Well, May did not turn out exactly like I had hoped. Coming off that fantastic layout tour / open house at the end of April. The whole first week of the month was spent unwinding and getting ready to go to my daughter's graduation in Brookings, SD.
![IMG_0726 IMG_0726](https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/12129987972340381/filePointer/73087246025092217/fodoid/73087246025092199/imageType/MEDIUM/inlineImage/true/IMG_0726.JPG)
The only time I even went downstairs that week, was when I got phone call from a guy who had come out on the tour. He came over and we spent 3 hours talking about operations and how the layout should be run. Even though Gary is an HO guy, the layout seems to have left a good impression on him.
Gary and I have actually been acquainted with one another for a very long time, though my memories of him are much sharper than his of me, at least until now. When I was in my early teens, I attended a train show, and Gary had a timesaver layout. I was hooked on that thing. It changed my world and how I thought about trains. So deep down, he was a critical influence in my creating this.
After graduation, the rest of the month was spent picking and poking at a variety of small projects.
This is my rolling stock database. As I add cars to the layout, I record them here, then print the additions and give that list to my wife who hand writes out the car cards.
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These are the card boxes. They come from Micro Mark, as does the rest of the car card system. It is a nice basic starting point. The card boxes are varnished wood, but I like to paint them black.
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Here's the box at Pig's Eye.
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An overview of the yard.
![IMG_7550 IMG_7550](https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/12129987972340381/filePointer/73087246025092221/fodoid/73087246025092203/imageType/MEDIUM/inlineImage/true/IMG_7550.JPG)
My wife found these really neat paper clips with numbers on them, on Amazon.
![IMG_7551 IMG_7551](https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/12129987972340381/filePointer/73087246025092223/fodoid/73087246025092205/imageType/MEDIUM/inlineImage/true/IMG_7551.JPG)
This is Northtown (hump yard). The numbered clips tell which track the cars are on.
![IMG_7559 IMG_7559](https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/12129987972340381/filePointer/73087246025092222/fodoid/73087246025092204/imageType/MEDIUM/inlineImage/true/IMG_7559.JPG)
Here we have the Minnesota Commercial yard and all of its tracks full of cars.
![IMG_7552 IMG_7552](https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/12129987972340381/filePointer/73087246025092224/fodoid/73087246025092206/imageType/MEDIUM/inlineImage/true/IMG_7552.JPG)
I had some of my LionScale boxcars show up from Charlie Ro. The BNSF one were OK, but the NS had 3 broken trucks out of 3 cars. The problem is that the very fine rim on the bolster is sheering off during shipping. You can see how the material has just popped out around the hole.
![IMG_7553 IMG_7553](https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/12129987972340381/filePointer/73087246025092225/fodoid/73087246025092207/imageType/MEDIUM/inlineImage/true/IMG_7553.JPG)
And its remains are still under the screw head. The simple solution is to ship these with the trucks inside, and let the customer screw them on. Though a redesigned bolster with a thicker flange would be even better.
![IMG_7554 IMG_7554](https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/12129987972340381/filePointer/73087246025092226/fodoid/73087246025092208/imageType/MEDIUM/inlineImage/true/IMG_7554.JPG)
The LionScale cars look good. The first four in this shot are them.
![IMG_7560 IMG_7560](https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/12129987972340381/filePointer/73087246025092227/fodoid/73087246025092209/imageType/MEDIUM/inlineImage/true/IMG_7560.JPG)
I unpacked and programmed new F 40 PH's.
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And this Atlas Dash 40-B.
![IMG_7563 IMG_7563](https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/12129987972340381/filePointer/73087246025092229/fodoid/73087246025092211/imageType/MEDIUM/inlineImage/true/IMG_7563.JPG)
I bought myself a drafting arm, in order to finish drawing my track plans.
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Finally, my wife and I restarted the electronics project for the signals.
![IMG_7567 IMG_7567](https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendAction/fcType/0/fcOid/12129987972340381/filePointer/73087246025092231/fodoid/73087246025092213/imageType/MEDIUM/inlineImage/true/IMG_7567.JPG)
Sorry if it's not up to my usual level of excitement this month. My helpers haven't been around, I haven't been feeling the best, and my tools are still packed away from the open. Let's see if I can pull it back together in June.