SeeYou190The dinosaurs meant nothing to him at all. But, he loves other toddlers, and there were plenty of them there. Sometimes there would be five or six of them just walking around in a herd. That was cute.
If your grandson is like mine, the dinosaurs (or trains or anything else) don't really matter as much as getting to spend time with grandfather. Have fun!
BATMANNo luck on the cat front, though we found out large numbers of rescue cats were shipped from Kuwait to the United States
Was there any indication why cats would be shipped here from Kuwait? Did Kuwait have a problem with too many cats? My area is overrun with homeless cats.
Water Level RouteI finally finished up my fire pit patio project. The last task was completing the firewood storage "shed" and the prep counter for building your smores, topping off your hot dogs, etc.
That is a great looking backyard. I especially like the separate shelf in the firewood storage for the kindling. I didn't think of doing that, and I have a mess with kindling and firewood all in the same stack. I might try to add that to my setup.
Have a good day, everyone.
Photo by Cliff Trice, St. Louis
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."
Water Level RouteI finally finished up my fire pit patio project.
Hi Mike,
The fire pit and patio look great! Job well done!
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Happy Father's Day to all the dads.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Good afternoon and Happy Father's Day from the West Coast.
No luck on the cat front, though we found out large numbers of rescue cats were shipped from Kuwait to the United States and all were chipped, however, this little one was not on the rescue cat chip list. The people up the road have taken it in, however, it still spends a lot of time down here. The wife has emailed several organizations around the world to see if they can help track down the I.D.
Are you going to send that third car back Batman, I notice that it is not as good a runner as the first two. Wot is the grade? And I’m not sure that you’d what to come to live here either.
Bear, the grade undulates between about 1.25% and 1.75%. Like my curves, I don't like the stamped look of a constant set radius or a constant set climb. Though that is not always an option.
The wife and I spent time looking at real estate in NZ online yesterday. I think we could sneak in past the immigration checks even though we are two old foggies that would soon be putting a strain on New Zealand's outstanding public health care.
The wife liked this one.
https://www.realtor.com/international/nz/265-athenree-road-athenree-3177-new-zealand-athenree-bay-of-plenty-120081384346/
Water Level Route I have to say, when I watched your boxcar video, I was convinced the first one was about to launch itself off the rails when it hit that first curve at supersonic speed!
Haven't lost one yet Mike. Must be that superelevation. I must say the performance of cars in that roll test over the years sure has varied, I have had some that wouldn't even roll down the hill.
Your fire pit looks awesome, it is just what my Guitar and I need.
My son came by today and was talking about wedding plans, They have managed to get his future MIL under control on the spending front by just not including her in the decision-making. She (the MIL) had said that they would pay for everything and the reality is they are in no position to pay for even part of it. My son and his GF make big money and are not concerned and they can afford it. It was getting out of hand though.
The wife has gone to get Shushi, I better go get some of the Captain and Pepsi for a snort on the patio, She'll be gone 40 minutes, maybe I can sneak in two!
All the best to all.
Got some signals going on hanging off the front of the station.
Love the outhouse.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
A quiet father's day here. I had three friends visit yesterday for a cookout and some train talk and a lovely day of camaraderie. Unfortunately they had to leave as the hour was getting late so we barely had time for running trains.
I hope everyone is doing well...
Signals, C&O style:
Meeting of CSX Coal Trains in Marion by Craig Sanders, on Flickr
I have several HO cantilever signal bridges like this one but hesitate to use them since they are definitely a C&O design. I've already got a blend of PRR, NYC, B&O and generic three-color signals on the layout as it is.
A 'sort-of' real-life kitbash?
Thurmond Comes Alive! by Doug Lilly, on Flickr
The caption:
The long-dormant storefronts of Thurmond, West Virginia were brought to life in the fall of 1986 when the town was chosen as the location for shooting the film “Matewan”, an historical account of the mining management/labor struggle in Matewan, WV. Not only was the town totally rebranded from a C&O mining community to a settlement on the N&W some 100 miles away, even the railroad elements underwent a makeover. Here the “iconic” C&O cantilever that was so sought after by rail photographers in its last years has been disguised as a full signal bridge and painted black. The signal maintainers better push away from the dinner table a little sooner if the railroad has to resort to publishing weight limits on the signal structures.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093509/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Back to 'normal':
CSX - Thurmond, WV by d.w.davidson, on Flickr
Regards, Ed
-Photograph by Kevin Parson
Good morning everyone. I hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend. Chloe, how about a bowl of good old frosted flakes? Thank you.
Water Level RouteKevin, did the grandson enjoy the dinosaurs at least? That would be a real bummer if he didn't either.
The dinosaurs meant nothing to him at all.
But, he loves other toddlers, and there were plenty of them there. Sometimes there would be five or six of them just walking around in a herd. That was cute.
That looks fantastic. My fire pit patio is still three large piles of material and rebar in my backyard. Hopefully next winter my building time outdoors will be more productive than it was this year.
I hope you and your family enjoy that a lot. It looks like the kind of thing that might attract a lot of teenagers to hang out.
Good Morning Everybody. Happy Father's Day! Chloe, I'll have bacon, eggs, and blueberry pancakes please.
Brent, good luck finding the cat's owner. I have to say, when I watched your boxcar video, I was convinced the first one was about to launch itself off the rails when it hit that first curve at supersonic speed!
Kevin, did the grandson enjoy the dinosaurs at least? That would be a real bummer if he didn't either.
I finally finished up my fire pit patio project. The last task was completing the firewood storage "shed" and the prep counter for building your smores, topping off your hot dogs, etc. Fitting that I'm finally done as I'm the most sore this morning as I have been through the whole project, save one day. It will be so nice not to have to move stuff around to mow. I hate doing that, as evidenced by my before picture.
Fire Pit - before 1 by Michael, on Flickr
And after!
Fire Pit - after by Michael, on Flickr
Now, where's that aspirin....
Mike
Hello...
Sure has been a quiet Saturday in the Diner!
maxman MisterBeasley Well, thank you for taking care of a little stray. Since it's a calico, it's probably a girl cat, although a few calicos are males. I would think this would be easy enough to figure out.
MisterBeasley Well, thank you for taking care of a little stray. Since it's a calico, it's probably a girl cat, although a few calicos are males.
Well, thank you for taking care of a little stray. Since it's a calico, it's probably a girl cat, although a few calicos are males.
I would think this would be easy enough to figure out.
Well, not with the tail inverted, and not without the end-zone camera angle.
I hope this little one finds a good home, even if you can't be the cat daddy.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Good morning everyone. I feeling great this morning. I think it is a pancake day. Chloe, I'll take a stack of three, with blueberries of course.
I finally finished all of the trim work around the new soffit. That only took forever. They are doing the roof dry-in in just 11 days. I need to get the soffit painted first. I am cutting this close.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
BATMAN This cat showed up about three weeks ago and follows me around everywhere I go. No one could get close to it including me. We were concerned about it as no one in the area knew who owned it. Today I sat down on the ground and I guess after scoping me out for three weeks figured I was alright and came and climbed in my lap. My wife scanned it and it has a chip that was made in Germany and the cat is registered in Kuwait. Not on any North American database so the wife is contacting Kuwait to find the owner hopefully. I just love detective work. Sorry for the boring post.
This cat showed up about three weeks ago and follows me around everywhere I go. No one could get close to it including me. We were concerned about it as no one in the area knew who owned it. Today I sat down on the ground and I guess after scoping me out for three weeks figured I was alright and came and climbed in my lap. My wife scanned it and it has a chip that was made in Germany and the cat is registered in Kuwait. Not on any North American database so the wife is contacting Kuwait to find the owner hopefully.
I just love detective work.
Sorry for the boring post.
MisterBeasleyOr, you may have adopted a cat. Congratulations.
Not likely, though it meows very loudly at the door for companionship, I am not sure it knows what awaits it inside.
Good luck finding the cat's owners. Actually, dogs have owners. Cats have staff.
She looks like she's been well taken care of. Her real staff may be just around the corner.
Or, you may have adopted a cat. Congratulations. They're great animals.
I just got back home from taking my grandson to see "the dinosaurs" at the Civic Center.
It was awful. Just awful.
I should have just stayed home and watched Jurassic World again.
I unboxed my Rapido Single -Sheathed boxcars and as I always do gave them the rolling test. I need more parking on the layout.
DoughlessWhat doesn't make sense is the idea that long time/frequent forum members who interact or "see" each other on a frequent basis would not strike up a conversation about things other than railroading. I mean, if you saw somebody in a trackside diner every day, would it be normal to confine a conversation to just railroading? Maybe the critics just have a hard time conversing about other things, or just don't want to.
Maybe the critics just have a hard time conversing about other things, or just don't want to.
I think that it would probably not be normal to confine conversations just to railroading. On the other hand when the conversations stray to my health, your health, the number of funerals we need to attend, the pet dying, and other downer things, I could be persuaded to change my mind.
Regarding the critics, if they don't like the "culture" they should probably just stop peeking and refrain from lifting the lid on the petri dish.
Good morning from the West Coast where it is 20c and cloudy.
Too much heavy lifting yesterday and I am paying the price today. I am fully mobile and pain-free until I start lifting heavy stuff and then the spine lets me know I am full of arthritis.
My young cousin (43) just got back from an extended deployment on a submarine as a civilian contractor. I could easily work on an oil rig, however, being on a sub does not appeal to me in the least. No going outside on one of those. I can't wait to hear about his adventure.
I went to Mt. Rushmore in 1966, It is well worth a visit. We went across the States that bordered Canada plus Wyoming and South Dakota. Dad had taken 9 weeks off work, it was a great trip.
Taking secondary roads if you have the time, lets you actually see what the country is all about. I remember driving around Europe on small windy roads, it was like stepping back in time.
I was just in the train room and realized I still had not opened three Rapido single-sheathed boxcars I had bought a few weeks back, maybe today.
It's garbage day today, that's the most noise we ever get around here.
Hope they got that track installed.
York1 I see you replied while I was adding to my comment. Highway 2 is an amazing stretch of road. The problem is that today most people traveling through the state are in a hurry to pass through the state. Highway 2 is not for people in hurry.
I see you replied while I was adding to my comment. Highway 2 is an amazing stretch of road. The problem is that today most people traveling through the state are in a hurry to pass through the state. Highway 2 is not for people in hurry.
My best friend in HS's family has ranch near Anselmo, NE. He has inherited it. I have been that far up 2 before but never all the way to NW Nebraska. We're looking to spend a few hours at Mt Rushmore, and Google wants me to head up to Valentine to get to I-90 as quickly as possible, LOL.
To keep this comment full circle to the hobby, I think Hiway 2 mirrors the old CB&Q line up to and through Alliance, NE...(or near abouts). That's the current BNSF Powder River line, and also is the subject of forum member Mark Pruitt's Steam era layout in Wyoming.
I could get some decent railfanning in too.
I'll stand corrected if I'm wrong about that.
- Douglas
York1On another thread the discussion turned to The Diner. I have posted a lot here, but I enjoy reading everyone's posts each morning. I didn't realize the diner would have its critics. If my posts get too much or too long, let me know. I tend to drone on here.
As I said in the other thread, I think your posts are just fine. They are interesting from a personal topical standpoint yet don't ever get too personal, if that makes sense.
What doesn't make sense is the idea that long time/frequent forum members who interact or "see" each other on a frequent basis would not strike up a conversation about things other than railroading. I mean, if you saw somebody in a trackside diner every day, would it be normal to confine a conversation to just railroading?
I think that sharing experiences and opinions about other things is actually valuable when it comes to approaching the hobby. Broader perspectives can give insight into why certain things are modeled or why certain aspects of the hobby are pursued more than others. No big deal, but it helps to put some color and meaning into some of the hobby related topics we talk about. JMO.
Good morning, diners. Bacon, eggs, and black coffee, please.
I won't jinx myself by saying that I have a clear day with nothing planned, but ...
On another thread the discussion turned to The Diner. I have posted a lot here, but I enjoy reading everyone's posts each morning. I tend to drone on here.
DoughlessGoogle says that the shortest route from KC to SEA is via I-29 along the Missouri River, but I'm also intrigued by the idea of taking NE Highway 2 through the sandhills.
Highway 2 is a beautiful stretch of road, especially if you don't like crowds!
SeeYou190There are a lot less roofs going on in my neighborhood. I heard one getting nailed down yesterday, and I realized it had been a long time since hearing that noise.
It's the same here. Just yesterday a house behind me got a new roof, but that was the first in quite a while. The thing not getting done here is the siding replacement. There are still a lot of houses that look like they were hit by machine gun fire. The storm was last June. There is a lot of blame going around -- they are claiming they cannot get certain brands and styles of siding because of nationwide demand.
Hope everyone has a great day.
BATMANHe had a management company look after them. He had as many as 23 houses at one time, he has fewer now. The eight houses apply to owning eight out of the possible 14 houses that were on our old street. The usual rotation was 9 weeks on, and 9 weeks off, however, he did 3 months on, and 3 months off. We did a lot of hiking when he was home. Both he and I could never sit at a desk, it had to be physical work outside for our sanity, though mine involved a lot of driving. Then and now at 66, we are both in excellent shape. The last time we got together we were discussing what he wanted to do with it all when he and his wife were gone. There will be some happy charities and a lot of new scholarships being created as he has no close family. You are right about managing rental properties, I had six at one time and it was like babysitting, I finally let the rental management arm of Remax manage them to maintain my sanity. The final straw for me was overhearing two teenage girls saying they could not wait until they were 16 so they could get their own welfare cheques. I do not handle dysfunctional people well.
Yeah, he would have to do it that way, even if he lived locally.
I have found that life's choices are governed by motivation, in that unless a person doesn't have the basic IQ to be a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist, anybody can become anything they want to become. It comes down to how you want to spend your time and the rewards earned for how its spent.
Almost everybody has a unique/personal reward system, and that's what dictates life's choices for the most part.
Its great that your friend spent his time earning tremendous wealth and physical conditioning. Its probably very important to him. Since those are things that don't come at a person but that they generally must go out and get, he's probably very happy and proud of where he's at now, and others who are motivated by the same things probably look up to him. Thanks for sharing.
Good morning everyone. Chloe, please bring me a large cup of black coffee, and an apple turnover from the pastry case. Thank you.
Things are getting back to more-and-more back to normal down here still since Hurricane Ian.
Roofing companies are advertising on television again. The work is no longer looking for them it seems. I have not seen a roofing company advertise for work in almost a year.
There are a lot less roofs going on in my neighborhood. I heard one getting nailed down yesterday, and I realized it had been a long time since hearing that noise.
Also, the out-of-state roofers are packing up and leaving town. This has been eye-opening for several reasons.
There are customers that they had taken deposits from, but it is no longer cost-effective for them to stick around for one or two more roofing jobs. These customers are getting refunds. I have not heard anything about these roofers keeping the deposits, but it would not surprise me if it does happen here and there.
Now these people that were expecting roof installations need to get new quotes, hire another contractor, and get back in line.
Also... a lot of them are returning excess material where I work. This is worrysome. Some of them are returning material bought from stores in South Georgia that do not meet building codes for Florida. We do not sell these items in Florida stores.
Code inspectors have caught a few of them using Non-Dade approved materials. I feel bad for the people that will end up owning these houses. The next storm will be a problem for them.
York1 Kevin, the Reuben looks good. I love them if they're made correctly. . . . . Seattle is a beautiful city, but the traffic is horrible. Three years ago I got caught on Interstate 5 going south after visiting the Space Needle. It was terrible traffic. Of course, I live in a town where the most traffic encountered is two cars at a stoplight, so Seattle may not be as bad as I remember.
Kevin, the Reuben looks good. I love them if they're made correctly.
. . . .
Seattle is a beautiful city, but the traffic is horrible. Three years ago I got caught on Interstate 5 going south after visiting the Space Needle. It was terrible traffic. Of course, I live in a town where the most traffic encountered is two cars at a stoplight, so Seattle may not be as bad as I remember.
Doughless BATMAN My friend I grew up with went to work on oil rigs in the North Sea right out of high school, made enough to put down payments on one or two houses every year and they were rented out. The street we grew up on had 14 houses on it and his goal was to buy them all, so when one came up for sale he bought it. He bought quite a few of them (eight I think) He also bought others. He worked the North Sea rigs for 22 years and retired at 40. He still has most of the same houses he bought though is starting to sell them off as he is getting long in the tooth, like me he is 66. He has a beautiful wife, and no kids, and lives very modestly. His houses are worth about $68,000,000.00 now. It is amazing what a high school education can get you Of course, the tradeoff for all of that wealth is spending hours of life over 22 years on an oil rig in the middle of the North Sea. Did he wear a lined raincoat 24/7 for 22 years? LOL. He managed properties from the middle of the North Sea? Normally, managing any rental house is a PITA. I can't imagine the hassle of managing 8 of them from an oil rig in the North Sea, when I wasn't wearing my raincoat. Sounds like he earned most of that $68M, if that's how he wanted to spend his time. I've always thought that college degrees got you an easier job...physically...and more job security in practice...not necessarily more wealth. That comes from motivation, IMO.
BATMAN My friend I grew up with went to work on oil rigs in the North Sea right out of high school, made enough to put down payments on one or two houses every year and they were rented out. The street we grew up on had 14 houses on it and his goal was to buy them all, so when one came up for sale he bought it. He bought quite a few of them (eight I think) He also bought others. He worked the North Sea rigs for 22 years and retired at 40. He still has most of the same houses he bought though is starting to sell them off as he is getting long in the tooth, like me he is 66. He has a beautiful wife, and no kids, and lives very modestly. His houses are worth about $68,000,000.00 now. It is amazing what a high school education can get you
Of course, the tradeoff for all of that wealth is spending hours of life over 22 years on an oil rig in the middle of the North Sea. Did he wear a lined raincoat 24/7 for 22 years? LOL.
He managed properties from the middle of the North Sea? Normally, managing any rental house is a PITA. I can't imagine the hassle of managing 8 of them from an oil rig in the North Sea, when I wasn't wearing my raincoat.
Sounds like he earned most of that $68M, if that's how he wanted to spend his time.
I've always thought that college degrees got you an easier job...physically...and more job security in practice...not necessarily more wealth. That comes from motivation, IMO.
He had a management company look after them. He had as many as 23 houses at one time, he has fewer now. The eight houses apply to owning eight out of the possible 14 houses that were on our old street.
The usual rotation was 9 weeks on, and 9 weeks off, however, he did 3 months on, and 3 months off. We did a lot of hiking when he was home. Both he and I could never sit at a desk, it had to be physical work outside for our sanity, though mine involved a lot of driving. Then and now at 66, we are both in excellent shape.
The last time we got together we were discussing what he wanted to do with it all when he and his wife were gone. There will be some happy charities and a lot of new scholarships being created as he has no close family.
You are right about managing rental properties, I had six at one time and it was like babysitting, I finally let the rental management arm of Remax manage them to maintain my sanity. The final straw for me was overhearing two teenage girls saying they could not wait until they were 16 so they could get their own welfare cheques. I do not handle dysfunctional people well.
Terry, thanks for telling me the year of the Corvette I wasn't sure. It is beautiful having been fully restored. When he asked I wasn't sure about him wanting me to drive it home for him and putting all that wear and tear on it.
I think a couple of Rum and Pepsi are in order as happy hour on the West Coast has arrived. Can't behave all the time.
The rails have yet to be put down at the far end. See the tiny people?
BATMANMy friend I grew up with went to work on oil rigs in the North Sea right out of high school, made enough to put down payments on one or two houses every year and they were rented out. The street we grew up on had 14 houses on it and his goal was to buy them all, so when one came up for sale he bought it. He bought quite a few of them (eight I think) He also bought others. He worked the North Sea rigs for 22 years and retired at 40. He still has most of the same houses he bought though is starting to sell them off as he is getting long in the tooth, like me he is 66. He has a beautiful wife, and no kids, and lives very modestly. His houses are worth about $68,000,000.00 now. It is amazing what a high school education can get you
York1 Kevin, the Reuben looks good. I love them if they're made correctly. Doughless SeeYou190 What is it with Daughters moving to Tacoma/Seattle/Olympia from the South? I know many people whose daughters have done the same thing. Two of my three are doing it. The motivation is the boyfriend/fiance. They went to college together and he has a job is Seattle, patiently waiting for her to graduate PA school. Traveling from Georgia to Washington, a straight line takes you through Nebraska. About forty miles off Interstate 80 is Spring Creek Model Railroad store. It takes time because the store is off the beaten path, but it is worth stopping there if you are not in a hurry. Seattle is a beautiful city, but the traffic is horrible. Three years ago I got caught on Interstate 5 going south after visiting the Space Needle. It was terrible traffic. Of course, I live in a town where the most traffic encountered is two cars at a stoplight, so Seattle may not be as bad as I remember.
Doughless SeeYou190 What is it with Daughters moving to Tacoma/Seattle/Olympia from the South? I know many people whose daughters have done the same thing. Two of my three are doing it. The motivation is the boyfriend/fiance. They went to college together and he has a job is Seattle, patiently waiting for her to graduate PA school.
SeeYou190 What is it with Daughters moving to Tacoma/Seattle/Olympia from the South? I know many people whose daughters have done the same thing. Two of my three are doing it.
The motivation is the boyfriend/fiance. They went to college together and he has a job is Seattle, patiently waiting for her to graduate PA school.
Traveling from Georgia to Washington, a straight line takes you through Nebraska. About forty miles off Interstate 80 is Spring Creek Model Railroad store. It takes time because the store is off the beaten path, but it is worth stopping there if you are not in a hurry.
We'll be stopping in KCMO to visit family, and Deshler could definitely be a stop also, along with seeing the old stomping grounds of GI NE for the first time in 15 years. Google says that the shortest route from KC to SEA is via I-29 along the Missouri River, but I'm also intrigued by the idea of taking NE Highway 2 through the sandhills.
We lost our Golden Doodle of 14 years last month. Mixed feelings actually. We loved her, but the last few months were difficult for her and us, so her passing came as something of a relief.