Watching the wonderful series on air brushing made me realize I need a better way to clean my Iwata. I saw this great idea on TMTV and ordered one up. Now I won't be losing all those fiddly bits from taking apart my air brush to clean. Now, where is my airbrush?

The Splitrock Mining Company Marketing Department has come up with a new, trendy idea. Pumpkin Spice iron ore loads. Only available during October. Lars and Sven and not really sold on the idea. Who wants a cappuccino?

Thanks to the video by ken Patterson about Soundtraxx F11 brake and momentum feature, I had to try it out.

I had my DCC guru in my circle fire up the JMRI and DecoderPro program and get one of my switchers to have this feature activated. I did want to switch it to a lower Function setting, such as F1-F4, so it would only take one hand to still run throttle, but only got it moved to F7, so I still have to use the shift button.

I stepped up and purchased my first DSLR camera. I am looking forward to trying out some focus stacking software soon. Here are my first few attempts with something other than an IPhone camera.

I recently scratch built a track scale for my Splitrock Mining Company layout. I wanted an in-line track scale rather than a live-rail version. This cut down on the complicated track work, and also shows a more modern, in-motion scale. This type was used by the Duluth Missabe and Iron range in Proctor, MN and also in the Union Pacific yard in South St.Paul.

Has anyone tried the Rapido Railcrew uncouplers? I can't get mine to work. The magnets are supposed to rotate out of the uncoupling position and nothing moves when I activate the toggle switch. The LED lights up, and the panel LED stays lit, but no movement from the magnets. 

I hard wired everything, since I could not figure out their connector plug. I used a 12V 300ma power supply at first, then replaced that with a 12V 500ma power supply. They say 500ma minimum. Maybe I need more power to the coils? 

Any input appreciated. 

I finally had time to add the model of the ore dock on my Splitrock Mining Company layout. Here is how I installed a built up kit I received from a friend. I am looking forward to all the fun details that will be added to this scene, as well as the operation it will bring. The blog starts in the next comment.

Thomas Gasior

Lets follow along with Extra 3608 North as they work a Mine turn. Mine runs are based out of Vermillion Yard in Tower, MN. They run northwest to Soudan and Ely,MN  and other points on the Vermillion Iron Range in northern Minnesota.

It's the summer of 1970 and the crew gets their pair of RS-36's from the service tracks.

After a summer of other projects, I am back into Operations on the Splitrock Mining Company. A great visit from Bill Brillinger and his lovely wife, plus the OpSIG weekend for MinnRail. I am ready to head back into making scenery for the mainline and building structures for the growing town of Agate Bay, on the north shore of Lake Superior.

I see these purple flowers all along roadsides and the railroad right of way. I decided I need to have some to break up the colors of my Northern Minnesota railroad.

Thomas Gasior