Monthly Archives: December 2019

HO Scale, Information, My other sites, Scales, Site Updates, Sites of interest, This Site, Web

Web site redesign – continues – December 27, 2019

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Content is moving around, and off-site to my other modelling related website to simplify the purpose and the mission of Andrew’s Trains.

Simplification

I’m in the process of transferring all of the modelling related content off site to my modelling related pages on my personal website. THe aim is to keep layout designs here and all other content including the modelling articles there. That will take place during the first quarter of 2020. I aim to be layout designs only by April 2020.

Where will it go?

All of the modelling content will be transferred in stages to:

https://martinfamilyweb.wordpress.com/go/modelling/trains/

It’s a work in progress. However I’ve written up an new landing page for the VR GY wagon series as well as a part 2 of the build process this couple of days off. So you can head on over there to read more about that process. More information on the build was requested by a couple of readers and I apologise for the delay in getting that completed. Life has been busy, and my time is limited. But it is getting there.

I’ll keep you advised as things change and changes to both sites rollout.

Resources

Interested in keeping in touch or discussing posts, pages and ideas? Connect with us on the Andrew’s Trains page on Facebook

Information, Operations, Paper/e-Paper, Site seeing, Sites of interest, Web

Site Seeing – December 19, 2019 – The Open top car loading edition

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Ever wondered how you should load an open top (think gondolas, flats, pulp wood racks, etc…) car. Well now you can answer that question thanks to Douglas Harding. Read on for more.

You’ve got to be a member

To get Doug’s file you have to be a member of the Ry-ops-industrialSIG at groups.io. This group’s primary mission is to discuss railway operations and industries and how to model them and  is the primary discussion list for the Operations SIG of the NMRA and the NMRA’s Industries SIG. So there are some operations heavy hitters here with the answers you won’t find elsewhere. It can get a little esoteric at times, but well worth the time spent here. If you are modelling the North American scene then this group is a worthwhile addition to your modelling resources.

Click this link to head over to the group home page. Complete the sign-up process and once you’re done click the link in the “Get the PDFs section below to download.

Get the PDFs

OK so now you’re a member, it is time to get the 2019 XMAS Goodies. Before you blindly start downloading though here’s what’s covered in the AAR Car Codes Open Top Car Loading Rules as supplied by Doug:

  • Section 1 Rules 1988.pdf
  • Section 2 Loading pipe part 1 1987.pdf
  • Section 2 Loading pipe part 2 1987.pdf
  • Section 3 Road Farm Equipment 1987.pdf
  • Section 4 Misc Machinery 1987.pdf
  • Section 5 Forest Products 1983.pdf
  • Section 5 Forest Products 1987.pdf
  • Section 6 DOD Military 1984.pdf
  • Section 7 TOFC Containers 1987.pdf

If you’ve not fallen asleep yet from too much eggnog, or the technical nature of this post, then Click this link to get to the PDFs. Happy reading and modelling.

Resources

This time around all of the resources are mentioned in the section above. Don’t forget to take part in the reader survey right now! Your thoughts and feedback will assist me in writing and presenting more of the content you want to see.

Click here to take part in the survey.

Interested in keeping in touch or discussing posts, pages and ideas? Connect with us on the Andrew’s Trains page on Facebook

Web

The ‘…and we’re back…’ update – December 14, 2019

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Evening all;

At least here in Melbourne it’s a very late evening. What a saga getting the internet back on has been. So much for a few days. It took in all 14 days to move a service into (as Optus said) somewhere that has already been connected to the NBN.

A screw up at the get go, with Optus’ overseas helpdesk, saw them move our service to some random location in Ballarat, instead of into our new home in Melbourne. That took three days to sort out. Then NBN noticed that they could not see the terminating unit. In fact the original installers had not completed the job. Done the absolute minimum and not completed running the lead-in cable from the cable head in the pit a couple of doors down. The poor bloke they sent out (alone) to do the job was about pulling his hair out. So I stepped in and gave him a hand to run the cable in the street and get us up and going; almost.

Then Optus screwed up again, and no internet for another 48 hours until late this week. We are still in the midst of unpacking and setting up. The layout is still in its moving state and standing on end in the garage. Hoping to do a little more work tomorrow on one of my days off to carve out a space in that area for the layout and a worktable. There’s good northerly natural light in there.

More for you soon on the layout build with updated posts and pages as I create the new section from the original posts. Wiring is next. Lots of photos and a video to boot showing how I wire, as an old telephone tech, by comparison to some who’ve not the background I do. Hopefully some more on Tuesday to read. I have to get my son working on the video part.

Then I’ve got 9 days straight through until Christmas day to work. Oh the life of a tram driver. All the best and talk with you soon.

FInally; don’t forget the survey is still on. Drop by the link from the main page and take the survey to help me understand what it is that you are looking for.