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

[sir james I]

EVENING ALL

We are expecting rain turning to freezing rain then to snow. Not much expected but who knows.

I did run the #785 hudson today it ran real good,but had to replace the speaker. Also picked up the K-line box cab that was scheduled for May 07. Nice looking but not much in performance, a few lite cars at best. The docksider is a much better engine but of course not the same looks. its under $90.00 and thats what 90 will get you.  Stay safe,,,,Sir James

[wrmcclellan]

Jim,

Gee - and I get to go to Las Vegas for a week Feb 25th...oh joy...Nope I do not work for Gen Dynamics. I do a lot of work for a very large aerospace/defense outfit though...

Wouldn't mind making another trip to WDW. We have been twice over the years. This time I could just cut the kids loose on their own and I could see the stuff I want to see! Maybe some day...but that is a lot of trains that won't be bought??

[Brutus]

Off work, but they are having an Aloha party?  Anyway, just stopped to say hi and will be offline tomorrow for sure - training all morning and then to airport and a long long wait.  Maybe airport will have a spare plug and wifi?  Caught up on reading the pot only - so much stuff on this site in just 2 weeks!  Anyway, Happy Belated Birthday, yes Disney is EXPENSIVE but we had a great time, wish we could have had  whole week here as just family and gone to Universal and MGM and all the Disney stuff together - that will be next time!  Haven't downloaded emails since last week since there is no point, can't reply out of here?  So, belly up to the bar for some root beer here by the pool and thinking of all you guys with snow and stuff just makes me want to STAY HERE!  LOL  No, I really am homesick at this point, don't know how Roy does this for a living?!  Training is great and will use all I learned here though.  Roy, do you work for General Dynamics?  That's the outfit we are using and they were really great!

[dougdagrump]

Don, It isn't the easiest to work with but what about the 4 wire doorbell wire, can't remember the gauge, but if that isn't sufficient how about the Malibu 4 wire garden light wire ?

Days, at least the past two, have been marvelous but still to darn cold at night, upper 30's, by SoCal standards.

Fife, I'll have mine Medium Rare please.  

 

[fifedog]

Evenin' boys.  Evenin' English.  A balmy 57 degrees here in the Mid-Atlantic region.  So got  the grill fired up, top sirloin steaks are cooking, and a Yuengling in my hand.  I love the smell of MATCH LIGHT in the morning....smells like....victory!

[wrmcclellan]

Afternoon all!

Front just blew through here. Temps dropped from 75 to 60 in about an hour. Howling rain followed by a hailstorm (pea sized) and then a little more rain. North wind howling right now. 30's tonight (had to run the AC a bit last night as it was so warm and humid in the house). Looking forward to a little more cold weather.

Not much else going on - til latter!

[Wes Whitmore]

I'm starting on my city too.  Deciding if the Woodland Scenics foam streets are worth a shot, or just paint my own on foamcore. 

I'm not sure what you are referring to (foam streets).  I checked the WS site, and they didn't show such a product.  I used the WS foam roadbed for the Christmas layout to fabricate streets, but needed to cut the roadbed into strips to get it to turn corners properly.

Kurt

I didn't find them on the WS either.  They were at the LHS.  He used them on his demo layout.  It's a peel and stick foam product that has painted lines on it.  Maybe 1/8" thick.  It sounds like what you used, but there is also an intersection and a curved piece available.  After looking around, I don't think it is what I want to do on the layout.  I am going to try some foamcore or just use light jointcompound and paint it to see what happens.  The foam would of been quicker, but the seams would show.

Don, The telephone wire is small, but I think it could be used to control switches and low amperage relays, etc. If you tied it all together, it would probably work.  Only problem is that alot of space is wasted in insulation, which doesn't buy you anything.  Here is a chart:

http://www.alphawire.com/PAGES/379.CFM

 

 

Wes

[dbaker48]

Good Afternoon (still morning here).

Been working on layout wiring and a bunch of other small projects.  Things been busy.  Thought I would finish up the power drop wiring last night, but didn't quite make it.   Ran out of wire. Actually decided on changing type of wire being used. I have an abudance of 18 awg wire, and was twisting a pair together to use as one conductor. Obviously, the wire bundle is getting huge. And difficult to work with. Finished using the wire I had preparred, and decided just to go get some 16awg, to finish up a couple of sidings. So possibly finish that portion today. Next part is the switches, (Ross), considering using 4 conductor telephone wire. Any opinons about 24awg, thing its to small.

As far as the weather goes...... We finally got over the cold and wet spell here. Temps back up to the 70's, that 60 degree weather if for the birds. We just arn't prepared for those conditions. Actually, had to go out and clean out the rain gutters. Since they are only 1 1/2 inch deep, when we get all that rain, we have had, it can make a mess. I mean we had at least 4" of rain in the past month. Sure am glad Spring is on the way, this has been one rough winter.

 

[phillyreading]

Hello from sunny south Florida, should be around 78 today, weekend supposed to be a little cooler. Been trying to clean up the yard, moved an old trailer and cut it up a little with an electric sawzall, used bi-metal blades, about two full cuts and need a new blade.  Sold a couple of 5th wheel hitches yesterday, have a few more R.V. items to sell.

Has anybody done Herbalife?  If so what do you think of it & PTI?  I have been considering it!

Still waiting on my new train set from Histiric Rails to arrive.

Sent in money for table rent for Deerfield Beach train show on April 5.

Lee F.

 

[kpolak]

I'm starting on my city too.  Deciding if the Woodland Scenics foam streets are worth a shot, or just paint my own on foamcore. 

I'm not sure what you are referring to (foam streets).  I checked the WS site, and they didn't show such a product.  I used the WS foam roadbed for the Christmas layout to fabricate streets, but needed to cut the roadbed into strips to get it to turn corners properly.

Kurt

[Wes Whitmore]

Exhaust fan is a great idea.  I could just install a dryer vent in my drop ceiling to the outside and put in one of those wisper quiet fans.  That way I run the smoke on something else than minimum on my MTH 2-8-0.  Without it, that room looks like some Holloween scene with Witches and kettles.

Just picked up another 0-54 switch at lunch.  Those things are just so darn expensive...but I'm preachin' to the choir.

Wes

[ChiefEagles]

Yeap!!!   Ran trains [Atlas GP35 and Lionel Dash 9 with Conrail U boat] and all ran good.  Now ran Atlas SD40 highnoses [3 MU'd] and Big Boy.  Good day in train room [lots of smoke so glad I had exhaust fan in ceiling].  Now off to Town Hall.

[Wes Whitmore]

Chief, are you translating for us Nawth'eners?

[dadurling]

Here in Southern Maine we woke up to a couple of inches of wet snow and a most surprising sound: thunder! Around 6:00 a.m. the crack of thunder woke us all up - my 3 1/2 yr old girl came running into our room, asking what that noise was.

After my wife took the kids to daycare I had a few moments to work on some more foamcore buildings for the layout. I'm trying to re-orient my main street to run it an angle and improve the lines of sight. I was so impressed by recent series of articles on the Harbor layout that I'm re-thinking everything! 

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all.  Sausage patty [like a hamburger] and egg [like an omelet] saudwich with mustard on both sides.  Big cups of coffee.  Good for the heart.   Now to do some train room playing and then to Town Hall.  Think I will bar-be-que [grill] a chicken this afternoon and have it ready when wife gets home.  Cloudy and real warm here.  anjdevil2, have had that happen before.  Put a lug nut on it, if you can, and drive it out, you can pull in the new one with wrench.  Good luck.  Later.

[cnw1995]

Morning all. Supposed to get a foot 'o snow later. Rats. And on my long day too. Glad Brutus enjoyed his expensive stay in the Mouse's House. It was fun when we were there in Nov but double what we usually spent on a longer vacation. Going over to the Board of Trade to help on a video shoot. That'll break up the morning.

[Anonymous]

Mornin' Fellas.

Got some more ceiling tiles cut and installed last night... have 3/4 the layout covered now.

Wes not sure what you are referring to, but I have found Woodland Scenic stuff to be way over priced, just my opinion. I was using their foam roadbed and then I found carpet padding for $1.00 per square foot vs $4.95 per square foot, no brainer in my opinion.  I will use the foam roadbed on exposed areas of single track so I get the right profile for the ballast. I'm also going to mess aroung with cutting angles on the carpet padding to see if I can get the right profile on that as well.

Got excellent service from Brassuer's (Train Doctor), parts arrived yesterday and ordered late on Friday. Still having problems with the Allegheny though... probably just put her back together and turn off the smoke unit. Once I get some funds together I'll ship her out to Dean to have her serviced. I really hope I get this engine working 100%, it is such a beaut and when it smoked yesterday it took all of 3 seconds to fill the entire room...

Hope to finish the ceiling tile work tonight, then it will be on to working on the control panel and wiring. That should be done this weekend. Then it is on to the second level and get that started... Should be doing some scenery in about 2 weeks. Looks like I need to get back to Pittsburgh to get those ceiling tiles...

[Wes Whitmore]

I got some good train time in last night with Jack.  I picked up some 1/50th scale classic musclecars for $4 each.  Not up to what you guys calls high quality die cast, but it's a start.  I'm just about at the point to start gluing foam down perminently.  I'm starting on my city too.  Deciding if the Woodland Scenics foam streets are worth a shot, or just paint my own on foamcore.  Looking forward to the train show in Columbus this weekend.

Have a good one!
Wes

[sir james I]

GOOD MORNING

damp,cloudy,and 45,going down from there.

Who says we don't talk about trains, we do talk about them just add a little home life to the conversation so its not just blah,blah,blah. plus if its not their kind of thing they should just move on. Of course some just troll looking for a place to create problems and then quitely slip away. I have a lionel NYC gray #785 that I keep in a display case because I like to look at it, but today its going to get some oil and some exercise. I rarely run it so I think today is a good day to do that. Taxes are done and in the mail so another year has slipped away.... S.J.

[anjdevil2]

And a Foggy g' day to my fellow Formites...

59 now, up to a near record 81F later.....a tad warmer than I'd like today

spent the post SuperBowl fixing Mrs NJDevils Eclipse..had a tire going down, ran to the all night parts store, as I thought it was a tire valve, then found out the stem was cracked. Went BACK to the house (it's midnight now), fired up the compressor and tried to change the tire......the fools at my local tire store striped one of the thread and of course it was the last lug nut on the wheel.  Ripped that apart and changed the tire.  Got to bed about 1 ish.  4 hours later...... up again....

Got most of my TMCC stuff, just need my CAB1.  Made a deal for a TMCC C&O Engine & Tender. One of the LHS's customers wasn't happy with it, soooooo, I made a deal for it (it's at Lionel for th 3rd time) when it gets back.  Ah yes...more North East Railroad stuff...my 2nd C&O!

Today is the parade in New York for the (NJ) Giants in the Canyon of Heroes...geez, I'd like to be there....

Have a great day all!!!

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Morning all

Wet and in the 60's today in Southern Ohio.

I'm off and going to continue working on the wiring in the garage.  Got a load of laundry started and reading to do.

Chief- Sounds like you are setting things in place. 

Jim F- Sounds like you are having a great time.  But like you, I'd be wondering what's up with the no hassle about a new train item????

Chuck-Yea, the weather is crazy, but it does make it nice working outside.

Buckeye- I received a PM from you about the S at Smoke Stack.  I'm hoping to get up there soon to check it out. 

Goning to get started

May God bless

Jim 

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is warm, windy and rainy in SE Indiana.  There has been comments in the past about the lack of train related conversation on this thread.  Last night, I watched a PBS show which talked about Grand Central Station in New York and how it came to be.  I then looked at the MTH RTR catalog that was posted on-line.  I also worked on taxes, and did weights at the YMCA.  I figure those topics are train related as well because part of my tax dollars support AMTRAK, and the weight lifting builds my muscles so I can lift my trains.  (If you work hard enough, you can find a connection between almost any two topics :-) )  I did catch up on my readings on the pot, so maybe I can make a good contribution to the general flow of the conversation in a day or two.  There were bran muffins on the dining car this morning.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

 

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is a cloudy 60 degrees. Rain forecasted. Going up to 68 today, with rain. As I said before, this is crazy weather.

Today, I am taking it easy. Yesterday was a busy day and it's done. Got everything finished. Today I will run trains and take a nap. That sounds pretty good, doesn't it ?  I like the idea.

Dining car has rolled in and is ready for breakfast. Later.

Y'all have a great Tuesday.

Chuck

[GregM]

  Nick12DMC Wrote.

I'll have to start warming my better half to the idea that the layout really needs that new Lionmaster Big Boy

Put my order in for one yesterday.  Now the waiting begins. 

[Wes Whitmore]

Hello from Sunny Orlando where I am tired again.  Did the Disney thing all day Saturday, then wife and kids shopped me to death at Downtown Disney Sunday.  Did take family to eat lunch at Planet Hollywood which was a kick esp for the kids, but I like all that junk too.  Wow - $90 for lunch for 4 people!  Up early today and sent the family back home to St. Louis, then worked all day.  We had a big dinner at Jimmy Buffet's at Universal, which was pretty good - fish tacos with rice, conch chowder, and key lime pie   (Sorry John F!)

I've got one more full day of training, then a half-day on Wednesday and fly home Wednesday night.  I already scheduled a day off on Thursday so I can do laundry and get rested. 

Already told wife about John Bull coming out and she didn't flinch, so I think there must be something in my future about which I do not yet know???  Oh well, as long as I get a choo choo, Jimmy be happy. 

I'll catch up better when I get home and download all those emails - TTFN!

I'll be in Orlando for a conference on March 17th through 20th.  My son is probably too young to enjoy Disney, but wife and I are contemplating making it a familiy vacation.   We have other vacations scheduled this year if we don't all go to Orlando.

Wes

[laz 57]

Hi GIZ,

  42 and foggy here, to get to 56?  Rain slated for today and into tomorrow then getting colder.

  DANRUNNER,hope you had agreat one?

  CHIEF, glad YUZ GIZ still have your water.  YUZ need it for bathing otherwise we get that foul odor creeping into DA NARTH.

Bgood,

laz57

[Nick12DMC]

Jim, Glad your having fun. We had a great time in Orlando. Christmas '05. Did three days of Disney which just scratched the surface. We had one day at Universal and got to go on BTTF the ride. Stayed at the Hilton near Downtown Disney. I do remember being very tired.

Lad got his Lionel set that Christmas and we had it running in the Hilton's lobby on Christmas Day. Great staff and manager who could not do enough to make it a great stay.

Lots of things I would have liked to have checked out but did not get time. Train Store, Sears, Real American Diner with waffles, V8 Mustang hire car.....

I'll have to start warming my better half to the idea that the layout really needs that new Lionmaster Big Boy.

Have a good one folks

Nick 

[wrmcclellan]

I hear the Chief had a big meeting with the BIG CITY Mayor and told him to stop messing around with their water or else.

WOW, Buckeye has psoted the first thing right in the history of this forum.   He must have read the News and Observer [NC newspaper].

Busy day.  Town Board meeting went long as we gave our Town Manager his review.  Got quite a truth telling.  Town Clerk is now serving as my Executive Assistant.  Handles all appointments, schedules and calls.  Building KINGDOM.

TRAINS tomorrow.

Popcorn time.  Good night. 

All Hail the Chief!

Hit 82 here today - back to the 50's tomorrow? Maybe rain tonight.

Long day here - have a great one tomorrow all!

[ChiefEagles]

I hear the Chief had a big meeting with the BIG CITY Mayor and told him to stop messing around with their water or else.

WOW, Buckeye has psoted the first thing right in the history of this forum.   He must have read the News and Observer [NC newspaper].

Busy day.  Town Board meeting went long as we gave our Town Manager his review.  Got quite a truth telling.  Town Clerk is now serving as my Executive Assistant.  Handles all appointments, schedules and calls.  Building KINGDOM.

TRAINS tomorrow.

Popcorn time.  Good night. 

[Brutus]

Hello from Sunny Orlando where I am tired again.  Did the Disney thing all day Saturday, then wife and kids shopped me to death at Downtown Disney Sunday.  Did take family to eat lunch at Planet Hollywood which was a kick esp for the kids, but I like all that junk too.  Wow - $90 for lunch for 4 people!  Up early today and sent the family back home to St. Louis, then worked all day.  We had a big dinner at Jimmy Buffet's at Universal, which was pretty good - fish tacos with rice, conch chowder, and key lime pie   (Sorry John F!)

I've got one more full day of training, then a half-day on Wednesday and fly home Wednesday night.  I already scheduled a day off on Thursday so I can do laundry and get rested. 

Already told wife about John Bull coming out and she didn't flinch, so I think there must be something in my future about which I do not yet know???  Oh well, as long as I get a choo choo, Jimmy be happy. 

I'll catch up better when I get home and download all those emails - TTFN!