The best part of what we are doing here is keeping in touch with each other. The good news regarding the layout is the last L Girder is in and now I can put in that track on the bottom to be able to run a train. Getting closer each and every day.
Thanks Country Joe!! To include all the rest of you who signed in here to share kind words of encouragement. As to the L Girder. The last check and a few more screws and the L Girder is in place, nice and solid. That would be the good news of the day. Bad news is the batteries on the two drill motors I've been using are tapped out. Charge!! This coming Friday, if everything goes well some real fine young men have offered to help me install the top deck. We shall see how that goes. I may have to get out to True Value, the closest hardware store, to see if they have any metal clamps. Later all.
I checked the last L Girder to go on the layout. I ran a few more screws in and tightened it up. I like the way it looks and now if I need to slide the layout around and I will. I can do it witout pooping the track. Oh boy, I'm going to catch heck for that one . Let's try that again. Popping the track loose or putting a kink in the track. By the way the open gap in the picture below is where I put two L Girders to strengthen the area and attach the two sections of the layout. Next on the to do list, besides wiring. To get the valence in. Looking at starting that tomorrow. This will give you some idea of how the valence will look. When we took it down it broke between the 0 and 6. Fixing that will be tricky. Looking at running a thin runner of a 1X3, cut down, to support and repair it. A 1"X1" across the bottom and top. I may not like that but will see how it looks once it's in place. Actual engine numbers are off a SD7 sitting collecting dust, dirt, mud and rust. In a weed covered siding. Before you jump to any conclusions and call me a thief. We had permission. These are numbers the museum was using to practice with. They weren't happy with how they turned out. I was and here I am still messing with them. More later!!
The next question is, where is the valence going? Typically it would be at the top of the window for the purpose of hanging draperies. Not here. Just above the window to the left of the TV screen. Speaking of TV screens. I have two smaller Dell's that will go to the left of the window. I have cams on the layout so I can monitor train movement under the top deck in the hidden staging yard. Messy!! All of this will get cleaned off when I replace the top deck. Soon!
That would be me as well. Have any of y'all worked an analysis to optimize your Social Security income prior to signing up for benefits? It's a difficult assignment, especially when few of us can confidently predict our lifespans. A spouse adds another layer of uncertainty. I've built Excel sheets that help, but it'd be nice to confirm the various scenarios I'm testing. I see that Intuit offers https://www.quickensso.com/Portal/. At $50 it might be worth the spend. Internet sites (including S.S.) lack analysis beyond the basic.
Wow, Rick, your layout is far larger and much more complex than I imagined. I just began to regularly look at this thread, so am in the dark on much of what's going on. You indeed have quite a project there, much more than I could ever make sense out of. I'd turn it into an early-days-of-Conrail layout and abandon trackage that I couldn't make run.
Yup, I did the analysis of SS benefits, I actually start drawing next month. When I figured it up, it would have taken me 17 years to make up the difference between drawing at 62 or waiting til 65.
When figuring your benefits don't forget that the full retirement age is now between 66 and 67 depending on the year you were born. Make sure you get all the current information before making a decision.
Rick, I take back my suggestion of building a simplified layout. Get 'er done! As far as SS benefits, the only analysis I did before I started drawing them is, "I'm retiring at 62 and that's IT!" That was 9 years ago and I'm still OK. Doug
You guys are toooooo much. I said chuckling out loud. SS is without a doubt a mess but it does work. As long as no one shuts off the spigot. As to the layout. Doug your retraction isn't necessary. It is appreciated. I got a kick out of it. Thanks!! I certainly created a monster. On purpose. Why? Why would I do that? Because, I could. If it isn't complicated, it isn't fun. Or so I thought back in the day. The guys in Big Bear Country didn't call me "More Track Rick" for no reason. If you want to see more of it, go back to the first page of this thread. I can back track to find more pictures of the layout as it was.. You know back in the good old days, in Big Bear Country. However, digging them up may take as long to find them, as it will to restore this monster. You may find a few pic's. Here and there in this thread. The repairs are coming along faster then I thought it would. Thanks to a new Optimizer. Hi five to George and Jean. That has to be a good thing. This is the fourth revision this layout has gone through. I'm determined this is the last time. How the layout looked on arrival to Idaho Country, Nampa. Not good!! You will note the open grid construction. Unless you don't want to. #1 #2 #3 The first picture above: This isn't your normal helix. The helixi, multiple levels with a double track main line and coal district running through it. This is how it looked after I got it back on it's feet. Major undertaking. The second picture above: Is the long part of the layout that houses the hidden staging yard and supports the top deck. Look at that mess of wiring. Aiiyiiyii !! You'll see Kato Unitrack #6 switches on the mainline and in hard to get to places. I never did get them hooked up. I did get them wired up. If you see telephone wire that is for the solenoid switch machines. In the interim, I used a wooden yard stick to throw the switches. The third picture above: Is one of my favored feline friends Tabitha. Not sure what heading I would give this. Perhaps, "What do you mean get off the layout". She is a sweety and so far hasn't done any damage to the layout. Wish that was true of the others in my clan. The yard ladder to the left of the picture is the start of the Hidden Staging yard. If you don't have one of these you won't know what you are missing. A great way to keep guests entertained. What with the variety of trains already made up and eager to go. Some one once said, but you can only run one train at a time. No, that's not true. Self guided train tour in Big Bear Country. At a open house we held, I had three trains running on the main at the same time. I run them slow and it was mesmerizing. If I say so myself. Where it becomes a problem. If you have to stop one train you have to stop all of them. That be true of Analog DC... I'm going to get some pictures of the L Girders and you may get some idea of how much fun it is to install them. Or not!! Did I say "Undertaking" earlier in this post. No, I didn't! Afraid I did. Aiiyiiyii . Later All !!
If you think it's complicated. Ask me I'll tell you the same. Yes, it's a bit overwhelming but do able.
Is this exciting? Maybe not. Frustrating that it's taken this long to get to it. Oh, yes, it's exciting. Okay, the clock is ticking down to 1:30 p.m. Friday the 13th. Two great guys are coming to help this old fart. Actually that was a fresh one. Darn Metformin. The top deck is due to be planted back on it's pedestals and locked-in. I have some metal mending strips. I hope will do the job. I couldn't find the kind of C clamps I used to use as a mortician. Never mind how I used them. Another story for another time and place. So, it's Mickey Mouse time, sorry mickey, perhaps Goofy. My apologies goofy. Anyway the top deck is as ready as I can make it, for now. Time to get'r done. Later all.
Hoping that all goes good Rick. Exciting that more of the layout is coming back together. Looking forward to reading about how it goes.
No not yet. But when the mainline is back in, that will be cause for celebration. Okay, waiting on the guys to show-up. I hope this goes well.
