Bliss' random thoughts

More time has passed...

2010-07-26T20:43:00.001-07:00

I realized I haven't been here in several months. It's been busy at work. My responsibilities with the Church have been keeping me busy. And...I just haven't had much to say.

So, here is what I'm supporting these days:
1. I support Arizona and their efforts to rein in the problems they are having with illegal immigration.
2. I support term limits for Congress Critters. Two terms and out is what I think it should be. And no, I don't want any of them having "seniority".
3. I believe and hope President Obama will be a 1-term president. I'm certainly going to vote against him.
4. I support tax cuts, and don't for a minute believe we could ever "spend our way out of debt".

I'll be back when I have more to add...

So...I'm back

2010-03-25T19:14:00.000-07:00

I haven't touched this blog since November, and now it's March. Lots has gone on. I've changed jobs, and now work for the government. yes, I'm part of the problem.

I left the company I was working for because I saw that the contract was going to end, and probably not be renewed, even though my boss was sure it would be. I'm sorry to say I was right. Today, I found out that his bosses knew well in advance that there would be no follow up contract (the govt. was required to tell them), but they chose not to tell the local management. Nice....

Most are landing on their feet and are starting new jobs right away, but there are several who have no job offers out there yet, and may have to relocate. In most cases, I'm sorry to see it, since they are good workers and good folks. There are a few who I don't feel particularly sorry for, and I'll leave it at that.

Perhaps, as I get more into the new job, I'll share some thoughts about it, but not yet.

I almost forgot...Pres. Obama should be impeached, and everyone who voted for "Health Care Reform" should be voted out. Nuff said.

So...should I keep maintaining this blog?

2009-11-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

It seems Facebook is the thing to do now, so I find myself wondering if I want to keep this blog going.

If anyone is looking, make a comment, and let me know what your opinion is. I really do have stuff that I could post about...like my new On30 Climax with DCC and sound.....

Access Databases

2009-11-04T12:32:00.000-08:00

I've spent the last couple of weeks creating an Access 2007 database to emulate a database that was created some ten years ago. I've managed to get the important functionality working, and have created a pretty simple interface for our users.

It's interesting to use a tool that you aren't familiar with because ther is always so much to learn. I've spent an incredible amount of time with my nose in various books or digging around online. The entire experience has been a lot of fun, and if you have been avoiding using a new tool, as I was, I'd recommend it as a fun exercise!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T19:03:00.001-07:00

The porch light is off, the candy is (mostly) gone, and Halloween is mostly over. I hope everyone had a great one!

It's done!

2009-10-15T18:58:00.000-07:00

I know I said I'd write about some thing different, but I have to announce that the bathroom remodel that wouldn't end has finally ended! I still need to put the trim around the door, but that's all. The shower is in, the towel rack is mounted, and there is TP!

Here you can see a corner of the shower, the sink, and the toilet.

This is the sink and mirror.

This is the shower.

Now that it's done, I'll shut up about it and get back to model railroading.

About time I posted something...

2009-09-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while, but then I've been busy. The bathroom is coming along well, so that is where we'll start.

By the end of August, I got the sheetrock up, taped, and mudded. This is a picture of what the sink area looked like.

By the 8th of September, the bathroom had been given a coat of blue paint, and I was cleaning up some details.

I realized that the opening for a pocket door, which is what was used previously, is 2 inches highr than the opening for a regular door, so had to add a 2X4 and then sheetrock it. Of course, there were complications, but it's done.

Here is what the bathroom looks like now. The sink is in place, though the plumbing isn't hooked up yet (I'm going to that when I put in the toilet). The shower base is set, and the toilet ring is plumbed in. I've got white molding around the top of the bathroom, and am about to put in the base molding (it has to be done before I put the toilet in).

I'll try to post about something else next time, since I'm sure anyone who happens to read this is probably tired of hearing about my bathroom!

Doing it right

2009-09-06T14:40:00.000-07:00

So...I was looking at the floor in the bathroom, and I realized that there was a largish bit of the original floor left, and that it really needed to come out. For one thing, when the floor was first put in 3/4 of an inch was actually 3/4 of an inch. Now 3/4 of an inch is actually 23/32 or something. This meant that the new floor was about 1/8 (or less) lower than the original floor. Not good when you are putting in linoleum.

I realized that there was only 1 thing I could do, and that was cut out the offending floor. I did that yesterday, and will be filling in the hole with new subfloor and floor tomorrow.

At least it will be right!

In other news, the sheetrock is all mudded and sanded. I'm going to paint the walls a sort of denim blue with white trim. It should look pretty good!

Tape and Mud!

2009-08-31T16:13:00.000-07:00

I'm finally making some real progress! Today, I taped and put the first coat of mud on the walls. Tomorrow, I'll put on a second coat, and then by Wednesday or Thursday I can sand and start thinking about painting the walls and ceiling.

This is where the bathtub was, and where the sink will be. The sink will be on the left side.

This is where the sink was, and where the shower will be.

More progress

2009-08-30T10:47:00.001-07:00

I finally got all the sheetrock up, and am ready to start taping and mudding.

Pictures when it looks decent...

Bathroom Progress!

2009-08-17T18:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday, I spent the day finalizing the plumbing and getting the floor screwed down (finally). It was a great feeling to put that first screw in the floor, and an even better feeling to put the last screw in!

My goal for today was to insulate and sheetrock the outside wall, and I managed to get that done before eating dinner. Fortunately, I had just enough screws to finish the wall, but not enough to move on to another wall. That'll have to wait for another day.

Below are a couple of progress pictures from today.

This is the left side of the bathroom. You can see the stubbed plumbing for the sink in front. The sink will be centered on the south wall of the bathroom. By the way, that partial piece of sheetrock isn't screwed in. I just put it there to get it out of the way.

This picture is looking past where the shower will be to the corner where the toilet goes. The toilet ring isn't actually installed yet. I'm going to have the linoleum put in before installing the toilet ring or shower. That way the whole bathroom floor will be one piece.

Memorial Hill

2009-08-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

In Midway, Utah, there is a hill called Memorial Hill, which has been dedicated to those from Wasatch County who have served in wars as far back as the War of 1812.

You can see the hill sticking up in this picture.

On top of the hill is a war memorial with the name of everyone from the county who has served their country, including my father, one of my uncles, and my grandfather.

As part of our family reunion, we had a gathering on top of the hill, and listened to the four surviving original siblings talk about their experiences during the World War II years.

In this picture, members of the family are listing to my dad talk about serving during the Battle of the Bulge, in 1945. His younger brother spoke about their father's service in WWI, and his support of the troops during WWII. Their sisters spoke about their memories as children during the war years, and their mother's contributions.

Even though it got a bit warm up there, it was well worth the time to learn more about our family's heritage and service.

Vacation!

2009-08-05T18:49:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a family reunion in Midway, Utah. I'm happy to report that we had an awesome time with all the cousins, and that it was great being up in the Utah mountains.

This is Trish enjoying the early morning. We set up a tent under a tree, and slept great every night!

I think there were about 50 of us there for the main event, and I'm pretty sure we all got along great. Lots of kids running around having fun, lots of food, and lots of sitting around playing games and visiting.

Of course we rode the Heber Valley Railroad, which was a lot of fun. We all piled on, with engineer hats, and rode out to Soldier Hollow.

Along the way, robbers showed up to rob the train and take hostages (people who had paid to go on a wagon ride). Unfortunately, no one told the engineer or conductor that the train was supposed to be "robbed" on this particular trip! To make things more interesting, the people who were to go on the ride were never given the special green wristbands, so didn't say anything when the robbers asked for those with wristbands to get off. It all got sorted out in the end, but sure made for an interesting ride!

Tomorrow (hopefully), I will talk about the main event of the weekend, which was a recognition of the military heritage in our family. This was conducted on top of Memorial Hill, in Midway, with our parents as speakers.

Update

2009-07-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

Not much to report:

The unending bathroom project is still unending. I asked Home Depot to order a shower for me, and they didn't, so I went to Lowes. The shower should be here around the 20th. Once I have the shower, the rest of the project can pick back up. I never would have believed that one component could prove to be so central to the overall project.

Beaux is in Dallas at a truck driving school. He heads out on the road on Monday. Hopefully, it will be as much fun as he's always thought it would be.

I haven't done any work on trains, and probably won't for the forseeable future. I have to get the bathroom done first.

More later on...

Update

2009-07-01T16:07:00.000-07:00

The bathroom is on hold for a few days, while I wait for Home Depot to get in a 32"x33" shower. The really cool 1/4 round shower I had bought was too big fit into the bathroom. After a few days of hard work that accomplished very little, I'm not too upset about taking a bit of time off.

Tools and progress

2009-06-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

Anytime you are involved in a major building project, there are tools to acquire. For the bathroom project we have needed several new tools, some replacing tools that seem to have disppeared or been broken over time, and some new ones.

So far, I have bought a recipricating saw, a circular saw, a cordless drill, a drill with a cord, a pipe wrench, a chain wrench, about $120 worth of hole saws (that's 2 saws and an arbor, by the way), a Rotozip-type tool (Harbor Freight), and assorted bits and pieces of stuff.

The demolition is finally finished, and we have started with replumbing (more than once, as plans have changed). The hot water supply lines are all run, but turned off, and the cold water has one more connection for the shower that I'll make tomorrow or Monday.

Ready to start running the new water lines.

One of Beaux' friends was helping with the PVC supply lines, and apparently didn't use enough glue. In this picture, I'm checking the joints on the line for the toilet to see if it needs to be redone.

I was having fun playing with the glue and pieces-parts. PVC is so much better to work with than copper or cast iron!

The pieces of plywood for the floor have been cut and laid in place, but not screwed down, since we still need to do the drain lines for everything. I laid the shower floor in place and discovered that it came too close to the toilet, so the shower got moved to the other side of the bathroom and we are back to putting a small pedestal sink in next to the toilet.

Also, reading the instructions for the shower (always a good idea), I discovered that we need to put the sheetrock in first! So, we will start insulating and doing sheetrock work later this week, and then get the shower set.

I keep finding out that I have to do a bit on this part, then a bit on that part, so that the whole project is knitted together: I can't screw down the floor till I finish the plumbing, which I can't do till I have the shower in place, which I can't do until the sheetrock is in place, which I can't do until the floor is screwed down!

Good thing it's a small bathroom!

The bathroom remodel lives again!

2009-06-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

We're finally back at the bathroom remodeling project, and hope to progress quickly. Beaux ran to the store and picked up a new reciprocating saw (the old one had died), and cut out the floor. Now as threatened, I can stand in the dirt and look at the bare studs!

I'm standing about where the door will be. The tape measure is so that I can see the measurements for the toilet. There will be plenty of space in front of it now!

The sink was going to go on the wall on the left, but there is a concrete sill from the original foundation there, so a brilliant idea occurred to move the sink to where the bathtub controls were. Now we don't have to move any of that plumbing! Additionally, the wall on the left becomes nothing but storage shelves/cabinets!

After extending the wall out to 36 inches, we're going to put a quarter-round shower where the light switch is now. Of course, we'll move the wiring first. The advantage is that once again, we don't have to move any plumbing, since the sink used to be there.

The boys are going to be able to do quite a bit of the work, but Beaux' time is limited as he is going to a school in Dallas next week. I'm sure I'll have to bring in my plumber to not only look the work over, but finish up parts of it. I don't have any problem with that though.

I'll post more as it happens...

Bathroom Update

2009-06-20T17:16:00.000-07:00

Remember the bathroom I was remodeling before my son's house burned down? It's still bare studs and sub-floor. I had to stop working on it because kid problems overrode bathroom remodeling, and now it's been sitting for about 2 months (walled off by plastic and duct tape).

A few weeks back, I realized I had a Whole Life insurance policy my parents had taken out on me when I was around 5 (I'm getting dangerously close to 50 now). Realizing that Whole Life is evil, and that I have quite a bit of regular life insurance, I contacted the company and asked them to close the account. After filling out the appropriate form, and sending a blank voided check, I sat back to wait for the money to be deposited.

We came back from a camping trip today and happened to look at our bank balances, and guess what? There was a whole bunch of money there, and it turned out to be about twice what I had been expecting!

So, off we went to Lowes and Home Depot to look at bathroom stuff. Monday I'll be calling the plumber to set up what he'll be doing (and charging), and then it's back to heavy construction.

I'll post pictures as appropriate, and will keep this blog updated.

Upcoming project

2009-06-09T14:26:00.000-07:00

A model railroader I know in Dallas made a display case for his On30 trains. I saw the pictures and dimensions, and thought that this might be a fun project (and would get my trains protected behind glass).

The drawing is a bit small (click to see the full-size drawing), but the case will be 24 X 48 inches on the outside, with 5 shelves 3 7/8 inches apart. I'll put plexiglass doors on the front to keep the dust out, and will stain the wood a nice color.

I'm looking forward to this project, and hope to get started in a few days. Of course, I will post pictures as I go.

Last of the fire cleanup

2009-05-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd put up a few pictures of the last of the fire cleanup. The brother of a contractor Beaux used to work for offered to clean up the mess for $1500, which would come out of the money for the recovered metal. It sounded like a pretty good deal, so we said sure!

There was quite a big mess to clean up! They brought out a dumptruck, front-end loader/backhoe, and a big trailer.

Piles of debris and some smoke from fires started with the cutting torch.

Separating the metal out from the ashes and debris.

They dug a 14-foot deep hole and buried all the debris...it was mostly ashes anyway.

They collected 7000 pounds of metal! Unfortunately, the price of metal has nosedived to less than $.05/pound. They only got $149 for the lot.

This is how it looked when they were done. The site is pretty much cleared off.

One final note. There used to be a metal storage shed next to the trailer. There are plenty of pictures showing it. In the building were the only remaining things my sons had left, including Beaux' saxaphone mouthpiece from 7th grade and a dresser with some clothes, pictures, and other personal items.

A week or so after the fire, an individual, who I am not going to name because of the ongoing investigation, showed up with a trailer, loaded up the building, and took it home. He did not have permission to do this, and simply thought he could get away with it. The building had figured prominently in divorce proceedings, and the judge's decree specified that Beaux was to keep it.

When we contacted the Sheriff's Department, and they interviewed the neighbors, they all gave consistant descriptions of the truck, the trailer, and the two older "gentlemen" who had the cajones to do this in the middle of the day. One even thoughtfully provided a license plate number.

I understand that this individual has retained an attorney who is maintaining that the building is his property. He knows this is a lie, I know this is a lie, and the Sheriff's Dept. knows this is a lie. What kind of a person steals from someone whose house has just burned down?

Not only are his actions absolutely disgusting, but they will probably negatively affect his step-daughter who works in law enforcement. I certainly hope so, since she had to know about it at the time. I doubt he cares about that though.

I sure hope he enjoys "his" metal building...while he can.

Haven't forgotten about it...

2009-05-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

Just been really really busy. I'll post more soon.

Fire cleanup

2009-05-07T09:23:00.001-07:00

I went out at lunchtime today to shoot a few pictures of the cleanup effort where Beaux' trailer was. The metal framework is pretty much all cut into managable pieces, and is ready to be loaded up and hauled off for scrap. Everything else (pretty much just ashes and some wood scraps) will be buried.

This is just a view from the end where Patrick's room was, looking toward where Beaux' room was.

I'm standing in the kitchen. That is the furnace in front of me. Using a cutting torch causes lots of small fires, so there is some smoke.

This is a 12" steel I beam. A cutting torch makes short work of it!

Notice how wavy the I-beams are from the fire. Trailers burn pretty hot!

Beaux' computer. Patrick's looks a lot like this....

Beaux taking a break from cutting metal.

We found a beaten up and burned powder horn. I think it was a gift from the boy's grandparents some years back. It was probably old...

Patrick's cast iron frying pan. After I clean it up, and reseason it, you will never know.

Cutting some metal up. This was part of the front porch.

Another update post

2009-04-30T14:58:00.001-07:00

I haven't forgotten about this blog...I've just been insanely busy!

Since my last post, things have continued. My son's metal building was stolen. What kind of person steals from someone whose house just burned down? We know who took it, where it is, and the sheriff's office has been been appropriately notified. All I can say at this point about that.

Patrick is back at work after the accident, and Beaux has started truck driving school in San Antonio. When Patrick gets back in town, we're going to cut up the trailer frame to sell for scrap. The money from that will pay for cleaning up the rest of the site, so it will be worth the time and effort. I'm hoping their lives start coming back together.

Kyle and Matthew should both be back from their deployments in another week or so. One is in Baghdad, and the other is in Kyrgyzstan. Dusty and Aerro will be happy, I'm sure!

We're just trying to hold the whole thing together, and babysit dogs. More when it happens....

When it rains, it pours!

2009-04-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

We had a bit more excitement the other day. Patrick had gone off to work, and was somewhere in South Texas with his crew, at 3am, when the right front tire on their company truck blew!

This was a big, not-quite-a-semi, crew truck, loaded with oil, and pulling a trailer full of tools and parts. Patrick was driving, and as he tried to get slowed down, the right wheel rim made contact with the shoulder of the road and off they went.

They went down the hill and into a mesquite thicket, missing the first large tree, and using several small trees as brakes, before finally hitting and stopping against another large tree.

A large tree branch came in through the windshield, and went out through another window without hitting anybody!

Everyone got away with nothing more than a few bruises, though the truck was totalled. It seems our boys are being watched over, and we are grateful for the blessings we are receiving.

The fire...an update

2009-04-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

Now that the initial shock of the boy's trailer fire is over, I thought I'd pass on a couple of update things.

Members of the church have been incredibly generous with offers of clothes, furniture, etc. We are grateful for them, and for all the blessings in our lives.

The Red Cross initially gave the boys hygene kits and a prepaid credit card to use for clothes. This allowed them to go get socks, underwear, and so on so they could take showers and put on clean clothes. You would be amazed at how important something as small as the ability to take a shower and put on clean socks can be.

A couple of the furniture stores here in town will donate furniture (a houseful, apparently) once they see the official fire report. It just happens that the incident commander at the fire lives right down the road from the trailer, and he has the report waiting for Beaux to pick up.

It is highly possible that it will be worth it to someone Beaux knows to clean up the site for the price of the metal. Apparently, the twelve inch, seventy foot long I-beams under the trailer are worth several thousand dollars, and the metal from the roof is worth a couple thousand more.

Beaux used to work for a guy who runs a construction company, and had once told Beaux he would build him a house at "cost". He has just reiterated that offer to Beaux. The loan officer at the credit union is very interested in the prospect, and may be willing to finance the deal, rolling the original loan on the land in, and so on.

Patrick, for some unexplained reason, was overpaid several hundred dollars after his last trip. When he went to his boss about it, he was told not to worry about it. He was also told he was going to get at least one more check that would be too much. This happened before the fire. The extra money will certainly come in handy.

We were able to get a replacement key (and a spare) for Beaux' truck, and he is in the process of rebuilding his wallet.

Patrick was very lucky to have grabbed his wallet and keys on his way out of the house. We also found Patrick's brand new glasses, in their case, undamaged! The case was singed, but it had been inside his trip bag, and being metal, had protected the glasses. Patrick was also able to find some pictures that weren't destroyed.

The one group I'm not impressed with is Direct TV. When Patrick contacted them about the fire, they told him he would have to pay them for the DVR that got burned up, and he is going to have to pay them to turn off the contract. Maybe if he gave them the DVR back....

I was able to get some pictures off Patrick's cell phone from just about the time they got the fire put out. They are below...

This was taken from behind the fire trucks. Patrick's truck is on the right, and Beaux' is just visible in the glare from the lights. Patrick had to tow Beaux' truck (it's an automatic) backwards across the road. The transmission and gear box weren't damaged!

Firemen digging through the rubble

Firemen looking at the debris. There were firemen and engines from three different volunteer fire departments!

Firemen and neighbors looking at bits of stuff. In the foreground is a large piece of the metal roof. The firemen used hooks and just pulled it off at some point.

Trailer fire

2009-04-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

At 4:45 this morning, our phone rang. It was one of our sons telling us that they had all gotten out alright, but the trailer was a total loss. It appears the fire might have started from faulty wiring.

Now that we were wide awake, we threw on our clothes and headed down to where the boys live. we saw the glow in the sky from a couple of miles away, and there were plenty of emergency vehicles around. I think 3 volunteer fire departments ultimately responded.

The trailer was a total loss, and the boys lost everything, but everyone there (there were a couple of friends visiting) got out alright. We are incredibly grateful for that blessing. The Red Cross gave the boys a $300 prepaid credit card and referrals to the various thrift stores in town.

Trish and I went back down this evening, and took some pictures. Here they are:

There was a trailer here last night...

Part of the roof is in the front.

This was the living room. The bricks that were under the wood stove are still smoking.

Part of a pair of jeans. The boys lost all their stuff...

This is "Killer" the lawnmower

Catching up

2009-04-16T13:20:00.001-07:00

I've been off doing stuff, and haven't had time to make an entry for a week or so.

I went to the San Angelo Tea Party last night, and thought it was pretty interesting. Unfortunately I didn't have the camera, since we were only planning on stopping by on the way to another place we needed to be. It appeared to me that there were possibly 1000 people gathered around the courthouse steps, many with signs and posters proclaiming their dissatisfaction with current government policies and spending. Lots of patriotic songs, lots of flags, a public opening prayer...right there on the courthouse steps! I was happy to note that the organizers were careful to state that this was a bi-partisan rally, and that anyone who wanted to see "change" (like we need more of that) was welcome.

The local Democrat club set up what was billed as a counter protest, but they only mustered about 25 people, who made sure to stay quite a distance away.

I really wish Trish and I could have stayed longer, but she had cub scouts, and I needed to be with our church youth.

Speaking of, the other news is that I am our Ward Bishop. I was called and set apart about a month ago. For those reading who might not know, a Mormon Bishop is roughly equivalent to a Catholic parish priest or a protestant pastor. I have responsibility for something like 4050 square miles, and all the church members, and those who are not, within those boundries. as you might imagine, I seem to be quite busy all of a suddden, and the next five-odd years will be interesting.

I'm still working on the bathroom, though somewhat slowly. We got the ceiling up, and now am about to start ripping out the floor. There will be pictures coming as I progress....

N Scale Progress

2009-04-04T15:39:00.000-07:00

It appears some guys have been pretty busy down at the depot (I've been tied up with some other stuff). They have researched some landmarks around Coleman and Echo Texas, and have come up with what looks like a workable track plan.

This is the left side of the layout. Coleman will be on the right (front), San Angelo Junction will be further back (at the Y), and Echo will off to the left. The track is just tacked down to see if the plan will be workable, and it looks pretty good.

In the back of this picture, you can see the 16" wide connector that joins the two parts of the layout together.

The DCC and DC power systems will be mounted under the connector piece along with a computer for central control. We will use straight DC power for normal display operations, and will switch to the DCC power for when we want to conduct operations.

There is track down on the other side as well, but it's got too much stuff piled on top for a good picture right now. The roundhouse tracks are actually under the boxes!

More as it happens...

Remodeling the bathroom, Day 2

2009-03-31T15:22:00.000-07:00

Today, I finished pulling out the tile wall around the tub, pulled down the ceiling, and got the tub out. I've bought a new vent fan and some sheetrock to start the ceiling, but I'm afraid it's going to be a day or two before I start on that. I need a rest!

This is where the tub sat. Pretty much the same view as the last picture in yesterday's post.

The box in the ceiling was for a heater (just a big electrical heating element). I'm going to put in a vent fan/light instead. I stuck pieces of tape on the header to mark the rafters for hanging the sheetrock.

Oh, I also pulled most of the outer wall in the hallway out. It was the only way the tub was coming out. This bathroom had a pocket door, which I hated since it was always coming off it's track.

The overall size of this bathroom is only 61"X71" or 5X6 feet (stud to stud). Not a lot of room to work with, but that also means it isn't too big a project to finish in a reasonable amount of time.

We are discussing whether or not to replace the tub with another tub/shower or whether to put in a shower stall with a door. What do you think?

Guttin' a bathroom

2009-03-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

I'm gutting out a bathroom this week. There was a leak under the toilet, and it rotted the floor. I decided that I might as well do the whole bathroom while I was at it, so spent today tearing out everything in sight. Ironically, the floor will be the last thing I tear out.

Where the toilet was. You can see where the water damage is. The damage is coming up from the subfloor!

You can see where I have taken some of the sheetrock off the ceiling. There is some old water damage to the rafter that I will need to fix. I'll also be replacing all the insulation.

I haven't torn this wall out of the bathtub yet.

What the heck?

2009-03-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

I saw this just the other day, and am not sure if it's legitimate or not. It sure reads like something from The Onion, or possibly National Lampoon. Anyway, Submitted for your Friday enjoyment is what must have seemed like a dream job at the time....

Work on the new N Scale

2009-03-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

We are making some progress on the N Scale layout donated by the family in Coleman. The layout will end up being U-shaped, with a four foot long, 16 inch wide connector across the back. I took a couple of pictures so you can see what it currently looks like.

This is what will be the right side of the layout. The upper level will be removed, and some track will be rearranged for better operation.

This is what will be the left side of the layout. Again, the top level will be removed, and some track will be rearranged. We plan to keep all the town names from the original plan, and there will be track on other levels. We just want to use current techniques to do it.

This is a view looking into the room, so that you can see how the two sides will be arranged (generally). The tables will need to be moved around a bit for final placement. The section in the back, on the right, will be made into the connector between the two main parts of the layout.

Here is another view of the left side of the layout. I got busy this morning, and removed the upper levels of track.

All of the track used on this layout is sectional, so there is a rail joint every 4 or 5 inches. We hope to be able to replace all of the sectional track with 3-foot flex track, which will both be newer and have less connections to worry about.

We plan to be able to use this layout both as a display piece, and for club operations. To that end, we will have a dual power setup with regular DC power, on a timer, for museum operation, and DCC power for club use. The power source will be selectable by a simple toggle switch.

For museum operations, we should be able to run at least three trains at any one time, so there will be plenty of action to see. For club operations, there will be 2 yards, and several industries to switch, so 2, 3, or maybe even 4 operators will be kept busy.

Another shamless link to another blog

2009-03-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

I'll start doing my own writing again next week, but this is really worth reading. This guy says it very well, and certainly expresses the way I feel!

Have a great weekend!

A Chuckle for the morning, courtesy of Don...

2009-03-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

I was looking at the things that run through Don's mind (a pretty disturbing thing to do), and today he has some fun with word play. I thought that rather than posting anything original, I would just point you over there so you could get a bit of a laugh on him.

Remember, a boiled egg is hard to beat.

Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary!

2009-03-17T08:06:00.000-07:00

Today is the 31st anniversary of my first date with my wife! I was 17, and she was 15. I'm happy to say that we both seem to have chosen well, and have always gotten along great. She is truly my best friend.

Oh yeah...Happy Valentines Day!

New project at the depot

2009-03-12T06:21:00.001-07:00

As I've ementioned before, I volunteer at, and serve on the board of, the local rail museum. We are located in the old Kansas City, Mexico, and Orient/Santa Fe depot, which was built in 1909, and have a small museum, gift shop, static display of real equipment, and several model railroad displays.

In the late 1980s a gentleman in Coleman, Texas, who was building a large N Scale layout in his home, decided to move to Argentina. So his layout was crated up, along with all of his building kits, rolling stock, magazines, and modeling tools, and put on a ship to Argentina. I'm not sure if he ever got to Argentina or not, but I do know that at some point he died.

The layout remained in it's crate for the next 20 years, and did travel, by ship, to Argentina and back. A month or so ago, as his will stipulated, it arrived at the San Angelo Santa Fe Depot, and the crate was finally opened. What we found was an unfinished N scale model railroad, about 4X16 feet and cut in half, that was actually in pretty good condition! There were also all the other things mentioned, and it was a bit like going back in time 20 years to look at the old magazines and catalogs, as well as the prices on the kit boxes.

We have set the layout up in one of the upstairs rooms of the depot, and have started small repairs in hopes of getting some of the track working. We were concerned about where the depot was going to come up with the money, and had actually discussed shutting the door to the room for a couple of years, until we had the necessary funds.

Then we got a call from the family. They said that they were interested in seeing the layout finished as a memorial to their father who had started it and who had enjoyed it so much. They expressed a desire to donate a substantial amount of money to the project, and have just done so.

There is a blog, devoted to this layout, which doesn't have much yet, but you may want to check back once in a while to see how the project is coming along. I'll also post any significant developments here.

Sound!

2009-03-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

I mentioned a while ago that I would say a bit about sound. I have a Bachmann On30 Shay, with sound. Suggested retail price for these engines is around $400 (it's printed on the box), but you can buy them from places like The Favorite Spot, in Denton TX, for around half that. My engine came equipped with DCC control and a Soundtraxx Tsunami sound system already installed. I think the speaker in the tender is a 1 inch speaker, but it does sound pretty good.

The clip below demonstrates how it sounds. You can hear the compressor hammering away, the "chuff" is synchronized to the speed of the loco (I started it off a bit too fast, and had to slow back down), when it slows you can hear the brakes squealing, and so on. Of course, the loco literally has bells and whistles!

I'm planning on adding sound to other locos, and I will probably buy a Climax loco with sound also. Come to think of it, I may need to sell a Shay and Climax, without sound, to pay for some sound components!

Enjoy....

Shay starting up

2009-03-04T06:45:00.000-08:00

State of the Union by Carl Moore

I saw this cartoon, and thought it worth sharing. It appears the American people are already starting to rise up, and the President's "honeymoon" with the media may already be over.

I've noticed more and more newspaper articles and editorials critical of Barack Obama's plans, policies, and cabinet choices. Just today, our local paper essentially called his Attorney General a racist.

My question is, "Where were they last year?"

Just a quick correction

2009-02-27T07:56:00.000-08:00

The other day, I wrote something about DCC, and made a mistake right off the bat. I referred to DCC as Direct Command Control. Sorry, I meant Digital Command Control.

The other option for operating most model trains is DC or Direct Current, which is using a traditional model train transformer.

Back to trains!

2009-02-25T07:42:00.000-08:00

I thought it was about time to get back to talking about important stuff....model trains! The topic of the day is Direct Command Control, or DCC.

DCC is cool because you can independantly control several locomotices on the same track. This means that if I want to recreate the model train wreck from the Adams Family show, I can.

The controller puts a steady voltage (around 14 volts) to the track, and lays a digital signal on top of that. Each locomotive has a decoder chip installed, which is programmed with an address. The chip, and hence the locomotive, will only respond to signals addressed to it.

The system I am using is a fairly simple and inexpensive controller, put out by Bachmann, called the EZ DCC controller.

This controller will control ten locos, including one analog (DC) engine. While this system isn't sufficient for a basement empire, it works very well for small layouts where you're only runnning a few trains at a time anyway. The EZ DCC controller costs about $100 retail, but is easily available for half that, especially from some of the EBay model railroad stores.

Bachmann also markets the decoders for the locos. They are available for about $20 each, and come with either a standard NMRA 8 pin plug or pigtail ends for soldering the connections yourself.

Of course, if you want to spend more money, and you will, there are other manufacturers and systems available. There have been plenty of reviews, so I won't bother doing it here, but will mention that Lenz, MRC, and others all make good products.

Don't forget that moving to DCC brings you into the realm of onboard sound! That will be a topic for another entry.

SIGH Family

2009-02-24T12:55:00.000-08:00

I spent the better part of today composing a letter to some relatives. After bringing them up to date on our doings, I finally got into the major subject, which was why none of my kids or their spouses want to have much to do with them.

I expect childish, self-centered, and occasionally silly behavior from 20-somethings, but from those three or four times their age, not so much. I tried, as kindly as I could, to explain what had caused the situation, and what I felt ought to be done to remedy it (ever have to tactfully tell someone to pull their head out?).

I tried to use positive things I had seen these people do as parents as examples, and pointed out how they had influenced me. Hopefully, once they get over their (predictable) anger, they will give the situation some thought and consideration.

Does anyone out there have any suggestions for tactfully correcting relatives they would like to share before I send off my letter? Comment if you do.

A Little Bit of Religion

2009-02-23T08:10:00.000-08:00

I got to thinking that maybe I should "raise the bar" a bit, so here's some religious thinking for you.

As I understand it, there is a gospel principle in every verse of scripture. To test the theory, let's try what is probably the shortest verse in the scriptures:

John 11:35 Jesus wept.

Before looking at the verse in context, let's just consider this single verse. In these two words, I see the concept that Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, a God in His own right, feels sorrow and compassion, though from this one verse, I don't yet know why.

If we look at it in context, we see that the incident was where Lazarus had died, and both Mary and Martha had told Him about it. Jesus saw the women crying, and the others, I would assume family and friends, all grieving, and was troubled and saddened. The Savior was moved to tears by the grieving of others, even though He was there to raise Lazarus from the dead.

So, in context, the verse still teaches us that the Savior has compassion for us and feels our suffering.

Pretty neat for two short words, huh?

Road Trip!

2009-02-20T06:47:00.000-08:00

We're going to San Antonio to visit some friends this weekend, and I have to admit that I'm really looking forward to getting out of town for a couple of days.

Since the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo is going on this week, I would normally be spending my evenings helping the Boy Scout troop with concessions. I've been to almost every rodeo show for the last 14 years, and have never seen it yet! It's a good fund-raiser for the troop though, and I enjoy helping out.

Anyway, instead of that, we are going to spend a relaxing weekend visiting some good friends. I may even make it to a big model railroad show that will be in town this weekend!

I'll let you know how it all works out.

Just some pondering...

2009-02-13T08:23:00.001-08:00

What to blog about when you don't know what to blog about? That question has been on my mind for the last several days. I need to get on some new model railroading projects, maybe document the process of scratch-building a structure or explain a scenery technique or something.

I want to try and stay away from politics, since it just makes me mad, and I don't want to be "that blogger".

Not wanting to be "that blogger" is the reason I don't delve into religion either, though I could certainly expound on some gospel topics at some length. Some one send me a comment if you want that...

I'd tell you about my work...but then I'd have to kill you. Let's just not go there. Besides, if I mentioned half the crazy stuff that goes on around here, no one would believe me.

I will say that it disappointed and saddened me to find out when called in for an interview that was part of an investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) that they were as interested in what rumors and gossip I had heard as anything else. The guy actually accused me of being "shady" because I didn't want to share gossip and rumor!

I'm excited about an upcoming family reunion this summer. I haven't seen any of my cousins since I was a kid (I'm almost 50 now), so this will be interesting. We're all going to meet at my aunt and uncle's farm in Midway, Utah. A beautiful place, if memory serves me right. Midway is just down the road from Heber City, Utah, where I spent many summers as a kid. In Heber, you can find the Heber Creeper. Check out the link here.

And, here is a picture of the Heber Creeper in Provo Canyon.

I've come to the conclusion that I'd rather drive on a trip than fly. At this point, it's probably cheaper, and takes about the same amount of time. We're going to drive to Utah for the family reunion, and I've already worked out that it's a bit over 15 hours driving time. Call it a day and a half, with stops. We might even make the side trip to Chama New Mexico to see the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad. Here is a link to their site.

Enought rambling for now. Maybe I'll come up with something worthwhile to write about next time...but then, maybe I won't!

A Thought on the Stimulus Package

2009-02-09T07:39:00.000-08:00

I know I should stay away from politics, but I have to say something...

The idea of "spending our way out of debt" is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. My personal experience has always been that when you spend your way into a hole, the best thing to do is tighten your belt and stop spending!

I've never paid off a $1000 credit card debt by charging another $1000, only by paying off the original debt, which meant I had to actually manage my money and exercise some self control.

I think it would be a nice thing if my government would actually make an attempt to rein in spending and live within its means, much as we common citizens do. I doubt it will happen though....

Cost

2009-02-05T11:54:00.001-08:00

I guess my final thoughts on the micro layout project ought to be on what it cost me to build.

The substructure and pink foam was already on hand, so didn't cost me anything. Matter of fact, the only reason I used something as massive as 1X4 stock was that it was hanging around in my shop. I also had the foam adhesive on hand.

The track was already on hand, and the CD-based turntable was already built. No cost there.

I spent $6 for three 75 foot spools of wire at Radio Shack. Most of it will be used for other products, since I only used about 12 feet of wire. At about 3 cents per foot, I used $0.36 worth of wire.

I spent $2 on a toggle switch, and $1.50 for a power connector.

I already had a 70 pound bag of general purpose sand, which only cost about $3 anyway. No appreciable cost there.

I bought a quart of paint, tinted to match the sand, for $8, but have enough left over, for other projects, that I can say I used less than $1 worth of paint.

Buildings, trains, figures, greenery, etc, were all on hand. I'm not counting the cacti that I haven't bought yet. They will be $7 for a box of 60, and I doubt I'll use all 60.

Let's see.....looks like I spent a total of......mmmm....about $4 (actual cost of materials used) from start to finish. Not too bad!

Next entry will be about something different.....

A bit of greenery added

2009-02-03T18:36:00.001-08:00

I'm still taking pictures of the work train on my micro layout, and thought I'd post a few for others to see. These are just some shots of the train working around various areas. I've added a bit of greenery, though most of it isn't glued down at all. I'm planning on ordering a box of scale cacti, now that they are approved, and am looking forward to how they will look.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures...

Bums in the arroyo.

Coming out of the tunnel

Engine heading to the turntable

Heading into the tunnel

The powder shack

Passing in front of the powder shack

The blacksmith shop

It's mostly done!

2009-01-31T06:43:00.001-08:00

Here it is, just about finished! I need to order some cacti and plant some scraggly bushes, but what I'm calling "Matthew's Mine" is otherwise done.

If you are wondering where the mine is, the guys digging at the hill in the background are just getting started on it....

Today's progress

2009-01-28T15:22:00.000-08:00

As you can see, today is more of the same. I just thought I'd post a few pictures. Enjoy...

Scenery!

2009-01-27T17:01:00.000-08:00

I've started on the scenery, and it looks like it'll work out well. I have a 70 pound bag of general purpose sand that I got at Home Depot, and I bought a quart of paint that pretty much matches. So my scenery will have a kind of reddish hue.

I painted the ground and then sprinkled sand over it. I'll vacuum up the extra later. You can see a wet area where I had to add some sand to cover where I put card under the track. The grey rock in the background will get painted to match everything else.

Building Scenery

2009-01-25T12:10:00.001-08:00

I've started roughing in the scenery on my micro layout. So far, I've got a gentle hill climbing out to the edge of the layout over by the turntable, the area where the waste water will be is dug out, and I've started building up the mountain for the tunnel.

You can see the wood grade crossing I built for the dirt road, and where the road will probably be, on the left. The mountain in the back doesn't have a top yet, but the rough shapes are progressing. The hill by the turntable doesn't show up too well in this picture.

The mine train is nosing it's way out of what will be the tunnel. The water area is in the front, and the black dot indicates where a water pipe will come out of the ground. Oh, you can also see that I've replaced the stock Atlas turnout control with a Caboose Industries ground throw. I think they look a lot better.

First Run at Matthew's Mine

2009-01-22T17:14:00.000-08:00

I got the wiring done, and decided to run a train around. Here is the video I made to commemorate the occasion.

Now that everything is running, I can start to work on the scenery, which is always the fun part.

I stuck a few buildings and people on the layout, just to have them there, and you can see where I have been doodling out hills and valleys.

I'll be posting more pictures as the scenery work progresses.

The Micro Layout

2009-01-19T15:42:00.000-08:00

This morning I started on an On30 micro layout, after many months of threatening...

Here is the base...22 inches by 32 inches, made with 1X4 stock. The top is 1/4 plywood.

Here is the underside of the base. I drilled holes for running wires.

I put a layer of 1 inch foam over the plywood. I can carve little dips and hollows into it later.

I've got the main loop of track laid. The curves are 10 inch radius, so only small equipment will run.

I've noticed that the base under the track going to the turntable will need to be built up a bit. I'm thinking I'll use something like matte board. In case you're wondering, I made the turntable from a CD and case.

The main loop has been wired, and a train is running! Once I finish with all the track work and am satisfied that it all works reliably, then I'll start building up the scenery. Eventually, the engine will push a string of cars out of a mine tunnel and into an ore processing building. There should be a small pond with scummy water, a mountain (or at least enough of one for the mine) and little hills and dips.

There will also be plenty of trees and greenery. One of the reasons I'm building this layout is to experiment with some interesting looking techniques I've read about.

But, I think I've done enough for one day....

Plano Train Show

2009-01-17T17:44:00.000-08:00

I got to The Favorite Spot, in Denton, alright. The place is amazing! If Bachmann makes it, they have it in stock. I spent about an hour weighing my options and drooling over the things I could choose from. I only went a little bit over budget, so feel pretty good about that. I should point out that the owner, Ray, and his workers are all really nice people, and eager to help or answer questions.

I attended most of the first day of the Plano Train Show, and had an absolute ball! Lots of layouts to see, lots of venders to buy from, and of course, I was there to run trains with the Texas On30 Outlaws. They are a great bunch of guys, and we had fun running trains, explaining On30 to the visitors, and admiring each other's work.

Here is a brand new On30 0-4-2 Porter pushing a string of side-dump cars across a bridge at the show.

This is a picture of a Push-Me-Pull-You, we made with a couple of Davenports, on the auto-reversing trolley track. We had about eight feet of track on the auto-reversing line.

This is part of Mike Duva's swamp module. Beautiful work! The water has depth, and everything is dirty looking.

Part of Don Culverson's Maydell module. This one inspired me so much that I made one of my own!

A short vacation coming up

2009-01-15T06:35:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, I head to the Dallas area for the annual Plano Model Train Show. My first stop will be in Denton, Texas to visit a store named "The Favorite Spot". This place is Bachmann On30 mecca, and I am planning on picking up quite a few new pieces there. Saturday, I'll be spending most of the day at the train show, and am looking forward to seeing some friends and running some trains.

I'll have a report, and probably some pictures when I get back....

News from one of the kids...

2009-01-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

Good news from Spokane: the snow is finally melting! Bad news is that the basement is now flooded! My daughter-in-law talked to the people at the base housing office, and they say there's nothing they can do until it finally dries up a bit, which makes some sense, but it's still got to be annoying having half an inch of water in your basement.

Hamburgers!

2009-01-06T05:39:00.000-08:00

I read Don's Mind yesterday, and he got me to thinking about hamburgers. I really like hamburgers, and have had some pretty good ones.

My favorite all time hamburger is at Hudson's Hamburgers in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. They have been there since 1910, and you can buy a burger, pepsi, and a piece of pie; there are no fries or chips to clog things up. Hudson's has spicy mustard, spicy ketchup, and regular ketchup, you can get pickle, onion, or cheese. When I'm in town, I try to go to Hudson's at least once each day, and I usually eat two burgers. They have been nationally recognized for their burgers, and I highly recommend them!

Closer to home, we have a convenience store chain named Town and Country. Oddly enough, they make one of the best burgers in town! All the usual toppings and vegetables are available, and the price is reasonable. Don't forget to pick up an order of fried okra to go with your burger.

Believe it or not, I like McDonalds burgers. they may have gotten smaller (I haven't eaten there in a while), but McDonalds is predictable. You know exactly what it will taste like, no matter where you go. I ate at a McDonalds in Seoul Korea, and their cheeseburger tasted just like a cheeseburger here. Every once in a while, I just get a hankering for a Big Mac. Call it a character flaw....

Then there's Burger King, Whataburger, Dairy Queen, on and on... They all have good burgers. I like to get burgers at "yuppie" restaurants, like Applebees and Cheddars. They are always big and juicy...and a bit expensive, but what can you do?

My all time, favorite burger is the one I cook. I can grill a mean hamburger any time I want one!

Maybe tomorrow will be hotdogs.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T08:26:00.000-08:00

I haven't had much to write about for the last week or so, but since it is New Year's Eve, I thought I'd write a few lines to let you know what I'm up to (train-wise, anyway).

Yesterday Trish and I went to the Santa Fe depot and packed up the Christmas Village and trolley she had on display for the annual Chritmas show. Today, I start taking down the On30 logging layout I have had on display for the last year.

I have a plan for a small (less than 2X4 feet) urban trolley layout, perhaps built on Saturdays at the depot as a demonstration. We'll see how that works. I've already found the track, trolleys, and buildings in boxes at the depot, and just need to create a base. Perhaps as it's built, I can remember to take a few pictures to post.

Anyway, that's my plan...

Happy New Year!

Bliss

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T07:27:00.000-08:00

Just a short note to wish all who read this a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. We have many blessings in our lives, and I hope you will take just a minute to consider the blessings you have received.

Once again, Merry Christmas!

Bliss

Exodus

2008-12-19T06:58:00.000-08:00

I work at a school, and the students are leaving today. Classes are finishing up the last bits of stuff for the year, and lots of folks are planning on taking some leave over the next week or so. Consequently, there's not much of anything being accomplished right now.

I kind of enjoy this time of year. The parking lots are mostly empty, the population is down, and meetings are cancelled. Those of us who are at work can usually plan on havning fairly short days too.

Now, if it would just snow....

Side Dump cars - Part 2

2008-12-17T13:23:00.000-08:00

Here is the painted car with the Davenport loco.

Here is a picture showing one of the repainted cars next to an unpainted car.

Side-Dump Ore Cars

2008-12-17T06:43:00.000-08:00

I have a set of Bachmann's Side Dump Ore cars. They come three in a box, and are ready to run. Each car scales out to be about 10 feet long, and they look really good with a small loco, such as a Porter or Davenport.

I was looking at mine the other day, and realized that they really need to look a bit more weathered and used. Out came the paint, and so far, I have painted and weathered one car to look like it has old wood with rusty black ironwork. I'll try to post a picture of the stock and modified cars together later this afternoon.

Christmas Decorations

2008-12-15T06:57:00.000-08:00

I'm a notorious grinch, and have a general dislike of setting up and taking down decorations at Christmas time. I have to admit that this is mostly a matter of laziness, but some stuff I just don't much care about.

So, this year I was told that if there were any decorations put up, it would be because I put them up. Imagine my surprise to discover that not only have I put the lights up outside (with some help from the boss), and put up the big tree in the front room, but last nite I set up the small tree we always have in the back room.

I'm going to say that it's because I made the wooden ornaments that go on that tree. Yeah...that's it...

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go dig out some snowman decorations....

Family...We're stuck with each other...

2008-12-11T11:22:00.000-08:00

I did have a rant here concerning some disputes going on between a couple of family members, but I decided that it was unnecessary to add fuel to fire. I think I would rather express to any members of the family who read this how much I appreciate and love them.

Our family is spread out all over, and we don't get to see each other as much as we should. I have always regretted that, and wish our kids knew their grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts better, and vise versa. That way, perhaps some of the misunderstandings that take place could be avoided.

We miss you all, and wish you a Merry Christmas! (Yeah, I said Christmas)

Train Depot Appreciation Dinner

2008-12-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

Last night Trish and I went to the annual Santa Fe Depot Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. We were at a local Mexican restaurant, and enjoyed a very nice dinner with the other members of the board and volunteers. As I was looking around, I realized that at 48, I was probably one of the younger participants, with many easily in their mid to late 70s.

Part of this is due, I'm sure, to the fact that the Santa Fe railroad suspended operations in this area over 20 years ago, and many of the volunteers are former railroad employees. But I also notice a lack of interest in volunteering by the younger crowd, in general. Everyone is so busy with their lives that they don't have any time to give.

I hope, especially this time of year, that folks will look up, even for a moment, and think about the things they may be able to contribute to organizations around them.

Christmas at the San Angelo Santa Fe Depot

2008-12-08T07:22:00.000-08:00

Every year, in December, the San Angelo Santa Fe Depot is open for extended hours to celebrate Christmas. There are extra model railroad displays, Santa arrives on the front of a Mexican National Railway diesel locomotive, the mayor and chief of police (among others) read stories to kids, and other festivities occur.

This year is the same, Friday began with Santa arriving at noon, and then he was there visiting with the children all evening. There must have been over 100 people on friday, and probably close to 200 visitors over the course of the weekend.

If you get a chance, stop on by. The depot is open Friday from 6-9pm, and on Saturday from 10am-4pm, and from 6-9pm. The Christmas celebration is all month.

SCORM

2008-12-04T18:48:00.000-08:00

for those who might not know, SCORM stands for Sharable Content Object Reference Model, and deals with being able to share and reuse other people's computer-based training, or parts of it anyway. For instance, if I need to develop a lesson on how to change a tire, I can look to see if someone else might have already done that. then I can use their lesson, or parts of it to teach my students. Makes sense, right?

Unless you work on a closed network, which I happen to do most of the time. In a case like that, where there is no active Internet connection, or any other connection to the outside world, and no one to share content with, SCORM doesn't make much sense. Therefore, the government is requiring that we use SCORM on closed networks!

We have been looking for a couple of solutions to some issues, and as we approach other agencies, we seem to get the same response over and over again: "Why are you doing that, if you're not online with anyone else?"

Do I have a point? No...I'm just venting. Sometimes you just have to...

Micro Layouts

2008-12-04T08:40:00.000-08:00

I've been facinated by the concept of micro and mini layouts, especially in On30. The idea of a complete model railroad in only a couple of square feet is just neat. Of course, you can't run large, or even medium sized, equipment on a layout this small, but short strings of mining cars or "shorty" freight cars with diesel critters or steam porters look good.

I've been planning a micro layout for a while, and as I work on it, I'll try to remember to post progress photos. The other advantage is that you are working in a small enough area that you can actually finish it!

This is a site dedicated to small model railroads. Check it out!

A Bit More Politics

2008-12-03T07:32:00.000-08:00

With Saxby Chamblis keeping his Georgia Senate seat, the Democrats did not achieve a fillibuster proof majority. I think that is probably a good thing. The only tool the republicans will have to try and temper the more outrageous things the Democrat Congress may try is the fillibuster. I'm hoping they pick their battles wisely, and use the fillibuster when it is needed, rather than caving in to the majority.

I'm thinking this is enough politics for now. Next time I'll either get back to trains or some code geekery.

A Little Bit of Politics

2008-12-02T05:07:00.000-08:00

I don't want to get too much into the political stuff. After the last election, I'm really just kind of fed up with the whole mess, and am more than ready to just ignore all the pundits and analysts.

That said, I do want to comment on the incoming administration. I'm interested to see what the Obama administration will actually accomplish. I realize he campaigned as a far left Democrat, but from the choices he's making for his cabinet, especially in the national security area, I think he may be planning to operate much more to the center. I think this will infuriate his base, who will rightly feel that he isn't following through with all the promises he made them (fortunately for the rest of us).

While I certainly didn't vote for the man, I am keeping an open mind about what he may accomplish, and what being exposed to the reality of the Presidency does to his "world view".

I'm most interested in how he deals with the Clintons, who will be a presence in the administration. My bet is that Obama will send Hillary on a nice long trip, and will assign Bill some sort of task that will keep him out of the hair of the administration, which will effectively neutralize both of them. Very savvy....

On30 Model Railroading thoughts

2008-12-01T10:00:00.001-08:00

I have been an avid model railroader since I was a little kid. I've done all the major scales, and enjoy concentrating on rural, broken-down rail lines, especially logging and mining lines in the 1930s and 40s.

My most recent project has been an On30 modular layout, which has been on display at our local railroad museum for the last year. I have also been working on the other display layouts at the museum.

Here are a couple of pictures of my Davenport loco pushing a string of side-dump cars through a grade crossing.

Intro

2008-12-01T08:41:00.000-08:00

I've resurrected an older blog we set up, and am going to try to regularly post random stuff about trains, computers, SCORM, silly government people I deal with, and of course, family things. We'll see how this goes....

Bliss' random thoughts

More time has passed...

So...I'm back

So...should I keep maintaining this blog?

Access Databases

Happy Halloween!

It's done!

About time I posted something...

Doing it right

Tape and Mud!

More progress

Bathroom Progress!

Memorial Hill

Vacation!

Update

Update

Tools and progress

The bathroom remodel lives again!

Bathroom Update

Upcoming project

Last of the fire cleanup

Haven't forgotten about it...

Fire cleanup

Another update post

When it rains, it pours!

The fire...an update

Trailer fire

Catching up

N Scale Progress

Remodeling the bathroom, Day 2

Guttin' a bathroom

What the heck?

Work on the new N Scale

Another shamless link to another blog

A Chuckle for the morning, courtesy of Don...

Happy Anniversary!

New project at the depot

Sound!

Just a quick correction

Back to trains!

*SIGH* Family

A Little Bit of Religion

Road Trip!

Just some pondering...

A Thought on the Stimulus Package

Cost

A bit of greenery added

It's mostly done!

Today's progress

Scenery!

Building Scenery

First Run at Matthew's Mine

The Micro Layout

Plano Train Show

A short vacation coming up

News from one of the kids...

Hamburgers!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Exodus

Side Dump cars - Part 2

Side-Dump Ore Cars

Christmas Decorations

Family...We're stuck with each other...

Train Depot Appreciation Dinner

Christmas at the San Angelo Santa Fe Depot

SCORM

Micro Layouts

A Bit More Politics

A Little Bit of Politics

On30 Model Railroading thoughts

Intro

SIGH Family