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| Links to Notebook Pages: | Model Trains |
Wednesday July 19, 2006 6:20 am Lethbridge Alberta Sunrise 5:45 Sunset 9:31 Hours of daylight: 15:46
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From rear window |
South patio |
Both images taken at 11 am |
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A. Morning Musings
6:20 am
The temperature is currently 12 C with a high forecast of 24 C. The sky is cloudy.
I hope to pick up the 5th wheel today. Once again, I am having difficulty setting up an agenda for the day. This might be good news, as it indicates that the era of a long list of chores appears to be over. Now we are almost searching for home repairs.
I am also in a holding pattern with the model train layout until I see what I can learn about wiring while in Edmonton. I am still not sure on the best way to wire the mainline for power and I need some 3 strand wire to wire the turnouts on the mainline.
B. Plan
Immediate Health Walk & exercise 1 hr Chores Pick up 5th wheel 1 hr Technology Make notes for chap. 3 of "Switching to the Mac" 1 hr Begin reading "iPhoto" 1 hr Model Trains Shop for a base for my refinery diorama 1 hr Literature Continue reading "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" 1 hr Later Chores Take cement blocks to landfill 2 hr Repair grouting on a few kitchen tiles 1 hr Investigate water softeners for home 2 hr Build 4 more book boxes Technology Read manual for cell phone 1 hr add keywords to iPhoto records digital photography Mathematics Larson "Calculus" Read "The Computational Beauty of Nature" Chap 2 1 hr Gardner "The Colossal Book of Short Puzzles" History Continue reading "Citizens" Watson "Ideas" Model Trains Add blue backdrop to layout 2 hr Review layout for under the table turnouts Purchase an NRMA gauge and some terminal blocks while in Edmonton Wire lower mainline track for a power block
C. Actual/Notes
10:00 am I went downstairs this morning to review the layout and see if I could identify a couple of small scale tasks that need to be done soon. I decided to open a cupboard door that contained some model kits that I had bought a few years ago ( 5 - 10 years) and had never gotten around to building.
The first surprise was to see a second Oil Loading platform kit. These are designed to fit together if one wanted a larger loading facility. I now have to decide whether to do this or place the second platform somewhere else. The latter would seem to make the most sense as I do need a place to unload the tanker cars.
I then decided to see if there were any other surprises. Not really. But I did have a few kits such as a grain elevator, a grain storage bin and a train station that I had forgotten about. I also noticed that I had 3 bridges, 2 or which were similar to the Lethbridge coulee bridge. The challenge is to see if I can find a way to integrate these into the present layout.
That took a couple of cups of coffee but I think I have a solution. It will not involve any real changes to the existing layout but it will require a substantial addition to one end of the layout as I play with the idea of running a loop into the furnace room. This would entail a narrow ledge along one wall of the furnace room and an adjustment to some unused shelves which could then be used as an "out of sight" yard where a number of rolling stock cars could be stored. I should also be able to build another smaller table area in the same place where I hope to put the book boxes I will make shortly. This table area would then become another small town which could hold the train station and a couple of other industrial buildings.
But the really exciting idea will be a table structure at a much lower level that would be the base for a "high level" bridge of about 40" in length that would (easily) swing out of the way when the trains were not being used. This overall plan should keep me busy until Christmas!
However the main priority remains that of getting the original two level mainline tracks operational. Hopefully the upcoming trip to Edmonton will answer a few questions and I can then proceed with the next steps in wiring the layout.
5:15 PM We had a superb (!) lunch at a local greenhouse and pick-your-own facility just east of Lethbridge. We had no idea that such a place existed and will be making it a top priority for the rest of the summer. A very special thank you to Doreen & Jim for taking us there. We both agreed that we should get out into the country more often.
Then at 3:00 PM I picked up the 5th wheel. In addition to new tires, we had to replace the water heater ( I guess we should have topped up the anti-freeze for the second winter! ). But everything is in top shape now and we are ready to try it out in the near future.
D. Reflection