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

[csxt30]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheTrainMaster


I even saw a train of trailers that were only connected by the trucks....kinda like a trailer flatcar consist, but without the flatcars themselves. Apparently they were connected by the trucks themselves. Quite awesome!
Chris

Hi Chris ! What those trailer cars you saw today, are known as Road Railers. They started out as a joint venture between Conrail & N&S. You will see them on the rear end of Amtrack also. They have a special break pipe going through the trailer to tie into the air breaks on the train, then when they reach destination, you truck drivers deliver them once removed from the RR trucks. I believe Bowser makes O-gauge models like them. You may want to check them out. I had to attend classes on these years ago.
Thanks,

[wrmcclellan]

T-Storm hitting here - RAIN! Signing off!

[Dr. John]

Good evening, all!

Whew! Tired after a long day. One of the MDs in our church gave the staff flu shots this evening. She had some vaccine that she would have to dispose of in a few weeks so we got it for free. Apparently, flu shots are only good for about 100 days and most of us had ours back last fall.

Very nice day today - temps up near 75. Warm tomorrow then heavy rains tomorrow afternoon into tomorrow night. Supposed to be nice again this weekend. Grass will soon be growing at this rate.

Good night!

[jefelectric]

Good evening all,

Nice pictures Steve.

I reworked two of my Lionel cabooses, Added 2nd roller contact and outside rail connection from both trucks. Wired a diode into the lamp circuit. Good results, no flickering at all and a more mellow lamp output on TMCC voltages. Have several more that I want to work on.

Good night,

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxt30

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheTrainMaster


I even saw a train of trailers that were only connected by the trucks....kinda like a trailer flatcar consist, but without the flatcars themselves. Apparently they were connected by the trucks themselves. Quite awesome!
Chris

Hi Chris ! What those trailer cars you saw today, are known as Road Railers. They started out as a joint venture between Conrail & N&S. You will see them on the rear end of Amtrack also. They have a special break pipe going through the trailer to tie into the air breaks on the train, then when they reach destination, you truck drivers deliver them once removed from the RR trucks. I believe Bowser makes O-gauge models like them. You may want to check them out. I had to attend classes on these years ago.
Thanks,

Is there a website for Bowser? Also, what kind of work did you do in the real RR, and what kind of schedule did you have?

Chris

[Buckeye Riveter]

Colin,
If you really get a hard math question, just post it on the forum. Probably one of us will guess the right answer for you. [(-D][(-D]

[Brutus]

For those who were praying for our friends, here is a picture of their daughter, Cecilia. She is doing very well. She is off the ventilator and beginning to put on some weight. What a miracle!



PS - Colin, my wife was a mathlete and a math major at Rolla at one time. Look for girls that are good at math and like to multiply, that's my advice!

[dbaker48]

Very good advice Jim,

Doug, if you havn't check out the thread regarding "Nice History", you will find it very interesting.

Steve, I too appreciated your pictures they were good.

Worked 12 hrs and still took the wife and inlaws out to dinner for wifes B-day, $230 , wow. And the Chateau Briane wasn't really that great. I had ordered Prime Rib, but ended up trading with my son, he didn't like it either. I have had a lot better. Hate expensive meals and so-so food, Service was great.

Off to Palm Springs for a 2 day trade show, then to Santa Barbara on Sat for a 1 day computer show. Really looking forwad to Sunday!!!

[Jumijo]

I snapped some photos of the conifer trees last night for you guys who are interested. I'll post them either tomorrow or early next week, depending on how busy I am. I also need to take some new photos of my layout. I added a new river last week and it has become one of my favorite spots on the layout. It runs along a curve at the front of the layout, and when the trains run along it, it looks really nice. On the other side of the curve, I'm going to install a whole forest of those conifer trees. I've been too under the weather to bother with the layout or trains this week. Most nights, I've been in bed by 8:15. Just wiped out tired.

Gotta feel better in a hurry though. Temps in the 60's Fri, Sat, and Sun!

Jim

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,
41 and little damp,to get to 57?
Took the dog for a 2 mile walk yesterday in the woods and low and behold saw 8 deer. So there still are some alive here in Pa.

Happy FRIDAY EVE!!!
All have a good one.
laz57

[Anonymous]

John it is a big railroad town on the CSX, with shops, coaling (once)water and fuel staion, sand station, the whole thing. It has huge yards and is full of coal hoppers.





Clifton Forge is the only city by that name in the United States. The city occupies the terraces and slopes on the north side of the Jackson River three miles north of where it merges with the Cowpasture River to form the historic James.

During the nineteenth century the Kanawha Valley Turnpike passed along the north side of the Jackson River here. The area was known as Williamson, named after an early landowner. By 1857 the Virginia Central Railroad had extended its track from Staunton to the Jackson River. After the Civil War, the railroad expanded west to connect with the Covington and Ohio Railroad. In 1868 the two lines merged to form the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. When the track to Richmond was completed in 1881, the town boomed--its fate for the next 100 years directly tied to the railroad industry.

The name of Clifton Forge came from the charcoal furnace and iron forge operating in nearby Rainbow Rock Gap. W.L. Alexander was operating the forge there and named it "Clifton" after his father's estate in Rockbridge County. The city incorporated that name in 1884, two years after the C&O Railway named its new depot at the east end of the town "Clifton Forge."

The company then consolidated its various shop facilities about one mile west of the depot. As a result the area in between was developed into the city's new commercial district. There were two streams to bridge and gullies to cross, but the town's growth followed the railroad. This area around the C&O Shops became known as West Clifton. The two little towns finally incorporated together in 1906--twenty-two years after Clifton Forge made the first move.

[Jumijo]

Laz,

Way back when, my dog and I used to walk in a wooded reservation almost every day. We saw deer frequently. One day, my birthday of all days, we were walking along the trail, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw what looked like an entire hill moving! I looked over to see a whole herd of deer moving up the hill away from us. Not moving that fast, just moving. They blended into the hill so well when they were still that I never even saw them. Only when they moved, it looked like the hill was moving. What an odd feeling until I realized what was going on. There had to be about 20 - 30 deer on that hill.

The first time we ever encountered a deer in the woods, I heard something coming up fast behind us. I looked quickly and as it tore past, I thought, "that's the biggest dog I've ever seen". Once it was in front of us, I saw the tail and realized what it was.

Jim

[mickey4479]

Good morning from Kansas City:

Yesterday evenings's high chance for rain and tornado watch fizzled but we may get some brief dampness in the AM. I have some tile repair work coming next week so I am preparing for that today and doing some tax research. Ran the B6s with some freight last night. Going to do some switching and run the M1a and reefers tonight. Last night I saw the movie 16 Blocks. Pretty good flick, although I am quite tired of movies about goofy, bad, alcoholic cops that find redemption. Don't get me wrong, I am all for redemption but the story lines are so similar, you see one Bruce Willis cop movie, you see them all. The supporting cast changes, so that makes the character interplay interesting. Well off to breakfast. Enjoy your day.

[Brutus]

Good morning from Lower Arnold where the storms hit last night and we are to get more storms, perhaps severe winds and perhaps damaging hail - again!!!! My contractor and insurance are still talking from last time, trying to agree on a price I guess, so any new hail damage would be "relatively" okay at this point - would just add to the mess they are already supposed to be fixing.

Up betimes and so to work, as Pepys would say.

[spankybird]

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

where the temp is 48 and going up to 60 with Lots of Rain. We should get about 1” of rain today. Should make the spring flowers grow.

OTTS Meeting this Friday.

Next weekend – March 18 & 19 is NMRA Div 5 Train Show. This is an All Gauge show and one of the largest in NE Ohio.

Steve – great pics, thanks for sharing

CSXT30 – John – just tell the judge “Burn them, Hang them from the highest tree”. You should be home by noon.

Any bets when Chief will play with trains again, even if it is on the floor ! ! !

Pick of the Day


All be safe
tom

[laz 57]

JIM,
Good story, love to hear em.
laz57

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all. Beautiful day. Suddenly around 8PM last night, my temp went up, started coughing and then chills. Sinuses were running [pink]. Took meds and some better. Did get sleep. Got to drive to Savannah GA. Dennis, emailing you my cell number. Since I'm sick, might take some extra breaks from the store. Did run trains before my "attack" last night. Got to go. God bless all.

[cnw1995]

52 degrees right now - hurray! Had a thunder storm last night. Supposed to rain a bit on and off over the next few days and then back to winter next week. The snow from two days ago is all gone. We are so rain-deficient this year - I welcome the grayness. I've been to Union Station before - just not a while. Amtrak controls the whole thing and has made some funky decisons about tenants - they're perpetually selling the air rights to build a tower atop the station. Another developer just announced something. They are really freaky about people taking pictures on any of the platforms still. I'm sending off my long-term radon tester this morning - it's been in place since Oct. I've been told one of the fixes may have to be cementing in the crawl space where the layout is ...
Bowser's website address is: http://www.bowser-trains.com/

[Jumijo]

Chief,

Sounds like you caught the same thing I have. I wi***he stuff running out of my nose was just pink! More like Christmas colors - red and green. Gross, huh?! [xx(][:D] So the Yankee virus is working its way through the South. Excellent . . . !

Feel better soon, Chief!

Jim

[Dr. John]

Chief and Jim, get to feeling better!

Unfortunately my son has the stomach virus. He seldom ever gets sick, but he was up all last night with this. In a way, I'm glad he's got it now. His 18th birthday is Saturday, so he should be okay by then. Next week, he travels to Italy.

Looks like some stormy weather heading this way today. Heavy rain, wind and possible hail. Time to hunker down and batten down the hatches!

[laz 57]

DR. JOHN,
Saw on the news last nite they finally caught those arsonist that torched the churches.
Any Idea of what is going to happen to them? They should be told to go and help rebuild all those churches over the summer then do their time.
Glad they were caught.
laz57

[wrmcclellan]

Morning all!

Sunny and a little cooler here, 60's to 70 today. Nice rain last night but it did not last long as the front was really moving fast.

Daughter giving us perpetual grief regarding school and keeping up with work. This is pretty boring. Every couple of weeks the same thing - failing or near failing all core classes. The movement of 9th grade into the high school has been a disaster for us. Too many people, too many activities, no real control of the building entrances with many students walking on and off campus all day since many seniors only have a couple of classes. Its all a big party for her. Talking to some of the teachers, overall, the 9th grade integration into the high school has lots of problems.

Steve - nice photos and bit of history.

Chief and Jim - get better soon! Terrible when one has to travel when ill.

Doug - have them cement so you still have the platform for the trains!

Have a great one all!
Roy

[cnw1995]

Jim, and Chief, I hope you feel better soon. It is tough to work when you are not feeling well.
Roy, part of me is intrigued to see what they end up recommending if this final, long-term test is high - I guess I will do something even if the test is low. I have some good emails Buckeye sent me months ago to work off from.
Hang in there with your daughter. I'm right with you. My 14 year went from home schooled for four years to a huge high school, and promptly fell into serious socializing. And I'm intrigued that socializing is all-last minute - and since no one can drive, it drags us into their swirl. The balance between wanting to wish her well and have friends vs. how it lands on all of us is a new experience. Like I posted earlier this week, we've had to have some hard discussions about expectations, priorities and then help (without seeming to help) establish some better study habits - beginning with moving the computer out of her room and limiting the cell phone to incoming calls and then only during certain times. Then, there's the work itself - reviewing some of her creative writing raises the (few) hairs on my head - thank goodness it is music-influenced. She pines for real drama in her life - and is influenced by the TV shows she likes: 20- somethings pretending to be teens and having adult relationships... I'll keep you both in my prayers.

[Brutus]

Laz - I saw that story too - I think that the perpetrators should be put to work rebuilding each of the churches they burned down for free, plus whatever monetary value is involved should be taken out of their paychecks for the rest of their lives no matter where they go or what they do. Maybe they would learn something.

[cheapclassics]

Good afternoon all,

It is rainy and warm in SE Indiana with temps in the 50s heading to the 60s. I was able to build with my bricks last night. It is very relaxing. For a while, all three of us were in the same room. My son was doing schoolwork on the computer, I was building with bricks, and my wife was reading the paper. It was nice to be together even tho we did not interact very much. I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[Roger Bielen]

So far today its only reached 63 here, I doubt that its going to get into the 70's as the weather forcast predicted. The sky looks pretty threatning out to the west.

Dr. John, I thought us REBS had to stick together since we're out numbered, why're you sending bad weather my way just in time for my day off?[:(]

Chief, if you see this while your still in Savahna take the time to stop at the Souther Rwy. museum. It a couple of block up the street, away from the river, from the visitor center. Its been quite a while since I stopped in. Had a nice talk with a fellow working on a streetcar restoration there.

[Roger Bielen]

So far today its only reached 63 here, I doubt that its going to get into the 70's as the weather forcast predicted. The sky looks pretty threatning out to the west.

Dr. John, I thought us REBS had to stick together since we're out numbered, why're you sending bad weather my way just in time for my day off?[:(]

Chief, if you see this while your still in Savahna take the time to stop at the Souther Rwy. museum. It a couple of block up the street, away from the river, from the visitor center. Its been quite a while since I stopped in. Had a nice talk with a fellow working on a streetcar restoration there.

[dougdagrump]

Mornin' All!
Sitting in the living room while the grandson snoozes, grampa is the sitter this morning. Yeah, it's a ruff job but somebody has to do it. [:D] Using the wife's laptop, I still have some software issues on the PC that I have been trying to correct for a few days.
Roy it sounds as though you should have lots of fresh powder this weekend and the first part of next week.
All you folks with the crud better get well pretty soon, spring is rite around the corner. But you can't tell by our forecast, very cold and rain thru the weekend. At least I'm not going to be driving to the museum tomorrow or saturday. Driving in the rain out here is worse than driving in the ice storms back east.
Boy, if you miss a few days on here it takes forever to catch up.

[Dr. John]

QUOTE: Originally posted by laz 57

DR. JOHN,
Saw on the news last nite they finally caught those arsonist that torched the churches.
Any Idea of what is going to happen to them? They should be told to go and help rebuild all those churches over the summer then do their time.
Glad they were caught.
laz57

Laz,
From what I can understand, these guys are in BIG trouble and will face felony counts of arson and serious jail time. Since they decided it was not racially motivated or a "hate crime" I don't know if they will face federal charges. They have all been expelled from Birmingham Southern College where they were students. The president of BSC has stated that the college will help the churches with the rebuilding.

When asked why they did it, one of the boys said, "It was a prank that got out of hand."
Some prank! [:(!]

Thankfully they were caught before someone was killed! My hats off to the law enforcement agencies for working so diligently and catching these guys. Churches down here are breathing a collective sigh of relief!

[Dr. John]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Roger Bielen

So far today its only reached 63 here, I doubt that its going to get into the 70's as the weather forcast predicted. The sky looks pretty threatning out to the west.

Dr. John, I thought us REBS had to stick together since we're out numbered, why're you sending bad weather my way just in time for my day off?[:(]

Roger,
The weather system is another Yankee plot to harrass the REBS! It came out of Oklahoma and made a mess out of Arkansas - now it's heading our way.