Sad time for many

As omscaler begins to write this blog post, he is mindful of the tragedy that recently came about. The powerful tornado system that took lives, injured many people and destroyed buildings seems unprecedented. What an awful time for those affected. Christmas is not going to be the same for these folks. Please take a moment to remember our neighbors and help out if you can.

  Right now on The Very Small Railroad we a still wrestling with a reporting marks printing problem. Color rendition from the computer to print is a little off the mark. Also, the previously mentioned part that was thought to be too short was not. A happy misunderstanding for omscaler. We take all the breaks we can get around here. Omscaler was able to develop a new production tool last week. This tool lets us make a needed part with a better profile as well as preventing burned fingers. A definite win-win. Omscaler loves it when this happens. This past Saturday a further improvement was conceived for this same tool. Should double output for rail equipment running gear. A win-win-win? It just gets better and better. Well back to work, omscaler

 

A typical day

Readers may wonder what a typical day on The Omega Scale Railway is like. A recent occurrence may shed light on this question. Omscaler had geared up to make a new boxcar for The Very Small Railway and was busy making the needed parts. Omscaler began to ponder the question, ” Wouldn’t it be good to make some of the needed parts for the next project”? As often happens at times like these, omscaler decided to deviate a little from the project at hand and make enough parts for ten additional rail cars. This did indeed eat into the time needed for the current project. Fortunately, the time used was not too long and will benefit the next project that uses these parts when the need arises. One thing omscaler has learned is that the temptation to get sidetracked often presents itself on The Omega Scale Railway. (Pun intended.) As has been state before, part of the reason is due to a large backlog of potential projects. Omscaler just lives with it and moves on. Right now, omscaler has to deal with the fact that one of the current project parts was cut too short. Fortunately, this has become a somewhat rare happening and will be easily remedied.

    Another peculiarity of The Very Small Railroad is the power system. We now live in a time when locomotives are often equipped with Direct Command Control. If readers are familiar with this feature, they know how sophisticated model locomotives have become. DCC is the wave of the future for many modelers. Due to the locomotives on The Omega Scale Railway being attached to a subsurface cord, omscaler often explains that we have DCC also. “Direct Cord Control” that is. Always time for a little humor on The OSR! Chuckling along, omscaler

 

Will we do it?

Yes. That is the question. Our efforts on The Very Small Railroad consists of two main efforts right now. First. A new drive linkage is being developed. Omscaler thinks it will be operational by the end of this week or sooner (we hope). The old one worked but gave us problems going through turnouts. This new one should perform better. Second. We have an older type boxcar in the works. Details to follow. Management of the GM&O Murphysboro division was both proud and happy to receive the first group of covered hoppers. A customer in Tennessee, The West Tennessee Sand, Gravel and Cement Company, has won a bid with the Illinois State Highway Department to supply material as a secondary supplier. It seems that the demand in Chicagoland and elsewhere has exceeded supply as far as state suppliers go. Lots of new road building and maintenance going on. However, still more new cars will be needed. Omscaler plans to rise to the challenge. Gearing up for success, omscaler

 

Just a little more

Just a little more information regarding the covered hoppers that is. Some of omscalers readers always want the nitty gritty details. Omscaler will share a few (or more). The covered hopper project began on September thirteenth and concluded on November seventeenth. Each hopper consists of ninety-six components all of which had to be fabricated. Just to be precise, the Frisco hopper is not the correct color. The color came from the previous Frisco covered hopper which had been scrapped. Apparently omscaler felt compelled to use the same color before a good prototype photo was located. By the time it was, we were so far along that no color change was made. Se la’ vie. As a matter of fact a number of improvements were used to make the project more realistic. While we realize that there are still flaws present we feel that this effort has indeed reached a milestone. The next time even better methods will be used. Some salient points in this regard. The car end frames will be improved. Omscaler thinks the current ones are still too bulky. The under frame is a little wide and could use some refinement as well. A more uniform hatch treatment will be used also. What else? Nothing comes to mind but we will see. The next project. Right now an improved drive linkage is in the works. A very interesting M&StL outside braced wood boxcar is a strong contender for first place. Then what? That as they say will sort itself out. Readers, please feel free to share your ideas in the comment link. It says “no comments” or has a short phrase of someone else’s. Omscaler knows this is counter intuitive but just click on it and type away when you get to the comments page. It will be reviewed by me and posted. Curious and busy, omscaler

 

Summit fever again!

Your erstwhile omscaler is nearing the completion of the final three covered hoppers in this group of railcars. By the time readers see this, they should be 100% complete. Part of the delay came from a vacation day last Tuesday. Traffic on this one was much better than the nightmare traffic experienced last trip. First stop after fuel was the tourist information stop at the Georgia state line (west). After the helpful staff confirmed that my planned route was low traffic and good roads, I left for breakfast at Villa Rica. Then omscaler drove to Cartersville to visit the historic passenger depot. After taking pics, I thought to myself, “I better go ahead and leave to get across the tracks before a train comes.” Lo and behold! As I was just about to get in the car, I heard a train horn from the north side of the area. I thought at this point to just wait and watch the train go by. This as it turned out later was a fortuitous decision. Omscaler then drove through the north side of Cartersville to the freeway. Next stop was Adairsville to get more pics of the depot which was historic and figured in the “Great Locomotive Chase” during the American Civil War. The downtown area is quite picturesque due to the Victorian architecture. Next, headed up the freeway to Dalton, home of carpets and railroads. The visitors center is located in the historic Dalton freight house. The track side loading dock is now a train watching platform. There is also a Southern passenger car on display. The helpful staff lady was kind to show me the television screen that looks out through one of the large windows. This screen receives input from the railroad. The screen has a diagram showing the actual real time signal conditions. All signal aspects were showing red the entire time I was there. Nothing moving. The only train I saw was indeed back at Cartersville. This freight house has an important museum inside. The displays demonstrate the founding of the textile industry here by a young woman. Humble beginnings to significant industry. Omscaler asked the staff person if the old passenger depot still existed. She said it did and game me directions. She also said it was a closed restaurant but the owner was planning to reopen. Turns out omscaler has been in this restaurant on a previous trip some years back. “Deja Vue all over again”. Omscaler knows this has been a long account but as the man said, “One more thing”. Next stop was Prater’s Mill. Interesting place. Mill, lint house(?), cotton gin, mill store, barn, Doctor’s office, six by ten feet(!), barn and...caboose. Tracks are not nearby to my knowledge. I guess the caboose is for a more widespread appeal. Train nuts being what they are. Thus this and the next late lunch stop ended this day trip. Refreshed and working, omscaler

 

New equipment on the property!

About 8:15, PM, Central Standard Time, a brand new thirty-four foot covered hopper was placed on the Murphysboro module. This is the first of four being produced. The reason this one was finished ahead of the others is that omscaler had a friend who wanted to see the railcar. This person had asked about it after we had shared our model railroad activities when I visited the local model railroad club. Since he was kind enough to ask to see the finished work, omscaler decided to push one to completion so as not to prolong his wait. Another reason the lone covered hopper was completed ahead of the others is that some innovative construction methods were being used. This improved the timing enough to go ahead and get it done. Some more improvements will be tried on the remaining three as well. Should not be too long now. Hastening the day, omscaler

 

Back on track

Yep. We have been busy working on the group of four covered hoppers. Right now we have roofs attached to sides, end sheets in place and two sets of center vertical supports in place as well as one set of car end frames. Omscaler has been able to develop a better way of attaching these parts which is naturally a big help. Still a lot more to do. This project is the most detailed car project to date. However sunny weather is beckoning us out doors. Temptation is dogging us. We will persevere. Shoulder to the wheel. Omscaler