Good morning everyone. Bit of a slooow day today but that is to be expected with our corps off galivanting around the world, unfortunatly not all on pleasure trips.
Eric-You must find away to entice the bikini team over by this evening, we could use the extra "support" this evening , a "leg" up if you willThose shots of the street railways in Chicago are something else aren't they. Imagine how many times those exact scenes were played out accross the country and up here in Canada, when the trolley line craze was at it's zenith.Slowley but surly it seems they are making a bit of a triumphal comeback in alot of the bigger cities downtown cores, mind you the costs are alot different as is the equipment, the variety will not be there.
Well still looking for any and all submissions on the Monon ,our theme line du jour today. It will be a tough one but I believe that I did find a small contribution that I will get to in a moment or three.
Ruth another extra large thermous of coffee and a number three if you will, yes the side of saurkraut will be fine with it, espeacially if it's Helga's home brew.
Rob
Good Afternoon Barkeep and all Present; coffee, please, round for the house and $ for the jukebox.
Snow here today and !@#$ cold this a.m. Have been busy outside (of course) but am back inside for now. Looking forward to another full day of it tomorrow. Monon is not a topughie, but we have been busy covering the darts tournament so the railroad will have to wait a bit.
Since Mentor operates in a parallel time zone, here's a report on festivities leading up to the first game of the tournament.
I Love a Parade
Greetings again from our observation deck (aka Immodium Acres) high atop Majestic Mount Mentor, where we gaze out over the crepuscular crushed catapult cogs that are still smoldering behind the Second Class Saloon. The first contest is finished (and it looks to this reporters red rimmed eyes that so are many of the contestants). But let’s begin at the beginning.
Some of our more stalwart readers may remember a few days ago that this reporter managed an exclusive interview with Man Mountain Mike. The subject was the stacks of lumber, coils of rope, and many used vehicles stacked behind the Second Class Saloon. You will also recall (yeah, that’s likely!), that your intrepid reporter found blueprints for a catapult.
Well, our suspicions were confirmed. The Second Class folks somehow managed to cobble all of these pieces together into a working medieval monstrosity. It was, however, carefully hidden under a tarp which was further camouflaged by huge piles of empty beer cans. Your reporter’s surmise is that the Second Class Trogs were working on this infernal machine while the Our Place patrons attention was distracted by the activities that occurred at the barbeque and pep rally.
It was now time for the pregame parade to the Second Class Saloon. The boys were formed up and the cheerleaders were in good shape (oh, yeah!), and the parade stepped off (make that fell off the porch) right about on time – sort of like the Mentor Street Railway..
A sudden crash from behind the Second Class Saloon, and the tarp and beer cans fell away, revealing the catapult in all its majesty. The next thing we knew the parade was under fire from a hail of crushed Gremlins, Pacers, Edsels, and Corvairs (where did they find all of this stuff?) All participants scattered as the crushed cars cascaded crazily from the clouds.
After awhile it was clear that the Second Class Catapulteers were beginning to get the range of the Our Place building. However, the Our Place folks had a trick of their own. You will recall that the railroad had sort of hosted the pre tournament barbeque and pep rally. The Our Place cheerleaders somehow (we will not tell) managed to bribe the Mentor section gang into raising the Our Place building and placing crib blocks, freight car trucks (roller bearing of course,) and rails under the structure. When the barrage began, the crew fell to with a will. Awk flew forward observer duty and spotted the trajectories of the crushed cars as they rained down. The track crew pushed and pulled the building “just enough” to avoid the hail of Gremlins, Pacers, Edsels, and Corvairs.
The situation ‘twas indeed ‘parlous as Awk had disappeared. It was then that a flight of Spads from the Greater Mentor Vintage Flight, Balloon, and Social Club appeared. Awk was in the first plane, calling down a hail of suppressing fire upon the catapult. A humming, buzzing, sound filled the sky and the Zeppelin appeared floating lazily over the field of conflict. For once, Boris did something constructive. He lobbed a Molotov cocktail (made of something from the never-ending Oktoberfest punch bowl) from the Zeppelin into the turntable pit. There was enough ‘oomph left in the turntable pit from the beans that a massive explosion followed. Given the terrain around the Mentor freight yard, the explosive forces propagated in such a way that the catapult was destroyed. What a way to start the tournament!
I have seen enough to know I have seen too much; back to the studios high atop Majestic Mount Mentor.
work safe
Guten Tag allerseits!
Reporting in from Halifax (Bedford) Nova Scotia . . . Memorial Service has concluded and I am making reading for my return trip home tomorrow. Hope to catch the beginning of WS game #3 tonight - comes on here at 9:30 PM (Atlantic time). Go Cardinals!
Tried to connect early this morning, with no luck - but a window of sorts must have opened, as I now am here!!
Have not seen ANYTHING for our THEME for the DAY - MONON - what happened boyz ??? So, here is what we will do - MONON for NEXT Tuesday!
Thanx to those of you who have kept things going . . .
Gotta get scurrying over to the Second Class Saloon - tonite is the BIG START to the Grudge Match Bragging Rights DARTS CHALLENGE! (where IS Pete????)
Judging by CM3 and his reports - he is certainly READY!!
Leon - a round on me if you please and Boris ring the bell!
Auf Wiedersehen!
Tom
.....................................MENTOR......................TELEGRAPHIC.........................SERVICE.........................................
Message...From 2ndclassSaloon to OurPlaceTavern
Begins.....Pinned down in car park by heavy covering fire...stop...Wrecked autos everywhere...stop....instigate plan `B` ...stop...Launch all Zeppelins and fit Spads with the `special` canister munitions....stop...take no prisoners....stop...the last man & the last round....stop...take care of Boris for me...stop...am going to attempt breakout...stop...remember me fondly...stop......stop...message ends
Hi Tom and all.
I had better have Holden's Golden Glow with a half of the Special to prepare for the darts match at the Second Class saloon.
After reading CM3's report of the parade it looks like a tough night but I am sure we can do it.
I think they have someone into computers as it took a while to log on. It was not a case, on the forum,of the words in High Noon " Do not forget me oh my darling". But as the Stones said "Its all right now".I'll have tee-shirt #1 and am looking forward to tonites match.
I will catch up on the posts while I have been away and it is great to be back.
Great to see the Cards doing well and let me add to Tom's round BORIS with another to get us in the mood for the darts,
COME ON YOU MENTORS.
Pete.
Hi Tom and everyone, a round for the house.
Pete, welcome back.
Doug, thanks for the Chicago pictures.
Rob, glad you got a good crowd at the museum on the weekend. Hope they appreciated all your work to restore and preserve.
Eric, according to the photographer's notes it took 5 minutes to refuel the Super Chief.
Nick, Spain, too? I envy your travels.
CM3, you're imagining things, and wildly. That is, if you believe your readership can define crepuscular.
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/in/in0200/in0200/color/572134cv.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/in/in0200/in0200/data/004.gif
William Jennings Bryan
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/in/in0200/in0200/photos/065562pv.jpg
PRR bridge South branch Chicago River
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/il/il0700/il0706/photos/037299pv.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/il/il0700/il0706/photos/318384pv.jpg
Mt. Washington in 1940
http://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/archives/cushman/full/P02441.jpg
Pere Marquette
http://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/archives/cushman/full/P02995.jpg
Mike
G-day Captain Tom and all present!
My computer is Having some problems!! I hate this thing, Can't wait for my laptop!
So this is going to be quick. Sorry that I am not naming people tonight. But I will tomorrow.
I came back from a good show.
I picked some things that I thought I would never get.
A few Accurail box cars. Two Northern Pacific and one Milwaukee road. Nice cars. Already built up.
Then the winner for the year. I got a set of A-B Northern Pacific FP9's. Made by Athearn Genesis. There regular price is set at 270 some dollars and I got them for 125 dollars!!!
I couldn't believe it!! I also picked up a U33C in the burlington northern paint scheme. Made by Atlas. Nice loco.
Then this year I decided that I would enter the plastic contest that is held at the show. So I put in an Accurail Bilevel open auto rack that I built up. I also added a lot to it. All the under body air pipes and two grab irons that run the length of the car. And then put some weathering to it so that it looked used. I was surprised to fing out later that day I had won Best in show for the railroad portion of the contest!!! I couldn't believe it. It was great. I will have pixs posted tomorow.
Then I came home.
Sorry for the brief message.
Happy railroading!!
James
Good morning gang! Anyone see Nick? Took me awhile to find the Our Place building this AM. Did you know that there is a pile of crushed cars all over the layout where it used to be located? The Mentor Bakery still made their delivery to the old location, so I picked-up all the pastries I could jam into my bike bag and pockets and brought them here. Don't use the johns, as I don't think there is any water. Couldn't login to the forum yesterday in spite of many attempts. First time that's happened to me. Perhaps sacrificing my Trains subscription to the gods might help. Got to be running to job#1, and later have financial papers to deliver to the loan gods, but I'll be back!
There were two carrots walking down the road, a big carrot and a little carrot. On the other side of the road they see their friend cabbage in his cabbage patch. Big carrot says: "Let's go visit cabbage on the other side of the road."Little carrot says: "But there is so much traffic here I'm afraid I might get run over." Big carrot says: "Nonsense, just wait for a break in the traffic and run as fast as you can." Big carrot sees a break in the traffic and runs over to cabbage. He then calls to is friend to try. Little carrot gets ready, sees a break in the traffic and runs across the road. Unfortunately there was abig truck coming and little carrot gets squashed in the middle of the road. Big carrot feels really bad and scoops his friend up and takes him to the hospital. The doctors perform emergency surgery. After several hours the doctor comes out. "I have some good news and some bad news." Big carrot says: "Ok doc, go ahead, I can take it." The doctor says, "Well the good news is that your friend is going to live, but the bad news is he's going to be a vegetable for the rest of his life."
Hi all - is Tom still ont he line from NS - say hi if he is.
Well - trebles all round today for all in as we have some big news to celebrate
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/6082026.stm
578m govt cash to expand our fantastic street car system !! See the link above - does not happen every day as vitually every other UK city in the bidding got the cold shoulder a while back.
I'll be cracking out the champagne in my fridge when I get home, and I'll splash out on the local rag to get the full story.
More here too on the official website
http://www.thetram.net/
A historic moment.
DL - UK
A pint of the usual please LEON and a round please.
Still catching up on the posts while away some really great posts, with some wonderful links, especially to Merchantile Marine and the Liverpool Museums.It is taking a long time but deffinatly very worthwhile.
Looking forward to the dart match report and will callin again soon.
Until the next time!
Manager Lars
G-day captian Tom and all present.
Well I am back.
I see that Tom is out this week. But As long as he keeps the Model RR around I will be posting pics every Wednesday. But since I have never been here when Tom is out maybe someone could give me a heads up on how it works around here.
I am glad you liked the elevator Mike, infact you will like it when I am done adding in all the scenery and when the elevator is weathered. I also got a little note from Eric who told me That I should get a couple of swift trucks for the layout. I gave it a bit of thought and I think I might do so. I do like trucks and a couple of Swift trucks would make the layout more realistic.
Nick- I am glad you like the elevator. Now it should give some inspiration to those that need to build there layouts still. I've still got quite a way to go on mine but it's coming around slowly.
Buddcarr and Coalminer also thought the elevator was cool too. Now If you have a layout.. Add on!! I like to add as much detail as I can to make it look as real as it can be.
DL-UK- I noticed your news report on the man doing his thing in passeneger cars! What in the world was on his mind.. except. You would think he would have had the common sence "NOT" to do that.
Anyway I think I will add my portion of the model pics to the thread.
This is the winner car that took best in show.
This the underbody to the car. I don't think you can see the pipes really well but they're under there.
This is the car along with the medal.
The medal.
Here are the F-units I bought. They are sure nice. FP9s.
The front view of the FP9.
This shot was taken a few months back gut it gives you an ides of what it looks like minus all the buildings and scenery and a couple of changes.
Well greetings fellow survivors-I type this from my locked-room bed in Mentor cottage hospital ,with the two fingers I retain the use of. Have just checked the medical card at the end of the bed and feel that the volume of red ink and exclamation marks used may be excessive,although they are feeding me more drugs than a chimp in a govt research lab so who knows...........
Only 2 questions-did we win & did the rest of the team make it out in time...
Leon-please get the guys a drink on my tab if you would-good man
Right-to the business of the day:-
ROB-Sounds like an excellent w/end up at Halton County--good to see the `Reaperman` car earning it`s keep...As to the tour...never say never !!-stranger things have happened (had an offer tonight to play at a beer festival in Somerset-about 5 hours drive away. -only problem is,will they cough up $1500 to have us.....-building up quite a network of contacts all over the place thru Myspace and the like...)
ERIC-To be honest,I have no idea how `Sir Drefaldwyn` ended up at the W&LLR-best guess is that as it is a 30" gauge line (uncommon over here) they were forced to look overseas for additional power...will do some browsing,see what I can dig up
PETE- home dear boy-you have been sorely missed-hope the trip was all you had hoped for -now come and join me in nicks nitpicking corner for a moment-I think you may have confused `Free`s "All right now" with the Stones cover of B&S Womack`s "all over now" (oh for goodness sake,somebody shut him up I hear you all cry,and rightly so.......)
MIKE-Spain is a fairly short hop from here-it actually takes longer to drive to the airport at Cardiff than to fly to Bilbao...---Basque Country fascinating place,local population even crazier than the Welsh-real nutters nutters
DOUG-Thank goodness you made it out--rather lost track of you after the second bout of small arms fire-The memory of you charging the 6`6",450lb bulk of slope-head,armed only with an ice-bucket,is one that I will pass on to my grandchildren..........................
DL-UK-Most excellent news from your quarter -Dare one hope that we are,in some small way,entering a new age of enlightenment........--I`ll organise some suitably posh nibbles to go with the champers (Boris,Copperkettle---the red folder on the top shelf ,next to the stereo-make some of everything from pages 6 thru 11....NOW.!!! )
LARS-How ya doin mate-enjoying the trip -How come I can still see you,even though you are several thousand miles further away........---nurse,more of those pills please.....
JAMES-Congratulations on your medal -having seen the pics I think it is thoroughly well-earned,nice piece of work mate--those FP9`s are quite something as well-couldn`t believe the detail on that `A` unit (winterisation hatches,red & white top h/light,metal wipers-) Man,lady luck sure smiled on you this week-delighted for you-enjoy them --nice layout pic as well-gives a good `feel` for the whole project-sensibly manageable size---Are you going for any staging or does everything live out in the open -I can see it getting quite crowded without a fair amount of self-discipline
O.K-not sure what model pix I have available that havn`t already seen the light of day but lets have a browse anyway......will just get one of the porters to sneak this note out whilst the officer on duty is having his meal break,back in a bit
nick
O.K. boys & girls,heres some model pix....
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Since FP units are in the news,heres a couple of part-decorated examples with a road van moving out of the engine yard with a further unpainted example back in the platform roads
assorted freight cars seen from the end of the steel stockholders spur--FP7a`s visible in far distance
Especially for PETE:-large & small prairie tanks,auto tank & HyMek
Some `spoof` liverys-PRR boxes rebranded for Conrail and generic 50` box with C.N. cyl hpr decals-refer to rule 1-it`s MY train set...............
FP7a`s again-presence of E/E class 37 on adjacent track and Austrian freight cars on the other side suggests open house w/end
FP`s & Geep descend the bank with a considerable load on (testing new power pack-eminently satisfactory
Right chaps,thats me-Leon,another round on my tab please old son-have a good one,see ya
Hello Cindy - full breakfast for me please.
Yes yesterday was a good day - one on the tram news front as mentioned, then postman arrives with the latest issue of Classic Trains - good timing or what? I must say only glitch with the mag is there is not enough Canadian stuff in it - but trailer for next issue looks like there will be some canadian focus - not that there is anything wrong with the content of course.
Pete - good to see you back and nice to see you are catching up with recent posts and links - no doubt we all look forward to hearing about your travels - I never did make it to the GCR for that steam weekend - a situation I regret but there we are.
Rob / Nick - ONR and ACR - I spent some time looking at the ACR website - looks like a darn good run - I see that public transport wise from Toronto you are looking at taking the Canadian to Oba and then workign south towards Sault St Marie and back, or Taking the Canadian to Sudbury Jct - then taxi to Sudbury - then the White River VIA train to Franz where it looks like it connects (geographically if not timetable wise) with the ACR - or I suppose you can get a road coach or something Toronto Sault St Marie?
I think I'll head for the ONR next visit to Toronto if I can + Halton County Tram car museum of course.
Nick - I'd really like to read that Railway Mag ONR / ACR 1960s article you mentioned - my e-mail is dud at the mo though so the only way would be if you can scan and post up here - is that feasible?
Anyway - guess what - Sat morning I have tickets with 3 others for dining car service on steam trip to London and back behind 4-6-2 Princess Coronation Duchess of Sutherland - lets hold out for no mechanical failures. That is about 150 miles each way behind one of the UK's top notch express passenger steam locos. Tell you all about it next week.
For those of you who want to know what it looks like - check the link:
http://www.prclt.co.uk/New_Collection_Locomotives.htm
Good wishes to you all - and enjoyed the various recent contribs from others not mentioned above - thank you.
Guten Morgen allersiets!
Wie ist jeder? Es is OKTOBERFEST! Partei wollen wir!
Greetings to all on this wet morning in mid-continent USA. Been raining here for over 24 hours and more on the way. “They” say we’ll probably receive a couple of inches when all of this is expected to conclude on Friday night. Managed to get Juneau the Wonder Husky off on his AM treak throughout the “mean streets” of our subdivision <grin> - he missed last night due to the downpour and couldn’t justify two in a row!
Let’s see, game #4 of the World Series will be played tomorrow night – IF the weather cooperates – however, game #5 is to be played tonite – again, weather permitting. Should tonite’s game be washed out, then Saturday will be game #5, but if Friday is also a rain out, Sunday will be game #4. Following all of this ONLY Major League Baseball could come up with something as screwy as this. You see, they have the tickets printed well in advance and game numbers only have relevance to those holding them. Poor folks who came from afar are now wrestling with what to do regarding air reservations, hotels, etc. Bummer.
Noted that petrol was at $1.99 (rounded) up at “Collusion Corner” a far cry from the $.96 (rounded) per litre I noticed in Nova Scotia. Multiply that by 4 and you’ll get an idea of the per gallon price for them. <ugh>
Uneventful trip back, all connections were made and aside from being a bit worn at the edges, things are back to normal ‘round here. The Memorial Service was held in the oldest Anglican church in Dartmouth and was well organized. So much diversity – so many people and so very heartwarming. A true celebration of a wonderful man’s life. Most flattered to have been a part of it through the reading of one of the scriptures. Thanx to all of you for your well wishes and positive thoughts – really appreciated!
Appears as if the place has been perking along in my absence – as it is designed to do. Noted a question regarding “how things work” in my absence – ANSWER: the same as when I’m here. Simple as that. Greet the bartender – order a drink or food and get on with the discussion of Classic Trains.
I KNOW the outcome of the games and am eagerly awaiting the delivery of this morning’s Gazette for the sports coverage. From the looks of this place, the party atmosphere ‘round here last night was indeed – festive. Not that much broken, bent, or otherwise mangled – for that I’m thankful! Having the Track Gangs watching the goings on surely didn’t hurt and I’m amazed how easily they picked up those pool tables to make room for the Bikini “team”!
Permit me to peruse these pages in order to better address some of the commentary in my absence. Everything has “loaded” so I want to take advantage of it while I can!
Be back in a bit . . . .
Boris, serve ‘em all of the “spiked” OJ they can handle!
Good Morning Barkeep and all Present: coffee, please; round for the house and $ for the jukebox.
The forum is randomly formatting stuff this a.m.; so this post may look a bit raggedy - apologies in advance.
Late news from Mentor – boy is it late – we were doing o.k. until the Second Class folks, in line with present metal prices, copped copper from the chattering telegraph lines. Anyway, communications have been restored and here’s a report on the first darts match. Note that because of the rain in the heartland; other matches have been pushed back a day (or two); IOW work, work work...have no feah! We will provide full and complete coverage (probably more than you ever wanted to know)
Let the Games Begin – There’s No Crying in Darts
Greetings from our studios high atop Majestic Mount Mentor. I am tonight hunched over the old Underwood upright and am at a loss (Boris, give me back my wallet, thank you) to try and describe the first game of the darts tournament.
The pregame festivities resumed once the parade (not the contestants) reformed. The Greater Mentor Vintage Flight, Balloon and Social Club provided a flyover of several Gotha bombers. This was followed by a parade of flags, and the national anthems of all contestants involved in the tournament. The Transylvanian national anthem is, indeed, a toe tapping ditty. Not too many folks paid attention to the opening ceremonies as the refreshments flowed and the bets were heavy.
As a refresher, darts is a game played between two players or two teams. Each player throws three darts in a turn. Then the darts are retrieved. Darts must stay on the board for at least five seconds after a player’s final throw. Throws don’t count if they stick in another dart or fall off the board. If a player’s foot (paw or tentacle) crosses the line or if a player falls over the line, the throw doesn’t count. There are no “do-overs” in darts.
Scoring is pretty straightforward. In the wedge; the amount posted on the outer ring. Double ring (outer narrow ring) twice the number hit. Triple ring, three times the number hit. Outer bulls eye; 25 points; double bulls eye (inner); 50 points.
Genial banter ensued among the players as each team took their obligatory nine warm-up tosses; a few of which actually hit the board; several narrowly missing other participants and the Second Place cheerleaders. The trash talking among the players was not nationalistic, although it did involve pungent references to different ancestries and various social habits. Your reporter, used to such repartee (and having been known to indulge in it now and then, but only when under duress) was not overly shocked, but ear plugs were provided by the Mentor Visiting Nurse and Veterinary Korps for the more sensitive folks in the audience.
A doubloon was flipped to determine who would go first, as the Mentor Police Dept. said it would not be a good idea to determine “firsts” with anything that had a point on it. Second Place won the toss, thereby making Second first.
As the match progressed, it was clear that both teams were evenly matched with identical scores at the end of the first game (yes Boris, they were the same, too). By that point both the audience (the school kids had been sent home earlier) and the players were face down and nobody was in fit shape to continue; the Greater Mentor Ambulance and Animal Disposal Authority was summoned and Pulmotors used to revive the participants. Nobody wanted rescue breathing from Boris as his remark, “Out with the good air, in with the bad,” scared folks away. The game was declared to be a draw and will be entered into the books as such. The second game will be on Oct. 25 at “Our Place.” It sure looks as if the third game will “be necessary.” NOTE: See remarks above this story - telegraph problems prevented dates being changed after the paper (and reporters) "went to bed."
I’ll be heading back to our studios high atop Majestic Mount Mentor availing myself of transportation graciously furnished by the Metropolitan Mentor Nash and Hupmobile Club. Say good night, Tex!
Back again – this time with a few acknowledgments of Posts Past!
from Page 416:
CM3 – I wudda thunk that snow in late October is the “norm” in your part of the world. Somewhere in my mind’s eye, there was a trip through Wheeling en route Cincinnati (back before the Interstate) and I recall lotsa white stuff – and that was just around this time of year. Had existed the Pennsy Turnpike at New Stanton for my “run” to southern Ohio via highway 40 and route 22. Ah, the good ole days! <grin>
Strategic Air Command (1955) with Jimmy Stewart – ah, yes a good selection – will do!
DL – The URL regarding the “Train Defecator” reminded me of a similar set of incidents – but aboard ship. Yes, seems we had a crewman who for whatever the motivation, took great delight in making “deposits” into the SHOES of his sleeping shipmates. NEVER did catch the guy and it remains one of those “mysteries of life” we all encounter from time to time!
Nick – Intriguing references to fire power and adornments for the Darts Challenge team uniforms! A sure-fire-fit!
Many thanx for the Pix from the Welshpool & Llanfair light Railway!
Rob – Interesting “spook” trolleys! Also, appreciate your efforts at trying to get the Tuesday Theme for the Day! kicked off . . . can’t do much more than try, eh
Eric – So, let me get this straight – are you the Coordinator-in-charge for the Swedish Bikini Team
And yes, dining aboard a rolling train IS one of the most pleasurable of experiences!
CM3 – A most entertaining piece regarding the catapult – a fine use for discarded Gremlins, Pacers – Edsels and Corvairs, I should add!
Nick – Help is on the way! Stay low and go slow, Mate!
Pete – Good to see ya, Mate and glad you made it back just in time for match #1 – along of course with shirt #1
Mike – Appears as if ONLY YOU followed thru with some MONON “stuff” – albeit not identifiable in the Pix – but the history was and is appreciated! Wonder how many others “caught it”
James – Congrats on your entry! Also, consider yourself TWEETED! Rules violation – rules violation – failure to order a drink or food! Reminder: You’ve had ample time to get with the program – so you now must clean out Boris’ shed out behind the building!
Doug – Good to see ya! Consider yourself TWEETED! Rules violation – rules violation – failure to order a drink or food! You, as a Permanent Stool holder SHOULD KNOW BETTER! So, you now have the responsibility of collecting the Awk, Tex and Frostbite droppings in and around this place!
DL – Great news about the light rail expansion plans. Always happy to hear of forward momentum in that department, no matter where on this globe of ours! Consider yourself TWEETED! Rules violation – rules violation – failure to greet the barkeep AND failure to order a drink or food! No more dispensation for you, Mate – you’ve been ‘round the block sufficiently to know the way we operate! Yours is to patrol the trackage (2 main lines) to ensure that the ‘deposits’ left from the passing passenger cars are scooped and disposed of properly!
To be continued . . .
Guten Morgen Allersiets!
Continuing with the acknowledgments - this time from the current Page!
Pete - it's a slow go when trying to play catch up - appreciate your taking the time to do it! Something that many of us used to ALWAYS do upon return from an absence. Only way I know of keeping up to date . . .
Lars - great to see ya pop in! Read through your Email - and once again, take heart - we'll be here when things settle down for ya - not to worry. Do what you can, when you can and we'll all be a bit better off for it!
James - nice Pix - kudos for the medal Of course, you have been TWEETED! This current Post should count as yet another - but I'll let it go. Time for you to straighten up and fly right (a WWII lyric from a song . . . )
Nick - happy to know that you survived the first nite! Seems that the DARTS CHALLENGE has taken on a new twist, along with the dates! Our "reporter" has run with the ball and still is . . . .
Appreciate the Wednesday Toy 'n Model Trains Day! Pix . . .
Eric - all of this talk 'bout the Bikini Team has me wonderin' - WHAT did I MISS
DL - that's a fine looking Pacific you will be trailing behind! My envy goes out to ya - sure would love to experience the trip. Ummmmmmm - sure would! Thanx for the URL!
CM3 - so it wound up in a DRAW!!! And the dates have all changed because of rain Must've been the hole in the roof at the Second Class Saloon, eh Well, appears as if you'll have us all in "stitches" (as in laughter) and suspense (as in "what huh?") as this saga continues on . . . . Enjoying it all! A five- Salute to you Sir for all of the "reports," enthusiasm and energy!
Ruth, a round on me - Boris, ring it! By the by, Boris - it's OUT WITH THE BAD AIR . . . <geesh>
Hey Tom - make mine the evening dish of the day - but what I need to do is check if there is any system of appealing these Tweets!!
No order of the day you say? But check again:
"Well - trebles all round today for all in as we have some big news to celebrate"
To celebrate the good news I bought trebles all round - I can only assume we have some trans atlantic communication breakdown here - what that is supposed to meam is that I'm buying a triple order of any drink anyone in the bar at the time wants to help join me in the celebration - not making an order you say? It's the bigest order I ever made!
So guys, did anyone get those drinks I ordered - if not better get them in now - I'm buying after all.
But, in good grace I'll acept the punishment - but I'm looking for a pardon. I've got a nasty feeling you're not running any of that stock with controlled emmission toilets either on this line - I bet those Nightstar carriages are fitted with them though!
G-day Captain Tom and all present.
Ruth- I have not been ordering from you lately and I have been tweeted! So before I go out and clean the shed, I think I will have a nice coffee. Breakfast blend please.
Sorry there Captain Tom, I just forget. I know I've had the time to order and I knew the rule so I will try to be more dilligent. But as you say, a shed needs cleaning.
Eric- Thanks for the comments. I was surprised to find that medal. It was quite a heart warmer. You have some Fs yourself hmm. Well, I would like to see those things next Wednesday if possible. I like Fs a lot. If I am able to buy them I do. But you said, "They're around here somewhere." Uh oh. hopefully you can find them. Anyway thanks for the comments
Nick- I like your layout. It gives me ideas and the need to finish up my layout. Good string of F-units there. Those Fs and the GP coming down the hill with there train is quite a sight. How steep of a hill is it? The Athearn Genesis is a great line and is the maker of some of the most detailed and most impressive F-units out there. Broadway limited is another maker but they don't put as much detail in to them as Athearn does. So if you're thinking about buying them do so.
Happy railroading!
A pint of Holden's Mild after the excess of the darts night ( I thought it was a nine PINT warm up not a nine DART warm up), please RUTH, and I should be recovered enough for some of NICK's Fish ,N, Chips later.
It was great to talk to you this morning TOM and many thanks for the welcome back all. I am still catching up on the posts and will do a normal post when up to date.There has been great posts, pics and links while away, just been reading about the Rock Island wonderful info.
Well Ruth a round for all while I sit in the Corner and catch up
siberianmo wrote:Guten Tag allersiets!James - good man - five dollar coffee it is! A tip - be careful when entering Boris' shed - it can be a rather harrowing experience. Definitely will clear your sinuses! <grin>Auf Wiedersehen!Tom
G-day Captain Tom.
Yow!! Five dollar Coffee!! Well I will deffinenetly be ordering.
Ruth- Fish n'd chips please with some more of that five dollar coffee please.
Yes I know I am ordering a little later in the day but that shed... There spiders the size of half dollars in there. I hate spiders. And what is up with all the stuff just piled randomly in and OUT of the shed... Yike, I will be changing at how I do some stuff around here.
Anyway, Things have finally slowed down. Dang shed.. As I had said I had gone to Fargo this past weekend and got in some railfanning. There are a couple of places to visit when you're out there.
#1. The Moorhead juction. The double track Northern pacific (Now BNSF) crosses over the other BNSF line (Was Great Northern) and the trains just come through at 40 mph. Over the diamond.. what a noise. The loaded coal trains going over the diamond are almost deafening.
#2 Casselton, North Dakota. They can only come through at 40 but you can watch them disappear in the distance. This section of the line is the second longest straight piece of track in North America. At almost 50 miles long on the prairie. You can see the trains from almost 7 miles away. And it takes them forever to get to Casselton. Just outside of Casselton there able to run along at 60 mph. I will have pics of those soon.
BTW: Can we get wasp killer! You have a nest on the back of the shed.
Gute Nacht allersiets!
Just a quickie before the game begins - yes, the Cardinals and Tigers are going to start the game on time. Rains have held off - just drizzle for most of the day. Heavier stuff coming in later on and throughout tomorrow. Oh to be a weather forecaster - imagine getting paid for being right 50% of the time!
Appreciate the business from Pete 'n James! Always like to keep the jingle in the cash registers known as "Tilla 'n Cashinator"! <grin> KaChing - KaChing . . .
James - as revealed in past commentary - we charge five bucks for coffee, tea, hot chocolate or soda IF nothing else is ordered. Otherwise those beverages are FREE! Wasp spray Yes, we have it - just remove the top from the water barrel (old beer keg) to the left of the Glockenspiel - you'll find it in amongst the assorted "outside" stuff. . . .
Pete - stay tuned to the game - we need all the postive vibes we can get! It ain't over 'til it's over (a Yogi-ism) and my guess is there's plenty of life left in those striped beasts from Detroit!
Don't forget guyz - TONITE is match #2 of the DARTS CHALLENGE - unless of course CM3 Ace Reporter has continued with his slight of hand! This all began as the best 2 of 3 . . . how does THAT work with a tie???? Methinks there has to be a Dart-off to square match #1.
Leon - give 'em a round on me, Boris ring the bell!
That was refreshing, tweets galore. Haven't heard the tweet since the days of red P
Nick, that museum in Bilbao, you couldn't have missed it, I presume. The architech Gehry is from Toronto and has a project going on up there.
Eric, thanks for reading about the New Albany & Salem.
It was entirely in Indiana and entirely in the first five letters of Monongahela.
http://images.indianahistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/dc014&CISOPTR=61&REC=15
James, if you click these links you'll see black & white pictures and data in the Library of Congress
Milwaukee Road electric locomotive E50
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/mt/mt0000/mt0038/photos/100924pv.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/mt/mt0000/mt0038/data/008.gif
Milwaukee Road electric locomotive E70
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/mt/mt0000/mt0038/photos/100914pv.jpg
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/mt/mt0000/mt0038/data/006.gif
The Tigers and the Cardinals were in the 1934 World Series. The Dean brothers each won 2 games.
I wonder what trains they took. The Tigers of course were accustomed to traveling to St. Louis to play the Browns. Back then all of major league baseball was in the East and Midwest, or within the combined routes of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central.
Speaking of Penn Central, Tom, I found a Pennsy parlor car on the New Haven
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ct/ct0300/ct0346/photos/024723pv.jpg
CM3, thanks for explaining the game of Darts, finally. Actually I almost remember playing darts about 40 years ago.
Mountain Man Mike's 2nd Class Mountain
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/collections/cushman/full/P06176.jpg
Central Vermont locomotive 601
(photo courtesy Canada Science & Technology Museum)
(photo borrowed with much gratitude to Mr. Mitchell)
Well good evening gentlemen--still in a locked-room bed in the county hospital-will somebody please pay the ransom ,I`m sure I can look after myself..
TOM-welcome home mate-good job done there..
Moving on :- Leon,beers all around please--splendid fellow
JAMES--thank you for kind words about my trains--
The layout was originally conceived as an homage to the Somerset & Doset line -A famous English cross-country route linking Bath & Bournemouth-I have a complete set of stock needed to operate it but having completed that jigsaw suddenly I found myself with a new interest-The Canadian rail scene,my existing layout provided exactly the right template for the Toronto--Allendale section of the C.N. and witha little `imagineering` it has become the South Ontario Bridge lines-----the S.O.B route--VIA & ONR pass. services,C.N,O.N.R,G.T.W and C.P.R freights and through cars from all over....
Right-looks like that large and muscular nurse is intent on me taking my medicene-wow,that is a HUGE woman..........................................................................................................................................................
Hi Tom
Thanks for the pardon – glad to see you operate a traditional approach to these things – ie what the landlord says is the rule!!
Pancake Breakfast for me today please (or am I coooking it myself whilst Nick is a hostage).
Good run down on those Canadian routes. The more you have mentioned it the keener I have become to do that Gaspe journey some time. Obviously The Canadian is a classic journey – but that no doubt means it is tourist orientated too perhaps – That Churchill – Winnipeg route does look like a good one.
Of course the ideal would be to take the Canadian to Winnipeg, do a Churchill Round Trip, onwards west and investigate the Skeena with an out and back trip (looks like it has a Park Car and some sort of modern glass roof car – is that like a Rocky Mountaineer car perhaps?), then press on to Vancouver and while the time away there with a trip on The Malahat (is that an RDC operated service? – I’d be interested in going on one of them). In fact if so much time did not have to be spent (wasted) at work then there’d be plenty of time for these escapades!
By the way love your use of words re 'Flannel Shirt' run - a clear picture emerges in my mind immediatly - Flannel Shirt / Skyline Dome - 4 words and all you need to know, and all you need to make you want to ride it! Maybe there is no transatlantic communication breakdown between us after all!
Interestingly enough, at least with the charter flights from the UK it does not seem to me that the price alters too much irrespective of destination (eg Halifax, Montreal, Toronto or Winnipeg – Vancouver may be more). I think this is probably because of the large ex-pat Brit population in Canada there is a market for these charter flights (eg when I’ve taken them there is always a healthy contingent of seniors travelling to visit friends and relatives). Also price was the same for my recent trip Open Jaw (ie out to Montreal – rtn from Halifax, whereas traditionally Open Jaw was an excuse for the airline to rip you off.
In contrast, from memory when travelling to the USA the charter flight market from UK is more or less confined to Florida with people going to Disneyland, and some cheaper flights to New York due to the competition on that route. I don’t really know why but Brits seem to think much of the USA is limited to New York City and Disneyland (with a clear awareness of Hollywood of course, although probably an inability to locate it on the map). Perhaps they think all the rest is the Wild West?
Anyway – here is another link (rather melancholy) that people may be interested in:
http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/sites.shtml
The author seems to have made it a life’s work travelling round closed stations and documenting them. In my view the best pictures on the sites are the ones from the period 5 – 10 years after closure where and air of dereliction has set in but the place is still extent – more recent pics simply show a place wiped off the map, or if lucky, converted into a new purpose. Obviously this is UK in focus but my hunch is many of the Our Place regulars will be interested in this.
In fact it is a sub site of this Subterranea Brittanica site – which is dedicated to obscure underground and (disused) semi secret locations (eg cold war bunkers etc) that exist around the place. Worth a look.
http://www.subbrit.org.uk/about.html
Full trip report on the LMS Pacific London excursion after the weekend!
PS - Pete - hope you're catching up in the corner there!
Nick - think we've got one of those collecting tins on the bar for the ransom mate. I've been putting the catering tips in there - there's only so much stand in cooking I want to do whilst you're away. When you're out maybe you can look out that ACR-ONR trip report you mentioned a while back for me?
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