Looking Back Over 2005.

brakie

brakie

Active Member
Nov 8, 2001
2,827
0
36
77
Bucyrus,Ohio
Visit site
What a year this has been! Last night as I was looking through my issues of MR and RMC I was shocked at all the new products..
For me the most exciting news was the Atlas C&O RSD-5's and the announced Magor C&O caboose, the C&O GP7,the announced R.J.Corman GP38 and the NS B23-7S...Also the Athearn's C&O GP35s.In N Scale its the C&O GP9s.I won't mention several HO and N Scale freight cars that caught my fancy...
On the personal side of the hobby..After being a member of the Delaware Valley Club for the last 16 years I had to quit due to medical reasons.. :cry: On the bright side I was given a life time membership with Honors.. :cry: So,I guess in a way I am still a member. :D Thanks Guys! :D On another happy note I join a forming N Scale club to help past the time. :D

Still some more news..After losing the use of my right hand due to the heart attack I had back in March I can report that I have movement in all four fingers and can almost make a half of a fist with my right hand. :D

What is your hobby highlights of 2005?
 
First of all Larry, it's great to hear that you are on the road to a full recovery. We wish you the best and hope that 2006 brings you back to 100%.:thumb: :thumb:

As far as my accomplishments, modeling-wise. This year I was able to get back to my layout after not doing anything for about a year due to our moving. I was able to build a new base for my original layout, the other one got distroyed in the move, and I built the benchwork for the addition, doubling my layout space. I built a new workbench that has two halves, one side serves for modeling and the other side I try to keep clean for electronics. Well, working on engines qualifies as electronics.;) The bridges between the old and new consisting of four tracks, are in and seem to align OK, and I've got about half the trackwork down on the new section.

Now that I look back, I guess I got a lot accomplished, more that I thought, but less than I would have liked.:rolleyes: I'm trying to train these little green men that landed on my diorama to be of more help, but so far all they do is stand around.:D :D
 
By the end of the year I will not have much to show for it in modeling. I will have one completed structure. That structure will be composed for 4 seperate buildings all attached to each other. I will have a grain elevator, a hardware store that has a fully detailed interior, a lumber shed that is built post and beam style with 68 cross-braces on the timbers, and a nice freight dock complete with jib crane. I will also have the base of the module complete and plaster work done on it. I will also have the ties laid. One piece of 6 inch by 24 inch foam with the primary structure complete. Not exactly a major accomplishment it would seem. The rest of what I have accomplished though is this:
I have the first grain elevator/hardware store that I built but didn't like it. My 3 year old daughter helped me waether it. When I decided to build a new one I got up early one morning and wrote out a deed for the building, granting the deed to my daughter. My wife had to read it to her. She said her face lit up when she realized it was hers.
I have a tank car kit I put together and didn't do a very good job. I have a second one that I hope to do better. I have several pieces of plaster that I carved into a stacked rock wall. From about the 4th carving attempt I have a rubber mold. I also have a couple ruined molds. I have a freight dock that warped up about 1/2 and inch when I weathered it. It has flattened back out now and will server as the template for the new dock. I have a lot of wated chalk from where I washed weathering off.

For me, I have a building group I really like and a module that will run trains by the end of winter. That is nice. What I have though that can't be seem is a daughter who loves trains and wants desperately to help he daddy when ever he works on them. I have several new friends because of getting back to this hobby, and I have learned much and persevered through the challenges that made me figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.
That, has pretty much been my modeling year.
 
brakie said:
Still some more news..After losing the use of my right hand due to the heart attack I had back in March I can report that I have movement in all four fingers and can almost make a half of a fist with my right hand. :D

What is your hobby highlights of 2005?
Click to expand...
That has made my year brakie,:thumb: :thumb: what a great end to 2005, no wonder you leave the chat room so quick,:D you`ve been holding out on us,:rolleyes: :rolleyes: your not the quickest left hand in the west, you cheat, you use two.:D :D :D ...... realy great news mate, hope for a full fist in 2006, have a great christmas and a wonderfull new year....steve:wave: :wave: :wave:
 
It has been awhile since i have posted. I haven't done much to my layout for last 9 months. I have to add back drops, I did not do it when i built the benchs. I do have what i want my ballast to look like I gone back to slotcars, i stopped 8 yrs ago, so i am now in the process of reconditioning my cars and get back into racing..... I will not get out of model rail roading. One good thing was that i was called for jury duty, but i had a high number called the nite before to report, did not have to go, what a relief. 2006 i hope to do more work on my layout.
 
This year I managed to, at least roughly, cover every square inch of bare benchwork. I added a fabric skirting that gives the layout a nice finished look but there is still much to do: improve some structures, add more detailed senary....etc. etc.! :) As for health issues, I'm glad you're doing so well Brakie! Me too! I'm three months past my surgery for pancreatic cancer and had a nice clean CT scan a little while ago. Chemotherapy is well tolerated and I have energy to work almost a full 40 hours weekly and find some for modeling too!

Here's to a happy and healthy 2006 for all of us!
Ralph
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom