2008 [PART 2] and the Coffee Pot is still on and now 4 years old. Here we gather as friends with trains. Sweet ice tea too.

[kpolak]

Well, kids are in the process of waking up.  Bride is making pancakes for them, but I can't have any since I have a fasting lab test this morning.  (I think she is torturing me for the Harley or Train rouse). 

Borrow a Harley and pull into your driveway with it, making lots of noise (not hard to do).  Wait until the noise arouses her curiosity or the children call her attention to Daddy sitting in the driveway on a motorcycle.  Don't bust out laughing when she emerges but tell her you're just looking, that the "guy" also has a "her's" back at his place for a reasonable price and low miles.  Then perform a pregnant pause, avoiding eye contact while you walk around and intently look over the bike. If she still doesn't start bargaining, RUN!!!!!!

My 3-yo had a great idea...We saw a beautiful classic Indian bike at the local breakfast joint...She said 'Daddy you should get one of those and suprise Momma'.  To which I responded, 'Oh that would be a suprise all right'.

Kurt

[ChiefEagles]

Kurt, you are DEAD!!!  Will not fly.

Well, on laptop as long as internet service works.  High speed is really slow.  Guess it is so many on here right now.  At least it is working.  The last HI was hit and miss.  Long drive from Roseyville to Columbia.  Traffic was not that good to Charlotte.  Better once I got past Rock Hill SC. 

RT, I have your SC phone numbers in my computer at home but forgot to change them in my cell.  Got your Ten. numbers.  You'll have to call me.  I'll email you my cell number. 

Now to find a "gro" and buy some Coke Zeros and MICROWAVE POPCORN [got frig and microwave in room].

Later.

[Brutus]

Hey Chief, I got an email from my friend who moved to NC.  They are now in Kennersville (?) near Winston Salem and love it!  Thanks for the info/help for her and her husband! 

Kurt - NICE SURPRISE!  I'll bet your wife would come around eventually, go for it

Black Diamond - Man, I haven't worked on the basement since the fishing trip last month.  Things have just been going crazy and now this past weekend I had to get some outdoors work done while the weather was good.  I need to hire someone to fix a couple pieces of siding before the weather goes bad....  Jimmy doesn't like heights!

Sir James - pretty soon you'll be back playing with the trains, but will you beat Chuck to it? 

[GregM]

Evening folks,

It has been a while since I have posted here on the pot.  Nothing to report on the work front.  Still beating the bushes, but not very hopeful anymore.  It is being reported that Ohio is running out of money in the unemployment fund.  Maybe Congress will bail that out too. 

I get a little melancholy when I read about York.  Been there a few times and enjoyed it immensely.  During one York trip, Karen and I took the Harley-Davidson plant tour.  I was surprised when Karen said we should buy one someday.  Pretty sure someday will never come now though.  Liked taking the Snyder's of Hanoverton factory tour (very pretty tour guide) and going through the outlet store.  Can't get their potato chips around here, but pretzels are no problem.   

Watching the Rays beat up on Tim Wakefield.  Geez, another home run.

[ChiefEagles]

Got my drinks and popcorn.  Went by the big double tracks up the street [remembered from last year].  Two CSX enignes sitting at idle with what looked like a work train behind it.  Saw a guy getting things out of a Jeep Cherokee.  I think the guy was getting ready to shove out.  Came back by and still idling but SUV was gone.  Got to hotel up the street and heard the horns as it was pulling out and crossing the 4 lane.  BTW: CSX is Completely Sorry Company.   Also, computer has Google Desktop.  News item was CSX was down a nice % for quarter.

Well, popcorn time. 

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Good evening all from Crossville Tennessee.

Just a quick note to let you know I'm still around.  I will catch up on the posts when there is more time.

All take care and may God bless

Jim

[sir james I]

GOOD EVENING ALL,

Just had a great phone chat with Brutus,actually talked about toy trains and layouts..It also only took him about 30 seconds to help me find and check for Xplr.7. Told you i'm not a computer person. We had a warm day,lite day, breezy day,a little of everything day. Got to get some trains going and make some test runs for Friday company,we all know thats when things go wrong so at least I'll give it a test first....Brutus fire up the Thingy and lets get some banilla...S.J.

[Brutus]

Hey Greg - good luck on the job front.  Never give up.  You too, CSX - sorry, missed that before.

Chief

JimSP - Take it easy man!

Sir James - Tardis is ready!  I'll be over in a minute so you can show me those block signals from DALEE.

A friend at work listens to BBC radio on a satellite reciever and her favorite show was visiting the sets of Dr. Who and Torchwood.  Dr. Who is a great show.  Torchwood has a lot of adult stuff going on and not suitable for kids at all.  Too bad they felt the need to do that considering the type of show it is.  Otherwise, I'd watch it with the kids.  Since I can't do that, I don't tape it.

Where's Doug Murphy - is this school night?

[sir james I]

Brutus, yes it's Murphy's nite out. Should we go get him?

[Brutus]

Yep, we'll catch him at the station and give him a "lift"

[ChiefEagles]

Past bedtime.  Use to getting up at 8 AM or so.  Got to get up early.  Good night.  Don't let the bed bugs bite. 

[CSXect]

Got my drinks and popcorn.  Went by the big double tracks up the street [remembered from last year].  Two CSX enignes sitting at idle with what looked like a work train behind it.  Saw a guy getting things out of a Jeep Cherokee.  I think the guy was getting ready to shove out.  Came back by and still idling but SUV was gone.  Got to hotel up the street and heard the horns as it was pulling out and crossing the 4 lane.  BTW: CSX is Completely Sorry Company.   Also, computer has Google Desktop.  News item was CSX was down a nice % for quarter.

Well, popcorn time. 

 

Speaking of CSX and sorry company saw yesterday 5 locos lashed up 3 CSX, a Santa FE, AND A BNSF at the Parsons yard.

 

[Anonymous]

Evenin' Fellas.

Well I'm back from my long trip to Alabama via I-81, I-40, I-75, I-24, I-59.

Got some really nice pics of the Gadsden Swing Bridge. Will post later.

RI - 525i got 32.6 mpg average during the trip... how's that for gas mileage!

Take care and hope to see some of you this Thursday and Saturday.

[RockIsland52]

Evenin' Fellas.

..............RI - 525i got 32.6 mpg average during the trip... how's that for gas mileage!

Brent.....your gas mileage was nothing short of exceptional.  Hope you and wifey had a good respite.  Driving distances drains the stress right out of me.  Love it.  May drive Chicago for Christmas with family back there.  Originally planned for Thanksgiving but everyone's schedules didn't jive, as usual.

I occasionally follow a G35 forum and have to wade through a never ending drone of shocked and disappointed folks, whining about their fuel economy.  The G Coupe is EPA rated at 24 mpg highway, but the car can squeeze 27-28 mpg every time.  Cruise at 65 mph.  Simple, but not for them.  

So I posted  "If you can't get 26 mpg highway, you need look no further than your right foot for the problem."  But they don't want to hear it.  So I posted that I got 12 tooling around the White Mountains, and 27 going there and on the way back to Taxachusetts.  "How did you do that?????"  "Cruise at 65 mph.  If you bought the car for mileage, you didn't do your homework.  If you bought the car for fun, you did."

I've got to look up the 525i specifications.  What year do you have?

Jack 

[dwiemer]

Good early morning everyone!  Got called in to handle a patient who is scheduled for surgery.  Kind of a sad case, but hope all goes well with it. 

Now that I am home, I have been catching up on email and posts as I am trying to get into sleep mode again.  I wish I was the kind that could handle a emergency, then come home and just go to sleep.  Oh well.

Brent, my MB gets just over 32 highway.  Keep good gas and tuned, it doesn't let me down.  One problem with German engineering, they are over engineered in some cases.   Like the window regulators....I have had to replace two.  Then, the transmission lock out...can happen at any time.  I was having a detail done and the dealer could not get it out of park.  Took a $500. part to fix.

Well, ONe of the kids is up, so I will go take care of that.  Get her back to sleep and try to get some rest myself.  Long day ahead.  Hope everyone has a great day.

God Bless,

Dennis

PS: I checked the sites and the movie is still in the top 10, three weeks out.  Shows what God can do with a bunch of amatures.

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all.  Off to dealer show.  Had a good breakfast downstairs [comes with room].  No grits though.  Hey, gas is $2.99 per gallon and less in SC.  Not use to being up and going this early.  Have a great day.

[cheapclassics]

Morning all,

"We" lost 2-1.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[laz 57]

HI GYZ,

  56 and warm here today going up to 76.  Then to get cooler for weekend.  YORK opens tomorrow can'y wait til Saturday.  Going to start early out for YORK.  Leaving MILLERSBURG at 630, then go to breakfast at DENNYs for about 8, then YORK for opening at 9.  Swapping tractor today for snoblower.

laz57

[anjdevil2]

Afternoon guys!

Up to 85 today and sunny low humidity.  Countdown is on for Daytona, Bike is NOT ready yet, will wait until end of day to check.  And by the way, I got 70 MPG on the hog.  SO THERE! AMERICAN engineering!

Catching up on work, have to finish before tomorrows adventure.  Halloween Horror Nights has been cancelled for us, daughter has exams and of course, the schools system decided at the last minute to resind the day off on Monday.  I'm so mad I could scream, I stand to loose over $300 on this trip because the school board is a bunch of #@$#(*!

Rant over.

OK Boys see ya later

BTW, Nice looks nice, I'l comment on the operability later!

[dwiemer]

Good Afternoon everyone!

Well, looks like the new system is up and running.  I had tried to log on to keep my old id and password.  Entered the password and it refused it.  Had a new one sent to my email, log on through that, then, it wouldn't take the new one, but did take my original one.  Not sure what that was all about, but hey, I am here now.

Sometimes, parts of this kind of work can get you down.  Like when you have a good hearted person with a nice family who is just going to die.  You have people who have too much damage to their organs and if you operate on them, you'll kill them.  If you don't operate on them, they will die soon too.  All you can do is show empathy to the family and let them all make peace.

On a nicer note, we have a strong candidate who we are making an offer to.  If all goes well, I will finally be getting some relief in about two months.  Just have to make sure HR does their part and gets this guy on board.

Well, I hope that everyone is having a good day.  Prayers go out to all the left coast folks suffering through the flames.

God Bless,

dennis

[Anonymous]

RockIsland52

lionroar88 wrote:

Evenin' Fellas. ..............RI - 525i got 32.6 mpg average during the trip... how's that for gas mileage! " src="http://cs.trains.com/emoticons/icon_smile.gif">

 

Brent.....your gas mileage was nothing short of exceptional.  Hope you and wifey had a good respite.  Driving distances drains the stress right out of me.  Love it.  May drive Chicago for Christmas with family back there.  Originally planned for Thanksgiving but everyone's schedules didn't jive, as usual.

I occasionally follow a G35 forum and have to wade through a never ending drone of shocked and disappointed folks, whining about their fuel economy.  The G Coupe is EPA rated at 24 mpg highway, but the car can squeeze 27-28 mpg every time.  Cruise at 65 mph.  Simple, but not for them.  

So I posted  "If you can't get 26 mpg highway, you need look no further than your right foot for the problem."  But they don't want to hear it.  So I posted that I got 12 tooling around the White Mountains, and 27 going there and on the way back to Taxachusetts.  "How did you do that?????"  "Cruise at 65 mph.  If you bought the car for mileage, you didn't do your homework.  If you bought the car for fun, you did."

I've got to look up the 525i specifications.  What year do you have?

Jack 

Jack,
It is a 2006. The cruise was set between 75 and 79 just about the entire way. In my 3-series I've found I actually get better gas mileage going between 70 - 75 than 60 - 65.

----
Busy at work today... this integration project is just slightly beyond the insane threshold, has everyone in a tissy

----
Dennis,
We've not had any problems with the transmission lock... not sure if Bimmers are equiped with such - if so I hope mine doesn't go!

When I put my window down (driver side) I'm hearing a clicking noise at two spots, going up - no noise. Also need new shocks, struts, and springs... hope to get another 2 months out of the ones I have, but I think I may just bite the bullet as this 'maintenance' is supposed to also help with fuel mileage.

Supposed to rain here on Saturday... [tdown] as long as it doesn't rain in York, we'll be good

[RockIsland52]

Well, I'm not sure how I got here after doing some "reactivate" process do loop for about 15 minutes, but here I am nonetheless.

Dennis......your observation about that good-hearted patient and nice family was poignant, and all who read your post should let it sink in.  I don't know if I could ever do what you do for a living; or if I did, how long I would last before burnout.

It disappoints me when my friends, family, or acquaintances get miffed and complain that their Doctor has an ego as large as the sky is wide.  Well, behind that confident external face is a real person who has to somehow contend with death and less than poor odds, every day, and often at his/her very own hands and experience.  If they could walk just one day in their Doctor's shoes, they might think differently.  Could they get up off the mat day after day?

I say a prayer every day for my Doctor.  My last PCP whom I admired and trusted (for 10 years) faded into medical research when her own husband could not be saved.  Prayers for you too.  You're doing God's work.

Jack

[sir james I]

GOOD AFTERNOON

Well guess it works, overcast and now drizzle. just stopped in to say hello, this is different but I will get used to it..S.J.

[RockIsland52]

Hey, they've got spellcheck for Chief!  I'm sure he'll use it, probably suggested it. 

Variable font size and font color is missing, I think.  Bad for Sir James and Chief.

To Bob Nelson:  what should I conclude when my password to reactivate my old username started with F:U?

Jack

[sir james I]

I can read it, Chief's the one who complained

[cnw1995]

 

Hey it works. I think. This'll take getting used to - Thanks for the lift home in the Tardis, boys. Raining here. Remind me to tell you a good story about rail ops outside Blommer Chocolate factory this morning.

I also saw an unintentionally funny full-page ad in the latest Railway Age magazine - by Walker Co. which sells all sorts of odd rail equipment - it featured what looked like a toy train UP GP 9 and tried to hide it by strategically placed text boxes. The gigantic gap between the track's plastic based and the 'ground' gave it away.

[dbaker48]

Sure making me nervous talking to all these SHADOWS, seems like I'm looking at a bunch of mug shots.  Would REALLY like to see CTT consider getting some kind of a stock photo of a train engine or even a CTT logo would be better.

Now that I've got that important issue resolved, will go and see what other important stuff I can get into.

[fifedog]

GEEZ LOUISE, boys.  Go away for several days and you changed the locks on me.  Where's the luuuuv...

West Virginia was nice, and absolutely beautiful fall foliage between Oakland and Grafton.  Took some trackside pics for SPF.  Me and wifey may be getting closer to buying a piece of "almost heaven".  Need to make some inguiries tonight.

Back on patrol this week, which feels safer than painting house while clinging to alum ladder...

Now I need to page back and get that address for the restaurant in YORK that 88  listed.

BTW---> I miss the color chart, CTT . . .

 

[Brutus]

Wow, everything is so new and shiny!  Cool!

Hey Doug Murphy - so tell us your story!

Took me a minute to figure this out.  One time I clicked on Layout Visits and got a big screen full of thumbnails and another time I got a much shorter list - guess they are changing things as it goes?

And hey - No Stars, but Bars!  Chief has a full house, I see

I'll be back....

Hey Chief, something's wrong with your typing, it's too small

[Brutus]

PS - Fifedog, shoot me an email and I'll tell you how to do the colors again, it's not hard, just not as easy.