Weekend Photos - March 2021

[gregj410]

Hot water, like the guy on OGR that rips everyone a new one? Lovely locomotive, for sure.

Yes. I thought I would honor him here

[healey36]

A few years back, while reading old newspaper clippings for another project, I recall seeing a short article in the Chicago Tribune about one of the S-2 Northerns suffering a catastrophic failure due to low water level. The article didn't provide any technical details (more interested in describing the carnage), but I thought the attribution of a lack of water seemed odd. Did they unknowingly run out of water, a failure between the boiler and the tender, or possibly a failure within the boiler itself?

They sure were handsome locomotives,

[gregj410]

It’s a great locomotive. I acquired it through an auction maybe a year or two ago. I discovered through NK that he was liquidating his roster. I also have his SP cab forward.

I once heard an interview of him on a podcast. He’s actually not that bad of a guy from what I can tell, I think he just got caught up in the moment on NK. They would treat him like he was some kind of celebrity because he fired for UP. Big deal....he’s just a man, flesh and blood.

Then you had people that would make asinine statements about trains both model and real that would set him off Than there’s the interpretation of the typed word that sometimes get lost. Truth be told you could probably put most of us in a room together and we’d all get along great.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

He’s actually not that bad of a guy from what I can tell........

Have met and talked with several times in Chicago at the March Meet....reasonable human being.

[healey36]

He’s actually not that bad of a guy from what I can tell, I think he just got caught up in the moment on NK.

I've heard him on a couple of interviews, both off OGR, and he seemed pretty reasonable/likeable. Certainly very knowledgeable. His bedside-manner is just a bit scorched-earth when it comes to responding to what might be considered a dumb question or inaccurate statement (and I'm the king of dumb questions)

I didn't realize he'd liquidated the collection. That seems to be a fashionable down-slope thing to do for many these days. Not happening here.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

His bedside-manner is just a bit scorched-earth when it comes to responding to what might be considered a dumb question or inaccurate statement...........

Which by itself explains everything given the environment of OGR

[healey36]

A few bits came in this week that should get a few things running again. After a couple of misses, I ran down a new #6 key for the Märklin 970:



This and a bit of lubrication has it running nicely again, although it's not as strong a runner as the Bing O-35 I have. I think the 970 was manufactured in the 1928-1932 timeframe, so it's seen a lot. Looks good with the tunnel project.

The new MTH 100-watt power bricks arrived, so I can swap them for the two lost in the basement flood a couple years ago (probably three years ago). It'll be nice to get all of the accumulated stuff cleared off the layout and get it running again.

Sarge had passed along a prewar Hafner hopper that needs a good polish and a set of wheels/axles. I picked up a Marx beater which I thought might have wheels sets that would work, but no dice. The axles are too short and the wheels look too small. I have a few Flyer sets that might work, if I can find them.

Healey

[v8vega]

How did you find that key? eBay?

[healey36]

There's a guy out in Ohio I buy clock parts from. I don't know if he sells stuff on eBay, but I wouldn't be surprised if he does. He's helped me refurb a Seth & Thomas and a couple of Smiths. I've got another clock with a West German movement in it that he hasn't been able to help me with. I might have to replace the entire movement on that one, but it has a moon-dial which adds a complication.

Another clock I have is a small Tiffany desk clock that has a dead Swiss quartz movement. I wasn't able to find a replacement movement for it. The guy in Ohio didn't have one and the local clock shops advised to just send it back to Tiffany if they could repair it. I did that a year ago this past January, and they still have it. Last I talked to them, they'd promised it would be returned in running condition this past January, but nothing. I should drop them a note again and see what's up.

Edit :: I looked around on eBay...here's a seller for clock parts:

https://www.ebay.com/str/Mount-Vernon-Clock-Company?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

I don't think this is the guy I have bought stuff from, but it looks like they have quite a selection of parts. A search for "key" brings up a bunch.

[gregj410]

Last year I somehow ended up with my grandfathers RR watch which I was thrilled to have as he worked as an engineer for the B&O RR. It wasn’t working so I took it to a local guy that literally lives 2 minutes from my home. He’s like 90 years old but sharp as a tack. He fixed it and now it works perfectly. I remember him saying that he spent many hours creating a manual for cross referencing parts from one maker that would work with another maker as certain parts were no longer made or in existence. Here’s a few pics. Really impressive for something so old.

[rogruth]

Beautiful as any true work of art should be. Thanks for showing.

[healey36]

That’s a beautiful watch, for sure. The Ball Company and it’s founder were at the very center of railroad time-keeping. That whole era when railroads principally operated by watch and timetable, leading to the “standardization” of time, is really interesting. I have a couple of employee rule-books here which detail the requirements for qualification and certification of watches as suitable for use, how they were to be maintained and inspected, and who was qualified for their repair. The railroad watch was a deadly-serious piece of gear.

It’s interesting that the Ball Company, founded in Cleveland, Ohio, is now based in Switzerland; speaks to the quality of their product.

[robert.]

There is a cool book about time. Dava sobel LONGITUGE.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude_(book)

[healey36]

I should drop them a note again and see what's up.

I flipped them a note inquiring status, and they called yesterday to say that repairs have been completed and the clock is on its way back to me. I'm looking forward to seeing it after fifteen months in Queens.

[robert.]

I should drop them a note again and see what's up.

I flipped them a note inquiring status, and they called yesterday to say that repairs have been completed and the clock is on its way back to me. I'm looking forward to seeing it after fifteen months in Queens.

Clock repairmen are some of the strangest off kilter people i have ever worked with.