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

[jefelectric]

Good morning,

John Baker, Have a good one.

Dr. John, Glad to hear you are feeling better.

It's been raining here since I got up this morning.  Nice steady rain of the kind that soaks into the ground, which we need.

Took daughter and two granddaughters to see the annual train show at the Library last night.  Nice display.  they have a lot of buttons for the little ones to push to activate accessories.  Bought two special run Lionel cars.  A gold bullion cars sponsored by a local bank and last years which was a tank car sponsored by a local oil distributor.  They have plans for two more.  Maybe post a few pics on Sunday.

Of course I had to run my Christmas train for them when we got home, had to stop for them to help themselves from the candy hopper.

Chief, Sorry about all the problems with your Realtrax.  I tried a few of the pieces that I have bought to use on my layout changes and they seemed to go together OK.  I must have bought some of the old stock.

Taking one of our older fiends, that no longer drives, out for dinner this evening and then to see some Christmas displays.

 

[wrmcclellan]

Afternoon all!

Stumbled across an interesting web site. No real explanations, but it appears some gent has recovered an old (1950) AF dept store display layout.

http://myflyertrains.org/gallery/DepartmentStore

Happy B-Day John Baker!

Another nice day here. Sunny and 70. Chief is losing momentum and temps keep going up (including his ). So next time a blizzard hits - just give the Chief more RealTrax...

Chief - be careful driving if you are not feeling well.

Doug - glad you made it back safely. Yes airline travel is terrible. I traveled enough this year to end up with a American Gold card again. I was never so happy as when I lost the Platinum status and had NO statuts. UGH.

Have a great day all.

[John Bakeer]

Many thanks to all you kind folks that wished me 'Happy B'day' etc.

I get Old Peculiar and Abbot in 500ml bottles @ $2.30 each.

It's 1800 here in a damp Stockport, going to the Armoury for a gallon of Robinsons Unicorn to celebrate, a chicken kebab, a stentorious snooze closely followed by a hang over. I don't think I'll be fit for cow pie tomorrow, more thin gruel from Mrs Bumble methinks.

NIHIL DICE.

 

[Jumijo]

Old Peculiar? I think the Chief drinks that. Speaking of the Chief, I wonder if he's bagged himself a 12 point eldery guy yet!

 See you all tomorrow guys. Off to buy me some solder.

Jim 

[AKKevinT]

Good Morning,

Frosty morning at -10°F here in the north, but it feels pretty nice since it is dry and no wind.

Happy Birthday to John! Congrats! I hope you have a memorable day!

Roy: Sorry to hear about that sunny and 70° weather you are having, Texans are a tough bunch I am sure you can "git" through it! I took a look at the link from above, pretty cool stuff, thanks for posting it.

Since we have a tree up in our office I thought it could use a little more decorations! So I brought a Lionel Alaska Railroad set to work this morning I will have co-workers set it up since they are curious about it.

Have to get back to work, have a good day everyone!

Regards from the Freezer!

Kevin T.

December 13, 2006	Rise	Set
Actual Time	10:48 AM AKST	2:41 PM AKST

Officially 3 hours and 52 minutes of daylight today, more like 6 hours with the twilight. We are coming up on the the shortest day of the year– then we are headed back to the days of midnight sun!

[dwiemer]

A Guy with a large Roman conk called Hadrian had a wall put up across the North of England. Ostensibly to keep the Hairy Scots out, but we Yorkshire puddings new it was really to stop us escaping. We were cheap labour then and the Romans didn't know how to make cow pie?

John, I understand that same emperor is the one who hated the Jewish folks and had Judea and Israel removed from all the maps and named the area "Palastine". 

On another note, if you happen to visit the Pubs from time to time, would you be able to take some photos?  One of our anesthesia doctors has built a pub behind his house and is trying to make it as authentic as possible.

Regards,

dennis

[csxt30]

 Good Evening Everyone !!  Been pretty uneventful here lately, getting geared up for vacation starting Friday !! One more day, then off till the day after Christmas for me !!

Oh !! John Baker !!

there was something on the DIY channel today about a train layout !!

Well, hope everyone has a nice evening !!

Thanks, John

 

[mitchelr]

 Good Evening All !!  Been pretty uneventful here lately too.  Kids at school are getting cranked up for vacation.  I don't know who is worse the kids or the teachers   Last night the office staff came over for a small Christmas get together.  Our poor little dog was so worn out from all of the company, she slept in until after noon today.  Friday is our staff Christmas party.  It should be nice.  This weekend we are celebrating my wife's birthday and my nephew's college graduation.

John Baker.   I love reading the posts from you and Thor. 

Well, hope everyone has a nice evening !!

Take care,

Mitch 

[Brutus]

Well, my wife wanted me to switch to my Christmas layout, so I slid the white flannel material under the track and re-ran wire to the switches.  Put away all my Halloween stuff from 2006.  Got out my Copper Range Dockside Switcher that I got on ebay last month and ran my 3461 around.  Then she figured out that there isn't a plug for the tree she wanted to put on that table...  So, she grabbed our kitchen table as her tree table.  I'm trying to figure out how to get her to let me put my Polar Express around that tree so I can run a winter train set on my layout and in the kitchen/dining area!  Ha - I'm taking over the whole house, baby!

[Buckeye Riveter]

Happy Birthday, John,

From all the gang on the Coffe Pot

 

[mickey4479]

Its been a while since I was on the forum.  I just got busy with so many things, mostly fishing during the summer and through the end of October and a visit to my folks in Chicago area week after Thanksgiving.  But my basement layout is doing well, and I got the MTH Premier PRR RPO car and the 2 passenger car add on set a few weeks ago.  They look great.  The Christmas tree is up, the train under the tree runs and true to Christmas seasons past, I am 20 pounds overweight.  Hope you all have a great season, good health and happy times.  

[John Bakeer]

OOOH!!! My throbbing nut. Had a very large evening, finished the night with a half of Old Tom (8.4 on the Richter scale) no gruel for me at the moment, probably a hair of the dog is called for.

1030 here in a very gloomy Stockport +12 and raining like fury. Scotland's getting a drenching with flooding in some areas putting the trains out of action. I feel for you people over the pond with your fiendish weather.

There are no Yorkshire puddings in Israel they eat sheep! Can't stand them myself, they consume their own muck, don't they? The sheep I mean.

Dennis, you have set me a really hard task haven't you? There are over a thousand pubs within a five miles radius and about twenty within a ten minute walk. My favourite is the Armoury. I don't see any problems getting photo's of that and others, but as I am too thick to put them on to this site I would be obliged if you can give me an e-mail address. I will also be able to provide back ground on some as most pubs have a history.

Chief, You need to go to bed for a few days with a good stock of OP and a trained nurse. won't cure the cold, but it'll take your mind off it!

ERNI is still playing up, can't drive a train, getting withdrawal symptoms.

NIHIL DICE.

[thor]

OOOH!!! My throbbing nut.

 

Translation service for Americans :- NUT=head NOT soccer injury!

Morning all.

[Jumijo]

Good morning, everyone.

I got some great news yesterday. Julia's pneumonia and ear infections have cleared up! Looks like I got what I wanted for Christmas! Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

Very warm here this week. Mid 50's predicted at least until Sunday. Sorry to hear that Roy has to suffer through mid 70's down there in Texas. Must be tough, Roy.

Still more photos taken last night. I'm almost done. I hope. Most seem to be coming out too dark.

Mr. Baker has a big head this morning? How about a nice big plate of greasy bangers and runny eggs? Fix you right up! 

Time for some breakfast myself then. Have a great day all.

 

Jim 

[John Bakeer]

Jim, 

YEEEEUUUUUKKKKKK!!!!!!!

NIHIL DICE.

[cnw1995]

Good morning from a balmy Crystal Lake, Illinois where it is expected to get almost as warm as certain parts of North Carolina. Great news about Julia and all the ear infections! Have to take the daughter to school as the youngest decided to wake at midnight and stay with us all night and my bride just can't get out of bed. He was watching the Nightly Business Report a few moments ago in anticipation of Mr. Rogers. Maybe I just need less sleep than everyone else this week. Oh well, I'm going to try to hit a few hobby stores tomorrow - my never-ending attempt this month it seems.

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is a mild 48 degrees, with sunshine. Going up to 62 today. Great. I am waiting for the cold weather to drop in, suddenly and change all that.

Today, I have to wrap a few Christmas presents and do a few chores around the house. Nothing major. This weekend we are traveling up to Brunswick to do a gift exchange with the kids.

Jim ( jaabat )...I am glad to hear that Julia is doing much better. That word of " pneumonia ", is not my favorite word.

John ( csxt30 )... Enjoy your last day of work before your Holiday vacation.

Well, off to the Dining car. Breakfast is served.

Y'all have a great Thursday.

Chuck

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is sunny and beautiful (for December) in SE Indiana with temps near 60 today.  If I get ambitious, I may wash one of the vehicles tonight.  I worked on Christmas cards last night.  Normally my wife handles that detail, but it brings up too many memories of my mom for her.  Heck fire, I may even try my hand at some of the Christmas baking as well.  (Alert the local emergency response teams!)  It is interesting to read some of John Bakeer's notes and realize that even though we speak the same language, we can still have different meanings for words.  Of course, "real" English is spoken only by Hoosiers who "warsh" "R" cars "pert near" down by the "crick".  All of the rest of "you guys" speak just dialects :-)  (No provincialism here, no, none at all :-) )

I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[wrmcclellan]

Ah good morning from sunny Texas. Cool nights and warm days (75 today - maybe 80 by Sat). We are suffering here believe me. It is so difficult in the morning deciding which short sleeve shirt to wear.

Dueling with son and daughter on study habits for upcoming semester end final exams. Why they are teaching compound probability to 7th graders I will never understand.

John - have a great day at work before your break!

Have a great day all!

[jonadel]

"Why they are teaching compound probability to 7th graders I will never understand"--------could be your former Governor and his absurd, under funded NCLB philosophy. On a brighter note. I was invited on Tuesday to speak to a kindergarden class about toy trains for 30 minutes which turned into 45. A year ago we invited one of the gals my wife works with and her son to our house to see and run the trains, ever since then he has been hooked on trains. Casey is the "big cheese" this week in his class since it's his birthday so he asked me to come in and talk about trains, I took several different period pieces and talked about the history of rail roading. I've spent my whole life working with HS kids so I was a little nervous about this one but it all worked out fine. Great fun at the end--I've never been hugged by 19 little people all at once! Biggest question of the day (by two kids)--why do trains have bells? Kind of surprised me. If any of you have the opportunity to share this hobby with a class, do it. It's a win win. I was concerned that I might lose them after 15 minutes but they were still energized after 30 minutes and we spent the last 10-15 minutes looking at the trains with our eyes only up close. Jon

[John Bakeer]

Just been on the news; the UK has had its warmest year since records began in 1730. That'll give the flat earthers something else to worry themselves stupid about!

There's some truth in the saying 'Britain and America are two nations divided by a common language'.

Just had some roast chicken washed down with a drop of 'Old Speckled Hen' beer.

I really must get off this thing, it's getting like a drug, can't walk past it without having a fertle.

Hope all you folks in trouble with health, weather, finances and in-laws get sorted soon.

NIHIL DICE.

 

[Buckeye Riveter]

 ....................Of course, "real" English is spoken only by Hoosiers who "warsh" "R" cars "pert near" down by the "crick".  All of the rest of "you guys" speak just dialects :-)  (No provincialism here, no, none at all :-) )

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

Mike, I'm Since I'm a Hoosier by Birth, Boilermaker by the Grace of God and an Adopted Buckeye (luckily I had some past ancestory in the Great State of Ohio in 1828) I understand English spoken by those South of 40.   Remember the Father of Our Country is WARSHENTIN and a photograph is called a pitcher.

For the first time in 5 years of running my TMCC/RS Hudson, I had to reset the engine.  The headlight would not come on and as the engine ran down the track it kept announcing, "Your Clear Take the Green".

Had a delightful time in Western Ohio.  The scenery is so breathtaking.  Reminds me of Kansas.

Big teachers party Friday night.  The trains will be running. 

See ya down the tracks,

 

[mickey4479]

Good morning all.  Going to hit the 60's again today in KC.  Most of the College and Pro Football teams that I like are not doing well this season so it can make for a dull post season.  But I can always go to the basement and run the trains and work on detailing the layout. 

Yesterday it hit 60+ and I enjoyed mulching the remaining leaves on my lawn.  Need to go for my daily walk.  Have a good day.

[dougdagrump]

Mornin' to some Afternoon to others,

Not much time for reading or posting, to much to do to little time to do it. Taking a short break while some painted styrofoam dries. Finally beginning to feel like my old self, didn't want to say "normal" and leave myself open to some abuse.

Been workin' the tail off on the Christmas layout, unfortunately when you get a bit of a late start quite a bit of the supplies are already sold out.

Trying something a little bit different this year as a sound deadener. I couldn't bring myself to spend $50 on Homasote. As I was leaving "Big Lots" yesterday I noticed some rolls of drawer liner, kinda like an open weave rubbery material, 18"W x 6'L for $2 each. I have enough to cover the layout and then some for $12. Also it is a very soft white color so no need to paint the plywood base.   

[AKKevinT]

Good Morning,

I wanted to share an update on setting up a Christmas train in our office at yesterday. I left the box out and let our admin assistant set it up. She had a blast trying to figure out what went where and wiring up the outfit. She had little trouble but it should be noted she also rebuilt her 1976 Chevy pickup from the ground up.

Not long after it was running one of my other co-workers joined in and just had to keep blasting the horn. Within about an hour several other people from different offices stopped in to see what all the racket was about. Everyone broke out in big smiles and wanted to see the set make a few trips around the small loop of track.

One woman poked her head in to my office and wanted to talk to me about the train set and to know if was a Lionel? After confirming that she was correct she said that her grandfather was an engineer back in the day in California. Then she went on to say that he began buying her brother Lionel train sets and accessories right after the war and continued to do so for many years.

This is where it gets good! The guy has to be in his late 50's to early 60's and she said that he never had any interest in the trains his Grandpa gave him. She described how he would open the boxes look at them and then close them back up and never play with them! (What the heck– I was thinking right about that point!) Then she says "to this day all these cool trains are still sitting in their original boxes and have never been used". Now get this, she said "there is a cattle car with a stockyard, a water tower that fills the trains, little houses that guys run out of, lights, crossing, and all kinds of other stuff– beside the train sets". (By this point I had drooled some much I needed a towel to clean up my desk and felt dehydrated.) Then she said one of the last sets he received was an Alaska set sort of like the one under the tree but older!

AAAAGGGHHH that was it– he has a 1959 UNRUN Alaska switcher set! ( I have one but no box and far from mint.) I was not sure if I should call 911, because I am sure I could hear blood vessels starting to pop, or try to get his phone number. I went for his number but she said he was not interested in selling any of the stuff he just keeps it in a huge case and is not sure what his plans are for the stuff. (Now I am thinking is there anything this guy IS interested in?) She figures he will give it to someone in his or her family. (I wonder if he is interested in adopting someone like– ME– NOW!)

It was really fun to watch her tell this story and talk about the trains and her Grandfather, the engineer (definitely a cool guy.) I suspect she should have been the one getting the trains because she was really beaming as she described all the different items her Grandfather would get each year. The classic Lionel story, each Christmas two or three new pieces added to the collection. I hope she gets the trains one day.

So if any of you guys come across a guy who is between 50-65, speaks of his engineer grandfather, and shows little interest in anything, you might want to find out if he has got a big box of old Lionel stuff cluttering up his storage room.

I will post a couple of pictures of the train in the office later today or on Friday! Have a great one guys! Hey it is 10 am and it starting to get light outside I better head across campus to a meeting!

Regards from the Freezer!  Kevin T.

[csxt30]

Good Afternoon Everyone !!   Well, that's it for me, for work, till the day after Christmas !!   It was pretty nice at work today, though.  Actually got off a couple hours ago, & stopped at hobby shop & got some more scenery materials !! Now to sneak them in the house after the wife leaves to pick up Rusty !! Ha !! I just have too much fun here !! I just love when she says, "When did you get that new piece or that scenery stuff" !!

Doug : glad you're feeling better & don't forget a picture of your layout !! Oh, homosote here is usually around 22 dollars a sheet !!

Well, hope everyone has a nice day & evening !!

Thanks, John

[mickey4479]

Doug:  I used that material as well on my first layout.  It was a 9' X 5' layout and I also ballasted my track.  Long story short, that rubbery material worked OK, but because I had screwed the track down to the plywood, the sound still came through a bit.  When I decided to build a larger layout and wanted to use some of the old track, the track and that liner really were bonded together to the wood.  (Had I wetted it down a bit I would have an easier time of removal.)  On my present layout, I have way too much track for me to ballast.  But if were going to do it, I would place wax paper or some other water resistent material down first, then the sound deadening product, then some cork or other roadbed material to make sure the track screws did not go into the wood. 

 Another problem I had was the watered glue got into the track joiners and in a few places had dead track as a result.  That was my first O gauge layout, and I made more mistakes.  Good luck on yours.  

[dwiemer]

A good afternoon to y'all.  Not much going on today.  Cases were cancelled and I am a bit under the weather.  Had my 4 year old son's first stage appearance today as his class did a Christmas play/singing.  Someday, I do hope to share the hobby with my kids class, but for now, we will focus on getting the trains running and invite the little crumbsnatchers over to our house. 

I have a busy day today as when I get home I have to decorate the house.  My parents are coming down and I have plenty to do for their arrival.  Anyway, hope everyone has  a blessed day.

dennis

[jefelectric]

Good afternoon,

John Baker,  I do enjoy your posts, but must purchase an English-American dictiionary so I can understand everything. 

The other John, Enjoy your vacation and remember "This is what retirement will be like"

Dennis,  Did you get your Lackawanna passenger cars?

Mickey4479,  I know what you mean with football.  The Eagles and Steelers are pretty much out of it and FL State & Penn State the two college teams that I follow will both be playing in minor bowls.

I am using my laptop to which I have just downloaded IE-7.  So far everything seems to work OK.  I like the tabs to switch back and forth between two copies of the forum, since my memory is pretty well shot.

[Roger Bielen]

Having finished the scratch building last night that I promised my client to have done before Christmas I had some time to run MY trains for a bit this afternoon.  This evening is a play at the grammer school that the Granddaughters go to, the two older ones are in it.  Sorry to say there probably/surely are no trains involved, the play is Oliver.