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Learning:
The Journey of a Lifetime
or
A Cloud Chamber on the Mind
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Thursday September 11, 2008 8:00 am Lethbridge

It is +4 C with a high forecast of +23 C. Sunrise 7:02 Sunset 19:54 Hours of daylight: 12:52.
See current Lethbridge forecast here. See current Lethbridge news here.

This page last updated on: Friday, September 12, 2008 6:45 AM

A. Morning Musings

The first sip of coffee this morning is a little later than usual. But it still tastes good.

Now to think a little about the day. The weather tipped the scales toward Model Train activities the last couple of days. That suggests that Literature and Geocaching should receive greater attention today.

Learning Category Planned Activities for Today Time
Literature Continue reading "Midnight's Children" by Salman Rushdie
1 hr
Model Trains Update diesel locomotives data base
5 hr

B. Actual Learning Activities

9:30 am

I have just tried exporting a table as an HTML file from a FileMaker Pro database that I have been maintaining since I began the model train hobby. Here is a list of all the diesel locomotives that I have, sorted by data of purchase. I have been "in" this hobby for 20 years! But there was a period of almost 12 years, from 1994 until 2006, where I was "inactive".

Company Car No. Description Date Purchased

UNDEC 1 F7-A Diesel
Black
1988.01.20
CNR CN 3220 MLW C-424 Diesel
Class MR-24b
Black body, red cab, white CN noodle
1988.03.25
CNR CN 76 MDT Switcher Diesel
Black, red nose, white CN noodle
1988.03.25
CNR CN 6500 F7A Diesel
Green with black, gold & grey horizontal stripes
Prototype built: 1954.
1988.05.14
CNR CN 9162 F-9A Diesel
Red cab, black & white diagonal stripes on side
White CN noodle on nose
1988.06.25
CNR CN 5506 GP38 Diesel
Red cab; black & white diagonal stripes
Prototype built 1972.
1988.10.13
CNR CN 6600 F7B Diesel
Green with black, gold & grey horizontal stripes
Prototype built: 1954.
1988.11.04
CNR CN 7847 Alco RS-3 Diesel
Green & yellow.
1988.12.13
CNR CN 2010 ALCO C-430 Diesel 1990.09.08
CNR CN 7985 S-4 Diesel
1990.09.08
CNR CN 8502 SW-1 Diesel
Black with white CN noodle, red nose & tail
1990.09.08
CNR CN 9156 F-3 Diesel
1990.09.08
CNR CN 9176 F-3 Diesel
Dummy
1990.09.08
CNR CN 1706 GP7 Diesel
GR-15a
Green & yellow paint
1991.01.05
CNR CN 1720 GP7 Diesel
GR-15a
Green & yellow paint
1991.01.05
CNR CN 9408 Alco FA-2 Diesel
Yellow & green
Prototype built 1950.
1991.10.19
CNR CN 6707 Alco FA-2 Diesel
Yellow, black & green
Prototype built 1950.
1992.11.04
BC Rail BCOL 720 GP38 Diesel 1992.11.27
CNR CN 4346 GP9 Diesel
1993.05.01
CNR CN 7824 SW 1500 Diesel
1993.05.01
CNR CN 5930 SD40-2 diesel unit
New CN NAFTA logo
1994.11.21
CNR CN 6700 5-axle passenger C-Liner diesel unit
Factory installed DCC and sound.
2006.04.20

Only 1 locomotive (CN 6700) is DCC ready. That is another task I want to undertake this winter: adding decoders to some of the diesel units.

I then googled "GP9 CNR" to see if I could find more infomation on GP9 diesels.

Here is one link that is spectacular! http://www.michaeltaylor.ca/CNR/cnr.shtml

The following link gives a thumbnail description of the GP9 locomotive: http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/EMD-GP9

The Web is truly an amazing resource.

3:30 PM

I have carefully reviewed the Filemaker Pro database for diesel locomotives. I have added photos for all of the records (23 in all). As a result of this review I have removed 7 units from my layout because of the low quality of the model. Thus I now have 16 units: 1 unit is DCC ready (decoder + sound) and 15 units require decoders. I have a lot of work in front of me! But my data base now accurately reflects my layout.

Company Car No. Description Date Purchased Status

UNDEC 1 F7-A Diesel
Black
1988.01.20 deleted
CNR CN 3220 MLW C-424 Diesel
Class MR-24b
Black body, red cab, white CN noodle
1988.03.25 deleted
CNR CN 76 MDT Switcher Diesel
Black, red nose, white CN noodle
1988.03.25 needs DCC
CNR CN 6500 F7A Diesel
Green with black, gold & grey horizontal stripes
Prototype built: 1954.
1988.05.14 deleted
CNR CN 9162 F-9A Diesel
Red cab, black & white diagonal stripes on side
White CN noodle on nose
1988.06.25 deleted
CNR CN 5506 GP38 Diesel
Red cab; black & white diagonal stripes
Prototype built 1972.
1988.10.13 needs DCC
CNR CN 6600 F7B Diesel
Green with black, gold & grey horizontal stripes
Prototype built: 1954.
1988.11.04 deleted
CNR CN 7847 Alco RS-3 Diesel
Green & yellow.
1988.12.13 needs DCC
CNR CN 2010 ALCO C-430 Diesel 1990.09.08 needs DCC
CNR CN 7985 S-4 Diesel
1990.09.08 needs DCC
CNR CN 8502 SW-1 Diesel
Black with white CN noodle, red nose & tail
1990.09.08 needs DCC
CNR CN 9156 F-3 Diesel
1990.09.08 deleted
CNR CN 9176 F-3 Diesel
Dummy
1990.09.08 deleted
CNR CN 1706 GP7 Diesel
GR-15a
Green & yellow paint
1991.01.05 needs DCC
CNR CN 1720 GP7 Diesel
GR-15a
Green & yellow paint
1991.01.05 needs DCC
CNR CN 9408 Alco FA-2 Diesel
Yellow & green
Prototype built 1950.
1991.10.19 needs DCC
CNR CN 6707 Alco FA-2 Diesel
Yellow, black & green
Prototype built 1950.
1992.11.04 needs DCC
BC Rail BCOL 720 GP38 Diesel 1992.11.27 needs DCC
CNR CN 4346 GP9 Diesel
1993.05.01 needs DCC
CNR CN 7824 SW 1500 Diesel
1993.05.01 needs DCC
CNR CN 5930 SD40-2 diesel unit
New CN NAFTA logo
1994.11.21 needs DCC
CNR CN 9004 F3A diesel 1994.12.31 needs DCC
CNR CN 6700 5-axle passenger C-Liner diesel unit
Factory installed DCC and sound.
2006.04.20 DCC with sound

Here are the photos of the diesel locomotives that are now on my layout, although only CN 6700 is operational at the moment:

CN 76
MDT Switcher
loco
CN 5506
GP38
Prototype built 1972.
loco
CN 7847
Alco RS-3
loco
CN 2010
ALCO C-430
loco
CN 7985
S-4
loco
CN 8502
SW-1
loco
CN 1706
GP7
GR-15a
loco
CN 1720
GP7
GR-15a
loco
CN 9408
Alco FA-2
Prototype built 1950.
loco
CN 6707
Alco FA-2
Prototype built 1950.
loco
BCOL 720
GP38
loco
CN 4346
GP9
loco
CN 7824
SW 1500
loco
CN 5930
SD40-2
New CN NAFTA logo
loco
CN 9004
F3A
loco
CN 6700
5-axle passenger C-Liner
Factory installed DCC and sound.
loco

This has been both fun and tedious. But there is satisfaction in having an up-to-date data base. I now have a much better idea of what needs to be done with my diesel units on the layout. I also now need to develop a better sense of the appearance and properties of each of these units as well as their history.

Books on the Go Today
Rumi
Rumi
Rushdie
Rushdie


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