It’s time to revive the Friday Night Fun ... For the last couple of weeks the honey-do list has kept me a bit busy and away from the trains. Spring has also sprung, and so garden work is already coming into play.
But this week – goodies!! I got my new RRM 0-6-0 and a separate USRA tender! The tender got put behind my Omnicon 4-6-0 which had donated its tender to a SWM 4-4-2. This pretty much completes the loco roster... The 0-6-0 will need some “adjustments” to make it a SLE&P loco. The biggie will be to modify the drawbar and cab apron to allow close coupling. It is obvious that the loco was designed for both the scale and hi-rail guys in that particular area, but I am not sure the fireman really wants to carry the coal an extra 3 feet (well, maybe two) from the tender to the firebox door... Also arrived today is the latest volume of the Railway Cyclopedia which covers the X29 series of boxcars and steel sided rebuilds of the double sheathed USRA boxcars. And, I actually did some work on the layout putting tie plates and spikes in a few places (LOTS more to do of that!). I hope everyone has had a good week and will enjoy the holiday weekend. Bill Winans
