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    First day of working evning shifts was as productive as I expected.  Took the 2nd hopper from basic structure to ready to paint this evening, didn;t get much don in The Shop today, but I did spend a couple of hours doing updates to the webpage.  I also ordered the mini tablesaw and grinder today as well as a resupply of styrene shapes for some 7/8 scale projects.  I think the EBTesque boxcar will be the first on the list, I still have the wooden trussrod box I started a while back I need to finish up.  Perhaps I'll get that done up in the next couple of days.  The hopper was the last unfinished rolling stock project I had in O scale, perhaps I will start the cabin rebuild tomorrow evening, or take the 2-8-2 and work on it.   I doubt it though, it being a lot larger its harder to transport around without damage.

13:29

    Got out in The Shop this morning and got the hopper painted.  Just need to mount her trucks and couplers.  Took  a notion and started working on the 2-8-2 cab, looking good so far, got the front wall done and the rear wall cut out.  Don;t think I'll get round to the sides before work though.   I think I'll start rebuilding the cabin 04 as the project o the evening.

    Got notification that the new tools shipped today, so I should be able to play with them this weekend.  I've decided that I need to install an additional crossover at Anniebird on the dropleaf above the tipple, this should get operations a bit more like I envision  without being plugged up.  Need to get busy on the dropleaf itself, and get enough rolling stock on the rails to test my theories though!  Perhaps I can get the dropleaf knocked together over the weekend.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006
01:22

    Hit a good lick on Cabin 04.  Trashed the guts and the old carbody, and started building a new one on the frame.  Didn;t like its looks on HO trucks so I slipped a pair of On30 ones back under it.  Its based on an N&W CF class car, looks pretty neat if I do say so myself.  Can prolly get it finished up tomorrow evening.  The window frames are the part I was really dreading and I have them done!  Just the roof and assorted details left to do.  Dunno what I will start after that.  Gonna try and get trucks and couplers on the 2nd hopper car in the morning I think.

14:28

    Now thats what I call service!   Ordered the tools on Monday and they got her today.   And they really do work off off my powersupply with the included adaptor.  I'll just keep the pigtail plugged in all the time and swap the cords out off of that.  I think I'm going to have to reorganize the power tool bench a bit and move the drill press down on the other side of the bandsaw.I may be able to stow the belt sander for now until I need to do something large.   With most work its like trying to drive a finishing nail with a sledge hammer with it.  I got to test them enough to make sure they start up, but will have to assemble the table saw yet so it will be after work tonight before I get to really play with it.

17:32
 Been thinking on some operational notes.  I have decided that each operation session on the TF&E Division  will consist of two coal trains daily and one mixed train.  Extra tonnage from East Lavender to Anniebird can be cut into a coal train.  In addition to the mixed train there will be one transfer run to Port Lavender daily.

 Until No11 is done, No4 will hold down the mainline runs, No3 will switch East Lavender and carry out the transfer runs, and Shay No2 will handle switching at the mine.  Eventually I plan to build a motorcar similar to the EBT M1, which I'll use in place of the mixed trains on light switching days, with No3 making a run to switch the quarry.

Friday, January 13, 2006
23:30

    Was a wonderful day today.  I started by painting and putting trucks and couplers on Cabin 04.  Played with the new tools a bit, I was able to use the tablesaw to trim down a 1/8" Tee for a hopper rib.  I decided the best thing to do is to hard mount the sander and table saw to a piece of 3/4 plywood.   Moved the drill press to the end of the other bench and scooted the bandsaw and full sized belt sander down a bit.  Put the trucks and couplers on the 2nd hopper too, and took em out for a drag on the layout.  I compared the steel cars I built, a rebuilt wooden car and one of the A frames in a train together and they looked pretty good.

    Finally got round to knocking together the piller to support the drop leaf.  Works pretty much as I intended it, Perhaps the rest of the weekend at some point I can get the extended trackage down on it as well.  I redid the Anniebird control panel so that its a lot easier to interpret and operate as well.   I just used dry erase markers, but in the future I'm going to use some sort of pinstriping.

Saturday, January 14, 2006
17:54

    Dropleaf done and the track is going on it at this time.  Got the track at the joint glued down, after it dries I'll solder some jumpers on.  Decided to re arrange things a tad.  I have come to the conclusion that a bank of coke ovens is too extensive to model in the space that I have avalible.  I therefore am moving the TT at Anniebird back to its original location, and the former TT lead will be a staging track leading to the coking yard.   Will put an extra turnout on the TT lead for the small Shay enginehouse.  The dropleaf is just gonna get some basic color, prolly something black and prolly not even any ballast.  I have laid out space for 11" Turntables, and have discovered I do have space for an smallish Roundhouse in East Lavender.  It will represent an older smaller roundhouse that is only used for storing out of service locos.

23:23

    The dropleaf tracks are completely operational!  I ran the first coal train to Anniebird and back this evening in an informal manor.  I still need to wire up some parking tracks so that the road engines can get out of the way of the switchers and vice versa.  Need a wye switch to reinstall in East Lavender and start and three more toggles to get it all powered.  Ran out of Red Wire too, have to see if I can get some.  I only have 8 hoppers currently, so I ran two 4 car trains plus caboose, plenty of space for this.  Lotta dynamics to work out still yet.

    Tommorrow I need to work out the design and templates for a coking car, and collect up what raw materials I'm gonna need for construction purposes.   Need to start on a few more hoppers as well.