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

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

Hi Big Girl,

I'm the only person in Virginia who loves the cold; can't wait unti the first frost kills off some of the insect critters.

I've been concentrating so hard on writing my screenplay and increasingly would like to put it aside for just long enough to finish part of my layout. In the near future I may start up construction again. The toy train bug is biting. Maybe a cold snap will kill it so I stop itching.

Did you see the debates? Amtrak not mentioned once!

Yeah Dave, those idiots don't have their priorities straight.[swg] I hear you about the bug biting. I thought I could work on the layout during the summer, but I was wrong.

It has been a blustery day here, unfortunately I can't throw another log on the fire. I have a sealed gas fireplace, but I'm giving serious thought to flipping the switch and turning it on.[:0]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

Life in Pentagon pretty good. I create the daily home page, photos and articles on www.army.mil if you're interested.
That Army page is great. My 3 brothers and myself were Army. Had one jarhead in the bunch though, oh well we still love him. ......Tim

[spankybird]

Good Morning all,

It’s great to be the weekend. It a partly cloudy, cool morning in NE Ohio with temp at 60 degs and scattered rain shows. Cold front coming thru today, so no change in temp. It must be fall.

Have to do the chores today, so we can make the train show Sunday.

Pick of the Day


All play safely

tom

[daan]

@Tom, you alway have good idea's, I like the idea of the "pic of the day". It's a relief to not always have text but a few nice pictures to watch in between.
@penncentral, what sort of work do you do where 12 hr shifts are normal? I also work shifts, but they usually are 8hrs (night from 2200 'till 0600).
Autumn has dropped in in Holland as well. Starting to get everything right for the horsies, new hay, repairing fences and when it rains start building on my layout. In the mean time I'm trying my luck on e-bay to get a bit more rolling stock, which is hard to get over here.

This is the layout as it looks like now. I have a bit more driving length and it should get hills, bridges and tunnels..
Take Care, Daan.

[cnw1995]

Looks great, Daan. Chief was right, it rained last evening a little bit and it's chilly this morning though one weather person says it'll be in the 50s and the other in the 70s. At least it's sunny! The leaves are turning colors faster than ever. My wife will be at a retreat today so while I'll have the house and kids, I'll get to go into the basement when they're napping...I want to try installing a switch, and I got a book out of the library on tips and techniques I want to review for wiring. Have a great day.

[Anonymous]

Well, Im going to a train show at the mall today... Will give report later in the day!!

HAVE A GREAT DAY!!![:D]

[ChiefEagles]

Daan, glad you are doing OK. Looks like you are really making a layout and not just the flat floor thing. Doug, you are going to be the toy train expert soon. You'll enjoy "making things work" as trains go by. Tom, bet it turns cold for your train show. Bet Big Boy and Big Girl haven't gotten their noses out from under the cover up there. It is a bit chilly I know. Foggy and rainy here. Think I'll snooze today as working with Frankie from 6 to 6. See what the young Deputy Sheriff son of mine does. Pam called and is in Gettysburg. Her and the "girls" were going on the ghost tour last night. Have a good one and God bless all.

[Anonymous]

Daan, I like where you "recycled" the K-line boxes![;)][:D]

[Big_Boy_4005]

Our noses are out from under the covers now. I actually had to turn the heat on last night. It looks clear and crisp outside, but I'm not ready to test it yet.[:)]

[ChiefEagles]

Warm and HUMID here [the sun came out]. Think I'll go upstairs and play trains a while. [:)]

[Anonymous]

Well, it was QUITE FUN!!! I met up eith my club buddies, and I played with Ron's 30 car consist pulled by two lionel geeps. It was the first time I handled a Cab-1, and it felt like magic. There was 10 other club members there. We had lots of little kids (5-10)with there parents. They loved it when I would stop and blow the horn at them. Oh, that was so cool, when the kids would say "mommy, i want a train".

[ChiefEagles]

Morning gang [or is it night?]. Good job Jerry. No coffee for me!!! Been up since 9 AM yesteday [Sat.] and no naps. Just worked a 12 hour shift with the Duputy Sheriff son of mine. He said it was a slow night. HUMMM. Did see him come out of his car and be standing facing a man's pickup door with his weapon in the ready. Don't think the gun slingers of the old west could draw that fast. [felony hit and run with persons injured. only a Chevy pickup could travel that far in that bad of shape and still try to keep going. guy was NOT drunk and had no drugs, lost it at the scene and ran] Well, off to bed for me. God bless all.

[Anonymous]

Well good morning all! It's good night for me ,,,Just got off work and heddn' for bed!
Chief Eagles, What a night!,,,Chevy trucks? yea ,thats my flavor in trucks,Don't suprise me a bit.

[spankybird]

Good Morning all,

IT is a very cool morning in NE Ohio with some places having temps in the 30’s but we do have Blue Clear Sky Morning. Temp is going into the mid 60’s this afternoon.

Well, it is off to the train show for us today.

All be safe.
tom

[daan]

Hi All, The police in Holland should take an example of the US sheriffs.. 12 hour shifts and then staying sharp is difficult... Won a K-line S2 on E-bay, and ordered a mp15 with it, some tank cars and another caboose. Comes from the states, 'cause it's hard to get here. Even if I count all the extra costs to get it here, they are still a good buy to me. E-bay is really a place where I pop my eyes out, specially on the prices.. In Holland it's so much more expensive, I buy h0 for the price you guys have 0. (not the multiple 100 dollar steamengines, but the normal things)
Anyway, my next train-meeting is within 3 weeks in Utrecht, it's the biggest modeltrain exchange meeting in europe, so 0 should be there as well..
Keep allright and healthy!

[Anonymous]

Hey Daan ..What kind of horses do you have. I have 2 Arabians and 1 Thouroughbred. Recently lost my Arab mare of 17 yrs. Tim

[Buckeye Riveter]

What a great weekend in Central Ohio! Perfect weather. Apple picking is going strong out on the farms. Attended a benefit poker run today.

Last night between games, I started to work on Phase II of my layout. I'll try to take some photos as I go.

[spankybird]

Good Morning all,
It’s an other cool morning in NE Ohio, temp at 54 by the Lake. The weather lady says it will be A Blue Clear Sky day today.

We had a great train show yesterday. I pick up a real deal on IR log cars, the set of three for $25.00



That is equal to just the cost of the trucks. And it fits with so many of the 19th century cars.

All have a safe day

tom

[FJ and G]

Those log cars are sweet.

We hit a deer this morning. Delayed VRE 30 or more minutes. Busted off an air hose. You could hear the deer and air hose go bumpety-bump under the train. The loss of air immediately stopped us in a very dark forested area. It was night and must have been difficult replacing it in the dark, albeit, with flashlights.

Going to restart layout construction tonight.

[cnw1995]

Wow, was it cold this morning waiting for the train into Chicago. Bright blue skies - actually it was dark with the moon still out whilst waiting on the wind-swept platforn. I know I'm a wimp in the collar seasons - it was probably 34 out - I'll appreciate this temp in Jan!. Maybe it'll warm up around lunch so I can take a walk around the block. Got to show off how useful my hobby tools were yesterday fixing the kid's bathtub drain...I installed my new Lionel 027 manual switch yesterday - I forgot which rail to plug with an insulated track peg, so I did them all. I'm trying to keep everything that needs to be switched or flipped within reach and this is at about the limit of my arm's reach. I'm not sure I like the location at the 'bottom' of my oval. I also have to figure out how get the track to loop back - what do you call it, a reverse loop? I have an almost reflective reaction against making one from my n scale days. I guess I need another switch but that defeats the purpose of having it way back into the layout. Maybe I can use some sort of cross-over. After I figure this out - I want to use a diagram Chief sent me to try to rewire everything to work just off the R transformer and an Atlas Connector - right now I have two other long sidings that are fully insulated with their own power packs - and I just know I'm at the limit of everything I have plugged into a power strip and then my outlet... I think I have the wrong Atlas switch - because I could just see how to wire a DC transformer to it in its instructions...drat, maybe i need a Selector instead....Hope you all have a good Monday...

[ChiefEagles]

Doug, with the reverse switch with AC, don't worry. To pin the switch [if all transformers are phased], you do the center [+] rail and the same to the switch coming back in. Grounds can be common for the whole layout if transformers are phased [I told you how to do that]. Forget that DC stuff as it will confuse you here. Sounds like you are moving along.

My hit the road to Kerr Lake tomorrow for a couple or three days. Weatherperson says fair and highs in low 70's all week. We'll see. Everyone have a good day and God bless all.

[dougdagrump]

Better to hit a deer than a semi, especially if it's a fuel tanker. [:D]

[ChiefEagles]

Got through with Town Board to see CSI Miami. Got to go, commercials over. Off to Kerr Lake tomorrow. [:D] Where is the crew???

[Anonymous]

Hi guy's, Couldn't sleep, 1st day off night shift and the body is a little confused.
God bless all !!!

[spankybird]

Good Morning all,

We have a very cool morning at 48 degs, some areas are in the 30’s with a high of 54 today. They say it will be back into the 70’s over the weekend. We know what is coming thou. But its better than what Florida had this last month.


It’s time to stop at the dinner for Good Eats


all be safe, (and Dave leave the deer for Santa, or we won’t get any trains for Christmas.)

tom

[ChiefEagles]

Beautiful day. Cool and sunny. Only thing is a NE wind is blowing and I'm off to a 2 or 3 days fishing trip on a big wide lake. Hope the wind dies down. Suppose to be cool and fair the whole time. You all keep the trains running and this coffee going while I'm gone. God bless all.

[FJ and G]

The cool weather is a Godsend. Baby snakeheads found in Potomac. They're here to stay and Potomac's #1 ranking for bass fishing threatened, so they say.

Tom,

Very art-deco. You always come up with a new scene. Very creative. With some clay characters, I see potential for an animated cartoon show.

I posted this elsewhere this morning and want to share some thoughts:

You've heard of soccer moms, now, there's helicopter moms. Appeared Sunday nite on either Dateline or 60 Minutes. About the sheltered generation of kids now entering their 20s, whose moms signed them up for Soccer on Monday, Piano on Tuesday, Taekwondo on Wednesday, etc etc. These are the new generation of sheltered kids who are team oriented, having been placed in so many group settings during and after school. Parents hover over them like helicopters. They wear seatbelts, don't stay out late at night and get into trouble (thus the declining crime rate), and they do their homework. Family life revolves around the kids. Kids are the #1 concern in our society. "Let's do it for our children," is the mantra.(Obviously this isn't everyone but the trend is going in this direction).

So, what happens when these kids enter the work force?

Their expectations are high. They expect to be greeted as a hero who will save the day. They expect constant feedback and textbook-like conditions. Of course their expectations are soon dashed on the shoals of reality.

While these kids have good grades, have crammed a lot of knowledge into their heads, are politically correct, and are team players, they have trouble thinking on their own as individuals and coming up with creative solutions.

Kids from the older generations, 50s and before up to the 70s, generally had a lot more freedom. They would go outside and play with their friends, ride spider bikes, play with Lionel or HO trains or Hot Wheels, and generally entertain themselves rather than participate in organized recreation.

Toy trains really doesn't fit into the helicopter mom world or organized activities.

Perhaps it's time for helicopter dads to introduce the kids into the creative, individual-think world of toy trains? A lot of problem solving to do on your own in model railroading might lessen their illusions of grandeur.

Dave Vergun

[daan]

Hi guys,
Tim, we have 3 small pony's at the moment, one is going to live with a friends daughter to ride on. We used him for pulling a carriage. This autumn we get a joung (5 months old) horse, which we'll raise and ride on after a couple of years. It's not an arabian, my girlfriend had an accident when she was young (her arabien got hit by a car, she sat in a wheelchair for over a year and the driver went off..) She decided to get a couldblood, so our horse to be is a bit clumpy, bit very sweet and easy to handle.

A bit odd on a train forum, but this is our "pulling horse". He pulls a carriage and likes to jump..

[cnw1995]

Dang, it's cold again today. Nice horses - from the perspective of having a dog, 3 cats and 2 guinea pigs, I imagine they must eat a lot. I've been reading the Riddle book, Tips and Techniques for Toy Trains - there's lots of great ideas in there. Tomorrow night I hope to go to the hobby store to look around. Hope the fishing is great, Chief!

[Buckeye Riveter]

The Chief better remember to catch some fish and show us the pictures after he jumped on me for not showing my catch from Canada.