# Back to the hobby?



## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Well during the separation and divorce adn all the subsequent destruction of my life that happened during that time period I simply let the trains lat dormant. I sold some of my trains to make ends meet (pay legal fees and pay bills during un-employment) and I had simply lost my desire to have that kind of fun with them anymore. 

A member of my Masonic Lodge is also very involved with teh boyscouts and volunteered me to help with the Railroad Badge at a Boy Scout Campout weekend locally. A few of my new co-workers are involved or were involved in Boy Scouts too. They helped me look into what was going to be required to get the boys their badges. I determined that I could do a presentation and still get enough material for them to actually get their badges.

To that end I wanted them to help set up at least one if not two layouts. Run trains on both electric and help me with a live steamer. I had started building a portable live steam table system three years ago and all of those pieces were stacked up in the garage covered in dust. I got them out and finished putting the legs on the table tops. Then made the connections as I'd designed them. Not perfect and still needs some adjustment but once it was assembled I could level the oval in my driveway with the legs I had purchased from Ebay and I walked around the entire table on top of it with no issues. IT isn't finished being painted or trimmed out but it was usable. Next I took out the track I had purchased for it. I had planned on fastening Code 250 to it with two loops and a crossover between loops. I knew I wasn't going to have enough time for that. I managed to get one loop bent to fit but the joints were all over. Not condusive to fastening to the table so the track went into boxes and was assembled by the boys onsite. I only bent one loop of 250 and took another loop of Code 332. So the steam table had twoo loops to run. 
I then fished out 5 of my surplus turnouts in code 332 and grabbed enough 5 foot straights to set up an Inglenook switching puzzle. That was set up to be run with an MRC 10 amp power pack with the remote. 
I packed up three live steamers and several cars for that train. Then I grabbed an Aristo FA and several cars for the switching puzzle. I had some handouts and reference sheets for the boys. The event site was the Allegany County Fairgrounds which is also the site of the Shawmutt Historical Society. So I packed up some of my books and magazines in case the boys wanted to look at that for reference too. 

My Girlfriend and my co-worker went with me and the boys that participated had a good time. I wish we could have spent the day though. 

OF the live steamers only one actually ran. My Mason Bogie (purchased from Redbeard) suffered a bad flexible steam delivery line and will need to be torn down to determine the cause of the leak? The other is an Aristo 0-4-0 that I've not succesfully been able to fire up yet. 

The Inglenook layout worked pretty well. A few snafus but for a temporary layout it went together smoothly and ran pretty well. 

I took way more than I needed for what we accomplished and for the number of boys we had. I took a few unfinished projects to show some of what I was working on and shared that with the boys. 

The end result of all this? A few boy scouts were exposed to large scale & live steam trains. My girlfriend now understands my fascination and why I am sitting on all these trains. MY co-worker got to come play with trains too. And I am re-energized and want to actually work on "play with" my trains again. My workshop is a mess. Three years of crap tossed in there and moved around. I cannot see my workbench even. I need to clean up that mess before I can do too much of anything. We are coming up on the season where running trains will be a rarity but working on projects is a good idea. That is good because I have a lot of started projects, planned projects, or just plain boxes of parts that need to be taken care of. Expansion of the oval of track outside cannot begin until I can build a removable bridge. So some impetus to resume that project as well. 

Poking around I see mostly familiar faces? Some friends I've lost contact with? I see changes to the format and wonder if I can access my old photos and how to show new photos? Much less add to my photos? A small learning curve I'm sure? I cannot spend as much time online as I did in the past. Life is simply too busy in other places for that now.

Good to be back!

Chas


I took a selection of magazines and books with me


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Welcome back Chas, good to read you again


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## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

Yes, nice to see your name popping up again.

Welcome back.

Cheers
Neil


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Welcome back Chas

Chuckger


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Welcome back old friend!!


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Well done Chas. One door shuts and another opens buddy.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a few projects I want to tackle. One is something I started MANY years ago and have made really slow progress on. An 8 axle depressed center flat car. The other is the last train related purchase I made pre-divorce. I was able to purchase one of the Shark nose bodys and etched parts kits from England. I believe I have the Aristocraft trucks for it but I need to do some more research. Like here the Forum that featured the build log and that I ordered the kit from has changed formats and I think that information is lost? Also if I read correctly the gentleman that made these is no longer into Large Scale railroading either? 

There is a LOT that happened in teh last 3 years that I missed. The demise of another Large Scale Manufacturer in Aristocraft. Changes in various DCC and/or battery powered control systems again? I see that track prices haven't come down at all either? A quick persuing of Ebay still shows that most listings are still commercial and high priced. Finding the deal or the used gems is still difficult. Shipping prices are still exorbitant as well. Compared to ordering something from a mailorder place, the shipping on Ebay seems to be almost double on the same or similar items? 

Thanks for the welcome backs! I've missed you all!

Chas


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

With the holidays coming soon, the Ebay prices did go upm and the amount of listings seemed to more than double.

On another note, there is a person that made the 8 axle car recently and posts on LSC.
His only problem was making the center a little too short for the LGB transformer load, but the car looks great.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Dan, I had plans from an old RMC magazine that I followed for the flat car? I have a wood core made for the center deck but need to sheath it in plastic yet. The bolsters and the trucks are ready to roll under it if I can get the center done. Then the bolster brake decks and details.

Chas


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## catherine yronwode (Oct 9, 2013)

Chas, i am new here since you left. I hear you on the divorce, buddy. I lost all my HO and O stock in the breakup of my marriage, remarried, went dormant for 14 years -- and came back last year G-Scale with my new husband. I love G-Scale more than i ever did the smaller gauges. Live steam is not my thing, as i am mostly into Bachmann and USAT equipment. I also love the gardening, outdoor work, and the "dollhousing" aspects of my layout. . 

Working with kids gives us all new life, too. We run trains every Saturday and Sunday in good weather and lots of folks drop by with children. They enjoy the layout. A few have been old enough to learn how to use white zinc lube. Some have gotten into picking leaves up off the layout and righting the fallen sheep. It's fun for everyone. 

Thanks for reintroducing yourself and if you ever come near Forestville, California, drop by and say hello.


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## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Hey Chas- Good to see you back in action- just in time for snow season in good old WNY! 


-Kevin.


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## Mark L Horstead (Jan 2, 2008)

And welcome back from me, too, Chas.

I've not been active much in this hobby, either, for the past six years for a variety of reasons, but will get back to it eventually.

Pennsic?


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Good to see some of my old local-ish friends here too and many of the old regulars. 

Kevin I am guessing that you are far enough north that you are just starting to get snow today? Hopefully it won't be too harsh for you? Many of my friends are hurting in the southtowns and my cousin out near Marilla was without power yesterday?

We got a dusting and I could probably run trains if I cleared the snow off? Too darn cold to be outside and the winds have knocked the display train off the tracks once again.

Mark,
I have made it to Pennsic but it hasn't been the same. Two years ago was for three days. Last year was for landgrab & then 6 days war week. This past year was landgrab & 6 days again but I got to take the girls and host two newbies. It was a little stressful.

Chas


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## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Chas- Yep, I'm just north enough to miss all the big snow. Got lucky, i guess. A half mile south of here is a disaster! BTW- they cancelled the WNYRHS train show at the fairgrounds this week end, due to the storm. First cancellation in over 30 years. Bummer! I always look forward to it. There's always some large scale stuff there. Next one is in February at the fairgrounds (weather permitting, of course!).


-Kevin.


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Kevin - Good to hear you didn't get the brunt of it. I'll bet my old neighborhood half a mile south of you, around the Truway Plaeza (proper pronunciation) got a lot. The snow blows in from the Lake, straight down the flats of the rail yards, all the way to Harlem Road. A part of me misses helping the neighbors, pushing the cars and holding a shoveful of snow and heaving it upwards over the snow bank, and people who actually know how to drive on slippery roads. That's what makes Bflo what it is. 

JackM


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Welcome back. Its' hard to stay away from trains . I know that side also. Later RJD


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Well I am home from a rescue trip to Hamburg. Delivered a new snow blower and used it and shovels to liberate three separate cars in two driveways. My arms and back are sore. Saw much storm damage. Roof and whole building collapses. Went out for Tim Horton's and had to park and walk as Main street in Hamburg was still being worked on trying to get all the snow cleared from the traffic circles and such. Many stores still closed or not open yet. They simply don't have the supplies or staff cannot make it in to work. 

With the warmer temperatures for two days it has helped in some ways but hurt in others.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

I would also note, coming back to trains, that while I was there I could here the trains running nearby. The tracks that I crossed over near Artcraft Trains were clear?


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## Mark L Horstead (Jan 2, 2008)

wchasr said:


> Mark,
> I have made it to Pennsic but it hasn't been the same. Two years ago was for three days. Last year was for landgrab & then 6 days war week. This past year was landgrab & 6 days again but I got to take the girls and host two newbies. It was a little stressful. Chas


I am still down at the old/ex Family Swimming Hole in W20, should you have any social time next War. I'm still building my house - and will be for another decade at least. The outside is almost done, and should be by the end of next War, and the inside is coming along.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Mark, I have camped very close to the Northgate the last three years but may have worn my welcome out there? We will see if I can go this year or not? Hopefully I can catch up with you?

Chas


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