stack. 2. Put a variable damper in the smoke box. 3. Put vari...

Greg...can't tell what kind of coupler you're using: straight shank or sprung shank. If the later, can always choke up on the coupler pin location. maybe drill thru NEAR the end of the square tube and locate the coupler pin between your two vertical end braces. Another option...depending on the size...

...if you guys didn't have this kind of goal on the horizon...nothing would get accomplished!

Just make sure the paint is dry by the time you unload at TM! Safe Travels!

...and don't forget to have fun! Carl B.

RK... ...was going to say...for safety reasons, behind the steps. Finding that 1st (or last) step in the dark can be a challenge. On covered wagon type locos (E's and F's), where the step ladder hung down below the bottom of the loco side panels...the lights were located up, behind the steps. On the...

To all the live steaming veterans out there in Chaski-land...THANKS for your service!

Enjoy a day of railroading wherever you can find some track. GET STEAMED! Have a great day. Carl B.