Ring Rail Do-Over

I finally pulled the trigger. The first attempt at laying the ring rail wandered too far from the middle of the ties, and so, this evening I pulled it all off for a redo. Despite several encouraging comments that the prototype probably wasn’t perfect either, and it would probably look fine once the ballast was […]

Ring Rail Installed

I’m reading a wonderful book, Pirate’s Passage by William Gilkerson to the kids right now. One of the characters obviously has a taste for rum. So inspired, I poured myself a glass and tackled the ring rail this evening. The gauge on the turntable worked perfectly. It took hardly any time to chase it around […]

A Little Encouragement

The Girl must have sensed my funk because I discovered some home-made positive affirmations in my drawers this evening. Thanks wonderful daughter!

Getting Started on the Ring Rail

Well, despite the funk, I’m pressing on. A handful of supportive words from Mike Chandler at Scott Calvert’s operating session last night encouraged me. When I told him of my concern that the pit is not round enough, he opined, “a lot of them weren’t very round.” Well, okay, let’s go for it then. The […]

Pit Progress

I seem to be in a bit of a funk over the turntable pit. At the core, this probably means that I don’t like how it’s shaping up. There are just too many inaccuracies, and they’re probably going to come back to bite me. Even so, I’ve managed to push ahead all the same. The […]

Turntable Pit Curb

I’m finally back from my course, and sufficiently recovered from jet lag that I have some energy left over at the end of the day to do a little bit of modelling. So, I tackled the curb around the top of the turntable pit. I think most turntables must have these, otherwise ballast and stuff […]

Hotel Modelling – Turntable Sides

I’m attending training in Kingston for a few weeks, and because I checked my bag, I could bring some tools and glues on a business trip for the first time I can remember. The goal for the three weeks is to find enough time to complete the cosmetic parts for the turntable, and while I […]

Serendipity at Wakefield

I’m in Ontario attending some training right now, and had a little free time to pop up to Ottawa on the weekend to visit my mum. Being naturally adventurous and used to going on research field trips, she quickly agreed to join me for a trip to the end of the line at Wakefield QC […]

The Models of our Youth

I’m in Ottawa this weekend, on my way to an educational program at Queens for the next three weeks. My mum has changed around the house in the past few months, and came across a couple of boxes of models. “What,” she asked, “should I do with them? They can’t take up room on my shelves forever.” […]

Turntable Do-Over

Sometimes it’s hard to concede that perhaps one of your best ideas ever didn’t work. I had been fooling myself for about a week, and finally had to accept the fact that the turntable ends were not aligning perfectly. I believe the error crept in when I didn’t clamp the little tongues down to the […]