I must have misunderstood the rules. I didn’t think I had to start my build log until the 14th.

I wanted to do a 3 car train, since each part “plays” with the rest, but I guess that is not allowed in the rules. So I sat down and had a good talk with my shop foreman, Tom Morrow, today. He said “Why not do the last car of the train, since it would also qualify for the roundy round thing.” So that is why we will do. The other 2 cars may be cobbled together to show the completed set, but if all 3 cannot be entered as a set, then they will be there for effect only.

As for the round part, I was bouncing ideas off of Tom as to how we can do that part. Then he said “Why not go down to Pat Catan’s and buy the roundy thing? It should only be about a buck.” To-whit I answered “Duh! Why didn’t I think of that?” Sometimes having an imaginary shop foreman, to bounce ideas off of, really pays off. So, tomorrow, during my morning coffee and doughnut run, I also need to stop at Radio Shack for some stuff for my job, and Pat Catran’s for the roundy thing.

David, You didn’t have to post the log until the 14th, and you can put together a three car string, but the judging would be only on the “Kit Car” part. Go for your idea. The best part of the "Build Challenge " is to build something.

David go for it, my first challenge I built a work caboose on Dave’s chassis. I was having so much fun before I knew it I had also cobbled together a flat car, tank car, and a small critter to pull them all

I am going for it. One of the other cars should be rather easy (ha ha) to build. The other car will be more involved. But the loins share of the work will be on the contest car. This morning I need to see if I can get the round thing for it at Pat Catan’s

I picked up the round thing at Pat Catan’s. It cost me $5, so right now, I have spent 5 times as much as I had planned to at this point. Maybe I can find a cheaper alternative before the 14th.

Today the “kit” arrived. I haven’t opened the envelope yet, I don’t want to be tempted to break the rules.

I have been writing down some refinements to my vague ideas for this build. But, so far, I haven’t tried to recreate the napkin drawing that I ruined, when I wiped the spaghetti sauce off of my face.

Rejected ideas for the build;

Axle/wheel driven generator, to power the train

Solar cells, to power the train

Single wire power source

Lightning rod/static electricity collector, to power the train

Roof top wind generator, to power the train

Sound card with battery wired backward, so the whistle would blow in reverse

faceted wheels, for traction

Rocket motors

Atomic batteries

Turbines

Discussions are ongoing as to exactly how we are going to mount the round thing, and who will man the beast.

I am trying to get some projects finished, so my workbench is less cluttered for the build (I did not say clear). As bad as my back has been hurting lately, I have become rather sleep deprived. So, after my nap, I got to trying to finish a caboose that is on my workbench.

Wait David back up a second. Why are you ruling out lighten rod power?

Well Devon, we did some experiments many years ago. In order to handle the massive power we had to use high power vacuum tubes to rectify the incoming power from the lightning, and the condenser literally exploded. Besides, we don’t have enough electrical storms here to keep the thing charged all the time.

I know that all we have to do is power the markers at night, and give the brakeman a small lamp inside the thing so he doesn’t hurt himself moving around at night, So either we will use a battery, or make it a “daylight only” creation.

It has been brought to my attention that there is a possibility that the round thing will not fit through Resignation Bridge. So later today I will have to go see, for sure, if it will fit. I haven’t been able to find the technical drawings for Resignation Bridge, and since I was rather depressed when I built it, I am not sure a full set of drawings were ever created.

After passing the round thing through Resignation Bridge, it has been confirmed that it will fit. So the build is a go, but on hold until the 14th.

After more discussions with Tom, we decided the best way to mount the round thing would be to cut a hole in the floor. That way we could secure the round thing without risking damage to it. Then we were discussing how to mount the doors. I was trying to figure it out using math, and I was still unsure about the final fit. Then Clem, the village idiot, said why not do this, and he drew up a dirt simple sketch that would give us the proper curve the to door frames. Tom and I were aghast and we both had a “Duh” moment at the same instant. Now I remember why I keep Clem around. When I start over engineering things, he has a way of bringing me crashing back to earth. Clem has a childlike simplicity to him that tempers the designer in me. So now that we have, at least in discussion, worked out many of the major details, we cannot wait to get started.

What is it? Well, once the build starts it should very quickly become self evident.

Dave,

I would hate to see what happens when an argument breaks out in the shop must get ugly

Devon, well I have had to referee arguments between Tom Morrow, my shop foreman, and “Smokey”, my lead engineer. You see, “Smokey” doesn’t like them newfangled, cantankerous, diesel-lectric thangs. He also thinks that are just a fad and soon people will come to their senses and fall back on proven technology. Tom on the other hand, thinks that diesel-electrics are a proven technology, and that Sam (Smokey) is just “stuck in the past” and “refuses to accept that steam has been replaced with something better”.

One argument got so out of hand that Sam took Chuck’s coal shovel and was chasing Tom around the shop threatening to bean Tom on the head. Mary, the camp follower, was laughing so hard she almost wet herself. That’s when I had to break out the Yeungling. After having a few beers, the two of them were friends again, even though they still don’t agree.

David Maynard said:

Devon, well I have had to referee arguments between Tom Morrow, my shop foreman, and “Smokey”, my lead engineer. You see, “Smokey” doesn’t like them newfangled, cantankerous, diesel-lectric thangs. He also thinks that are just a fad and soon people will come to their senses and fall back on proven technology. Tom on the other hand, thinks that diesel-electrics are a proven technology, and that Sam (Smokey) is just “stuck in the past” and “refuses to accept that steam has been replaced with something better”.

One argument got so out of hand that Sam took Chuck’s coal shovel and was chasing Tom around the shop threatening to bean Tom on the head. Mary, the camp follower, was laughing so hard she almost wet herself. That’s when I had to break out the Yeungling. After having a few beers, the two of them were friends again, even though they still don’t agree.

lol

Today starts the build challenge, so of course tonight I am busy with other things. I am seldom busy in the evenings. My company’s HR person called me to day to explain that my insurance stuff is FUBARed, so I had to sit down and fill out all the forms so I can fax them to her tomorrow. My mom is home tonight too, so I have to keep doping everything and work the DVD player for her.

I hope that tomorrow the shop can get started on the build challenge, I want to see what the round thing looks like on the flat thing so I can refine the mounting design.

Today I am getting started with the build challenge, I hope. Life kind of got in the way, again, and made me late getting out of the starting gate.

Last night I looked over the directions in the kit. But this is a kit-bash, so that means the first step is to toss the directions, right?

Just kidding. I am off to help Phil Thee clean up the shop floor so we can begin erecting our entry in the challenge.

Tom Morrow, my shop foreman isn’t happy. Yesterday he told us that he wanted the kit built and stained by tomorrow, that would be today. So by tomorrow he wants the kit built, stained, the floor opening cut, and the journals mounted.

So I guess I had better get going.

Well, as I thought, we deviated from the directions before step one. The base had to be narrowed so the journals could be mounted with the proper spacing to hold the wheels.

Then assembly progressed sort of as per the directions, using my squares to keep things, well, square.

Glad to see some momentum there, David. That framing square will be needed to get the round thing, whatever it may be, mounted squarely, so don’t misplace it. Makes me feel good to see one even rustier than mine. LOL

Bill