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

[Anonymous]

Mickey I know of 3 barns just like it, one set on Sewwell Mt. along rte. 60 until a few years ago. it had been hit by a semi in the 1950's It was right on the edge of the road.

[GregM]

Got a pleasant surprise today. I wait until the federal tax refund is received before I even think about the state return. I wait because we have owed the state a few dollars for a number of years. Well to my surprise this year we're getting a refund from the state of over $275. Would have filed the state return earlier if I had realized we would be getting some money back.

[dwiemer]

Hey all,
Good day. Waiting for the family to return from AL. In the mean time, church was good and now I am taking in some of the History Channel. Tomorrow, they have a "Deep Sea Detectives" episode on a trainwreck in the lake, about a RR ferry that went down. I will try to take that in. Hope y'all have a good one.
Dennis

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Well to my surprise this year we're getting a refund from the state of over $275. Would have filed the state return earlier if I had realized we would be getting some money back.
--------------------

If I may be so bold, buy gold with it and save it for a rainy day.

[Dr. John]

Dennis,
Whereabouts in Alabama did your family travel?

Saw that same ad for the RR ferry sinking. Should be an interesting episode.

[Roger Bielen]

Success!!!

I finished the installation of the two speakers and rewiring of the A-B-A set today and the test run was positive the first go. The 2nd speaker does make a difference when you have an engine set about 3' long. I've put the shells back on the A's and need to modify the B shell for installing the female tether plugs. A hint for those using tethers with several wires, mount the with the long dimension vertical, its more flexible.

The only thing I tried to do while I had all apart was to adust a couple of pots so that I could get the brake sound, it never worked. the original instruction from TAS read -"Turning the 10K pot counterclockwise will decrease .....(and further on)...... Turning it counterclocockwise will increase....." Same thing for another pot used in rpm adjustment. Guess they never proof read their instructions. I did get the brakes to sound for a second, shut the engine off and restarted, no brake sound. Guess you won't miss what you never had and don't use anyway.

[cnw1995]

Snowing all day here - quite a surprise. Holding down the fort with the kids whilse watching the Busch race in Mexico with the sound off and reading the Sunday paper - a nice Sabbath...

[pbjwilson]

Went to the High Wheeler show in Palatine ,IL. Not as much 3 rail this year. Great layouts in all scales. The LGB club does a great job with a huge G layout on the floor. Got a kick out of a couple Z layouts and a spectacular Lego display.

[cnw1995]

Wasn't that LGB layout amazing? There was a requisite Z layout in a tiny little case.

[pbjwilson]

Doug,
I don't know how they can set that all up, with all the wiring and stuff in such a short time. It's truly fantastic.

I love the Z and N layouts. My first train as a kid was N and I've always loved it.



Hard to get a good photo of the LGB but here it goes



I think we spent about 20 minutes there. My younger guy wants to play and run the trains not look at them. But I've learned to absorb as much as I can in a short period of time.

[csxt30]

Good evening Everyone ! Glad Doug & Paul had a nice time at their train show today ! I would have went to the Erie one, but had to work instead. I think our best one is coming up, though, in a couple weeks. A two day one ! That's about the last one, I think.
Well, hope everyone has a nice evening !
Thanks,

[tmcc man]

I am so stressed out right now. I finished the project, but I don't know why I am still worried about it. God, I need a stress reliever.

[Anonymous]

Have a cup of coffee Colin, maybe 2, that will calm you down.

[dwiemer]

Dr. John,
My wife's Mother lives in Montgomery. I know you are in Prattville, I had some kids from Camp Smile A Mile who were from there. It sounds like a nice town. I was a counselor for the camp and was even on the board for a short time, till I moved. If you ever have some young adults looking for ways to serve, I would suggest they call Camp S.A.M. as it will humble you and also give a chance to make a difference in a child's life.
Dennis

[jefelectric]

Hi everyone,

Just got back from a long weekend in Philadelphia. Got my real train fix for a while. We went down and back via Amtrak. Took in the Phila. Flower Show, did some shopping and hit a couple of good restaurants.

If anyone is interested in railroads of the 40s & 50s, pick up a copy of the Spring Classic Trains Magazine. Some really good pictures and articles.

Laz, There is an interesting article in Trains magazine for April. Remember the discussion about beer refers? Well I learned something from this article. Coors has 316 beer tank cars that they use to ship beer from Golden CO to distribution points where it is packaged in bottles and cans for retail. Each tanker holds 660 barrels or 20,886 gallons. A lot more than a little old vintage refer. This issue also has some interesting articles about food on trains, past and present.

John, I liked your boulevard effect with the brass lights, nice.

[wrmcclellan]

Evening folks!

Busy weekend here. Nice weather, so attacked the yard, alley, and pool. Bagged up seven 39 gal bags of mulched leaves. Mowed yard and ceaned leaves out of the alley. And then the worst part, flushing, cleaning, and reloading the pool filter. Got it done just in time as a major algae bloom was getting ready to launch. All the bad weather here, with lots of wind and the 5 in of rain loads a pool with dirt, organic matter (leaves, etc.). End result is the filter stops up and then chemicals stop working. So it will work fine for a few weeks and then it will clog again in late Arpil when the pollen is in full swing from all the trees blooming and budding out.

Nice photos and stuuf posted over last couple if days.

Have a great evening all!
Roy

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Finished wiring up the street lights on the layout. Look great if I may say so. The 24volt bulbs glow more than shine and look great. I think my next project will be the control panel. That part of the wiring looks like a bowl of speghetti.[:D]
Jim

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,
JOHN maybe you and me and the CHIEF, after he is done with his CHILI JUDGING CONTEST could try and put a dent in that COORS tanker. Bet the CHIEF can do half by himself.
Ran 5 + with the wife today felt good.
Then ran trains to unwind all ran good.
Have agood nite.
laz57

[mitchelr]

Good morning from Gettysburg, PA where it is currently 31 degrees. It is mostly cloudy. A slight chance of rain mixing with snow this morning...then a slight chance of rain this afternoon. Gonna be a wet one, hope there's not too much of that white stuff.

Another long night at school. We are having a dinner/celebration for the students in our after school program. Tomorrow night is our evening Kindergarten registration. Wednesday evening is a BOE meeting. Looks like there won't be much work done on the layout this week. I've got to stain or paint the wood rail around the edge of the layout as well as the shelf that holds my tranny and switch controllers. Slow progress but still fun. I'd make more progess if I'd just stop running those trains every time I go out to work on something. [;)][;)][;)][;)][;)]

Have a great day.

Mitch[:D][:D]

[Buckeye Riveter]

On the road again. [:D]

[Jumijo]

John,
The island and lights came out looking great!

Mickey,
Love those scratchbiult buildings. Reminds me of a saying my father-in-law uses all the time. "A rotten barn will stand for a long time". I think he fancies himself as a modern-day Confucious. "Man who eat crackers in bed wake up with crummy disposition".

Special thanks to Ben10Ben for his help off-forum. Ben was kind enough to reply to a few questions I had about my postwar steamer. Thank you, Ben!

I ordered James the Red Engine for my kids on Saturday. While I was at the train shop, I saw a new product from Woodland Scenics. Saplings with fine vegitation. These things look very realistic! I bought a box, and if it weren't for being so sick, I'd have put them on the layout by now. Very nice!

A little under the weather today. The kids have graciously passed their germs on to me. That's what kids do.

Jim

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,
28 and cloudy. To get to 44?

All have a good one.
laz57

[dwiemer]

Morning all,
Well, got called back to work again last night. Was a productive weekend and got lots of brownie points with the wife. I am hoping to get some work done on the layout this week. I also am planning to catch up with the Chief in Savannah. A little on the rainy side this morning.
Dennis

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is cloudy and in the 30s today in SE Indiana. I did very little on Sunday. We went to church and had to run the son to work ( which was not on his schedule). We watched the Busch race, but it took forever to run with all the yellow flags. It took three hours to run a 200 mile race?!?!? I have sat thru Indy 500s that were quicker. I finally had a chance to catch up on the Forum items. It sounds like a lot of people are busy getting ready for the warmer weather. I will have to fire up the mower soon. I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[Blueberryhill RR]

[code]Good Morning from Blueberryhill[/code]It's 34 degrees and cloudy, going to 39 and cloudy.
That sounds gloomy.
Well, it's Monday. Back to work for the working folks. Hats off to them.
Not much going on today. Be glad when the weather warms up above 60 and
I can go outside for a walk. Have a lot of exercise I need to do. Rehab is rough.
Still can't shake this nasty cough, from the bronchital tubes that goes with
this for about 6 weeks plus. Slowly but surely.
Y'all have a great day and keep warm.
Chuck

[spankybird]

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

where the temp is 30 and going up to 44 with overcast skies. We will be seeing mid 60’s by mid week.

I was great seeing GregM and his wife Karen stop by the Museum on Saturday and for Don (Boneheadbaseboy) and his wife Nancy stop by on Sunday.

OTTS meeting this Friday.

Buckeye – what part of the country are you headed to now [?]

Chief – Are you back home again [?]

Laz – there should be about 6 or 8 OTTS members going to York next month, are you [?]

Pick of the Day


All be safe
tom

[cnw1995]

Cold, dark and sleety today in Chicago - though this snow should melt by mid-week. I hope so if only because we've had so little rain so far.
Mike, that Busch race took forever. I'm just glad I could watch it though - for the first time in weeks, the cable worked on Sunday.
Jim, hope you feel better - I just got over my various colds - all from the kids. Speaking of kids, my brother and his wife told us last night over dinner they're going to have a baby - their first. Finally someone else in the family is having some babies! I'm 'reading the riot act' to our kids tonight - chores and attitude have gotten a little out of hand. At least my wife and I are on the same page. I'll probably be ready to run some trains later. Mickey is inspiring me to think about how to make a trolley barn with all these extra sticks I have from planting trolley poles. Have a good day.

[Dr. John]

We're in a wave of warmer weather here in Dixie. Still chilly at night but daytime highs getting up near 70. In fact, today is supposed to make 72 then a bit cooler tomorrow. Depending on which weather forecast you hear, we'll either be hotter, colder or wetter by the weekend !?!

Have a good day! I'm off in search of coffee.

[Brutus]

Cool here, gonna peak in the 50's. Rained all day yesterday. Luckily, although battered, the roof apparently doesn't leak. Need to take down the Polar Express for next year I guess. Oh well, TTFN.

[Anonymous]

good morning from n central pa, being a newbie i come here to get good advice looked over all the pics from sun i am really impressed. still working on my lay out and benchwork.[:)]