Toy train operating and collecting

Lee,

        I am glad that it is working for you. What brand of coal scented fluid did you get? I like the MTH coal fluid because it isn't overpowering.

Falling behind again on th pot!  So much to read let alone post.

Fife......I think about the police officers so often around here.  There was about a zillion people that packed themselves into Salem MA (Witch City) for the last night of the month-long Haunted Happenings which culminates on Halloween.  The police have to be so alert and organized with the crowds that tend to get disorderly.  Five arrests this year versus fourteen last year.  Two stabbings, suspects at large.  Nice celebration......not.

We had a record bunch of Trick or Treaters this year.  About 65.  Temps hit 72 during the day and remained in the 60s for the kiddies, and no rain.  I had a housefull.  Eight kids including my granddaughter and all the parents.  Beef stew and Scala bread, desserts to die for, pictures, followed by T&T, then back to my house for more fun.  The place looked like a bomb went off by the time the last of the partygoers left around 10.  Our carved pumpkins were a big hit.  Another plus......my surplus of beer from the summer cookout season stored cold in the garage fridge got worked down.

One casualty......one of the more rotund parents sat down on my wife's 100 year + hall seat and snapped the seat in two.  He was embarrassed but it never occured to us that the reason the seat held up all these years is because no one ever sat on it.  I moved a plant off the seat right before the guests arrived, my own undoing.

RT......glad to hear you med problem was not more serious.  I hate it when I am told to take something by the docs only to find that it whacks me out.

Chief......your comments about the funeral made me kind of sad.  Our family is spread out and we don't ever seem to get together as a group except for weddings and funerals.  By the same token, I get to see the ones I don't want to see far too often and the ones I want to see not enough.

JimT......always use your foot, saving your hands for finishing the job, choking the last ounce of life out of the knucklehead vandalizing your car.

Dennis.....had to laugh when you noted that your little ones are up at the crack of dawn on your day off.  My kids' routine was similar, only to be replaced by the dogs once the kids moved out.  The current dog forgot about daylight savings, so I just crashed on the couch to catch some more ZZZZZ after I had him out.

SJ......I'm with you.  i don't see much sense in picking up the leaves until two things have occured.  The first is the leaves have all fallen.  The second is that the neighbors have taken care of business as well.  My wife wanted the yard spotless for our Halloween party and the guests.  By the dawn of November 1 it looked like I had done very little.

Charlie.....prayers for your wife and the healthy arrival of the little one tomorrow. 

Spanky.....knees are touchy.  Was it SJ that said ice and elevation?  Good advice.  This is one of those joints that will keep barking at you for a long time if you don't keep a low and easy profile.  I've had 3 arthrotomies.  No fun.

Bob......re your foot.  When you kick the guy vandalizing JimmyT's car, you are not supposed to miss and kick the wheel.

Sorry if I missed anyone.  Gotta run!

Jack  

Good Evening

A chilly day. after hair cut and drug store I stayed in all day. Guess I will just wait for the thingy. Still have banilla...S.J.

Good Evening all

A challenging day today and more tomorow.  Family issues.  Please pray for my eldest daughter.

Jim - Rather than swaping the piston and crank, swap the entire chassis, if it is a better running chassis. 

Don't forget to vote Tuesday

May God bless

Jim

Jim- prayers are on the way.

fifedog:

Chief - I think the term we use up here is "Round-Abouts".  Traffic circles at trouble intersections, which only permit right turns.  They actually work safe (after the first couple months when Otis runs into them after a bender "Who put that there?").  I wouldn't recommend them for streets with more than one lane each way (think European Vacation...)

Leave it to a Yankee Cop to not know Super Streets.   We have round-abouts in subdivisions on thoroughfare streets.  They are traffic calmers.  We love them.   Super Streets is something different.  People loved them and Board approved the DOT proposal.  In fact, TV crew is still in Rolesville to do a live 11PM news on it.  Yes, I am on there too as I did interview before the Board meeting. 

Now for some microwave popcorn.  Been a long day.  BTW: SJ, which hair did he cut?

Later. 

Hi All,

Jim, your daughter and family are in my prayers. Took two grandchildren to the Gratiot Valley train show yesterday. They always have plenty of layouts. Sir James next show we have to meet each other. The grandchildren were impressed talking to the NS Operation Lifesaver officer. Zack, the five year old said "Look that engine only costs one dollar ? His eight year old sister explained to him that a comma and three zeroes after means ONE THOUSAND. He knew Papa couldn't buy it for him. They kept me honest too. Being laid off I am banned from train purchases and they would and should be honest with grandma.

Driving to Wayne, PA (NW of Phily) Thursday for a Saturday wedding. Probably wont have time to stop in Altoona or elsewhere. 

Prayers for 88, Rich's Mom, Mitch, and Bob, and especially for Charlie and Toni tomorrow as they should welcome another little train fanatic!  Prayers for the rest of us and our loved ones as well.

Finally got some straight shooting news from the doctor himself.  No beds are available until maybe the week before Christmas.  They will have a couple beds open the first week of January, so one of them is now spoken for and my wife should be in the hospital then starting chemo for the transplant.  Paperwork is going to the insurance and they should reply in the next week - it's really the doctor's decision at this point.  So, we have progress and better communication.

After work tonight, I took off the new light fixture and had my son work the breakers.  Tested and found the black was hot, but the neutral wasn't working.  Backtracked that to the fixture I piggytailed from at the bottom of the stairs and a 3 wire nut had only grabbed 2 wires!  The third, to the new fixture, was only touching plastic.  Usually I wind the ends together pretty good before I put the nut on, but I was in a hurry.  Fixed it and all worked perfectly!  Now I just need to patch the drywall where I had to fish the wire through 2x lumber.

As you can see, I clearly twisted the nut a little too hard on that last connection and my entire house is now tilted to the right.  I will have to get the level out tomorrow night and see if I can loosen that up and get things fixed.  Guess I didn't know my own strength! 

TARDIS is ready and I hear there is banilla and popcorn?!  Let's go guys!

Happy November!  Great weather here this weekend.  Raked leaves Saturday, and followed up with more yard work on Sunday. 

Had to chuckle at the interesting sight at the city's collection point for leaves - When I pulled up to empty my pick up, there was a guy there with what looked like a 25' enclosed race car trailer.  All the doors were open, and leafs were being thrown out.  Looked like that trailer was completely full to a depth of about 5'! 

Between chores, nice weather, Talledega, and F1, about the only train activity was getting outbid on a Minuteman box car on e-bay.  Watched the first 30 and last 30 laps of the NASCAR race.  Didn't miss much, did I?

Halloween was a bust - just two kids came by for trick or treat.

Round abouts, traffic circles, whatever - these were common in Spain.  If there were two lanes of traffic each direction, the circles were two lanes wide.  They seem to work, but they have their own rythem and seem to also have unwritten rules.

South Bend is in the process of expanding their airport.  Part of the expansion was re-working the streets on the south edge of the airport.  They included a traffic circle.  They did not plan for the semi truck traffic on that road - the diameter of the circle is almost big enough to allow a semi with a 40' trailer to get around. 

SPman - Southern Pacific runs west bound freight traffic through Sedalia.  Most common is empty unit trains of coal hoppers.  Normally have two locomotives on the front and one remote controlled helper on the back.  Always wondered about the need for a helper on the back of an empty train.  It is not that hilly here in Missouri and Kansas.  Makes the scheduling of the motive power easier?

Brutus - I picked up a book about home wiring at Lowe's a while back.  I don't remember the title, but it did have good diagrams on the variations of the three way switch. They work too - my last three way switch job passed the smoke test.  Next trip to your big box hardware store of choice, you might do some 'research' in the book section....

Later all.

Evenin' All.

Still pooped from halloween activities, lots of kiddos on saturday then a houseful on sunday. But well worth it.

Jim, Sounds like some headway is being made, for Mrs Brutus.

Forgot what else I was thinking about, must be bed time.

Can't stand this time change bologna......

Mornin' Fellas

Well last night was a bit of excitement. I got home around 5:30 and started working on the sunroom exterior. As I was finishing up I had been cutting a piece of plywood. Well I accidentally had my finger on the trigger and my other hand on the blade guard release... As I was setting it down I caught my left leg with the running blade. 8 inches long, 2 inch wide gash on my leg. I kept my cool and applied preasure as I got inside yelling for Susan to call an ambulance.  Laid down in the sunroom and propped my leg on my right boot. I was extremely lucky that I did not cut an artery nor did I cut any major nerves. I can hobble around but with great pain.

I had quite a few nurses coming in to check it out... I guess they don't get to see some idiot try to do a self amputation! I'm on bed rest for 24 hours, then I have to see the Dr tomorrow so they can check the swelling and see how it is mending. I got a nice pair of scrubs pants! These things are incredibly light.

HI GYZ,

  33 and another frosty one here.  Yesterday got a compost in the final bed of the yarden put on fertilizer 5-10-5 and the added lime so should be ready for spring.

  88, gonna have to come down there and give you some safety lessons?  Glad you're OK.  Those things bite so watch out.

BRUTUS,don't overtighten those nuts, you might strain your ovaries?

Stay frosty,

 laz57

Mornin' WHOoooaaaa!!!  Awwww man, 88, how cool would it be to have a peg leg...?

Pssst...need to retie that thingie in the back a little...

SPMan - Got to ride that same route behind N&W 1218 back in the 80's.  Hey, in reference to that signal, how do you have that hing wired up?  Probe is patiently trying to help me with mine...

RockIsland - All of our "crazies" go to Fells Point for Halloween...Number 1 princess was one of them.

Chief - Ok, describe what a Nawth Caroliner "super street" is...

Perhaps Buckeye or dbaker or even jonadel might know...

Morning guys,

A FROSTY (for Florida) 51F this AM, going to a whopping 75F!!  WHOO HOO!!

Thanks for the prayers, Mom is in good spirits and a big cast.  She is doing well.

– Brent the Circular Saw Killer (ya ain’t got nuttin on Jason or dem Texas dudes),

Brutus & Mrs, Charlie and da Fam, Sub Bob & Mitch – principals don’t get sick, do they?

Looks like a trip to NJ next week, details later, going to the big city for sure, may have an interview at....LAGUARDIA AIRPORT????

Have a meeting, will check back later

 And we call 'em CIRCLES (rounda abouts?  what da...?)

Good morning all,

IIABSDISEI with temps near 50.  Brent (88), omg!  I am so glad you were not hurt.  Flashbacks to my "snowblower manicure" flooded my mind as I read your story.  (Shudder!)  Good thing Suzie -Q was there to call 911.  Perhaps I am overreacting, but this is one event I can definitely relate to.  Just watch out for the painkillers.  Take the bare minimum and get off them as fast as you can.  I know why people can get addicted to them.  Wow, this post took a turn that I did not expect.  Prayers for sure going out to you as you recover. 

Whew!  Just goes to show how fast life can change!  I went to the YMCA and did some weghts (at less than full strength) and some soccer juggling.  I did some Second Life after I got the trash and recycling together, and I went to bed early.  "V" is on tonight.  I will definitely watch the first episode or so to see how they deal with it.  I had bran muffins on the dining car before sending it to "Points East".  TBIL.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana