Adventures in Railroading!

Discuss park gauge trains and large scale miniature railways having track gauges from 8" to 24" gauge and designed at scales of 2" to the foot or greater - whether modeled for personal use, or purpose built for amusement park operation or private railroading.

Moderators: Glenn Brooks, Harold_V

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Topics may include: antique park gauge train restoration, preservation, and history; building new grand scale equipment from scratch; large scale miniature railway construction, maintenance, and safe operation; fallen flags; track, gauge, and equipment standards; grand scale vendor offerings; and, compiling an on-line motive power roster.
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Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2929
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Adventures in Railroading!

Post by Glenn Brooks »

OK, so late this afternoon, sitting on my swinging chair watching the fish swim around in the pond when my neighbor hollers through the woods: Glenn! Doing a controlled burn on your railroad I see? Where’s your hose?

I say, NO! just watching the fish swim around.

He hollers back: WHY IS YOUR TRACK SMOKING?

I walk around the first curve and sure enuf, one of my 4x4 ties is putting out enough smoke to send up smoke signals.

An hour earlier, I finished using my propane tank and weed burner to burn all the weeds off my ROW, around the backyard. My 100,000 btu burner apparently heated up the end grain enuf to ignite some punky wood inside, which then cheerfully burned itself through the center half way to the other end.

Amazing thing, this tie was a new one I put in 3 years ago. Didn’t look like it was rotten thru the middle, but certainly burned cheerfully thru and thru. With the outside completely intact.

Here’s a few pics of the deceased. Look close at the last one, you can see the spike running thru...
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Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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10KPete
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed Sep 30, 2015 5:29 pm
Location: Nordland, WA, USA

Re: Adventures in Railroading!

Post by 10KPete »

Ya trying for an early fire season here, Glenn???
Still to wet on the penninsula here but another month .....
Pete
Just tryin'
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NP317
Posts: 4551
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Adventures in Railroading!

Post by NP317 »

Yikes! Thanks for your neighbor being so observant and friendly!!

There are lessons in this, for sure...
RussN
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2929
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Adventures in Railroading!

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Thought I’d hurry it along, Pete. Get it over before summer hits!

BTW, you mention being on the Penninsula. As in Olympic? I should remember these things... Wondering if you have run across Jessie Banning? He purchased Little Engines and set up shop somewhere outside Squim. He is interested in 15” ga railroading...

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
rkcarguy
Posts: 1730
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2017 10:33 am
Location: Wa State

Re: Adventures in Railroading!

Post by rkcarguy »

Yikes, good that your neighbor saw it and alerted you. That would have sucked to have it spread to more ties. That's probably a $20 tie right there with the cost of lumber these days!
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2929
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Adventures in Railroading!

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Yes, indeed! Fortunately I have a small supply in reserve from three years ago. Shudder to think what they will cost this summer if we build more ROW.

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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