Desktop Picture Change

Yesterday I bought a 21.5" Full HD wide screen LCD monitor for my PC and realised that my desktop pictures being 4 x 3 proportions get distorted badly on a wide screen.

So I have reverted to a previous desktop picture but have added a wide screen 16 x 9 version.

Programs that show pictures seem to handle the different proportions OK but the Windows desktop does not have an option to show different proportion pictures properly.

I will do the same on the Eureka Models Blog desktop pictures that I do for Ron Cunningham.

I hope that this is of some use to you.

Back to Work

Well, I went back to work this week, what a joy!

I did however enjoy myself over the break, kit bashing my flour mill. It started as a Walthers kit for a steel merchants, I can't remember the name but you should recognise it. Anyway I had started it many years ago before the Walthers sugar mill was around, it was the most likely candidate. I had realised later that most flour mills had three or even four floors so two wouldn't do and the project stalled, I'm good at that, 3/4 finished models are my specialty.

After pondering over the problem after Christmas I realised that with a few bits of spare brick material and part of the rear wall (out of sight) I could give the mill a third floor.

I still have to build the rail unloading shed and vertical conveyor tower to the two silos but I thought I would share what I had done with you, after all, I am now 3/4's of the way through the total project.

So here it is, I'm pretty happy with it.

It has a mixture of features from several mills, double multi-pane windows, external fire escape stairs, explosion wall, bricked up windows, etc., see below.

Conquerer Flour mill - Cootamundra

Photo from http://www.filmcentralnsw.com/film_tv_nsw_home.shtml

Flour Mill at Murrumburrah

Photo from http://www.filmcentralnsw.com/film_tv_nsw_home.shtml

I cut a point into the main just west of Wollar in the area of the panorama photos of the layout that you can't see, just to the left of the camera (see earlier posts). The point is controlled by a push-pull rod to a Blue Point mechanism so this should make shunting interesting, most other points being electrically controlled.

I will post a photo of the completed mill with silos when I get it done but don't hold your breath.

An Unexpected Gift

To: District Superintendent

From: District Engineer - Signals

Subject: Brakes Landmark

General Appendix Part II p.42, Signalling, Sec. 9 Miscellaneous
Signals (d).

"Provided to indicate the place at which goods trains are to stop,
in accordance with regulations, for the purpose of applying or
releasing brakes.

The brakes landmark takes the form of a black disc with the word
"BRAKES" cut out of the face of the disc, or a black disc with the
word "BRAKES" inscribed with white lettering thereon. Both affixed
on a post.

During darkness, the indication is given by an illuminated "B" in
the centre of the disc."

So began a note in a Christmas present from a fellow Rambler, Gary
Laker.

A description of the construction on the enclosed Uneek model
Brakes Landmark was included along with the words:

"Built in appreciation of your passion and commitment to the
greatest hobby of all and your help and friendship along the way."

Well, I was blown away.

I think this shows the friendship that this hobby generates and it
caused me to think of a few other gifts over the years.

The first from James McInerney many years ago was the Cox's Gap
signal box, the goods loading bank and station platform at Wollar.

This was followed by a Central Valley girder bridge built along
NSWGR lines from Ian Dunn, which currently crosses the river at
Kerrabee.

And finally a trestle bridge from Ron Cunningham that is on the
grade from Bylong to Cox's Gap Loop.

Down the years I have received the assistance of the other Ramblers

when I have called for help with some aspect of the layout. They

even helped me move the layout and contents of the layout room to a

new purpose built garage many years ago.

I think Gary says it well, it truly is a great hobby and it is a hobby that engenders long term friendships.

Thank you Gary.

The Brakes Landmark in place at the Wollar loop at the top of the 1 in 40 grade to Bylong.

P.S. Gary (ex. NSW train driver) has been officially appointed
District Engineer - Signals.

Christmas

I would like to wish you all the best of the season, have a safe , enjoyable and relaxing time.

Ray

PC Desktop Picture Change

I have just changed the Desktop picture to a variation of the previous one. I will change these every now and again.

You can click on the small picture to get the larger version and then right click on the picture and select Save Target As to save the picture to your computer.

A Major Change to BYLONG

For those who have been wondering about the hint I made a few weeks ago ("There was movement at the station"), I have changed the layout, the upper staging yard has been picked up, rotated through 180 degrees and is now located over the Bylong tunnel and Cox's Gap cliffs.

A 1 in 40 grade now starts just west of Wollar, near the bottom left of the photo, crosses the garage doors above Bylong and climbs to the top staging yard.

More banking and double heading out of Wollar loco depot!!!

At the start of the 1 in 40 grade there is a junction of the new 40' (12 metre) branch line which proceeds across the roller doors and then under the upper staging to then swing through a 180 degree curve to the branch terminus (where the upper staging was). Only about 3 feet (1 metre) of the branch line is hidden trackage.

If you look carefully you will notice that the branch has a roller coaster in it. I decided to add this feature as I have seen lines that follow the country side rather than just cut through it. The small 'hill' is approximately 435 feet long and is only about 4'6" high, about 1 in 60 each way to the crest. I will be interested to see how this looks once the scenery is done as it looks odd at the moment.

The branch terminus will be 12' x 2' and at the moment I haven't decided on the track layout but it will have a turntable, wheat silo and the usual goods shed, loading ramp, etc. I have about eight prototype station plans to choose from currently and most seem to have seven points.

Although you can't see it in the photo because of the lights, the area above the cliffs where the branch line runs will be sceniced as well even though only about 4" high.

This branch line is the culmination of several years thought trying to work out how to fit a branch in. Of course the idea finally came and it was all worked out in about 10 minutes of measuring, although it took me about another month of pondering before I started.

The tree upper level support (as mentioned on my blog a few weeks ago) can be seen in the photo and the branch line is running just behind it and in front of the printed backscene. The upper level staging is supported at each end and in the middle, by the tree.

Second Set of Scalpel Saw Blades

Here is a second set of saw blades, this time there are two longer blades.

The packet states that they are 0.12mm thick but they are actually 0.24 mm thick, the same as the other set.

The price for the blades by themselves is $20.30.