The "thing" is a NS research vehicle, AKA the "brick", I believe they are equipped as road slugs in addition to their testing equipment.
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
gmpullmanIs there still time to submit another "Ugly Railcar" contender?
Ed - it is a Fiat built "Littorina" railcar of the 1930s in the typical Italian State Railway (FS = Ferrovia dello Stato) livery. The name "Littorina" is said to have its origin from a visit of the former Duce Benito Mussolini to the town of Littoria, but I think it comes from a snail of that name.
If you take a close look on the picture, you will see the symbol of Mussolini´s Fascist party above the Fiat sign on the grill.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
That's it Stephen, here is what it does:
http://trn.trains.com/railroads/ask-trains/2009/05/ask-trains-from-may-2009
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
maxman Track fiddler Cash is King That's true if someone is paying you. But not necessarily true if you are buying something. I recently read about several very wealthy individuals who paid for everything with cash. Then they went to get a loan, I believe to purchase a house, and were denied everywhere. The problem was that they were ghosts, so far as the credit rating organizations were concerned. Because they always used cash they never established any credit, and because they had no credit they didn't have a credit score. So no credit score, no credit.
Track fiddler Cash is King
Cash is King
That's true if someone is paying you. But not necessarily true if you are buying something. I recently read about several very wealthy individuals who paid for everything with cash. Then they went to get a loan, I believe to purchase a house, and were denied everywhere.
The problem was that they were ghosts, so far as the credit rating organizations were concerned. Because they always used cash they never established any credit, and because they had no credit they didn't have a credit score. So no credit score, no credit.
I see I was misunderstood by my short statement. I agree with what you had to say here Maxman but I do not fall under this category.
I get paid with checks, put them in the bank and pay taxes just like everyone else.
The only thing I mean in my statement cash is King is I never spend money I don't have anymore as I ran into some trouble with that back when I was younger.
It's nice not to owe plastic creditors anything anymore.
PS I do have one card I use. I pay it off in full every month as I see many others here do as well.
I got rid of the purple and blue and went with a stagnant pond look (see page 11 of this thread)
BATMAN Track Fiddler I had a friend that would not travel outside of Canada or the U.S. His mother had put some pretty bad misconceptions in his mind about the rest of the world. I convinced him to join me on a last minute hop to Europe once, I think we went to Seville, it was a long time and many trips ago. We got there and he soon found out that there are a lot of places in the world that are more modern, safer and miles ahead of North America in all respects. We were about twenty-something at the time, he now takes his family all over the world and makes sure his kids really know and not fear what the world is like. We think of nothing of hopping on a plane and going somewhere. Just look at reports on safety, healthcare, transportation and a whole list of other things. We have Foreign Affairs Canada and the U.S. State Department is the same advising about travel.
Track Fiddler I had a friend that would not travel outside of Canada or the U.S. His mother had put some pretty bad misconceptions in his mind about the rest of the world. I convinced him to join me on a last minute hop to Europe once, I think we went to Seville, it was a long time and many trips ago. We got there and he soon found out that there are a lot of places in the world that are more modern, safer and miles ahead of North America in all respects. We were about twenty-something at the time, he now takes his family all over the world and makes sure his kids really know and not fear what the world is like.
We think of nothing of hopping on a plane and going somewhere. Just look at reports on safety, healthcare, transportation and a whole list of other things. We have Foreign Affairs Canada and the U.S. State Department is the same advising about travel.
I'm sure you're right about this Brent.
I am somewhat of a paranoid person when it comes to travel. Probably from the horror stories I see on the news.
My wife tells me this sort of thing can happen anywhere and it does. She's right too.
For starters just getting on a plane is hard for me to do. Maybe one day I will put away my phobias and see more of the world
Track fiddlerFor starters just getting on a plane is hard for me to do.
You're not the only one. On those rare occasions when I have to fly I always feel like a sardine marching down a long tube to get into the can.
maxman Track fiddler For starters just getting on a plane is hard for me to do. You're not the only one. On those rare occasions when I have to fly I always feel like a sardine marching down a long tube to get into the can.
Track fiddler For starters just getting on a plane is hard for me to do.
......... Believe it or not your interpretation is better than mine. I don't even feel it's appropriate to State the way I feel when I'm boarding one of these things
It was my wife's birthday days ago. Anyone knows at the very least you get them flowers and a nice card or you'll be in the doghouse for the better part of a week. Of course I did that.
Her gift came late from eBay on purpose. My wife is like one of those little kids that finds everything before Christmas. Even if I wrap it I have seen the ripped paper where the tape was peeled back where she took a little peek.
Well she was ecstatic over her gift yesterday. I know it was the best one I've got for her in years by her reaction.
If any of you have a wife that likes wholesome sentimental things. This is one of the most perfect gifts they will really appreciate.
I may even watch a few of these with her. It's certainly better than some of the junk that's on TV these days
Track fiddler - I remember watching "The Waltons" when the series started on television back in 1974. Gave a nice insight to rural family life during the Great Depression.
I think I had my fair share of traveling throughout the world. I have traveled to
I also visited the Hawaiian Archipelago, but missed Australia and New Zealand, and in Europe, Portugal. Most of my travels were on business and not for pleasure, but I tried to sneak in an extra couple of days whenever possible to see more of the countries than just the airport, the hotel and the office. It has not always been fun and quite often exhausting, but now that I am no longer able to travel, I have a lot of things to look back to. And for someone who actually hates flying, I have spent a lot of my time up in the air.
Track fiddlerIf any of you have a wife that likes wholesome sentimental things. This is one of the most perfect gifts they will really appreciate.
"Good night, grandpa.""
maxman"Good night, grandpa."
Good Night, Mary-Ellen!
Good Night, Erin!
Good Night, Jason!
Good Night, Jim-Bob!
Good Night, Benjamin!
Good Night, Elizabeth!
Good Night, John-Boy!
Blimey, it´s morning already!
Goodnight everyone!
Goodnight John Senior
Goodnight Olivia
Goodnight Esther
I know maxman already said goodnight to Grandpa but I can't for the life of me remember his name...?
Tinplate Toddler Blimey, it´s morning already!
Track fiddlerHow did John feed them all in the depression. I had a struggle just feeding three kids during a normal economy.
You´d be surprized how little one really needs! They produced just about all the food they needed and traded those items they could not make themselves. People lived like that for centuries (and longer). No electricity, no cable-tv, in most cases not even a telephone let alone a smart phone, no air conditioning, no computer & computer games, no fancy fashion clothing with certain labels stitched onto the stuff - just a frugal, but true life, spruced up with a sip of moonshine now and then!
Life was much harder then, but sometimes I think it was also happier!
Track fiddlerI know maxman already said goodnight to Grandpa but I can't for the life of me remember his name...?
Samuel aka Zebulon
Afternoon All!
Hobby Front: As I had taken today off, I decided to get some hobby work done. A fewe things ended up getting done.
Got more foam ground finer and more will be done later.
Pulled the Oops, I did it again! thing! (Apologies for the song reference.) I bought myself a couple of passenger car pieces. (The shell and body of a Con-cor Dome-Observation car and the shell of an Athearn SL coach.)
The big one on the list is getting 80" of road laid.
As with the old layout, I use shingles to represent gravel roads. (These shingles are probably in excess of 25 years old.) They were left over from the last time my paternal grandparents redid their roof. My grandfather passed away in 2001 and the roof was last done when I was still in high school.
I was a resident when the Waltons were on TV. I never saw it, not once. Missed the early Saturday Night Live too.
I found a piece of coal today in my backyard! Not naturally occuring in this area, someone heated with coal years ago. It is heavier than I remember coal, but as I was cleaning the dirt out of the crevices, my hands got black, and if I pull it across a piece of paper, it leaves a black line.
It is a rectangle about 4" across and every surface is a candidate to become a rock mold.
Given that coal is sedimentary, that would make sense to use it for molds. All the various layers would make for interesting textures.
Can't win for losing, or at least the wife can't. This morning she tripped in our driveway and severly sprained her right wrist( yep she is right handed) Add this on top of the pancreatitis and possilbe ulcers......
Eveing Diners
Flo, give the gang and I a and boy what he wants. All so Rick and Steven what they want.
Ulrich Happy Birthday and hope you like the cake Petra bought.
Credit Card Use. Most of my credit card deibt is because I did not have the funds. Remember Yard Wars when thanks to my wife Zoing was up my caboose? (fences fell down and I have a inground pool)That by it self cost me $2600.00. Then there are car repairs, guessing around $4000.00 between the 3 of them. $1300.00 on the Merurcy I told my wife I did not want to get! Shes only has driven it 5000 miles in two years! But she loved it, yea right.This month is her Medical Bills! This month it will be $500.00 but how do you tell your wife No, you cannot get the theet filled?
Ok, spent around $550.00 on presents to the wife and daughter for Christmass over a 3 year period. I was working commission only then and winter is the slow time of the year. Last year I had a extar $25.00 to spend.
Did I use any credit on Trains? Why yes I did, last year I spent $200.00 on a pair of Bachmann Sound Vaule F7's A Santa Fee Warboonets. Before that, maybe $250.00 on used stuff from K-10 Model Trains estate sales. If I was blowing credit on train stuff I would not be Reliying on Eds gifts for new to me stuff.
And Ed thank you so kindly!
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
cudakenAnd Ed thank you so kindly!
I'm glad my "castoffs" have a good home, Ken. I appreciate the fact that you are glad to have them
I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend...
Cheers! Ed
SHARKNADO 6!
.
I just finished watching the premier of Sharknado 6 on SYFY.
They are showing it again starting immediately at 10:00 Eastern Time.
It does not matter what you are doing, stop and watch this movie! It is amazingly fun!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Yo diners,
Unloaded a 16ft moving truck for a family member, gotta do the "finessing" tomorrow and put the stuff where it belongs, it took me and my brother 1 1/2 hours!
We're one step closer to having a front porch roof.
Well not much else, bye!
Good Morning!
It´s Monday, the 20th of August and we had rain! A whole 5 minutes of light rain! Yippeee!
Been busy on the layout before it got to humid to feel comfortable!
The Talheim town council has decided to move the planned date for the installation of the town´s street light a little forward, so I am proud to present the first pictures of the gas lights in situ!
The base seems to be a little too "thick", but they still look OK for the price and on this rather "crude" layout. I am not sure whether I´d use them on a "real" layout, though.
Three are waiting to be put up, but this has to wait a little - my back is yelling insults at me and standing up is a big pain!
Have a good start into the new week!
Tinplate Toddler ...on this rather "crude" layout
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
A close look on the pictures showed it without mercy - thos gas lights are way too tall! Fortunately the base slides up and down, so I could adjust them to a more prototypical height of 50mm vs. 70mm.
Howver, I killed two of them in the process, so I lost my spare lights...
Ulrich .... The lights look great . .. You have a beautiful downtown scene.
Bear ... Your light humor is appreciated. LOL
In recent days I modified some BLI Budd passenger cars which were derailing on curves. Below is the "Heartland Zephyr" with 4 of them as part of a 5 car train.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
I head back to Idaho tomorrow for a week and I will not miss the Arizona heat a bit. This morning at 5:30, when I started my ride, it was 87F with a dew point of 62F. It is forecast to top out at 106F today. The good news is there will be a slight cooling starting tomorrow when the high for the day will drop to 99F. Even with the heat I was able to get in four 90+ minute rides during the last week.
I have been spending more time in Idaho helping my son with his business. His current warehouse is right across the road from the Yellowstone Branch of the Eastern Idaho Railroad. Every day in the early afternoon the yellow and black GP35 motors north from Idaho Falls and a couple of hours later it passes heading back. When I finally get aound to setting up a new photo hosting service (never made the move after the PhotoBucket debacle) I will post some pictures.
Richard