Ferrovie dello Balconia (part 2)

[Marco_4124]

Today the first cautious test rides driven through the garden. The garden has just been sown and I can therefore only drive over the mat. My first impression is that the garden is bigger than I expected. I secretly think of radius 2 bends, provided that I can get them second-hand. What is certain is that I need a large number of straight rails. Despite the fact that the grass has just been sown, it soon rises. It is now a matter of having patience before I can build the first railway. In any case, the field railway carriage is a great success.





Unexpectedly we also got a visit from Mister Ed Steam of the Eastern Balcony Railway. Billy-Jo, Betty-Jo and Bobby-Jo were chatting about the layout of the garden. For the occasion the ladies were dressed in an overall. There is still a great deal of work to be done on the green area.

[Marco_4124]

From the Fat FarLake RailRoad and thanks to the intervention of Mister Ed Steam a tank wagon received. This is now separated in the workshop of klusbedrijf HENK to be cleaned and overhauled. In any case, thank you very much for this beautiful addition!

[Tiermann]

Trains in the garden! Looking wonderful!

[playmofire]

A very nice addition and a great photo of it.

[Marco_4124]

Today, a new tank wagon was delivered by klusbedrijf HENK. The car was offered by the Fat Farlake RailRoad some time ago and was in good condition in itself, but after years of use, some details still needed attention. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
— All parts are disassembled and thoroughly cleaned.
— Replace the parking brake. The plastic was digested and the handbrake broke off during cleaning.
— The stoppers of the boiler have been replaced and are again attached to the frame with a cord.
— There is another rubber hose at the back of the tank wagon.
— The gangway around the filler plug has been replaced. This one is now grey, because a black one was no longer available.
— The plastic wheels have been replaced by metal wheels.
— The ballast weight tray has been replaced. Here a leg had broken off.
— The coupling hooks have been replaced. In both cases the feather was broken.
— Unfortunately, the sticker has been released during cleaning. Another sticker is still being searched for.
All in all a nice addition to the Ferrovie dello Balconia!





Ben and Henk at the transfer of the tank wagon to the Ferrovie dello Balconia.

[Marco_4124]

If there were turbo grass, my father would have it. The freshly sown grass has now been cut twice and is strong enough for the Ferrovie dello Balconia's railway plans.

[Marco_4124]

Just a few small news items:

— When my cousin bought a new 3D printer, he made my logo of the Ferrovie dello Balconia in order to try it out. This logo was quite large, and for a long time I didn't know exactly what to do with it. Inspired by American billboards along the highways, I made an advertisement board out of it. A little promotion for my railway company is never gone.
— In the locker of the F.F.L.R.R., lied a shabby and forgotten little klicky. With permission of the F.F.L.R.R., he has now joined the Ferrovie dello Balconia. His name is Dick, and he has a lot of fun loading and unloading the freight wagons.
— A little bit of an annoying work is the rebuilding of 43 signal boards. I made these in winter, and I provided the pole with a wooden base. This is fine on a flat room floor, but outside they blow over. So in the spring I made all 43 signposts heavier by adding sink tiles on the wooden feet. Great for a flat balcony, but not in the garden. I am now working on providing all 43 signal boards with a wider foot. See if this can be done in between all the activities.



The new advertising board for the Ferrovie dello Balconia and Dick, our new employee.

[Marco_4124]

The first two rebuilt signal boards are now ready and our new employee, Dick, is already busy loading them for shipment to the Ferrovie dello Balconia.

In the photo I showed with numbers the problem with these signposts:
1) The original feet of wood 18x18 mm. From the point of view of model making a nice solution and ideal for a flat house room floor, but as soon as they are on the balcony floor they fall over.
2) Reinforcement of the foot with a small tile. Still a nice solution, and on the flat and reasonably sheltered balcony in my home an excellent solution, but in the garden they do not stay.
3) New wooden feet of 45x45 mm. Not really a model-faithful solution, but a practical one. The signpost will stay up in all circumstances (at least, if the cat would be less curious).



The first two converted signal boards, ready for shipment to the Ferrovie dello Balconia.

[playmofire]

3) New wooden feet of 45x45 mm. Not really a model-faithful solution, but a practical one. The signpost will stay up in all circumstances (at least, if the cat would be less curious).



The first two converted signal boards, ready for shipment to the Ferrovie dello Balconia.

Ah yes, remember the old saying, "Curiosity knocks over the signpost".

[tahra]

The signpost will stay up in all circumstances (at least, if the cat would be less curious).

Good luck with that.