April is upon us. I don’t have to go into the current events drill to get my point across with regards to our fellow Americans as we deal with the COVID-19 epidemic. In fact, I am often speechless at the sheer ignorance of people around our home that are ignoring Read more…
We have made it to March. I started working a new job in mid-February. I haven’t had much time to get anything going other than assembling the Ivar shelving and taking some inventory. I bought a new Protothrottle and the required equipment for use with Digitrax. I am going to Read more…
A little late this month with the blog. I’ve been working on some projects. I have several rolling stock projects near completion. And, I pulled the GE B23-7’s out of storage to begin working on them. I will use them for run through power at Benton Jct if/when Rapido offers Read more…
Well, here we are at the end of 2019. What’s changed? Alot. I have lost a big brother; lost weight; got a new job; and perhaps a new job opportunity. I have been working diligently to restore the “norm” to our life here. It’s been an up-and-down affair for some Read more…
Here it is December…and Christmas is almost here. We are in the third week of December and I have already received my presents from my wife…and family. We are very fortunate to have the good luck we are experiencing right now…and I must say that I can’t really be happier. Read more…
Where did the year go? We are almost to the end of it. Thanksgiving weekend is upon us…then Christmas…then 2020. Wow. We have a lot to be thankful for this year at our home. Health, getting almost entirely debt free; and having those relationships and passions that make us go. Read more…
I passed on a trip to Trainfest this year. And, glad that I did. There was only one really huge announcement (for me) at this show. Athearn Genesis announced an International Car Caboose series. And, they announced these a week or so ahead of Trainfest. So, seeing these live on Read more…
Zeigler 4 Mine (also called the Buckhorn Mine) was a slope mine located just south of the Franklin-Williamson County line in Southern Illinois. It was off of “Old Ben Road” in the aforementioned county. The mine worked for over 30+ years under a couple of company names. First off, it Read more…
Well, I gave up the ghost (no pun intended) and turned over my layout design to a professional layout designer this month. I am intending to have this plan implemented as soon as it is ready. I am still focused on Benton Jct; West Frankfort; and Jenkins siding…along with the Read more…
October brings about changes…the weather…the layout…what? The layout? Yeah, it’s that old affliction…paralysis by analysis. I briefly have been thinking about building the southern area of the layout in the current space. It’s starting to get really annoying. I continue to get more fluent on 3rdPlanIt software; and I am Read more…