HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: czl30@duts.ccc.amdahl.com (Chris Lee)
Newsgroups: rec.models.railroad
Subject: Re: railroad modelling and participatory theater
Keywords: involvement likes dislikes theater scenery
Date: 12 Nov 92 02:46:22 GMT
Reply-To: czl30@DUTS.ccc.amdahl.com (Chris Lee)
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

In article <1992Nov11.161244.13491@progress.com> fredm@progress.COM (Fred Mikkelsen) writes:
>At the M.I.T. club, we are currently undertaking a rebuild of 2/3 of the
>layout to achieve a doubling of mainline and scenery opportunities. There
>are lots of fine books and knowledge in print about how to achieve prototype
>and realism.
>
Things I like to see:

Accuracy - locomotives and cars that have been improved beyond "just out
           of the box", for example air and control lines on diesels,
           interiors
         - track that doesn't look like girders. Code 83 for main lines
           and code 70 for secondary or branch lines.
         - trains that are believable running together.
         - good scenery
         - realistic buildings
         - realistic operation

Set pieces - things that keep the interest when a train isn't running.
             These don't have to be operating features. Simple things
             like a dog marking a fire hydrant, or a child trying to
             entice a cat to come down from a tree are best. Let the
             viewer find them, and he will look for others. Try not
             to freeze people in motion!

Things I don't like to see:

Unbelievable track - track that has every 5th tie spiked.

Unbelievable trains - eg a transcontinental without sleeping cars

Unbelievable mix of trains - eg a Southern Pacific cab-forward next
                             to a New-York Central F-unit. Make the
                             F-unit a demonstrator instead.

                           - eg the same cab-forward next to a Caltrain
                             F40PH. Someday they'll restore the steamer
                             and prove me wrong, but you get the idea.

Plastic that still looks like plastic!

Buildings with obvious gaps with the ground.

Anything that looks toy-like.

Trains that don't have a reason to be where they are.

Cheers........Chris Lee
Newsgroups: rec.models.railroad
From: fredm@progress.COM (Fred Mikkelsen)
Subject: Re: railroad modelling and participatory theater
Keywords: involvement likes dislikes theater scenery
Organization: Progress Software Corp.
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 22:36:29 GMT

fredm@progress.COM (Fred Mikkelsen) writes:

>I'm looking for some feedback on a more personal and emotional level. What
>aspects of a good layout make you go "ah" and/or get jealous? Using theater
>as a model for participatory entertainment (which operating or viewing a
>model railroad is), what gets you moved.

>Thanks for your feedback!
>Fred.

Hmmmm....interesting results.

I'm glad I'm not a sociologist, because I don't know what I'd make of the
15 responses I got! One interesting thing is that almost without exception,
people "oo" and "ah" privately, and complain about dislikes in public. I've
noticed it before, and I'm glad to see model railroaders are no different
than anyone else!

I find two basic trends of "oo"s and "ah"s.

"oo": The feeling of enormity. Things are big, and you are immersed.
"ah": The feeling of delicateness and attention to detail.

In short, if you're going to build a tree, make it big, or make it have lots
of little branches!

A lot of people responded to liking straight track, or near straight. This
is an "oo". Surprisingly, no one "oo"d about multiple tracks. Perhaps because
it is relatively rare today. "For your convenience, the tracks are labelled
1, 2, C, and D." -- Penn rulebook on 4-track operation.

Does anyone like multiple track? or is it passe? I'd like to know.

No one responded to liking switchbacks, or other complex trackage. Are
people impressed in an "oo" or "ah" way with double slips, diamonds, etc?

A couple people mentioned industrial areas. Is it better to focus on
industrial areas with a dedicated switcher or have more industry spurs off
the mainline. Does anyone have an opinion?

The responses were great! My goal is to encourage a layout that makes
everyone jealous, and thus ensuring well-attended open houses and a popular
attraction for new student members.
From: wey@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (william.e.yoder)
Newsgroups: rec.models.railroad
Subject: Re: Info about G Scale
Keywords: G Scale, Bachman
Date: 13 Nov 92 18:40:35 GMT
Article-I.D.: cbfsb.1992Nov13.184035.8108
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T

In article <1992Nov13.165125.17153@b30.ingr.com>, bob@b30.ingr.com (Bob Baccus) writes:
> I am new to the G Scale line of trains and I have visited several
> stores looking for track, cars, etc. Store owners don't want to
> sell Bachman track, cars, and other accessories. Questions:
> 
>   Is Bachman not as high a quality of material as LGB?
> 
No, Bachmann is not as high a quality as LGB and other G Guage makers,
eg, USA Trains, Aristocraft, etc. but they you get what you pay for.
A Bachmann boxcar might run you $30 retail, where an LGB boxcar is around 
$100. Their engines are lower quality also. It depends on what you wish to
spend, what you want to work with and how much quality do you want.
I have several Bachmann cars, both from kits and RTR.  With metal wheels
and Kadee couplers, they work fine. I just bought a Bachmann big hauler
and it has run pretty well, but I've only run it for an hour so far. It
isn't as quiet or strong as my LGB Mogul.

As for store owners, where do you think the profit margin is, in a 
boxcar that sells for $30 or $100?. Also, where do you think the fewer 
amount of problems and returned merchandise lie, in a $50 engine 
or a $500 engine?

>   Is Bachman track not as good as other track?
>  
Forget it. Bachmann track is tin plated steel. It will last around the 
Christmas tree for a year or two ( maybe ), but you won't find it 
in anyone's layout outdoors.

>   What is the advantage of using brass track (LGB) over
>   other track?

Brass track is one of the best conductors of electricity, but as 
it oxidizes, the film that forms hampers the flow of electricity.
Nickle silver is not as good in carrying electricity, but as it oxidizes,
it carries current better than brass. That is why HO and N scale use 
nickle silver track. In G guage, it is not so important because of the 
amount of brass that is in the rail. The large size of the rail conducts
in brass rather well even when there is oxidation.

Aluminum is used in some parts of the country pretty well. In Florida,
it does not work well. It is cheaper than brass. Nickle silver track 
is now being made, also.

These are my opinions. Hope this helps.

> 
> An "enquiring" mind (a newcomer to the G scale world) wants to know.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Bob Baccus
> 
>   * ***** You Are A Redneck if ****** *   Bob Baccus   (205) 730-3672       *
>   *      You can spit ..............  *    b30!bob!bob     or               *
>   *  Without opening your mouth.      *     bob@bob.b30.ingr.com            *
Newsgroups: rec.models.railroad
From: fredm@progress.COM (Fred Mikkelsen)
Subject: Re: Gluing Down Ballast
Organization: Progress Software Corp.
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1992 21:10:59 GMT

brad_lange@chdqm1.sps.mot.com (Brad Lange) writes:

>I have found it best to do ballasting after I am sure the track and
>turnouts are working correctly. I also don't put any ballast on the inside
>of the turnouts themselves as they are a pain to keep working once you get
>the fine material in them. Or am I being too obvious there?

>Brad Lange

My technique is to glue ties, sand, stain, balast, re-balast (if necessary)
remove any loose balast, scrape stray balast off the top of the ties, then
lay the rail and switches. This is the advantage of hand-made track.

In terms of glue, mostly water. In terms of detergent, mix yourself with
Dawn or equivalent, or just use spray window cleaner. Soak the balast a lot.
Drip drop dribbles of glue-water onto the ties and let it flow into the
balast to avoid "soil errosion".

Between the long ties of switches where the switch stand is, you can put
less balast. Since I don't tend to model that detail, I don't bother.

On the embankments, the angle of repose of prototype balast is higher than
for soaking wet model balast. My technique for this problem in this area is:

smear white glue on the sides of the embankment up to the ties. sprinkle on
as much balast as will stick. Then, after it is dry, do like the above.

Done.
Newsgroups: rec.models.railroad
From: stev@vax.ftp.com  (stev knowles)
Subject: dual motor DD40's
Nntp-Software: PC/TCP NNTP
Keywords: ATHEARN DD40
Organization: FTP Software, Inc., Wakefield, MA
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 15:24:41



well, i would like to thank all of you for the help locating athearn DD40's,
i purchased 2 about a month or so ago. (and now find the single motor
versions listed in the walthers catalog, (although not allthe roads are
there). 

the model has two motors, connected with a rod that goes past the "open"
section in the body. this seems to be to keep the motors (each of which
power one of the D trucks) sync'd, which keeps the wheels spinning at the
same rate. when i take this off, they seem to spin that way anyway (slipping
seems nonexistant). is there a good reasoin to leave this rod there, or can
i take it off and not expect problems? what problems will i get if they do
go at differnet speeds? why is this different frmo having two smaller locos
that are not connected?


thanx

stev knowles


Newsgroups: rec.models.railroad
From: sathomas@athena.mit.edu (Stephen A Thomas)
Subject: Re:  Container Tank blueprints
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 15:42:38 GMT

Tom Bunce      bunce@asd2.jsc.nasa.gov   writes:

>I have seen the containers go by on the highway between Galveston and Houston,
>but they were going the opposite direction and I could never get a good long
>look to even attempt to reproduce one from memory.

Tom, join the club, there's a siding near the building I work in at MIT that
Conrail often stores container and flat cars on for a couple of days.  The other
day a set of Gunderson (the tall kind) and Thrall (with ribs) showed up.  Two
days later when I finally remembered to bring my camera to work, guess what? - of
course they were gone.  The moral of the story is:  these cars see such heavy
use that they rarely sit still for too long and only then when they are
being loaded.  I imagine Galveston would be a good place to catch them when they
are being loaded, if you can legally get that close!

>Who makes the containers anyway? I know Thrall and Gunderson make container
>cars. Anyone else make container cars?  I saw a set of cars at the Houston Belt
>and Terminal RR yard a few weeks ago with smooth sides as opposed to the Thrall
>rib sided cars. I can't remember the road name, it wasn't a railroad, but
>rather a leasing co. like APL or Trailer Train. Anyone know what I am talking
>about? I want blueprints of these too :)

I think the smooth sided cars are Husky Stack cars, I think made by Gunderson.  If
you want an idea for the different kinds of cars, check out the HO versions at
the hobby store - A-Line, Walthers, and I believe soon, Athearn have several
different kinds of container cars.  Now my suggestion isn't meant to try to
persuade you into HO, but rather that those cars might be the basis for an N
scale scratch built model.  If you have an HO friend, he might photocopy the
model plans if he has the cars.  Check out the October or November issue of Rail
Model Craftsman, I believe that there was an article in it on a type of container
car.

STEVE THOMAS

MIT Aero/Astro
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
From: parabosc@eclipse.Stanford.EDU (Stefano Paraboschi)
Subject: Any info on Maui?
Organization: Stanford University
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 19:27:35 GMT

Hi windsurfers,
I will spend my holidays in Maui (I will arrive by December 14th and
leave on January 12th or later). I have never been there and I find it
particularly difficult to get any information here in Italy.
I was only told that the Kanaah village should be a wonderful place for a
windsurfer. 

So I will appreciate any information that you could provide me:
what should I expect in terms of wind, where to rent the equipment,
where to find an accommodation, etc.
Any address, fax number, name of travel agency or whatever else you 
think relevant will help. A report on holidays spent there would be great.

Thanks in advance

Piero fraternali

E-mail: fraterna@ipmel2.elet.polimi.it



From: kirk@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Kirk Lindstrom)
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 17:31:51 GMT
Subject: Re: Thighs burning
Organization: Shredding the water of SF Bay, HP-OCD
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing

>This past summer, while windsufing on relatively long reaches,
>my thighs really started burning to the point that I could not
>hold on anymore and crashed.
>
>This happened several times in high wind and chop conditions when 
>I was trying to point upwind.  My front thigh was always the one 
>which started burning.  
>
>Do any of you guys get this problem?  Is there a remedy for it?
>What could be the problem: am I putting too much weight on my 
>front leg?
>
>-Payman
----------

Happens all the time.  The part I like the best is sailing through the
pain and then sailing is like being in a trance-state.  I think runners
call it hitting the wall, I've done it distance swimming, too.  Major
endorphine rush and the smile afterwards lasts till I get to do it again.

The day I broke my leg was one of those ebb/5.1/ChallangeFlex days in 4' swells
at 3rd Ave.  Sailed 30 minutes, beached to add more downhaul, went back out
for another 1.5 hours.  I remember I was gettting a good thigh burn on the
reach back out, but the last hour or so was utter euphoria!  I think I was
having so much fun that I didn't use the required caution when I came back
in and jumped off my board and hit a rock breaking my Fibula.  I had a smile
on my face, I really did, driving to the hospital since it had been such a
good day.

Kirk (can't wait to do it again) out
8'8" Challange Flex, 8'11" & 9'3" ASD epoxy, 9'9" Velocity & 11'6" Malibu 
Wt 218#, Ht. 6'0", Usually sail on SF Bay, Cailf.  (kirk@hpocia.sj.hp.com)
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
From: ngs@sailor.bellcore.com (Ned Stoffel 21374)
Subject: Re: Hot Air = Big Sails?
Reply-To: ngs@nyquist.bellcore.com
Organization: Network Technology Research Lab, Bellcore
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 17:49:25 GMT

In article <56130002@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com>, ohdav@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (David OH) writes:
|> Hi,
|> 
|> This one may be a bit off the wall but should appeal to you physics types
|> out there. I do most of my sailing in Singapore. Our trades season just
|> started yesterday & usually lasts till about end Feb/March. Singapore is
|> sort of 100 miles north of the equator (hot, in other words).
|> 
|> I've noticed that for a given wind speed, I use much bigger sails here than
|> I do in Maui or elsewhere. In marginal conditions, 7.5s & 8.0s are not 
|> uncommon among the bigger sailors here. I've had some experience sailing
|> in the UK and that seems to reinforce my opinion that air density has 
|> something  to do with this. Does it make sense? Should air temperatures
|> affect density & thereby sail size? Note this is based on purely intuitve
|> notions, I haven't been running around measuring wind speeds etc.
|> 

I believe the air density comes into the lift formula linearly while
velocity affects lift quadratically. In simple terms, a 10 deg. C 
(or 18 deg. F) drop in air temperature results in a 3% increase in air
density, but a 1.5% increase in wind speed would have the same effect.
If is hard to believe that air density is enough to cancel out the
increased weight of your steamer or drysuit in cold weather.

Maybe the difference is that there is less wind when its warmer.
My observations seem to indicate that there is less disparity
between the official wind readings and the actual wind at water
level during cold fronts, and I suppose this has to do with the way
air currents naturally stratify vertically. The cold air winds seem
to hug the water while warm winds tend to ride above a stagnant
layer of cold air at sea level. 

Ned
From: duckgybe@shakala.com (Bill Geisinger)
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
Subject: best board ever
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 09:13:24 PST
Organization: Shakala - (Clan Zen Radio Network) Sunnyvale, CA 1-408-734-2289

Here it is gang the ultimate SF bay area board for bump and jump sailing!
I used this board all of last season, daily! It has some chipped paint 
and mabey some well worn footstrap covers, all in all I'm only selling it 
to finance a trip to Costa Rica. I already have had my clone made and am 
real happy with the shape!
What is this dream machine you ask?
You may be skeptical of the size, once you try it it's to die for!
8'2" ASD epoxy sandwitch squash tail bump and jump!
$700.00 the hull is in great shape with only chipped paint, give me a 
ring if you are in need of a the ultimate board.
408 864-8378

------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Geisinger  - duckgybe@shakala.com 
Shakala - (Clan Zen Radio Network) Sunnyvale, CA 1-408-734-2289
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
From: cbh@windsurf.scd.ucar.edu (Cris Hannu)
Subject: Re: Hot Air = Big Sails?
Organization: NCAR/UCAR
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 16:26:55 GMT

In article <56130002@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com>, ohdav@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (David OH) writes:
> Hi,
> 
> This one may be a bit off the wall but should appeal to you physics types
> out there. I do most of my sailing in Singapore. Our trades season just
> started yesterday & usually lasts till about end Feb/March. Singapore is
> sort of 100 miles north of the equator (hot, in other words).
> 
> I've noticed that for a given wind speed, I use much bigger sails here than
> I do in Maui or elsewhere. In marginal conditions, 7.5s & 8.0s are not 
> uncommon among the bigger sailors here. I've had some experience sailing
> in the UK and that seems to reinforce my opinion that air density has 
> something  to do with this. Does it make sense? Should air temperatures
> affect density & thereby sail size? Note this is based on purely intuitve
> notions, I haven't been running around measuring wind speeds etc.
> 
I've heard people say they notice a difference and there is a difference in 
air density sea level and here in Colorado (thinner up here), but that would 
correspond to a larger sail size the higher you go.  As far as air temp. goes; 
that also has some effect on density but I've never noticed any adverse effects
on sail size.  There have been days that it *feels* like there should be more 
wind, but most of the time I've found it to be a case of wishful thinking 
rather than actual lack of wind.  Not a real technical response, just my .02.

BTW; I spent 3 years in the middle of the Pacific (9 degrees north of the 
equator), I've sailed on the northern coast of Oregon, Maui, and currently 
the Colorado area.  I've never used a wind meter.  I just go by, as you say, 
intuition.  I've only been windsurfing for about 5 years now but have logged 
over 1,500 hours of sailing time.  If it feels like 4.5 weather, that's what 
go with.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cris Hannu                       |  Windsurfing the high country.
Cray Research, Inc.              |
@NCAR - Boulder, CO              |         ^           ^
cbh@windsurf.scd.ucar.edu        |        / \ ___)___ / \ 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
From: pjp@sloth.mlb.semi.harris.com (Pat J. Pinchera)
Subject: One-Design Chosen as the Olympic Board!! (?)
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 13:33:29 GMT
Organization: Interface & Control Systems, Inc., Melbourne FL

I heard second hand from Scott Steele that the Mistral One-Design has
been chosen as the board for the 1996 Olympics.  I hope to confirm this
tomorrow at the Florida Funboard Regatta because Guy Britton from World
Sport Marketing (the Tudor/Mistral Tour) will be there and he should
know also.

Anybody else hear anything?  If this is true, I can see it having both
benefits and drawbacks to the One-Design class.  On the positive side, 
it will make the class even bigger here in the U.S.  It should also force 
some improvements to the equipment, i.e. a stiffer, lighter board, more like
the Equipe, a carbon mast, stiffer booms.  But on the other hand, if
these changes do take place, it will tend to price a lot of entry-level
racers out of the class.  We'll have to see how it goes.

Pat
 'P19'

See you in Savannah :-)
From: cf02@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (CARLOS J. FERNANDES)
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
Subject: windsurfing for beginners
Date: 11 Nov 92 20:22:04 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

Returning by the end of the year to my country (Portugal), I would like to
start windsurfing. I have surfed previously, but I know nothing about
windsurf.  What would be the ideal board/sail/mast for a beginner? My
objective is to sail in the sea, so I would like to known which material is
flexible enough to enable a beginner to sail on quite waters (like in lakes)
and on (small) waves. Thanks in advance.

Carlos Fernandes
CF02@Lehigh.Edu
-- 
Carlos Fernandes           Phone: (215) 758-1847
11 Duh Dr, Apt 223
Bethlehem, PA 18015
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
From: terryb@cybernet.cse.fau.edu (terry bohning)
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
Subject: Windsurfing Graphic Images?
Date: 2 Nov 92 03:46:01 GMT
Organization: Cybernet BBS, Boca Raton, Florida

Does anyone know where I can obtain some cool digitized windsurfing
pics in standard graphics formats (gif, tif, rle, etc.).
thanks
terry
terryb@cybernet.cse.fau.edu
bohning@ecs.comm.mot.com (unreliable)
bohning@acc.fau.edu
71036.1066@compuserve.com
/exit
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
From: dtroup@carroll1.cc.edu (David C. Troup)
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing
Subject: ESPN WINDSURFING
Date: 9 Nov 92 18:13:02 GMT
Organization: DCT Technologies, Inc.


	Check your local listings for local times, but my cable company lists
	the following (times are in CST)

	Monday, November 9th. 8:00pm WINDSURFING
	Tuesday, November 10th. 1:00pm WINDSURFING

	Check it out!


		            _________________________________________________
David C. Troup  DC12	   !                Primary Sponsors:                !
dtroup@carroll1.cc.edu     ! SEATREND   SIMMER STYLE    FIBERSPAR   O'NEILL  !
414.547.4719	           !_________________________________________________!
    "Bones heal, pain is temporary, chicks dig scars and glory is forever!"
Newsgroups: rec.windsurfing