Good morning.
John York 1.... We have used DuckDuckGo which worked fine for me. My wife thinks she gets better search results with Google. I wonder about that, but it is nothing I care to disagree with.
Are we still in the UK?
Hey Flo, Do you have any scones for breakfast?
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
York1Kevin, I can see certain barns are well-cared for, and others are not. In my area, most old wooden barns are falling down. Farmers don't use them anymore, and they don't want to spend money to fix them up just for nostalgia.
Barns are falling apart everywhere. I do not care for pictures of severley dilapidated structures, unless nature is taking it back. I prefer beautiful structures.
Ohio had the highest frequency of barns in poor shape. I did not see more than a half dozen restored/maintained barns there.
Here is an example of nature taking back from us. I love these pictures. If I did not know this was Ohio, I would swear this picture was from Georgia.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Okay, thanks for the responses. I think I'll give that DuckDuckGo a whirl John.
That thing cuts off the whole screen and sometimes I can't lose it without backing out of the forum completely. It seems to be appearing every time I'm logged in here and getting rather annoying.
Thanks
P.S. it looks like I'm foiled painting my truck topper today. The roof rack nuts and bolts are rust seized. My impact wrench was lost with all my other tools I don't use very often last year when my tool trailer was stolen.
Looks like a trip out to my buddy Ervs this weekend. Too nice of a day to model inside. Maybe a wash and wax job on my car. It needs its yearly oil change too. I'm back in business. There's always something to do to fill a day.
TF
Interesting switcher locomotive and baggage car in Ohio:
Heartland Division CB&QAre we still in the UK?
Indeed we are!
And we shouldn´t miss one of the most spectacular train rides of the world and go on a rail cruise through the Highlands on board the Royal Scotsman!
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
The GF's car is in the shop for bodywork. It got rear ended by...a lawn mower. Lawn service guys did it while the car was parked in our driveway.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasleyLawn service guys did it while the car was parked in our driveway.
That stinks. Sorry to hear about the accident. That must be frustrating.
It really frustrates me when someone parks a white SUV right in front of a church I want to get a good picture of.
A nice looking church - quite similar to a Victorian train station in Britain. The car parked right is a pest! Why didn´t they extend the llawn around the church? Or should I have better said why didn´t the get rid of the ornate windows and install a big garage door instead, so the cars can be parked inside the church?
The car park in front of the church really ruins everything!
Ulrich, thanks for the video. That is an amazing train. I haven't watched the entire video yet.
Grandchildren just left. Wife is napping. I'm sitting in my rocking chair with a blank mind.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
I prepared home-made-from-scratch cheese ravioli for dinner last night using a recipe my youngest daughter sent me.
It was OK, but I did something wrong with the noodle shell. Today the left-overs turned to mush in the refrigerator.
Ohio:
SeeYou190It really frustrates me when someone parks a white SUV right in front of a church I want to get a good picture of.
Just playing around
Vanish_SUV by Edmund, on Flickr
Today I had to send both my Rapido RS-11s back to Markham, Ontario. They suffered the bad motor syndrome
Less than 200 miles as the crow flies (About 260 by highway) from where I live and the postage was almost $70. US! Sure wish Rapido would create a US mail drop.
I hope everyone is doing fine,
Cheers, Ed
gmpullmanToday I had to send both my Rapido RS-11s back to Markham, Ontario.
China must have huge subsidies. I can't drive to the post office for what ebay China vendors charge for postage.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
BigDaddyDid you talk to Rapido first?
Well, through email, yes:
BigDaddyChina must have huge subsidies.
I tend to run to China's defence when the bashing is unwarranted, however, in this case, you would be shocked and horrified if you got into the nuts and bolts of who subsidizes their international mail. It is an agreement that is 50 or 60 years old I believe and is something that needs to be addressed through trade negotiations held by adults.
Bear, I am in full agreement with you on CANZUK and was being somewhat tongue in cheek. We will keep progressing in that direction naturally, in baby steps as it should be. I always feel at home in New Zealand and Australia, not quite as much in the UK but still feel well looked after and like I belong.
Just been crazy busy lately, my old dog is walking on his own again after his third stroke, though he needs support as he can't walk straight. He is in very good spirits though. I guess the Doctor is doing a good job. Still, he is on very short borrowed time.
Speaking of the good wife Doctor, she has been talking with the U.S. Federal Government somewhere in Virginia often as they are asking her opinion on this Covid thingy and animals. Above my pay grade. I know she gets called by UC Davis often on things. She is sure busy for being retired.
Well time to hop on the Deere.
All the best to all.
Once upon a time.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I never imagined China postal rates were a political topic to anyone except the Chinese.
Tell your wife I talked to my dog and he is not going to wear a mask. He says he can't breathe, it makes him claustrophobic and it smells like his last meal of goose poop.
BigDaddyI talked to my dog and he is not going to wear a mask. He says he can't breathe
Okay, but he may bring it home to you, the guy that feeds him, just remind him of that.
Ed, you must be just about done with Rapido. I can't believe they don't have a U.S. postal account and can't send you a shipping label. For all you have spent on postage they should send you a free RDC or something. Their cost on that and it should work out about the same as what you spent in postage over the years. I'd ask, or suggest, it never hurts.
GMT I sent you a pm on Dale Earnhardt's series Lost Speedways on Peacock steaming
Brent Toby social distances and only has one sniffing buddy, the rest he has told to get off his lawn.
Not much train news, I am packing up the house. As soon as I seal one box of stuff, like all the extra wire I have, I find another spool of wire.
Well, ...I'm gonna hit the rack.
Nighty night Kids.
Ed: Thank you for making the church picture acceptable.
Henry: I know the pain of packing and losing the organization you hoped for. I have two full boxes just labeled "miscellaneous" of stuff I found after I sealed the boxes.
Nifty locomotive:
Good Morning!
The day starts bright and shiny! Temperatures "hover" currently at 62F and the daytime high is expected at 72F - my kind of weather! I knew that one of my "forebearers" must have been a polar bear!
I dis quite a bit of research into the cost of modifying shipping containers so the morph into good looking houses. With all that info in the back of my head I have come to the conclusion, that the efficiency in this way of creating a habitable space lays in not modifying them or as less as possible! Any cut-out will make the container unstable, requiring massive supports to be welded in. Adding things like a real roof, or a balcony voids any saving you may expected to have. The corresponding labor costs are overwhelming - unless you are a welder and are able to donthe job yourself, which I am not. This means to accept the way the container house has been planned by the builder - or leave it.
I am sure there is a low budget alternative way of building a house somewhere out there. It is for me to dig it up! More research to be done!
My favourite church!
Inside:
The church was built in 1745 and is one of the best known baroque churches around the world. It is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Our local church is much more humble and was built about 150 years later.
Good morning
Quiet, except the distant highway this morning. Been trying something new the past few weeks. I've been getting out of the rack when I first wake, 4:30 today. Been sleeping through the night better since.
Saw the twilight this morning over coffee. The sky was glowing a dark navy blue ink color like the ocean, it was kinda cool.
Been enjoying all the pictures and videos posted here, Thanks. I was zooming in on Baroques ceiling. Didnt Pozzo paint that one Ulrich? If my history memory serves me well enough. It was kind of cool how Ed got that white SUV removed from your church picture Kevin. I wonder how he did that.
I like the picture of the piers in the forest Brent. Did you take that pic? Curious how there's still a clearing there. It makes me wonder if a forest fire took the bridge and that's all that's left or if it was an abandoned bridge project.
It's Friday! WPF day! I usually hear from my Brother like clockwork in the evening. We most always have quite a long layout chat and exchange text pics. I'm looking forward to both.
Well, I haven't decided what I'm going to do with my day yet. Looks like it's going to be a hot one though. More coffee and something will come to mind.
Have a great day everyone
BATMANEd, you must be just about done with Rapido. I can't believe they don't have a U.S. postal account and can't send you a shipping label.
I like all the good folks at Rapido and they certainly try to put out a good product. Every now and then there's going to be a wrench in the works like this.
Somehow Broadway Limited got caught up in a similar motor mess with their PRR P5a electrics. I had to replace 2 out of 3 of those. BLI covered the cost of the motor and decoders and I installed them very easily.
The Rapido RS-11 is a different animal and I've read several accounts of experienced modelers attempting to even get the shell off and ended in many broken parts.
I'll give Rapido one more chance when the New Haven EP-5 Jets show up (Jason, are you listening?) I probably won't live long enough to see the U-3b's come to fruition.
Track fiddler I wonder how he did that.
Good 'ol Photoshop
Two trains on one track with individual control? In 1957? The future is nigh!
I just delivered a friend to the hospital for surgery. Now I'm off to my Friday morning men's group.
It's already uncomfortable out at 6:00 a.m. We need some rain to break the heat spell.
Ed, those toys were around when most of us here were kids. Fun film.
TF, that's pretty much what I do, too. When I wake up, I get up. I've never been able to lay there and go back to sleep. My wife and I are on separate schedules. She has only been in a bed a few hours when I'm getting up. It's fine for when we're home, but it's not pleasant when traveling. Then one of us has to change schedules.
Those pictures of churches are inspiring me to start taking photography more seriously. It's not something I've done before. I was mainly someone who had a cheap plastic camera and snapped blurry photos. I think my biggest issue is to try to see things in a more artistic way. Some of you will see the same building or scene that I do. I ignore it, while you guys take great photos of it. I may be too old to change.
Have a good day, everyone. Off to the restaurant.
Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum in Bellevioew, Ohio.
This was a great railroad museum, and is well worth a stop. When I was there it was closed for the virus, but I was able to get a few pictures of the equipment by shooting through the fence on manual focus.
I will need to get back to this museum when it is operating normally and get a look at there very nice collection. From what I could see through the fence, it was impressive.
Lastspikemike As for developing a talent for photography I suggest it is not possible. If you know a talented photographer, amateur or professional, you quickly come to realize it is not a learned skill.
Photography is a skill that can be learned. I audited three photography classes at the University Of Florida when I was in Middle School, and learned all the basics back in the 35mm slide film days.
In High School I constructed a pinhole lense with a 15mm focal length following an article in an old Model Railroader. It worked perfectly, but using an entire 24 exposure roll of slide film to get one shot was not in my High School budget for long. I submitted two pictures to Trackside Photos, but none were published.
Fun Fact About Kevin: The only thing I have ever had published in Model Railroader was a letter I wrote to Student Fare in the 1980s about how I earn extra money for model railroading by winning photography contests. They did not publish my photo I sent with the letter.
It was a stunning image of a rusty 1958 Plymouth Fury that I won a pretty hefty cash prize for. The car was sitting in an abandoned junk yard in Zolfo Springs, Florida, and I waited hours for the light to be perfect. I had a star filter on the lens and one gleam from the rusty chrome bumper made the shot incredible.
I wonder if Rick Selby still has the photograph. I would love to have that picture back. All my copies, and the negative, disappeared years ago.
I have read dozens of books on photography of landscapes, subjects, and humans. Reading books by masters will teach you what makes a great photograph. This is a lot like art appreciation. Once you know why a masterpiece is special, all art looks different to your eye.
Most of the pictures I post in here are just snapshots from travels. To get a masterful image you need a perfect subject, which is hard to find, and perfect light, which you need to wait for. Rarely does all this happen when I am just out driving around, but it does happen.
If you really want a great photograph, you need to either be very lucky, or very patient. Then you need the skill to know how to set the image, and bracket the shot.
This shot took two hours, over 200 exposures, and tested the patience of my wife waiting in the car, but I had to capture it.
York1 TF, that's pretty much what I do, too. When I wake up, I get up. I've never been able to lay there and go back to sleep.
TF, that's pretty much what I do, too. When I wake up, I get up. I've never been able to lay there and go back to sleep.
Good morning .
Kevin .... I like the muesem photos. I wonder what is the PRR Atlas Car. ????? .... I like your pictures of old barns. I think we model railroaders can study them for ideas on how to weather buildings.
Ulrich .... I like the video you posted yesterday in response to my question about being in the UK. Thank you. Also, I like the church photos. Ou little country chirch here is nothing like that.
In addition to all of the medical appointments I'm having for various issues, I am having major dental work being done. Today, I go to the oral surgeon for tooth extraction and bone grafting. Preparing for dental implants. .... Dang. I did not need all of this stuff when I was young. .... Next week, two more medical appointments.
Everybody ..... Have a great day.
I am beat!
I spent hours and hours on developing a small (if not tiny) house design to be built in a more conventional way. I have drawn the floor plans with all measurements necessary for a builder to give me a quote on the completed shell, i.e. incl. doors and windows. I proudly presented my work to my beloved wife and what did I get - well, not the caring words I expected. Every child gets words of encouragement, but husbands never! I alway praise Petra when she has cooked up a nice meal, even if it´s nothing fancy.
Oh, well - marital bliss!
Today´s video on British trains shows "Steam at Speed"!
For some reason, we have a lot of old buildings here that are literally falling apart. No one is in them, but if there were more people here these would be collapse hazards for either kids or vagrants trespassing inside. I guess they don't have laws against that sort of thing here.
The weather will eventually bring them down. Then they'll just be an unsightly pile of rubble.
Afternoon everyone.
Not much going on in my neck of the woods. Another Hot Humid day.
Kevin, I am enjoying the pictures. I too took photography classes and my degree is in Video and Film production. I still have B&W lab stuff I can set up to develop my own, I used to buy bulk B&W and roll my own film.
So how did I end up IT at a hospital? There are only 12 jobs in TV and film and those that have them rotate no one quits.