What a loss to the world. Even though I am a heathen, there is not much more stunning than these massive cathedrals.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Eveing Diners
Flo, give the gang and I a please and leave a stein outside for Ulrich.
It is a shame about Notre Dame Cathdral. Hope it can be saved!
Wife Health Front. Took her to get her eyes checked to see if her Glaucoma has progressed. It has. Next she needs to see a specialist for Glaucoma. She is unserstanable up set. We did find out there was a surgical procedure that can be done to combat the disease so I am optimistic. Being x Airborn you learn not to worry that much.
Smoking Front I broke down and bought a E Cigarette today. This one is a Alato Vuse , with a coupon a employee gave me the battery unit only cost me $2.00 and 4 smoke pods where $33.90. 3 of the ladys that work at the smoke shop use it so I am giving it a try. So far I am a little over and underwhelmed by it! When I first tried it and was hacking my brains out! Now that I a little use to it seems a little lacking in fulfillent.
Trains are running great and giving the Might CB&Q a little needed break. Beating on the B&O F7 ABA liked rented mules!
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
My tomato plant starting skills are poor, but a friend gave me a green zebra. A GZ is green and yellow, not real big but very sweet and tastes like a tomato rather than a moist vegetable like many tomatos these days.
As I progress, I am less a fan of the instructions for my water tower kit. My water tank core dowel was only half the height of the laser cut siding for my water tank kit. Forutunately I have a friend with a lathe and tomato plants. We made a trade for some venison backstraps.
There is no way the supplied "brass thread" fits the Tichy turnbuckles. If I drill out the holes, I think I will likely destroy the turnbuckles and I'm still not sure the tread would fit.
I will probably use my phospho bronze wire. For those of you building water tanks, the cables are quite close to together at the bottom of the tank, and then are farther apart as you go higher -logarithmically if you are so inclined.
Their suggested color scheme is also nothing like you have ever seen. Patina brass colored roof (usually black) and a red tank (usually dark brown with a variety of light dark brown or gray or white streaks)
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Evenin' Folks.....
Janie, a cup of decaf would be great right now.... Even better bring over the pot for when I need more and just leave it on the counter for me!
cudaken Smoking Front I broke down and bought a E Cigarette today. This one is a Alato Vuse , with a coupon a employee gave me the battery unit only cost me $2.00 and 4 smoke pods where $33.90. 3 of the ladys that work at the smoke shop use it so I am giving it a try. So far I am a little over and underwhelmed by it! When I first tried it and was hacking my brains out! Now that I a little use to it seems a little lacking in fulfillent.
Ken! I hate to be the one to break this to you, my friend. But..... there is only one possible way to quit smoking, just like there is only on possible way to quit over eating (my problem), or any other addiction, and that is: To Quit!!!! Yes it is excruciatingly difficult to do, but the only way to do it is TO DO IT!
I was a cigar smoker for close to 15 years. Smoked about 7 or 8 every day. Lunch time at school (didn't make me very popular with most of the other teachers, even those who smoked cigarettes) in the car as soon as I left school and then lit up again when I got home.... My wife hated me having the habit (picked it up from her father, BTW), but I had one lit every chance I could.
My 3 year old son one day came over to me while I was puffing away (and yes I inhailed most of the time) and asked, "Daddy? Why do you tell kids at school not to smoke but you do?" I mumbled something about cigars are different and don't hurt you (I felt very bad because I knew that was lying to my son). The following day, I went to light up as I walked out the door to go to school. Looked at it, put out the match, walked around to the garbage can and threw out a perfectly good pack of cigars I was planning to smoke that day. Got home and found all the other ones I had stached and did the same with them. Since that day I have smoked 3 cigars (in the last over 40 years). One was in memory of a gent that was a "god" figure at Boy Scout Camp who had passed away, and the other two were at my FIL's funeral service. All the guys went outside and finished the last box of cigars he had. I had no inclination to start the habit again, I might add.
It was the same with changing my life style, losing weight, and exercising. Was not easy to do until I just made up my mind that I WOULD do it, no matter what. Very glad I did, BTW! In another week, I will have walked all the way from my house here in Geneva, to my friends house in Key West. That is 1,600 miles (since last April). I have now lost 137lbs. I feel better than I have in over 30 years! Wish I had done it 20 years ago. I wasted a lot of my life just hoping it would happen. Only you can stop your addiction. Do you have the guts to do it???? That is the question, my friend!
So! I repeat, the only known way to stop a bad habit is......... TO STOP IT! Period! (Yes YOU can!!!)
12
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Brent,
Thanks for sharing Luna's story despite its tragic ending.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter Brent, Thanks for sharing Luna's story despite its tragic ending. Dave
Your welcome Dave. It is a very spiritual experience being in such close proximity to the abundance of wildlife nature has to offer out here.
BATMANIt is a very spiritual experience being in such close proximity to the abundance of wildlife nature has to offer out here.
If we were to move to the west coast that would be our primary reason. We were on a grizzly bear/whale watching trip in BC a couple of years ago and Mother Nature gave us the best showing that our guide had seen in years. We had Orcas swim right underneath our boat. That was after they did a little up close sky hopping to have a look at us. The day before we were within 80' of a mother grizzly who chased a salmon downstream in our direction. Fortunately the salmon turned and went the other way so she followed.
Lifetime memories!
howmus Ken! I hate to be the one to break this to you, my friend. But..... there is only one possible way to quit smoking, just like there is only on possible way to quit over eating (my problem), or any other addiction, and that is: To Quit!!!! Yes it is excruciatingly difficult to do, but the only way to do it is TO DO IT!
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Good Morning All,
37F but the sun is trying to break through. Lots of wind still so the CFO has grounded herself until the weather passes through hopefully in a day or two. She is getting fustrated because she is trying to get her IFR (instrument) rating. She is limited to daylight hours and visual flight rules until then.
Ken- sad but true, stopping is the only way to quit. Both my wife and i used to smoke and she was over a pack a day and for both of us it was tough. I had started occasionally in college but sitting at a radio 12 hours a day 7 days a week while we were at sea really did me. I did finally switch to a pipe but still it was really hard to just stop. And then you have all these really cool pipes and stuff. Out it all went one day and that was that.
Still doing trackwork though it is good again since I found the shorted switch. I still have to depower the frogs on some of the turnouts because the wheels can bridge the gap at the frog and because there are drops for the tracks, everything is live all the time and bzzt - all stop. It wasn't a problem in DC because i didn't have all the drops and busses which seem essential in DCC. Ah well, I will finish the turnouts, switch levers and turntable, then back to doing ballast and scenery.
This is what the levers will look like though they need the pivot shimming before I make them permanent.
service yard 012 by J.R. Mitchell, on Flickr" alt="switch handle" />
All for now, w**k beckons. Cheers, J.R.
All this talk of immediate cessation of smoking reminds me of this sketch with Bob Newhart.
Richard
RideOnRoadAll this talk of immediate cessation of smoking reminds me of this sketch with Bob Newhart.
Mike
Good morning, everybody .... Coffee and a donut please.
Burlington and Great Northern F-units are hauling this train near Chicago. It is becasue CB&Q and GN pooled locomotives in the early 1960's. GN F-units came to Chicago from St Paul, MN on the CB&Q, and CB&Q E-units went to Montana on the GN.
Here is a CB&Q F3 ABA
In the 1960's, CB&Q mixed first generation and second generation locomitives. Here is an F3 and a GP40.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Water Level RouteI forgot about that one! That's a classic and just the kind of tough advice some need!
Yep! I needed that advise several times in my life. When I took that advise and acted on it.... I stopped it! LOL
When I finally decided I didn't want to leave this world or become incapacitated quite yet I looked a bit like this photo from 20 years ago:
That was 137 lbs ago... Last Friday evening at the Smith for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra concert with my granddaughter I looked like this:
That is the result of me looking at what I didn't like that I was doing to myself and just saying "Stop It"!
BTW, she is a Harry Potter fan...... She is starting to like more feminine clothing but still wears a tie from time to time.....
13
Richard,
I see that your posts are from Mesa. Last year we visited friends who live in Gilbert, and he took me to the Arizona Train Museum. Even though most of the cars were closed, we spent several hours there walking and reading all the cars' histories. Great place.
We also spent hours at the Confederate (Commemorative) Air Force Museum. Another great place.
Both of these are close together and really made our trip!
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."
John .... I too, have visited the AZ Railroad Museum ... Below is one of my photos.
This Santa Fe dome car was used on the Super Chief running between Chicago and Los Angeles.
Ray ..... You look great in your recent picture with your granddaughter. She looks like a child for you to be proud of. ..... I suppse you were more comfortable in the airplane seat on your Florida trip without all of the extra weight, too.
Heartland Division CB&QI suppse you were more comfortable in the airplane seat on your Florida trip without all of the extra weight, too. Smile
That would be a big understatement....
Garry I'm amazed at the amount of photos you keep coming up with on trains around The Chicago area!
Are these all a personal collection?
Just curious.
Mike.
My You Tube
howmusThat was 137 lbs ago...
Heartland Division CB&QThis Santa Fe dome car was used on the Super Chief running between Chicago and Los Angeles.
Garry, were any of the cars open at the Arizona Train Museum when you were there? They were all closed for us, and I would like to make plans to visit there again if any of the cars were open to walk through.
It's a beautiful morning on the great plains. I am blessed to be retired and living in this beautiful area during the spring. This morning walking the trail, I counted four trains hitting each of the crossings with their horns echoing through the wooded trail area. We are only two miles from a BNSF double mainline track. Life is better than I deserve!
Today I'm starting to build an N Scale gas station. Even though I've only had the layout for a little over a year, I have really enjoyed scratch building buildings best of all.
Hope everyone has as good a day as I am!
Ya know.... There are two really big words in the world, almost and if.
Judy was playing the Megabucks Progressive slot machine. The mega eagle landed on the first and second position. The machine was flashing and making lots of noise.
While waiting for the third Eagle to fall into position our adrenaline's soared.
(If) the third Eagle would have fell into position, we would have won over 10 million dollars.
(almost) only counts in horseshoes. She took the $700.
I can't imagine how our lives would have changed if she would have hit that.
TF
When all is said and done, I'm grateful for the $700. Our a little trip just got a little funner.
York1 Richard, I see that your posts are from Mesa. Last year we visited friends who live in Gilbert, and he took me to the Arizona Train Museum. Even though most of the cars were closed, we spent several hours there walking and reading all the cars' histories. Great place. We also spent hours at the Confederate (Commemorative) Air Force Museum. Another great place. Both of these are close together and really made our trip!
Good afternoon ...
Mike ... Most of the photos are either ones I found on the internet or scanned from books.
John and Richard .... When I was at the AZ Ry Museum, they were open on the weekend, and they had 4 or 5 passenger cars open t othe public. They also had steps available to climb into the cab of a Southern Pacific steam locomotive.
This E8 was at the museum. I asked about it and was told it was a former Chicago and North Western locomotive. It was painted silver, and they said they want to paint it in Santa Fe colors to haul a train of Santa Fe cars.
Below is freight trains running between Chicago and St Paul with a CB&Q F-unit mixed NP F-units.
Evening Diners
Work Front one of my betters days while not great not bad. 4 customers in 3 bought for $1730.00 in sales. May have made a extra $50.00 or so.
Haven't you folks ever heard the old saying "there is more than oneway to skin a cat"? Will I stop smoking by using a E Cigarette? Don't know. Is there only one way to stop? No!
I know one person at work that stopped smoking using Vapping. Other person at work went from 1 pack a day to 1 pack a month. My wife's freind Susan stopped smoking by Vapping and then stopped Vapping. Even the VA suggested Vapping.
If you want to offer me support that is great. If you want to tell me there is only oneway to do it? STOP IT, OR I WILL BURY YOU A LIVE IN A BOX! I all so do not make change.
cudaken If you want to offer me support that is great. If you want to tell me there is only oneway to do it? JUST STOP IT, OR I WILL BURY YOU IN A BOX! I all so do not make change.
Deleted Post!!!
cudakenIf you want to offer me support that is great. If you want to tell me there is only oneway to do it? JUST STOP IT, OR I WILL BURY YOU IN A BOX! I all so do not make change.
Low 40's and the sun is out this morning. Will try to get the trailers loaded today - at least the cars that are done and the spare parts.
Not much ambition last night so nothing got done at home.
Ken - didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. Whatever way it goes, good luck.
Ray - the before and after pictures are impressive. Way to go. How is the layout doing? Haven't heard much lately and I think you are slated to do a tour for one of the conventions, no?
Got my "to go" cup here with my coffee and I will get into the shop and start.
Cheers, J.R.
cudaken. . .If you want to tell me there is only oneway to do it? JUST STOP IT, OR I WILL BURY YOU IN A BOX! I all so do not make change. . .
Bwahaha!
Mornin'.....
Chloe, I could use a pot of dark roast coffee for the moment.
GMTRacing Ken - didn't mean to ruffle your feathers.
Well, Ken, I figured that your feathers would get a bit ruffled. I think you missed the obvious that I was trying to tell you though. I was trying to be painfully honest. 'Nuff said!
35°F outside at the moment with the high heading to about 60° today. Sun is supposed to be out most of the time they say. Need to get the lawn mower ready to use by next week I think.....
GMTRacingRay - the before and after pictures are impressive. Way to go. How is the layout doing? Haven't heard much lately and I think you are slated to do a tour for one of the conventions, no?
Thanks J.R., Yes the SLOW will be poart of tour at the CNY Division NMRA Northeastern Region Convention next Fall. Have not had much of any time to get all the stuff done I would like to have done for it. I am getting a few odds and ends done at the moment, but way to busy with some other responsibilities to do much.
Yeah... just wait til I can walk on my foot again! : )
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS