Good Morning,
Chloe, I'd like kippers for breakfast today along with scrambled eggs, grilled tomato and mushrooms. My wife won't let me cook kippers as she says they stink up the place.
Nothing new here. More gardening today as the weather is warm but not too hot.
That brass Hudson I bought has an interesting drive in that it can be rolled on the tracks without power and the drivers will turn. It is called 'Coasting Drive' and was used in later Van Hobbies engines.
We are getting tired of staying in the house and just doing shopping errands. Even then, it is just stay in the car to do a pickup. We'd like to go out for a lunch, meet our friends and go birding or something but it looks like we are stuck here for the foreseeable future. I guess we shouldn't really complain but it is wearing.
CN Charlie
Good Afternoon!
Coffee and a slice of that cherry crumble pie, please!
What a day! I was woken up by rain hammering against the windows. I have never seen such a rainfall in my life before. The raindrops jumped a foot high up in the air when they hit the ground!
Monday is the day for some household chores. Dusting and vacuuming the floors is one of my not so well liked jobs. Dusting of the furniture went well, but when it came to vacuuming the floors, all wnt wrong. First the vacuum cleaner blow off the dust bag, distributing its content nicely all over just about everything. I got that fixed and was able to get the darn thing back into working order. Just when the fine layer of dust was gone into the bag, the thing completely died on me. I shouldn´t complain, it gave us 18 years of service, but it´s death was rather untimely. I ordered a new one, without dust bags. It should be much lighter than the old one, which was a heavy beast hard to maneuver around the furniture. Another 200 bucks out of our getaway kitty
Today, let´s pay a visit to the Bluebell Rlwy. in West Sussex, one of the oldest preservation lines in Britain.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
It will be a busy day -- a company is finally coming to cut down three large pine trees in the backyard. They are between buildings, so it will be interesting to see how they do it.
The tree company is busy. We had a storm several weeks ago with 90 mph wind gusts, so many trees were damaged.
I'm going to break down and buy a new chainsaw. I'm giving up on my old one -- I usually have to spend three hours getting it started to use it for five minutes. It has been through a lot, and it had one close-call with my foot. I won't miss it.
It's time for bacon, eggs, and coffee.
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."
Jeckyl Island, Georgia was a bust. It finally stopped raining, so I walked the boardwalk to the beach.
The bugs were awful. Went back to the hotel.
Packing up and heading for Daytona for a couple of days.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Good Morning —
A little ditty about the Full English Breakfast — Yum
And while you digest all of that —
Our Monday Morning Matinée:
Cheers, Ed
Evening all, it was a beautiful day here today so after a good workout this morning I spent the day pressure washing. I usually get it all done in April but there is just too much going on around here these days.
The wife started in on the tiling job in the bathroom and as I was pressure washing, she started cutting the tiles herself and did a great job. I guess I am officially relieved of that job now. Reminds me of when I came home from work and she was putting a new waterpump in her car. What a women.
Flipped the tube on this morning and CNN was on, saw thousands of people bobbing around in pools together. I guess if social distancing is too hard to figure out, being financially responsible and diet conscious is completely out of the question.
I think I can unwrap the layout as the dusty part of the reno is over, can't wait to be choo choo chooing along once again.
We had all the doors and windows open and my daughter was playing some classical pieces on the piano. A lady sat down across the road and it turned out she was listening to the music. She came to the door to ask who was playing thinking it was a recording and was surprised when she saw my daughter through the front door playing. The lady apparently taught music her whole life and loved listening. It is so great having my daughter home as she has been playing so much. Her latest thing is the score from Star Wars, she rocks the house on that grand piano. Love it!
We are very close to the border and didn't hear a peep of fireworks last night from Stateside, usually the place is rockin from the fireworks. I guess they were cancelled.
Going to watch Hamilton with my daughter tonight as it came out on the Disney channel. She has it all memorized and sings it all day long. Maybe someday I'll take her to New York to see it, I think it would be quality time together I would cherish forever. I flew her to Toronto once so she could attend a rock concert and she still talks about it.
I just heard the subwhoofers power up, that's my call, nuff said.
All the best to all.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Howdy!!!!
BigDaddyMuch worse here, than if there were regular municipal fireworks.
Same here... That was discussed before our on line Church Service this morning. My contribution was that I had no problem with it.... I just turned off my hearing aids!. What fireworks? There were even some bottle rockets being launched nearby that were exploding a couple hundred feet up...... Haven't heard about any injuries yet, but it wouldn't surprise me if there were...
We did have the annual 4th. of july parade in the neighborhood, but it was limited to a Fire engine with siren and warning horns followed by about 60 or 70 cars blowing their horns! I was on Zoom at the time with my son in England. He enjoyed it too!
Spent quite a bit of time over at my other son's house on the 4th. and again today. They had a family of friends over on the 4th. and some relatives too. Most of them had never had a ride in a Tesla before so I told them, put masks on, and I'll be glad to burn some electrons! The first ride was my oldest granddaughter and two other kids with the kids dad riding in the front seat. I backed out of the driveway and asked if they were ready.... Then I floored it! The boy in the back seat yelled WHOOOOOAAAAHH. WOW! I guess he had never ridden in a car that did 0 to 60 in less than 5 seconds! I got to explain to the dad several of the technical things about the Tesla. He actually had two rides in it. Think he was enjoying himself. All told I took 4 loads of people out to have their first ride in an Electric car....
Today I chauffeured my sister down to my son's house for a dinner... She can drive now but doesn't trust herself driving that far... She didn't sleep well last night (and hasn't been sleeping well) and was in a rotten mood... Was glad to get her back home so I could relax for a while and get some other things done.
Been extreemly hot here in the Finger Lakes Region of NYS, with highs in the high 90's for several days in a row. That will continue for the rest of the week they say. I went out and ran 1.6 miles today right after church. Should have done it again this evening, but I am exhausted. Hope to make up for it tomorrow. I'm trying to get in a 5k most days (actually a bit over that 3.2 miles).
Catch you all tomorrow.
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
BigDaddyThe dog was absolutely terrified.
I guess that's one advantage our Daisy the Dachshund has being deaf. The fireworks (and thunderstorms) don't bother her at all. She sat outside and watched the fireworks with me.
York1Last night sounded like a firestorm in a war zone by our house.
Much worse here, than if there were regular municipal fireworks. The dog was absolutely terrified. The M80's started around noon and then from 8:30 to 11 it was non stop.
I expect once the sun goes down today, they will start up again.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Track fiddlerI don't know about you guys in the other states but there wasn't much of a 4th here this year. All the firework displays were canceled due to the corona.
We had a fairly normal one, except for a town near here that canceled its parade and celebration. Our town had their big display on Friday evening.
Last night sounded like a firestorm in a war zone by our house. Of course, I played no part in that.
I am on Jecky Island, Georgia, and it has rained since I arrived here. I never made it to the beach. It is a 1/4 mile walk on a boardwalk over the dunes to reach the beach, and no fun in the rain.
Bummer.
Good morning, the little bit left of it.
Thanks Brent, John for the kind thaughts Yep, keeping the memory alive but down to fond and happy memories from here on out is what one needs to do now.
I don't know about you guys in the other states but there wasn't much of a 4th here this year. All the firework displays were canceled due to the corona. Lakeville had one but I wasn't going to drive all the way down there. The 4th this year consisted of a classic car ride and a red white and blue cake we ate too much of
We drove to Victoria this morning for breakfast on the patio before the humidity began to speak too loud. Now it's just a matter of trying to figure out what to do with the rest of our Sunday. Maybe BBQ some chicken I'll probably be gaining some weight throughout this epidemic. There ain't nothing else to do but eat
More time for modeling is a plus though
Have a great afternoon everyone.
TF
Good Sunday morning. Just coffee this morning.
This is another day with very little scheduled. I'll watch church this morning, and then a full day of nothing to do.
The results of this virus:
Ever since I was a kid traveling with my family, I have loved the old national park lodges. When we visited Yellowstone, I swore that one day when I grew up, I was going to come back to stay at Old Faithful Inn.
This coming week the 60-year-old dream was going to happen. My kids and grandkids were all going to spend a week at Yellowstone and Grand Teton with us. We actually had reservations for staying at the Inn. Of course, all that's out.
My daughter has remade the reservations for next summer. If I'm still alive and well in a year, I may fulfill one of my bucket list items:
I love the videos and pictures of the UK railroads. They have done well preserving some of their rail history.
I hope everyone has a great Sunday today.
Dave - We actually know quite well, how we would like to live, but we are forced to make severe cuts to that because of our financial situation. We attempt to square the circle.
Tinplate ToddlerBack to square 1 again.
Hi Ulrich,
I'm not sure that you are actually back at 'square one'. You have explored many options. The knowledge gained has allowed you to refine your goals. You are further ahead by knowing what mistakes you don't want to make.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Dave - I have just cancelled all the appointments and the hotel reservation for our trip to Görlitz. We are not yet ready to decide on such a life changing step, so I don´t want to waste the considerable amount of money for this trip, only to find our prejudices confirmed. Back to square 1 again.
Tinplate ToddlerPetra an I are having second thoughts about moving to Görlitz. While Görlitz is certainly a nice place to live, we have not lived in a city since we go married. We always lived in rather rural places, fare away from the hustle & bustle city folks are used to. To be honest, I am having cold feet being stuck in a city! While it is certainly the most sensible thing to do, given our circumstances, my heart is not in it.
I understand your hesitancy. Best to be certain before you take the plunge.
Dianne and I would be hard pressed to move into a more urban place than we are now. We are in a small town (19,000 people) with all the amenities and the country side is close by. Toronto is only 40 minutes away but we rarely go there. I hate the traffic and the congestion. I couldn't live in the place.
If we do anything it would be to move to a place on the water in 'cottage country' somewhere in north central Ontario. Alas, that might be a pipe dream because prices for decent properties that can be lived in year round are likely beyond our means and will continue to be so.
Keep looking! It won't do you any good to give up.
Edit:
Top of the page again! Since our neighbours to the south have just gorged themselves on Birthday Cake, how about something a little less fattening? We are in Great Britain so how about watercress sandwiches all round?!? They are a pub staple so you are allowed to have a pint or three with them to help you wash them down! In fact, that might be the only reason to justify eating them! Just remember to hold your little pinky up when you indulge!
Good Morning!
Sunday - time for my big, fat and unhealthy brealfast of crisp fried bacon, eggs, pancakes,buttered toast & jams, OJ and plenty of coffee, Janie, dear! Thank you!
Petra an I are having second thoughts about moving to Görlitz. While Görlitz is certainly a nice place to live, we have not lived in a city since we go married. We always lived in rather rural places, fare away from the hustle & bustle city folks are used to. To be honest, I am having cold feet being stuck in a city! While it is certainly the most sensible thing to do, given our circumstances, my heart is not in it. The big question to answer is what a valid and feasible alternative could be. Renting an apartment in a rural place is not the answer - there are hardly any on the market and even, if, they don´t fit our budget. If we would find a nice plot of land to buy or rent, I´d put up one of those new-fangled shipping container houses. We don´t need much space, but we do need peace and quiet, and, not to forget, independence!
I know we are in Britain, but here is a video I´d like to share. It´s about a NG forest railway in the Carpathian mountains of Romania, where people in this 21st centure do not live much different as their forefathers did, when Dracula reigned with night time terror. Narration is in Germany, but you may switch on subtitles in English.
Jumbo pretty much looks like this today:
Trinity_Site-Remnants_of_Jumbo-2010 by Edmund, on Flickr
I've had this B&W 8 x 10 in my collection for years without knowing anything about it. Possibly part of the Trinity test?
The Apparatus by Edmund, on Flickr
It certainly looks like the locomotive rolls the apparatus into place and is then attached or "plugged-in" to another device travelling on the larger-gauge rails toward the outside.
The photo was in a group I bought at a train show.
Hi Bear!
I should have excluded you from answering! I figured that you would know the answer based on your flat car building experience.
The picture came up in an article on my Yahoo! home page so I thought I would post it for interest.
SeeYou190 is it a depth-charge or an anti-ship mine?
Hi Kevin,
It could be used as either, but it would be a bit of overkill.
hon30critterHere's a flat car load with a bang!
Gidday Dave and Kevin, a little light reading ...
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/13/t/240122.aspx
and the depressed centre car in question...
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/256674.aspx
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
hon30critterDo you know what it is?
Dave, is it a depth-charge or an anti-ship mine?
Kevin
Yea the depot antique mall is huge. There are several in the area that all claim the "largest" title. There is one in Burlington NC that is about the same size. The real champ though is the Factory Antique Mall up in Verona VA (just outside Staunton not too far from Shenandoah)
Here's a flat car load with a bang!
Do you know what it is?
The moderators may want to move this to the Prototypical forum.
drgwcsDid you follow 52 on into NC and then down to Winston Salem? You would have passed by Mt Airy- Andy Griffith's hometown which was changed to Mayberry in the series. How was Spencer? I know they were pulling some of the equipment out. Considering the size of the buildings they really should have been allowed to open fully.
We did drive through Mount Airy, but I did not see a sign saying it was Andy Griffith's hometown, so I did not know.
The Transportation Museum in Spencer was amazing. I will post pictures when I am back home. If you have been there before, you should go now. A few of the steam engines that are normally kept in the cramped roundhouse are outside where you can really get a good look at them.
611 is there getting some major work done. Once again, I was able to get way up and more personal with her than should normally be allowed. That is twice now I have had a wonderful surprise with 611 in Spencer! I was the only person there (which is amazing in itself), so some allowances were granted.
They have also added some stuff since I was there two years ago. I do not remember the alluminum ACL hopper or all the cabooses everywhere. The pedestrial RR bridge was also fascinating.
Main Street Antiques was a great stop. The train booths were great, but it was mostly Lionel, which is typical for antique malls.
Then we went to The Depot Antique Mall, which was amazing. It was HUGE! We spent over two hours in there.
Chuck's Trains was closed when I got there, and so was New Brookland Trains in South Carolina. Oh well, I spent the time well and had a great time from morning to now.
Thanks for all the tips.
Tomorrow... TO THE BEACHES! I will be on Jeckyl Island in Georgia, then on to Daytona.
GMTRacingnot all of WVa is like that and there are pockets of extreme poverty throughout the country.
For certain, all states have pockets of poverty. In Florida we have Belle Glade, Pahokee, Liberty City, and Bithlo to name a few. But nowhere else have I seen a roadway that runs 100 miles through pure squalor.
Honestly, 95% of these structures people were living in would be condemned anywhere else.
I also visited Wheeling, West Virginia, which was pretty bad, and drove US-19 from the Pennsylvania border South the day before. It was not much better.
York1I know what you mean about impressions of states. When I tell people where I live, they honestly believe we have chickens in the kitchens and climb a pole to anwer our phone
When people find out I am from Florida, you would not believe what I am encountered with. Since 2000 Florida has been the punchline for every "dumb-state" joke, and "Florida-Man" has become part of pop-culture.
Certainly, we have earned the "Florida-Man" stories. They are all true and too funny. It is amazing how many people just assume we are all "Florida-Man".
BigDaddyWinters are harsh, but there are parts of WV that are gorgeous.
That was so amazing, everywhere you look in West Virginia there are million dollar views. The state is simply beautiful. The natural beauty provides a harsh contrast to the general living conditions.
For some reason I could not get the video to play. My wife and I were driving in Kansas one day years ago when a B1 flew right over the highway. It was an amazing sight. That still is the only one I've ever seen.
I saw part of the flyover of the Great American Colonial Cities. Before hand I could not find out what was coming, nor if it would be near me. After DC, they must have headed toward Dover, flying directly overhead.
I saw the B2 but didn't know the B1 and B52 were coming and missed them.
It's the video, below the news video
Did you follow 52 on into NC and then down to Winston Salem? You would have passed by Mt Airy- Andy Griffith's hometown which was changed to Mayberry in the series. How was Spencer? I know they were pulling some of the equipment out. Considering the size of the buildings they really should have been allowed to open fully.