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

[daan]

A rooflight is something for a flat roof in Holland, like a giant cut in half pingpong ball, I mean a window for roofs with a 45 degree grade.. And isolation will be to keep the heat inside in winter and the heat outside in summer, and above all protect my head when working..
There is nothing to hillbilly about, I don't know every term in proper american, so I use some english words too, like DIY store..[:D]

[spankybird]

Good Morning all,

NE Ohio has Blue Clear Sky Morning with cool temp at 34 deg. It’s been a while since we have had clear skies.

Chief – enjoy the train video, remember our own Big_Boy is on there.

We used to have a store called DYI, which has gone out of business, it was like Home Depot or Lowe’s. It still has a web site and cable network channel.

Pick of the Day


all be safe
tom

[cnw1995]

Good morning. I got to play with the trains last eve. until midnight - lost track of time. Good thing everyone was already abed. I installed all the Lionel telephone poles I bought back from my T'giving excursion to my folk's home. First I just taped them to the sandpaper grass but then they all fell over, so I cut a slit in the grass and slid in half their base. They look good on the sparse parts of the layout...like the Plains. Moved a station platform that blocked my view of the crossing lights I so laboriously installed a few weeks ago - the ones that go on when I turn up the power - regardless of being isolated electrically. Miraculously, I also found the diamond sign that fell off from the old gateman - it says Look Out for the Trains and I just taped it to the pole. I have to figure out how to lub the 248 and one of the older 2-4-2s - I think they need the maintenance.

[spankybird]

Hi Doug,

If you missed this thread on telephone poles, check it out

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=-1&TOPIC_ID=23438&REPLY_ID=231599#231599

They look great this way.

tom

[dougdagrump]

Mornin' All. What a day yesterday. To start the holiday season there is what's called "Christmas On the Prado", or December Nights if you are PC, where there are all kinds of festivities in Balboa Park and all the museums are open for extended hours as well as no admission charge. We were there from 8am til almost 10pm, if it weren't for the GATS today in Del Mar I think I'd sit with my feet up all day. My dogs are still barking this morning. I don't know how people came thru but most of the time it was wall to wall people. Everyone was running steamers except me, there has to be one oddball in the bunch. Without exception I was amazed at the fascination everyone had for the steam engines, in spite of the fact that at least 99.9% had never seen a real one. The Allegheny just blew some people away and in fact didn't realize that it was modeled after the real thing. Other than some aching feet and blood shot eyes, must have been flying cinders [;)], it was an absolute BLAST.
Will I volunteer again, you bet !
When, not soon enough !
The love of trains is there, young and old alike, but it needs to be nurtured by hobbyists and above all else the manufacturers. [2c]
Everyone have a great day and may God Bless.

[Buckeye Riveter]

The Chief's Pot of Coffee wins hands down and going away.
Thanks Chief for the intial posting. It has been a lot of fun.
As of today, the top ten topics and the number of posts per topic on the CTT forum for one year

The pot of coffee is always on 2175
Never-ending story 631
OGR Website RIP 151
OGR Forum Refugee Roll Call 139
RED SOX #1 117
Lionel to seek cooperation on TMCC 2 Standard 95
Not impressed by OGR Run 202 83
Thought on the O/O-27 Gauge Market Today 81
Welcome Everyone!!!!****Please Read this First 78
OGR will remain free!!!!!! 76

I can't believe the Red Sox made the top ten. [xx(] Say, Spankybird, do you remember when the forum was more like a chat room?

[ChiefEagles]

I remember that when I first got on this forum, you did good to see two to three posts per day. The the OGR group came over during the "we are going to charge for the forum" erra. When they went back, it dropped off some but look at it now. I like the coffee pot because you get to "know" folks from all over. We become more of a family than just folks posting. "Family" is very important. God bless all.

[Anonymous]

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]Thanks for clearing that up Daan. Its so amusing to me the different terms used for things all over the world, even in different geographic regions here in the states. If you asked the Chief for a pop, he would probably hit you in the mouth,,,,,,right Chief????
I replaced some of the roof windows you spoke of several years ago.at the Hilton Hotel in Beaumont Tx. They were 8' x8 and had to be helicoptered on top of the building ( I think 10 stories tall) . I do remember it cost me 250.00 hr. for the helicopter.

Got about 2 inches white stuff today, cloudy and 31. Got the framework redone and backup for the layout, maybe I'll post some pics tomorrow.....Goodnight all.......Tim

[daan]

Luckily my roof isn't that high, so a helicopter won't be needed[:D]. The different terms are good for my education, since I have to keep up with english as well..
All have a great day, I'm going to a christmass market and see if I can find any train stuff...

[cnw1995]

Thanks for that thread, Tom. I'm unexpectedly getting in all sorts of layout time as my wife runs around doing church and Christmas stuff. Yesterday I surprised myself by using my new-found knowledge of the R transformers connectors to hook up the old MRC Soundmaster - now I'm going to try to add a second speaker (stereo!) today. I took a small one out of an old children's toy and it works grand - I'm going to try to build a box around it. It was fun to sit Ben, our 2-year-old, on my lap and run the trains around - while he blows his wooden whistle.We even ran trains in the dark (without the lights on in the basement - he loved that). Becca, my 13 year old, even came down to hang around for a while. I think I have decided on this year's Christmas gift to myself from my wife - an old Marx whistling station. I've been attracted to them for a while but the recent CTT article clinched it.

[spankybird]

Good Morning All,

NE Ohio is cool and cloudy this morning, temp 34 with a high o 45 today. Day light is getting much shorter now.

Only 1 week of work left for the year, then Vacation. I love to save most of mine to the end of the year so we can really enjoy the Christmas time.

Doug- try a couple of telephone poles that way, I am sure you will love the look.

Buckeye – yes I do remember when the forum was very slow. I thought I would never get my first Star.

All be safe

tom

[ChiefEagles]

YES, Pop is what you call your DAD. You do not have sweet ice tea either. [:D] Got dressed and off to Sunday School. Slept gooooood last night. Would still be asleep if boys [dogs] had not come and insisted on ME getting up and feeding them breakfast [Mom played like she did not hear them]. Got the Porkville [Rolesville] Christmas Parade at 2. About like the Mayberry Parade on Andy Griffith. I'll do my wave from the Town Board float. [;)] Have a good day and God bless all.

[dougdagrump]

Mornin' All.
Great weather today, if you're a duck. Cold and rainny with snow in the local mountains, we haven't had this kind of weather in quite some time. Didn't make it to GATS yesterday, to worn out, going this morning so I guess I'll get wet.
Great day for workin on trains

[ChiefEagles]

Didn't fall off of the float. Stood up and waved the famous parade wave. [:D] Then walked 4 blocks home. Wife had gotten the tree up [one of them]. Lights outside now. She was not going to decorate because the slave that does all of that to her instructions is "under the weather". She is admitting that I do have a lot to do and it is not easy keeping everything going. She's even learned how to crank and run a leaf blower. [;)] Well, all have a good night and to all of you that have to do that four letter word [W--K], have a good week. God bless all.

[Buckeye Riveter]

A great train day.
Went to the Springfield, Ohio Train Show with Mrs. Buckeye. I really like this show. It is local and has 350 tables, hot dogs and free parking. They charge you all of $5.00 to get in the door and the vendors always have some sweet deals. You folks in Indiana should make the trip east in April for their next show. It is worth it.

Today, was Mrs. Buckeye's turn to shop for the Garden Layout. She has been wanting a trolly. Found it at a great price. Now I am required to learn to make it reverse automatically. Remember it is two track and dc.

Chief, will your photo be in the newspaper?

[Jim Duda]

Can't you just see the prankster Frankster on a float surrounded by pretty young girls giving us his famous "parade wave"...? Whew! I'm glad I live a thousand miles from NC...!

[spankybird]

Buckeye, they make a reversing unit for 'G' gauge already. It cost about $75.00 or so.

[Buckeye Riveter]

Jimbo, I'm not sure that a thousand miles can help the situation.

Spankybird, Thank you. I'm starting to look.

[dougdagrump]

Better your photo be in the newspaper than at the Post Office. [:D]
Well after resting yesterday I made it to the GATS event today.[tdn] Talk about a waste of time and $7.00. I've been going for 4 years in a row and each year it seemed like there was less O gauge stuff each year. It looked like it was a good show if you wanted N, HO, or G but very very little of the newer O. I think I made my last visit to GATS [:(]

[Buckeye Riveter]

Doug, my last visit to a GATS event was also a great disappointment. This little show that I attended in Springfield, Ohio at a fairgrounds today was much better than many of the major shows in Columbus or Cincinnati. It only costs $5.00 to get in and the parking was free. In Columbus, it is $4 to park and $7 to get inside.

I wish we had a way using this forum to rate shows and train stores, much like they rate movies and electronic products. I think it would really be revealing.

Spankybird, you know we need to get the Chief, Doug and others to post their photos with their signitures. Jimbo has a great photo. I would recognize him if I met him on the street.

[daan]

Buckeye, if you have DC running your garden trains, a few rectifiers will do the trick if you want to run and reverse an AC motor. Simply place the rectifiers in front of the motor brushes and wire them parallel to the field coil. In this way, if you switch polarity the field coil will change north and south on the motor, and the rectifiers keep north and south the same on the anchor of the motor. Result is that it turns around the other way, thus reversing the engine. It doesn't have a neutral that way, but it's way cheaper than $75.- bucks.
The Christmass show was not what I thought it would be. It was more like a market with all kinds of stuff for presents, no real christmass theme's, no christmass stuff and no houses or other stuff for the trains. They didn't even had the cheap plastic trains for under the christmass tree.. Shame.
For me it's still 3 weeks of the four letter word 'till holidays.. For the first time in 8 years I'll have a 2 weeks holiday around christmass and the new year.. NICE!

Clowdy and mist today, no rain, and no cold. Hope winter will come soon, with some snow and ice..
All stay safe!

[spankybird]

Good Morning all,

NE Ohio is cool 38 deg with lots of rain today, high of 50. No snow in site this week.

Last week of work before Vacation until the end of the year.

Daan – Buckeye will be running Dc motor with DC current.
Buckeye – here is one reversing unit
http://www.ridgeroadstation.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=20510340%21205&csurl=%2Fistar%2Easp%3Fa%3D3%26manufacturer%3D205%26dept%3Dtrains%26class%3DG%26subclass%3DACCES1

I agree, these good members can post there face in the signature line, just like a regular photo, only size it to about 48 x 48 before loading it to there host.

Pick of the Day


all be safe
tom

[ChiefEagles]

What is this photo thing? I'm trying to hide!!!!!!!! [;)] Good morning gang. Wet here but not raining hard. More of a light shower every now and then. To be in the 60's most of the week. [:D] Hope all have a great week and God bless all.

[Jim Duda]

Frank - you're never gonna get these bikini wearin', lawnmowin', snow shovelin' cute Texas neighbor girls to come to Rolesville and take care of your chores unless they can see how cute you are...get on it!
Hey - anytime any of you see Mr. Chiefie, take a picture of him and post it here...and in the Post Office!

[Anonymous]

Morning folks! Cold and rainy in Indiana this morning,,,,Good day to fire up the trains and got a hot cup of brew going.
Sounds like you all have been busy, The GATS in Indy Hasn't been too bad but Computers are starting to take it over.

[wrmcclellan]

Hi all,

Damp, heading towards high 70's here today with afternoon thunderstorms. More like spring than winter. We had our Richardson community Christmas parade Saturday. We set up a decorated trailer for our Cub Scout pack to ride on. My son is moving from Webelos to Boy Scouts in the spring, so this is my last year of the 6 in the morning parade line-up.

If I posted my picture then all the discussion would turn to not posting pictures!

Regards and have a great day!
Roy

[cnw1995]

Can our signatures support a photo - or does it have to be posted elsewhere as with other photos - I finally took a bunch of digital photos of the layouts progress - including my first 'planted' telegraph pole. I'm going to see how to post them here or in the Sunday photo thread. Kind of warm and rainy here -just squishy enough to get my shoes soaking wet from walking through the Loop from the train station. First time in the office in 11 blessed days- though now I seem to work every day of the year - at least through email - how did that happen?

[cnw1995]

OK, forgive me if these are somehow huge - here is me:

[cnw1995]

Argh! That's big and ugly. I'm sure I can adjust the properties somehow. Sorry. I'll post the others in the Sunday Photo thread

[spankybird]

To add your picture to your signature line is no different that posting any other picture.

The only difference is to size it to about 48 x 48 pixels before you upload it to your host. Then using the ‘IMG’ command, add it to you signature line just like posting any other pic.

tom