I discovered this forum 1 year ago, and I really appreciate all the help, references, comments, suggestions and especially the friendship that has been provided.
As a result some of the things that I have benefited are:
- Clarification of TMCC and DCS
- Suggestions on planning and tips on designing a layout
- Resolution to problems dealing with various blunders I've made
- I have met Doug dagrump and the Chief
- And even had a few phone conversations
- Probably one of the greatest is a means to talk or even just observe others with a similiar interest discussing a topic of great importance to me. Keeping my interest in the hobby extremely high.
- Benefited from the many recommendations of various sources, and other items related to trains.
The re-discovery of the hobby and all the facets that are available today, has given me a whole new dimension of life to enjoy. Sure this probably sounds corny but it is true, before it was all work.
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU
Don
I really appreciate being able to use the forum and am thankful for all the friends that I have made. Been able to meet Laz, Roy, Mitch, Marty, Jon, Neil & Bob. Hope I didn't miss anyone. And hope to meet the Chief in March and Don in April.
It's been a great experience.
Don B. You forgot 1688 Resoration for your list. I've sent e-mails to you with my address to send your 1688 to Ohio for resoration- No Replies yet? I've been wondering if some Southern Martians lured you away with "Blue Grits" as Breakfast Food (You Turn Blue after eating them) I was about to make some Billboards with your Picture on them! With the message: "Call 1-800-555-XXXX if you have seen this man, He like's Toy Train's & The Three Stooges & has been known to drive Corvair's also." Just wondering if you're still interested? Take Care.
Thank You !!!!!
For I am here, alive, after one rough year. ALL of you, were here for me in my darkest hours. I made it. Just got my " In Perfect Health", results by my Doctor, after my recent check up. You guys are the best friends, a guy could ask for. I learned a lot from you. You helped me with a lot of train problems. You guys are the best.
Chuck
jefelectric wrote: I really appreciate being able to use the forum and am thankful for all the friends that I have made. Been able to meet Laz, Roy, Mitch, Marty, Jon, Neil & Bob. Hope I didn't miss anyone. And hope to meet the Chief in March and Don in April.It's been a great experience.
JOHN hit it on the head. Lots of great GIZ here and you too are one of them DON, nice to know you and maybe one time we too will meet?
laz57
Blueberryhill RR wrote: Thank You !!!!!For I am here, alive, after one rough year. ALL of you, were here for me in my darkest hours. I made it. Just got my " In Perfect Health", results by my Doctor, after my recent check up. You guys are the best friends, a guy could ask for. I learned a lot from you. You helped me with a lot of train problems. You guys are the best.Chuck
That is great news. It was a struggle for you and lots of prayers from us at one time.
Gang has grown from a very few to a big crowd. Left Bankers and Now UK. Daan from the Netherlands [once in a while now]. More Southern guys which is great. Too many Yankees as usual. Sure is an important part of my life. Gotten a lot of great ideas and help from here. Hope we keep growing.
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
Bob Mitchell Gettysburg, PA TCA # 98-47956 LCCA# RM22839
You guys have sure helped me a lot and this forum just seems like a nice friendly bunch of guys, even when the grits and snowflakes are flying.
RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.
I want to say thanks to someone that many of you really don't know, Big Boy. When we talk about experts with model trains, he is in the top ten. If you look back into the archives of this forum, you will see his input on many different topics.
I also want to thank Tom, Chief, Doug, Doug, Chuck, John, Kieth, Greg, Roy, Tom, Jeff, Tim, Kooljock,Dennis, Mike, Don, Mitch, Jim, John, Jon, Frank, Collin, Jerry, Ben, Laz, Daan, Bob, and many others who faithfully, not just during the winter months, provide the fun and knowledge that makes this forum worthwhile to the thousands who participate in varying ways. (We know your lurking. ) I'm looking forward to the increased participation of many of the newcomers to the forum, especially Kevin from Alaska. I certainly enjoy reading his postings while my teeth are chattering.
We must not forget the providers of this forum, Kalmbach Publishing and the ad sponsors. Thank you, Bob and Neil.
In ending, we always must remember, they are just toys.
See ya down the tracks,
Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum.
Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..
Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR
TCA 09-64284
tmcc man wrote:Don, I second your post. I enjoy talking to everyone on the forum. I was so happy to get a warm welcome when I first joined. I appreciate everyone here, and all the information I received from everyone. You are all amazing, and I hope to meet some of you.
Colin, I know you are one of the youngest on the forum and many of us have found you to be a delightful person with a great perspective on life and what is important. Tell your parents, that Buckeye said they raised a good kid.
Buckeye Riveter wrote: tmcc man wrote:Don, I second your post. I enjoy talking to everyone on the forum. I was so happy to get a warm welcome when I first joined. I appreciate everyone here, and all the information I received from everyone. You are all amazing, and I hope to meet some of you.Colin, I know you are one of the youngest on the forum and many of us have found you to be a delightful person with a great perspective on life and what is important. Tell your parents, that Buckeye said they raised a good kid.
for me too. You are one of " the guys " , Colin.
Just a Hobo wrote: dbaker48 -- just like you I pulled out my K-Line O guage 2-6-6-6 with railsounds about a 2 months ago to show my son and his buddies . It had been packed away for a couple years never ran . They did literal backflips . We took it to my brother in law's and fired her up. Guess what ? I'm now back into going the whole way into something I love but know very little of --- the new digital age. I'm learning alot here and have been buying cars -- detailed addons transformer and remote and layout items . What was I thinking letting it lay in a box when I could have been enjoying this new world all over again ? These guys are some of the most nicest helping people around and they don't realize how many of us just reading their expert advice they help ! Ready to build that new layout and can't wait . How great to have this forum after struggling years try and experiment on your own . THANKS GUYS --- My one son -- I have 4 -- is now into it with me and it brings back that quality time with one's son that seems to drift away -- PRICELESS. But if I don't stay off this forum I won't get anything done --- LOL ---
Just A Hobo : It's great having you here !! Hope I can help sometime & glad to hear your story about you & your one boy !! Many years ago, when I was in HO & then started working on the RR, I read an interesting story about a hobo. He, according to the story, became very famous & I can't really remember why but I think he used to write his name on freight cars all the time. A very fancy signature ! His name was J.B.king. Wonder if you had heard of him or other famous ones ? !! Anyway, hope you find time for the forum & get the layout up & running !!
Merry Christmas !!
Thanks, John
It's great to be able talking trains when only a few dutchmen have them.. I count about 5 or 6 people in the netherlands whom I know of having 0 gauge 3 rail trains. Being able to talk on a busy forum with a lot of people with the same interest is fun and contributes a lot to my hobby and sharing the pleasure i have with the trains makes it more enjoyable for myself too.
As far as I've seen there are 3 dutch people on this forum, Ulphard, Danny and myself, I noticed one from the UK and one from Australia..
The best thing to see this year was the closing of the everlasting carpet railway from the Chief! Somewhere I didn't expect him to start a layout, but from one day to another the carpet railroad evolved very rapidly into a real model railroad.
The ideas I get from you guys and the fun of chatting about trains contributes a lot to my own happyness, and I would like to thank you for that.
Keep 'm rolling!
There's an old joke about 6 blindmen walking down a road when they stumble upon an elephant. One grabs the trunk and says he has the elephant. Another grabs the tail and says that he is the one who has the elephant. Yet another grabs a tusk and a couple more grab a leg and all maintain they are the one's who have the elephant instead of the others.
I think this hobby is a bit like that joke too. In the last decade we've had more choices than ever before and we as a group of hobbiests have become more diversified. That inevitably makes for friction sometimes, but it sure does also keep things interesting.
I myself have had some very hard times in recent years. At one point in a moment of depair I mentioned I felt like "pulling my own plug" on one of BigBoy's threads. I was beseiged with emails from folks here on this forum... I had three solid pages of encouraging emails grom guys right here. And in this area of "political correctness" and "fear of offending" it was also encouraging to get emails from many here who are Christians and also believers. Might not be able to advertise it here, but it sure was a pat on the back for me.
It was shortly after that, when one Sunday I had gone to church and the Pastor unexpectedly announced they were taking a second collection to help me out. He told me later he had never done anything like that ever before, but was awoken in the middle of the night with a message that I needed help. I never had said anything to him. So inspite of all the negativity in the world - and even sometimes on this train forum - there's STILL plenty of good out there.
I'm probably standing off in my own field alone as far as much of how I run, operate and apporach the hobby. But that's okay. I probably come off as a little hard-nosed when it comes to TMCC and DCS. If those systems are what people prefer, that's fine. I always like to emphasize that they are not necessary though, to enjoy the hobby. Nor is spending loads of money on high end stuff.
I'm always blown away when I watch the news and see some scene of kids playing in some far off third world country. This has happened for me.... you see these kids playing in a bombed out empty lot, kicking a tin can around for a ball. No uniforms, no Nike sneakers or trendy clothes, AND YET those kids have the smiles and excitement on their faces as big as any I have ever seen. That's a humbling thing for me to see and reminds me it's mostly attitude.
That's really how I feel about the hobby too.
And we posters here will probably continue to disagree on somethings, which is okay. That's what brothers and families often do. And so how can we expect any less from this internet train forum family of brothers in the 3-rail train hobby.?
By the way, my posting box still shows no options for anything. I went through a bunch of my own older postings and figured out some of the essential forum codes and now just type them in to get a few smilies and my paragraph breaks.
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
Blueberryhill RR wrote: Buckeye Riveter wrote: tmcc man wrote:Don, I second your post. I enjoy talking to everyone on the forum. I was so happy to get a warm welcome when I first joined. I appreciate everyone here, and all the information I received from everyone. You are all amazing, and I hope to meet some of you.Colin, I know you are one of the youngest on the forum and many of us have found you to be a delightful person with a great perspective on life and what is important. Tell your parents, that Buckeye said they raised a good kid. for me too. You are one of " the guys " , Colin.
Brian, you have crawled out. I remember those days. Glad you saw the "light". Keep going.
Jerry and Ben have helped us a lot too.
God bless us all.
Just wanted to post my thanks as well! I've been collecting for about 11 years now. Started back up after a 10 year hiatis... I started collecting Great Northern and Northern Pacific, but have switched over to B&O and C&O, just more out there and more interesting stuff.
I've only been around about a month and was very pleased at the good-natured folks I've found. A definite wealth of knowledge that I'm not sure I could have found elsewhere! Thanks guys and I look forward to the days to come and when I finally have the big layout in the works, you are all welcome to stop by and lend a helping hand!BTW - the new house will only be 1 mile from the local butcher shop... fresh steaks, a beer (or glass of wine), some fresh coleslaw... that's all you need for hours of layout building and years of running trains!
lionroar88 wrote: but have switched over to B&O and C&O, just more out there and more interesting stuff.
but have switched over to B&O and C&O, just more out there and more interesting stuff.
Another great member of the forum with good taste.
BTW, Have you ever heard of Calvert Street in Baltimore?
Buckeye Riveter wrote: lionroar88 wrote: but have switched over to B&O and C&O, just more out there and more interesting stuff. Another great member of the forum with good taste. BTW, Have you ever heard of Calvert Street in Baltimore?
ChiefEagles wrote:Glad you are here. If I get to Baltimore Bass Pro, will contact you while I'm there.
To all,
This is a good thread. I am most appreciative of the support my family and I received from all of you. I also enjoy the comments people make about the "virtues" of their various locales. It is also good to meet and converse with people from all over the world who enjoy these odd little toys we call trains. Last, but not least, I appreciate and thank CTT for sponsoring this forum. I hope it never goes away as it is a part of my life I look forward to every day.
Keep on training,
Mike C. from Indiana
lionroar88 wrote: Buckeye Riveter wrote: lionroar88 wrote: but have switched over to B&O and C&O, just more out there and more interesting stuff. Another great member of the forum with good taste. BTW, Have you ever heard of Calvert Street in Baltimore? Buckeye... yes I have heard of Calvert Street. Not entirely certain what part of town it is in, but I have heard of it!Can you email me the links to the Heartland Project? I've been mega busy and lost track of the thread they were in!
Email has been sent.
Calvert Street in Baltimore is a north-south street. My father grew up on Calvert Street just two blocks south of North Avenue. He attended Poly High School on North Avenue. Their row house on Calvert St. was boarded up when I last saw it two years ago. My father, grandfather and grandmother are buried at the Baltimore National Cemetery. I used to ride the B&O to Baltimore in the 50's. Mount Royal Station, now an art gallery, is where we would arrive and depart. The train shed is an awesome piece of architecture.
Here is a photo you will recognize:
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