#135 ~ Backwards, Working

I kind of Jumped the Gun with Putting this Model Together Already.

Going Back Now to Taking Care of a Few Things Before Continuing.

The decoder for this model came in the mail and I was already to install it when I realized I haven't worked out the lighting yet!

Preparing the model for headlights would have been a whole lot easier if it was done before all the sides were glued together. I determined that the wires need to routed up behind the front window posts. But before I can do that, I need to add the window glass first so that the wires don't end up between the posts and the glass!

So while preparing the window glass it occurred to me that I need to do the weathering first because the car will need to be sprayed with a Clearcoat which would craze the plastic glass if it were in place!

So now I'm working on the weathering! Hopefully I've gone far enough back where I'm not forgetting anything else. Then I can start working forward again.

Yes sir!

I can start working forward again!

Dandy

I Can't Believe It's That Time Already For:

The Annual State of the Company, Board of Directors Meeting of

 The Dan D. Sparks Plywood Development and Transportation Co.

A Pulled Out of The Posterior Corporation (the “Company”)

Held on 22nd September 2014, 8:00 AM Specific Daylight Time

at the Offices of the Company, San Dollar, California.

San Diego Electric Railway Class 1 1915 Exposition Car. Inkscape Illustration By David Lyman

 Board Members Present: 

President:                         Dan D. Sparks

Chairman:                         Lettuceleaf M. Malone

Traffic Manager:               Robin DeRail

Finance Manager:              Count DeMonet

Director of Development:  Arnie Clever

General Manager:             David Lyman

Quorum present?              Minimally so.

Others Present:

Man of Mystery:                Fred Gurzeler

Technology Genius:          Volkmar Meier

Company Orchestra leader:     Bill Bolton & Orchestra

Absent:                    Consciousness.

 Proceedings:

· Chair, Lettuceleaf M. Malone called the Meeting to order at 8:01 a.m.

- Secretary Mrs, Roundbottom recorded the minutes.

 · Secretary Roundbottom presented to the Board the minutes of the Sept. 2013 meeting of the Board for approval, whereupon motion duly made, seconded and recounted as the good-ol'-days.

You down with PCC? Yeah, you know me!

Opening Message from the Chairman:

Wow what a year! This blogs "fiscal" year (Sept 2013 to Sept 2014) saw the successful completion of the complicated overhead and the railroad is now running and functioning as designed! AND this fiscal year saw the successful construction of the first few fancy Streetlamps designed to not only illuminate, but also support the overhead wires! These two mini-masterpieces mark a long sought after success. Now all the major projects that remains are the converting the layout to Digital Command Control, The completion of the Streetlamps so that the temporary poles in the building lots can be removed so that the construction of the city buildings can commence. And of course, the populating the layout with more streetcars. Here's looking to another successful year ahead.

· Traffic Managers Report  Provided by Chair, Robin DeRail:

Ach! Viewership of this blog has flattened out! BUT! We saw a real humdinger of a post that smashed all previous viewership records! "A Grand Union Intersection In Action" saw just shy of 1000 views (963) in its first week! That obliterates the previous record of 283 views of "Jumping on the 3D Bandwagon" last year! Alas, now with the construction of these intricate, complicated streetlamps, layout construction is progressing at the speed of molasses on a winters day, viewership has slowed a bit.   Prepare yeselves for the numbers breakdown!:

Unique weekly blog hits (visitors, not page hits) from 9/21/2013 to 9/21/2014:

•  Viewership has increased nicely! This blog hosted 4,930 visitors this last year (Sept. 2013 to Sept. 2014). That's up from 3,355 last year, and 3,064 the year before that. They visited 8,960 times, up from 6,621 times last year and 5,484 times the year before that. That makes for an all time grand total of 34,396 visitors. Not bad eh? We'll see if we can hold on those number next year, heh! 
•  This blog is now averaging 29 visitors per day. And they find our content slightly more interesting!  Their attention has increased to almost 2 minutes (1:58 minutes)! That's up from 20 average daily viewers watching for an average of a 1:39 last year! I'm sure the 3 minute Grand Union video really helped those numbers! We'll see if we can hold on to those number too!
• The top 3 posts last year were (ofcourse):

1. A Grand Union Intersection In Action!  1,953 views (11.55%)
2. The Grand Plan (Layout track plan)          478 views (2.83%)
3. Birney #301                                               408 views (2.41%)

I always say that the videos are the popular item on this blog, so I propose we build a theater on this site for easy access to the video archives.

· Finance Committee report provided by Chair:     Count DeMonet

Despite the surge in viewership, revenue from ads (the only source of revenue) on this blog has slipped. Further emphasizing the need of not having all the ads "below the fold". The Grand Union in Action video was "above the fold", so all those viewers didn't need to scroll down and thus no ads were loaded.

• The Count reported that revenue earned slipped to an average of $0.05 per day, down from $0.06 last year but still up from $0.04 per day the previous year.
•  DeMonet continued with that the annual earnings for this last fiscal year came in at $19.43. Down from $22.78 last year but still up from $16.07 the previous year. This now brings the grand total to $81.69. Google won't pay out until that total reaches $100, expected sometime this next "fiscal year" (Sept. to Sept.). The Board has agreed that the money will be put towards a DCC system for the layout. 
• The Finance Chair went on to try, once again, to persuade the Board that placing a banner ad above or below the blog title, as is typical with almost all websites, would increase revenue appreciatively. As it is now, all ads are "below the fold", and no revenue is gained unless the viewer scrolls down and the ads load. With the prospect of the eminent Google $100 payout, the board is warming up to the idea to help speed things along.

· Board Development Committee's report provided by Chair,      Arnie Clever:

• Mr. Clever has been very, very busy lately drawing up all kinds of plans. With the company finances strapped, planning is in abundance, since planning doesn't cost anything.
• Plans usually aren't posted until the project has been approved and is moving forward. But this has resulted in some plans being buried and their prospect of ever seeing the light of day rather dubious. Arnie expressed concern that the Board is being too cautious (especially with structural drawings, and stalled projects) and encouraged the Board to publish these plans anyway to help generate interest or at least solicit comments. The Board agrees, so expect a lot of Clever posts this next year.
• The Clever One has also conjured up a rather spectacular, innovative project that has to be kept a secret for now, but hopefully soon, it too can be published to the public.

Mr. Sparks' closing speech summed up his confidence that things should be picking up with the blog soon and some interesting/entertaining posts are expected to be coming out soon. This coming year should be another good one for the layout. And he reminded us to "don't forget to scroll down, yes sir! Don't forget to scroll down"! We are all excited by the prospect of DCC around here!

· Meeting adjourned at 8:02 a.m.

· Minutes submitted by Secretary, Mrs. Roundbottom.

Now on Facebook!

Model traction activity is rather strong on Facebook, so I have created an account so that I may participate.

Though this blog will remain the main outlet for information about my traction action, I might elaborate with additional posts on FB or participate in discussions. So look me up and-

Let's be Friends?

Yes sir! Lets be Friends!

Dandy

San Diego Transits Over The Years

Watercolor Sketches

Old San Diego Electric Railway
New San Diego Trolley
Former San Diego Transit Bus

Davelyman Out!

A Most Perfect Traction Layout

Mark's Model Traction Railroad:

Rheinberger Streetcar Companies

This layout from the Netherlands is essentially 100% operational, 100% sceniced,  100% detailed, 100% automated, and 100% fascinating to watch!

Here is the layout in action:

I just love the constant flow of traffic. Mark's website doesn't specify, but I believe the layout to be HO/OO scale. There are two parts to the layout, the modules and staging. The "show" part of the layout is currently comprised of three modules:

Each module is 110 x 90 cm (approx. 3.6' x 2.95'). Track is Roco code 100.

Here the modules are displayed together at a show.

Wow! Its 100% lit too!

Behind the Scenes:

The second part of the layout is the staging yard (Shadow Station), and its every bit as interesting to watch as the modules are! This video shows it in action:

The layout is digitally controlled with a Peco system and software called "Koploper" allows for complete automation of the layout. Fascinating stuff. More on that here.

Did I mention the layout is fully detailed?

For a lot more information and photos, visit Marks website: http://www.marks-modeltrambaan.nl/index.htm

The site is written in Dutch, but your better web browsers will offer translation. Otherwise translate it with Google Translate. Just enter the web address.

Masterfully done trolley layout. I'm a fan. This layout demonstrates the level of detail and operation that I have been striving for with my own layout.

I'll get there one day. Yes sir! I'll get there one day!

Dandy

Things Are Happening!

And Now A Word From The Director Of Development Of The Dan D. Sparks Plywood Development & Transportation Co., Arnie Clever:

Drought! San Diego precipitation has been terribly lacking. Making this the third consecutive dry winter for California. And is anybody worried? No! The whole office is out... frolicking at the beach or whatever it is they're doing! In January by-golly! But it hasn't been all "Fun in the Sun", things are happening! Some of us are working! Some of us have to keep the torch burning! Some of us are.... doing stuff! Plans are being implemented! Projects are pushing forward! Progress is... well... progressing! So Mr. Sparks requested that I present to you a glimpse of some of the works we are working on so that you'll know were not sitting on our laurels around here! Oops! Sorry! Is that a bad word? "Laurels"? Oh dear! I've said it again... Regardless! Here are some of the projects you can look forward to seeing in the upcoming months:

Real-estate!

You know... what with plain plywood being divided up with streets, trolley tracks and paved sidewalks and then further subdivided with building lots, well, its created a sort of a real-estate bonanza around here! So I drew up some plans for a tract office so that these lots could be sold. I think this is how Sparky... I mean, Mr. Sparks, makes his fortune. Selling real-estate.

Structures!

The thing that makes model railroading so appealing is that its scale models running through scale environments. Well, we've got the scale models running, now we just need the scale environment by-golly! So I've been busy drawing up plans for just that. Cityscape!

Lights!

A brightly lit city is a beautiful thing. I've been designing a streetlamp that doubles as a trolley line pole that will actually light up! I don't think its ever been done before in model railroading, so this will be a first! I hope it works by-golly!

Expanding Horrizons!

Train Shows seem to becoming extinct! If we are ever going to build a module for the Southern California Traction Club to display at these shows well, its gotta be now! Before its too late by-golly! So what did I do? I designed two!

Intrigue!

Don't be surprised if we get a visit from that mysterious Fred Gurzeler again! Not that I can plan something like that. Its just that he might show up at anytime! When you least expect it! Do something great, and then disappear into the night! By-golly, how great would it be to be handsome and slick like that Fred Gurzeler. Oh if I could be like that guy, by-golly I'd...

Yes well. That's it for my presentation. In conclusion, we have exciting projects in the works here that you'll see realized right before your very eyes! Though I suppose you might witness some of these projects crash and burn hehe! Oh dear, I hope not. That would be dreadful. Oh that would be downright disastrous! I don't think my nerves could take it. Maybe I'll take a trolley trip down to the beach, that will help calm my nerves. Can't be running around with fraid nerves by-golly!

Arnie Clever

Director of Development

Dan D. Sparks Plywood Development & Transportation Co.

San Diego, California. USA

Not The First Grand Union Intersection Modeled....

...I was just the first to make a big deal about it!

There are actually a few working scale Grand Union Intersections that I know about. The first GU I saw (but I don't remember where) years ago was fully modeled but only part of it was working, the rest of the intersection was just for show. But then in the September 2010 issue of Model Railroader, a fully working O scale GU showed up:

This Grand Union Intersection is part of Les Lewis's home layout, the Connecticut Co. Notice the controls for the intersection on the lower right. As I understand it, the buttons are interlocked to prevent collisions. Press the blue button and the car will proceed straight through the intersection. Press the yellow for a right turn. Green for left turn, and press the red button to stop the car.

This is the first Grand Union that I know of that was built in HO scale:

 This nicely built Grand Union was built by Charlie "Chuck" Grant. As I understand it, it's part of his home layout but  it can be removed and connect onto the modular layout of the East Penn Traction Club.

Here is another HO scale Grand Union Intersection module recently built for a German tram club, Modular Nuremberg. The remarkable thing about this GU is that the rails are insulated for two rail operation! Here is a video that has a snippet of a tram negotiating a left turn through it at the 10:24 mark.

So, sorry my friends, I'm not the first to complete one. But they sure are fun all the same. If  you know of anymore, let me know and I'll post them here. Yes sir! Let me know!

Dandy

Lucky 7

7 Years of Bloggety Blah Blab Blog and the Cars are Finally Rolling!

 What a difference a year makes. With my job going on hiatus (and then, unfortunately, cancellation) I was able to turn much of my attention to the layout. And finally, after all these years, the layout has transformed from a plywood monstrosity to a working, running model trolley layout, with damn fancy trackwork that, lo and behold, actually works as designed! Its still a plywood monstrosity though. So without any further ado, it that time of year again for:

The Annual State of the Company, Board of Directors Meeting of

 The Dan D. Sparks Plywood Development and Transportation Co.

A Figment of the Imagination Corporation (the “Company”)

Held on 22nd September 2013, 8:00 AM Specific Daylight Time

at the offices of the Company, San Dollar, California.

 Board Members Present: 

President:                         A placated Dan D. Sparks

Chairman:                        The very relieved Lettuceleaf M. Malone

Traffic Manager:              The hot-headed Robin DeRail
Finance Manager:            The always cool Count DeMonet

Director of Development: The fidgety Arnie Clever
General Manager:            The lethargic David Lyman

Quorum present?              Questionably so.

Others Present:

Technology Genius:          Volkmar Meier

Man of Mystery:                Fred Gurzeler

Company Orchestra leader:     Bill Bolton & Orchestra

Absent:                    That guy who was tying to tell us something vitally important.

 Proceedings:
· Chair, Lettuceleaf M. Malon called the Meeting to order at 3:03 p.m.

- Secretary Mrs, Roundbottom recorded the minutes.

 · Secretary Roundbottom presented to the Board the minutes of the Sept. 2012 meeting of the Board for approval, whereupon motion duly made, seconded and unanimously refuted as a pack of lies.

Opening Message from the Chairman:

  

In a spectacular turnaround, this blogs "fiscal" year (Sept 2012 to Sept 2013) saw excellent progress on this little railroad of ours. The streetcars (all two of them) are running under power supplied by the overhead (Which fulfills a major requirement of the 2013 New Years Resolution). This Railroad is now a working railroad.

· Traffic Managers Report Provided by Chair, Robin DeRail:

 
~ Aye! Because of light blog postings last year, the first 5 weeks of this year saw a dismal decline in viewership. But that decline was nixed with a real zinger of a post Jumping on the 3D Bandwagon! Apparently the folks are real interested with this latest 3D Printing craze and wanted to see what we were up to with our Switch Tower and whatnot. This blog saw a mighty spike in viewership with a record 283 views in one week with that post! After that, postings have been almost weekly, helping viewership remain stable for most of the year. Once layout construction was well under way, viewership has seen a nice upswing. When videos are posted, traffic really ticks upwards. We need more videos! 

Aye! Look! I got a chart!:

Unique weekly blog hits (visitors, not page hits) from 9/21/2012 to 9/21/2013

~ What else... aye yes! This blog hosted 3,355 visitors this last year (Sept. 2012 to Sept. 2013). That's up slightly from 3,064 last year, and 1,939 the year before that. They visited 6,621 times, up from 5,484 times last year and 3,379 times the year before that. That makes for an all time grand total of 23,983 visitors.

~  This blog is now averaging 20 visitors per day, but viewing duration declined slightly to a minute and a half (1:39). That's a 20% gain of visitors from 15 average daily visitors viewing for almost 2 minutes (1:52) last year.

~ The top 3 posts visited this last year were:
       1. Birney #301 

       2. #426 Project ~ Cleaning and Preparing Brass for Painting

       3. My Old San Diego Trolley Layout
It should be noted that this years post Jumping on the 3D Bandwagon nipped at the top 3 by making #4 on the list.

· Finance Committee report provided by Chair, Count DeMonet:

~ The Count reported that revenue from ads (the only source of revenue) on this blog earned an average of $0.06 per day, up from $0.04 last year and $0.02 the previous year.

~ DeMonet continued with that the annual earnings for this last fiscal year are estimated at a record $22.78. That's up from $16.07 last year and $7.34 the previous year. This now brings the grand total to $62.26. He reminded us that we won't see a cent of this until the blog earns over $100. Debates raged over how to spend it, though the consensus seems to be to either invest it back into the blog somehow or into the layout itself.

~ The Finance Chair went on to try to persuade the Board that placing a banner ad above or below the blog title, as is typical with almost all websites, would increase revenue appreciatively. As it is now, all ads are "below the fold", and no revenue is gained unless the viewer scrolls down and the ads load. This sparked a raging debate over the artistic integrity of this blog.

· Board Development Committee's report provided by Chair, Arnie Clever:

~ Mr. Clever lamented the fact that with the razor sharp focus on getting the layout running, very little of the companies resources have gone to his planning department.

~ Despite this, "Good 'ol Arnie" continued, much is still needed to be planned. With the layout running now, what comes next? Usually, when the trackwork is complete, the next step is scenicing. And what with this being a city layout, the scenery this case are buildings. But! Arnie pointed out, the poles on 1920's street are temporary and are installed in the building lots next to the sidewalk until the specifics about the permanent poles are determined and the sidewalks drilled for them. So the next logical step is designing and building these complex poles. Only then can the temporary poles be removed from the lots, freeing up the space for buildings.

~ The Development Chair also revealed new plans for modules to be built for the Southern California Traction Club layout. So as not to interfere with construction of the layout, these modules will built at the clubs regular Sunday meetings.

 

Mr Sparks closed the meeting with remarks that pretty much boil down to, "well lets wrap this up and go run some trolleys. Yes sir! Lets go run some trolleys!

· Meeting adjourned at 3:05 p.m.
· Minutes submitted by Secretary, Mrs. Roundbottom.

Come back again because the next post will feature a video of the trolleys running. Yes sir! A video of the trolleys running!

Dandy

Visiting the Saddest Place on Earth

I was, as all my friends were, very saddened by the closing of Disneyland in California a while back. So I enthusiastically jumped at the opportunity to visit the old abandoned park recently and well... It turned out to be the most depressing thing I have ever done.

The first thing that struck me was how overgrown everything had become. The perfectly manicured landscaping had gone downright bohemian.

Being a rail fan, the Main Street Station was one of my favorite places. I could still hear the Station Masters announcements: "Your attention please! The Disneyland Limited now arriving..." Fortunately that still lives on at Disney World in Florida which is still alive and thriving.

Despite the Disney Co's best effort to keep the park updated, the basic concept is very 1955. With every passing year, Disneyland looked more and more like a miniature golf course.

The Jungle Cruise has become, well... a jungle! Such an attraction had become less attractive ever since video gaming made visiting adventuresome places so much more submersive than just riding a boat with a stand-up comic with viewing the "backside of water" as the highlight.

Once hailed as the way of the future, the "highway in the sky" is now a relic of the past. I really had thought that monorails would have been everywhere by now.

This post might be a little off topic, but Disneyland was really a scale model layout. Main Street scales out to roughly 7/8th scale. A very large scale layout that you could actually walk around in. But Disneyland, just like model railroading, can't compete with the limitless virtual world. 

 So sad. The whole time I was walking around I kept hoping I would wake up from this nightmare and find it was all just an April Fools joke. Yes sir! Just an April Fools joke!

Dandy