MARCH 2015 COFFEE POT. 11 years running. Sweet ice tea and grits for the southern gents, coffee and donuts for the Yanks

[SPMan]

Good morning all,

Wife went for ultra sound adominal scan this morning.  Took about 45 minutes in all.  Hope everything is OK.

Re phone calls for windows, I get them all the time for solar panels etc.  Got a new one today on the answering machine from a person claiming to be a debt collector.  I don't owe a thing.  If it was ligitimate, they would send me a bill.  Caller left a phone number to call right away.  Sounds like a scam.  Did not call back.

later,

Ray

[dougdagrump]

Just read a story online, guess stupidity has struck again. Dummy was having difficulty make a turn with an 18wheeler at a RR crossing. He bailed and left the truck on the crossing just in time for Amtrak. Engine on it's side plus some derailed cars, at least they are saying that there are no critical injuries. |(]

http://www.cox.com/myconnection/today/news/national/article.cox?articleId=9d6609e856be4221a605f0d5c6f799bc&moduleType=apNews

Seems as though a day doesn't go by w/o two or three, at a minimum, sales pitches. I am tempted to pick up one of those air horns to give them a blast when they call.

[KRM]

dougdagrump

Just read a story online, guess stupidity has struck again. Dummy was having difficulty make a turn with an 18wheeler at a RR crossing. He bailed and left the truck on the crossing just in time for Amtrak. Engine on it's side plus some derailed cars, at least they are saying that there are no critical injuries. |(]

http://www.cox.com/myconnection/today/news/national/article.cox?articleId=9d6609e856be4221a605f0d5c6f799bc&moduleType=apNews

 

Yeah it is the same here always something going off the tracks.

Poor Doug M. Wonder if he is stuck by this one????

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-metra-derailment-20150309-story.html

 

[cheapclassics]

Good evening all,

Quiet day at work.  I did get some good news on the new parking situation today.  A shuttle will still be running from where we park to where we work.   That is a relief.   I did my complete walk at noon.  Odd at how many people were outside now that the weather was tolerable.  (Posers, wannabes).  No indoor soccer this week again.  Ugh.   May have to do some practicing for the Mini instead.   Wife subbed today and she kept the kids in line.   I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill...........

It is cloudy and 38 degrees. Rain coming.

Today is an easy day. A few chores to do and then lunch. A nap for sure.

Y'all have a great Tuesday.

Chuck

[lion88roar]

wrmcclellan

Fifer - estate? Yatchet? What's next? Chief is cleaning out his estate...

Roy - Fife is relocating to WVa... anything over an acre is considered an estate there. At least it isn't live NC where anything over 1/4 acre is considered an estate.

My thoughts on RR Crossings... we have heard about red light cameras... well why not install them at every grade crossing? When the lights come on if you cross - $10,000.00 fine. This is now the second truck driver that has caused a derailment due to stupidity. Oh and they didn't even charge the guy in CA that killed multiple people by parking his truck across the tracks.

There are a few at-grade crossings on one of my routes home and I can tell you I've seen some really stupid stuff, and all to save a few minutes... sad and frightening.

[wrmcclellan]

Afternoon all!

Brent

Telemarketers - I am starting to get calls on my cell phone now. It is at the point that if we do not recognize the number we simply do not pick up. If it is important they will leave a voice mail. Don't get many voice mails.

Rain here has helped. But to illustrate how bad the drought is, the lake that is our areas main water supply came up 3 1/2 ft in last 45 days, yet it is only at 60% capacity.

Excellent story on news just now - e-cigarettes are exploding! With shrapnel! I will make sure I steer a wide berth around those guys!

Weather today is dreary but starting to dry out. Temps not going up much contrary to yesterday's reports. 58 or so. Again the temps are being predicted as better "tomorrow". Come on Spring!

[rtraincollector]

Afternoon all

Roy for the unwanted sales call's found a cure a long time ago I got a can of blast that some use at a football game ( high school ) or on a boat for emergency to signal for help. make sure your talking to a live person and then blast that in the phone there wering head sets one blast and hang up after you've a few it's amazing how they have drop off It's rare I get calls other than accidental wrong numbers. 

 

[KRM]

wrmcclellan

 Telemarketers - I am starting to get calls on my cell phone now. It is at the point that if we do not recognize the number we simply do not pick up. If it is important they will leave a voice mail. Don't get many voice mails.

 

 I have started to just answer the phone and say hello. Then when the person starts to talk I wait about 3 seconds and say hello again. Then they start to talk again and I wait about 3 seconds and say hello again.
By now they are frustrated and hang up or try to talk again, if they do try to talk again I talk as if I am a recording and say “This phone does not take un-known callers,, have a great day” then hang up.
 I have more fun than they do. 

[cheapclassics]

Good evening all,

Rainy in Indiana today.  I had to take my walk inside for part of it.  Work was chaos today as too much confusion was going on.   Other issues raised their head as well.  At least I did not have to drive and when I do drive this week, I can use the truck.   I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[8ntruck]

Playing catch up.  It has been a rough couple of weeks.  I went out of town on Feb. 25 on a business trip to Windsor, Ca. 

I got a call from my wife that her father had died.  We got the travel plans re-shuffled for her to meet me in Detroit, then we spent the rest of the week traveling around mid-Michigan making and carrying out the funeral arrangements.  Finally got home late last Saturday afternoon.  Spent Sunday getting my wife's car from KCI, as I had flown out of, and we had returned to St Louis.  Life will slowly return to normal.

Odd thing is, it was my in-laws neighbor's dog that got me choked up.  My father in law always had some sort of treat for the neighborhood dogs, so couple of them of them would wander by once or twice a day to visit with him.  When the dog showed up Saturday morning to see her buddy and get her treat,  he was not there.

On the train activity front, I confirmed my place in a local train show in April.  I signed up for a layout.  I'll have four 8 foot tables, about 16' by 7', to set up a layout.  Going to have to get items ready for this over the next month or so.

All for now.

[cnw1995]

Aloha. Enjoing the sun and warmer weather this week. Youngest's band concert at school last night was perfect - started on time, went through the program and were done is less than half an hour. 8n, my condolences on you and your wife's loss. That would've broken me up too. Wow, your layout should be great at that train show.

Amtrak doesn't run on my commute's track - though on Monday evening, right at rush hour, an F40 derailed right beyond the throat of the downtown station. It was interesting to see the station dispatcher weave 9 and 11 car trains around the derailment. Not sure how they re-railed it.

[sir james I]

Still here every day, just checking in.

Sun and 50 today, no major plans for me right now.

S.J.

[lion88roar]

Mornin' Fellas

8n - prayers for you, your wife, and your family. Touching story about the neighbor's dog.

SJ - good to see you are still 'checking in'.

It has been interesting around here lately... Taking the last CRT TV to Best Buy today, bought a new 50" LED for the master bedroom and moved the old 40" LED to the spare room. When I pulled the old wall mount off the wall I took a rather nasty sized chunk of drywall with it (which Christina then informed TheQ about when she got home "Mommy Daddy put a hole in the wall because he bought a new TV!"... what a disaster!

Called Comcast last month to 'negotiate' a reduced 'long term' rate. We had 3 connections, internet, and phone with them and it was over $220/month. I got them down to $185/month... then the guy asked if we needed a 4th connection, "Not right now, why?" 'Well if you had 4 connections it would be $180/month' ... hence the new TV. The 4th box and a new cable modem/router will be here by weeks end. In two years I'm hoping to drop the cable and just have internet. Been looking at Amazon FireTV, NetFlix, HBO2GO, BTN2GO, and a few other services. The biggest cost will be the Amazon FireTV boxes @ $89/box. Will also need a multi-room omni-directional off-air HDTV antennae... but only looking at @ $250 for that with a 75 mile range. We'll see.

[KRM]

Like Doug said,,,,,nice out there today. Even better out here away from the giant icicle.

8N prayers for your wife and you, Hard times for sure.

Brent. That multi-room omni-directional off-air HDTV antennae thing. Is that for local stations? We have two TVs and a common box in the basement where the wires are. I have been thinking about just trashing DirecTV and getting one of those ones that get the free stations. Is that what I need to look for? I would need something for better than 80 miles.

[cheapclassics]

Good evening all,

8N, sorry to hear of your loss.  My condolences to your family.   KRM, I have just over the air antenna, which is about 50 to 60 miles away from any station.  Most of the time it works ok.   Yes, I have no cable and I miss some of what I like to watch, but there is enough soccer on regular TV (Telemundo) and ESPN3.com and Indy car is on Youtube the next day or so for the non-network events.   I only miss F-1 and to pay that much to get the 16-18 races not on network TV is not worth it.   Work was busy today and the weather was sunny this afternoon.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[8ntruck]

Thanks for the thoughts, all.

[anjdevil2]

8N

 

[lion88roar]

Kev,
Yes it if for off-air reception. Multi-Directional is so you don't have to turn the antenae toward the tower broadcasting the signal. If you are 80+ miles out I don't think they make a multi-directional, multi-set antenae for that. I know there are antenae that have greater range, but they are typically single direction, single set.

Follow this link it will take you to AntennaWeb's webpage. They have a tool you can use to determine what antenna will work best for you.

[KRM]

Thanks Brent. Plug in zip 61341 and 2544 n 2950th Rd,, you will see I am kind of stuck to DirecTV Glad you showed me that link first. Now if I had a 30' + tower I could get to Chicago 65 miles away maybe?

[lion88roar]

Kev - if you have a chimney you would only need a 10' - 15' pole. When I checked their site there is a link to the right for a 125 mile omni-directional antenna that can feed 8 TVs and it is under $100... not bad. A chimney pole, antenna, wire, and other parts would only run about $250. For me that is @ 1.10 months of cable service... from my estimates I would have to spend @ $600 to get what I need, then my recurring fees would be for internet ($80/month), Amazon Prime ($99/year), NetFlix ($10/month). Definitely something to look into in 2 years.

[KRM]

 Hi there,

Brent, thanks again. I will need to look at it some more. Our house is set in trees that are 40 to 90' tall facing in the direction of Chicago, Don't know what that will do as well.

I spent the day taking care of the 19 month old grandson.  Boy he is a bit more than his older sister.  We did do Gator rides and run trains. Today I got my free Lionel catalogs sent to me from Charles Ro. Very nice of them to send you the catalogs if you buy something from them. So during nap time.
 I looked at the lower stuff that I could maybe afford and I must admit I do like the Albert Hall European set. For some reason Doug M comes to mind as a perfect owner for the set to. I also liked the Western Union set but I am not going to get any more 4-4-0s  for a while but the colors and freight loads are nice. I also liked the hobby shop GP38 set but mostly because of the engine. The North M7 set is very nice to. And to finish the GP20 BNSF and the BN NW2 would be nice to have also. Maybe tomorrow I will look into the Signature Edition catalog and see what I know I can’t afford.   

[cheapclassics]

Good evening all,

Very busy day at work.  Did 25 cases today.  Weather not as nice as yesterday.  Ran the 318E with the gondolas tonight.   Had to clean the track where it triggers the crossing gate.   Runs like a champ.  There is nothing quite like the thunder that is standard gauge.  KRM, I hear you on the catalogs.   Nothing really trips my switch this year.   I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[dbaker48]

Good Eveninging All!

Yep, I'm still alive!

But first my sincere condolences to 8n and his wife, and family.  Hope everything goes as well as can be.

My leg recovery is doing well!  I was at the Dr's today, and FINALLY got my cast removed!  You can't imagine what it feels like.  I had a CT scan done yesterday and the Dr reviewed it.  There still is some additional bone growth necessary, and he is being conservative considering my history.  He wants me to wear a "cam-walker" for the next 6 weeks.  The cam walker essentially is a removable walking cast, held on with Velcro straps.  It consists of the boot, and extends up to about 3" below my knee.  But, can be removed for sleeping, or in the house.  I can make short trips to the bathroom, etc. without wearing it.  He indicated that there were some pockets that need to be filled in within the tibia, and the best way that will happen is through usage.  So I need to consistently do some walking daily and also "knee bends" exercises.  He didn't want to start therapy yet, in order to get more bone growth.  I asked him to check how much ankle deflection I have, to kinda have a baseline from where I am starting from.  It is 10%, so I have a long way to go, but at least I've started.

Kay had been doing great with her situation, (BC).  She has completed all the major kemo treatments and had reconstruction surgery.  Her attitude continues to be remarkable, and it makes both of us extremely optimistic.  All her Dr's are very pleased with her progress, and she doesn't go back to Dr for 3 months.

In the mean time I've been working on various small projects in the backyard and the train room.  Nothing real exciting but stuff that I wanted to get done AND could do.

So ALL is well here, and I really appreciate all the support and well wishes you guys have provided me in the past year and half.

Time for dinner, so got to get going.  BTW its was 91 here today, and suppose to be warmer tomorrow.  Will check out the pool and spa tomorrow, might take advantage of the weather with the spa, it should be ready to go.

Take Care, Be Safe and Stay Healthy!

[8ntruck]

Nice day here today.  Partly cloudy with temps around 70.

I picked up a set of Lionel catalogs yesterday at the LHS.  Nothing really jumped out as a 'got to have'.  The animated zombie gondola looks fun, as does the Moon Pie boxcar.  The Lionelchief plus NYC Hudson and the Detroit Tigers bocar also look interesting.

All for now.

[sir james I]

Happy Friday the 13th

But it's no fun saying it when it really is.

S.J.

[KRM]

  Sunny, 40 degrees and going to 64 later, Nice!
I see the crazy page numbers are working fine here again! 

[wrmcclellan]

Morning all!

Really busy the last couple of days but things evening out now.

Don - great news!  for you and Kay.

8n - sorry for your loss

Good to have SJ back!

Finally yesterday - nice temps and partly sunny! Today - mid-60's and very light rain. Weekend is supposed to be really nice! 70 and sunny!  

 

[cnw1995]

Aloha from a sunny and 60s northweastern Illinois where I just returned from grocery shopping and now will work for a while. Boy, I like that Albert Hall set, Kev. I'd have to change all the layout curves from 027 to run it though. DonB, that's great news about your leg and Kay's progress.

Last year, I experimented with an antenna I put on the top of the garage with a powered booster in the garage attic - that pulled in about 60 channels from Chicago which is about 50 miles away - lots of weird ones in Polish and Korean. I have broached the topic with SWMBO after showing her the U-verse bills. I'd need a multi-unit switch from the cable in the basement to hook up more than one TV, more robust in-house wifi - maybe some sort of booster or extender - and an over-air DVR. When I start thinking about all that, it's easier to pay another month of U-verse. 

 

 

[Buckeye Riveter]

TGIF....... It was a traveling week.  I was in God's Country for a conference then headed north to Golden Domerville for a meeting.  For several miles the road ran parallel to the original right-of-way of the Wabash RR.  It has been double tracked and updated with new signal systems since I rode the Wabash Cannonball.