The Atlantic and Southern Build, Part 1

[Erieman]

Tom,

Now that you are almost retired, you must not be working on the layout? I getting withdrawls because you have not posted any layout photos in weeks. We all want to see your progress, even if it is just a switch or two. Waz up?

Frank / Erieman

[ACL1504]

Tick-Tock!!  Better start stirrin' the paint - next week is comin' up quickly!! 

I always go back to the big-box store after I put it off as long as I can - my arms can't
hold a candle to their shaker thingees! 

I'm finally finished with the house painting and it was a nightmare. No, I won't go any further with details.

Tom

[ACL1504]

I'm currently training for the Atlantic and Southern SBG limbo contest coming soon.


John

John,

Considering the ages of the current Saturday Butty Group, I'm just going to declare you the winner now. This will save the rest of us the feelings of ebullience in the prospect of participating in such a dangerous contest.


Tom

[ACL1504]

Tom,

Now that you are almost retired, you must not be working on the layout? I getting withdrawls because you have not posted any layout photos in weeks. We all want to see your progress, even if it is just a switch or two. Waz up?

Frank / Erieman

Frank,

It's always good to see you my friend. Now that I've made the decision to retire, I should have expostulated with myself and left sooner than  December 31! I really getting antsy(sp) to leave.

I have the same withdrawals from not working on the layout. Now that my Babe's 1:1 house painting is done and Cuse's C19 is finished, I can get back to the layout.

I should have more photos within the week.

Tom

[Erieman]

Tom,

Now that you are almost retired, you must not be working on the layout? I getting withdrawls because you have not posted any layout photos in weeks. We all want to see your progress, even if it is just a switch or two. Waz up?

Frank / Erieman

Frank,

It's always good to see you my friend. Now that I've made the decision to retire, I should have expostulated with myself and left sooner than  December 31! I really getting antsy(sp) to leave.

I have the same withdrawals from not working on the layout. Now that my Babe's 1:1 house painting is done and Cuse's C19 is finished, I can get back to the layout.

I should have more photos within the week.

Tom

Tom,

I'm looking forward to your progress. While in Tucson yesterday, I visited a friends layout that has a wonderful steel mill complex. He has graciously offered to help me with ideas for my steel mill area. Now I am pumped to get to work on it. so much to do, so little time.

Frank / Erieman

[ACL1504]

Well, I'm back and have been laying track on the lower level. However, I'm not ready to show ya'll any pictures of that adventure. Soon though.

My Babe has had me quite busy for the past 3+ weeks painting the house. I purchased Lowe's top of the line Valspar exterior paint at $49.00 a gallon. Can says one coat coverage, that's bull split! I tried Home Depot Behr exterior at the same price and it said the same thing. Another bull split! I always count on rolling at least two coats but not more than that.

I used a very pale pastel yellow over a light earth color. It took three coats to cover the house. I'm going to leave this story here as I'm getting angry just telling the story! I'm not soliciting any paint stories nor wanting to know how gooooooooooood other paints are. I'm just saying where I've been on the layout or lack there of.

Oh, one more thing. I had to paint the layout building as well and yes the whole damn venture took me three weeks. Nuff said.

Back to railroad modeling. Of course my crew lounge and work area became a "catch all" during the past month. I got up this morning and just couldn't take it anymore. Today was clean up day for the crew lounge and workbench area. Here are a few before pictures of the crew lounge area.





Continued in a few.

[ACL1504]

And here is my workbench area. I've had nightmares about the workbench.



This is the area I use to repair brass locos and every other loco as well as rolling stock and passenger equipment.



And here is the area I use to build structures and work on misc. stuff.



Continued in a few.

[ACL1504]

After 9 hours of clean up here is the crew lounge area at this typing.





The display case holds my Athearn collection. About 90% of the cars are from my childhood and no Gamn it wasn't last year. Although some may have a great case for such a thought.

The cars are all from 1957 to 1971 and have the old Athearn sprung trucks. The numbers on the cars have all been retired. None of the cars are broken or have missing parts which is a miracle they all survived.



Continued in a few.

[ACL1504]

The black crane is a Marx my father bought for me in New York while attending the 1957 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Milwaukee Braves (now Atlanta Braves). I still have the program.



Continued in a few.

[ACL1504]

The workbench after clean up.



I know Gamn and the Ledbetters are very jealous of my Ace Hardware trash container.

[ACL1504]

I even found some of S&S RR's creosote!



Now, I  need to get back to the track laying. I should have some pictures this weekend.

Tom

[S&S RR]

Tom

The place looks great after the cleanup! Looks like you have had that can of creosote for awhile. I think you should get one of those bottles down from the top shelf and reward yourself for all the hard work.  I'm enjoying being back in the train room and I hope you are too.

[ACL1504]

Tom

The place looks great after the cleanup! Looks like you have had that can of creosote for awhile. I think you should get one of those bottles down from the top shelf and reward yourself for all the hard work.  I'm enjoying being back in the train room and I hope you are too.

John,

Thanks John and yes, I'm very happy to be back! I'll be much happier come January 1, 2015.

You can come here in 100 more years and the stuff on the shelf will still be here. I have a very low tolerance for alcohol and have been known to be quite tippsy after a sip of the Babe's Royal Crown and coke.

I've had the Tru Scale Creosote for about 45 years.


Thanks for checking in!

Tom

[Raymo]

Tom, The Illinois Central 40ft. boxcar was my 1st Athearn freight car purchase back in 1977.My brother still has it. Thanks for sharing your clean up process. Raymo

[jerryrbeach]

Tom,
Outstanding cleanup job!!!  Do you hire out??