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

[tmcc man]

Good morning everyone,

 The mood in the house is a little low because of the anniversary.

I am suprised I am the first poster this morning. Well, hope everyone has a good day.

Colin

[Jumijo]

Good morning, all.

We had a pretty good weekend with the exception of one horrifying event. We went to Crackerbarrel for breakfast Saturday morning and discovered they serve grits!!!!! How disgusting!

I had a great time talking with Keith W. Saturday night. We laughed and swapped stories about old Lionel trains and 800 lb bruins for about an hour. That hour flew by. Always fun to talk to my buddy in Ohio.

Gonna be a busy week, so I might not be on the forum much.

Have a great day, everyone.

Jim

[laz 57]

Hi GIZ,

   Nice and cool here at 58 only to get to 68.

BEARS WIN yesterday looks like BRETT FARVE should have retired?  Oh well lots can happen yet, season just started.  BEARS looked real good aye  DOUG?

Remember to say a prayer for all the people that lost their lives on 9/11/01.  Take a moment at 915 AM and say that prayer.  Also a prayer for the GIZ overseas.

laz57

[jefelectric]

Good morning all,

Dreary day here, cool and rainy.  Will be baby sitting the two grandaughters a little later.  It's been a busy weekend.  Never thought that retirement would be so busy.  Don't have nearly enough time to play with my trains.

I can still remember this day 5 years ago, I had just retired at the beginning of that year and was working in my wood shop with the TV on and saw the beginning of the 9-11 event in NY.  What a shock.

Sold an engine on Ebay a few minutes after the listing started.  Must have set the buy it now price to low.

If you haven't checked out the SPF thread, do it now as there are some great photos this week.

What happened to Chuck, he must have overslept, he is usually on by now.

Take care,

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is a sunny 57 today, going up to 77 and staying sunny. Tonite will get cloudy and we will have a possible thundershower. Hope not.

Yes,  John ( jefelectric ), I slept in a little today. We had a great day yesterday with Buckeye and his Wife. I will post some pictures, that I took later.

Today, I have a few errands to run and an outside project that I will start. Should only take a few days to complete. I hope the weather stays good for a few more weeks. The leaves are starting to turn on the Maple trees. Gold and Red. Makes for some nice pictures.

The Dining Car is open., I will return later.

Y'all have a great day.

Chuck

[laz 57]

Good morning all,

Dreary day here, cool and rainy.  Will be baby sitting the two grandaughters a little later.  It's been a busy weekend.  Never thought that retirement would be so busy.  Don't have nearly enough time to play with my trains.

I can still remember this day 5 years ago, I had just retired at the beginning of that year and was working in my wood shop with the TV on and saw the beginning of the 9-11 event in NY.  What a shock.

Sold an engine on Ebay a few minutes after the listing started.  Must have set the buy it now price to low.

If you haven't checked out the SPF thread, do it now as there are some great photos this week.

What happened to Chuck, he must have overslept, he is usually on by now.

Take care,

JOHN let me know if your selling any steamers with TMCC or any DCS ENGINES.

laz57

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

I was going to post Saturday from my dad's computer, but it locked up on me when I went to reply so I said, "Forget it".  It is sunny right now and in the 60s in SE Indiana, but showers are on the way and the temps are heading to the 70s.  I did see a beautiful soccer game on Saturday.  My wife went to see the daughter in Bloomington and so Lucas and my dad both went to the game as well.  The soccer girls won 2-0.  One goal was a screamer from 30 yards out that just cleared the bottom of the crossbar and the second was off a beautiful crossing pass that a teammate pounded home.  What made the victory sweeter is that we beat Batesville, our rivals, and the team set a new record for wins in a row.  I watched the IRL race on Sunday, and my wife and I went to the dedication for the new addition to the local historical society.  Some one called me Sunday and said they had some old train cars I could have for parts.  There was a 114 box car and a 820 search light car, both of which were in fairly good condition.  There was a shell for an AF standard gauge engine and part of a Lionel 2-4-2 pre-war 0 gauge steam engine.  Could be some interesting projects ahead.  I hope everyone has a good day, but I also hope everyone remembers what today is as well.

Keep on training....in the free world (with apologies to Neil....Young, that is),

Mike C. from Indiana  

 

[cnw1995]

Good morning from a dark and not-yet-rainy Chicago. Gas dipped to $2.67 over the weekend (in the city, it's far higher).  How 'bout them Bears? They looked like laz's 800 Ib. variety. I'm afraid the White Sox are fading away - what a battle between them, Minnesota and Detroit! I enjoyed rewiring a bit - the old K-Line transformer works really well when running the GG1 and lighted passenger train.  I'll have to test it with the trainsounds engine too. Still eyeballing the layout to see if its worth the trouble to rearrange some track - don't think I have the room. Glad you picked up some projects, Mike. Good trip home, Chief.  I've started looking in earnest for a 520 boxcab. That'll brighten up the week.

[ChiefEagles]

Morning all.  Not much time to chat.  Got home at 1:15 this morning.  Continental Airlines!!!!  Houston Texass!!!!  Seems pilot flew in on a flight from another country.  Was suppose to go through Customs.  Did not.  He had to get off of the plane [after it was fully loaded and ready to back out from gate] and go through.  Then we back out.  Pull plane back to gate.  Lady has two cats on board in a cage too tall to go under the seat in front of her.  She refuses to let them take them.  They finally take them.  Then she gets on and off three times to check them.  Finally we push back 1 hour and 15 minutes of sitting on the plane with the AC not working good. 

CATS!!!!!!!

 

Now, she should not have been able to get through TSA with that big of a cage.  The gate attendant should have caught it too.  The flight attendants had walked by several times checking and should have caught it while Pilot was going through customs.   

 

Actually started in Boise.  Tickets were screwed up even though the Delta guy had told me he had them straight.  The agent in Boise was real great [actually she was with US Airways/America West contracted by Continental, they are taking over Continental's route].  The folks in NH [NEW ENGLAND YANKEES] were not that polite.   BTW, no paper tickets here from Delta as they claim they mailed them.

 

 

Reports to do, grass to mow and clothes to wash. Later

[jonadel]

Chief--good to know that you finally made it home. It's not the flying that is so bad, it's the airports and stupid passengers. If I could make one rule for airlines, it would be, NO carryon's, period. One book, that's all you need, maybe a laptop.

In April I went to a workshop in KC and listened to a world respected photographer and he shared that he always get's the one question--what's your favorite place to photograph---his response...... the end of his driveway in Savannha. Travelling by air (IMO) has just become an unpleasant experience and that's why we will drive to York next month, PLUS I'll have the trunk to fill up, in my dreams.
Jon

[ChiefEagles]

Chief--good to know that you finally made it home. It's not the flying that is so bad, it's the airports and stupid passengers. If I could make one rule for airlines, it would be, NO carryon's, period. One book, that's all you need, maybe a laptop. In April I went to a workshop in KC and listened to a world respected photographer and he shared that he always get's the one question--what's your favorite place to photograph---his response...... the end of his driveway in Savannha. Travelling by air (IMO) has just become an unpleasant experience and that's why we will drive to York next month, PLUS I'll have the trunk to fill up, in my dreams. Jon

Agree!!!!  A brief case [ladies purse for those ladies] and nothing to go in bins above.  My brief case carries meds, extra food, DVD player, magizines, movies, boarding passes and info on trip [hotel, retal car and etc].  It fits under the seat in front of me.  You can load and unload a plane a lot quicker.  Noticed that is happening more since you can't carry on toilet items.  Did notice a lot of guys walking up to the hotel desk [computer I was using was in the same room], checking in and asking for these items free.  That is going to drive up the price of rooms for all of us [and I check my luggage with my shaving kit in it].  

BTW:

I forgot to tell about the two folks from India or Pakistan who would not turn off their cell phones.  Kept ringing while we were backing out the second time.  Flight attendant finally lost it and raised her voice at them.

 

[njalb1]

Good morning from a dark and not-yet-rainy Chicago. Gas dipped to $2.67 over the weekend (in the city, it's far higher).  How 'bout them Bears? They looked like laz's 800 Ib. variety. I'm afraid the White Sox are fading away - what a battle between them, Minnesota and Detroit! I enjoyed rewiring a bit - the old K-Line transformer works really well when running the GG1 and lighted passenger train.  I'll have to test it with the trainsounds engine too. Still eyeballing the layout to see if its worth the trouble to rearrange some track - don't think I have the room. Glad you picked up some projects, Mike. Good trip home, Chief.  I've started looking in earnest for a 520 boxcab. That'll brighten up the week.

  Gas here In Gloucester County NJ was $2.29 over the weekend. Makes me wonder how it could drop 50 cents in just 6 weeks? Guess elections are getting closer ,by George!

[Blueberryhill RR]

Chief...Glad you made it home this week. Aren't adventures fun ??????

 

I posted a few pictures on Sunday Photo Fun, just for you.

 

TooTs

[Jumijo]

Gas is $2.59 a gallon here.

I just bought a 2055 motor which includes an e-unit, and smoke unit. I don't even need one! I just bought it for backup! Someone stop me before I spend again!!!!!

Hey Chief, wanna buy a motor?

Jim

[Jumijo]

I'm a very sick man. I have a terrible case of post war fever. I may check myself into a hospital tonight for observation. A 7-step Ebay withdrawl program might be called for. Is there an EA chapter in my neck of the woods?

If my wife finds out how much I've been buying, she might put me in one herself!

I'm weak . . .

Jim

[dougdagrump]

Jim, I definitely here ya brother. Sometimes I'll log on to E-Bay just to kill some time and lo-n-behold I see something that I NEED not just want, but don't want to admit that it's the other way around. Maybe we have become, as operators, Obsessive/Compulsive . I would hate to admit to how much I have bought on E-Bay and some of the other similar sources. Thankfully I am a real cheapskate so I actually only buy an extremely small percentage of what I watch. My wife swears that I created copper wire because I stretch my train pennies so far .

[dwiemer]

I'm a very sick man. I have a terrible case of post war fever. I may check myself into a hospital tonight for observation. A 7-step Ebay withdrawl program might be called for. Is there an EA chapter in my neck of the woods? If my wife finds out how much I've been buying, she might put me in one herself! I'm weak . . . Jim

Jim,

     Welcome to the club, I had no idea how much I spent on Postwar Trains, then my bride kindly added it up.....over $10,000.00 last year and an average of a few hundred a month since.  I have since taken the quick link to Ebay and other auction sites off my computer for the time being.  Our American Express bill went down about $1000.00 this past month as I have held purchases.  I have the Fastrack on order and cleaned the room, woking on benchwork and scenery and hopefully staying out of trouble.  Good thing I married a good one to keep me in check.  If I was busy running trains instead of buying them, I would be a lot better off.     

     I still have my eye out for a few more purchases, but they would have to be Really Really good deals.  I guess it is a good thing there are no train stores nearby.

     On the photo front, I saw a great lashup today, but did not have the camera.  I will have to bring it tomorrow.....a Southern engine, leading a Conrail and followed by a Norfolk Southern.  If the trains are still at the yard, I snap the shot.

Dennis

[csxt30]

Good vening Everyone !!  Nice day here today, & a good day for all the 911 Memorial ceremonies going on today. I had Tuesdays & Wednesdays off back 5 years ago & working in Erie, Pa. then & the first thing I remember happening was the school called for my wife to go & bring Rusty, (son) home, & then, while my wife went to get him, her mother called & said all these planes were crashing into buildings. I thought she went crazy !! She was really scared. I then went & dug out the rabbit ears for the TV & couldn't believe what I was seeing. Then we ordered the cable for the TV. Things everywhere changed with 911, & then I got internet a couple years after the cable.

Well, glad The Chief got home ok, finally !! I knew he would have some excitement with Continental !!

Glad Chuck took some good pictures too, of his trip !! Those are really some nice outdoor layouts !!

Hope everyone has a nice evening !!

Thanks, John     

[dougdagrump]

Hey guys I need some help, no not mental or emotional. Just thought I'd get that out before anybody else had a chance. Looking for some info, for a friend, on a LOTS diesel from 2004, #6-52347 Sants Fe SD-80 MAC. I don't have a current issue of the Greenburg guide and the LOTS site doesn't give what I'm looking for.

Is this scale or is this a Lionmaster gauge ?

Thanks guys. 

[Roger Bielen]

I had a potential train hobby enthusiast stop by this afternoon to take a look at my layout.  He's another one of us retirees and relocated from Yankee land, a.k.a. New York State.  All it took was one trip down here to visit his son, relocated due to work, and he and his Mrs. didn't hesitate to move.

Back to the trains.  His better half has deeded over a room in the basement, 13' X 19' for his use.  He's in the eary stages of planning and studying the hobby, i.e. methods, equipment, etc.  At this stage he's very interested in benchwork construction thus, we spent a lot of time under the layout.  His initial plans are to start with a small layout, a loop with switches for tracks that lead to the edge of the table that can be extended as the benchwork grows.

I've offered assistance when needed, hopefully this can be the start of a local O-gauge group, of two for now.  I did forget to ask how he feels about grits.

[jefelectric]

Good evening,

Laz, Only selling conventional stuff that is not worth the cost & effort to convert to TMCC.  The one I just sold was an MTH PRR RS-3 with loco-sound.  Have a Williams PRR GP-9 and a K-line PRR GP-7, both conventional, that I will be selling when I get time to list them.  Also selling some postwar accessories and operating cars.  I am concentrating on TMCC & DCS engines from the 1950s.  Also the same era of rolling stock.

Chief, That is the kind of crap that made me give up flying about a year before 9-11.  In the fall of 2004, I had dinner on the Southwest Chief with a guy who had retired and was then lured back to work after his wife died.  His terms were that he would never fly.  He traveled as close to his distination as he could by train & then rented a car & drove the rest of the way.  Said he had flown most of his working life and he just was not going to do it any more.  His job was finding and negotiating sites for the gas fired generating plants that are being built all over the country to pick up peak loads.

Roger,  Your new friend is indeed lucky to have such an understanding wife.  That is a nice sized room.  I am not complaining, my wife basicly turned the whole basement over to me.

Dennis,  Now I don't feel nearly as bad as I did about the amount that I spend.

Well time to hit the sack, have an early dentist appointment tomorrow.

[ChiefEagles]

Good evening,

..........................

Chief, That is the kind of crap that made me give up flying about a year before 9-11.  In the fall of 2004, I had dinner on the Southwest Chief with a guy who had retired and was then lured back to work after his wife died.  His terms were that he would never fly.  He traveled as close to his distination as he could by train & then rented a car & drove the rest of the way.  Said he had flown most of his working life and he just was not going to do it any more.  His job was finding and negotiating sites for the gas fired generating plants that are being built all over the country to pick up peak loads.

................................................

Well time to hit the sack, have an early dentist appointment tomorrow.

I checked into riding the train to Palm Springs CA.  Only took 80 hours and cost more than flying.

Crashed in recliner at news time.  Wanted to see where the new storm was suppose to be going.  GOOOOD NIGHT.

[ChiefEagles]

Good evening,

..........................

Chief, That is the kind of crap that made me give up flying about a year before 9-11.  In the fall of 2004, I had dinner on the Southwest Chief with a guy who had retired and was then lured back to work after his wife died.  His terms were that he would never fly.  He traveled as close to his distination as he could by train & then rented a car & drove the rest of the way.  Said he had flown most of his working life and he just was not going to do it any more.  His job was finding and negotiating sites for the gas fired generating plants that are being built all over the country to pick up peak loads.

................................................

Well time to hit the sack, have an early dentist appointment tomorrow.

I checked into riding the train to Palm Springs CA.  Only took 80 hours and cost more than flying.

Crashed in recliner at news time.  Wanted to see where the new storm was suppose to be going.  GOOOOD NIGHT.

[ChiefEagles]

See this software is a bunch of, well youu guessed it.  Told me it had an error and to go back, now posted the thing twice.   Don't think anyone who matters really cares.

[John Bakeer]

MTL,
I am in United Kingdom. The Garrison Keiler Show is relayed by the British Broadcasting Corporation. This is funded by a licence that is paid by every household in possession of a TV/Radio. We also have commercial radio/TV/satellite, but a lot of their output is third rate I believe you have a public radio network similar to the BBC?
Analogue broadcasting is being phased out in favour of digital and high definition TV.
My participation sport was cycling, I am a great admirer of Lance Armstrong.

[Jumijo]

Good morning all.

Parent teacher conference last night at my daughter's school. Lots of pretty mommies roaming the halls, but I kept thinking pure thoughts. Sure I did! We signed my daughter up for Brownies, and guess who is going to be helping out. Little ol' me. I hope they have a uniform big enough!

Last week we took the kids to a playground and a newspaper photographer took some photos of them. They appeared in the paper last night. The kids were elated. On the way home from the PTO meeting, I bought every copy of the newspaper that the drug store had.

Post war Hudson fever grips New England man. Film at eleven. So this is what a mid-life crisis is like? I always pictured myself buying a sports car, not 50 year old toy trains.

I'm gonna try going cold turkey today with Ebay. The funny thing is, I'm not buying things I've longed for. Impulse purchases, every one! I don't need a 2055 motor. Maybe I'm just trying to spend it before my wife does.

Have a great day, everyone.

Jim

[laz 57]

Hi GIZ,

  58 and another day like yesterday, grey and gloomy.  To get to 69?

Might get rain tomorrow by the look of this morning sky.  Red sky in morning sailors warning.

All have a good one.

laz57

[jonadel]

<BLOCKQUOTE><table class="quoteOuterTable"><tr><td class="txt4"><img src="/trccs/Themes/default/images/icon-quote.gif">&nbsp;<strong>ChiefEagles wrote:</strong></td></tr><tr><td class="quoteTable"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="100%" valign="top" class="txt4">See this software is a bunch of, well youu guessed it.  Told me it had an error and to go back, now posted the thing twice.   Don't think anyone who matters really cares. <img src="/trccs/emoticons/icon_smile_sad.gif" alt="Sad [:(]" /></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

BINGO! The complaints have fallen on deaf ears. Of the 4 forums I visit daily, this is BY FAR the worst set up. There's a red flag if I ever saw one.

I know, don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out. What I don't understand is how they can produce a quality magazine and then put up with this low budget forum software, doesn't make sense.

Jon

[jonadel]

Well, there's a good example of how the quote works! HAHAHAHA!
Jon

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is a rainy, mild day in SE Indiana with temps staying in the 60s all day.  I went to the Y for the first time in a month.  They had a program about Steve Irwin on Animal Planet that I watched while working out.  He definitely was an interesting character.  Neighbor has been at it again with his tree-hacking.  Fortunately, the workout allowed me to think of a suitable action plan that might relieve some of the stress.  I was looking at the 820 last night again.  I was thinking it might be a variation, but a closer look at the paint makes me think some one just painted part of it a different color.  I have two meetings at work today, which should be as exciting as watching paint dry. 

Lucas had about as good a day as could be expected.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana