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

[FJ and G]

doug,

My co-worker (a 28-year-old female) actually ordered the latest Potter book. I purchased a book (I don't know which in the series) to see what all the hoopla was about, but I really couldn't get into it. Also tried watching Potter on TV but didn't get into it either. Perhaps I should have started from the beginning or perhaps I'm missing something that millions of others are getting.

I admire the author, from what I understand, a poor lady who made it big with her grand ideas. And, for the purposes of this forum, there are indeed trains involved, as well as toy trains. :-)

[daan]

Hi Guys,
Just back from a few days family visiting trip to switserland. Sadly it rained a lot of the days which kept us from hiking in the mountains.
I did got a few sights on the "Appenzeller Bahn", a small railwayline in the area where I grew up. It was nice to visit everyone again and spend some time with them. Now back home, weather is summerly but not real hot and we have some light rain every now and then.
As far as Harry Potter is doing, I wouldn't wait in a line to get the first book, but I like the stories and the movies made about it.

For now, back to work and for all who don't have to work, have a great weekend!!

[spankybird]

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

where the temp is 77 and going to 88 with Blue Clear Sky’s but will be giving way to T-Storms this afternoon.

Daan – good to see you back, looking forward to your pics of "Appenzeller Bahn".

Buckeye – Good luck on your test.

Jon – Great start on your shelves.

Pick of the Day



All be safe
tom

[wrmcclellan]

Well - after much driving and an hour of searching through the HUGE Cabella's grand opening, I tracked down the Chief. We spent about 3 and a half hours shooting the breeze like old friends (in between his demonstrations of the battery chargers he represents) over coffee - imagine that. I had no idea that the crowds would be that big. It was like going to a state fair. Tents, boats, guns, fishing gear, etc., spread all over, indoors and out. Poor Chief has to stand for about 13 hours a day! Ouch!



The parking lots (Also huge) were full and they directed us to park in a field across the road way out back! Here is a view. My truck is on the horizon under the silos in the background!



Have agreat day all!
Roy

[dougdagrump]

Roger & Jon, If the wheels are sitting directly on the wood or MDF, whatever is used, isn't there a possibility for the the shelf to absorb any moisture in the air and possibly aiding in the development of rust or corrosion on the wheels. [?]

[Buckeye Riveter]

Roy,
How many boat battery chargers did you buy?

[Roger Bielen]

Doug - I haven't seen any problems with cars sitting for over a year. I've also noticed some dealers using grooves for their 2nd hand equipment.

My shelves are MDF painted with a primer and good grade of finish paint. The wheels generally will have a very slight coating of oil, or something, picked up during use. Also my train room has a dehumidifier that keeps it at an average 50%which may, or may not, be a factor.

[csxt30]

Nice picture of Roy & the Chief ! Nice to see the guys getting together from the forum. Won't be too long before a train show will be in Cleveland & some of us will be getting together, too. [:)] Thanks, John

[tgovebaker]

Nice picture! Its cool to see two of you in the same place. Good to know you're real humans, not just avatars.

[spankybird]

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

Where the temp is 78 deg with Blue Clear Sk’s and heading into the 90’s.

Roy – glad you found Chief.

John – I think the first show is the end of next month.



Pick of the Day


all be safe
tom

[IronHoarse]

Good morning, We woke up this morning at 4:30 to the sound of thunder and wind. I thought, good we are going to get some rain. Wrong...it did not even get the ground damp. We may get rain this evening, hopefully. It is supposed to cool down to the low 80's over the next few days. I can't wait for that to happen. I am really enjoying my SD80 with Odyssey, I think that most of the engines that I get in the future are going to have cruise control also. It sure adds to the realism of operation.

[cnw1995]

Well, the big party was a success - and boy, am I glad it's over - though I'm happy with all the leftover vittles. I had fun showing all the trains and letting guests run them. The basement was cool too so our guests congregated there much to my wife's chagrin who wanted everyone to sit in 98 degrees sunshine on the deck... well, there was no arguing with that. We even got a little spritz of rain last night - glad I moved everything I borrowed off the deck. Highlight of the week: going to see the White Sox play the Tigers tonight!

My daughter has spent the last two days reading Harry Potter - a wonderous thing. Of course, I had to look up the plot summary online... I've read a few of the earlier ones aloud to the kids - my current reading preference is the seafaring novels of Patrick O'Brien...

Jerry, by 'switching leads' do you mean to swap the wires that plug into the lock-on?This Lionel trainset transformer has a 'sound' button on it and just a wire to comes out of the bottom to the track - no other connectors at all. You mean if I swap the way those wires go into the lockon, the whistle might blow instead of the bell? I'll try it!

It's great to see Roy and the Chief together!

[Anonymous]

Doug, you hit the nail on the head. Go ahead and try it.

[cnw1995]

Thanks for the great advice, Jerry! Forgot the mention the weather here - hot and muggy - no surprise for July.

[wrmcclellan]

Well the Chief should be on his way home this morning.

Doug glad your social affair turned out well.

Buckeye - I did pick up some charger brouchures for a friend. Thier boat sits for months at a time in their boathouse. The last batteries only lasted about 2 years. The Chief's product looks pretty good for long term storage.

It has actually been somewhat cooler than normal here over the weekend, but very humid (dripping).

We head out for Anchorage this afternoon. Have a great week all and I'll "see" you when I return next week.

Regards,
Roy

[Buckeye Riveter]

Survey exam is done and the State of Michigan still gets the Upper Pennisula and Ohio gets Toledo.

Boy is it hot and muggy. I need to work outside putting the finishing touches on the deck that was destroyed by the tree in late May.

Has any Texas Counties been declared an emergancy due to the Chief visit? After he visited WV and Eastern Ohio, the rains came along with the mud slides that closed roads and swept away bridges.

[FJ and G]

met an elderly lady on the VRE train coming home today, who is reading the latest Harry Potter. She told me that I would have enjoyed the books if I'd had started from the first instead of the 4th in the series. She said that everyone can relate to the characters.

Next month flying to Taiwan and then possibly mainland China (or maybe in September). I'm lining up a list of potential marriage partners and have started out right by letting them know I play w/toy trains and like hounds, so we shall see. My buddies think I'm crazy, which I probably am.

[tschmidt]

Evening all,

It was a busy weekend. We spent it in DC helping my daughter move from Alexandria to an apartment in the city. She's only a few blocks from the White House. It was crazy HOT and humid. We had a good time but it sure is a different way of life than what we have here in western NY.

Buckeye, I'm looking forward to your visit next week. I sent an email earlier.

Tom, let me know when those train shows in Cleveland are happening. I'd like to get to one.

Have a good night everyone.
Tom

[Buckeye Riveter]

Tom and Tom,
The weekend we are working around is August 6th for our next trip to the north where it is cool with a slight breeze off the lake.

Exam done, deck done...it's Miller Time. (Actually Coors Light)

[tschmidt]

Buckeye,

Sounds good... except I think the choice here is Molson Canadian.

Just got in from a bike ride with my wife. A little warm but the exercise felt good.

Tom

[ChiefEagles]

Lucy I'm home!!!!! Took long enough. US Airways screwed up every way possible. [
I would use the "F'ie" word here. I got home over three hours late from Charlotte after a big delay in Dallas [not causing the Charlotte delay].
Got home 3 1/2 hours late from Charlotte. In Dallas, hour late leaving. Had crew but no plane. In Charlotte, had plane but no crew. Finally got started and reved up engines and take off and started down runway. Engines made funny noise and pilot killed it. One engine's reverse "thruster" was activating when engine was "gunned". Back to terminal. Mechanic disabled it [no joke] and we finally got going. That was after a long HOT sitting int he plane. Would not let us off the plane. To top it off, a mom asked me to entertain her 4 year old daughter on the flight. So we sat in the heat and finally we got going and that help her some. Really, she was a pretty good kid as she had been flying all day too. Glad to get to meet Roy. Great guy. Seemed like we had known each other for years or wer family. Got some great BNSF switching yard, diesel service and grain elevator shots. Missed a very long BNSF husky stack train as I was driving on interstate back fro Cablea's yeaterday PM. Tired. God bless all.

[tschmidt]

Chief,
Glad you got home ok. Now you can rest.

Tom

[cnw1995]

Go David Go.
Chief, I'm glad you're home safe - you have more flying adventures than anyone I know.
Didn't get to go the game - my buddy's dad got sick and we turned back. I'm a little disappointed but more than glad he was able to go look in on him. Spent 2 hours instead trying to fix a neighbor's computer (and listening to the Sox win just a little while ago - on the radio). Thank goodness for this eMac...

[Anonymous]

Hello All: Well I made to the BEAUTIFUL Canadian Rockies, The trip was great.( The Border guard confiscated my homemade burgers ( They still won't let our beef into the U.S.) Seen some great train action at Superior Wis. Took Rt. 2 across Minn. N.Dakota & Montana. The BNSF Line runs aloong side the Highway. It was awesome to see Engines & rolling stock I've only seen in the books. I am staying at the Rimrock Hotel in

[Anonymous]

Hello Again: (The pay as you play Comp. ran out) Banff Alberta. The bridges are awesome The artwork in the local shops of the days of the Canadian & the steamers are breathtaking. The stations & grain elevators in Montana were a step back in time. PETim: When I got to Shelby Montana I Looked southwest & waved sorry I had to keep my Eyes on the road so I didn't see you wave back. Shelby is also a great train spot as is Havre Montana. The Kids got some good shots as we were driving through Montana, hope to get them posted when I get back in two weeks. Everyone take care Kind Regards to All Steve

[daan]

Welcome back Chief. A few days ago we had a television programme about american lifestyles and they filmed a huge BBQ.. Guess who was sitting on a big John Deere lawnmower? Yep I recoughnized the chief, but stupidly forgot in which place the shot was taken, so I don't know for sure.. His face was similar to the pictures placed here, so chances may be there.

This is (not mine) a photo of the Altstätten-Gais Bahn, a small rack railway in switserland. I've seen it in St-Gallen a week ago, but batteries in my camera where gone..
. A small train near the ground station of the Wasserauen-Ebenalp Bahn, which is a cable car. On the back is the Alpstein, a mountainformation with the Säntis as highest point.
A special train you can hire for weddings etc.
The appenzeller bahn is a privat railway for the northwest part of Switserland on the north and partly south side of the Alpstein mountains.
They do have more modern trains, but they are ugly. I like the older ones with the straight fronts.

[IronHoarse]

Good Morning,

Welcome back Chief, while you were gone I took your advice and got the Black Diamond rather than the Keystone set. Thanks for suggesting that I go with it, I think it is a great set and the engine is fantastic. It is Odyssey forever for me now.

It has cooled off a little around here finally. Still we have had no rain. We sure could use some.

[spankybird]

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

with the temp at 75 deg and Blue Clear Sky’s and a break in the temp only going to 85 deg today.

We had a bunch of T-Storms and RAIN last night.

Chief – good to see you made it home. Remember when they delay a plane, most of the time its for your own safety. Would you really wanted the pilot to have taken off, knowing there was a problem with the engine [?]

Daan – great pics ! ! !

Buckeye – Cong on passing your test. Aug 6 will be marked on our calander.

Pick of the Day


all be safe
tom

[cnw1995]

Boy, I need a whole pot of coffee today after 4 hours sleep. And today is my late night. I have to work something out better with our oldest - who went to Great America (an amusement park) all day and seemingly all night - maybe I go to sleep and she wakes me up when she gets home. At least I got to tinker with the layout for seemingly hours.

Daan, those are nice pictures. In the first picture, is a rack railway one in which the engine and cars go up steep grades with the help of a cogwheel on the cars and toothed line between the tracks?

[ChiefEagles]

Morning gang. Got up and going before I signed on computer. That way I did not kill time and now have to get going. Doug, let Mom sit up and give her the duty. [;)] Hot and dry. Will water garden today. Go out and see what did not get picked [Pam is not a veggie garden person, just flowers and shrubs]. Pam fusses when she has to pick garden for me. Think I'll let her flowers dry up as I water them. [;)] [Emergency room staff said he died in pain [B)]] Go see if trains will run and enjoy that for a short few. Hope all have a great day and God bless all.