From Da Train Guy!

[chiloquinruss]

Well we had our first weekend of our annual Holiday Express. It was chilly, but a ton of fun! Enjoy. Russ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1IvDfROMjY

[scottp55]

That was Great Russ!! Still grinning
What's the elevation there?
Temps are way abnormal here(50F today) and the ground isn't even frozen which is weird!
Put me in the spirit
Was that you that derailed?
Thanks for posting, although I like your big scale models in the shop the best.
scott

[chiloquinruss]

Elevation 4300, half way between Mt Shasta in Calif, and Crater lake in Oregon. I was not on the trip that derailed but inside nice and warm! I have derailed before though. The steel wheels on the trains get really cold and if the snow is just a little wet it ices up the small flange area and off the track we go. In the summer time the issue is pine needles and pine cones, but in the winter . . . . . . . . Most of the larger displays for the event, Santa sleigh, Santa stage, etc., I did on my bot along with all of the signage. Russ

[scottp55]

Thanks Russ,
Yup, your elevation we would have got some snow like you, as well as my beaver pond totally frozen over, instead of someone still cutting wood with a BIG chipload 2 days ago
I'll double watch in AM.
DID notice someone did a nice sign on the wall
scott

[kevin]

Seeing the snow seems so far away where warm here to
Russ the sprite of what you do is amazing [those kids will remember and pass the torch ]we lost are trains in 67 took them out to save money

[Burkhardt]

Russ, that is really cool (well, literally).
I have been in your area a few times on road trips in summer. Just beautiful.
I guess I don't have the type of car to go there in Winter...

[chiloquinruss]

"DID notice someone did a nice sign on the wall" Yeah that was fun, an 8 footer. I quickly learned that doing signs that big takes up a lot of horizontal shop space!

The kids are so much fun and have such a great time. At the event we have the train ride to and from the North Pole, story time, letters to Santa, pix with Santa, decorating cookies and ornaments, and lots of food! Russ

[shilala]

That is SO cool!!!
I heard a lady at the beginning say "How are you?" and it was so sweet. I'd have said "Froze. And you?"
First crash of the snow season, I think your buddy might have been getting after her a little too hard.

We, too, have had nothing to mention, snow-wise. 1/2" here and there around Halloween. Now it's been in the 60's, today it's 51*.
That's in Cleveland.
When I was a kid, I lived on a lake in PA about 150 miles east of here. The ground was always froze solid by the week before Christmas, and the lake was ready for ice fishing by Christmas Eve at the very latest.
Now the lake seldom gets safe to fish, and if it does, it lasts about 6 weeks.
The ground hasn't frozen here in the 5 years I've lived here. The snow keeps it insulated and thawed.

Just reminiscing.
Thanks for sharing, Russ!!!
That video was spectacularly clear, by the way. Beautiful.