Stopping my foot pain!

Stopping my foot pain!

I am not getting any younger and my feet are not what they used to be.  It's pretty darn hard chasing after the trains especially on your feet....I have been getting foot pain and cramps in my feet recently which has really put the stoppers on my days out on the railroads with my friends, in this post I am gonna try and stop this pain in its tracks, pun intended!

When I go train spotting it maybe really fun but it can really take the toil on my feet and recently I have been getting some real pain as I walk on the ball of my feet... As my foot hits the ground the ball of my feet slaps down and as the day goes on and I have walked and been on my feet all day this can really start hurting, not only that being on my feet really start causing the build up of pressure underneath my arches and my heels as my body weight pressed down on my feet and this weakens and makes injury more likely.
A week ago I went camping with a few friends and my feet after a coupe hours walking and standing around were really inflamed it was then I decided I needed to do something about it (one of my friends mentioned that if you ignore things like this the damage that is caused can cause things like arthritis when you older). I have been looking online and there looks as though there are lots of things I can try to stop my foot pain but there are so many... too many insoles and pads that you can buy, which is making me a little bit stumped on what I actually need and what will help me best, as different products help different causes of foot pain. I have read on some sites that custom insoles (which are really really expensive) are your best bet but then I read other sites that look just a official saying that research has proven that custom insoles yield no extra benefit from wearing them and may actually cause your feet to weaken even more as your feet become over supported and dependent on them and dont actually support themselves. I think at the moment I am buying into the notion of custom insoles are no good... but that being said there are still tons of soles out there to buy and its still a minefield when you dont know what to get.

Currently I am thinking of buying some special arch support soles runners use.. even though I dont run around chasing the trains on my days out I think they might be the best ones for me to get... because they have just about everything built into them from arch support to shock absorption that I need to stop the shocks hurting my ball of feet when I walk which I mentioned above... In fact I might just order some right now. Do you think these are any good? They have some good reviews and seem exactly what I am looking for? If i am wrong they not too expensive and I guess id just need to buy and try as many as it takes to find some that helps.. unless you know any good ones?

Do you think I am on the right track with buying insoles? I cant think of anything else I can do or buy to stop this foot pain... Please comment below and tell me! Thanks!

Back!

Back!

I have not posted in a long time but that all about to change gonna start up this blog again so stay tuned for some more train posts and news! I dont know how many of you guys still follow this blog considering I haven't posted in years! The last post was 6 years ago!

Looptie Loop

Looptie Loop

It's not like I've done anything with the trains lately, but Bob and Jeff have braved the heatwave to put the two loop modules together for a trial run. According to their report, everything went pretty well after a few tweaks. It is easy to imagine a string of modules in between these two loops. If anyone asks my opinion, I like the smooth lines of the Delta module (in the foreground) over the very angular Absolut module (in back).

Delta Force

Delta Force

As often happens, after the guys left, I got motivated to start work on the next module. We need another balloon module, but I was looking for some way to get the weight down. I came up with the idea of modifying two hollow-core doors instead of the door and plywood that I used last time. The result was this delta shaped module.

I took the second door and cut the two wings with a circular saw. As suspected, there is a waffle pattern of cardboard between the two layers of hardboard.

Because the space between the hardboard doesn't match any standard lumber size, I had to mill a two-by-two to the right thickness.


I pre-drilled the lumber with pilot holes about every eight inches along the length and then glued and screwed them to the uncut door edge. Make sure you leave enough room for the geometry of the wedge shape.

I took a scrap of the strip and a hammer and pre-smashed the cardboard waffle so that the wedge would slide over the glue/nail strip.

I then applied lots of carpenter's glue to the edges of the strip, slid the wedge over the top, and nailed the wedge on both sides. The wood and clamps helped to make sure that the wings dried on the same angle as the whole door blank. Once that dried, I repeated the process for the other wing.

I saved ten pounds of weight by building the module this way. The same techniques could be used for other modules. There are several sizes of doors available, and it is a simple matter to apply the endplates and fascia to the doors. In the folding door section, you can find bi-fold doors that are 15" x 80" which is a great size for a module.

A Little Loopie

A Little Loopie

Today was the monthly breakfast and work meeting of the N-Land Pacific Group. Jeff added everything else to the module so we could run trains around it. In this first photo, Bob and Stan are admiring the fact that we can easily get a nine-foot train through the passing siding.

Bob is really pushing for a removable styrofoam scenic piece that can be placed in the center of the loop as a view block. While he is working on that idea, Jeff and I will be working on a duplicate return loop for the other end of the setup. Stan continues to work on getting his new module ready for the NMRA show.

Absolut Module

Absolut Module

By popular demand, I added fascia to the balloon module. It is just tempered hardboard (masonite). This thing weighs 63 pounds without cork, track or scenery. Because of the size and weight, it definitely will require more than one person to manage it.

As the module was leaning against the table, it occurred to me that it looks like those advertisements for Absolut Vodka.

Jeff and Bob want to add scenery, but I hate to store modules with scenery in anything but a horizontal position (It looks pretty funny when all the dust is on the left side of everything). Sure you could cover the thing with a tarp, but with the size of this thing, you could use a car cover. At least it won't be in my garage.

Blast Off!!!

Blast Off!!!

As we get ready for the NMRA layout tour in July, the boys from the N-Land Pacific really wanted a way to turn around trains without running the locos around on a passing siding. We came up with the idea of a simple balloon module.

A balloon track is something the real railroads use to turn an entire train. This photo is of the balloon track at Union Pacific's West Colton yard.

For our balloon module, we decided on keeping it to just one piece and compromising on the track radius. It uses a 24" door as the backbone of the module. There are 12" wide wings on the last four feet of the module so we can fit an 18" radius turn there. It took some engineering to attach the wings to the door without heavy bracing, but my design solution seems to have done the trick.

For the size of the beast, it is surprisingly light weight - for now. I was hoping to skip putting fascia on it because of the weight and the additional framing which would be required to keep the fascia secured. Bob and Jeff are proponents of the fascia as a place for mounting the turnout mechanism and throttle ports. They also want to do some scenery inside the balloon. They typically rent a truck to transport their modules, so leaving ground foam along the freeway isn't a worry. If I were storing and transporting this 25 square-foot beast, I'd just paint everything black and think of it as the backstage of the theater.

When I finish with the fascia, Jeff will take over construction with laying track and wiring. If it works out well, they want to build another one of these balloons. Since it is a club module, I probably won't be able to keep with my tradition of Spanish names for the module. If I could, some ideas are Globo (balloon), or Lazada (loop). My neighbor says the thing looks like a Space Shuttle Soap Box racer.

Alright Already! Sheesh!

Alright Already! Sheesh!

I've been getting comments and emails about the dry spell here, and before I show what I've been working on, I thought I'd point out the similar lack of progress on other model railroad blogs, like here, here, here and even here.

The N-Land Pacific group is getting ready for the NMRA tours in July, and we decided to build a utility module with a balloon track to turn the trains at the end of a run. Since this is strictly utility, the radius will depart from the standard and go down to just 18 inches. We should be able to turn an eight-foot train on a module that is 80" long, and 24" wide on the connection end, and 48" wide on the balloon end.

Last night I built the four legs for this module, and thought it'd be a good opportunity to post something here. I have completely given up on the idea of a leg made from a single piece of wood. There is too much warping and weight involved. These "engineered" legs are much lighter, and nearly bullet-proof. They are made of a strip of 15/32" plywood 2" wide, and another that is 1.5" wide. There are three, three-inch blocks, milled from a two-by-four with the saw still set at the 1.5" width. I mount a tee-nut with screw mounts (Rockler 68379) and use a 5/16" eye-bolt for the leveling adjustment.

I've used this leg design on several modules now, and I am convinced it is the only way to go.

Hide Your Children!

Hide Your Children!

I added a photo of a new module I started today. I named it after the mythical Mexican beast, la Chubacabra. The name fits because this thing is a monster! 17" wide and eight feet long, it is 45 pounds of fury!

Seriously, I decided to build it sturdy so that it could serve as a home base at shows and runs. There will be no scenery, just staging yard, programming track, engine/caboose storage tracks, a power strip, DCC booster, transformer, and refrigerated cup holders (just kidding about the refrigerated part).

The photo was taken before I added the endplates so that you could see the channels for storing tools, car boxes, etc. It is a couple inches under eight feet so it can be stood on end without hitting the ceiling.

The far end in the photo is ten degrees from square so that the ladder real estate is optimized. The mainline is the ladder track on the far end, and maybe the middle track on the close end.

To keep things bulletproof, I used Code 80 Peco turnouts and Atlas flex track with a transition to Code 55 at the ends. I'm going to ask Sherry to sew a large canvas sock to cover the beast when I transport it outside my truck. I'll be adding casters on one end so I can wheelbarrow the thing into shows and setups.

Everything you see in the photo was completed in about four and a half hours last night. With track, transformer, legs and wheels, this beast should end up being 50 pounds.

New Caboose

New Caboose

We just got a new caboose for the family's iron horse. After spending a great weekend car camping in a fantastic camp site, we decided it was time to upgrade from sleeping on the tent floor. I'm looking forward to some great weekend trips and maybe some longer trips too.

SoCal Railfan has GPS coordinates for most of the railfan areas around Southern Calfornia, so with a little coordination with SoCal Camping, I may find that perfect spot. Somehow I don't think my wife will be interested in camping next to the tracks, so I'll save those trips for the boys.

The Grand Experiment

The Grand Experiment

Last night I worked until three in the morning, so I skipped the office today. After waking up with the sun, I decided to play trains for a while.

Those things that look like cookies gone bad, are actually test blobs of the static grass. I put a handful of dirt in the bottom of a paper cup, made a depression in the center, and then poured in some plaster. Once it dried, I painted the plaster blobs Trail Tan and then tried different ratios of the Woodland Scenics static grass. I ended up liking the Honey Gold sprayed on and then mottling some Burned Grass over the top of it. Solid colors just looked like I took a giant hole-punch to a deer pelt.

I painted the concrete abutments, and then the canyon and other areas of the module. I'm pretty sure I will be repainting the canyon because it looks too Arizona Highways and not enough like the local scenery. Once that gets done, I will be adding lots of shrubs and some grazing cattle, barbed wire fence, creekside clutter and the usual trackside details. These elements will go a long way in making the grass look like something other than the back dash on a Caprice.

Design Improvement

Design Improvement

For those of you making your own "little-flocker" you might want to change the output pipe to this new design. With sustained use, the gap between the two barbed adapters collects flock and eventually makes a clog. This new design eliminates that problem. Just go to the electrical department of your local hardware store and get a 3" steel nipple (Westinghouse 70603) and a set of locknuts and washers (Westinghouse 70628). Use the rubber washers from the previous assembly to keep things airtight.

Mother Flocker!

Mother Flocker!

Back in December, I was trying to come up with a cheap method of making tall grasses in my scenery. I tried the auto carpet route, but as Steve told me, "The only thing that sticks to auto carpeting is dog vomit and Milk Duds." That made attaching bushes a little tough, though I enjoyed the Milk Duds, especially with a bowl of popcorn.

I remained envious of the results that Bernd had with a very expensive electrostatic flocker (click on the barn for an up-close look), but I had a hard time spending $120 or so on the device. Bernd uses a blend of three different types of electrostatic grass from German manufacturer HEKI: Sommerwiese (Heki 3360), Winterboden (Heki 3363) and Wildgras (Heki 3367). He says the fibers of the first two are about 3mm long, the Wildgras is about 5mm long.

A Google search came up with an alternative to electrostatic applicators for half that price, but I'm a tight-wad, and convinced myself that I could make something at home.

Ignoring the sickly color of my sample flock at right, my home-built device worked fantastically and it only cost $20 for the parts. I'm sure someone with a decent scrap box could cut the cost even more. Make sure you click on the photo below for a good look at the parts list.

One of the things I like about my flocker is that the cup is translucent so I can see how much static grass is left. Make sure you don't go over 25 PSI and keep the nozzle about ten to twelve inches from the surface. I would also recommend that you keep the air intake centered, and the outlet off-center, that way the fibers swirl around and ultimately line up for the trip down the tube and into the glue. Assembly should be self-explanatory, and I wouldn't bother with any teflon tape because of the low pressures. I also wouldn't skimp on the plastic cup, I liked the EZ Touch-Up Cup because it had lots of deep threads to hang on when pressurized (just cut off the brush with a hacksaw). NOTE: please see the design improvement here.

Get to work

Get to work

Apparently tired of being the primary workers at the N-Land Pacific Work Day, Jeff and I cruised while Bob and Stan did most of the work. Here Jeff has donned the BNSF Supervisor's helmet and directs Bob and Stan in the scratch-building of a hangar for Stan's new helibase module.

If you read the bucket, it says "I can't Believe it's not Butter!" and that's not a big leap. Here Stan is spreading the sanded grout we all use for soil on our modules. This new module is going to be pretty cool. There is going to be a farm house on top of the hill, with a palm-lined driveway going down to a rural road. On the other side of the tracks from the hill will be farm land and a crop-dusting helibase.

I spent the day working on some miscellaneous projects, some module legs, and fixing the broken scenery on El Gato. Another great day in the garage. Thanks guys!

Only 17 Months to Go

Only 17 Months to Go

The National Model Railroad Association will be having their 2008 convention in Southern California, July 13-19th.

Prior to the tearing down of the Cajon layout, I was asked to participate by having my layout included in the layout tours. Once I had torn it down, I was told by several folks that the tours were a year-and-a-half away, and that I needed to get my butt in gear so I would be ready for the show. Just the motivation I need.

The N-Land Pacific group was also invited to attend the National Train Show by setting up a modular layout. At Saturday's monthly breakfast meeting, we decided against displaying our modules at the Train Show. Instead, the modules will be incorporated into the layout tour at my home. I think this is a great opportunity to show how home layouts and modular layouts can work together, and may inspire others to do the same. The group also believes it is a great opportunity to hang out at the pool and drink margaritas in between tour buses!

Road Rage

Road Rage

I was driving into the civic center today for a meeting with a bunch of lawyers when I noticed this truck behind me riding my tail. As I drove on, the driver of this truck seemed to grow more desperate to follow me. Being the suspicious type, I did my best to ditch the guy, but he became even more aggressive in chasing me. I pulled into a busy construction site, hoping to have at least some backup if things got rough, and to my amazement, the truck flew through traffic cones and pulled along side me. Having shed my seatbelt and opened the door in anticipation of a quick exit, I stopped cold when I recognized the logo of a railroad on the side of his truck. I looked up to see the driver just five feet from me. Like nothing had happened, he very calmly asked, "Where'd you get that cool knuckle hitch?" He was talking about the trailer hitch on my truck being a replica of a railroad coupler. It turns out he is a signal maintainer for a railroad (to remain nameless) that operates downtown. I'm glad to know that safety is his number one priority.

Cool campfire

Cool campfire

I remember paying six bucks for a single LED and seeing a model campfire effect circuit for $36. Now, LEDs are everywhere, and are so cheap they are almost disposable. Here is a case in point. GE sells these "tea lights" for under two bucks each. It uses three of the button batteries (included) and a circuit that makes it flicker.

I bought one of these, dissected it, and I'm convinced I will be using it on a model. It was easy to cut off that plastic flame and the outer case with some wire cutters. Inside is a circuit board smaller than a postage stamp, a slide switch, a battery compartment and an orange LED. The circuit melts down with more than 3 VDC, but rewiring it to an AA battery should make a flame that will last for at least a week. A quick touch with a soldering iron and the orange LED could be replaced with a white LED for a welding effect. Not bad for two bucks.

Train Stolen by Teenager

Train Stolen by Teenager

Two boys, aged 13 and 16, escaped from an Ohio group home, started up a locomotive, disconnected the train, and drove it twelve miles down the tracks. I guess the Microsoft Train Simulator works pretty good as "training" software too.

Over on SoCal Railfan, they're talking about how a couple days ago an engineer was removed from the work site and terminated for having a photo of the locomotive's cab on the web. According to the thread, the Feds are investigating all cab shots and removing guilty engineers. Reportedly, such acts are a threat to national security (and the security of Ohio group homes). I've got to wonder if Microsoft will continue to sell their product.

Petticoat Junction

Petticoat Junction

Today, we had a work day in the garage for the N-Land Pacific guys. Bob and Jeff visited for a few minutes, but then headed home to finish a bathroom remodel. Stan and I spent a couple hours working on a new module for him, and then after lunch Steve showed up. As usual we had a blast, and talked a lot of trash. My favorite line of the day was classic: "It sounded like someone was f------ a cat. It was with his finger, but that is still wrong."
Stan had asked me about Tyco trains, so after dinner, I did a search for Tyco images. I saw the image on the right from Petticoat Junction, and it hit me.

I flashed back to the image on the left of Jeff and Bob at a previous work day in the garage.

I'm sure they'll hate me for posting it, but damn, it looks to me like they came from the same gene pool.

Train Taggers

Train Taggers

There is nothing that will set off a flame war on the model railroad boards faster than a discussion about graffiti. These guys will obsess over the diameter of a rivet on a boiler plate, and how a handrail height on a model isn't prototypical, but they won't consider having tagging on their trains because somehow that endorses or promotes tagging.

One of my primary reasons for liking trains is the raw power of them, the primitive nature of smelling exhaust and feeling the rumble. I think of the tagging like the primeval cave paintings. It is the base of mankind to express themselves. It is an expression, no matter how crude, that sets us apart from other animals. Perhaps it is that anthropological side of me that let me relish the several years I spent as part of a graffiti task force catching these bad guys.

Recently, Ken Szok posted this image on the SoCal Railfan board, and I thought I would share my professional analysis of the tagging. Click on the photo for a much larger view (Hold down the shift key when you click for a new window, or if you're using Foxfire, the Ctrl key for a new tab).

It was a female tagger (yes, they are out there). The two sets of three lines around the "27" are often indicative of eyelashes (and vanity). The stars around the 27 and date likely represent the "star" personality of the tagger. 27 is the tagger's initials , or more likely, the initials of their moniker (or nickname) . It is probably "BG" for the second and seventh letters of the alphabet, but it could also correspond with the letters on a phone keypad. You might be able to catch a fingerprint off the four horizontal drags on the left panel. The tagger's eye-level is most likely equal to the top of the date as suggested by the alignment with the strong horizontal segment of the scrolling in the right panel and the start of the better penmanship of the looping e's on the left panel (the spacing increases as it goes up, indicating the perspective change). This also places the four horizontal finger drags at mouth level, which is a natural position (go ahead - try it)...

This is the critical eye that haunts me when I look at tagging on walls, bridges and trains. It is not all gangsters marking their territory like dogs. It is an expression of emotion in a primitive form. It is a necessary element in modeling a railroad, and an unnecessary element in modeling a train. I am a model railroader, so I will be tagging the crap out of my trains and scenes.