Building question from Paul Smith

Hi John,
I have an unfinished building which I used MDO board to build the walls and roof. I am trying to come up with the best solution to create clapboard siding that will withstand the weather. I know Eric Schade has successfully used a dado blade on his table saw to cut them directly into the plywood, but I don't have a dado blade, and even if I did, I don't know if I would trust myself to use it for siding.

There are styrene sheets of 1/4" clapboard siding available commercially which on a 1/24 scale building would be a 6" exposure. That would be a realistic scale. Do you know anyone that has used styrene on their outdoor buildings and if so what type of adhesive and paint that they used?

Please comment or contact me, I can give you Paul's email, thanks John

Close up view

Please click on the image below for a close up view of this years Maine Mall layout.

Iron Horse

Thank you!   I love our Newsletter, the September - October issue is now available to read on-line. Remember, you can go back and reference all copies of the Iron Horse from 2009 by clicking on the "Moving Wheels" on the left side of the Blog.

Automatic Reversing Unit

I spent quite a while comparing different units and closely read their detail specs.  And I came away liking this particular model.  It is made and shipped out of Canada. It has good reviews and a Utube video plus I thought the price was reasonable at $49 dollars so I hit the ever dangerous buy-me-now button.    The setup is easy and the delay control is a simple adjustment screw.  That suits me fine, I like simple things.   Last year Barry and I talked about a small train moving logs back and forth around the Sawmill.  And that is what I have it in mind for.

Scale Figures

Approx height of 6 foot man

  G   =  3 inches
  O   =  1   1/2 in
  HO = 3/4 in
  N   =  1/2 in
  Z    =  1/4 in

Automatic Switching

  What this is supposed to be is a building (like the saw mill)  that has a point to point  track going back and forth around it.  The two switches are wired together so that when one is activated it also changes the other.  Switches are powered by the weight of the engine momentarily connecting a devise called a TAD (track activation device).   This slides under the track but has no electrical connection to the track. The weight of the engine presses down on a contact is what completes the circuit.

  I actually have the components of this wired up on my workbench and it works very nicely.  

 

What does Setup Day involve?

  You probably have a pretty good idea already.  You might bring a small micro Philips head screw driver along with you and a Split Jaw tightening tool if you have one. (Bring your glasses too).  Carl will meet us at the Mall Center Court 8am Tuesday Nov 5th.   Bring a smile and a good attitude and we will have fun building a layout together.  If you want to see a large drawing of the latest track plan and a description of most of the major steps we need to do, click on the link below.   Please remember before any of this happens there is a large effort required to move buildings, track and other items into position so that they will be available for members to use when Setup Day arrives.    Please Click Here for Setup Day list

In the News ~ South Berwick, Me.

From Tiny:  No trains or people were hurt in this story but it is a real waste of a motorcycle.
 Click here:

Please notice the Big Blue Button

The Maine Mall is the greatest Train Display that I know of.   Every day thousands of happy people will stop by to watch, smile and reminisce.  Help be a part of this great annual tradition which begins in just under a month. We have half of all the shifts filled with MGRS volunteers but we need you to help complete filling out the roster.  Please help by clicking on that new big blue button at the top of the Blog.  You will see a calendar of available dates and a simple Form to complete.  Or you can call Carl direct.  I know he will appreciate your help.

Women trapped on RR Drawbridge

Click here to view video

A positive view of Railroads

 Thomas G. Hoback, president and CEO of the Indiana Rail Road Co.
has some good news:  Click here for story:

Spooks Alive!

Residents of CASA and the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough were in for a scary treat today at Pat and Carl Churchill's home in Buxton.  Deep in the woods behind the Churchill's house were ghoulies and ghosties and things that go bump in the night.   You should have been there.  And if you weren't, you can still visit every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening from now until Halloween.  If you dare. . .

Friday Halloween Outing

Two groups,  the Maine Veterans and Casa will both be visiting  Carl & Pat's  this afternoon!
 The Halloween Walk is a big treat to the visitors, they are having a terrific time and thank you to MGRS members that are there to give them all the necessary support they need.   They are doing a wonderful job and the weather has been beautiful.
   "A plus" to all involved!

Ghost Songs

Ghost Train
    Hank 
    Snow     

Ghost Riders
    Vaughn 
    Monroe

Gorham House to visit Halloween Displays at Carl's on Thursday 10/10

  If you never saw Carl's Halloween displays all throughout the property and trails  then this Thursday Oct 10th is a good time.  Remember Jeannine, well she is bringing over a group from the Gorham House.  They will arrive at 2:30pm.   They will be taking rides out through the park and enjoying Cider and Donuts plus other good snacks and having a good old fashioned Halloween Outing.    

  If you are available to help out Carl please give him a call and let him know.  

Thanks!!

Casa joins Halloween Walk this Friday 10/11

Casa an excellent group located in Scarborough offering help to physical and mentally disabled persons will bring 4 residents , two of them in wheel chairs over to Carl & Pat's Halloween walk on Friday at 4pm.  
Same afternoon that the Veterans will visit.

These 2 pictures are not from Shaggy Bark Park.


In the 'spirit' of Halloween I found these pictures of ghosts on the web.  Very clever and effective in the day time.  If interested Google "How to make a wire ghost".    

I am hoping someone will take some pictures of the real "Halloween Walk" at Carls so we can post them on the Blog.  

Another Outing - The Veterans will visit on Friday

The Veterans called Carl and said they would like to have a Halloween Outing on Friday afternoon.   They plan to arrive about 1:30pm and are looking forward to the trail rides out to see all the Halloween Displays!

 If possible please help them have fun and enjoy their outing by stopping over or call Carl for more information.

Update from Paul Smith

I took a couple days off from work this week and finished the stone work along the arch deck girder bridge. I used the same technique of landscape foam to adhere the stones next to the abutments and then filled them with stone dust. 

I also placed leaf netting over the pond to catch the leaves this fall. I had a lot of leaves to clean out this past spring, so hopefully this will make spring start up a bit easier and less messy!

I think I am about done landscaping the railroad for this year. Next year I’ll begin working on the roadbed on each end of the long deck girder bridge. I’ll need another load of stone dust. I used up almost all of my 14 yards this year.

I see there is a train show scheduled for Nov 2nd at the Auburn MIddle school. Maybe I’ll see some of the MGRS folks there!

Question For the Blog:  I do have a question for the blog though: I was running my USA Trains GP-7 in a lash up with my USA Trains GP-38 Friday and one of the wheel sets kept derailing on the GP-7. Upon removal of the locomotive from the rails, I found one of the tires on a traction wheel had come off and was just floating along side the wheel. I don't know why it came off; is it possible that while both locomotives have the same motor and gear ratio that the GP-7 wheels were turning a bit faster causing the tire to grip harder and thereby peel off the wheel? Has anyone experienced that? A problem for the experts!

Thanks.

Paul

30 Days to "Setup Day"

Thank you Barry,  the 8 foot long bridge you made does look very good!   It will be one of the new items on display this year and it is only 30 days before it will take its place on this years Maine Mall Train Display.  Setup day begins on Tuesday November 5th at 8am.   By then the platform will be setup, the green grass will be down and the pond, waterfall and the tree on top will be in place.  Carl and his advance team will have moved buildings, track and metal bridges into special areas set aside for MGRS storage.  At 8am it will all begin to come together, right there in Center Court!  

Looking back at some Slideshows

Festival of Trees






 
Trolley Museum







 
WW&F







 
Owls Head