The pot of coffee is always on [even after 2 years have passed]. Come on in. Sweet ice tea too.

[Dr. John]

We had a quick summer shower last evening, enough to get the pavement wet but not enough to really help. The weather channel keep predicting a good chance for showers this week, but they did that last week too with no rain.

Well, enough complaining about the dry weather. Back in April I was griping about too MUCH rain. At least the heat and humidity have dropped. It was very pleasant yesterday afternoon.

[ChiefEagles]

Yankees, us Rebs getting even and trying to make you enjoy those glasses of sweet ice tea. [;)] Dr. John, we keep the good Lord confused. Too hot, too cold, too dry and stop raining. He takes his own good time to make sure we know who is incharge. [;)] Upgraded my Norton [renewal date] and had errors. Had to call Tech Support [in India [V][:(!]]. Got it straighten out. Asked if this was a common error. Guy said, "Yes." Asked why they did not fix. No answer. ????? Off to Miss Edna's to take fresh squash and cucumbers. Not enough tomatoes to share yet. Tomato sandwiches are GOOOD. Did run trains while Norton was running a long scan. Later and God bless all.

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,
CHIEF, I guess this is your answer to the SNOHIO from Jan and Feb?
Sure wish we had some of that right now at 2PM it is 93 here with NO breeze.
DOUG hope you have a good time at the ball yard. I see your SOX still in first but maybe the TRIBE will get as hot as this weather and make you a little uncomfortable?
TOM, STOP that with that steamy pic o the day that could be the cause of all the hot weather? Either that of CHIEFs using tooo much smoke fluid?
STAY COOL?
laz57

[wrmcclellan]

Hello All!

Well it took a while to get these labeled and downloaded. As promised (Buckeye will enjoy this), here are some photos from last week at Scout Camp.

Camp Entrance - this is about 100 miles west of Dallas - pretty countryside out there.



First day flag ceremony.



One does not get in the way for dinner!



On way back to campsite from dinner - cliffs on opposite side of lake are 100 - 200 hundred feet high.



A Scout's favorite activity - the BLOB! That is my son being launched. I went on the blob, but I could not do my son as they limit weight difference between the blober and blobee to 50 - 60 lbs.



Evening campfire with lots of very good music, skits, and comedy acts. We really enjoyed the staff show.



Nothing like breakfast with 500 Scouts! Served family style - very efficient. Great food.



Sunset... great time of day - nice breeze although daytime highs varied from 95 - 100.




We are getting ready to head to Tennessee for July 4th and all next week. So I will be out for another week starting Thursday this week.

Hope all are having a great day!
Roy

[ChiefEagles]

Great pictures Roy. Brings back memories when I was a Scout and then later a Scout Master.
Dr. John, owe you big time. [;)] Raining off and on all afternoon. Now they "say" we may get big rains through tomorrow PM. Hope you all have gotten some of this.
Sure is quite in Yankeeland. They are all in front of AC whinning. [:D]
Later

[Jumijo]

The weather here in MA has been pretty normal for June this week. Temps in the mid 80's, somewhat humid, and enough rain to keep the grass green. Monday night was so pleasant that I opened all the windows and shut off the AC. The weekend forecast says dry and clear with temps in the high 70's. But since today is only Wednesday, that could all change by the time the weekend rolls around. Gotta mow the yard tonight.

Jim

[spankybird]

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

where the temp is 72 with partly cloudy skys and rain in the area.

Last night some area’s had heavy T-Storms, up to 3” in one hour, we just got a little rain last night.

Roy – Great pics of camp

Laz – this pic of the day is for you

Pick of the Day


all be safe
tom

[cnw1995]

Yaaah, those were sure large files - great shots. Got some rain last evening - just enough to wet the now steaming sidewalks and streets. Going to see the Cubs with my son and brother in a few hours...

[jonadel]

Doug,

Have a great time at the Cub's game, wish I lived closer. I believe today is the day the gentlemen who walked from California? to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes walks into the stadium to meet Ron Santo, what a story. Today is also the day Kerry Wood starts, could be interesting, I'm still concerned about him and his future as a pitcher.

Have a wonderful time in a great stadium.

Jon

[cnw1995]

Thanks Jon, it is serendipitous that Kerry Wood is supposed to be pitching - a long time away from April 30 when he broke down. That walking fellow is a neat story. Have a great day.

[ChiefEagles]

Morning gang. Rain off and on all night. That is goooood. Will take more. Have a great day at the game, Doug. Tom's getting us started with the fireworks. All have a great day and God bless all.

[IronHoarse]

Morning all,

The heat wave is gone for now. The temperature today is supposed to be only 71°. I had to do some repair work on my window fan. It is 50 years old and needed to have the set screw that holds the blades on the motor shaft tightened back up. It was starting to make an awful noise but sounds like new now. Have a good one all.

[Dr. John]

Good morning!

Raining cats and dogs 50 miles south of us but no rain here yet. Maybe later today.

I've got to start carrying my camera around with me! I was stopped at a grade crossing in Montgomery yesterday when a CSX local came through switching some industries. I had five minutes where I could have taken some great shots of an MP-15 switcher and crew as they moved slowly back and forth across the road, setting out cars at a lumber yard.

Also, just last week, a Norfolk Southern train came through Prattville at a slow pace with a caboose!!! on the tail end! Looked like a former Southern RY baywindow model, red with white NS markings. Again, no camera! NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

I'll be okay (deep breaths, deep breaths).

[ChiefEagles]

Dr. John, I have a great video of NS coal trains [Kalmbach video 1hour long] and they use cabooses. Seems these have a high pitched whistle [heard it on video] for crossings as they back coal trains up to 30 miles in the mountains of WV and Kentucky. Might be they are backing that train some distance. BTW, fishing buddy of mine in Burmingham knows your church. Good luck on the rain.

[wrmcclellan]

Morning all! We leave tomorrow for Tennessee so this may be my last post for a week or so.

Ready to do some fishing, water skiing, lots of cooking, tons of fireworks (we personally support Hong Kong's economy via Black Cat and TNT), sitting on the dock, and just general hangin around with lots of old friends. Many bevarages of all types will be consumed in mass quantities.

Doug, sorry about the photo sizes. I assume you clicked on them!

Dr. John - get a cheap digital camera (3 MP) to carry around. It is so nice to just download the photos. You can take lots (I had over 200 shots of Scout camp and only filled half the 256MB memory card. Get a USB universal memory card reader ($9 or less) to dump into PC. Get a camera that uses AA batteries so they are easy to change or charge.

Have a great week all!
Roy

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,
Nice pics ROY love the sign especially HOOTEN HOLLOW sounds like we could use that on one of our layouts?
TOM maybe that is HOOTEN HOLLOW where all the water activity is happening at least you put the kaboush on the heat here with the pic. Only to get to 80 today but still humid. Did my 4 mile run today and had to Wring out the t shirt.
STAY COOL?
laz57

[ChiefEagles]

Have a great trip Roy. Don't forget the big brisket cooking on July 17th at Roger's out of Dallas.
Check out the picture I added to Sunday's Photo. Just came off of the boat. [:D]

[Jumijo]

I also came across a caboose on the end of a train this week. A small MoW train (loco, 2 hoppers filled with stone ballast, and a caboose) were working near a crossing in downtown North Andover, MA. The caboose stood out for two reasons. 1.) It was unusual to see one at the end of a train - I don't recall the last time I saw one. 2.) It was huge! Much larger than the typical B&M cabooses I'm used to.

If that wasn't enough, an Amtrack Downeaster rolled through while we were still parked at the crossing - with a female engineer! Not bad looking either.

Jim

[Roger Bielen]

Took me forever to open page 337, last night after 7 min. I gave up, it just took me 5 min., I was beginning to think I had a computer problem.

Weather here is hot and humid, cloudy with scattered showers. It was pouring when I left work at 12:00, 10 mi. away, but not a drop at the house, though it looks like it'll all break loose at any minute.

Spent an hour or so yesterday afternoon and evening putting together a freight consist and breaking down a coal drag. All work was done with my 0-8-0 using TMCC with occasional help getting a coupler to open or close. This afternoon I guess I'll open up a GP9, one of the head lights is out, need to check if its the bulb, I hope, or an electrical problem.

[wrmcclellan]

Chief,

Are you still coming this way for a few days around July 17th?

BTW - I tried to send you an e-mail (via the CTT website) a couple of weeks ago re your trip this way. I do not think you got the mail.

[Dr. John]

Chief, you are probably right about the NS caboose - it was a LOOONNNG train.

Roy, good recommendation on the camera. I have a nice 5 megapixel model, but I've been looking for an inexpensive one to keep in the car. Thanks for the tip on the card reader too!

Hey, we actually got a little rain today. Every little bit helps!

I see MTH is promoting their Alco S-2 switchers. They look great! Now if only they'd release one in a GM&O scheme!

[spankybird]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Roger Bielen

Took me forever to open page 337, last night after 7 min. I gave up, it just took me 5 min., I was beginning to think I had a computer problem. ....

WE have to ask Roy if he could be so nice to re-size his pics (about 640 would be nice) before he uploads them to his host. Just the ones that he is going to post on the forum. [:p] [;)] [^]

I have noticed a long load time even with DSL.

tom

[daan]

Hi Y'all,
Big rains and thunders last night and this evening. Such heavy rains that the kitchen, which is slightly lower then the path beside it, had water on the floor. It needs really big rains to get it that far. (we have stone houses, double walls)
No big deal, just mop it and the tiles are dry and clean again..
The garden also flooded because the small drain in the terras couldn't handle the amount of water. All together allmost 1ft of rain came down in half an hour..
Neighbours who didn't clean the gutters of the roof where reminded to do so next year. No less then 4 where cleaning them out in the heavy rains because they flooded into the house.. The street also had 2ft of water on it..
This heavy we didn't have it since I live in this house..

When I came on the factory this morning, lightning had struck in a part of the plant destroying 6 radarmeasurements on some silo's and everywhere was water. Luckily the production area and the freeze cells where dry and clean..

Just a small remark on digital camera's, if you run XP on your computer, just hook the usb cable from your camera onto the computer, the computer will detect it and give automaticly a few options what to do with the pics. Quite easy.

Hope you stay dry inside the house!

[FJ and G]

I took a big first step today and put my picture and profile on matchmaker.com (picture below). I said I like model trains, as well as other activities.

Hopefully the model trains will be a big turn-on for the women. It takes them about a day to review the picture before the webmaster puts it up.

Expecting to get a lot of emails from train-hungry women.

Wish me luck!

[Buckeye Riveter]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wrmcclellan

Hello All!

Camp Entrance - this is about 100 miles west of Dallas - pretty countryside out there.



Hope all are having a great day!
Roy

Roy, Don't you guys have trees in TEXAS? Scout Camps in this neck of the woods have trees, thousands of trees. Some of the camps have lakes, with names like Lake Michigan, Lake Huron. Where are the sail boats, the jet skis and the row boats? You must have horses in Texas.

[IronHoarse]

David, Good luck with the ladies. I met my wife 16 years ago through a personal ad with a small time dating service. It just goes to show that you can never tell what will happen. My wife is not into trains but she does

[dougdagrump]

Evenin' All.
It's time for our normal boring early summer weather. Sunshine every day, mid 80's to lower 90's, and no rain til november. [swg]
Tom, Somebody on e-bay is selling a bunch of circus wagons, don't know if you would be interested.

[wrmcclellan]

Buckeye,

Trees??[:D]

Sailboats, power boats, etc. were all at the big dock the blob was attached to.

Not much horse stuff for kids in a general camp anymore. Too many lawsuits.

Oh - and there are lots of rocks. Our trees here are what you would call bushes.

[dougdagrump]

Roy, With all the time I spent in the panhandle I'd have sworn the state tree was the tumbleweed. [:D]

[ChiefEagles]

Evening all. Just back from called Town Board meeting. Legal stuff. Merchant wants to be ugly to Town in easement comdenation. Then they are planning to come to us for some improvements. They were sent the message, don't bite the hand that approves. [;)] Garden has jumped with the rain we had. [:)] Take some more rain though.
Daan, sounds like you have too much water.
Dave, good luck. [he needs it [;)], not really]. One look at BB and she will be hooked. [:)]
Later