Getting in the Mood

  This is a great picture!  It came off a website  from a man that builds the lighthouses.  They are beautiful but expensive.  Sorry, I lost track of the site's address but the picture put me in the mood to start planning for spring and my own layout.  So far all I have done is buy 5 packets of different colorful flowers seeds.  But just that made me feel good!  I would like lots of bright flowers this year.   I am about to buy some spring bulbs.  They always come up good, and are easy to do.  I wish they last a little longer but they do get you off to a good start.   I have not had much luck planting roots but bulbs seem to do well.  Gigi does a great job on our deck with hanging plants and pots and container plants.  It really is something to look forward to,  here's hoping you are too!

Update:  Thanks Tiny ~ Here is the website:  http://www.americanlawnlights.com/   He has the Nubble Light, it is beautiful.  To nice to bring into the Mall (my opinion)  You can get a cheap substitute at Christmas Tree but you do get what you pay for.   I bought one last year and I liked the look of it out by the water garden. The solar light came on at night and drove me crazy!  luckily it did stop working in about a week. 

From Paul Smith in Florida

Hi John!

Greetings from Fort Myers Florida! A couple of weeks ago, a friend down here took Brenda and I over to the Shell Point retirement community which is just a couple of miles from our new winter home here at Palmetto Palms. We had lunch there and then he took us to the model railroad layout that they have within the complex. It is in HO scale and the layout is shaped like the State of Florida and features key geographical areas of the State through "selective compression". I wanted to go back and take some pictures to send to you for the blog, but the link below goes to their web site and does a much better job than I could do of capturing the layout. They didn't have any large scale trains, but they did have a small display showing N, HO, S, and O scales.

Paul

http://www.shellpoint.org/trainroom/

Note:  Click on link above and be sure to play the video.
 

Boston Trolley Derails in Tunnel

     

Hey that is not supposed to happen.  Luckily, I do not think there were any serious injuries.  Near Fenway Park in Boston.
Read the story here:

Portland Flower Show photos 2014

Take a look at the display photos direct from their website:

  Click here to view:

Time to make a change

Daylight Savings Time Begins this Weekend.
Turn your clocks ahead one hour on Saturday night ~

Thousands of Trains!

Link to ECLSTS   Click here:       

Coming up at the end of March 5 days after the Spring Meeting. 

Day and Night ~ The Salt Boat

Tiny sent me this, pretty cool.  You know it's winter when boat loads of salt arrive and are unloaded in Portsmouth, Maine.   These came from the Bridge cam website.  http://www.portsmouthwebcam.com/tugboats

Railroad for sale

Thanks to Dennis for finding this.  Always fun to see what a house and railroad costs.  This is the video the sales person  made.  See video below. Click on image to watch.

  Jan 26, 2014

Video Tour of 18055 SW Seiffert Rd Sherwood Oregon If you love trains then this railroad home for sale  with it’s own railroad might just be the perfect dream home for you and  your train collection.

The home at 18055 SW Seiffert Rd in  Sherwood Oregon sits on 19 plus acres and features a miniature railroad  that winds around the property. The home is listed for 3.5 million  dollars which is estimated to be about half the cost of what it would  currently take to build this railroad estate.

Portland Flower Show heading into its 17th year

Very nice article sent in by Richard Young.
Please click here to read:

Flower Show Update from Rich Young

Big weekend getting the Flower Show set up!!

Fellow MGRS member Chris Libby stopped by to check in on the progress.

We ended up laying 2 8" blocks on top of each other, which the track will lay on.  We are only allowed 15 yards of mulch and I think we are getting to the end of our allotment.

The stream is running and the bridges are in place.  I ran one train around the track a few times, much to the amusement of all the other exhibitors.

Opening Night is Wednesday and is open to the general public Thursday through Sunday.

If anyone wants to come and run trains and talk to the public, please send me an email.  richyoung2@gmail.com

I am also looking to see if anyone has a Thomas the Tank train set.  I'd rather not purchase a train I am never going to use.

Today, all of the colorful plants will be placed!  I will be taking more pictures.

Attached are 2 pictures.  

Hope to see you there!!  Think Spring!!

Rich

http://portlandcompany.com/flower/

Jan - Feb Iron Horse Newsletter is available on-line

Thank you Art ~  We do love our Newsletter.  Art wanted to remind us all the up coming Spring Luncheon is just 2 weeks away and that our cost per person for MGRS is actually  $13.25 which does cover all tax and gratuities.  
 

Train Auction

Tiny keeps us up on the auctions events. http://www.jwauctionco.com/toytrain.htm 

Next one is in April, Looks like all O gauge.
 Here is a link to the Photos: Click here

Moving Big Boy 4014 (January 2014)

  Union Pacific moved Big Boy 4014 to its restoration yard just a little over a month ago.  It must have been quite a site to be driving down the road and see this engine go by!   See how they did it, Click here:

Portsmouth Train Show

I asked Tiny if he went to the Portsmouth Train Show and he did not make it but he found a good article in a local paper.  Sounded like a good day for the Maine-3-Railers.  They sound like a good bunch of guys and we congratulate them.   Here is the article:

History of the Transcontinental Railroad

 An interesting video history reconstructed by actors to depict the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad.  Each part 9 to 10 minutes:

Part 1 of 5

Part 2 of 5

Part 3 of 5

Part 4 of 5

Part 5 of 5

Decorah Eagle Cam Live Feed

First egg laid today.  These are pretty famous eagles.  Excellent parents and I think interesting to watch.   The past few years we have watched them raise 3 eaglets per year.  Mom on nest.  Dad will bring in all kinds of food.  But they will swap and share duties very well.  Here is the web site:  http://www.decoraheaglecamalerts.com/index.htm

Past Flower Shows

I took these pictures of the 2012 and 2013  Portland Flower Show  from off their web site.   I am glad we have a member who enjoys promoting garden railroading in such a good way.  As you know Rich Young is working on preparing his entry for the 2014 Show.   He will give us more info on that in future updates.

  I like the look of the fountain and the use of the blue lighting.  Nice job Mr. Young.

Playing with Trains

   I am a fortunate grandfather, I have a grandson that still likes to play with trains!  I had to show Jameson what Scott's engine could do so we ran it and one of my others around the tracks the other day.  We had fun and the trains looked good.  I am looking forward to getting outside with lots of flowers in the garden this year but right now I am very happy to have an indoor layout.  Also thank you to Scott who let me use his new engine for a little while, I am sure he is anxious to have it come back home.  Here is a video of some of the action.  Click here:

Show time

  Train show today in Portsmouth, Me.  Directions click here:

Daytona 500 tomorrow

   Number 3 returns to the poll position!  Here's the rest of the story:  Click here.

 I apoligize: Not a train story