Recent content by rhtastro

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    History Channel - another Train Series!!!

    It's a good show overall. I look past the narrator as just "show business". And it's for the train novice. Most in the US have never been on a train. We need more of these on TV. Cheers, Bob
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    Spiders, Spiders, everywhere....Help!

    The chemicals in the spray will probably do more damage than the spider. Around here they're just a common ground spider. Bob
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    What's Happened To The Gauge?

    Thanks Wayne, that's more like it. I sure wouldn't want to miss G.E.C.'s latest. :twisted::twisted: Bob :thumb::thumb:
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    What's Happened To The Gauge?

    I've been out of this forum for a few weeks as I've been busy on the Marklin forum. I was shocked today when I logged onto the gauge. I didn't know where I was. It was completely unfamiliar. The old format was gone and in it's place was a mishmash of subjects totally away from HO or Z model...
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    Need some advice...

    SGT, actually, I found that hard green foam from the craft store just right for my purpose. I used the 12"x36"x2" sheets in both green and white. It's about ten bucks a sheet. My whole setup used about a hundred dollars worth of the stuff. They glue easily to a plywood base using a water based...
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    North American RR's coming back big time

    MM, I live near Redding in N. CA where Amtrack stops twice a day between Medford and Sacto. Your folks must live on the OR border to be 300 miles from Sacto. They could have picked up the train closer to home. But I admit the service needs a lot of help. It goes through here at night, not a...
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    North American RR's coming back big time

    You are all right, public transportation, train, bus, etc is dismal in the US because we haven't needed it until now. But now that trucks and autos are on the down list because of fuel prices, there is only one way out. It's trains and busses. They will make a comeback when the need gets...
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    North American RR's coming back big time

    Sgtcarl, you're right on. We need the power but not from dirty coal. Half the CO2 emitted in this country is from coal fired power plants and we now know what that does to our climate. Coal fired plants also emit large quantities of radioactive elements, thorium and uranium, which is in the...
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    North American RR's coming back big time

    More trains needed for demand Due to high gas prices, now $4.69-4.89 out here, it seems that ridership on U.S. railroads (Amtrak) is way up this year but there is a scarcity of rail cars to expand the service. Many popular trains are sold out on certain dates in advance. A lack of foresight...
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    Z-scale Question

    SA is right. Out of the Marklin book, the gauge of Z track is 6.5 mm or one fourth inch, the total width is 11.5 mm or 29/64 inches, the height is 2.5 mm or about 3/32 inches. Bob :wave::wave:
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    Are your trains an escape?

    Hey Matt, you said something very interesting. You mentioned your trains as being a retreat. I fully agree with that as I've always felt relaxed and very calm when I'm in my trainroom. I bet my cardiologist would be amazed at how low my blood pressure would be during that time. It's escapism...
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    Are your trains an escape?

    Logicman, PT here in the states stands for "physical therapy" or some call it physical torture. It's kind of a gym where a therapist has you doing physical activities that get your long dormant muscles working again. That's true especially after a long hospital stay. It only takes about 10...
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    Are your trains an escape?

    Escape? You bet Escape? For sure, and I'm back. After 4 months here's an update on my conditon for anyone who cares. After healing from a pelvic and wrist fracture (fell while tree trimming) I'm walking pretty well now without a stick and am getting most of my ranch work done without much...
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    North American RR's coming back big time

    Trains gaining as sensible alternative to cars Due to $4.30-4.60 a gallon gas out here in CA (oops, $4.50-4.75 now a week later) the passenger train has made a great comeback in the last few months. "Ridership is booming on three intrastate Amtrak lines that are managed and paid for by the...
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    North American RR's coming back big time

    I've noticed lately in the financial pages how "old tech" is making a comeback in the U.S. That's mining, steel production, agriculture and of course the railroads. It's 1878 again. Even Amtrak is prospering. With diesel at 5 dollars a gallon out here on the west coast the trucks and...
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