Happy New Year!

 

Omscaler hopes that everyone had a good Christmas. I certainly did. As I told someone, the New Year is fast upon us. Some things are what they are until they are not. (I forget who said this.) Soon the old year will be not. Goals abound. Not too late to set yours. Including goals and sub-goals omscaler looks like he has over twenty! Will we get them done? The suspense is building. As mentioned before, two cabooses are in the shop now. Running gear is ready to install on both. Sides and some ends are cut out. Will they get done by next post? More suspense. Don’t party too hardy New Year’s Eve. Omscaler

 

Merry Christmas!

 

That’s right! The big day is almost here. Have you got done what you wanted to get done? Me neither. Have you been good? Me neither! A little honesty never hurt anyone! Tell the truth. You will feel better. Christmas is always a good and special time of year for me. Many folks have a train running around the foot of their tree. Growing up I did not. However, it seems like one was always available. Omscaler loves convenience. Lots of outdoor displays then and now have a Santa “Engineer” with a Christmas train. Gotta’ love it. This Christmas is probably more challenging for many people for obvious reasons. Omscaler believes remembering that Christmas is about “The Gift” of a Savior from God to man. This is a spiritual time as well as a fun time for these reasons. No material thing can bring peace in and of itself. If you are struggling with some of these issues, consider giving yourself. Go see your friends and family if you can. Visit, if possible, a nursing home resident (may be less doable due to health restrictions). Use your imagination. Bling will never replace a heartfelt gift. Have fun. Drop those old burdens before you step into next year. A new beginning is coming. Merry Christmas! Omscaler

 

A clear picture

 

Yes readers, we have finished the project and we have also done a “shakedown” operation on the new locomotive. The “shakedown” actually left omscaler a little shaken but we are okay now. The shakedown required some tweaking to get correct operation of the equipment. With such small tolerances we are used to this. All part of the one to three eighty-four terrain in which we work. Since it is now December with Christmas and New Year’s fast approaching, omscaler has been hard at work preparing for next year. We have listed about twenty goals for The Omega Scale Railway in year 2021. Wow! Omscaler may be working on this well into the future. What about you the reader? Please feel free to share your goal or goals for 2021 in the comment section of this blog. I bet there are some really interesting ones out there. As a side note, goals that are written down have something close to an over ninety percent chance of becoming a reality. What have you got to lose? Yours optimistically, omscaler

 

No cutting corners!

 

That’s right. No corners cut with regard to the blog. Sometimes we do build things with or without certain features not visible to the eye, but that is not what omscaler is referring to. As of the writing the Mogul is complete and the tender is awaiting a front platform, attachment of running gear and reporting marks if I have not left off something. Oh yes and side steps. Maybe that is all. Omscaler is actually hoping to get all this done before posting this but if not we have a clear picture of where we are now. Glad to be circumspect with the readers and all. I am still hoping readers will suggest the next project after the two cabooses are done. An outside braced wood boxcar is currently the front runner. Omscaler reserves the right to change the suggestion if deemed not feasible. Arbitrary I know but readers may not understand the complexity involved when fabricating rolling stock. Still fabricating (rolling stock), omscaler

 

Scandal hits The Omega Scale Railway!

 

Looks like we indeed hit a milestone last post. A scandal milestone! Omscaler must now be forthright with the readers of the blog. Last post stated that the Mogul was complete. This was not truthful. The locomotive was actually completed Wednesday, November, 25^th. All was in fact done except the cab. And the cab turned out to be problematic due to new techniques being employed. By the time we were done, the blog post was already published. I am sorry for the wrong information being set before the readers. Readers have come to expect integrity and accuracy from this blog and I have let you down. Purely my fault. I will work to earn your trust once again. Yours working contritely, omscaler

 

Whew, another milestone!

 

As reader know, we have been proud to be working on the 2-6-0, Mogul locomotive for “The Very Small Railroad”. Omscaler is proud to announce the completion of this much needed road engine. Development was slow but fruitful. Next is the tender for the beast. Then the two cabooses. After that? Maybe readers would like to help omscaler decide? Please enter your suggestions in the comment section located below the post section of the blog. Looking forward to hearing from the readership. Also, Thanksgiving is two days from the post date listed here. I hope all have a great, delicious and if possible huge gathering. Thankful, omscaler

 

Another Mogul report

 

Last post we gave out the details of our work on the Mogul. This post we are giving out more details of our work on the Mogul. This is because we are running behind again. But thus far, we have applied the headlight, the stack, the sand dome, the bell, the whistle and the steam dome all on the completed boiler/ running board section. Next, cab, cylinders, boiler yoke, crossheads, crosshead guides, piston rods, drive rods, and side rods. After this will come the tender. Now you see that we have non-stop fun on The Omega Scale Railway. Working while we whistle, omscaler

 

Latest Mogul report

 

Last post we stated that we would update readers on our progress with the Mogul 2-6-0 locomotive. While we are not as far along as we like, we have made a number of parts including the main boiler sheet. This sheet has a tapered section which we are proud to report we have replicated successfully. This will give a neat looking locomotive that looks prototypical. Also, making this unit has spawned some ideas about making future steam locomotives successfully. Optimistically, omscaler

 

Train Show report

 

Last post we talked about the Helena (AL) Train Show that took place Friday and Saturday 10/30 and 10/31. What a nice experience to be able to have a display of our Murphysboro module. What omscaler heard a lot was “that’s too small for me”. This is what we were expecting due to previous conversations with individuals. We also heard a number of complements which were much appreciated. A number of friends not seen in a long time came by and said hello and other nice things. The general attendance was somewhat good as well. All in all a good day. Just to give readers a heads up, there is another train show scheduled for February. More details later. Most of my time before the show was taken up by module transport box fabrication and other needed activities. This week, it is back on the Mogul. We are going to make sure we have good progress to report next post. See you then. Omscaler

 

Typing and yearning

 

As omscaler writes this post, once again the day is gorgeous with no clouds and fine temperature. As for the 2-6-0, we are now forming the boiler sheet. The diameter at the smallest point is nine sixty fourths of an inch. To do this takes a technique know as “quilling” but with a wider stock I think. Obviously, this is the most challenging part with this component being contiguous with the running boards. We had basically good success doing this with the shifter and we believe that we can repeat the success now. If we can just speed up some! Oh well. As for previously mentioned secrets, one is another turnout improvement may be in the works. Doing this takes away from other aspects of OSR construction. We will see. The second secret is that yours truly, omscaler has been invited to display the Murphysboro module at the Helena, Alabama annual train show. It is an honor to be invited to this fun event and I hope that people will take precautions and come out to see us. See you next post, omscaler

 

Temptation and Fall weather

 

As omscaler writes this while being thankful regarding a healed knee, the beautiful sun and clear blue sky beckon. Not a cloud to be seen. Trails call in the distance. Oh well. We will work inside for the moment and maybe work out a little trial walk first. Concerning the OSR, a couple of secrets may be in the works. I write this with caution as we have received “unofficial” word that operatives of a jealous foreign power are even now trying to learn what we do here. I hate to disappoint them. “What we do here” is be persistent and keep trying. It is thinking and elbow grease. And fun. Let’s not forget fun. The Mogul is in the erection shop and is being constructed. We will keep at it, omscaler

 

The best laid plans!

 

The best laid plans of mice and men seem to go astray at times. Last post was about “glorious” Fall weather. This post will include “glorious” knee pain symptoms. Yep. Omscaler went hiking. Just a small hike. An unassuming hike. Not like Pike’s peak or something. So omscaler went along the rim trail and avoided the entrance to the gorge sign. Looked to rough. Proceeded further down the hill and saw a more easily traversed path. Plus, the sign said “Suspension Bridge”. Too alluring. We ambled down this path. And ambled. And ambled some more. Kept looking at watch. Decided on a “turn around” time and kept ambling. Another sign about the suspension bridge. More not seeing bridge. Turned around. Recalled that going down was much easier than going up. I had actually done some movement over low boulders on the way down. Recrossed the same. Walked back to the car. Got under way and went home. Omscaler noticed a little “twinge” in the left knee if I did not hold my leg just right as I went home. Also felt some discomfort as I tried to sleep that night. Sunday, guess what! The “twinge” had turned into a “twonge”, just a made up word to describe a “Hallelujah” level of pain. Home remedies were applied with very little relief. What to do? Answer: Nothing. Yep. Rest and more rest. I believe this is a classic case of “Weekend Warrior” syndrome. It seemed like I noticed a little discomfort at the first stop, a craft fair. Lesson: Don’t ignore anything. I had actually done regular walking during the summer but rain did curtail some. I had just returned to regular exercise routine about two weeks before the problem happened. All Weekend Warriors have a case of overconfidence. Easy to do. What does this have to the with The Very Small Railroad? Just this. Omscaler does not do fine exacting work when he is in abject pain. Another good rule I have learned. So, we have lost perhaps three days. Less if you allow for procrastination. But, as before we will get her done. Omscaler

 

Fall is here!

 

That’s right! Cool mornings. Low humidity. More distractions! Yep. More distractions means it is harder for omscaler to work on The Very Small Railroad. Football games featuring a grandson. Hiking is in the mix. Just being outside. What to do? Looks like omscaler needs to reorganize and prioritize again. We will get it done. Right now the Mogul is coming along. Cabooses are still not started other than just a few components. And we may have a “Mystery Announcement”. This announcement is just in time for Halloween, if it comes about. Due to current health situation at large this may be subject to change. We shall see. To be clear, the Halloween part is not really connected to the holiday. It just coincides. (Insert happy face.) Outward bound, omscaler

 

Just more work

 

That’s right. We just working along. Believe me. I would like to have more completed effort to crow about but here on The Very Small Railroad progress is sometime very small too. I have a personal resolution to something everyday on The Omega Scale Railway. The biggest hindrance is the need to get away from the work area and get some exercise. Healthy body, healthy mind. Especially, if rainy weather has confine yours truly to the house. I mentioned the other day that making these basic components was a little like shelling peas. Repetitious to be sure. One boxcar needs over sixteen steps to mount just one wheel set. This is why omscaler is so persistent. Ya’ gotta’ do what ya’ gotta’ do. And so we do. Still being persistent, omscaler

 

There is no business like show business

 

There is no business like show business (almost)

Welcome back to The Omega Scale Railway. This week’s blog may be a little different. Just some personal decisions and opinions. Omscaler decided not to attend the Greater Atlanta Train Show. “Why? ”, You may ask. Good question. Omscaler personally loves train shows. Been to as many as I was able. Seeing folks I know. Checking on what is for sale. Enjoying layouts that are operating. Great time! However, when omscaler checked the videos’ of last year’s show, I noticed that it was mostly what I call dealer tables. I only saw one layout at a lower height for children to enjoy. I have no grudge against all of this but I prefer shows with the above mentioned characteristics. So, I wished this show much success, but I did try to be outdoors at the time of the show. Other shows are coming up and I hope to see many folks there. As far as the current projects go, we are making spare parts anticipating the Mogul and cabooses will need them. Still working, omscaler

 

Of cabooses and Kings

 

This weeks post title is reminiscent of Mr. Carrol’s classic Alice In Wonderland. Instead of lowly cabbages we are naturally working with cabooses. Omscaler feels fortunate to be using GM&O cabooses. The reason being is that the cupola is centered. This is a little better than having the cupola on one end like many other roads. A centered cupola means the caboose does not need to be turned although almost all other railroads just simply ran the caboose “backwards”. A backward caboose has a little less viewing angle as far as watching the train is concerned. So we will will be using a handy caboose type which the GM&O used until they got centered “wide vision” cabooses. As far as the “King” we mentioned. We are building a “Mogul”. Similar title in my opinion. This is a locomotive with a 2-6-0 wheel arrangement. Two wheel front trucks were used for freight locomotives. Four wheel for passenger locomotives. However the railroads used these interchangeably whenever a pressing need arose. Fabricating away, omscaler

 

The work continues

 

To update our readers, the shakedown operations of the new 0-6-0 shifter was very successful. Some tweaking is still needed but it seems that it is confined to the coupler heights either on the shifter (not likely) or a railcar or two. This was expected due to railcar modifications. All in a days work here on the very small railroad. Next in line after a few car repairs are the Mogul (2-6-0) and two cabooses. The cars are in the shop due to needing a more recent structural upgrade or in one case a faulty retainer member. We shall see. Chuffing along, omscaler

 

Finally, paydirt!

 

     Last post, readers were informed that the shifter rebuild was steaming along. Omscaler is proud to announce that as of Monday, August thirty-first at approximately five fifteen P.M., the shifter was pronounced done. This was definitely a study in persistence. The cab alone has about twelve parts including internal bracing. The inclusion of seven top “appliances” took some effort as well. This is the fourth iteration of this particular locomotive. Some new features are a bell, a front number plate (no number readable), a primer toned cab roof hatch (for ventilation) and a more prototypical appearance to complete the project. The shifter is residing on the module and will soon begin shakedown operations. Wish us luck. Feeling lucky, omscaler

 

And more digging

 

At this point in the shifter rebuild, we have gotten couplers, frame, drive wheels, cross head yoke, cross head guides, cross head, drive rods, sides rods and boiler yoke done. Currently underway is the cab and not much else. We have the sides, front and back, and floor cut out and black pigment applied. We still need the roof and to put it all together. As you may have noticed, the parts have had black pigment applied. Previously, omscaler has worked with black cardstock. The type of carstock is 110#. It has a tendency to delaminate when worked too vigorously. This tendency is very aggravating. The last shifter build used the new 100# stock which is white in color. What happened was that after the cab was assembled, pigment was applied. The pigment acted like a solvent on the glue. We had to slow down and reglue some parts. This time we have applied pigment before assembly to remedy this problem. So far so good. We still need to cut the forward and rear wall radii (radiusses to some). Next will be the roof with a roof transom. Then on to the main boiler jacket and fire box. Lots to do. Moving along, omscaler

 

The “Bell of the Ball”

 

Omscaler is digging away at the 0-6-0 shifter rebuild. What we have just completed as of this writing is why I think of this as more like “micro-engineering”. As you readers may have already guessed, the locomotive bell was just fabricated. It is small. The bell proper has a maximum width of one sixteenth of an inch and the height is three sixty-fourths of an inch. And boy was it fun to make! It is not perfect but it is a major improvement. We had to search online for a reference picture which now resides in the equipment file for later use as well. This lets us move forward with the rest of the rebuild. The frame is done including coupler boxes and wheels. Cross head guide is ready to install as well as steam cylinders. We need to make domes, stack, smokebox door, cab, air pump, air reservoir. Am I leaving something out? Still digging, omscaler

 

Pondering and working

As omscaler types this, glue is drying on the 0-6-0 shifter frame upgrade. Another part, the running boards component has dried and is awaiting assembly. What was done was an internal frame brace. This first attempt was problematic and omscaler discarded it in favor of a laminated sheet brace. Now we are cooking. It is a good thing we can innovate on the fly. Do it on “The Very Small Railroad” all the time. It is a good thing because the top of the boiler has to have room for six components: The engine light, the smokestack, the first sand dome, the bell, the steam dome, the second sand dome and somewhere a whistle. The whistle should be no problem. The rest will be a challenge. But we will make it happen. It is what we do here on The Omega Scale Railway. And one more thing. The car upgrades including re-upgrades are done and the first turnout as well. The arduous car upgrades did give birth to a new and better design component. Such is life here on The OSR. Working along, omscaler

 

It did, and it didn’t

The planned car repairs worked somewhat well but not quite. Fortunately, our work aids speeded up everything. All but one boxcar are out of the shop. This is due to the next phase innovation in draft gear. This next design will hopefully strengthen “pulling” power. It may ease construction as well. A win-win for the OSR car shop. The shifter is still under rebuild and has a new “cosmetic” set of drive wheels. It is also getting a stronger frame design as well. And one more thing, the first turnout with the new design was followed by six with a better slide plate component and will now be getting one too. We have been very busy on “The Very Small Railroad”. Getting more done, omscaler

And more good news

Now that the module upgrades were completed, the OSR car department started on railcar running gear upgrades. The number of boxcars in the shop were eight. As of this writing, all are complete. Reporting marks were added to four with the remaining cars expected to have them shortly. The next priority is the shifter rework. After that we have a covered hopper needing repair. A work order has been submitted for two cabooses. The Mogul should be along shortly too. We will see how all this goes. Planning along, omscaler

More about the upgrades.

Last post we talked about the new tracks and turnouts. Omscaler would like to throw a little more light on what we did. The new turnouts have better geometry for better operation. This included a diverging angle so acute that the need for a radius was eliminated. The turnout mechanisms were moved to the inner area of the turnout. The new design eliminated the older lock screws. The new device looks better and more “railroady”. Moving the mechanism let us get a screw head off the passenger platform which received a “concrete patch” for appearance and safety. The locking device has a vertical tab that has been marked red on one end and green on the other. This gives us a dwarf signal though a little odd looking it may be . Omscaler is used to odd stuff on The Omega Scale Railway. It is part of OSR life. The track has been upgraded to a standard material throughout. This overcomes a previous error in off-spec material. The new tie marking method gives a neater appearance too. When the turnouts and track were complete, unfinished track-side areas received a “fill dirt” treatment. Some other places got a “gravel” tinting. Overall, the new changes have given us a more attractive home for the OSR. Enjoying the “Module Life”, omscaler

Onward and upward!

Hello again, blog readers! Our new turnouts have made life easier on The Very Small Railroad (OSR). Some tweaking was needed and some may still be ongoing. We can now move rolling stock from place to place on the module somewhat smoothly. We did the replacements in stages so as to interfere as little as possible with rail traffic movement. The new “drop-in” design went well also. The hardest part to the upgrade was in fact digging out the old turnouts and removing the old rail. A new updated utility knife purchase made this easier also. Everything that is up to the new specifications now moves smoothly. Some older equipment had improved performance too. On the other hand, some older equipment had hybrid experimental running gear with others having the original running gear. These cars were removed to the “shop” area for upgrading. As of the writing, only three have been done. Eight more need work. The shifter needs a repair as well. It looks like omscaler has his work cut out for him. We will get ‘er done, omscaler

Not yet!

A couple of posts ago omscaler said the new turnout and track upgrade “should” be in place by now. And omscaler was right. They “should” be in place by now. But, the fact is life got in the way. In order to do the quality job readers have come to expect, we had to take our time and do the job right. The new turnouts, while not perfect are indeed much smoother and much more reliable. Tweaking will be done as best we can. All the new turnouts and new replacement track have taken longer than expected. Hopefully, by the time you read this, all will be complete. And I hope all had a safe and fun Fourth of July! With patriotism and joy, omscaler

Get out of town!

Yep, that’s what The Omega Scale Railway needs to do. Right now, Murphysboro, Illinois is the town occupying the module. A sort of municipal “Lone Ranger”. This means The Very Small Railroad has no destination. Not a good place for a railroad to be in. So, where will we go? The plan is for the next one foot by three foot module to be based on Union City Tennessee. The freight house for this location has already been built. There will also be at least a couple of small rural/wooded modules to be spaced between the larger modules. This is the plan so far. Omscaler believes the current innovations will help move things along more quickly. We will see exactly how quickly, hopefully very soon. In anticipation mode, omscaler

Now we’re moving!

As of this post, the previous account of the new turnout style has been tested, tried and installed. Also at this point, the other older turnouts should be having an upgrade as well. The new tie marking guide is helping to get new track on the module more quickly. Omscaler needs to plan the next phase of construction. Currently, there are still three boxcars in the shop for upgrading due to being put on the back burner. More railcars to be re-shopped plus additional cars, locomotives and other stuff to be made. Still having fun, thankfully, omscaler

“Top Secret” revealed!

As aficionados of the Edinburgh annual tattoo know, Top Secret is the name of the crack Swiss drum corps. Omscaler aspires to be a crack Omega Scale modeler and with that thought in mind another upgrade was decided upon. This time, the fourth time I believe, the turnouts are being upgraded. An innovative design was developed that solved the problem of the “floating” switch point. Omscaler thinks the overall appearance will be improved as well. Just to be informative, the floating switch point was sometime “picked” by rail equipment and this caused delamination of the point. This was turning into a huge and frustrating problem. Now, I can sleep better at night. Yours, slumbering by night and working by day, omscaler

Still with the Serendipity!

Where omscaler left you, the reader of this blog, last post was, omscaler was going to reveal the next silver lining to the cloud. As was stated all the trackage was going to be replaced. To remind readers, some trackage was built with 110# Vellum”, some with 110# smooth. What is going in is 100# Bristol smooth. Before starting, omscaler decided to do a “test” assembly with the new stuff. Preparatory thought revealed a plan to set up the track components and glue and color and mark ties and rails “at the desk”. The new method has allowed precise gluing and more accurate tie marking with much less “mis-marks”. This will naturally improve the appearance of the track right of way. Then, it is on to the “secret” development with equipment upgrading and construction as well. Industriously, omscaler

More serendipity!

First the clouds, then then the silver lining. While omscaler was checking supplies for confirming inventory levels (shuffling through cardstock), two different types used for track components was discovered. There should only be one type used for this. What is specified is 110# smooth (business card) stock. What was discovered was “Vellum” 110# cardstock. What happens when you use Vellum is that Vellum is not as smooth as 110# smooth. The rougher texture somehow acts a little like a sponge when glued. The results seem to be drying out at a thicker profile. This explains some strange equipment performance on the track in the affected areas. On closer inspection, the appearance at the central gap is odd as well. How did this happen? Omscaler suspects that he may have “asked” for Vellum by mistake. It seems like I got 110# smooth almost by chance during a later purchase. Or, and this is a big “or”, the sales person gave me the wrong stuff. We may never know. As a result of the discovery of the problem, omscaler decided to source some additional stock at an office supply store. We checked the price of a full pack. $17.99 plus tax. We asked about single sheet price. $0.81 per sheet plus tax was the response. Since we had some of the correct material on hand, omscaler decided to think about it and research some more. My subsequent stop was at a craft store. I went to the art supply aisle and began looking. What attracted my attention was Bristol 100# smooth. I decided to make a design change right there on the fly. When I returned to my lair, excuse me, craft studio area of my apartment, I compared the thickness of the new cardstock to the thickness of a measuring gauge I use to correctly mount running equipment on railcars. What I found was that they were apparently equal. It was almost like the problem corrected itself. Serendipity! Now, all I have to do is replace all the current trackage. But, you know what? Well, we will explain that next post. Jumping for joy, omscaler

Upgrading the equipment

Omscaler is currently upgrading rolling stock. Firstly, a truck redesign was called for to improve performance. Omscaler did not like what he saw in the day to day performance. Both appearance and behavior needed improvement. But, we are getting it done! Also, another “secret” project is being researched. If this happens it will be a step forward, though perhaps not a real big step. We will see what happens. I remain optimistic. In another project idea, omscaler is researching “Pullman” green. Reader input on this is welcome. Working away, omscaler

Back chirping along

Yes it is good to have basic power back at work. We did run a little behind as was warned in the previous post. I did have some explaining to do to the “Punctuality Police”. Also, a minor repair was called for when a coupler pocket failed. We beefed it up and got back in business. Just another day for omscaler. As noted before, rolling stock is back in the shop for upgrades. Hopefully, this will not take too long. Part of my brain is crying out for a 2-6-0 Mogul locomotive. Another part of my brain is calling for a least two cabooses. I think I will listen to my brain. Still thinking, omscaler

Power back to work 

As of this post, the rebuilt shifter should be back on duty. I say should be because this particular piece of effort has indeed been an effort. What omscaler found out was the conflation of two different equipment diagrams. This problem was seen in the last shifter having an “air borne” boiler appearance. It was not too bad but it was noticeable. The hashing out of the discrepancy added more time to the project. The good news is that the problem was discovered and remedied. What is next? Omscaler wants to do an outside braced wood boxcar for a new project. What is needed is a dual purpose road engine and one or more cabooses. More than half a dozen boxcars are in the shop for upgraded running gear. You pick your mark and you start. I hope next post shows much progress on all counts. Omscaler

Working the work

As omscaler mentioned in the last post, the shifter is in the shop for a rebuild. This effort may represent a leap in equipment operation and appearance of a somewhat major scale. Omscaler has used new and innovative techniques to improve the switching locomotive. However, and this is a big however, to do this requires as many components as possible to be rethought and often redesigned. This redesign is almost literally top to bottom. As demonstrated by the tender results, the effort is well worth it. On the other hand, the process is very slow relatively speaking. But as omscaler has said before, “we’ll get ‘er done”. And we will. Omscaler

The Train Show

Yep, April eleventh was supposed to be the annual Coosa Valley Modeler’s Train Show. This show is over thirty years old. The Statement online at the social media site said the city government was not going to allow the show to take place. Well, your old omscaler had a thought about the situation. Albeit a late thought. It occurred to us about Thursday evening before the show, or was it Friday? Anyway, the plan was to enlist the aid of a relative, engage a pickup truck. The next part of said plan was to break into The Gadsden Museum of Art where the model railroad club’s layout is stored. Dismantle said layout. Load and transport the layout to the 210 @ the Tracks venue. Break into the venue and reassemble the layout. As far as I can tell, we would have only committed four felony offenses! We would have charged extra of course to cover our efforts and potential legal expenses. Brilliant plan, huh? It was too bad that omscaler was late to the gate on this operation. We could have saved the whole show! Back to the present. At this point the tender rebuild has been completed and the actual locomotive rework is under way. The new tender does show improved appearance if omscaler says so himself. I am looking forward to posting pictures of the latest effort. Yours diligently and legally, omscaler

The reshopping

What is taking place on The Very Small Railroad at this time is the reworking of the 0-6-0 shifter (switcher). This locomotive has been reworked before. The issues were: the rework actually did some more damage, the retainers as well as the retainer shoes were hybridized during the previous work. The locomotive needed to be upgraded to the new G6 combined coupler/retainer pin configuration. So, as of this post, we are building a new tender with the aforementioned upgrade included where applicable. Also, the old tender had some damage for the same reasons as the locomotive. The design of both tender and locomotive will sport some improvements too. This project is moving at a snail’s pace so that the best job possible can be accomplished with some procrastination thrown in for good measure. Inching along, omscaler

More progress on the very small railroad

As was previously pointed out, a number of projects were under way. Omscaler is happy to report that the final turnout upgrade has been completed. This will make yard operations easier and more efficient. The reason for this is that the design on the turnouts was improved. Little things mean a lot. The appearance is somewhat better as well. Next will be a 0-6-0 shifter upgrade. One and done. Omscaler

Forging ahead              

As we continue to take extraordinary measures as advised by our leadership, my condolences are offered to those who have suffered loss and hope to those who are ill. Sometimes we all just do the best we can. Much of the best we see now is heroic effort by the medical community at large, law enforcement, fire departments and sometimes regular but needed workers just doing their job. Our gratitude is extended to all these people. As for omscaler, I am thankful I do not need to go out much. I actually was in a position of unemployment last Fall. For certain reasons I was considering continuing work. But since nothing worthwhile materialized, I eventually decided to retire. This put me ahead of the curve concerning the need to stay at home. For this I am thankful. Obviously I spend the time doing the necessary things and working on The Omega Scale Railway. I am glad I have this project to do and I am proud to offer some of the resulting work and my thoughts about it on this blog. I work and forge ahead hoping for the best for all of us. God bless us all. Forging ahead, omscaler

The last few weeks

The last few weeks have certainly been interesting. Much time at home. Practically all time at home. What omscaler has done with some of the time is clean and reorganize the work area. A plan of needed and most used parts was developed. Labels for the parts containers were augmented. A list of equipment to be made was written. Problem areas on the module were noted and included in planned upkeep. All of this together is somewhat extensive. There is no shortage of projects for the foreseeable time frame. As seen before, some projects vie with others for priority. However, omscaler will get ‘er done. Industriously, omscaler

Proud citizens

Yes, the long awaited passenger depot and headquarters are finally operational. The local papers were buzzing with the news. As if on cue, both freight and passenger business increased significantly. It is certainly clear track ahead for the GM&O. In the near future there will be an official dedication of the new structure. The mayor is expected to make some remarks and there is a rumor that the governor will be in attendance as well. The police department has pledged full cooperation for handling the crowd and traffic. Details about this will appear in the papers prior to the ceremony. It seems like the entire town is a beehive of activity. Still buzzing myself, omscaler

The big move!

Yes! The day had finally come! On the night of March 14^th, 2020 at ten P.M., the Gulf Mobile & Ohio Railroad diverted all traffic through the turnouts located at the north end and south end of the main line onto the main siding. At the same time railway employees began loading an assigned boxcar and likewise an assigned flat car that were both located at the Murphysboro freight house. Also in the line up was a boxcar that had been loaded some weeks before. The purpose of the rolling stock was to transport all administration, passenger operations and express parcel service to the newly completed passenger depot. Previously, all local railroad activity was using the freight house. This arrangement was burdensome to say the least. Now the office and executive activity will be located upstairs. The passenger and baggage activity will be on the first floor. This move as stated will started at ten and go until completion. The railroad has all hands available on the job. This should last no later than first light and perhaps much sooner. The depot itself is complete. The porch, as yet not built, will be done in stages so as to allow foot traffic safe access to the depot. Specifically, if workmen are building over one of the three doors the door will be blocked and the other two doors will be used. After the porch is done, foot traffic will be routed through the appropriate walk in doors. As a further note, one door will be for railroad employee use only. The baggage room doors will have a similar treatment as well. It has been noted that a celebratory atmosphere permeated the workers and public as well due to the opening of the new depot. I am sure a party will follow the move. Looking forward to the party, omscaler

Another day trip

Saturday omscaler went to a Spring Fling in Attalla, Alabama. This trip was not particularly oriented toward trains, but I decided to go anyway. The last time I went to this area, I did see a “caboose” type railcar. As readers may recall, it had a new paint job. Apparently what happens is that a brakeman or conductor can ride in this “shove car” and take car of business but it is not a “caboose”. Oh well, things change. Back to the trip. I did snag a picture of the truss bridge on the main line near highway 77. The bridge looked dark brown. Perhaps not painted in a long time. I parked downtown and saw a lot of people looking at a lot of antiques. I checked some out as well. I did not see any train sets or even model railcars nor did I notice any toy trains. I did see some miniature goats, some wearing bandanas. It seems I arrived too late to see the miniature cow. Oh well, maybe next time. I also got some pics of the old building. I did also swing by downtown Gadsden and took some more pics. I got one of the old Coosa River swing bridge as well. While I was there, I located the venue for next months train show. See you there, omscaler

And a little more about layouts

Welcome back readers. Omscaler is a little pumped. You see, last Saturday I attended a winter train show in Helena Alabama. The show is sponsored by Smokey City Rails model railroad club. Currently they occupy a store front at The Shops of Grand River in Leeds, Alabama. They meet of Thursday evenings for club business and open to the public during normal shop hours on Saturday and Sunday with the exception of being at a train show or a holiday. By the way, their Christmas display was great. Anyway, yours truly won a door prize. Imagine that! The funny thing was the prize was a Ten Dollar Coupon redeemable at the show. Don’t misunderstand me. I definitely appreciated the gift. My quandary was what to do? I chuckled inwardly that my scale was so unique that I had to mentally work to figure out a subject to use the coupon for. The selection of wares at the show was staggering. I began to search the displays for something to aquire. A lot of things in the book category caught my eye. But I did not go that route. Omscaler already has an extensive archive of model railroad material. I thought about my grandson who attended with me last year. At the Gadsden train show we had attended together a couple of years ago, he won a door prize of some model trees. Since that time, he and his family have moved and the model trees may have been lost. So, I thought I would replace the trees. I found some at one of the dealer tables and noted these new trees looked more realistic than the old trees. They were priced about the same as my coupon also. Now, alls well that ends well. Besides this I ran into a number of old friends and met some new people as well. All in all a good day. As a final note, I stopped at the old depot restaurant and got a beverage to go when I left town. And, by the way, about more layouts, There were several interesting ones at the show. It just gets better and better, omscaler

Speaking of Layouts

Just a little more about layouts and some exciting news. Hopefully last post got everybody at least a little curious about model train layouts. I have great news. People the the southeastern corner of the United States will soon have an opportunity to view some layouts if they have not seen one up close and personal. What this blog writer is talking about is the Winter Train Show at the Helena Sports Complex, Helena, Alabama. The last time I went there were indeed layouts to be seen. All good stuff. This is a great mid winter family venue due to the presence of a number of vendors being there as well. These vendors often have things on display for all ages. The dates: Friday, February 28^th, 4 P.M.- 8 P.M. Saturday, 9 A.M. - 3 P.M. There is an admission charge. I hope to see everyone there, omscaler

Layouts? What is a layout?

One of our readers recently contacted me by non blog channels. He remarked about one of the “firsts” I had referred to in the previous blog post. He is busy working on his model railway. It is a set up we commonly call a “layout” . I have seen a number of layouts both in person, in magazines, and online. The work is often spectacular and almost approaches “art”. I was thinking about what makes a really great layout. There are usually a number of salient characteristics. The trains run well. There are usually a number of turnouts. Plenty of railcars. Often, the layout is equipped with sound. Sometimes the sound is in cars but now more commonly in the locomotives themselves. Also, there is ambient sound. Waterfalls, cattle mooing, diner/nightclub music and more. Animation is present as well. Besideds railway equipment there is vehicle movement, boat movement, factory movement and still more. But again I ponder what makes a great layout? What characteristic seems to be the pinnacle characteristic of a layout? If you study any layout that facscinates you, I believe one feature always stands out. That feature is “realism”. The viewer feels like they are gazing upon a miniature world. A world very much like their own or like their grandparents world. A world so realistic they wish they could become small and get in it! What makes this miniature world so realistic? Usually the viewer will see lots of scale people. These people are going about, seemingly, daily activites. Ballgames, street repair crews, travellers, commuters and so on. Also, look at the railcars. Do they look like they sport factory fresh paint? No, they look somewhat grimy. The buildings also look weathered as well. Where do these features live? They live among foliage. Trees, bushes, grass, cattails, rocks, hills and ridges. If you, the reader, attend a train show and see something that grips your attention, please give a nod to those whose work has culminated in the effect you enjoy. Still enjoying the OSR, omscaler

Happy Anniversary!

Yes, Happy Anniversary! To who? To us! This is the third anniversary of The Omega Scale Railway blog. You, the readers, and I the erstwhile blogger have kept at it and here we are. What a great milestone! The actual start date was in fact February 14^th. This post is about three days early. Better early than late, eh? I was thinking how the OSR began as a germ of an idea. Then after a number of years, things began to come together, literally. In a previous post I recounted how the blog got its name. Omega Scale was coined by a Model Railroader editor in the April, 1982 edition as a comment at the end of a contributor’s article about his 1/384 scale model railroad. Since 2015, omscaler has worked seriously to bring the vision to fruition. I also thought about the many ideas, projects and plans that were called for. Omscaler has built his own dual beam trammel compass to aid in large curve radii drawing. One of many “firsts”. As I think back, obstacle after obstacle was over come. Frankly, that has not changed even now. Although, they are not so many as before it seems like. At this point in time, this blogger is not even aware of any other 1/384 scale model railroader any where in the world. If you follow this blog, you and I are truly unique! Here’s to uniqueness! Long may we prevail! Still prevailing, omscaler

Well...not quite!

Last post I described getting back to building the passenger depot. I did in fact do a little double checking of measurements. However, a review of master priorities revealed that there was a chronic delay in elements of landscaping and related streets. So, without further delay, streets were laid in the town of Murphysboro. Next we will be getting dirty with a dirt lot for the railway shop area. Also on the list is lawns for the other town lots. As an additional note, the original streets in Murphysboro were made locally at a nearby clay pit. This means that all the old streets were constructed of paving brick. Other cities in the U.S., used this material as well. What this means is that the streets appear a somewhat deep red, even today. I hope that everyone did not celebrate too much over Ground Hogs Day. See you next time, omscaler

Traffic moving again

Yes. We are back in business. Last post I described the process I was in to move a turnout about forty feet south. I am very glad I got that done. The benefit that came out of all the effort was that the both the turnout construction method and the specifications got a much needed upgrade. Previously omscaler was like B. Gates, doing things “quick and dirty.” Too dirty as came to find out. I wonder if gates has this issue? So when i got the relocation done the result was the main line and the main passing siding/ yard lead were operational again. In reality, this is only a module. Currently, this module is the only module so the afore mentioned tracks just needed an upgrade. If omscaler had more modules the problem would have been more critical. As it was, the relocation delayed construction of the critical passenger station/ headquarters building. So as of this writing we are once again working on the depot. Thankfully yours, omscaler

Getting back to normal

Whew! Work is slowly getting back to normal. This post has been uploaded late. Some of this is due to an irregular schedule the past two weeks. Last week was occupied helping a relative move. There were some hiccups but all is now well. I had hoped to get the railroad running again before this point. The relocation of the problem turnouts (a pair were affected) revealed a need for a specification upgrade. In other words, a redesign of the turnouts. We are currently doing this as I write this post. Well, back to work. omscaler

Oh no! Shut down!

Yes readers. The Omega Scale Railway has been shut down! As readers know, The OSR is building a headquarters/passenger depot in Murphysboro. Upon beginning to prepare the site for the main platform it was discovered that the main turnout throw was located under the soon to be erected station porch awning. This placement created problems. One being that using the turnout sliding plate would require reaching under the porch. Another would be that the porch would likely be damaged if said turnout sliding plate needed maintenance. The decision was made to move the turnout about one inch south. This still puts the turnout location in the platform proper but with blue sky above, i.e., no obstructions. See, if omscaler may remind you, the fun is non-stop. The turnout connects to another turnout to let equipment pass from the main line to the main yard lead. Moving required uprooting both turnouts for this reason. Crossover turnouts always are in pairs. When this need was discovered, work immediately began on the relocation. In order to do this, no traffic can be allowed in either direction until work is complete. The dilemna was leave one and move one or bite the bullet and complete the relocation. Omscaler decided to hold or reroute traffic to another railroad. Toiling away, omscaler

Goals, Have you got goals?

Welcome to The Omega Scale Railway first blog post of year 2020! Now, have you got your goals written down? Omscaler always writes annual goals. Among these goals are the OSR goals. I read or heard somewhere that if you write a goal down on paper (not sand or snow), the goal has a ninety percent chance of coming to fruition. Omscaler likes fruition. Anyway it is time to get to work making the dream happen. Same for you too. Please click on comments and leave some of your goals. Working toward the goals, omscaler