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January 2023 Happy New Years, 18 Years and counting, Coffee & Donuts are over in the corner. Locked

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January 2023 Happy New Years, 18 Years and counting, Coffee & Donuts are over in the corner.
Posted by smokey1 on Saturday, December 31, 2022 11:04 PM

HAPPY NEW YEARS ALL

welcome to 2023.

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Posted by fifedog on Sunday, January 1, 2023 6:50 AM

Mornin' guys and gals. Mild temps in the 40's and a nice sunrise along the Alleghany front-range. We will probably kick off '23 with a couple mile hike today. Can't use our usual stompin' grounds, as too squishy from the melting snohizo. We sent all offending cookies home with the skinny-as-a-rail boyfriend of the youngest princess.

Spent last evening at Middle Princess's house. I took some of my flashy freight cars over, and the Hogwart's Express had an unusual consist. The youngest grandson and I spent an hour on the floor playing with the train. Steamed shrimp on the grill, with baked potato and crab pretzel for supper. I was in bed before midnight.

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Sunday, January 1, 2023 9:05 AM

Happy New Year everyone!

Yeah Fife, I was in bed before midnight myself, I don't care to stay up to "The Witching Hour" myself anymore.

Especially in this day and age!  I used to fire a flintlock salute to the new year at midnight but if I tried it now someone would probably call the cops!  Surprise

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Posted by fifedog on Sunday, January 1, 2023 9:33 AM

Flint - Idea Move near me and the neighbors would contribute with companion volleys.Cowboy

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Sunday, January 1, 2023 1:47 PM

Wow!  Sounds like my kind of neighborhood!  Big Smile

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Sunday, January 1, 2023 2:47 PM

Happy New Year gang.

 Thanks for the words of support, Grand-pup is having a rough day. Vet said the next 48 hours or so should tell the story the meds are killing off the fungus in her lungs. So her breathing is very labored. I had never heard of this Blastomycosis but it seems it can be picked up by any dog who is in woods or other dence wood and moist areas. If they are hunters or diggers it is worse. Something to know of. If you have a dog and want to know more here is a very good link.

Blastomycosis in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospital (vcahospitals.com)

 

Best get as Bank's would always say!

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by smokey1 on Sunday, January 1, 2023 3:40 PM

Sorry to hear about grand pup Kevin, they become part of the family. 

This has been the day of the idiots for me, Have a car listed for $24,999 Will you take $10,000, I have 2 trainsets listed on the evil bay, do you know how many owners these have had? come on, there 70 and 73 years old give me a break. 

Felt like asking a ridiculous question back but decided to keep it civil.

Hope all are having a good first day of 2023. As a whole I am, but who knows with the way things are going.

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Posted by fifedog on Monday, January 2, 2023 7:26 AM

Mornin' guys and gals. Cloudy and a mild 44 along the Patterson Creek cut-off. Me thinks the Christmas decor is coming down today, as red hearts are emerging from the storage room... 

We did hike our usual trail yesterday. Got in a couple miles, even though there was still snow covered stretches around Helmstetters.

Did start switching out the consists in the train room. Made sure that the grandsons trains were prominently displayed on the top shelves, and returning the Lionel Generals et al on the 4 lines.

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Posted by smokey1 on Monday, January 2, 2023 8:11 AM

Morning all, Happy January 2nd. 


No real plans for today, 51* at 7a.m. going to 68* this afternoon. 

May wash the T-Bird today and put the cover on her.

Well not sure I've told you all (Probably have) but the 390E original only goes in reverse, so it's going to go to my friend George. 

Anyhow standard gauge cars start at ( looking crappy ) $50 and go up. repainted and looking like a decent job, $75 and up, and that is what I believe I found with a 384 steam engine with a bild a loco motor in it also. So for about $ 400 worth of cars and an engine which has a messed up frame ( workable) I bought and will probably come out ahead on this as I can sell the good parts off the engine (keeping the bild a loco ( for a spare just in case) I should actually come out ahead when all is said and done. 

So when it comes in I should be able to get my 390E back together and going. :) My passenger cars will be here Wednesday. :) and they will probably get paired up with the original eventually. ( old with old) The repaint looks like new with the remake looking like a new engine.

So when I can I'm going to start taking down the original layout table and start cutting it into a size where I can put 2 loops of G and two loops of standard gauge, and maybe a loop of O, or I may build an elevated layout in O gauge. Glad I decided on this now not after I got things going and kinda permanent. 

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Posted by 8ntruck on Monday, January 2, 2023 5:43 PM

Happy New Year.  Was out raking leaves today in mid 50's temps.  2 mile walk with the dog, too.

No train news, just enjoying what y'all report.

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 12:27 PM

Our Grand Pup Nala passed this morning at her home about 7:00AM . Her fight is over. We put her to to rest here on the property she loved the most.

May be an image of dog and indoor

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by fifedog on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 12:41 PM

Mornin' guys and gals. Overcast and 50 in the Potomac Highlands. Was raining a while ago, and actually washed the SUV, kinda cleaning off the road gunk. Christmas has been exorcised from Fifedom, and it took about 9 hours to break it all down and pack it away.

KRM - tough news about the dog.

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Posted by anjdevil2 on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 3:46 PM

Happy New Year

KRM - Sorry about your grand puppy

Not much going on - did some running around yesterday, Jenni spent some on a few items at Hobby Lobby.  We met with a contractor about expanding her house and a modest estimate about $100K.

Been messing with Jenni's N scale layout and it just gives me a headache. I have 2 interconnected outside loops done nicely, the longer wheel base trains derail on 1 curve but otherwise it's fine.  The inner loops has nothing but dead ends and switches and the building layout is a mess.  I' most likely put everything away and ponder my options - all the buildings are glued to the table and the accesory wiring is a nightmare....

NYE we sat and watched the ball drop and toasted with some Asti and was abed by 0100.

Rain and 60F today, rain and 50F tomorrow

I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.
I am the venom in your skin  --- Breaking Benjamin


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Posted by Flintlock76 on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 8:28 PM

Our sincere sympathies 'K.  Nala looks like she was a sweet dog and a fine companion.  We've "been there" ourselves and as I said earlier it never gets easier. 

This may sound a bit blasphemous but I think the only mistake God ever made was in not letting dogs live longer than they do.

"If there's no dogs in Heaven then when I die I want to go where they go."

Will Rogers

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Posted by smokey1 on Wednesday, January 4, 2023 8:21 AM

Kevin sorry to hear that, she looked like a nice dog. 

Were under severe thunderstorms at present. 

No real plans at present. 

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Wednesday, January 4, 2023 12:37 PM

Thanks guys, it will take a bit she was such a great pup we loved her a lot, and Flintlock I agree 100%, Nala got jipped, she would of been 3 next month. Anyone in or close to woods with a larger dog or a digger dog needs to know about this. They can even get in mowed yards.  Sad

Weather has been warm made getting her in the ground much better that it could be in Jan here. Our neighbor is going to make a marker for her. More for the grandkids, you know. Tongue Tied

Ordered some little things for my #69 maintenance car that should show up later. The Danged sign broke off and it is ready for a lube job. Wink Menards has their 15% off anything that fits in the bag so I am going to go look at what cars they have left over and see if anything strikes my fancy.

 Best get.

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by smokey1 on Wednesday, January 4, 2023 5:49 PM

We have a small train museum here in Spartanburg, at the old Railroad Depot, It's called " Hub City Railroad Museum" I offered back before thanksgiving a couple of my Southern Train sets in O gauge on a loan bases and they came and got my Williams Brass set which is a southern 4-6-2 steam engine, Southern Hopper, B&O Tank car, SUNX tank car, and Southern Caboose. Also my Lionel 2231W set.

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Posted by fifedog on Thursday, January 5, 2023 8:34 AM

smokey - Did the museum set up a small loop to run your trains on? I check on the Virtual Railfan camera there from time-to-time (mainly NS). It was the Clinchfield's southern terminus.

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Posted by smokey1 on Thursday, January 5, 2023 11:13 AM

fifedog

smokey - Did the museum set up a small loop to run your trains on? I check on the Virtual Railfan camera there from time-to-time (mainly NS). It was the Clinchfield's southern terminus. 

No, just a static display

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Posted by TheWaysideRailroader on Thursday, January 5, 2023 11:55 AM

Happy New Year.

Not much to report, other than I bought a Lionel NYC Crew Car off of Trainz.com (I like them, you can find good deals there sometimes.)

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Posted by fifedog on Friday, January 6, 2023 6:26 AM

Mornin' guys and gals. Cooling back down after this week's mild weather. Yesterday, went to WM station and took down the decorations from chapter caboose CRR 1072. Then hiked a little on the C&O Canal. CSX double-stack train was moving next to towpath, as WMSR 1309 and 501 were making switching moves across the Potomac. So yeah, life is good.

Ms Kelly is babysitting today, and has already requested dine out or carry out. Youngest Princess will be headed back to college for her FINAL semester. Where did the time go...?

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Friday, January 6, 2023 8:50 AM

Hi, from a fair temp North Bluff above Marseilles IL. To warm for Jan, but I will take it.

Neighbor and I went to Menards to get some nice red cedar for a marker for the grand-pup he is making for her. As long as I was there and they had the 15% off anything that fits in the bag I grabed a two pack of Burlington Northern Railroad flat cars and a toy road roller to make a load. Yes 

Had the grand-kids yesterday and they are still taking things kind of hard but we ran trains and I lubed the # 69 and have it ready for the new parts when they show up.

Bout it here.

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by 8ntruck on Friday, January 6, 2023 10:20 PM

About 50 and sunny here in mid-MO today.   

FIRST Robotics 2023 season kick off is tomorrow, so my robotics team mentoring duties start in earnest tomorrow.  Won't be much time for train stuff for the next few months.

I'll just keep ghosting around here.

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Posted by fifedog on Sunday, January 8, 2023 3:08 PM

Evenin' guys and gals. Cloudy & 41, with snohizo overnight. Spent last two days volunteering at the RR museum. Saw my old conductor/mentor at the caboose yesterday, which was nice. Also got the museum's N-gauge layout running again. A larger scale would be more reliable, me thinks.

Pesto chicken for dinner. Dinner

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Posted by El Fixes Things on Sunday, January 8, 2023 9:54 PM

Hey gang!
You'll notice I'm now no longer under the username "Leverettrailfan", but I'm the same person- something weird happened and I just couldn't get back into my account, so I had to make a new one Bang Head

Towards the end of December last year I got my new computer, but it's been a learning curve to get used to everything that's different, and I've been busy.

Very sorry to hear about the loss of your grand-pup Kevin.
I don't have a 69, but I have the mpc equivilent. It had few miles on it (from what I can tell) but ran terribly. It was a combination of old, congealed lubricant, and troubles with the reversing bumper struggling to ground to the frame properly. Unlike the postwar version, the chassis is painted, not blackened. Runs good as new now! I would love to find an authentic 69 some day though.

Currently still enjoying having the company of my brothers while they're on winter break, before the end of the month they're head back to college. I eagerly anticipate the "Big E" show in Springfield MA, put on by the Amherst Railway Society. Been saving up for this thing, fingers crossed everything goes to plan...

Happy new year all, hope it turns out to be a good one Smile

-Ellie

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Posted by Flintlock76 on Monday, January 9, 2023 8:23 AM

Good morning everyone!

Hey, I've got some good news!  Ellie's coming back!  However, it's with a new computer and that means she can't use her old account, so her new "callsign's" going to be "El Fixes Things."  As is typical with new accounts she'll be under moderation until the moderators know she's one of the "good guys," so be patient if you need a response.  From my own experience the mod period shouldn't be more than two weeks.

Anyway, welcome back Ellie!  You've been missed!  Big Smile

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Posted by El Fixes Things on Monday, January 9, 2023 9:29 AM

Looks like my post to the coffee pot made it thru security Smile, Wink & Grin
Should be clear from here on out, eh?

glad to be here again.

-Ellie

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Posted by smokey1 on Monday, January 9, 2023 9:31 AM

Welcome back Ellie, good to see you back. 

 

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Posted by fifedog on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 6:33 AM

Mornin' guys and gals. Mornin' Ellie. Cloudy and 28 along the Patterson Creek cut-off. After 12 hours babysitting the toddler, I'm gonna let Wifey sleep in. The lad was pleasant all day, with only moments of cheek.

Layout is totally turn-of-the-century once more. Colored dots have been applied to all the grandsons' and Fifepup's trains. What's left? Need to construct a couple faux-front card stock buildings, and add rolling hills backdrops. The Moorefield/stockyard area is the last in need of completing. More rolling stock shelves will be built (when oldest grandson visits), as well as trim along the layout edge. And push-button accessories. More push-buttons...

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 1:13 PM

Hi all, Welcom back Ellie, my #69 is a remake from 1991, 6-18046 but I like it. Does not run near as well as my original #50 gang car. Tongue Tied

Boy the weather is way to warm for this time of year. In the 50s today and should be 20s?

My brother called today and wants me to buy his trains, he is 72 years old, I had to say no. I have way too many but I did tell him to send me his inventory spreadsheet so I could see if there was anything I just had to have. Wink

Other than that just looking in.

 

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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