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

[ChiefEagles]

Well, there is the Buckeye. Where is the old man Duda?

[spankybird]

Good Moring all,

Well, it back to work today.[B)] Most of ther rain yesterday missed us[:D] , but we have light showers this morning. [sigh]

All have a great day

tom

[FJ and G]

Morning, all, I envy people who get all the rain. We got a little bit Saturday but where I live west of Manassas is in the rain shadow of the Shenandoahs and it usually just passes over and rains east of us in D.C.

Worked on my crossover this weekend. Measures 78 inches and I'm taking photos as I build it to later post.

[FJ and G]

I will NOT give my political opinion here and I hope others won't too. This strictly is about trains!

One of the number 1 reasons that may delay Iraq's recovery is sabatoge to its 7000 mile plus oil pipelines.

It is nigh impossible to protect the entire thing. But, I think I've got a solution. A wild idea, perhaps, but, I think there's a chance it may work.

Get rid of the whole pipeline and replace with a railway and tank cars. In this way, security will be concentrated on the trains themselves instead of the entire route of pipeline.

But, you say, the tracks can be just as vulnerable. Yes, but lets explore this vulnerability further.

Trains operated in Vietnam with a flatcar pushed ahead of the trains to detonate mine. This would solve the passive sabotage problem, but not a remote control device that could be made to detonate after the locomotive has passed.

Several flat cars could separate each tank car to mitigate blast chain reaction and furthermore, commodities could be hauled via the same train that cannot be achieved by pipeline.

If a strike does in fact, cause a chain reaction, the loss of oil would be a lot less than from a pipeline which is continually feeding the flames.

A track could quickly be built to bypass the sabotaged train in flat desert land. In strategic hilly passes, permanent security could be maintained.

A mine detection car could proceed the train.

I know that my idea will get shot full of holes, but, what the heck?

dav

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all. Hot and dry. Got a 5 gallon and 1/2 buckets full of tomatoes yesterday. David, good idea. Maybe they need to reactivate you. [;)] Hope not. Got to get coffee and waffles. Enjoy the day and God bless.

[FJ and G]

Here's an interesting train piece from India I'd like to share with you.

'Our trains are in lap of the god'
By Peter Foster in New Delhi
Telegraph (London)
(Filed: 03/07/2004)


India's railway minister has come up with a novel excuse for the
appalling safety record of the world's largest railway network - he
blames it on Vishwakarma, the Hindu god of machines.

"Indian Railways are the responsibility of Lord Vishwakarma," said
Laloo Prasad Yadav. "So is the safety of passengers. It is his duty
[to ensure safety], not mine."


Passengers travel on a crowded train in Calcutta
India's 67,000-mile rail network, on which 1.4 million people are
employed, suffers from decades of chronic under-investment.

Accidents - on average there are 300 every year - are a permanent
hazard for the 13 million passengers who use the railways daily.

Only last month 20 people were killed and around 100 injured when a
train plunged off a bridge in western India, after hitting rocks on
the line.

Mr Yadav, a low-caste activist who is a key ally of India's newly
elected Left-wing government, is not generally expected to improve
matters.

To date, his biggest policy initiative has been to order replacement
of plastic cups on trains with earthen ones - a move calculated to
benefit the potters in his home state, Bihar.

[FJ and G]

Growing up on a train:

In the 19th century before cars, that's how people grew up--riding a train (or a horse).

I feel fortunate to have grown up poor in the slums in the south Bronx. We didn't have a car (or a phone for that matter). We traveled nearly everywhere by el, subway, PRR and NYC.

I'll always treasure the memories and the good fortune I had growing up poor and riding the rails.

Dave Vergun

[spankybird]

Good Morning all,

It’s a cloudy, overcast day in NE Ohio with scattered showers. Weatherman says heavy rain later today. So that means it will be too wet to work outside, so it play with the trains tonight.[;)]

Hey Dave – How was your date over the weekend [?]

Chief, I am waiting for the BLT’s ![dinner]

You guys didn’t say if you like the video’s that I posted on the Sunday Photo Fun. What did you think of them [?][:-^]

All have a great day[:D]

tom

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ChiefEagles

Got a 5 gallon and 1/2 buckets full of tomatoes yesterday. .

Hey I got a handful of rasberrys from my plants![:p] The berrys almost seem to sqare (mathmaticaly) each time you pick them,2, 4, 16... and so on

Today looks like its going to be dreary, its overcast, and cold...

Its a good day to play trains!![:D][:D]

[FJ and G]

Hi Spanky,

She obliquely turned me down, meaning I'll be back to try again, hoping to strike a balance of not seeming too persistant and making an *** of myself. Hey, if you don't try, you'll never know, right!

One interesting thing about her is she wears no rings. But, that doesn't necessarily mean she's not married! I once met a girl who wore a ring on her wedding finger and always assumed she was married, but found out from her she wasn't. These wedding ring things can be awefully strange. For those of you who are married, these are things you don't have to worry about since you have a nice, loving wife awaiting you each evening. Must be nice!

BTW, as we speak, I'm doing up a resume for the position of Editor in Chief of Trains magazine. I imagine there are mobs of people doing that so it's kinda like buying the lotto ticket. I understand Kalmbach's operation is in Milwaukee. Never been there but I do like beer, cheese, and cold, gloomy weather, so perhaps the move would be beneficial, assuming I'm picked.

If not, I've got a wonderful job as editor of The Military Engineer magazine. A lot of folks are unemployed or sickly so sometimes, we must be content with our station in life and count our blessings.

End of sermon!

Dave V.

[Anonymous]

No, Milwaukee dosn't usually gloomy weather. It dosn't have many beer companys left, basicaly just Miller and Pabst, and thats it.

[FJ and G]

Thanks, Jerry for the update.

BTW, on the train home the other day I heard what sounded like an explosion. Two kids in the woods, perhaps 12 or 13 years old, were throwing large stones at the VRE train. It missed the window where I was sitting and hit between the windows. Sure woke me up fast and I was able to spot them in a remote section of woods between Rolling Hills and Burke Center station.

I've seen kids throw rocks at freight cars but never at passenger trains. I guess I shouldn't be surprised anymore. It's not just terrorists you have to watch out for.

[ChiefEagles]

Morning gang. Off to get haircut. Then go into town to get some binder posts. More tricks to test on the short line and DCS. Yes MR. TOM, I saw your videos but had seen them before [you emailed them]. Pretty good. David, hope you get the job. Then I can come up and fish with you. Thought WI had lots of milk?????[:)] All have a good day and God bless.

[Anonymous]

Wisconsin does have alot of milk, thats a fact.

[Dr. John]

Hi all!
Sorry I've been AWOL, but a combination of computer problems and busy schedule have pretty much kept me away.
Chief, thanks for the e-mail - I tried to respond but my reply was bounced back.
I'll keep posting from time to time as I can.

[Buckeye Riveter]

Dave, if you want to become the editor of TRAINS maybe everyone here on the forum could send an email to the publisher supporting you as their choice....then again.

Milwaukee = SNOW and COLD

[ChiefEagles]

Glad to hear from you Dr. John. Keep on dropping by. Buckeye, what was the color of that Nitro I was sending you? [:D] [got the Ranger out today and washed the dirty cover off, fired it up and put on new trolling motor mounted transducer for new depth finder, now to get to the lake] Another 5 gallon bucket of tomatoes and a pile of cucumbers. Squash are slowing down [heat]. Got to build stone patio [8 X 8] tomorrow for wife. That will bring out a lot of sweat. Good night all and God bless.

[spankybird]

Good Morning all,

Today is spotty showers with temp at 68 deg in NE Ohio. I guess that means we should also have some sun.

Dr John, don’t let your computer play with Sask computer.

Dave, good luck on the job hunt.

Chief, still waiting for the BLT’s [?]


tom

[FJ and G]

thanks guys for the encouragement. I have some stuff I've written on this forum I'm proud of and other stuff not, but thanks anyway for your support.

Have any of you been eating blackberries; not the store bought but out in the field?

Fess up now!!!!! I have while walking BB the beagle. The trick is to get there before others discover your favorite bush!

I'm still working on a resume for the job application at Trains mag. I need to add a lot more details but here's the basic framework:

OBJECTIVE: A challenging position as a Editor-in-Chief

EXPERIENCE:

2003- -Editor, The Military Engineer, Alexandria, VA
Editing a magazine about architecture, engineering and construction.

2001-2003 -Associate Editor, Sea Power, Arlington, VA
Edited a magazine about the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard.

2000-2001 - Editor, Proceedings, Arlington, VA
Edited a magazine about the Coast Guard.

1999-2000 - News Editor, Army Times, a Gannett publication, Springfield, VA
Edited a weekly newspaper about the Marine Corps.

1997-1999 - Managing Editor, Magie Enterprises, Inc., Cabot, AR
Edited three newspapers.

1996-1997 - Lead Trainer/Technical Writer, IBM sub-contract, Little Rock, AR
Wrote computer software training and user manuals.

1975-1995 - Editor, U.S. Marine Corps in US and Japan.
Edited a variety of Marine Corps newspapers.

EDUCATION: - M.A., Human Factors Engineering, George Mason University, 1992
- B.A., Psychology, University of Arkansas (magna *** laude), 1989
- Department of Defense Public Relations & Journalism School, 1981

Of course, I could add on the resume that I'm desperately searching for a woman in my life. Now that would really grab their attention I'm sure, and they would surely say, "come on over to Milwaukee, where the women are the most beautiful in the country, and the milk and cheese is fine as well."

Dave Vergun

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

Now that would really grab their attention I'm sure, and they would surely say, "come on over to Milwaukee, where the women are the most beautiful in the country, and the milk and cheese is fine as well."

Dave Vergun

You should know there is alot of races in Milwaukee. If your trying to find a woman it will be three choices: Hispanic, Black, and White.
Don't go into the ghetto, my uncle got robbed there one time! The crime is actually lower campared to DC. My advice would be just stay away from suspicious people.[;)]

While your at it, why don't you see a Brewer's game?[:D]

[FJ and G]

I think that the name "Brewers" has to be the coolest team name in sports, Jerry.

BTW, you left out Asian women. No Orientals?

[ChiefEagles]

Morning gang. Out to build a stone patio for Pam. That means SWEAT. Got to level ground and then place BIG flat stones to make a big square. Stones are in the back of my truck. 90+ here. OH my aching back. Hope to have a little time to play with DCS. Got some tricks I want to try. Folks that want to go back to conventional and have problems operating DCS, well I will not go there. All have a great day and God bless all.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G



BTW, you left out Asian women. No Orientals?

Not many, if come to Fon du Lac there is plenty!

[FJ and G]

Jerry,

That sounds like "Fun with Lace"

BTW, here's my cover ltr. I'm emailing the whole shebang this afternoon to Kalmbach's HR department--you know, the people with smiley faces.

Dear Sir:

I am seeking the position of Editor in Chief for Trains magazine. I have nearly 30 years of journalism management experience, as well as award-winning writing, photography and layout and design work under my belt. I have led and inspired my subordinates, both as a civilian and as a Marine Corps journalist. I firmly believe in utilizing people’s talents to the fullest extent possible and that good communications and coordination are vital to producing a superb magazine and instilling team spirit.

I am enthusiastic and knowledgeable about railroading, current and historic. Trains has been my magazine of choice since 1969. I particularly enjoyed some of the exciting recent themes in Trains including mountain railroading, Chicago and Horseshoe Curve. I would like to see this trend continued.

I authored two main feature articles for Trains’ sister magazine, Classic Toy Trains: “Cadillac Layout,” September 2003 and “Pete’s Practice Layout,” May 2004. I have other writing samples I would be happy to send.

I look forward to meeting you and discussing my qualifications in greater detail. My salary requirement is work for food.

Sincerely,

Dave Vergun
Editor
The Military Engineer magazine

(notice I left off the salary to be discrete)

[Buckeye Riveter]

Hey Chief,
You know if must say something about us older forum members who can run DCS and/or TMCC. I'm not heading back either but I am looking forward to new developments in DCS and TMCC.

Watch our for lifting those big stones. It is very hard to run the trains with back pain.

[Dr. John]

Dave,
Good luck! I think you would make a fine editor for Trains Magazine.

[dougdagrump]

Speaking of the Brewers, here's another example of "Political Correctness Run Amuck". Bernie the Brewer would slide down a ramp into what was supposed to be a bucket of beer whenever a Brewer hit a homerun, but now he slides onto a plain old platform. [soapbox]

[FJ and G]

Just finished tweeking the resume and sent it. I'm confident that whoever gets the job will continue the fine journalistic tradition at "Trains."

I'm visiting a different Pho restaurant in search of another Pho lady. Can't wait to continue work on my layout this weekend. When you are building a layout, it is very exciting, like having ants in your pants.

[ChiefEagles]

Dave, make sure that is all that gets in your pants. [;)] Patio is finished. Water her flowers [those who have seen pictures of her yard know that is a big project]. Real hot. Had handkerchief tied around forehead. It got so wet the sweat ran down on my glasses anyway. Now to crank the Deere and mow. Where is my train time? Where is my fishing time?

[dougdagrump]

Dave, Don't forget that if ypu end up in Milwaukee you'll have to get a CHEESEHEAD before football season.[(-D]