Its December which means its time to higher a wrecking crew to clean my hobby room so I can open the door in time for the challenge.
Oh Dave I hope you have something exciting for us.
That reminds me I need to get a bottle of TiteBond III! Team Mueller is ready, and the challenge has come up in casual conversation. My fingers are crossed that there will be a secessionist movement amongst my teammates!
Eric
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Between work and Christmas vacation, I have one weekend left at home before the new year, this weekend, and my plan is to at least get started cleaning my office so I can be ready when @Dave_Taylor reveals the challenge. Greatly looking forward to participating once again.
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I’m thinking my adopted grandchildren…would LOVE to see an AMTRAK theme this year even though they live in Hawaii and have never seen Amtrak kinda like I never get to see them!
Mr Taylor is the boss though and I am grateful that the MIK tradition has been carried on Allen/Mik…Kim spelled backwards .
I will watch, learn, enjoy but the most important part is “I will vote on Mik 2024” as I always have.
However Devon started this thread and we are not even sure if he ever finished Carrick Furnace? So perhaps he is hoping for a blower furnace Mik build this year?
Just saying and it’s all good :
Id be all for making an 1880s narrow gauge nod to Amtra
The blower is finished. And much of the parts for the boiler are finished. The only thing really left to do is make the rock furnace.
Has anyone considered a COLA adjustment on the expenditure limit for this years MIK ??
No Coke…
Pepsi.
Rick,
We all know your junk drawer needs to be emptied out more!
Oh, yeah! That would be awesome!
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I’ve always liked the 4-8-4. Just seems so well balanced with the full streamlining effect. And not too bad stepping in full open cladding with all fixtures and pipes showing. 
I have always liked the NY Elevated “fish belly” cars or as I call them “wooden superliners”
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I agree Rick on your suggestion to up the price limit as a Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA).
$50? $75?
2 Years to early but perhaps a “Freedom Train” of 2024?
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US inflation calculator shows between 2010 (first year of the challenge) and 2023 is $12.33 making the adjusted $30 only $42.33.
Clearly not the $75.
But half the fun is forcing one self to do projects on the cheap and in a limited timeframe.
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Deep in my bucket has been a “what if” 2-6-0 mogal narrow gauge stream liner that is an Americanized Mallard.
Eric,
The boy will receive some of the materials he needs before the 1st of of the year. NO this does NOT count against the budget because it was FREE and we will pretend he found it in the JUNK drawer!
It’s all about the badging …Just ask Penn Central
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OK Gang… I have been in the lost zone for a lot of months… But I have a good Mik 2024 for you all…
Still time to hoard stuff you think you just might need…
And Yes I have thought about “Inflation Creep” on the amount of $$…I’ll ponder the amount… One thing for sure… The price of trucks has ruined any chance of staying under budget, So for sure, if trucks are needed for Mik '24, they will be excluded from the total…
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He’s prepped and primed! Huzzah!
I rented a skid steer and I should be able to muck out the hobby room this weekend.