Large Scale Central

Jan and Ric's Great Adventure - 2018

Other Hobbies
#21

7 April, 2018 - Hadley, Ma.

We drove across upstate New York, yesterday in “wonderful” Spring weather. It was almost a white out between Buffalo and Syracuse. We are in the area to pick up a 7.25 gauge 1.5 inch scale live steamer called a “Clishay” for use on the Finger Lakes track. Got to eat lunch with some of our FLLS friends in Syracuse after seeing the indoor layout at “Driver’s Village”. Great place for a largescale indoor layout.

In the words of that great philosopher James Buffett, “I’m growing older, but not up. My medabollical state has pleasantly stopped. Let the winds of time blow over my head, I’d rather die while I’m living, than live while I’m dead”.

Should be back in Carlyle, Monday evening. GOD willing and the creek don’t rise tooooo high. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#22

Well looks like we miss seeing you again. Ya left FL to quick. Maybe next time. Later RJD

#23

Ric Golding said:

When you slam the door they fly, unless the fishing is really good. If its really good, there ears are below the water level and they are very busy.

Spring and Fall are very nice in Southern Illinois. Trying to think about other great things about Illinois, my Mom, kids and grandkids are there. Yep, that’s what I can say.

I never regretted leaving Ill and saw no future there.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif) Later RJD

#24

Well said RJ.(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Yes, we probably did leave Florida early, but family, life and taxes sometime get in the way.

We successfully made the trip to Massachusetts and back. The “CliShay” is now sitting in the garage ready for inspection, cleanup and tweaking to my own desires. The young man we acquired it from is achieving what many of us would like to have done. He is 22 years old and is an accomplished steam engineer, working on tourist railroads through out New England and learning to be a machinist to maintain and repair both hobby and real equipment. Quite a young man. In the short time I got to spend with him and his Dad, I learned stuff that will help me improve my skills whatever steam engine I’m running or attempting to fire and run.

In Shawn’s video post, I replied that I have satisfied my “Bucket List” desire to see upstate New York and New England in the Winter time. Yep, lets put a line through that one and mark it complete.

#25

We’ve been officially home, Carlyle, Illinois, since March 15th, but there have been a number of small side trips and then maintenance and upgrades that are easier to do when we are on home turf.

Big events on the horizon, includes Bluestone Southern OPs, beginning in May.

Then up to Michigan for some 1.5 scale OPs on the Michigan Central and over to Finger Lakes Live Steamers for the cooler summer temps. Lots of fun!

Hope to see some of you along the road.

#26

Let me know when you get to FLLS and we’ll boil some water in our vertical boilers.

#27

Ric,

Saw this and it made me think of you since you are the Pelican Whisperer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGBjIXMD_0s

#28

" Rooster " said:

Ric,

Saw this and it made me think of you since you are the Pelican Whisperer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGBjIXMD_0s

My fault: I forgot to tell Ric that fish are not always welcome at outdoor ceremonies.(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif) Maybe next time he will leave them at home?

#29

He is still the Pelican Whisperer

#30

I really think you are mistaking my actions for Jan’s. If anything. She’s the true “Pelican Whisperer”. Plus stray cats, stray puppies and me. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#31

Tom Bowdler said:

Let me know when you get to FLLS and we’ll boil some water in our vertical boilers.

Should be there around June 1st. I’ll send you an email.

#32

25 May, 2018 - Metamora, Michigan.

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Yesterday we arrived along the tracks of the Michigan Central Railroad’s Detroit Yard on the property of Bill and Giesla Hays. This is a great 1.5 inch railroad and is the site of the Memorial Weekend Operations.

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We got out of the heat of Southern Illinois and up to Michigan on Tuesday night. Tuesday and Wednesday nights were spent in the Grand Rapids area, as we had some maintenance done on our movable cabin. This was also the maiden voyage of our new self-propelled box trailer, to hall the 1.5 ride on equipment, that has been well disguised as a half ton pickup with a camper shell over the pickup bed. The first voyage of this portable storage device was successful in hauling our equipment over some very rough roads, trailing along the highway towed behind our portable cabin and everything was unloaded successfully at the Michigan Central.

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Plans are to be here until Monday and then move on to the Finger Lakes Live Steamers in upstate New York.

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Of course this all depends on “GOD’s will and the creek not rising to high”. One of my favorite statements is “If you want to make GOD laugh, tell him your plans.”

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Last year was slowed by a little heart maintenance, so this year is a special treat to be amongst our railroad friends.

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See you along the tracks, or the highways, as we travel this great land.

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GOD Bless America and take a moment this weekend to remember those who gave it all, so we can live as we want. Freedom is never free.

#33

2 June, 2018 - We got to Finger Lakes Live Steamers on Tuesday 29 May about 11:00. Nice to be back in this beautiful part of Upstate New York. The temps are warm during the day, but overall great! We had a good weekend of Ops on the Michigan Central in Metamora, Michigan. Both Jan and I worked at protecting the passenger schedule on Saturday and Sunday. This is a great event and example of 1.5 inch operations. Bill Hays has created a beautiful railroad through the woods and the Operations Sessions are well attended and very functional.

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This week at FLLS has been one of adapting to the rural life and environment. Re-gauging equipment to the 7.25 gauge from 7.5 inches between the rails and trying to learn the unique characteristics of the new to us, Clishay. If you do a Google search on this engine, you can see some very good examples of this little logging gem. Haven’t fired it, yet, as I am working through the water system and learning its systems. Really interesting as to how many people have asked, “Have you run it, yet?” That’s really not a major agenda item to me. Its a goal, but its a bigger deal to learn its personality and get all the systems running to my satisfaction. Latest concern is a stuck check valve. Learned this yesterday as I tried to fill the boiler. There are 5 or 6 check valves between the water supply, 2 pumps and the boiler, so this may take a while to figure where the problem is. You can really understand the demise of the steam engine and the growth of the diesel. I read once, that it took 16 hours of maintenance for every 8 hours of running of a steam engine.

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Had a real “frog choker” rain event come through yesterday. Turned the drainage ditch, that runs through the lower part of the FLLS property, into a part of the New York Barge Canal System for a couple of hours, but then it was back to just having a little trickle of a stream.

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Monday, we head back to Carlyle and the Midwest for most of the rest of the month. Family stuff, doctor appointments and life once again gets in to the way of enjoying our hobbies.

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(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#34

Say Hi to Roger and Jim for me while your up there…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#35

7 June, 2018 - Got back to the home base on Tuesday the 5th. Time to catch up on family business and head south the 28 miles to the official “Fun in the Sun”

spot of Washington County, this weekend. The BS starts is about 30 hours.

#36

Rick you mentioned Metamora, Michigain for the Michigain RR but I’m unable to locate thaat town. I think this where my brother and his son operate once in a while. Enjoy your trips and yep some day we may pas or meet up with one another. Later RJD

#37

R.J. DeBerg said:

Rick you mentioned Metamora, Michigain for the Michigain RR but I’m unable to locate thaat town. I think this where my brother and his son operate once in a while. Enjoy your trips and yep some day we may pas or meet up with one another. Later RJD

R.J.,

This link should take you to Google Maps for Metamora, Michigan. There’s also Live Steam and Outdoor railroading that might help sometimes, although some of the links listed there no longer work correctly.

#38

R.J.,

The link Bruce gave is the area for Hadley/Metamora. The railroad is the Michigan Central Railroad, owned by Bill Hays, Great railroad.

The heat has driven us north as we are now around the Wisconsin Dels area at Christmas Mountain Village with the annual Golding Family Vacation. As the grandkids have grown, life as improved for parents and all. Water Park excitement today and learned of an 18 inch excursion train in the area, yesterday. May have to explore that more, tomorrow.

Drug out the “LargescaleCentral Traveling Outhouse Award” for the entertainment of the grandkids last night. My 14 year old grandson thinks maybe some of our friends are not mentally well. I tried to explain the “humor of life” to him, but upon further discussion, I had to agree we all may have a screw that’s a little loose.

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Boomer’s Salsa was a hit at last night’s dinner.

Free of family obligations by Wednesday and headed for Finger Lakes Live Steamers in upstate New York.

#39

Funny “out house” and “Boomers Salsa” used in the same thread … (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-yell.gif)

#40

Sean McGillicuddy said:

Funny “out house” and “Boomers Salsa” used in the same thread … (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-yell.gif)

It is appropriate that both were mentioned in the same thread. The youngest member of the Golding Clan, really enjoyed the bathroom humor, but the sallsa was too spicey.

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The adults, or should we just say older members, enjoyed both. The teenagers showed public contempt,but kept playing with it. The females felt it was childish and both the son and son in law made video recordings of the sound affects for future use.

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Yep, I’m proud of both of those guys! Hoping my grandson falls right in their footsteps. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)