Thanks to all that offered words of encouragement. I am surprised my sporadic and simplistic S scale efforts have been appreciated as much as some of you indicate. A sincere thank you for saying so.
As for my layout's future: It ain't goin' nowhere. (Ooops, pun not intended.) I mean that it's not going to be dismantled. Could be that "one of these days" my enthusiasm for hands-on modeling will return and I'll further it along. As for my 1:1 size railroading: The railroading I enjoyed most is gone. Today's railroading is but a shell of what it used to be. Make no mistake, though, I still enjoy the act of handling trains, etc. In fact, just tonight (I worked an evening job), I inwardly smiled with satisfaction as I dropped a short freight (about 30 cars) into the yard off the hill at the maximum allowable speed for the mainline in our yard (20 MPH). Smooth as silk coming through the sag, and continued to hold track speed until time to reduce for the 10 MPH limit sign that's near the switch, said switch that was going to need to be lined up. Brought it to a gentle stop right at the stop point to throw the switch. Also tonight, I handled an 8,250 ton train from the UP, over our railroad, then over another RR to said RR's yard. Was very satifying to get that much tonnage up out of the river bottoms with the limited power I had (3 units for a total of 6,000 HP), as well as keeping it smooth and easy as I took it over their line to their yard. Things like the above I still enjoy tremendously. It's just that the overall railroad scene has changed so dramatically from the elements that got me interested in 1:1 railroading so many decades ago. Plus, each summer is getting tougher and tougher to endure. (I'm 60 now.) I enjoy what I do most during the cool and cold months. Summers here really, really suck. (Record high of 115 degrees last year. Temperature inside the cab of the non-A/C equipped Alco's I was running was something like 125-130 degrees.) Once I finish a day like that... I don't want to do ANYTHING when I get home, motorcycles or otherwise. Just want to get in the shower and get cleaned up... and collapse in front of my computer and read/view things of interest, etc while the A/C blows from the vents above. Ah well... enough of my drivel! All for now. Andre Ming
