BLR BACK FROM HOSPITAL

Well here it is December 23rd two days before Xmas and I got home from Hospital last Friday, I spent about 10 days there having a back operation second this year. There were some problems, nothing really serious. Some nerves were damage, had a lot pain,everything is coming together and I am getting around a lot better since I have been home. Hope that this takes care of my problems and I can get back to running trains on my layout on a regular bases. Before I went into hospital I was able to get the tree up and decorated and I even was able to get my LGB Xmas Train set up under the tree, it sure looks great as it runs through the presents. When the Xmas decorations come down is another thing. For I am not allow to lift any heavy objects. So maybe we will be ready for next Xmas or the decorations will not get taken down until early spring or summer time. They are beautiful so I don't mind looking at them, sure adds a lot of atmosphere to the living room and the rest of the house. Take care everybody and have a great Holiday.

Gary

BLR MERRY XMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Well here it is Dec 5Th and I just got word that they are going to operate on my back on Dec 9Th, which is good news for I will probably be home for Xmas. I just finished putting up the tree the other day just in case I got the call. The LGB 2-4-0 Xmas train has also been set up under the tree, so it will be ready for me to run when I arrive home. It sure is sad news that Marklin have done away with the LGB Magazine " LGB DEPESCHE ". This was our main source of information from LGB other than the catalogues. Sure will be missed. They are combining G Scale with their regular magazine, so we well will only get a few pages. NOT INTERESTED.

I would like to take this time to wish everybody a very MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR or HAPPY HOLIDAYS which ever may apply. Talk to you in the new year.

Gary

BLR Running Equipment

I have been having a lot of fun running all the new Locomotives and Rolling stock that I acquire last month. Every thing runs great and with no problems. Well I had another MRI Oct 22 and got the results on Friday. I have to have another back operation for the area above where I had my last operation in May has gotten a lot worse since then and needs to be look after right away. They have me on a waiting list. My be I will get lucky and they will be able to due it before the end of the year. This last year has been he.. and I don't want to go on with this problem over and extend period of time. In one word my back is a DISASTER. It looks like there could be more things happening after this operation. Oh well I just have to hold onto the positive attitude that I have and not let it go. Bye for now

TRURO NS CDA TRAIN SHOW

Well the annual Truro Model Railroad Show was held on Saturday October 17. Two of my friends and myself drove down from Halifax NS. The show as usual was a great show, lots of sellers and model train layouts, mostly HO and N and one HOn30 layout which was excellent. My two friends bought some N scale things, but I didn't spend anything for there was no G Scale that I could find. All in all it was a great day. Well on Thursday I go for another MRI on my lower spine, to see if they can finally see what is happening to my back. They first told me I would be on a waiting list for 3-4 month for the MRI, but the day after I saw the specialist, they call me and told me to be there for the 22nd of October. Lot of folks are complaining about the medical system here, but for some reason, anytime that I have had to have anything done especially test, I have gotten them rather fast. I sure have nothing to complain about. Well bye for now, will keep you posted.

Gary

More Additions to the BLR

Well I went and did it I called my friend and he gave me an excellent price on 5 freight cars and a caboose(Van), I could not refuse. So now I have a CP Grey Steel Reefer, CP Chemical Single Dome Tank Car Tuscan & Grey, CP Yellow Steel Box Car, CP Red Gondola Car with ends that drop down, Ontario Northern Blue Steel Box Car and a CP Red & Yellow Steel Caboose (Van) with lights and lanterns. All the cars have Aristo Knuckle Couplers and Aristro Metal Wheels. These additions have certainly made my Small BLR layout much bigger in equipment. They don't look to bad on the layout either. Still have problems with my legs, I was to see the Doctor today and I am not progressing as well as I expected that I would and he wasn't please. So they are scheduling another MRI for the lower spine, below where they just operated in May. He thinks that S1 & S2 area my be the cause. Stay tuned for another saga of Gary and The BIG little RAILWAY.

NewAdditions to the BLR

Well I got a big surprise the other day,my best friend decided to get out of G scale and was selling his equipment. I bought from him an LGB CP F7A & F7B units along with a USA Trains Alco S4 CP diesel switcher. I was really happy to get the F7's for I had a set when they first came out and I sold them when we move to this apartment. A move I have always regretted(selling the locomotives) the sound of these diesels is out of this world. He also has four box cars for sale and I am having a hard time not buying them as well. I know I shouldn't but I am going to give him a call and see what he is asking for them, maybe the Big little Railway will get even bigger,equipment that is. I will let you know what happens in my next post.

HAPPY RAILROADING

BLR NW2 CN SWITCHER

Well I have been running my new US TRAINS NW2 CN Switcher for about two weeks now and I am very please with it. The locomotive runs beautiful, looks great. It looks like I will be taking up the track on the patio that I run my SD70MAC on for the weather is great, but it is getting a little cool sitting out with the winds. I probably will not be making my October trip to my friends layout in New Brunswick Canada this year, for my legs are still giving me a lot of problems. It has been 4 months since the operation I had on my back to free up nerve blockage, progress has been slow and driving 5 hrs is not a good thing for my legs, also standing or sitting for long periods tends to bother them also. I was told that it could be up to a year to improve my walking. Well I guess that I will stop writing and get back to running trains on my indoor layout. Bye for now

Gary

BLR Hurricane Coming

Well we have some bad weather coming this Sunday a Hurricane. The BLR is safe for it is an indoor layout. But my SD70 MAC which I run on my patio has to be moved before the storm or I may have a flying SD70MAC, winds are expected to be 120 kilometers + and 100mm 0f rain in just over a 12 hour period is expected. I just ordered an NW2 CN Switcher along with a wooden caboose from Art Knapps in British Columbia Canada. He had a special order of 100 of these switchers made in CN colors, they look beautiful , should have it within a week. Cannot wait to run it on the BLR. We have had a rotten summer so far, fog,mist,drizzle every second day, but from the first of August it has changed to 30 degrees Celsius and humidity of 70-90, cannot complain or we will probably go right into winter, haven forbid. The SD70MAC has sure got a lot of running these last few weeks. I hope after the hurricane that the weather continues to be good. Well I have gone on long enough, bye for now.

Gary

SD70MAC

Well here it is July 11 2009 and I finally got my track put up on the patio, thanks to my friend Joz. I heard my SD70MAC Sound system for the first time live (only on videos before this). It sure sounds great better than I ever expected. My back is coming along fine and I now am getting around with just a cane when I am outside. I also started back running trains every Tuesday and Friday at the IWK Children's Hospital in Halifax NS Canada. I have been doing this for over 14 years now. We have an O Gauge Layout, with a HO Layout under two sides of the O layout and also an N Scale layout under one of the other sides. We also have a small Z scale layout located on the O layout and it represents a ride on train at a local park. The overall size of the layout is 15'x15'x15'x15'. We have approximately 18 Buttons located on the outside of the O Gauge layout that the children can push and activate different scenes on the layout. I sure am glad to get back to the IWK Railway for I really missed those smiling faces of the children. Well I guess I should stop rambling on for now

Take Care
Gary

Back Operation

Well I had my back operation on May 4Th 2009. It was a Laminectomy and Fusion. Everything went well and I am on the road to recovery. Having a lot of pain, but that's to be expected. I will be having my stitches out shortly and then it just straight recovery. I will know how things are going when I make my visit to the Dr's on JULY 31st 2009. He will advise me what the future will hold. I finally got to hear the sound system of my SD70MAC instead of on videos "FANTASTIC " better than I expected, now all I have to do is get better so I can lift the SD70C for it weighs 15lbs and I am not allow to lift anything over 5 lbs. My friends are going to lay the track on my patio for me and then I will be able to see her running with the sound.

Take Care
Gary

Moncton Show

Well two friends and I went to the Moncton Train Show (Canada) on Saturday. The show was great, lots of displays and sellers, met a lot of friends that I haven't seen for months and some new ones. Not much in the way of G scale, but that was okay , had fun anyway enjoying all the other scales. Moncton has a beautiful G Scale Modular Layout, but because of space limitations, they very seldom show it. That is a BIG SHAME, for the G Scale modellers have done a marvelous job building it. Talking about G scale, I picked up my USA TRAINS SD70MAC from my friend in Fredericton, who has put a QSI Sound System and Decoder in it for me, cannot wait to here the sound. Well its Easter Sunday, I better get back to looking for the eggs. "HAPPY EASTER EVERYBODY "

Gary

Not doing much these days

Have not done much since my last post. I have a back problem that is causing my legs not to function properly. Some days I can get around with a cane , other days I have to use a walker, the odd day I don't have to use anything,but those are very few. I am waiting to have an operation on my back, which they hope to relieve the pressure on a group of nerves that are being squashed together by the lower area of my back bone that has collapsed and are now fused together, causing the problem. I find it difficult to stand for any length of time and I don't have a chair at present that is height enough that I can work on my layout while sitting down. Hope to get one soon and I can get back to running the trains.

USA TRAINS CONTAINER CAR (CN)

I forgot to mention that I was at a Train Show in November at Dartmouth NS Canada, not much G Scale, but I was able to pick up a USA Trains CN Container car with CN containers. This is a beautiful car, excellent detail. I cannot run it on my indoor layout, but I will be running it behind my USA Trains BNSF SD70MAC, which I set up on my patio during the summer, cannot wait to see this car behind my locomotive.

Take care for now Gary