2008 and the Coffee Pot is still on and over 3 years. Here we gather as friends with trains. Sweet ice tea too.

[Anonymous]

Mornin' Fellas.

I decided to move the power drops to the other side of the layout (side where the command center will be - not sure why I didn't think of this before, but I was working on the far side of the layout and thought 'hey this would be a good place to put the command center, it is close to the power outlet, is out of the way, and will not restrict the walkway when you enter the room, and will not require the power lines to be as long'). After that was done I realized I didn't need all the power drops I was using so I now have enough to do the entire yard and get started on the second level. Have to order 9 rotary switches today, 3 track switches, and some patience. Also got the gingerbread for the first level to second level cut last night, tonight I have to install the risers, run power to it, and that will be ready. Looks like I need to get some ceiling tiles to start the sound deadening layer. What sucks is I have a lot of this stuff in Pittsburgh and I didn't pick it up when I was up there at the beginning of January because I didn't think I would be this far into the project... no plans to go back till July and family not coming down till March and they won't have enough room in their car to bring any, and it doesn't make sense to pay $100 in gas and tolls to drive all the way back to get it... oh well, that will just be used for scenic material.  Need to get the tiles down and the foam roadbed installed to I can figure out how much I have to shim the carpet padding under the mountains... then I can get the first section of the second level built. Hope to have that done by April York.

Chief - sounds like a nice TV. Susan is after me to sell my rear project 55" set so we can get a 61" DLP and an entertainment center for the family room.

Collin - post some pics of your basement redo. I like seeing how others have done their entertainment areas. I'll post a pic of what the previous owners had done in the basement. When you see it you will wonder 'Now why did they do THAT?!?!?!'

Brutus - Sounds like your are enjoying your 'training session' in FL... getting caught up on your reading and DVD watching I see. Have fun with the family this weekend.

JohnF - Yes we need to get started on the York itinerary...

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is a cold and clear 14 degrees. Going up to 37 today with some sunshine.

Today is another busy day. We have some business to take care of locally and then some errands to run. This afternoon, I should be able to run trains for awhile. I need to relax. Looking forward to Spring and some train shows.

Dining car is here and ready for breakfast. Later.

Y'all have a great Thursday.

Chuck

[Wes Whitmore]

Brent,

For an idea generator, here is my basement.  I finished it about 2 years ago.  It's all done with average gear, but it sounds and looks great.  Hatachi 50 LCD, Pioneer DTS 5.1 receiver, AR 4 way towers with 100 watt powered subs in each, Matching center channel and in-wall surrounds, and an infinate baffle 15" sub under the stairs to cover the stuff down to 10Hz or so.  I didn't have a bunch of room to work with, but the half-wall is also a great place to pull 4 or 5 stools up to and 13+ people can watch the same TV during a game.  Since then, I moved the band gear into the train room and made that side a kids play area.

 

I had a hard enough time talking the wife into going with a 50" screen down there.  I wanted to go with a projector, and even have the wires up there in the soffet in case it ever happens. 

Wes

[Anonymous]

Wes,
Very nice indeed!

Our basement isn't setup to do something like that, it will be more of a small theater setup than anything else. The family room is where the big stuff is.

[kpolak]

Great job Wes!  I see yo have a few other toys to play wiith in addition to trains!  How do you find time to do anything???  After our children were born I'm lucky to get the trains out.  I used to play bass in a previous life as well.  I still have all my equipment, but do not have the time to get thing out.

Kurt

[CSXect]

Hay I am back, looks like maybe they(CTT) don't support win ME and or my version of IE anymore

[Wes Whitmore]

Great job Wes!  I see yo have a few other toys to play wiith in addition to trains!  How do you find time to do anything???  After our children were born I'm lucky to get the trains out.  I used to play bass in a previous life as well.  I still have all my equipment, but do not have the time to get thing out.

Kurt

It hasn't been easy.  We only have one son, and he loves to watch trains, so I get to play with them everyday, for now anyhow.  I don't have much time to actually work on it.  Unsually on Friday nights after everyone goes to bed. 

I don't have time to practice bass much anymore beyond our Tuesday band practice.  We play out around once a month.  Not much more time for anything more.  Without the practice time, I really don't improve much.  I just kinda maintain...

Wes

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It will be weird weather in SE Indiana again with snow, rain, freezing rain, snow, take your pick.  Yesterday was an odd day, but it turned out great.  To make a very long story short, when I finally got home last night, there was an eBay package waiting for me.  Some of the long time members on the 'pot know of my American Brick collection, and I had bid on and won a distinctly different type of set.  Instead of just two sizes of bricks (full and half) and angle pieces, this had different lengths and shapes that were stackable.  The doors and windows were made out of heavy cardboard and the roof pieces were made out of wood as well.  The "brick" pattern was embossed on the structure pieces, and there were fiberboard tabs that fit into the longitudinal slots, which helped hold the buildings together.  The set came in a wooden box and all the pieces could be arranged to fit in it snugly.  At first, I thought it was just an old storage box, but there was another piece of cardboard in the shipping carton with a picture related to what was inside, and the cardboard fit perfectly on the top of the box!  There was an instruction manual dated 3-37 as well, and judging by the appearance of the pieces, I have every reason to believe this set is in very good shape.  I was quite pleased with my acquisition, and will be building with it this weekend for sure.  Hopefully pictures will follow shortly.

I had the usual fare for breakfast.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,

  20 this morning, with big ice and freezing rain looming tomorrow?  Hope a 2hr delay?  They have been more wrong then right this year so we will see?

BRUTUS, SWIMMING POOLS?  WOW sign me up for that training.  My conferences just include us shop GIZ showing off our tools.

JOHN F, sent mine out tiday for YORK.  Probably going to take a persona; day for friday?  Me and my wife are attending, as of now.

HAPPY FRIDAY EVE!

Go GIANTS!

laz57

[MartyE]

Good morning guys!  Well this trip has been fun!  NOT!  Rained all week in LA last week and this week in Phoenix is actually OK but got a few days added to the schedule next week.  Nothing is easy anymore as it seems like work is encroaching more and more.

Seems there is some rumblings on a scale PM 1225 on the other forum at a cost of close to $2k when you add the Legacy Polar Express tender.  I was in but that is way too much than I could afford.  I guess I'll pass.  Get to go home for a few tomorrow and them back to LA for the Grammys.  I'll try to stop in on the Chat tomorrow. 

From the Lobby of the Courtyard Marriot in beautiful Scottsdale, AZ...have a nice day!

[anjdevil2]

 

Marty.. Your not working the Super Bowl??

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all.  I see a big basement that would really look good with trains running all around the walls.   Howdy Al.  Projects to do and Dr's apt this PM.  Hope all are dong well.  Red hots for breakfast.  Later

[cnw1995]

Morning all. Need coffee - my electronics are acting up -blackberry down with network outage, printer heads clogged, Vista and the Mac acting squirrely - think some young 'un downloaded something I have to forensic. Sigh. Definitely a sign not to do taxes and to go run trains. At least I'm home again - 7 inches of snow due later. Nice basement, Wes. Here's ours - unfinished:

Glad Brutus and Dennis got together - even if you forgot the obligatory photo.

Don, making scale models of models was something I remember reading that John Allen did too. I like winging it myself - Thanks to the Chief's generosity, my youngest and I have some track and switches to play - I am thinking about fixing some derailing spots, and reconfiguring one of the main lines.

[Anonymous]

Doug - now it all makes sense... I was wondering how a basement crawl space entered into the picture. Very nicely done! BTW - I love the improvised 'step stool' bet Mom just loves that one!

[cnw1995]

LOL, Brent. Rock fill sure makes bullet-proof benchwork. But I can't run anything 'underneath' it.  The radon tarp covers the rocks - which are uneven (gives 'natural' grades). Then 1/2 inch foam boards cover that - then astro-turf-like carpet - then the track. So everything - Fullerton Tunnel, Baker Aerodrome, Eages Ridge Electric Park, etc, etc sits on top of that. And nothing's screwed down. Stairs are to the right. There's a similar small space on the other side of the staircase where I use an old desk as a workspace.

[Wes Whitmore]

Morning all.  I see a big basement that would really look good with trains running all around the walls.   Howdy Al.  Projects to do and Dr's apt this PM.  Hope all are dong well.  Red hots for breakfast.  Later

 

I still have plans to finish it now that I have the other room's drop ceiling up...

[jefelectric]

Morning gang,

No pictures of my train room today.  Need to clean house first.  This are seems to collect anything that I don't know what to do with. 

Doug, look at all the work you saved by not having to build benchwork.

Laz already gave up weather conditions and forcast.

Haven't run any trains for a couple of days, got to do it today.

Take care,

[jefelectric]

I forgot that I wanted to share this sale with you guys.  How about thsese big bucks for a number plate?

http://cgi.ebay.com:80/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280191009932

[dbaker48]

Morning all. Need coffee - my electronics are acting up -blackberry down with network outage, printer heads clogged, Vista and the Mac acting squirrely - think some young 'un downloaded something I have to forensic. Sigh. Definitely a sign not to do taxes and to go run trains. At least I'm home again - 7 inches of snow due later.

Doug,  If memory serves me you have an Epson printer.  If the printer is clogged try the following;

1. Run the nozzle check, if there are blanks spots, on the "stair step" design, then that color has some blocked nozzles.

2. Due the Head Cleaning, NO MORE THAN 2 TIMES !  Then do the nozzle check again, if there is still blank spots then let the printer set with 3 or 4 hours with the power ON.  Then run the nozzle check again, it should improve.

(Here's whats happening.  The nozzles are like tiny vertical straws, 120-160 for black, 40-60 for each color.  If air gets in the ink supply the ink will dry in the nozzle, instant clog.  When you do the cleaning that ports fresh ink into the print head.  The nozzles fill up with ink.  If you do the cleaning more than twice then the nozzles overfill, and the ink goes through a bypass line to a large absorption sponge at the base of the printer.  Effectively you are just pumping ink from the cartridge to that sponge.  By letting the printer set with power on, the "wetness" of the new ink will soften the hardened ink, and it will flow out and clear up.) 

 Don, making scale models of models was something I remember reading that John Allen did too. I like winging it myself

 I built model as well as a kid, had a complete armada of US Navy ships in my room.  Maybe all that glue is what got to me, and that was before glue sniffing was popular.  Anyway, what this guy was doing was making a scale 3D model of his basement.  Complete with pipes, heaters, and layout tables, all made with foam and other materials.  His model (which include scale people), would have taken me years to have done.  It sure was interesting.

[fifedog]

Mornin' boys.  Mornin' Ms Lisa --->anjdevil was misbehaving.

[sir james I]

It seems when your subscription expires in march 08,it does not mean the month,it must mean the march 08 issue. After many many years of MR and now CTT I was cut from the forum without even an email. If they can cut me off they could have sent an email. (done) We like others are watching for tonites snow storm, looks like we are right in its path. I still have CTT to finish and a David Doyle "set"book to read so I should be able to survive tomorrow..S.J.

[CSXect]

I was able to connect with another computer but not this one and now it is working again

It looks like everyone else got back on the forum as well. My subscription is close to running out is that what the deal was???

Great to be back

[anjdevil2]

Mornin' boys.  Mornin' Ms Lisa --->anjdevil was misbehaving.

 

Was not......!

[tmcc man]

Brent,

I'll have the pictures up later tonight.

Wes, your basement is really nice. I do like that TV. I was hoping for a projector too, especially they have been dropping in price. I don't think it will happen anytime soon though.

It was a very easy day here. Tomorrow is student appreciation day so hopefully that means no work. (Doubt it though)

[Anonymous]

Tomorrow is student appreciation day ...

What is 'Student Appreciation Day?' Never heard of that one.

[cnw1995]

Thinks are turning positive - Blueberry - as Ben calls it - works now. And Don has blessedly given me wonderful advice. It is an Epson. I've run the nozzle cleaning twice and now will wait - the blue and black seem clogged. Thank you very much.

I'd be curious how many of us were model builders in our youth - I too had a near armada of Navy ships - Revell and Monogram. I remember years ago visiting the Revell HQ somewhere in the Chicago area.

[cnw1995]

CSX and Sir James, I inadvertently let my sub expire in December - it made no difference in my ability to post on the forum. It actually was a month later when I was unable to see the special stuff like Bob's videos that I realized I had to re-up. I think something else was happening. I had some challenges getting in this morn and last night.

[anjdevil2]

Student Appreciation Day? Wazzat? Thanks for "stopping by"?  That is a new one...

Cloudy all day today, sprinkling here....about  60ish.

Got a phone call from my son, early AM after I left...seems my brandy new lucite case and the adjoining wood display cases hit the ground...me thinks the felines were the cause...case is history...ran home for lunch & cleaned up, ran all the engines (geez, how did I get so many!) no damage and they all run like normal....especially the 2020 & 671 (WOWZER I like them 2).

So, I measured the good parts of the lucite case, maybe I'll build another.  Paid way too much cash for the last one..geez that sux...!

So, to ease my pain, I'll be driving an '07 Mustang (sorry no GTs in stock) in RedFire Metallic.  Sometimes I really do hate myself...

[Anonymous]

I'd be curious how many of us were model builders in our youth - I too had a near armada of Navy ships - Revell and Monogram. I remember years ago visiting the Revell HQ somewhere in the Chicago area.

And destructive too... friend of mine had a swimming pool.  We would spend the winter building model ships, and the Summer was spent blowing them up, or inserting model rocket engines in them to see how far they would get across the pool before sputtering out or sinking due to the plastic melting... or wrecking against the far side of the pool edge (these were the best!)...

HeHe... those were some fun days...

[Anonymous]

Student Appreciation Day? Wazzat? Thanks for "stopping by"?  That is a new one...

Cloudy all day today, sprinkling here....about  60ish.

Got a phone call from my son, early AM after I left...seems my brandy new lucite case and the adjoining wood display cases hit the ground...me thinks the felines were the cause...case is history...ran home for lunch & cleaned up, ran all the engines (geez, how did I get so many!) no damage and they all run like normal....especially the 2020 & 671 (WOWZER I like them 2).

So, I measured the good parts of the lucite case, maybe I'll build another.  Paid way too much cash for the last one..geez that sux...!

So, to ease my pain, I'll be driving an '07 Mustang (sorry no GTs in stock) in RedFire Metallic.  Sometimes I really do hate myself...

That sucks - about the case. [tdown] Good news about the engines!

And I wouldn't expect you to drive any other colored car... what about flames?