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On the layout, I already encountered a fatal flaw: There's one stretch of track that goes up a 3% incline, reaches a turnout, and then either continues to go uphill, or goes to some spurs, which are 4% downhill. Every locomotive that goes to the spurs ends up derailing, likely because the difference in slopes comes out to 7%. It doesn't sound like much, but to locomotives (real and model) it's way too much of a difference. I ended up ripping out the spurs to come up with something different, in the form of a parallel siding that eventually rejoins the mainline. Kinda sucks that I have to make that kind of change but then I'd rather deal with that now than when scenery is in place. The more I think about it, the more I should have gone with the parallel siding in the first place. Even that has a wrinkle: I put a curved turnout into the mix, and I'm finding that either has to be all on an incline or all on a level spot. Everything is still variable at this point so I can still make whatever changes I need before the next big step.
Soon: Laying down plaster cloth, and gluing the roadbed in place. Then, figuring out how to handle the tunnels.
Ai-stuff: Recent (small) project was replacing the driver's side door handle. That's been showing early signs of failure, akin to what the passenger door handle did before completely breaking. And the lock cylinder was getting gummed up. So, while I had the handle out, I also swapped out the original lock cylinder with the spare I prepared. It took me an hour to get the old handle out (why won't these clips budge), another hour to transplant some important bits from the old handle to the new (did it go like this or like that, oh these must be from a much newer one because this spring is different), and maybe half an hour to put it all back together and make sure it all worked. Plus another hour or so for the autopsy on the original cylinder, just to see how bad it was. (It was bad. Salvageable, but needs a lot of cleaning.)
Found an online seller (not Amazon) who has the Rabbit House papercraft kit in stock AND ships via DHL. I've never done a papercraft kit before and I'm willing to try. In a few days I'll know how far over my head this gets me.
I have a pile of vacation time that I can only use for staying home. At least I can work on the layout with it. Otherwise, I'd be going on road trips. Or to Japan. Or both. In lieu of that, I'm going on virtual roadtrips via Streetview. It takes only a little bit of the edge off. It's not the same; nowhere near it. It's like looking at the menu for Fogo de Chão's and all I can have is the nubby end of a Slim Jim. At some point, "better than nothing" loses its potency, and this is damn close to that point.
The Wanderbeast looks out the window with a forlorn wanting, and lets out a deep sigh. It understands why it cannot run free right now. Understanding is not quite the same as accepting, so with a muffled grunt, it goes back to sleep. The road trips last year were good, as were the trips to Japan before that. Maybe next year will be better? Might it again see the ever-changing scenery of the endless highways before too long? The sights and sounds of Tokyo? Even the incessant jingle that plays non-stop at Yodobashi Camera would be welcome. All the Wanderbeast can do for now, and really all anyone can do, is to wait.
Soon: Laying down plaster cloth, and gluing the roadbed in place. Then, figuring out how to handle the tunnels.
Ai-stuff: Recent (small) project was replacing the driver's side door handle. That's been showing early signs of failure, akin to what the passenger door handle did before completely breaking. And the lock cylinder was getting gummed up. So, while I had the handle out, I also swapped out the original lock cylinder with the spare I prepared. It took me an hour to get the old handle out (why won't these clips budge), another hour to transplant some important bits from the old handle to the new (did it go like this or like that, oh these must be from a much newer one because this spring is different), and maybe half an hour to put it all back together and make sure it all worked. Plus another hour or so for the autopsy on the original cylinder, just to see how bad it was. (It was bad. Salvageable, but needs a lot of cleaning.)
Found an online seller (not Amazon) who has the Rabbit House papercraft kit in stock AND ships via DHL. I've never done a papercraft kit before and I'm willing to try. In a few days I'll know how far over my head this gets me.
I have a pile of vacation time that I can only use for staying home. At least I can work on the layout with it. Otherwise, I'd be going on road trips. Or to Japan. Or both. In lieu of that, I'm going on virtual roadtrips via Streetview. It takes only a little bit of the edge off. It's not the same; nowhere near it. It's like looking at the menu for Fogo de Chão's and all I can have is the nubby end of a Slim Jim. At some point, "better than nothing" loses its potency, and this is damn close to that point.
The Wanderbeast looks out the window with a forlorn wanting, and lets out a deep sigh. It understands why it cannot run free right now. Understanding is not quite the same as accepting, so with a muffled grunt, it goes back to sleep. The road trips last year were good, as were the trips to Japan before that. Maybe next year will be better? Might it again see the ever-changing scenery of the endless highways before too long? The sights and sounds of Tokyo? Even the incessant jingle that plays non-stop at Yodobashi Camera would be welcome. All the Wanderbeast can do for now, and really all anyone can do, is to wait.
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