LION Likes BIG Ships with Big 16" Guns...
Especially below decks!
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Well JB. I used to bring 'em down fer our annual open house, but our donut bakery closed down a few years back.
Don; Prez, CEO or whatever of the Wishram, Oregon and Western RR
tankertoad135 Greetings Gents. Thanks for the welcome and the donuts sound good although I was accused of eatin' all the donuts years past on another forum. My postings are gonna be limited and short fer a while due to getting four injections, cortisone, in the base of my left thumb and this puppy slapped on my hand.
Greetings Gents. Thanks for the welcome and the donuts sound good although I was accused of eatin' all the donuts years past on another forum.
My postings are gonna be limited and short fer a while due to getting four injections, cortisone, in the base of my left thumb and this puppy slapped on my hand.
It's Friday evening. It's hot. It's humid.
That means it's time for a big bowl of ice cream. I've got some in the freezer called peanut butter party. In spite of how it sounds, it's actually good. It's like a Dairy Queen Reeses Blizzard.
David, welcome back to the diner. I hope the trip went well, and that you can share some of the experience.
Bear, I could actually figure out your semaphore word. Of course, it helps that you told what it was. I don't know why my wife thinks I'm senile.
Even though it's not the kind of train we normally think of, the cable cars are on rails, so they qualify as California trains. They're a great system for getting street cars up and down the steep hills:
Have a good evening, everyone.
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."
Tin Can II Rick: My brother just retired after 30 plus years with the CIA. He saw and heard all sorts of stuff he can't talk about. His first day on the job, he was taken to the ceremony where George W. Bush was sworn in as the head of the CIA; as a new hire, he got to meet him. He went through the same security screenings as your son did. When he was cleared, he told us that we (his siblings) could also work at the CIA.
Rick: My brother just retired after 30 plus years with the CIA. He saw and heard all sorts of stuff he can't talk about. His first day on the job, he was taken to the ceremony where George W. Bush was sworn in as the head of the CIA; as a new hire, he got to meet him.
He went through the same security screenings as your son did. When he was cleared, he told us that we (his siblings) could also work at the CIA.
It was funny in that my son and 3 other students from Kettering all went at the same time to the CIA and school, 2 electrical engineers, 1 civil engineer and 1 computer engineer. It wasn't until much later they all found out they were working on the same project but from different aspects.
One time my son and I were both in San Jose, CA at the same time but he could not let me know to meet him for dinner or anything, he also spent time at the Nuclear Test site in Nevada.
By the way Kevin, great news on your wife, makes my little operation seem like the common cold, hope the recovery continues.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Don't know how I missed Kevin's great news. That is outstanding.
York1 (The spelling of signalled doesn't look correct to me, but my spell checker didn't flag it. My brain isn't working either.)
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Good evening everyone.
Thank you all for the cheers and good thoughts for my wife. I am glad to be parts of such a great group.
I will be back later...
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Good afternoon.
I finally finished all the rose trimming. I am covered in burrs as well. I only lost two units of blood to the thorns and I am replenishing by drinking the Coronas I found in the bar fridge. As luck would have it I also found limes in the fridge. I rarely drink beer, but I do enjoy it when I do.
Talking about people being interviewed for security clearances, they told my daughter one reason her start was delayed was that they were so far behind doing background checks. They gave her a list of everyone they interviewed.
Today for the first time, she actually got down to work, she says everything is brand spanking new in a new building and there are millions of dollars of the latest equipment surrounding her. She also said she was buying dinner.
I won a $1000.00 for a children's charity raffle. I bought the ticket ages ago, it was third prize. I told them to keep it and send me the tax receipt, they were delighted.
David, glad you had a good trip. Do you photograph the ships? When I was young one of my Dads friends went all over the world photographing ships, it was his hobby. He said living in Vancouver was awesome because of the vantage points that were available for taking the pics and the amount of traffic was terrific.
He use to spend his days in the middle of this bridge taking photographs and every wall in his house was covered in them.
Is Lion home from vacation? Did he have a good time?
Tom, that's a great shot of your kid playing the guitar.
Speaking of guitars, I am going to take my Corona, grab a guitar and sit on the patio, and torment the wildlife. The dogs are far too kind to complain, they are Golden Retrievers after all.
All the best to all.
Logging the California Redwoods.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
[quote user="dti406"]
My son at 19 years of age went to work at the CIA for his coop job while attending Kettering University. He received a top clearance and we know the FBI interviewed our neighbors and the teachers at his high school. His clearance has lapsed but some of his latest jobs have required him to reapply. He was at the CIA for six years and we don't know what he did there and if you ask he and his friends just ignore you and talk about something else. Another thing he mentions is in all the TV shows and movies they show people with cell phones, but my son said all cell phones had to be left in your car, they were not allowed on the Langley campus.
Good evening Diners. A cup of tea please, Flo.
Great news, Kevin.
We are back from two weeks shipspotting in the Mediterranean. Great fun. A long drive home from Southampton.
Just catching up on some of the posts. Then an early night.
Will be back tomorrow,.
Stay Safe Everybody.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Good morning, everyone. It's a great morning in the diner, so let's celebrate with bacon, eggs, and coffee!
SeeYou190Now she has improved more than anyone could ever expect or predict. "Miraculous" is the word she heard a lot today. I hope we are blessed with a lot more time together.
Kevin, that is really a miracle. Such great news to start the day!
Tom--Sparky Rail, thanks for the photos of the Skunk Train. I think you may be right about it being Space Mouse who was going there. I know he had serious health problems, and he hasn't posted in a long time, so I hope everything is OK.
More good news on a Friday -- we've heard from Lion. I don't know if this means he's back in ND or if he's posting from his vacation. Either way, it's good to hear from him -- or at least see his Lion photos.
Friday's were my 'hump days'. Even though I usually had to attend athletic events or other things on the weekends, Friday still signalled the end of a hectic week. (The spelling of signalled doesn't look correct to me, but my spell checker didn't flag it. My brain isn't working either.)
I hope everyone has a great Friday.
More California Amtrak:
Good Morning Diners. Flo, I'll have some french toast, bacon, and fried eggs, with a large coffee in a Santa Fe mug please.
Kevin, that is excellent news!! I can only imagine the relief you must feel. So happy for the both of you!
TGIF! It's been a weird week at work this week. The days have all seemed to melt together into one really long day. It's bizarre! Wednesday, I was sitting in my office thinking "When is this day going to end?" It was 10:30am. It honestly felt like late afternoon. I think I need more sleep.
Sparky Rail, nice pics! Looks like a good time. Thanks for sharing them.
York1The only time I've ever been given clearance is going through the TSA checkpoint at the airport. Being a school principal didn't require clearance, only a thick skin.
Well, I pulled the trigger on ordering a pair of upright freezers. One as we simply need more freezer space, partly because I want to start purchasing beef by the 1/4, partly because we simply need more than what we have with our little chest freezer. The second will become our drink & extra storage for the holidays fridge. The freezer model I ordered can be converted to a refrigerator with the push of a button. This will be great! The only trouble will be getting them in. I have one spot they have to be brought through that will have 1/4" clearance on each side of the unit. I've measured the path they have to come in at least four times to make sure they will fit. They should...barely. This will free up our current rusty but trusty mini-fridge to go off to college with my daughter this fall.
Mike
Circa 1900.
How about a tasty bottle of Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale...
-Photograph by Kevin Parson
Attuvian1Live long and prosper - the both of you.
I sure hope so. I breathed a big sigh of relief today for the first time in many months.
hon30critterI'm very glad to hear that your wife is back in good health! You will have to do something special to celebrate.
Yes, we sure do. We are going to Orlando in a few weeks to help our daughter move. I have the week off from work. Maybe we will do something "touristy" while we are there.
SeeYou190My wife went to the doctor today. We received some very excellent news.
Hi Kevin,
I'm very glad to hear that your wife is back in good health! You will have to do something special to celebrate.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Great news, Kevin!! Live long and prosper - the both of you.
John
My wife went to the doctor today. We received some very excellent news.
All of her "numbers" are finally back in the good range. A1C, Sugar, Cholesterol, Blood Oxygen Level, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, are all good. The only minor problem is bile in her liver.
I haven't talked about her health issues in here. Three and a half years ago, she was given six months to live. She immediately quit her job, and we spent as much time together as we possibly could. She barely was hanging on for a while.
Then Covid came, and we both knew if she caught it, that would be all for her. I took the early retirement my employer offered, and we lived like hermits together for almost two years. Those were some of the best times to be imagined.
Now she has improved more than anyone could ever expect or predict. "Miraculous" is the word she heard a lot today.
I hope we are blessed with a lot more time together.
This is truly the best news I have ever received.
Dang it. Another try at the pics:
York1A while back, someone in the diner mentioned going to ride the Skunk Train in California. I can't remember who it was. I haven't been there, but I found some pictures of it. If you've ever ridden it, can you find some pictures for the rest of us diners? I'd love to see them.
Hi John, I remember that discussion, maybe it was Space Mouse? I rode it a few years ago. The only pictures I have are of the "family vacationy" type (sorry!), and for some reason I didn't get any of the ride when we were deep in the redwoods
The train had an awesome open car, more like just a moving deck, and it even had a bar on one end. This pic is shortly after leaving the station, heading towards the redwoods:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52216027567_51da7b35bc.jpg
A fine looking amateur model railroader enjoying a pina colada (or two):
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52217518805_397474603c.jpg
There was a guitar/harmonica playing wondering conductor on the train. At the camp at the turn around point my kid mooched his guitar to play some Pink Floyd for him (Wish you were here, I think). This has become one of my favorite kid pictures:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52217308324_71139b8ef5_z.jpg
We were in California to visit some of the wife's family, and rode the train as a last minute idea during a down day. So glad we did, it was a great day.
-Tom
Good evening, everyone.
I'm feeling a little left out in the diner today.
The only time I've ever been given clearance is going through the TSA checkpoint at the airport. Being a school principal didn't require clearance, only a thick skin.
Another California Amtrak photo:
Have a good evening, gentlemen. Tomorrow's Friday!
About three months before every shuttle flight I would have to pick up a truckload of equipment from a local aerospace company, my understanding was it was the computer systems for the flight that had been programmed. We used a variety of methods to get it to Florida. I was tasked with this job for years. I would tell people about it sometimes and they would go, "should you be telling people about this, shouldn't it be secret"? I would inform them that the local TV news had covered it a couple of times and it is also mentioned in the corporate communications. It was considered important and a sensitive move, but was hardly a secret.
I was sent to Airforce One three times over the years when it was in Vancouver, I would have to pick things up and deliver them somewhere. I have been on the aircraft of more leaders including the Queens than I can count. I was dispatched to them on an open radio or on a non-encrypted cell phone, yet there are people that say I should not be telling anyone even 20 years later.
There are many things I have never and never will tell anyone from my working days, I am well aware of what is and is not okay for public consumption. Industrial espionage is a real threat that was heavily guarded against.
I was a glorified moving man or mailman entrusted with some sensitive stuff over the years. Hollywood might be able to stretch it into a blockbuster but the reality is there is not much secret or exciting about what I did or where I went.
When I went to a leaders plane to pick something up I arrived in a dirty pick-up truck wearing dirty coveralls and a parka if it was winter. Yep, I looked just like the bad guy in a James Bond movie.
DoughlessWas bummed though. I never could find the ThunderBird Vineyard.
SeeYou190 Doughless The Coney Island Lunch Room has been a fixture for 80 years and is still run by the same family (well, last I checked 4 years ago). No secret its the Katrouzous family (Greek heritage). There used to be a diner in Arcadia, Florida run by a Greek family. It was called The Paradise Diner, and it had been there for decades. When they widened Highway 17 through Arcadia, the Diner was torn down to make room. It did not reopen in a new location. It was a loss. -Kevin
Doughless The Coney Island Lunch Room has been a fixture for 80 years and is still run by the same family (well, last I checked 4 years ago). No secret its the Katrouzous family (Greek heritage).
There used to be a diner in Arcadia, Florida run by a Greek family. It was called The Paradise Diner, and it had been there for decades.
When they widened Highway 17 through Arcadia, the Diner was torn down to make room. It did not reopen in a new location. It was a loss.
In our last visit to SW Florida, we took one of those touristy air boat rides on the Peace River. Nice time. They put-in up near Arcadia, and we ate lunch there afterwards. It was downtown, but can't remember the name of the restaurant. Arcadia seems like a nice old town with some history.
But speaking of our subject California, I've been there three times, twice to the San Ramon area for work years ago, and to Marina Del Ray to visit the oldest who was working there in 2020.
Did the Napa Valley wine tasting route years ago. Its a good time, nice thing to do. Bought some dessert wine and learned about the vineyards.
Was bummed though. I never could find the ThunderBird Vineyard.
- Douglas
MisterBeasleyI didn't make a big deal out of it. I did occasionally say when asked how high my clearance was, was that it was so high even I didn't know what it was. One day I discovered that what I said was true.
My clearance was not governmental, but I was cleared for access to very sensitive engineering information with my previous employer. I knew a lot about many "secret" products in development that would be released over the next several years. I also knew a lot about products that were designed, tested, but never sent to market.
My middle daughter is a software engineer for a giant worldwide powerful corporation, and her level of clearance and access is amazing. Her husband does product development for the same company, and again, everything is secret.
No reason to make any big deal out of any of this... its just life and jobs.
We are in for a giant thunderstorm down here. There are flood warnings for the two counties south of us. We are receiving massive lightning and 40 MPH wind gusts right now, but no rain yet.
Stand by for a bad day in Florida.
Good morning, it is another beautiful day.
I played my guitar for a couple of hours until my hands gave out from arthritis, I think I'll pile on the bacon, eggs, steak, onions, tomatoes, and cheese and then head out to finish off the pruning of the roses.
Maxman, thanks for your concern but it is nothing cloak and dagger. My daughter has been studying Anthropology along with medicine/Psychology. She produced a couple of extensive papers on Anthropological Forensics on her own and these caught the attention of people on a national, in fact, international level. She is not working on anything "top secret" that would be of interest to anyone. There are Government installations all over the country with really tight security, I know, I use to go in and out of them myself for 36 years and people knew I did. Anyone wanting to try and breach a facility by finding out who worked there could just park outside the front gate and follow someone home at the end of the day, I don't think they would be stalking out an MRR forum to do it. Even if they stole all her keys and pass cards they still couldn't get in, this is where Hollywood gets it wrong and makes some of us cringe. I don't think she will have a problem ever getting a job if she ever stops going to University, though, she has said on more than one occasion she wants to go to University forever.
Ray, my friend has been building drag race cars out of Chevy Vegas since the seventies. I have had many rides down the local drag strip in them. I think he still has six of them and I have lent a hand many a time helping him put an engine back in a car even though I hate working on cars, but that's what friends are for. He is really put out, though he will never admit it that all his lifelong friends showing up in their electric cars can blow his doors off, on the drag strip.
I think some of the engines he has built over the years were bigger than the car itself. Just for fun I use to race him when I had my RX-7. He would blow my doors off but then when he topped out I would rip by him and leave him in the dust. The RX would do 170mph, I think he topped out at 110mph.
About thirty years ago I was driving along and saw a yellow Vega sitting out in a farmer's field so I stopped and went up to the door and asked about it, the old guy said it is yours, you can have it just take it out of here. This thing was covered in moss and dirt and was just disgusting. It was my friend's birthday the next week so I called a tow truck on his birthday and had it towed and put in his driveway while he was at work and put a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! sign on it. I was not sure how he was going to react but when he came home he was like a kid and was so excited. It turned out the car only had 18000km on it and after he cleaned it all up it looked almost new. It was his best drag build ever and has been featured in many publications. For the cost of a tow truck, it was the best present I could have ever given him, I had meant for it to have been a joke thinking he could at least scrounge a few parts. He married my wife's cousin and tells me that setting them up best thing I ever did for him, the car comes a close second.
Time to eat and prune, maybe I had better get the blood services to send over a couple of units to top me up afterward.
maxman Possibly it's just me and my paranoia, but if one of my offspring were involved in something that is possibly government and involves that much security, I think I would be reluctant to advertise that fact to anyone outside of my immediate family no matter how proud I might be of them. Just too many nefarious characters out there these days.
Possibly it's just me and my paranoia, but if one of my offspring were involved in something that is possibly government and involves that much security, I think I would be reluctant to advertise that fact to anyone outside of my immediate family no matter how proud I might be of them. Just too many nefarious characters out there these days.
Yes, I worked in a classified environment for years. I didn't make a big deal out of it. I did occasionally say when asked how high my clearance was, was that it was so high even I didn't know what it was. One day I discovered that what I said was true.
I've been retired for 8 years now and I still don't talk about it.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.