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

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all. Been on the phone all morning about Town stuff. Thanks for the good wishes. Off to Olive Garden tonight for the lady's retirement/our anniversary meal. Wife is the planner for the retirement and so she picked our usual place for our anniversary meal as the retirement meal restuarant.

Waiting for some calls so I'm going to run trains for a minute. Windy and chilly but suppose to hit the 50's today. Did get an inch of rain yesterday. Need to go to pond and spray path and etc with Roundup. Yes, grass has been growing. Doing my buddy's greenhouse wiring tomorrow.

Have a good one and God bless.

[mickey4479]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jonadel

Mickey4479--

I'm going to be in KC at the end of April for Nikon school and was thinking about coming down a day early and perhaps take in a Royals game and train stores. Any recommendations?

Thanks!
Jon

Jon: We do not have mega O guage/scale stores here in this area, but we do have one dealer that is a Lionel sevice center and does sell both Lionel and MTH. That store is in south part of the Kansas City metro area, Collector's Choice. It is a nice store with a moderate inventory, so don't be surprized that they don't have a huge amount of stuff on hand. No layouts there. It is located at the intersection of 151st and State Line Road, in an area known as Stanley, Kansas, in Johnson County. Norm and Sue are the owners and they are good proprietors.
Depending on where you are staying, there are some layouts at Union Station downtown and they are open on Saturday. Of course you will probably want to try some famous Kansas City barbeque when you visit as well. Near Union Station, there is a good place to eat BBQ, Fiorella's. That is almost directly across the tracks from Union Station. Hope you have a good time and hope the Royals win a few more this year. [:)]

[dbaker48]

Just as a follow up on my previous post about all my "troubles". (Seriously, I am enjoying every minute of it. Can't wait to get things "really" going.) We went to the Buildind and accessory 20% off sale. Well we did save some money. Probably would have saved more if we wouldn't have gone, but....

Ended up with a gas station, bridge, fireworks stand, theatre, brewery, passenger station, and caboose. Our trains savings are just about shot, but it all will work out.

It is kinda cool when you have been away for so long, and don't have a lot to use on a layout and can purchase it. Saving all those years sure has paid off.

Much less to appreciate how much we have been blessed.

So have a great day all !!!!

Going to go to the train club tonight, then tomorrow going down to see Doug (dougdagrump) at the San Diego musum. Good Times !

[cheapclassics]

Good afternoon all,

It is sunny and in the 30s in SE Indiana. My wife, son, and I made a successful trip South yesterday and scattered pork tenderloins in Rebel territory to counteract the grits that have been sent to the North. We had to ward off the southern defense mechanisms (snow) for a little while, but we accomplished our mission. Actually, we went to the Muhammad Ali Museum in Louisville. It had several exhibits about his boxing career and his life afterwards. It is not quite finished, but the place was not crowded either. I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[csxt30]

Hi Everyone ! And Happy Anniversary Chief !!
Mike :I may be able to visit that Museum in Louisville later on, when I visit my daughter that lives near there. Plan to visit Fort Knox, too, pick up a little extra spending money !! [:D][:D]
Doug : let us know if you find the furnace filters in green in your area ! I think that would be neat, & could maybe add some darker green spray paint to them for a little added effects !
All have a nice evening !!
Thanks,

[dwiemer]

Chief,
Happy Anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!! Wish you and your bride lots of years of happiness in the future.
Jon, I am sure you will enjoy the Nikon School. I hope you get as much out of it as I did. They used to let you bring a tape recorder, and probably still do. Just bring lots of tapes.
Mike, we love pork down in these parts, have ya ever had pork rinds? And then there is always Brunswick Stew. Great stuff.
Tom, Are those 6442 and 6443 passenger cars on your layout? I have a set that I am getting ready to restore and was wondering where you get the window glass for them. Are you using clear styrene? I am also thinking of using the screw in LED replacements for them to draw less power.
Lastly, earlier in my post from last evening, I mentioned about the new Lionel Lines caboose with railsounds. My friend from the train station informs me that it is a dialog between the caboose and engine, so one waits for the response from the other. I will still be getting the caboose (read, Honey, we need a engine to go with this[:D]), but I will be placing an order for the steam sounds boxcar.
Have a great day,
dennis

[dwiemer]

Hey Guys,
If you are trying to model a specific area or railroad, give Google Earth a try. It is free, which is my kind of price, and it is neat to use. You can zero in on a yard, or area and see what the overall track plan looks like. Another advantage to this over regular maps, is that you can see sidings and areas where tracks are gone, but still notice the footprint of the line. Just another thought,
dennis

[Roger Bielen]

A site I've used in the past for taking a look at an area is www.Terraserver-USA.com. It has both arial and topo features. I haven't used it is several months so I hope its still there.

[spankybird]

QUOTE: by dwiemer
. . . Tom, Are those 6442 and 6443 passenger cars on your layout? I have a set that I am getting ready to restore and was wondering where you get the window glass for them. Are you using clear styrene? I am also thinking of using the screw in LED replacements for them to draw less power.

Sorry to say, I don't know. They belong to one of the other OTTS members, but I will be sure to ask him.

tom

[wrmcclellan]

It is colder here this week than it was for most of winter. Only hit 49 today. Normal average high is 70's at this time of year. So as you can see, we have wild swings to get the average.

[wrmcclellan]

This one is for Collin:

Subject: Caution .... new type of terrorist!!!


At New York's Kennedy airport today, an individual, later discovered to be

a public school teacher, was arrested trying to board a flight while in

possession of a ruler, a protractor, a setsquare, a slide rule, and a

calculator.



At a morning press conference, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez said he

believes the man is a member of the notorious al-Gebra movement. He is

being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.

Al-Gebra is a fearsome cult," Gonzales said.

"They seek average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off

on tangents in a search of absolute value. They use secret code names like

'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves as 'unknowns', but we have determined that

they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval, with

coordinates in every country.



As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, 'there are 3 sides to

every triangle'."



When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had

wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given

us more fingers and toes".

[dwiemer]

Roy, it has been said that they have a special sin and co-sin. Keep an eye out for this axis of evil.
Dennis

[1688torpedo]

Dennis- Those are 2640 series Passenger cars from the prewar era you are asking about. Those were used with the prewar 224 & 225 Steam Engines.They belong to Charlie Klug who is another member of OTTS. Roy-That is a good joke about Al-Gebra[8D][:)] Take Care all. BTW- Olsen's has the window glass for those passenger cars Dennis.

[ChiefEagles]

Had great time at Olive Garden [always goooood fooood]. [:D] Now to hit the sack.
Here is a story of my afternoon: Went to pond to spray grass with Roundup Extend. Got to going down path and the cable was down. Got there and my lock was gone but City lock was on the loop on the ground [we lock locks into locks so each can unlock as path is sewer easement]. Had someone cut my lock? Further investigation showed that the city lock was damaged. Further investigation showed the 4X4 treated pole had been cracked and looked like it had been broken. It would not come off of the part in the ground. Farther investigation resulted in finding the pole had been broken but nailed back together with 8d nails. Now regular vandals would not do that. [?] Well, went back to the house and got identical lock [set had come with three keyed alike] to put back on cable when I would get through. Calle dmy Sheriff's Captain buddy and Roseyville PD Chief. Both said they would have officers check it off and on daily. Started spraying from cable to top of hill where I enter. Was coming back and beaver was in the shallow end. !!!![:0] Grabbed 9MM from front seat and shot a round. Under him, he swam underwater, came up, fire over him, he swam and came up, fired, he rolled over and never saw him come back up!!!!! If I hit him, it was an accident as he ws 100 yards away. Minutes later noticed one of my little black buddies walking down path ahead of me going to pond. I drove down to him. [before I got to him I had to move a 14 foot aluminum jon boat out of path ???] We chatted. "Whose boat?" "Older brother's" "Oldest?" "No, the one just above me." "Pee Wee?" "Yes" "How did he get it down here?" "Drug it I guess." "Who pulled cable down and broke post?" [by then I had determined vehicle had pushed or pulled cable until lock and post broke] "Don't know" "You didn't see anyone down here?" "Nope" "What you doing out of school?" "Suspended?" "Yeap" So we talk about that and finishing school being important. We talk about fishing and so on. I went back, drove back to cable and started fishing. When I backed past boat, it had "Shearon" in white paint on transom and one metal seat. I called Roseyville PD Chief and told him what I had found and gave him the NC numbers on the side of the boat. He said he would run through DCI. Finished spraying and got ready to leave [locking cable] and as heard nothing from PD Chief, I called a buddy of mine with the last name of Shearon whose ponds I look after too. Guess whose boat it was???? [?] Stolen from his barn 3 miles away. Call Sheriff Captain friend and PD Chief. Deputies and PD come to my house. We chat. I go in to get ready to go to Raleigh to meet wife at Olive Garden for party. The Dupties and Roseyville PD [Chief has a key] go get boat [used PD's pickup], deliver it to the buddy at his barn [who has driven from his house in Raleigh to farm].

Conclusions: Skeet and Pee Wee are too young to drive [8th and 9th grades]. Skeet lied to me. Now Deputy and myself will go see boys and talk.

Suspicions: Oldest brother [around 18 to 20] stole boat. Pulled or pushed cable and post down to deliver boat and fish. Boys nailed post back together to try to coverup. Lock broken so they threw it away.

What should I do???: Hang them, help them, suspend fishing privileges?

Good night.

[pbjwilson]

Roy,
Enjoyed that one. Especially like the Bush quote with the fingers and toes.

[pbjwilson]

CALLING DOUG MURPHY,

ALL POINTS BULLETIN -

Toy Trains of Yesteryear in Morton Grove has a sale this saturday. 2 for one Lionel cars and up to 75% on other items. The store is located about a mile east of Golf and Milwaukee(Golf-mill shopping center) on golf road. Actually at the corner of Golf and Washington. You can pick up a Honey Baked ham at the Honey baked ham store while you are there. Or go across the street and get a new suit at Burlington Coat Factory. Or continue on down Golf road a few miles to my house for tea and crumpets and a few laps around the garden railroad, weather permiting.

[pbjwilson]

John - I have a greenhouse too. My wife and I are big gardeners. I've been raking leaves the last couple weekends and waiting for spring to arrive. The Winter aconite has been blooming for about a month now here in ILLinois. Thinking green and waiting for warmer temps.

[Jumijo]

Chief,

I can't get over how someone can just pull out a gun and start firing on something and no one is alarmed down there. Up here, you would have a SWAT team drawing a bead on you, a helicopter flying over you with a blinding search light, and a few police dogs ready to rip you a new one. And beavers are protected to absurd levels here. Seriously. They can *** up a river, flood your property and home, and you aren't allowed to harm or attempt to harm them in any way. It's crazy. When June tells Ward he was a little hard on the Beaver, tv stations up here bleep it out! You blow away a beaver up here, and it's the chair! Leave your heater at home next time you come up this way. [;)]

The boat thing sounds like normal kid stuff. At least the kids tried to fix the damage, so they aren't hardened criminals yet. Tell Sheriff Taylor and Deputy Fife to go easy on those rascally youngun's.

Jim

[laz 57]

Hi GIZ,
35 and not too bad to get to 47?
Yesterday only hit 38.

ROY, LOL, sent that one to all the MATH teachers here, they loved it.

All have a good one.
laz57

[laz 57]

Oh yeah,
HAPPY FRIDAY EVE!!!!!

laz57

[Anonymous]

Morning all!

Looks like the weather will warm up a tad in the next few days. Looking back, it has been an unusually mild winter here in Toronto. Still, it isn't enough to make me believe that global warming is man made judging from everyone elses complaints here in the pot.

Roy.... Al-Gebra? I don't get it! But then I spent highschool avoiding weapons of math instruction [;)]

Ran some trains last night. Hooked up the Docksider to 5 Williams madison style coaches and proceeded to break a world speed record for the fastest passenger train hauled by a switcher. Once the smoke in the room got too intense I was told, by she who budgets the layout, to suspend steam operations and upgrade to diesel.
I did an experiment with my MPC Budd RDC's...attached them to 4 Lionel 18" heavyweights. An odd looking consist to be sure but was surprised how nice the whole setup ran.

I've reached a point where I either leave my track plan as is or start negotiations for new expansion. I can do modifications to the existing layout so that expansion won't mean the end of running trians...albeit down to one loop. Planned changes will definitely make for more interesting operations with the addition of some sidings for switching.

Bruce Webster

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is sunny heading into the low 40s today in SE Indiana. A belated Happy Anniversary to the Chief! I ran a Santa Fe set last night on the Fasttrack layout, and watched "Lost". I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[spankybird]

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

where the temp is 30 and going up to 38 with overcast skies.

OTTS Meeting this Friday. Anyone wishing to join us can e-mail me for direcetions.

Chief – spend some time talking to God and see what he tells you how to handle the young ones.

Kieth – thanks, yep – they belong to Charlie

Roy – So far, the tin plate layout has been running great. Have not found any electrical problems.

Train Show this Saturday, March 25, Parma UAW Hall, TCA meet.

Pick of the Day

Another pic of Charlies cars

All be safe
Tom

[Buckeye Riveter]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ChiefEagles

Off to Olive Garden tonight for the lady's retirement/our anniversary meal. Wife is the planner for the retirement and so she picked our usual place for our anniversary meal as the retirement meal restuarant.

First of all let me express my congratulations to Mrs. Chief [angel]for putting up with the rascally Chief long enough to celebrate an aniversary. [bow]

But that raises another question, is Mrs. Chief on the the take? Is she getting a kick back from the Olive Garden because she has planned so many retirement meals at that establishment or is the Olive Gardn trying to influence the Chief's vote allowing Roseyville to be annexed by Raleigh? [%-)][%-)]

Apparently there is another crive wave that has hit Roseyville, NC. I didn't know beavers could steal boats. [:D]

And now for my rant: Trains Stores that have hours of 10:00am to 5:00pm are trying to sell to the unemployed. I read in one of the high powered money type magazines, the kind found in dentist waiting rooms, that small retailers that set their hours from 11:00am to 7:00pm, increased their sales an average of 20%. [2c] Makes cents to me.

[Blueberryhill RR]

[code]Good Morning from Blueberryhill[/code]It's 29 degrees outside and SUNNY. Going up to 47 and remaining SUNNY. That's good Spring looking weather.
Chief......Glad you and Pam had a nice dinner. Pond patrol doesn't sound good.
Maybe a " response " team in Roseyville would work.
Tom...That's a nice pic of the layout.
Buckeye....Where are you at today??
Well, have a few things to do today, and then relax.
Y'all have a great day. Keep warm.
Chuck

[dwiemer]

Kieth, thanks for the information. I have this set that I have to refurbish. Seems I have a lot of that kind of work to do. I just love working with these old babies. Anyway, y'all have a good one.
Dennis

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all. Really want to give the boys a chance. I like talking to them. The oldest probably did it. Let him go to jail. He has been a problem for years for Roseyville PD. Beavers a nescience in NC. They are not trapped much anymore so they destroy trees and flood lands. Our Wildlife Officers blast their dams [if their flooding is unwanted]. You can dispatch any animal that is being destructive as long as it is not endangered. Groundhogs are great tragets. Off to wire buddy's greenhouse [he delayed it until today]. Wife and buddies off to Mall of Americas for shopping and etc until Saturday PM [going up Dave's way]. Going to try to get some trainroom work done [planned for today but got changed] while she is gone. Got to go replace post at pond. Later and God bless.

[1688torpedo]

Hello All! Chief- If the youngest was part of the theft, Then he should be required to do some work for you to help make amends for what he did. He can help out in the Garden,cut the grass,or whatever chores you need help with.This should help keep him out of trouble & teach him a lesson as well.Take Care.

[cnw1995]

A nice day here - working at home today -
Hang 'em, Chief.
It's funny about math - I'm just working up some multip/ divi. worksheets for the middle son - he's homeschooled.
Hey, got my Birney in the mail last night - it works great. They sure were small.
Ohmigosh, Paul --thanks. Hope they're not going out of business. Now to find an excuse to drive over to Morton Grove!

[Buckeye Riveter]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 1688torpedo

Hello All! Chief- If the youngest was part of the theft, Then he should be required to do some work for you to help make amends for what he did. He can help out in the Garden,cut the grass,or whatever chores you need help with.This should help keep him out of trouble & teach him a lesson as well.Take Care.

He can build the benchwork for the Chief wearing his prison garb orange jumpsuit. [(-D][(-D][(-D]
Chuck, I'm home, eating Girl Scout cookies.