Quote from: PRR Modeler on May 18, 2026, 12:50:32 PMTomO I find walking therapeutic.

I do walk! 2 miles 6 days a week on the machine that goes no where or if the weather is nice 3 miles on the local sidewalks. There are actually 3 routes I can vary but all outside are a minimum 3 miles. Even with the recent pain I've walked but at a slower pace then my 19 -21 minutes per mile. Definitely clears the mind

Good morning Crew. Yesterday was a weather day to forget. I already mentioned the tornado warnings in the morning where Terry joined me in the train room or the "safe space". Well we had to both trek there again last night after I posted at 8pm. We were in there roughly from 9:30 to maybe 10:15. The warning sirens went off and like a lemming off I go, better safe than sorry. No damage that I am aware of in the area and my yard is pretty clear. I took the garbage bin out to the curb this morning.

A grocery and pharmacy run today this morning. Then a visit to my GP this afternoon. Feeling better but there is lingering pain and weariness. I did send her a message via our medical portal and the nurse replied at 7:30 this morning the doctor will review it! Which means she'll read it in the hallway outside the exam room

It's 70 and humid this Wisconsin morning heading to 80 with rain off and on through out the day

Enjoy your day

Quote from: deemery on May 18, 2026, 08:23:09 AMTom, if you have specific questions, send me an email/message.  A neighbor retired from the Maine paper mill industry.

Ron and Darryl, Happy Victoria Day!

First cataract is tomorrow, I'm not sure what the 3 weeks between surgeries will be like.  Both eyes are significantly nearsighted, so "just gut it out" won't work, and the 2nd eye has more astigmatism, so readers probably won't help, either.

dave

Thank you. I will keep your offer in mind.

I had cataract surgery in 2015 and it was a great thing. I've worn glasses since 1st grade I'm now 73. I use glasses now only for close in work or night time 2 lane driving.

Like you I had trouble with eye drops but it was well worth overcoming that. The period between surgeries for me and then my wife last fall was a minimal inconvenience. Best to you tomorrow

Quote from: Larry C on May 18, 2026, 06:43:08 AMMorning Gents,

The morning beverages are set to go. Breakfast is hash and 2 eggs anyway you prefer them, English Muffins with butter or assorted jams and jellies.

Tom O. that's quite an ambitious project and looking forward to your interpretation.

What's on your agenda.

It's a cloudy 62 with a high of 91. Glad I installed the portable A/C unit upstairs yesterday; gonna need it. A few errands to run shortly but not too sure about the rest of the day. If the rain holds off then it's some more outside work; if not it'll be bench time.

Have a safe and enjoyable day!! Be well.

Larry, yes it's ambitious but also Therapeutic. My weather creativity has diminished since my health issues of 8/2024. There is no arguing that and it took me a few months to really understand it.  The memory skills of weathering are slowly returning but I can still follow a written or verbal instruction. There is no creativity needed using a sketch or diagram especially if I draw it.

I'm 73. If I get on the Call board I can generally operate on big layouts in the area and beyond weekly. There are a few operating groups in Wisconsin that coordinate nicely with each other. I don't need a large layout and my 2 layouts since retirement in 2014 have been small with both having mainlines less than 80'. I like to switch. My last railroad had a great paper mill of mostly facade fronts and not enough switching. This peninsula based paper mill will fix that. When I operate elsewhere I prefer the Road pool because I can switch at home.

My core materials are 1/8" birch ply for building support, Sintra pvc board and Evergreen Styrene. I have free unlimited access to a laser cutter for the wood and have learned/ing SVG file creation for it. I have always used graph paper and pencil and I still do. Now I convert those drawings sometimes with Ai help from ChatGPT into usable cutting files. I'm not creating intricate things just interlocking panels for structures. Like weathering was I get into a zone and can work for hours. Because of health concerns I do have timers at the bench. I get into modeling funks that generally go away in a few days but not always. I have been like that since I started painting brass steam in the 1970's. I unfortunately could also get consumed at work like that over the years but burn out relief was not an option, work though it...

I have 2 very good friends and 3 others that are more than willing to help out building the framework and they will when the time comes over the next 60-90 days. The structure design and build though are my baby

Quote from: deemery on May 17, 2026, 08:05:42 PMTomO, do you have a visible piping diagram for your paper mill?  That's something I've been unable to find for my 1890s refinery project.  I do know there seemed to be pipes (and junk, and oil leaks) everywhere...

dave

Not yet but I have ideas. I'll be working on that this week for 2 different paper mills. My own for 2020 and for a friends 1965era PNW paper mill. I agree finding information about piping systems in paper mills seems tough. My go to guy when I did my previous mills before these 2 basically said, straight lines with 90 degree turns grouped together in various sizes and different colors. He passed a few years before I retired in 2014.

One thing I use as a constant is when grouped to I do in odd numbers. 3, 5 or 7 the same as I group trees. There just is something about the odd number grouping that catches my eye.

My own mill, the previous template photo I am laying it out to make sure it fits of course but that while creating that paper mill maze feel that there is enough room for the details which mainly are pipes, pipe bridging and conveyers. I love conveyers.

I will let you know what I find on piping

 

thanks everyone. It's been a lousy weather day in So. Central Wisconsin with even Terry sitting in the safe room with me. We determined that the safest place in the house when a tornado warning goes up is the area around my work benches in the train room. Many many moons ago a good friend gave me a set of work benches his dad made after the war. True 4x4's for the full frame work and 2 pieces of 1/2" plywood laminated to form the bench top and 48" high! So when the local sirens went off I had a visitor for almost an hour.

I'm weathering, prepping and also working on the design of MY new paper mill. Still have not taken down the framework my old paper mill sat on. Though all the buildings except 2 have been sold off. The plan was in May but due to helping on a couple layouts and then another sudden left turn by my health, it's more likely July. The guys have offered to take it down for me and build the peninsula while I just supervise but this is personal! I may change my mind but doubtful.

While Terry was in her "safe space" an over used storm phrase by local media and weather guessers she asked me how much I got for my mill as she looked over the empty spots. I told her, again! She asked if I was going to spend it all on the layout and I said have you seen the cost of lumber lately? She laughed! I do have all the lumber and fasteners I need for the 30" x 198" peninsula where the paper mill will sit. I really might not spend  even $100.

A few south end changes to show from this morning on the 30" x 30" template. This is the "dirty" end of the paper mill. It holds the wood chip conveyer from the wood chip yard, digester building, the recovery boiler building, the processing yard, the liquor tank farm, blow tank, defoamer tanks, the brown stock building, a diesel storage tank and a service road. Yes, there is no track in this segment. Not only am I a model railroader I am a modeler. The piping is not shown

The goal is keeping 2 crews of 2 busy for 2 sessions of 90 minutes long with a 45 minute food break. Normal sessions in the Operating group I belong to is 2.5 hours, 45 minute lunch session and 2 hour end session. Those layouts though, even the smallest is 10 times the mainline I have that when finished will be about 55'. This paper mill is much more extensive than my previous one but much busier and I hope more enjoyable for switching.

Attached are 3 pictures of the template 30" x 30", a large liquor tank and then some kit built tanks to fit in the production flow.

The fun part of a paper mill for me though is the finish details. The piping, pipe bridging, conduits, steam lines, tall and low conveyers, Motor control cabinets, meters, pumps and cut off boxes.

The bar is open!

The Eagle Rare I see is still popular. The popcorn is fresh and any virtual drink imaginable is available.

Enjoy the evening

Good Sunday morning from dreary Wisconsin. After a few days of gorgeous weather, today sucks. A mist instead of the heavy rains predicted and no sun. High gets to maybe 64 after 70's and 80's the past week.

My legs and overall body pain has lessened, not gone but it's heading in the right direction. My wife's niece is the Clinical Pharmacy Director at a Medical system about 40 miles south of us. She reviewed my meds independently from my own medical team and when I take them. She called Friday night and asked when I take my Mounjaro and told her Saturday at wake-up. Then she asked where I inject and I told her I alternate between legs. She said stop that and inject in the stomach or arm. So yesterday I tried the stomach. Today I still have pain but much less and I've taken no ibuprofen. That's a good sign. She said tell your medical team what you did and the pain may lessen daily and be gone in a couple weeks. I can hope...

I grilled last night and was able to finish just as the propane indicator hit zero! Monday's adventure is a trip to HomeDeports for the cheapest propane by far in the county.

I spent a few hours at the paint booth yesterday. Yes, hours! I did the 1st spray of matte clear to start the weathering process on 3 intermodal trains of 25 cars each. A friend brought them over during the week along with a 6 pack of xf86 flat clear mini bottles by Tamiya and 4 colors. I did not charge him for some recent weathering so he thought he'd give me these. That's was cool...

I also primed a few walls for the back drop facades of a paper mill for another friend. A few other structural parts were painted and everything is curing until probably Tuesday.

I did finish checking the SVG files for the bleach plant for the paper mill I designed for myself. It's 12" wide x 42" long and rises to 10" in tiers of 7"/3". There are 5 bleaching towers (rise to 13") and lots of piping. I attached 2 Ai representative images of what it should look like when completed. Nothing too difficult for the laser to cut 1/8" birch. The 3rd picture is the 30" x 30" template of where the fibre line of the paper mill will sit on the new peninsula for the paper mill. The bleach plant will be in the next 30" x 42" section above this one

Enjoy the day

Good morning Crew from Wisconsin. Another beautiful day with high temperature crossing 80f degrees. We need rain but so far everything is still green.

Today is the first Friday since September that I can remember not going to a OPS session or layout work session unless we were traveling.

I feel as though I've been run over as the past couple weeks every bone in the body it seems like has ached. The doctors are practicing but seem clueless at this time. So today I am resting.

One of the boys down the street saw the bags of mulch in the garage Tuesday and asked if I needed help. He emptied 15 bags of Mulch delivered free from HomeDepot a few weeks ago yesterday under Terry's supervision. He is the remaining Somali immigrant in the house owned by the church. The house is a show piece that acts as a gateway for some of the church sponsored immigrates. Unfortunately the church was bringing in undocumented and an accident of running a stop sign really set things off. He is the remaining member at the house that is listed for sale now. He has become the church's ground crew and is always asking the neighbors if they need help. I finally said yes and am really grateful for the help. He along with the son in law also set out all the outdoor furniture. So I'm outside relaxing in 64f degree sunshine today for the 1st time this season.

Mulch has been $2 per bag and free delivery. I cannot see how HD can make out on that. Usually we order a 2-3 yard load of mulch but this year I knew we both couldn't handle it so just going to to reset around the trees. He did a great job and the yard looks good again.

I can sit at the bench after a few Ibuprofen in me and work maybe an hour before I have to move around. I knew something was off when we came back April 13th from the travels. But Ibuprofen knocked it out. I then realized how many I was taking and called the Clinic last week. I'll be fine but they have to find the cause 1st

Have a great day

Good morning it's 11:48am in Wisconsin. High today should be 62. Bright Sun few clouds but winds in the teens and gusts in the 30's. Still it looks nice

I have been busy but prefer it that way at the bench on my stuff or my friends. The weathering adventures are down to about 10 commission pieces a week and that's just fine. Regulars who have  been with me from almost the beginning when I started advertising.

The paper mill will be a gift that has become something of its own but there is no timetable. 2' wide x 32' long is a lot of space until you try to fit a paper mill into it. But I'm having fun and that's the main thing

Enjoy your day

Good morning from a mostly bright blue Wisconsin sky. 36f degrees now at 6:55am CDT heading to 62. It's Mothers Day so there are no grandson games to see today. 3 yesterday, 2 hockey and 1 soccer.

Not sure what today will bring! Maybe we will head to a hamburger shack about 1 hour away as we both want to try this place. Restaurants above the 10x10 shack level will be pretty busy today. The grandson who now cuts 5 local lawns including mine is taking his mom to a golf range and a 9 hole par 3 course. He's even using his money, a good thing! He's now been golfing 6 weeks. He and 2 buddies have been hitting into my golf simulator at least 2 times a week. All are hockey players that just seem to do decent on a golf course. One of the local golf pros and a neighbor is giving them lessons. He had them at his outdoor range in April and it was cold. He then came over twice to my place and gave them lessons. I have with his list been helping them since. They listen well.

I'm in one of my modeling slow downs but coming out of it. I have been continuing to help 2 friends build their layouts on Wednesday and Friday mornings till around 2. I am building 1 paper mill for one of the friends as a gift to fit a 24"x32' space and it's slow going. I'm designing my own new paper mill to fit a 30" x 198" peninsula after selling the 1 I started building in 2015 and been detailing since. So I had been in overdrive for about a year now and while still helping at work sessions the home bench has not been visited too often since mid April after returning from traveling. The friend I am building the paper mill for is modeling the PNW between Wenatchee and Tacoma in 1965. The mainline is just over 1200' on a three level mushroom do-dad thing and he had some other framework to finish. I'm waiting for the lighting but I have the 46" chemical end completed with the essential structures. The digester, recovery boiler and bleach plants are ready. The liquor tanks are ready and I'm back to the blow tank. No piping yet but that will be coming. The 30" enclosed rail dock in the shipping department with removable roof is done. Still have maybe a year left to complete and install the essentials before I will start all the piping, conveyors, cabinets and miscellaneous details that say this is a big industry! But I'm having fun and everything is designed.

Enjoy the day

Good afternoon Crew. I'm so out of practice about stopping here, I forget. Weather in Wisconsin is below seasonable but low 60's are ok.

Saw the grandson play his 1st Bantam level hockey game this morning. In the USA our Peewees (10-12 years olds do not check (hitting)when they are in their 13th year they do. He will be 13 in November so he qualifies. He's still undersized at 5'2" but plenty of time to grow but there were 6' players out there this morning. He got rocked twice but his speed and understanding of the game help him. 2 goals and 2 assists and in the 3rd period he played defense instead of wing. It will be interesting when he comes over Monday and we discuss his playing defense. This afternoon at 4 he has soccer and at 8 another hockey game. Nothing tomorrow!

My day is a mess so just relaxing until dinner

Karl, my second eye cataract surgery was still great but I needed the eye drops much more than I did for the 1st eye. Almost 12 years later and I still marvel how cararact surgery turned my eyesight around. Best to the Doll on hers

Be well and enjoy the day
TomO

Good morning Crew.

Beautiful picture Rick.

My biggest issue with the weathering is remembering things. I can't seem to retain the sequence of the process. I have written it down but it's no longer intuitive. I lost the most fun part, the creativity. My motor skills of course were impaired and while building them back up on the left side I no longer can manipulate decals when I use them. Custom designed graffiti is completely gone because I have trouble concentrating and holding a brush. I am still a good gofer helping on others layouts. I can use a drill, still safety use a chop and table saw. I cannot lift a 4x8 sheet of ply but if someone puts it on the table I can guide it.

I'm definitely not complaining and I want no sympathy from anyone. That's a crude statement I know but you should have seen the looks I was getting during my recovery in 2025 when I was trying so hard to regain my health. Let's just say some people are very nasty and classless.

Anyway. I am building a HO scale paper mill from scratch. I have been using Ai for design help, dimensions and giving me a build sequence. I use voice command for the 2 Ai products I am using. I have 6 of the 1-2-3 blocks and a bunch of right angle steel blocks. I use magnetic boards and have 2 straight edges I use that a local metal artist made for me. They have a small lip on the cutting edge side to hopefully stop a wandering #11 blade. It's not always successful. Gluing sometimes gets messy but I can still manipulate an airbrush for broad stroke painting. Walls are as broad stroke as it gets. Paint and styrene sheet hide the minor mistakes.

While away from the forum I did have a few milestones. I tried to play the golf events that my brother's group holds 16 times a year across the country. I played 3 events and decided I had met my goal of being able to play golf again in a competitive environment. My left arm strength is rated at 65% after being told I probably wouldn't swing a club again. My single handicap at age 69 at age 73 is double digits at 17 but I proved to myself I can play again. So now I am teaching the grandson, 2 of his buddies and the buddette how to play. We hit into my simulator at home and Monica the buddette and ice hockey goalie so far is much better than the 3 guys

We have visited Arizona for the 3 golf events in January and February. A week in Orlando and we were at the Kennedy Space Center the day after Artemis2 launched. I have a picture of the launch between the clouds from Orlando from the hotel parking lot. Hit up Austin after flying for the 1st time on Spirit (and now last time) from Fort Lauderdale to Austin. It was very pleasant. We missed going to Minneapolis this year for Badger Women's hockey. Terry is very liberal and we didn't want to chance her getting arrested. The Badgers did win their 9th NCAA Women's hockey championship and 2 in a row.

So I stay busy and you are caught up
TomO

Good evening from So. Central Wisconsin. A message from Rick on my FB page prompted me to visit the old neighborhood so I'm stopping in to say hi, so HI GUYS.

Went back to the page that started about Dave's wife and read forward from there. Glad she is home Dave.

Since I've been gone not too much has changed. Though the big thing is I now spend maybe 30 to 45 minutes total online per day and believe me when I say I don't miss being online. I miss being here but life moves on and it was a healthy choice to reduce the online time.

I'm working with a couple friends on their layouts a couple mornings a week. I am working on designing and now building a friend's paper mill. I have also started designing a new paper mill for me. My shelf layout paper mill L shaped 24" x 140" and 24" x 123" is coming down being replaced by a 30" x 198" peninsula. I sold all the buildings but 1.

Weathering commissions are way down with much of it by choice after my health issues in 8/2024 that I'm still doing rehab on. It has affected my skills that even after almost 2 years are not returning to my satisfaction. I've been doing mainly medium weathering but no custom graffiti. Custom graffiti was my big money maker and I no longer can handle decals too well. So that part of the business is done. Many of my regulars have also cut back as their disposal income seems to be drying up! I'm not looking for new but it gives me time to work on the layouts and paper mills.

Gas today was $4.69 per gallon so that's not helping disposal income 

The 12 year old grandson is still paying hockey and soccer but now is also my yard boy. No more cutting grass for me per the doctor and he asked to do it. He's getting paid but saving me $40 over the professional cutting companies. I also believe he does a nicer job. 

I'm watching as I type this the crazy Colorado/Minnesota Stanley Cup playoff game. 6-5 with 14 minutes left in the 3rd period. Goofy crazy game. 7-5 Colorado 10 minutes left. Wow! 2 minutes left and it's 9-6 Colorado!

It's was good to go back and read that really not too much has changed here either. Everyone be well.

I won't stop every day but occasionally to say hi

Edit. Jerry saw ur post. Most likely

TomO

Quote from: deemery on April 29, 2026, 08:14:01 AMWife was taken to the hospital late yesterday afternoon (intestinal blockage).  So I'll be heading back to the hospital in a couple minutes to see how she's doing.  The hope is once the pressure is relieved, it'll clear itself without surgery....   

A neighbor came in and fed the dogs last night while I was away.  Of course, when I got home last night they told me "Where have you been?  We're starving!"

dave

Hope your wife is going to be fine after the hospital visit

TomO

Good morning from +5f degrees that also feels like +5. Our 2 days barely in the 30's is over for the next 7 days per the weather app. Back to below seasonal.

It's a hockey day. The grandson has 2 games, the Badgers play at home this afternoon and the  Olympic Women are today. So no train time for me

Enjoy the day
TomO