What's New on the PRR Panhandle Division?

[G3750]

Updated 9/12/2016:

Spent part of the morning today working on the layout.

The river surface module was installed, along with the piers, pedestals, and bridge shoes.

Have not gotten to a few electrical problems areas, but that is next.

George

[healey36]

I admire your persistence...I'd be in tear-down mode by now.

Are you going to York in October? I haven't decided if I'm going to make the effort or not...

[G3750]

I admire your persistence...I'd be in tear-down mode by now.

Are you going to York in October? I haven't decided if I'm going to make the effort or not...

You know, mentally, I'm there. In fact, I've started putting some items in storage bins and making sure my inventory is up to date. However, I do have some folks coming over in November, so I am pushing to have the layout operating as well as possible in the near-term. It will stay up through January and then tear-down will take place.

As to York, yes I am going. For me, it's a state of mind and an escape from the troubles of this world, so yeah. In preparing for Panhandle 2.0, I am:

• Buying an S.S. Kresge store from River Leaf Models. This is for Steubenville. One really did exist there. My grandfather used to take me; we'd sit at the soda fountain / nut counter in the back. I think that's where he got the red pistachios he used to feed me.
• Picking up some GarGraves pig-tail rail pins. I've found these to be much simpler and easier to install than inserting spade connectors into the rails (my hands can't do that easily anymore).
• Looking for 1-2 Lionel PRR N5 / N5b cabin cars.

George

[healey36]

Well, you've inspired me. Being this close it'd be nuts to pass on it. Nothing critical on the punchlist...an Ives 552 Parlor car in olive would be nice, and I know Sarge is looking for a Hornby LNER coach in teak. That'll give me something to look for...maybe I'll run into ya.

Healey

[Rufus T. Firefly]

[*]Looking for 1-2 Lionel PRR N5 / N5b cabin cars. [/list]

Been seeing a few of the Kohs around - maybe you should consider one.......

[G3750]

[*]Looking for 1-2 Lionel PRR N5 / N5b cabin cars. [/list]

Been seeing a few of the Kohs around - maybe you should consider one.......

Uh, a little too rich for my blood. Plus they are only 2 rail. I'm still one of the unwashed.

George

[G3750]

Well, you've inspired me. Being this close it'd be nuts to pass on it. Nothing critical on the punchlist...an Ives 552 Parlor car in olive would be nice, and I know Sarge is looking for a Hornby LNER coach in teak. That'll give me something to look for...maybe I'll run into ya.

Healey

Good. I just love walking around the place. I've often gone when there was nothing on the buy list. At this point in my life, running into people I know is as important as buying trains, maybe more so.

George

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Good. I just love walking around the place. I've often gone when there was nothing on the buy list. At this point in my life, running into people I know is as important as buying trains, maybe more so.

The Strasburg meet is very much about the social aspect, too. I guess the Indy meet next week is also.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

[*]Looking for 1-2 Lionel PRR N5 / N5b cabin cars. [/list]

Been seeing a few of the Kohs around - maybe you should consider one.......

Uh, a little too rich for my blood. Plus they are only 2 rail. I'm still one of the unwashed.

They are rather nice, but also just a wee tad on the pricey side - I sold off 3 of my other brass PRR cabin cars to balance my purchase of what I am told is 1 of 2 or 3 of the ones that were painted and lettered for the CVRR. I also look at that as saving me the time and trouble of modifying one of those sold 3 to be correct for the CVRR car and then finishing and lettering it. Might have been some fun lost there, but time saved that I can apply to other fun.

Wrapping up a Gloor Craft kit caboose on the bench right now.....that will need a new home. Might have it done in time for Strasburg next month.....

[G3750]

Updated 9/19/2016:

Happy to report that I fixed two areas of intermittent electrical conductivity, aka dead spots.

Also learned a valuable lesson for the next version of the Panhandle - save your fit-up connectors for spots away from the bridge. The next time, the bridge will get pins.

George

[G3750]

Updated 9/23/2016:

The train room has been cleaned and a lot of debris removed. Excess and scrap building materials are lined up to be thrown away. I am starting to prepare the layout for what I call a Smoker (running trains with guests) in early November. The good news is that track performance has greatly improved and stabilized. I'm still having trouble getting block occupancy signals reconnected and operating properly. Not sure what the problem is exactly, but de-bugging continues.

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Samantha is taking a rest after "helping" me.

Inventory has been updated. I have started putting away materials and tools.

The workshop has also been cleaned up to some extent. Still lots of junk to discard.

I've started a list of materials that will be needed for Panhandle 2.0. In that process, I have been making decisions about what I would do again and what materials and techniques I would avoid.

George

[G3750]

Updated 10/4/2016:

I'm getting to the point where forward progress on the original Panhandle is becoming difficult. I've abandoned work on the bridge abutments. In fact, I've completely re-thought the original design as well. I think it was too difficult to build. It did not use the right materials or play to their strengths. Chances are the plywood sheets for the abutment sides would have warped. It would have required a lot of effort to make them match up without a guarantee of a decent outcome. I'm learning. In the past, I would have powered through and hoped for the best.

I've decided to re-design the abutments and have them made by the same person who did the wonderful job on the bridge piers. As the bridge is the centerpiece of the layout and the expansion will improve the accuracy (wrt the prototype), this makes the most sense. The result should be better than what I could deliver and it will compliment the bridge.

I've also decided not to spend any effort re-attaching signals. The layout is coming down in mid-January.

George

[webenda]

George,

I see a dead cat (Samantha?) in your train room. If it has already used its nine lives, you have the tool there to force a 10th (or 11th or 12th, etc.) resurrection.

Just place vacuum (is that a Bissell?) on/off switch to on, unroll power cord, move vacuum up to cat, plug in cord.

I have never seen that technique fail to wake a dead cat.

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Sometimes they end up stuck to the ceiling with their claws. If that happens, just get a step-stool, unhook the claws one at a time, and place back on floor--it will be fine.

[G3750]

George,

I see a dead cat (Samantha?) in your train room. If it has already used its nine lives, you have the tool there to force a 10th (or 11th or 12th, etc.) resurrection.

Just place vacuum (is that a Bissell?) on/off switch to on, unroll power cord, move vacuum up to cat, plug in cord.

I have never seen that technique fail to wake a dead cat.

Surprise Resurrection.jpg

Sometimes they end up stuck to the ceiling with their claws. If that happens, just get a step-stool, unhook the claws one at a time, and place back on floor--it will be fine.

Wow, that's some technique!!!

George

[G3750]

Updated 10/10/2016:

We are making steel! Or at least we appear to be making steel.

I got the Open Hearth's smokestacks wired up.

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George