# Cnr 6153



## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Finally finished, my postwar Lionel Berkshire bashed Northern and scratch built tender of CNR 6153 in 'toy scale'.



I should probably paint the connecting rods black but they are easier to see by my loyal rail-fans if I leave them bright. It was an interesting project what with retaining the original Lionel internal engineering while adapting the exterior enough to 'fool the eye'.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

WOW, nice tender, good work!


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Thank you, John. It is the third attempt, if I was to do another I would make it 3/8 inch longer just to suit the over-length trucks a bit better but that is not going to happen any time soon!


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Dam Dano, that is nice. It's better than anything I own, homemade or otherwise. I love the 6 wheel trucks.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Thank you. The trucks are altered front and rear trucks from the scale Turbine, purchased from Lionel's parts department, they look very close. The actual trucks that I could find are also scale and are way to big for this Lionel type fudged scale. I don't quite have the expertise to make a master and cast proper trucks from metal, yet!


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

I just took a look at the trucks on my 681. They are the same size as the PW 6 wheel trucks from the 2671 tender. Those would have been much easier to fit imho. If you do remake the tender, check them out. 

Carl


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Kwikster said:


> I just took a look at the trucks on my 681. They are the same size as the PW 6 wheel trucks from the 2671 tender. Those would have been much easier to fit imho. If you do remake the tender, check them out.
> 
> Carl


I actually originally fitted the 681 trucks but they are fudged a bit too short for my liking and to my mind were not as pleasing to the eye as the scale trucks even though they are a bit over-size. I am toying with the idea of using the axel sets from Lionel's 6 wheel tender trucks, they have slightly smaller wheels, but I would have to taper the axel ends to make them fit.


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## Rabbitman (Jan 24, 2014)

Dano said:


> Finally finished, my postwar Lionel Berkshire bashed Northern and scratch built tender of CNR 6153 in 'toy scale'.
> 
> 
> 
> I should probably paint the connecting rods black but they are easier to see by my loyal rail-fans if I leave them bright. It was an interesting project what with retaining the original Lionel internal engineering while adapting the exterior enough to 'fool the eye'.


 I have 2 engines that I would like to do the opposite thing to the connecting rods, I would like to have them shiny. One is a MTH 4-8-4 Northern and the other is a K-Line 4-8-4 Daylight. 
I don't know if they are painted or anodized but was wondering if it is possible to put a shiny finish on them somehow to see them easier using a wire wheel and a buffing wheel and then spraying the parts with some clear. I'm not all that much into 100% true to life stuff and I feel like if you can't see the rods move from 10 feet away you might as well be running a Diesel.

I've been wondering what some of you have done in this situation to make drive rods brighter other than just painting them.


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## Rabbitman (Jan 24, 2014)

Dano said:


> Thank you, John. It is the third attempt, if I was to do another I would make it 3/8 inch longer just to suit the over-length trucks a bit better but that is not going to happen any time soon!


 That is really a nice looking engine you created. Have you tried it running through any switches yet?


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Dano said:


> I should probably paint the connecting rods black but they are easier to see by my loyal rail-fans if I leave them bright. It was an interesting project what with retaining the original Lionel internal engineering while adapting the exterior enough to 'fool the eye'.


Your creative talents are awesome, Dano... 

I sandblasted and gun blued the single drivers on my engine for a more "mechanical" look. They still show up, just more subtly.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Rabbitman said:


> That is really a nice looking engine you created. Have you tried it running through any switches yet?


Thanks for the compliment. I don't have any switches, just a cross-over.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

I've been wondering what some of you have done in this situation to make drive rods brighter other than just painting them.[/QUOTE said:


> If they are steel you can buff them bright and just keep them lightly oiled.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

Most steam engines had polished steel rods. The rods were polished to eliminate scratches which cause stress risers and can cause the rods to break. The rods are very highly stressed.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Nice job Dano. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Thank you, Ed.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

After watching the 6153 unit run around for a bit I began to realize that something was just not right. The tender looked better behind a smaller loco. The tender bunker size compared to 6153's cab was not right so some tweaking of scale needed to be done to eliminate the anomaly. So the result will be a new tender (Mk3 or maybe 4!). It is just a little closer to scale in some respects to better suit 6153's dimensions.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

What are you using for the tank?
A can?


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

PVC plumbing, the pipe unions to be precise, they are held together by other short sections. They are reasonably cheap! I am using the next size up for this project so the tank is a bit bigger in diameter.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Ok and the rest?
Plastic? Styrene? Wood?

You didn't post all of this somewhere already have you?


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

It is almost entirely Evergreen styrene with the odd bit of wood (sealed with thin CA), brass and sometimes parts from the junk pile. The PVC piping is better than 1/8 inch thick so it makes a solid base to work with.
Almost ready for primer. The walk-way and railings will go on after painting over the tank upper surface.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That's looking great, do you do contract work?


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Hello John. Thank you, I know you are joking but strangely enough a friend that has a model building company asked if I would like to do some work for him but he has a funny thing called a 'deadline' and I don't need that kind of headache at my time of life! So I just build what I want, when I want and how I want and I only have to please me (although depending on my mood that can take some doing!).
Dan.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

You going to toss the other one you made? 

It does look a hair small now the I studied the picture again. Though I still think it looks great.
You have another locomotive for it?


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Hello Ed, I do have a 2037 that I turned into a 'proper' Pacific that could tow it around after re-trucking it probably with the Lionel postwar trucks.
Dan.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Dano,

Nice work on the loco, and that custom tender-in-the-works looks quite good. Keep us posted!

TJ


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Thanks TJ. I didn't intend for this thread to turn into a 'build in progress' but it has developed a life of its own!
Dan.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Cool to see how it's done. It's like looking at the tender naked. Nice work.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Okay then, a couple of more naked shots! I was playing around with adding some rivet detail this time (not happy with the results so far) but I am going to make a tool over the long weekend and try again on Tuesday (or I may decide not to include rivets at all!)


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## Patrick1544 (Apr 27, 2013)

Nice work all around!


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Okay, some primer, no more nakedness! I put on some rivet detail after making a little tool
(for anyone interested):



I use the tool to punch two lines of rivets in thin styrene and then glue it down with medium CA. The medium weight CA fills the rivets and keeps them from being flattened through handling.
However, I had turned down the lighting before taking the pics so they came out fuzzy so you can't see the rivets anyhow! I will take some more after cleaning up a bit and re-priming.

I didn't think I would be working on it today but since tomorrow is a holiday I opened the shop for a few hours today.


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## callmeIshmael2 (May 28, 2012)

3 cheers, Dano. Still hoping to get up the Sunshine Coast over the next 6-8 weeks, and for me the big part of the trip will be dropping into your shop for a look-see at all your stuff. Amazing how quickly the tender you didn't want to have to scrounge up came together. Looking forward to seeing the rivet detail, although your description of the home-made tool is over my head. Keep it coming - beautiful work!


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Hi, hope you can make it up here, looking forward to meeting you. Be advised that I have a wedding to go to in Regina over the July 1st weekend so I will be away at the end of June for about a week.
The tool is basically a punch. You draw a line and punch the first three divots and then use the last divot as the starting point and repeat as many times as necessary. I tried a wheel but the points were not round and I did not like the result so did it the hard way!


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Never too late to make small adjustments!


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## rdmtgm (Nov 25, 2011)

Dano, I am really enjoying following this thread! You are quite the craftsman. Yet the step by step photos make me want to try something like this. I hope you continue posting your projects.
Randy


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Thanks Randy. If nothing else it shows the chaotic way that I work and if I can get to the light at the end of the tunnel then anybody can. You just have to remember that if it doesn't turn out the first or even tenth time, so what, nobody dies!


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

The rivtes came out great. Nice job. Perfectly even. Im jealous. Great idea on the rivet making jig. Its factory!


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Thanks SJ, the time spent making a special tool or jig is never wasted. Anyways, here she is with a fresh coat of laquer. I spayed a dusting of red brown on the trucks, my token weathering to go with my token riveting! Will have to let the laquer cure for a day or two before I can start handling it to mount the railings and CNR logo.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That's looking great, you are a true craftsman!


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

Incredible!!


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Thank you gentlemen, high praise indeed! I just try for something presentable. 
I set the unit out this morning for a quick run and it seems to track okay.
One of these days I am going to have to try my phone and see if it takes better video!


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## cole226 (Feb 8, 2013)

Dano,
your loco and tender both look great.:thumbsup:
that is true modeling, and u are good at it.:smilie_daumenpos:

your dislay glass is part of whats screwing with ur video. I see ghosts


where is Sechelt? i'm on the lake, about 60 mi south of ottawa now. 25 mi above 1000 islands.

again, very nice work


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Hi Randy, you are probably right about the glass screwing up the video. I am on the west coast, are you an astronaut? 25 mi. above the lakes?
Dan.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Looks like it rolls as true as any commercial rolling stock! :thumbsup:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Dano said:


> Hi Randy, you are probably right about the glass screwing up the video. I am on the west coast, are you an astronaut? 25 mi. above the lakes?
> Dan.


:laugh:


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Well there is a Sunday morning gone, it is raining anyway. 
I decided to try making one of those CN wrap around ladders for the front right corner. I realize that it is a bit over the top for anything that Lionel would have done post war, I am sure they would have done a simple rendition in the casting but I thought what the heck, if it doesn't turn out I can always replicate a cast-on version instead. 
The rungs are not one hundred percent lined up but researching images on the net showed that the prototypes were not either!


The doner tender for the trials is what is left of the first tender incarnation. Now keeping my fingers crossed that it fits the present tender!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Nice looking ladder, but you're right, way beyond what Lionel would have put on their tenders!


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

A few more bits added on. A bit if tweaking to do before the final coat of lacquer to cover my mistakes!


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Your ladder work puts everything ive done to shame. Now tell us how you made it! Please.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

You ought to build a bunch and sell them. :smilie_daumenpos:

What is this where I marked.
Wires?


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

I think it is a power cable but don't know for sure. When I put it on I tried to make it look like it was cast-on detail a la Lionel but then I went over board on other stuff so I could have left it loose.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

As to the ladder. It is made from brass angle and rod. The rod was soldered into holes drilled in the angle, one side at a time, using a soldering iron. The step rods are left over- length. The ladder is placed in the vise and bent to shape. One side at a time, the completed ladder is placed in the vise and the free side torched to smooth out the soldering and make any necessary adjustment and then the excess length of the rods is nipped off and cleaned up with a file.
I actually got too focused in trying to get a uniform spacing on the steps and lost sight of the forest because of the trees, there should only be six steps! The bottom hanging step has yet to be attached separately to the tender. Hope that explains it.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Dano said:


> I think it is a power cable but don't know for sure. When I put it on I tried to make it look like it was cast-on detail a la Lionel but then I went over board on other stuff so I could have left it loose.


Do you have the picture of the one you copied off of?
I have been looking but could not find one.

Or the link to one for me to look at?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

No one will ever know there's an extra step.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

big ed said:


> Do you have the picture of the one you copied off of?
> I have been looking but could not find one.
> 
> Or the link to one for me to look at?


Hey Ed, just punch in CNR 6153, there are tons of images that come up.


https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3141/5863293958_71e50a0a62.jpg


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> No one will ever know there's an extra step.


Thanks John, I am 'flexible' enough to let it go by! Besides, I did a pretty good job of anchoring it on (I didn't notice my mistake until after!) so I think I will leave well enough alone.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Dano said:


> Hey Ed, just punch in CNR 6153, there are tons of images that come up.
> 
> 
> https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3141/5863293958_71e50a0a62.jpg


Duh...I did not think about that. 

I did a search for just the tender pictures, but search won't cooperate. It shows more of the Locomotive then the tenders. Besides what you added there is another real "floppy" line sitting under those too. I will try to find out what purpose they served. 

Have you ever seen this picture site? A lot of cool Locomotive with tender pictures.
Canadian National Railways, check it out if you want.

http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/photos/cnr_steam2/northern.htm


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Hi Ed, yeah I think I have been there once or twice! Another search is 'Vanderbilt tenders' or 'CN Vanderbilt tenders' or CN steam locomotives. Lots of pics come up.
Dan.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Another CNR picture site, :thumbsup:

http://www.barraclou.com/rail/cn/carbody.html


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

There are probably steam and air lines running back as well.
Checked that site, good shot of the full tender right side, going to add on a couple of bits of piping!
Dan.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Dano said:


> There are probably steam and air lines running back as well.


I was thinking some kind of feed lines, but why are they so sloppily hung up like that?
You would think they would be more secure, when they run down the rail they must be blowing around? Would cause them to fail quicker.

The ones you put on are fairly secure on the real cars pictures, but you see the one underneath those in some of the pictures. That one is real sloppy.

Your build looks great.
When you going to mass produce and start selling them? :thumbsup:


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Thanks Ed. I think more in-service pics are needed, the pics we are using I think were from a 'railfan run'. It may have been just a quick short term lash-up.
Dan.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Another boring shot of the tender that will never be finished, thank you Ed!
Dan.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Thanks for the.ladder info dano. I might just try it one day. As for finishing, ive got stuff sitting in boxes for months waiting for.me to compleat them. Your doing just fine.


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

Dano said:


> Finally finished, my postwar Lionel Berkshire bashed Northern and scratch built tender of CNR 6153 in 'toy scale'.
> 
> 
> 
> I should probably paint the connecting rods black but they are easier to see by my loyal rail-fans if I leave them bright. It was an interesting project what with retaining the original Lionel internal engineering while adapting the exterior enough to 'fool the eye'.


I like it a lot, but then I like every thing that's Canadian National.....Mike


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Excellent customization work, Dano ... ladder and all!

TJ


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

I took some shots of the unit even though all of the tweaking isn't finished. I think it looks fairly close to the prototypes, bearing in mind the forced scale.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

https://sp1.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608041019937917717&pid=15.1
Prototype.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Looks great. :smilie_daumenpos:

You going to fill it up with a pile of coal?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Needs a few decals and it's ready to roll the rails! :thumbsup:


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

I have a bag of coal that my kids gave me years ago, been trying to find it, going to fill it up with that.


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

Dano said:


> Thanks Ed. I think more in-service pics are needed, the pics we are using I think were from a 'railfan run'. It may have been just a quick short term lash-up.
> Dan.


See these yet? http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=92582

Near the bottom of this link are several CN 4-8-4's. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=CN&Page=22

Carl


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

I finished tweaking and put on the number etc. and then tried an 'artsy' video!

Reloaded this one further on.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Hmm, I clicked and it went there but it won't load the video?

Though I can see your pictures there.
Maybe I tried to quickly? Right after you posted, sometimes I am too quick.
I will try again later.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Photobucket is notoriously slow for video, that's why I use YouTube.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Yeah, it take a while to get started but it did work when I tried it.


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Another 'test' video.






Thank you John, YouTube does seem to load better.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Dano, worked ok on my phone. Looking good.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Dano said:


> Another 'test' video.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wiqyVNAHMnM
> Thank you John, YouTube does seem to load better.
> http://youtu.be/vWw_QnZB_mc


Yes that works. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Aint teknologie wunnerfull!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

OK, I think someone else asked, what are the yellow brick type bundles on the RR? :dunno:

Why's all the people sitting in the background at a table.
Are your trains in a diner?


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Kwikster said:


> See these yet? http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=92582
> 
> Near the bottom of this link are several CN 4-8-4's. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=CN&Page=22
> 
> Carl


Beautifull!


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

big ed said:


> OK, I think someone else asked, what are the yellow brick type bundles on the RR? :dunno:
> 
> Why's all the people sitting in the background at a table.
> Are your trains in a diner?


There is a coffee shop right next door, the 'snake fence' is made out of plasticine bricks (just to let people know that I have some for sale).


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I edited your post to put live YouTube links in. You just need to use the Advanced link and use the







button to surround just the video ID from the YouTube link.

Here's a typical link, just copy the stuff after the equal sign and use the







feature.


```
https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=wiqyVNAHMnM
```
You'll get this in the message, that will expand to the embedded video. Note the substitution of {} for [] to illustrate the process.


```
{YT}wiqyVNAHMnM{/YT}
```


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

Nice video, I really enjoyed the sound( Clickety clack).


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

Thank you John, so much to learn, so little time!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Dano said:


> There is a coffee shop right next door, the 'snake fence' is made out of plasticine bricks (just to let people know that I have some for sale).


I had to google the bricks. 
I didn't find much but pictures. But I didn't look real hard either, I am short on time.

What is it like a modeling clay?


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

It is a non-hardening clay, mostly used by kids.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

OK thanks


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