Hi All,

I've just spent the last couple of days working my way through this thread meeting everyone so figured it was time to properly introduce myself. I'm really enjoying this forum and the knowledgable and friendly folks who participate.

Now for the info:

1). I live on the north Oregon coast about 3 miles from the mouth of the Columbia River. I'm a retired firefighter......retired 1 1/2 years ago. Actually, I'm not sure I'm really retired yet, since the first thing I did after retirement is gut out the kitchen and bathroom and am still working on remodeling them. :erm:

2). I got started in model railroading a little over a year ago after I took my grandson to a couple of train shows. Also, my father worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad in Eugene, OR for 42 years so have been around trains all my life. I've been into RC airplanes for a number of years. Been a life long 1:1 woodworker also (see #1 above).

3). Freelance with a fair amout of S.P. rolling stock.

4). Transition era

5). My layout is a 4 x 8 HO. I've been following the book "HO Railroad From Set to Scenery" by Rick Selby. It's a double oval with a small yard on one side and 4 industries on the other. It's about 1/3 done. That said, it may not go any further. I've recently been bitten by the On30 bug and am going to make the conversion (already working on a couple of buildings). I'm going to do this one in sections. The first part will be an 8' x 2' switching layout based on the 'Old Ophir' modular layout the Laurie Green built. http://members.optushome.com.au/jden.../frameset.html I want to try my hand at handlaying track and figure this will be plenty big to start with.

6). DCC (Digitrax Zepher)

7). As I said earlier I really enjoy the folks here as well as the huge amount of modeling knowledge. I'm slowly working my way through the past threads (Finescale Modeling: General Discussions at the moment) and taking notes.

8). Here's the only recent picture I could find. For those who want to know, I can't remember much about the fish other than it was a 22 lb. spring chinook salmon caught in the Columbia River on Apr. 24 last year about 2:30 in the afternoon near the bottom of the ebb tide. It was caught while anchored in 12' of water along side of Puget Island (about 25 miles up from the river mouth) near the upper tip. It bit on a K-14 chrome and chartreuse Kwik Fish lure with a small sardine filet wrapped on using a Shakespeare 7' 9" Ugly Stick rod with an Abu Garcia 6500C4 reel with 20lb test line.

Cheers, Jim

Hi, Jim,

Thanks for the info and photo. Please keep us posted on the progress of your On30 layout. BTW: nice catch!. We've got some catfish in the 50-75lb range at the Lake of the Ozarks, but they seldom get caught. Mostly what I see are bass in the 2-5 lb range.

Jim,

It is nice to be able to place a face with a name. It has been a few years since I caught anything even close to the size of that salmon (some cod off the Isle of Shoals by New Hampshire came close). Please keep us posted on your layout progress.

Hi Jim

Thanks for responding to this thread.

Gee if you did remember anything about the fish how many pages of this thread would you have added.

Hi All,

My name is Steve

1) What State or Country and nearest City we live in

I live in the Grand Beach area, 60 miles northeast of Winnipeg, Manitobaid="blue">

2) How long modeling and how we got started

On and off for over 30 years (i'm 40). Back in now for about a year and a half after a 10-15 year absence.id="blue">

3) What lines we model

CN, CP, and Undecoratedid="blue">

4) years we model

1900 to present. :crazy: I have not settled on a time frame yet. I have loco's ranging from shays to GP40'sid="blue">

5) how large is your layout and what scale do you model.

I model in HO. At the moment the layout is in a 9.5 by 9.5 foot room with the computer in an around the walls setup. This is just a temp setup for a few years until I build a garage for the trains (the car can stay outside) .id="blue">

6) if we use DC, DCC or other

DCC (Digitrax Super Empire Builder). Ten loco's converted so far, two with sound and a broadway limited on order. Hope to get some more Soundtraxx decoders.id="blue">

7) anything else you want to add

I also enjoy radio control model airplanes and boats in addition to trains.(Can I say that here)[B)]id="blue">

8) post your picture if you dare

Everyone seems to be posting pictures of their families. Well, I'm not married, and have no kids. But if I find a good picture of some of my friends families maybe I'll post that. id="blue">

Have a good one,

Steve

Steve,

Welcome to the forum. I hope that you heat that garage when you build it!

Steve, welcome to the forum.

Welcome Steve and all our new RR-L members

Thanks for the welcome guys.

Bruce: You can bet I'll heat that garage. It got down to -39 last night. [:-cold] It doesn't matter what scale you measure it with, its [:-censored] cold.

Have a good one. And stay warm

Steve

Welcome , Steve , good to have another ' fellow Canadian ' on the Forum . There aren't too many but it's quality not quantity . I'm sure it's a tad nippy in Winnipeg but I think you will find it warmer here . What era CP and CN do you ?

TERRY

Hi, Steve, and welcome to RR-L.

-39???... and I thought it was cold here in the middle of the U.S.! Our -5 is piddly compared to that...[:-cold]!!!!!!

I guess I should take part.

1) What State or Country and nearest City we live in?

Huntsville, Ontario in the heart of Muskoka, 200KM north of Toronto.

2) How long modeling and how we got started?

First time from when I was 10 (1964) until I was 25. This time 3 months.

3) What lines we model?

Credit Valley Railway

4) years we model?

1871-1900

5) how large is your layout and what scale do you model.

HO standard guage. Right now in computer, in spring, "U" shaped in 9x11 alcove.

6) if we use DC, DCC or other?

Wasn't available last time, not sure this time.

7) anything else you want to add?

I also belong the the Muskoka Model Railroad Club. Ask me about details

8) post your picture if you dare?

Hmm, OK, here is the wife and I last May.

Hi Terry,

I haven't settled on an era yet. I'm still in the "I like that loco, I think I'll get itid="black">" stage. Do we ever get out of that? I will probably go with the transition era, because I like both steam and diesel. If you look at the photos below you will see most of my locos. Except fot the Tyco 0-4-0 in the lower left of the first photo. And the Lionel GS4 in the lower right in the second photo(which were bought 25 years ago),everything was purchased in the last year and a half.

Have a good one.

Steve

Rats![:-mouse][:-mouse][:-mouse][:-mouse] I guess I introduced myself in the wrong place.

I live in Vancouver, BC am 34, house, wife, kids, the usual. I started building models and playing with trains when I was 8 and built my first layout when I was 13 - you know, the 4 x 8 piece of plywood with the plastic mountains and lots of Tyco locos - boy was that ever fun! I love BC Rail and Great Northern. I have modeled both in N and HO, but now strictly HO. I also enjoy building 1/35 armored fighting vehicles and 1/87 scale vehicles - you can search some of my work/models on the 1/87 scale site. I just love modeling in general. Also like to fly fish, ride my mountain bike and avid hockey fan. I also started a small cottage industry company about a year and a half ago called Surrey Custom Models. I run a small web listing in the back of MRR. That is about it. I will try and share what I have learned over the years from a variety of different modeling venues and some pics of the new GN layout I am building this spring. All the best to everyone. Thank you, Karl.

Quite the collection there Steve , you've been busy! And a wide variety . I'm not into passenger , personally , although I do have a rather 'industrialized ' Doodlebug . I'm strictly industrial ,early switchers , old CPR logo ( pre wet noodle ) with some of my favourite steam : Shay , Mountain & Mikado .I like the GE 44 tonner as you do .Where did the UP come from ? Hard to see but looks like an early CN switcher , first pic , third level down .I've got a couple of CN's too but will redecal them ....or come up with a lend/lease program ' story ' to fit the situation .

Later , TERRY