Summer is starting to wind down on the Kittatinny Mt RR. The guys are starting to get ready for the fall weather. In a few weeks we can start seeing frost. Temps end of week going to hit upper 30’s for thelow. In less then a month snow flakes could start falling again. Trees are starting to show some color as well as an increase in leaf drop Ugh. The guys are starting to put things away and getting the last of the logs to the mill untill.
The boss likes to collect trains and he just purchased an old Kalamazoo engine and passenger cars. They are from the early 80’s (One of Kalamazoos earlier sets) Train ran great for the most part. Although one curve the engine kept derailing. The guys were able to fix the problem. Track guage was way off probably from the last two storms. I dont plan on doing anything to change the set but just run it as is. Going to use it as a fun set to run and show how it all started with US trains in the garden. The quality is very good on the Kalamazoo although the detail is not like others but still not bad. I have another 4-4-0 coming that plan on working some backwoods majic to. Should be fun. Overall its a neat set and runs vry smooth.
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Looking good Shawn. I like the new set.
Looking good. I love Fall but am not looking forward to winter. I need a snow-bird job 
Summer does not start for another week - except for our meteorological people (whom it seems are controlled by computers as they start seasons, 1 Mar, 1 Jun, 1 Sep. and 1 Dec.). We are enjoying an Indian summer right now and I don’t expect leaf issues for at least a month.
I have been taking time to paint many outdoor items, chalet, shed, gates and outer doors now it is such good weather. The great thing is, of course, (although I still have to watch where I put the paint brush lol) I can watch and listen to my trains whilst I work.
I love to see the fall tree colors but they are not prolific here as this is a coastal area and we have many pine trees and not so many deciduous ones. But a short drive inland yields some nice colors but not of course on the New England scale.
Nice pics, Shawn.
If nothing else you’ll have an extra motor block for that fancy loco.
You’ll just have to wait till after the TrainOps weekend at Bob’s, then they’ll be plenty of pix…
Yup. My layout is a mess again. Had it all cleaned up after Irene for my brothers visit over Labor Day. Then Lee dumped on us. Spent every evening and weekend day since cleaning silt out of drains and making a trailer ready to camp in this weekend.
Beautiful pics Shawn
As always good stuff Shawn!
Jon Radder said:Huuummm...I'm just gonna go to my corner ;)
I need a snow-bird job :)
Hi Shawn:
I like your work on the Big John loco. You made it into an attractive loco. Removing the side boards really improved the appearance. If HLW built a Climax from the Big John that would be interesting.
But Bachmann has the 1:20.3 Climax on the market, so would a 1:24 Climax sell?
On your second 4-4-0 : replacing the headlamp, cab, smokebox number plate and cowcatcher with HLW replacements would be a big improvement.
Reducing the height of the sand and steam risers would bring those domes right into scale proportions.
I like the colours picked by Kalamazoo. They sure look nice even if not historically accurate.
Basically this is the colour scheme used on the Disneyland and DisneyWorld amusement park locos. The red boiler is attractive no matter how historically wrong it is.
I never heard of red Russia Iron! But it does not matter as it looks great.
Norman
Thanks guys
Norman I have another Kalamazoo engine coming my way. I plan on kitbashing it to improve it. I like your ideas with replacing the cow catcher ect… with HLW stuff. Im looking forward to seeing what I can transform the 4-4-0 into. Im thinking some kind of backwoods engine. I plan on keeping the above Kalamazoo set as is. Im not a fan of colored engines like that but there is something about the Kalamazoo that is appealing to me. I really like how thick the plastic parts are. Thats always a plus in my book. You can always add details to take the toy like appearance out of trains.
That would be great to see HLW make a climax in 1:24. The problem would be it would have a hard time selling in that scale. I built a class A from scratch (not sure if you have seen it yet). Its around 1:22 -1:24 scale. I used the same measurment as the HLW flat car.
Shawn said:
. Im looking forward to seeing what I can transform the 4-4-0 into…
Huumm…what’s the wheel diameter? Possibly wanna sell it? I said possibly now?? BTW…where the bents painted or the natural color after all this rain/ weather?
Rooster thats the natural color. They look great dont they. Thats why I dont paint anything. Wood weathers very nicely.
Cool…that stuff is weathering well!! Now get some freakin catwalks on it! I have more strips say 1/16"thick X 5/8" w and 7’ long…shaved scraps…
David Russell said:Yeah, what he said, catwalks, guardrails, fire-barrels, dancing girls, all that stuff.
Cool.....that stuff is weathering well!! Now get some freakin catwalks on it! I have more strips say 1/16"thick X 5/8" w and 7' long....shaved scraps...
…:)…
LOL
Jon Radder said:Mine too. Just haven't had any time to work on it since June :O Looks like it will be October before I do have any time =( Ralph
Yup. My layout is a mess
The last of Summer - more like Fall to me overcast and cool - very cool. Took these after I tied up my last run. WARNING THESE ARE BIG PICTURES!!!
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Terminal is near empty! Ther all out on the rails on the CCRy
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Paul p.s. I’ll try for more dayligh next run!
For the number of operators Friday, it was flat busy. The main yard was empty, even had the passenger train out later on. Raining pretty good right now. Time to get the snowplows out and serviced…repack the journals, shim the couplers, tighten the trussrods. I hear algore’s personal aircraft will be passing over soon, so who knows what the weather will do.
