Is that stamp mill video on YouTube? Those things were loud. Imagine living in a community where one was busy all day.
I googled it. Fair warning ...dont be wearing headphones at even a medium volume while watching one of those videos...SHESsshhhhh...
Yeah. I found a couple on YT by searching. A friend of ours has a restored vertical boiler from a stamp mill. Showed us a video of a stamp mill in action. I forget how many hammers it had, but talk about noisy! Remember, if anyone had hearing protection back in those days, it was just something simple such as cotton stuffed in ears. I'd imagine it didn't take long to suffer some hearing loss.
And you gentlemen have pointed out why for me the installation of sound would be wasted labor and resources, plus $$. I would rather have some low sound at the harbor area of wave action and seabirds, and maybe the distant sound of a marine engine from one of the fishing boats. Add the sounds in to the stamp mill, and one of those reefers with sound at the hop processing plant, and frogs and other marsh sounds at the mill pond, plus running water over the water wheel at the grain mill, not to mention locos, whether diesel or steam, and whatever relaxation I would have at the layout would soon evaporate quickly. The two short videos that I loaded here a short while back have sound and the one with the doubled headed 44 tonners up the hill has a pleasant low whine coming from those two diesels, plus the very low clickety clack of wheels over some rail joints now and then. That plus when and if I ever get to the harbor with the aforementioned distant surf and seaport sound will be more than enough for me. Probably the only other animation that will be added is the flasher unit in the big lighthouse at the Coast Guard station. For whatever reason the track in the tunnel area that is mounted on a foam base with a cork roadbed, and surrounded by foam sides is noisy, not excessive but still noisy. But it at least lets me know that progress through the tunnel is continuing and when nearing the left tunnel portal seems to increase letting me know that the consist is about to exit into the yard. It also lets me know to glance quickly to insure that Deekus is not waiting with her lightning paws of death if she is in the room. So much for the sound deadening qualities of foam and cork. After a lifetime of loud abrupt sounds, explosions, gunfire, sirens, and heavy equipment I cherish quiet solitude at times and Nature's sounds.
Went back this AM and thinned the steam plumes by about half. I also removed and will redo the boiler exhaust plume. One shot straight on and one from the right side again. 100_4582-1 by John Moore posted Jul 27, 2015 at 9:29 AM 100_4583-2 by John Moore posted Jul 27, 2015 at 9:29 AM I like this a lot better than the first attempt and the boiler exhaust will go back to the light gray color on the left side. Round two of the Feline wars continued this AM with one of the younger ones hopping directly up into the upper meadow and resort area, no damage. About an hour later Samantha the black witch hopped from the window sill to the lower main and strolled down it to me, she left on command with again no damage. In both cases there wasn't the slightest reaction to the pepper or aromatic oils. I need to get the end backdrop on and make that trip to the store to try some repellant. Right now the score is Cats three, me zilch.
When they are strolling down the track, have you tried turning on the power? It can't harm them, but might get their attention.
The power has been on numerous occasions and it doesn't even faze them. These guys are all feral born and about 6 leagues ahead of the average domestic born and five are Tiger Tabbys which seem to be, besides large, about two more leagues above the other ferals in my small pride of mini Lions. On the intelligence scale they are about 20 times smarter than the current crop of political candidates now in the news. Which means I have a real challenge on my hands.
Maybe you could set them up to run for President .....PLEASE ! They would have to be better than the Jack a--es we have now......LOL
Had to go out today to get a few items and stopped to get some animal repellant. Supposed to work on dogs and cats both indoor and out to keep then away from or off of things you don't want them on. Since it is also for outdoor use it should be relatively long lasting before another treatment is needed. Notice that all the wording is in the past tense and not the present. Yes I did come home and apply it. I got a small amount on my fingers and Deekus was sleeping in the widow sill in the room. So I stuck my still damp fingers under her nose. She sniffed once and went back to sleep. Colonel Mosby came in the room and sniffed around and left without the slightest hint of irritation. Took my senior nap and left the door open. Nothing touched. Was downstairs at supper with the door open again to the train room. Curried Chicken over Rice, Corn on the Cob, and melons. The Big Guy did a couple of caterwauls from the top of the stairs and the thundering herd galloped up the stairs to where he was. Came up about 30 minutes ago with my after dinner cup of decaf and found part of the steam plumes in disarray, and part of the horse corral fence at the upper level resort displaced. Round four to the Felines and I turned the air a bluish tint with a number of utterances. The Wife wandered down the hall to stand and stare at me trying to decide whether to call the folks with the wrap around jackets or a divorce lawyer, or both. Not sure but with the combination of deterrent things added to the layout now that a small thermonuclear reaction is possibly taking place. Locomotives are running without the power pack plugged in. The side of the room with the layout now has a greenish glow and earlier there was a dark cloud over the house with lightning flashing. Can anybody say Adams Family Junction? Now thinking about installing spring loaded hinges on the door. Since I can't remember to always close the door, the door will self close upon my passage through it each time. Meanwhile the corral fence is repaired, the steam plumes are pluming again and the little darlings are all in with the Missus taking turns looking cute and getting petted. And I sit in my man cave with Night on a Bald Mountain playing plotting my next action whilst a small mushroom cloud forms over the layout and black helicopters with the initials NRC on the side hover around outside.
Spring loaded hinges on the door would help you if you forget to close the door manually. As long as you do a 'feline headcount' before stepping out. I can almost imagine what the carnage would look like from a cat closed in a room with no possibiltities of exiting...YIKES !!!
You are almost a prophet George. You are just missing a robe, a thick cushion to sit cross legged on, and scores of devoted disciples offering steam locomotives to you for sacrifice. Closed things down late last night and stumbled down to bed. Awoke this AM and stumbled back up the hallway to the train room. Opened the door and T'anksi strolls out. Examined the layout and all is well with no sign of anything disturbed, the workbench is undisturbed and things still on the shelves. I had to coach the Big Guy out of the room last night and he is usually accompanied by an entourage, she being a regular. My light switch is unfortunately behind the door rather than right beside it where a simple hand slipped in turns the lights off and on. So while I was coaching him out and tuning off the light she must have slipped in in stealth mode. Now my room is also the location for the upstairs comfort, water, and food station so she was comfortable during the night. Plus she had the Big Guy's bed to sleep in. Round five to the Felines.
This is beginning to read like a major WWII campaign, hopefully with less carnage. However, now knowing your room is their official base of operations, ceded many moons ago, you might as well stop wasting valuable energy better spent with trains. All you're doing now is providing them with entertainment.
The thought of moving the comfort station, feeder dispenser of feline delicacies, and the bubbling water fountain with reservoir has entered my mind. Only two of them spend most of the day supervising me wherever I am, being the Big Guy and Deekus. The rest seem content to pass the day down the hall in my Wife's office/sewing and ironing/and craft room. Only stopping by my room to get some water, food, or use the comfort station or in a raiding party on the layout. Moving the facilities into her room though may take on some negotiations similar to the Iran nuclear negotiations. It still doesn't stop the raids into the train room by the younger bunch. So far today there has not been an excursion down either mainline and from all appearance the one who managed to get locked in the room last night left it alone also. So maybe the concoction is working to some extent however the day and the week is young yet. I have started work on manufacturing and installing the left side backdrop so that may throw a obstacle in the way of an easy hop off of the window sill for a stroll down the main.
Never knew that one could get this much excitement and drama out of building a layout. While people complain that they don't like track work, ballasting, etc. every facet has been a stirring challenge for me. From 15 and 20 pound Felines reverting back to kitten hood to Mr. Murphy raising his ugly head on occasion. About the only thing missing from this continuing saga of As the Stomach Turns is having Tim Conway and Harvey Korman show up to help. And in just the few minutes since I put up the next section of the backdrop to mark off some areas I have had four Felines visit the room just to check out the new addition. Not normal for this time of day as they are all asleep storing up energy for the night romp. I am beginning to suspect they have the room bugged.
Would you be interested in having my grandson sweep the room for you? Neither you nor the felines would ever know he'd been there......
With a lot of hollering at the ADHD Deekus the Cat, who wanted to help in the worst way, I got another backdrop scene mounted on a precut section of Masonite. Now attached but still in need of a back support behind the joining corner which I have a section of inside corner brace that will become an outside corner brace when cut and attached. Time to go downstairs and fix supper as soon as I can get Callie out of the closet top shelf so I can close up. 100_4584-1 by John Moore posted Jul 28, 2015 at 5:15 PM
