Saturday, Nov 7, 2009
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Apr 22, 2009 I've added a couple more items to the warehouse today. A 224ft Petit Pratt truss span, and a matching approach span. Apr 3, 2009 It's been a while, but there is a new item in the warehouse today. It's a pack of 42 inch gauge track, built as a sort-of companion for the garratt GMA/M, which is of course, a 42 inch gauge locomotive. Mar 30, 2009 Happy anniversary to the Toronto subway. The original section between Eglinton and Union opened today in 1954, drastically changing the rapid transit landscape in the city. Here's a YouTube clip (also featured on the TRHA website today) of a CBC feature which touched on the construction and historic opening day. The Garratt GMA/M project has been updated, see the project office for the update, as always. Mar 19, 2009 Wow. Been a busy few days on a couple of fronts. The GMA/M project continues to move forward (see the project office, as always), and so does work at the roundhouse (see the TRHA link at left). It's been great to be able to participate, and the last couple of days has involved painting the new steam engine that will run on the 7 1/4 inch track. It's been tedious work, since we're dealing with small parts, and other parts we don't want painted. Still, I'm quite happy to help out, and perhaps leave my own fingerprints all over it (well, figuratively, at least - *grin* ). I do hope to get a set of photos up, either here on the website, or on Flickr. Mar 8, 2009 Yesterday, I was finally able to attend a weekend work party at the John St. Roundhouse. A full briefing of what was done will be posted within the next couple of days on the TRHA website, of course. It was really cool to finally be able to participate, rather than just read about what others have been doing. I've done a bunch of work on the Garratt locomotive. It now has all its wheels, and waits for the driver linkage. See the project office for more details. Mar 4, 2009 I now have a video of the simulator test (hosted on YouTube). You will need the latest Flash plugin to view it. Mar 4, 2009 Wow, it's been THAT long since I'ved posted anything here? That's nuts. Yet, that's what happens when I have so many irons in the fire. Lots and lots of thing have been going on since the last time I posted, however, one of which has had a profound impact on many of my Trainz activities. I hate viruses. I mean, I REALLY hate viruses. I was hit with one in the middle of January, which forced me to completely erase all the content on my hard drive. That resulted in the loss of years of work. There are now objects on the Trainz download station, which I no longer have the sources for! There are several projects which I have lost forever, including the U4a. I don't even have the plans and diagrams for it any more (as far as I know). So that project has been cancelled.  However, it also has resulted in my revisiting some items which I have backed up on CD/DVD. Specifically, a certain South African locomotive I modelled going on six years ago. Yes, I'm talking about the Garratt GMA/M, the first locomotive I ever modelled for Trainz. Back when it was first modelled, I had very few details, and only a very rough plan of it, from which I was able to create a reasonable faxscimilie of it. Of course, back then I also promised to do a highly detailed version. (See the picture at left--click for a full size image)With my project sheet forcibly cleared, I have turned my attention back to the GMA/M, and some amazing plans a kind individual sent me a few years ago. The plans are huge, even in digital form, and gives me more than ample information to do it justice. With the release of TS2009, the detail capabilities are astounding (although TS2004 so far seems to be handling what I've built so far), and I will exploit it to the max if I can... The GMA/M has been added to the Project Office, and there are additional renders for your viewing pleasure. The past year or so has seen some incredible progress made at the John St. Roundhouse, here in Toronto. I'm excited as ever, as we are getting very close to putting in the 7 1/4 track (the materials are already on site, just waiting for the weather to warm a bit). The locomotive is gonna be sweet--or should I say, a "Sweet Creek" (sorry, pun VERY MUCH intended >:) ), and she's already on site as well, just about completed, from the postings on the TRHA website. I haven't been able to volunteer at the roundhouse yet, but with my recent purchase of some decent protective footwear, that's gonna change. Nov 28, 2007 As was posted on the TRHA website, the turntable is nearing operational condition. They have a video clip of one of the motors being tested, which is quite neat in itself. These things are driven by air, of all things. Really impressive as to how things came along, the last time I saw any of it, they were in parts up at Western Mechanical in Barrie. Be sure to visit the website for the full story, but here's the vid (you'll need the Shockwave Flash plugin installed): Nov 13, 2007 I've finally set up the gallery section, and in it you will find 2 photo sets. One is from September, the last steaming day at GHLS for 2007, the other, from the end of last month, when I visited the John St. Roundhouse to see the progress of the turntable. Enjoy. Nov 4, 2007 I hate computer upgrades. What should be a simple exercise ends up a full-blown production that takes days to straighten out, during which nothing really gets done. Last Wednesday, I bought a new hard drive, effectively doubling my storage space. Of course, that meant doing a bunch of backups, etc. In typical fashion, that ended up being a fight tooth and nail. Had trouble finding discs, the list goes on. Anyway, after a couple of days, I'm finally back up and running again, although it will probably be 2 weeks or so, of chasing down programs I suddenly realize I need & haven't installed yet. While I was running around downtown Wednesday, I also visited the roundhouse, to see how things were going with the turntable. I snapped a few pictures, which I will be posting here on the website once I get gallery functions working. |