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

[Brutus]

Chuck - glad to hear you are doing so well. ALl my trains except the lego one in the living room are in plastic tubs in the basement right now until I get the wiring run, insulation in, plasterboard up, etc.... Maybe get back on track next weekend, this one is all planned up by the girls for me and my buddy Dave.

Rained like gangbusters here yesterday, but the cooler weather is welcome to me. I think Johnny Lightning (sp?) made a batmobile that should be in about the right scale for that batcave. Which batcave are you emulating - the Batman Begins batcave, the other Batman movies batcave, or the 60's tv show? If it's the 60's show, be sure to have that little warning sign that flips down! I always loved that touch! Batman 60's tv show was coming to dvd, but the many owners are fighting over the video rights. Ditto Man from Uncle. OTOH, Get Smart (uncut original versions) and the old Mission Impossible tv shows are coming in season sets. Best of all, The Wild Wild West comes out in June, uncut and with a sweet pic of the train on the cover.

I wonder how small operators manufacture locomotives, tenders, and other cars.... I'd sure like to figure out how to make that squished Shay,. maybe some other old-timer trains etc....

[laz 57]

HI GIZ,
67 and foggy humid and down right ugly today.
To get some t storms again?

BUCKEYE, we count the days because we are entering the three best things about teaching,
and they are JUNE, July and August.

MITCH you are right about the scent in the schools.
Middle school is a little more with the hormone thing going on.

TGIF.
All have a good one.
laz57

[spankybird]

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

where the temp is 62 and going up to 75 with overcast skies and rain on the way.

T G I F

Dave – the next time you travel thru Cleveland, be sure to drop me a line and we will set up a visit and special OTTS meeting for you.

CSXT30 John – We better have a special OTTS meeting to protect our boarders from the South. That Waffle House is walking distance from my house. I haven’t eaten there yet. I will have to check it out and see if they have Grits this far North.


Pick of the Day


All be safe
Tom

[wrmcclellan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jaabat

Chief, when we went out to eat the other night, the ribs on the menu looked good to me, but I didn't want to look like a slob eating them so I passed. Last night I took the fam out to dinner at a Texas Roadhouse and got the ribs. Oh baby, were they good!

Jim

Ahah! Texas food (suthern! [}:)]). The march continues on![C):-)]

No damage inflicted by Buckeye. He is too busy reading all those signs to convince himself that the nawth won. It's a trick! [}:)]

Had a little rain yesterday. Not enough to make a difference. Reset the sprinkler system last night to comply with new watering restrictions.

Have to go get a physical today. Have to get one every year in order to attend Boy Scout Summer Camp. It is called the old fogey rule (Class 3 Medical). Obviously it is evidence that once you pass 40 years in age, we are dropping like flies from the rigors of Scout Camp [:0][:(!].

Have a great day all!
Roy

[1688torpedo]

Hello All! Bob(mitch) For your 248 one set of wheels should be plain & the opposite should be geared. You should be able to get the proper versions from the Train Tender or Dr.Tinker. Jim A- Like your picture of the Batmobile. That would be a neat accesory for one to make; A Batmobile coming out of a Cave using modified Slot Car Track & The Batmobile makes a run into the City to fight Crime & Grits.[;)][:)][:o)] Thanks Mike C. for your congrats on my Fourth Star. Before I forget this is something I would like to mention for those of you who have Auto's made before 1989 without Shoulder Belts in the Rear Seat for your youngsters. At one time Lap Belts were considered sufficient for youngsters in the Back Seat. Not anymore. In a severe collision even with a Lap Belt on a Child can suffer severe Abdominal injuries that can prove to be fatel at worst or cripple them in the least. Shoulder Belts help prevent this by keeping a Child's Body from Jacknifing in a collision & also from striking the back of the Front Seat with their head which can cause paralysis if severe enough. This is something that should also be considered if you have an even older Classic Car from the 50's-70's era without any Seatbelts or Shoulder Straps for your youngsters. Don't worry about the value of an older classic car if it has to be modified for just such a reason. Your Kids should have more value to you than a Classic Cars value as they can never be replaced at all. The Auto companies should have retrofit kits of Shouder Belts for those of you who are do-it-yourselfers & There are other companies you can look up on your computer for more information as well. Take Care all & have a nice day.[:)]

[ChiefEagles]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jaabat


Oh, Chief, One more thing. Those 'Canes you're rooting for - they came from up here. They used to be the Boston/Hartford Whalers. You want us to send you the Bruins and Celtics too?!! We'll keep the Red Sox and Patriots.

Jim

Like all Yankees, deserting the North and moving South. [;)]

Dennis, saw some big NS trains and engines flying in and out of Philly.
Dry here gang. Need to water the garden but then they say rain all day tomorrow. Got to run for now. Later.

[Anonymous]

Hello all in the POT.
been a short week but a buzy one.
hope to jump in and out this weekend.
i got a coal train derailed on the back side i cant get to.
dont plan your track plan unless you have access to the track.

Nstrackman.

[Brutus]

Nstrackman - did you try one of those claw things on a stick? I don't know what they are called, but they have a trigger on about a 3 foot long rod with a claw on the other end for picking stuff up you can't otherwise reach - might work. I think my dad got one from one of those mail order catalogs that come around all the time.... Might be able to find one at Walgreens or Home Depot or someplace, though.

[Brutus]

See if this link works:

http://www.harrietcarter.com/Detail.cfm?pth=33&Cat=2&prod=2313&sr=192

[cnw1995]

Morning. Feeling under the weather today - got halfway to work, got off the train, and took one heading home.

[Jumijo]

I hope you start feeling better, Doug. Hang in there!

Have a good weekend everyone. I need to get going on more scenery this weekend, and since it's going to rain, it all works out great.

Jim

[ChiefEagles]

Doug M, get well. Raining big time all around us and none here. [:(!] Need rain!!!! Got to get some of Jim A's as he has had plenty in the last few weeks. Got to download his pictures. Later.

[FJ and G]

Toook day off today (Friday); began raining; worked all day on the RR. Might get a visit from the toy train dude in the Hoosier state this weekend (Jim Bengert from Evansville). He's traveling to MD, DC and VA.

Well, had a Corona; shared some peanuts with the Reagle Beagle and it's back to workin on the railroad!

[More to restore]

Hello everybody,

The Sun came out today, after 3 weeks of almost continuous rain over here, so I can continue spray painting my 655 boxcar this pentecost weekend...

Just a quick question: did Lionel produce a German style steam engine in 1994 with number 50716? I can not find it in my Greenberg's pocket price guide and find a German style steamer from Lionel quiet suspicious, but I do not want to accuse anybody unjustfully, before hearing your opinions.

See the German Ebay site: http://cgi.ebay.de/Lionel-Spur-0-Lok-BR-50-Fine-Art-Models-NEU-OKT_W0QQitemZ7419834228QQcategoryZ81036QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[FJ and G]

We got almost no rain; just a trace; everything's brown.

-----------------

OCD

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

I used to laugh at this and think it's just a new-age label for a new "disease"

But my best buddy has it.

We've been friends for about 5 years and he's an odd ball of sorts.

He does the hand washing thing and napkin on doorhandle, etc.

He also warns me of buggers and hairs on my seat or in my food.

Used to think he was just being funny.

But on Friday, it occurred to me that he was a real golly to goodness OCD!

So, I asked him.

He said he was.

And then he went into how the disease works and when he first discovered he had it.

He's a native of San Diego and when he was just a toddler, he saw a horrific accident where multiple cars crashed into a canyon.

That night, he didn't sleep. Instead, he tried to recreate every detail of the accident chain in his mind. Over and over and over again, like a loop.

Today, that's the first memory he has of when he realized he was mentally disturbed.

So, that doesn't sound too bad, being detailed oriented and stuff right?

Wrong.

At night and all day, his mind loops on one subject, like a hound on a rabbit and it won't let go.

He says the only thing that keeps him sane is that he turns his mind to Jesus or music or some other joyful thing and loops on that.

He's really opened my mind to mental illness.

People who are disturbed like that or schizo DO NOT want to be like that. But they can't help it.

[csxt30]

More to restore: I couldn't believe it was a Lionel untill I saw the Lionel box in the last picture ! I hope some one else can shed some light on this. It looks to me like a scale 2 rail engine to me, as I see it has real small flanges on the wheels & no 3rd. rail pickup. That is a nice looking engine !
Tom ; forgot you have a Waffle house right by you ! Be careful if you do go there !! [:D]
Well, just waiting for the Grandkids to get here, now ! Though they won't get in till about midnight, coming from Louisville. I'll have to see if my son in law likes Gritts !! [:D][:D]
Jim Fortner : Thanks for the ideas on the Batcave !! I forgot some of the things they had on the show ! My boy really likes Batman now too !
All have a nice night !!
Thanks,

[dwiemer]

Good evening everyone. We are in the throws of a thunder storm, bringing much needed rain. I understand we will be hit by a second storm tomorrow. I hope it will allow for more train time. Anyway, hope those that need the rain get it, and those who don't, don't. Too many areas have seen more than their share.
Dennis

[1688torpedo]

Doug M- Hope that you feel better soon. Take Care.[:)]

[ChiefEagles]

Been off the "air". Storms came through. Nothing bad here but did not want to take the chance. Got over an inch of rain. [:D][:D] More to come they say. Jim A called. He has now had more than his share of rain and more to come. Hope no flooding as it did before [not too much him as others]. John, sounds like grits for your grandkids. [;)] Later.

[wrmcclellan]

More to Restore,

Lionel licensed a Smithsonian series of museum quality locos back in the early 90's. The first was a NYC Dreyfus Hudson. I believe there were 4 or 5 locos in the series and I believe a German loco was one of them. Limited production. Brass models. Very expensive at the time.

Here is a link to a review of the later diecast Lionel Dreyfus model that refers to the Smithsonian version.

http://www.toytrainrevue.com/prod-3-3.htm

There was a guy at York in the Silver hall that had all the locos displayed (and for sale) at the Spring 2005 meet. The German loco was part of his display. All were very nice.

What I am unsure of is whether all the releases were actually licensed by Lionel of if the importer of the locos continued the releases without the Lionel name.

Regards,
Roy

[zwbob]

Hi Everyone, What a day today. We were getting ready for work this morning when the cat came limping into the kitchen on three legs. My wife got all upset so I stayed home to take him to the vet. Within a couple of hours he died. Must have had a stroke. He was 15 years old.

Been making telephone poles for the layout. I'll have to post some pics on Sunday.

Chief- You can keep your lousy grits. I tried them for the first time the other day.....YUK....like eating ground up cardboard

Have a good weekend

Bob

[spankybird]

Bob - So Sorry to hear about your cat. They become part of the family.

[Brutus]

Bob - sorry about the cat. Take care, man.

Doug - hope you are feeling better!

Dougdagrump -- I saw on ebay some interesting "Spooky Hollow" porcelain buildings that might be good for your halloween layout - just do a search on those 2 words and you should find them.

David - mental illness is very sad. My dad has PTSD and I guess it has been a real cross for him to bear.

[ChiefEagles]

Bob, sorry about the cat. Good night all.

[dwiemer]

Morning guys,
I am hoping to get a little layout planning and train time in this morning. We are heading to an amusement park today in South Georgia. I enjoy the time with the kids and having fun, but boy does it wear me out. I figure I can get some train time in now and when we get home, just sleep. Anyway, it is always good to stop by the "pot" for a little chat. Hope y'all have a great day.
Dennis

[spankybird]

Good Morning All from NE Ohio

where the temp is 59 and going up to 68 with overcast skies.

Today OTTS is having a work day at the museum. We are making track bed from ½” foam to place under the track on the tin plate layout. Then we can fini***he landscaping.

Doug – hope you are feeling better. Don’t you know, its better to be sick during the week and not the weekend.





Pick of the Day


All be safe
Tom

[Blueberryhill RR]

[code]Good Morning from Blueberryhill[/code]It's 55 degrees right now and SUNNY. Going up to 77 today with a chance of thundershowers. Hope not.
Bob...Sorry to hear about your cat.
Chief...Are you getting any rain????
Buckeye....Talk to us. Are you OK down in the southern swamps????
Doug....Get well. Sick is no good.
Today, I will be taking it easy. Shoulder is sore where they cut some muscle. Have to watch
picking up things over 20 lbs. This healing is a pain. ( that was a joke ). True, though.
I will run some train today. I love that GG1. Looks great pulling cars.
Time for breakfast.
Y'all have a great day.
Chuck

[cnw1995]

Good morning from a warm and sunny northeastern Illinois. Feel much better today - think I lost a few pounds. Boy, it sure is awful when you're sick. Have a busy day today beginning with Little League at 8 am! Have to visit the basement to see what's what: daughter had her friends over until midnight - what are these parents thinking with their kids out that late? I can't stay up that late anymore ;) If I was feeling better... Have a good day

[mitchelr]

Good morning from Gettysburg - it is sprinkling, gray and cloudy here.

zwbob - sorry to hear about your cat. Losing a pet is really tough.

DougM/cnnw1995 - glad you are feeling better for the weekend.

Finally figured out how to order pre-war parts from Olsen's - the web site is a jumbled mess when viewed in Safari on a Mac, not much better with Netscape or Firefox. I didn't try Internet Explorer. The site is almost impossible to use. The only part that was simple was when I used PayPal to pay for the order. I like the concept of their site, for example the search by what it fits, but it needs refinement. Anybody else have trouble with the site? Maybe it's just my Mac, but I seem to recall the same issues looking up parts using the laptop which is PC. I hope the order gets filled quickly.

I hope get some train time in and clean up some of the garage today since I can't do any yard work.

Have a great day.

Mitch[swg]

[JeffPo]

Good morning from cloudy/rainy central North Carolina. After my work week, it felt good to sleep in a little this morning. If the weather clears, I hope to get the boat on the lake.

Have a nephew staying with us this weekend. Time to get the trains out! :)