herrinchokerI like gray squirrels, especially in a pot pie with potatoes and carrots----
Hi herrinchoker,
I'm afraid that I don't share your taste for wildlife. I'm not sure why but the thought of eating a rodent squirrel just doesn't appeal to me. Maybe it's because of my childhood memories of being served venison with so much fat in the gravy that I nearly choked on it when it stuck to the roof of my mouth. The fact that as a young child I had to help skin and butcher the deer didn't help either.
I guess that I have lead too priviliged a life. I have never experienced a situation where putting food on the table was a problem, nor have my ancestors. Had they experienced that challenge I'm sure my view of squirrel pie would be different.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I guess I am a typical city slicker, although I grew up (at least for some years) next to a farm. Meat and fish come from the supermarket, wrapped up and presented nicely, and so do the veggies we eat. I joined my FIL a number of times on his hunting trips, but I took no joy in it. I have to much pity for the creatures, especially when they are cute. So, no squirrels for me, no baby pigs or baby cows, please!
It´s a grey and wet day, a little cooler than last week. No signs of more lifting of the current restrictions, i.e. opening of the borders. The people are getting quite uneasy, especially those in the eastern part of the country. This will see no good end, I am afraid.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Good Morning All,
In the shop to do some gov't work today and then off to home. No parades or flyovers here that I know of so it's pretty quiet. I doubt we'll see any kind of large public gatherings for quite a while this year.
Garry, I always admire what you've done on your layout. Do you use thin plywood or use a router to clear ties and such when you do street level trackage? The cardboard has worked well for me in the past and the foam core I use is paper bonded to an 1/8" or so of foam and stays very straight and rigid. I like it because it is easier to cut than the styrene especially for curves. It's what I used for the platform and parking lot at the station on the opposite corner from the Sperry building. I built a drainage ditch as well which I am going to get close before going back to the parking areas.
Oddly enough with the large number of veterans in the family, we didn't have any hunters. That's out of 6 Marines, 3 Army, one Army Air Corp, and a sailor. We did have outdoorsmen (and women - 1 WAC and one BAM in the group lest I forget) but the vast majority became fishermen. I grew up going to various lakes, streams and rivers with my dad and uncle who were rabid fly fishermen and went every weekend they could. Waders, miserable rental row boats (who could afford a boat and trailer back then?) and all the "no-see-ums" you could tolerate. Big fun.
Mr. B were you up by Ayer Mass? There was a big airfield across from my friends shop up there (KTR) and there were a lot of vintage aircraft based there after I think it was Ft. Deven closed.
Well the coffee was good so it's off to the back shop. Ciao, J.R.
Good morning. Thunderstorms last night, and more coming today. It will put a damper on any picnics, but in farm country, no one ever complains about rain.
About 15 miles south of us is the abandoned Fairmont Army Air Base. During WWII, it trained crews for the B-17, B-24, and B-29. After the war, it was closed and abandoned.
It is pretty eerie to see it. There are four huge hangars, a water tower, a bombsite building, and the commander's house just sitting out in the middle of cornfields.
The hangars and buildings are closed, but you can drive around to see them, and drive on the runway.
The airfield today in the middle of cornfields.
One of the abandoned hangars.
York1 John
Good morning, everybody ....
Today, we remember and honor soldiers who died while serving our country.
herrinchoker I like gray squirrels, especially in a pot pie with potatoes and carrots---- herrinchoker
I like gray squirrels, especially in a pot pie with potatoes and carrots----
herrinchoker
Jan ..... A Kentucky dish is called "burgoo", and it originally had squirrel meat or rabbit meat. Now, they mostly use pork, but sometimes they use deer meat. It is like a stew or maybe the filling of a pot pie with the crust. ........ I prefer hamburgers.
JR ..... Thanks for the complement. .... My downtown is surrounded with a street car track. The track is ordinary flex track directly mounted on 1/2" plywood. The height of the track is close to 1/4". So, that is why the downtown section is on 1/4" plywood. The 1/4" plywood has framing underneath to be rigid. I made it so it can be placed on the 1/2" plywood next to the track. I used plaster to fill in between rails and the edge of the 1/4" plywood. When the plaster was dry, I cut grooves in the plaster next to rails for wheel flanges.
Ulrich ..... Have a good day !
Ricky ..... I know the frustration of breaking #80 drills. I cheta sometimes, and use larger sized drills. Let us know about your progress with the locomotive details.
Kevin ..... I agree it is imprsssive seeing big airplanes in flight. I recall flying aboard 747's and they certainly could hold a lot of people.
Dave ... The new Toronto street cars in the video are impressive.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
An extra strong coffee with a stack of pecan waffles, please.
Enjoyed seeing more pics posted in here.
Picked up the insulation yesterday for project walls. Going to get that model train room cleared out and ready for new tables yet. It's just going to take me (or a hired hand) a while to get things painted and enough space opened up for additional table construction.
Have a great day all.
Cheers! Rob
John York 1 .... The abandoned army air base looks interesting.
Rob ..... Good to see you here. I hope your model train room is ready for you soon.
Everybody ....... Happy Model Railroading.
Garry: In the picture you posted of the city of Heartland... the building on the corner... you did an incredible job painting the block, brick, and windows. It looks perfect.
Heartland Division CB&QToday, we remember and honor soldiers who died while serving our country.
My family has not suffered the loss of a person in combat, Veterans Day is more relevent to us.
My Brother-In-Laws childhood best friend was killed in Vietnam, but my BIL passed about 15 years ago.
My Father-In-Law, William Mackowiak. was a ball turret gunner on the B-17 "Mary Alice" in World War 2 and flew 32 missions. This is him with the crew:
My wife is named after his airplane. My wife is a B-17g, how cool is that?
This picture hangs in our living room. It is a print that was commisioned by the English Air mueseum in Duxford. I wish I could have afforded the original.
The title of the painting is "Almost Home". It is an image of Mary Alice's 30th mission, and my FIL's final mission that he did not even need to be on. He flew two other missions on another plane, but wanted to finish his tour of duty with the Mary Alice crew.
My FIL was shot three times on the mission, was horribly wounded, and could not get out of the jambed ball turret. The plane could not be flown properly due to A/A damage, and it belly-dipped in the channel further damaging the ball turret with William still in it.
William spent months in the hospital after that mission, but eventually returned to the USA, was reunited with his wife, and had three more children after the war.
There is a replica of the Mary Alice in the museum in Duxford England, and my FIL's flight jacket is part of the permanent display. I hope to get there and see it someday.
hon30critterI'm afraid that I don't share your taste for wildlife. I'm not sure why but the thought of eating a rodent squirrel just doesn't appeal to me.
I used to east alligator every once in a while, then I got a piece of alligator meat with a chunk of fat in it. I will never eat alligator again. I have never bitten into anything as nasty as alligator fat.
GMTRacingWaders, miserable rental row boats (who could afford a boat and trailer back then?) and all the "no-see-ums" you could tolerate. Big fun.
I went along on a deer hunt once. I have never been so bored in my entire life. That was my "longest day".
York1About 15 miles south of us is the abandoned Fairmont Army Air Base. During WWII, it trained crews for the B-17, B-24, and B-29. After the war, it was closed and abandoned.
One of my favorite aircraft from Workd War 2 was the Bell P-39 Airacobra. It did not have a sliding canopy, but the doors opened like automobuile doors. It had beautiful lines. It is not as celebrated as other fighters, but the Soviets made remarkable use of this airplane that we provided to them.
Many historians rank it as the finest fighter aircraft in the early war years.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Kevin, the P-39 was certainly different. It did better in Europe than the Pacific theater because it had the rap of being difficult in dogfights with zeros and such which were light weight to the max. High altitude work was also a problem. The mid engine was not as powerful since it ended up with only a single stage supercharger and no turbo. With all the weight in the middle it had what we call low polar movement which should have been an advantage but probably made the Aircobra hard to read at the limit (at least that is how it works in automobiles).
I guess my favourite was the F4-U Corsair even though it's distinctive wing arrangement was a bodge to get clearance for the propeller without having landing gear so long and heavy it would fold landing on flight decks. My mom started WWII at the Chance Vought factory in Bridgeport where they were built before ending up with the War Department and all over the country. J.R.
Good day all! Happy Memorial Day! A big "THANK YOU!" to all who served.
Kevin, that is a really neat painting. Pretty cool to have given the family history. These ball turret gunners had guts!
My favorite WWII plane has to be the Spitfire, with the Thunderbolt and Mustang nipping at its heals. Honestly, I love just about all of those planes. Such amazing aircraft. My grandfather was at Childress Army Air Corps base in Texas where he was supposed to be trained. By the time he got there, they put those plans on ice. He never did go up in the air. Spent the rest of the war at Childress ready to be trained just in case. Not sure what occupied his time there if he wasn't actively training. Never thought to ask him when he was still with us. Someday.
Tons of yard work done this weekend. Feels good to have it out of the way. A nice cookout planned for today. Burgers and corn on the cob. Can't wait!
Mike
MisterBeasleyI used to live in Massachusetts near an air base that hosted air shows,
Westover near Chicopee?
Remembering the fallen who have given all in the name of democracy and freedom.
Thanks for relating your story, Kevin.
Cicero was in a patriotic mood some years ago:
Cicero by Edmund, on Flickr
Vintage aircraft has always held a fascination for me as well.
The story of the Kee Bird always makes me sad to thing of all that hard work go so disastrously wrong.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kee_Bird
A B-29 so masterfully and painstakingly made airworthy again — then the fire.
Kee_Bird_Site_Feb_1947 by Edmund, on Flickr
I'll bet that canvas over the tail horizontal stabilizer was the latrine?
I hope everyone is well as can be —
Regards, Ed
No, I lived in Bedford near Hanscom AFB. The show was always a zoo if the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angels were flying, but if not, it was pretty relaxed. The parachute teams were cool, and the guys who did acrobatics in old biplanes were, too.
Air shows went away pretty much completely with either the 2008 recession or maybe the lack of respect for the military by the administration. I hope we get frequent air shows again.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley . . . Air shows went away pretty much completely with either the 2008 recession or maybe the lack of respect for the military by the administration.
. . . Air shows went away pretty much completely with either the 2008 recession or maybe the lack of respect for the military by the administration.
Good morning. It's another rainy day, so no two mile trail walk. The forecast says rain all day.
There will be more garage work today. My sore arms this morning are the result of working on a ladder and over my head yesterday. Since I dreamed up this project, my wife is not sympathetic of my aches.
And now for something completely different...
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
When Interstate 75 was extended to Fort Lauderdale, replacing Alligator Alley, over a dozen Panther Crossings were built into the design to stop Panthers from being killed by traffic.
Lion: Are you sure ? That might be track on the Turtle Creek Central .
Heartland Division CB&QThat might be track on the Turtle Creek Central .
This is the funniest post of the month!
Good Afternoon,
Having a little shower here now which is certainly welcome.
Ed, I watched the TV series they did on that B29 and it certainly was a story with a sad ending.
Didn't do a darn thing yesterday. I was just too tired and had no motivation so plan on tackling a small brush pile that needs cleaning up. It is right beside the garage so I can cut up the pieces out of the rain. I also plan on washing the car if the showers stop. It really needs it.
We had a brown thrasher in the yard yesterday and several rosy breasted grosbeaks.
Ed, wonderful story about your relative in the B17. I have been wearing my Dad's watch recently that he got to go overseas. It is a Rolex model made for the Canadian market during the war. I looked it up online and was astounded as to how much they sell for now. It is likely worth 2 grand.
Keep safe,
CN Charlie
Fairmount is atill an active airfield. Mianly gen avaiation.
Good afternoon all.
Zoe - A giant sized RBF please. Thanks!
Lion - My question is, who did the translating from Japanese to Turtle, for the direction signage? Or did they teach all the local Turtle population to read Japanese?
Ken - Ok. My employer did that for 2 others, but was "denied" the loan. (The bank he uses was not participating in the program. When they started offering it finally, the program had run dry of funding.) He said he could not afford to do it for me as well. (Hense my unemployment filing.)
Weather - Record high set of 90°F in Erie today. My house it hit 93°F today. (At least that I had noticed.) Need to get a AC unit repaired/replaced and in the window. (Or replaced by a free-standing floor unit. Looking at one of those now.) The old one I have the drain port plugged last year without my catching it, so mildew/mold formed inside it. It is currently sitting in my garage in about 5 pieces, as far as I could get it torn down, drying after my attempting to clean it. Shall decide once it's dry if I succeeded in correcting the issue or not.
W*^k - Still awaiting the unemployment pay, I think the holiday plus the pandemic have slowed that down.
No answer back on my application elsewhere within 10 minutes from home. Found out that a former supervisor elsewhere is retiring and they are looking for a replacement, and while I was mentioned before, I am not sure I want that department in that location as being called mine.... Plus it is a 40 minute commute. Each way in the summer. Longer in snow seasons of no road construction-road construction seaeson in NWPA. (We get the 5 seasons of Road work, almost winter, winter, still winter, mud covered by winter again snow, around here.)
While I could do it, and am qualified based on experience, I am in no hurry to commute for w*^k that far yet. (Especially not for what the pay would be.)
Trains - Saw a B&P Work train today, they were spiking shut a no longer used switch. (Business closed permanetly, prior to virus outbreak.) They had it stopped where no pictures were possible without tresspassing though, so no pics.... But they had a single Geep, followed by a couple of work gons, and a single Geep on the other end. Haven't seen them do it that way before.
Have the grab holes drilled on the loco shell, can't believe I didn't snap my last bit, and the ditch light castings are installed on the front. (As is the one grab iron that will not interfere with decals.) Paint booth is next stop for it. (I have yet to do the nose top grabs, but I will need to custom make those, so until I am ready to tackle that project....) After single color paint dip, decals and LED's. (Already have a decoder wired in.)
I tried the Krylon Fusion Primer on a freight car, not bad for a bigbox store rattle can. If you move quickly with light coats, it doesn't cover small details. So I can hold off on ordering the Tamiya for a while at least. (If it didn't work out, metal casting details it would have been good for anyways.) I just might use them for single color paint jobs that I don't wish to haul out the airbrush for in the future.
Anyone have any of the Fox Valley Models GP60's? Mine has a issue with the power/decoder wiring, and the email I sent has not been responded to yet, but that could be due to the outbreak restrictions limiting his already small staff... I think it's actually a defective decoder, but I can't confirm it 100%, so I was curious on what the wiring is supposed to look like on a working model, just to rule wiring issues out entirely. (NOS found at a very very good price point. Even replacing a defective decoder out-of-pocket would still be a very good price for a detailed with sound unit.) It was the last one aailable, so unless I wish a refund.... So if anyone has one and can supply wiring pics, I would appreciate it! (Yes, a rocket scientist is needed to remove the shell!)
Hope all are well, and all enjoy the day!
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Hi gang!
We have four days to go until the Diner has to be moved. Where do you want to go? I am willing to make the move (unless somebody else would like to do it, Ulrich?), but we probably want a break from Canada since we have been there for two months.
So, where to? You tell me and I will get us there.
Cheers!!
hon30critterWhere do you want to go?
It is going to be June, and it is Hot down here, and hurricanes are predicted. We already had one named storm, and the season has not even started yet.
I would suggest someplace way up North where the weather in the Summer is beautiful.
Hope all had a safe and sane Memorial Day. Here on the Island there are several family cemetaries, some single family, others multiple.
Out on Flying Point the Shea family has one that they started in the early 1700s. Flying Point ownership went from the Shea family, to the Williams, to the CEO of GTE, to a national green organization--who wants to have it for their own personal use.
Every two to three years on Memorial Day I go out to put small flags on two of the graves. There is a large marble monument for one of the three brothers, lost at sea in a gale, 1854, and there were two large slate headstones for two of the other brothers, who died in 1863. July 3, at Gettysburg, belonging to the 7th. of Maine.
Yesterday all I was able to find of either headstone were shards, about the size of my hand, could not find a single piece with any writing on it. In all my years working as a deputy sheriff I have observed beyond stupid, acts of depravity, maliciousness, hatred, and wanton destruction, but I am at a loss to even try to fathom destroying headstones of members of the G.A.R. On two occasions I investigated incidents of headstones being broken from their bases in other cemetaries in the county, always done by young people, actions usually activated by alcohol, but I have never seen headstones destroyed to this extent.
I left the flags in front of what is left of the markers.
I am both disappointed, and POed. at finding this. So much for respect, in this day and age.
(down off the soap box)
Good morning.
Herrinchoker, that's about the lowest of the low. Hopefully, the people brag about their "fun" to someone who then reports them.
Idaho is an interesting state, with railroads involving mountains and plains.
I have three very tall Austrian Pines in my backyard. This is all that's left of six that used to be there, thanks to Pine Wilt disease. Now the middle of those remaining three has died, so I hired a company yesterday to take out all three. I hate to see them go. The blue spruce trees are still doing well.
The creek is full, but the yard is drying. It's time to cut the grass after four days of rain. If anyone loves yardwork, I'll give you as much beer as you want if you'll cut the grass for me.
SeeYou190It is going to be June, and it is Hot down here, and hurricanes are predicted. We already had one named storm, and the season has not even started yet. I would suggest someplace way up North where the weather in the Summer is beautiful.
Beutiful Richardton, North Dakota.
We got a mane lion with 24 trains a day, we got the ethanol pland, the sand-fractory (not in operation at the moment--nobody is fracking at the moment) we got a "C" store and a "G" store (Dollar General), we got one bar, but no restaurant at the moment, but Dickinson is just down the track and they have the best Chinese in the state, A little further in the otter (otters always have two hands, you know) they have the best donuts in all of the USA, and we have a nice Zoo there. You can even ride on the zoo train.
And then of course we also have the Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota, 14 scale milse of track. Can anybody beat that?
And we just paved our parking lot.
ROAR
SeeYou190 hon30critter Where do you want to go? It is going to be June, and it is Hot down here, and hurricanes are predicted. We already had one named storm, and the season has not even started yet. I would suggest someplace way up North where the weather in the Summer is beautiful. -Kevin
hon30critter Where do you want to go?
Good morning
Hi Kevin and all of ya!
It's way too hot for this time of year. The whole weekend weather pattern was the same up here in Minnesota. Rain in the morning, hot and humid in the afternoon, rain and thunderstorms late in the afternoon. Judy and I found things to do imbetween. Monday we spent the day out at Lake Minnetonka.
It goes without saying we both remembered our People of Service keeping our Country safe all these years. Holding them highest with the utmost respect an gratitude. My Dad the marine sergeant is among the Sea of Stones at Fort Snelling. I miss you Dad and Thanks for your Service.
Duluth Minnesota the port city off Lake Superior would be a good suggestion for the Diner next month. There is always a cool breeze coming off the lake. One year on our visit to the Duluth Depot. It was 90 F and humid on top of the hill at Spirit Mountain and when we went down near the lake it was 55 degrees. This was in July. Superior Wisconsin is part of the Port Cities and has a high volume of railroad activity as well.
I would not be able to host the Diner in Duluth as I have not reached the capability of posting pictures successfully unless they're my own. The up north Port Cities is mainly a railroad and shipping port and has many various road name railroad activity. When DMIR loads those ships with the taconite pellets from the Iron Range, I've often wondered how they still float?
Just a suggestion, I'm happy wherever the Diner is placed
Have a great day everyone
TF
Anyone else going to watch the SpaceX launch today? We will be watching the live feed on the NASA channel.
Richard
Is that today Richard?
Bummer, I'll have to miss it, it finally dried out up here and I got to go build a sitting bench down by the pond. I guess I'll have to find that later on YouTube.
I do love Rockets!
Rocket Man