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

[Jim Duda]

I think it was in '81 or '82...Karen and I joined the RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) cyclists on the last day, where it finished up in Davenport (my home town), and everyone dipped their wheels in the Mississippi river. I'm sure during one of the years the ride went through Adel, Iowa...

[jonadel]

Buckeye--

I'll bet you are talking about RAGBRAI--the largest two wheel rolling party in the world. The short answer is yes and no, we've done days of it but never the whole week. The only way I would agree to do the whole week is if my brother in-law with his 34' motorhome would agree to come along.

For those of you unfamiliar with it, the Des Moines Register (largest paper in IA) sponsors a week long bike ride starting in western IA (on the Missouri River) and stopping in smalli***ype towns every night (tents, motorhomes, etc.) and finishing up on the Mississippi River the next Sat. They only accept 10,000 riders but typically there are 14,000 riding every day. It can be a tough ride, don't let anyone tell you IA is flat. People from every state and riders from different parts of the world participate, it's not a race, it's a party. A typical day is 60-80 miles.

We are fortunate in IA to have great bike trails, we have a 100 mile blacktop trail less than a mile from our house. It's all part of the rails to trails project. That's why our train running and building stop once it warms up, we love to be outside. There's even better news, there will be a trail from the headwaters of the Mississippi (north of MPLS) all the way to New Orleans, that is a trip we will do someday.... why not!

Jon

[jonadel]

Jim--

It's been through Adel twice. First time in the 80's ( I think) as an overnighter (lock up your daughters) and then 4 years ago as a pass through. Huge economic boon to the communities, VERY LARGE beer gardens.

Jon

[wrmcclellan]

Morning all!

Cloudy and warmer today - high 60s.

Ben - glad to hear you are feeling better.

Jerry - where did you get that graphic in your signature line. Pretty neat!

Have a great day all!

Regards and Happy New Year!
Roy

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Buckeye Riveter

Tim, do you have a block heater in the Jeep? What kind?

No I dont , only because I keep iy in the garage in the winter because it has a soft top that cant handle snow piling up on it. My wife has one in the Grand Cherokee, that was factory installed, but we havent ever plugged it in. I have one in the Tacoma, that I use occasionally. The only problem we have is fuel lines freezing if you forget to put in the liquid heat(alcohol).Glad to see you're up and around. Heavy snow here and 22 degrees....all keep warm....Tim

[Anonymous]

Thought I'd stop by and introduce myself. Hi there! My username is bhollyfan (which is for me being a huge Buddy Holly fan - so much so that I portray him in live shows!)

Also, and more than anything, I'm a toy train fan. My father and I have been collecting since I was born (and he's been collecting for longer than that!), so we've amassed quite a lot - from 1910's Ives right up to RailKing and K Line stuff.

I'm more the operator, and my Dad is the collector only. So, we get into disagreements sometimes when I'm over at my parents' house or they at mine, about what I have running on my layout.

My current project is to do a small (4x6) layout based on the Polar Express movie (complete with a small spiral mountain!)

Apart from that, I'm just into the fun and happiness I get from running the trains! I don't get tied up with prototypical operation, just give me a KW, ZW or a 1033 and some good running stuff on my track, and I'm ready! My parents think I was born after my time (I'm 32, but love postwar style operation).

That's about it, glad to be here, and hope to talk to all of you!

[Anonymous]

Roy, I linked the first graphic image off of the postwarlionel site in to my signerature.

[FJ and G]

bhollyfan,

welcome!

Are you going to build a lake for the Polar Express to skid across? :-)

[ChiefEagles]

bhollyfan, [#welcome][#welcome] Glad to have you around. We talk some trains here but shoot a lot of bull. That way we get to know each other. Really warming up today. Just about all of the OHIO [snow] is gone now. Need to hit the street for my walk.

[FJ and G]

Hey dudes,

Is your layout just too darned big to keep track of where all your locomotives are. I understand completely your problem.

What you need is a tracker:

http://www.collarclinic.com/

I'm thinking about getting one for BB the beagle.

But not after looking at the price tag and passing out.

Guess you could use it to keep track of your wife or girlfriend.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Are you going to build a lake for the Polar Express to skid across? :-)

Dave, that could be actually done! Take some 027 curves, put the opposite ends so that you get a "S" shape to make the Polar Express look like its skidding. Then bury it up to the railheads in molten resin. Then paint the resin white.There you go, a skidding ice section!

[ChiefEagles]

Now Jerry, that is a good one. ben10ben, you asleep????

Dave, you need to upgrade BB's picture [this is an old one]:



FOR ALL OF THE NEW COMERS THAT DO NOT KNOW BB

[wrmcclellan]

bhollyfan,

Welcome!

I also like Jerry's idea of the lake. That would be cool!

Regards,
Roy

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the welcome, and a great big Thanks a Lot! about the skidding on ice ideas (dripping with a touch of sarcasm!) I do want to put the ice on there in some way, but the S curve may actually make it onto the layout!

I will be taking a bit of artistic license with the spiral mountain, since I'll only be doing 2 levels of it (and I have not yet figured out how to make the train warp to conform to the curves going up the mountain!)

But, it will be fairly representative of the film: the main street where the train picks up the boy, the woods and wolves, the ice, the spiral mountain and the North Pole (with huge tree).

I liked the movie a lot, and I figure this will be something that my daughter and I will both enjoy running trains on, since she also loved the movie and has gone twice with me! (my wife is a little wary that our daughter also loves trains!)

[Jim Duda]

Here's a suggestion for your "ice"...get some Envirotex Light at your local crafts store. It is a 2 part resin/hardner that you mix thoroughly, then pour into a cavity in/on your layout. It'll take several hours to cure, so pour it at night and in the morning it'll be rock hard.

I think it is more realistic to color the Envirotex while mixing it. I used "Liquid Pigments" from Woodland Scenics and the
"Transparent Dye Kit" available at the same Craft store - Michaels is a popular store in Texas and used some black and earth tones to come up with the shade I wanted. Just a few drops in a quart is enough - just suit yourself. You can prepaint the cavity with a grey color if you want.

Here's how mine came out...

Click to enlarge...

[ChiefEagles]

Jim, you going to leave your boaters high and dry or pour more around them? I use to color the bottom of the lake/river/pond the color I wanted it and then poured the clear. Put in a few real tiny rocks to make it look real. Seemed to give the water depth if you colored under the liquid.

Now on the subject of OHIO. Still some around. Been extra warm today. Its just like Yankees, comes south and will not leave. [;)][:-^][:-^]

[Anonymous]

Jim, can you paint that envirotex?

[Jim Duda]

Frank - even in TexASS it's better to have water in the pond before you can limit on trophy bass or Northerns...just ask the PRO fisherman, Buckeye!

Jerry - I never tried painting Envirotex...but I think it'll be better if you tint it while mixing the two parts together. Anyone out there that is satisfied by painting it?

(click to enlarge)

[Anonymous]

Maybe spraying it lightly with white spray-paint?

[1688torpedo]

Holy Pierogis ! The Corvair and Jeep Jingles are very hilarious and entertaining!Next thing you know Neil ,Bob, and Erik at Ctt will make a confession about one of their family members or themselves owning or wanting a Corvair[:O][:)] What Next.? Hey Ben,Sask,and the other young ones reading this: Buy a safe Car not a Corvair[^] Or you may have to have a donkey with a carrot in front of it pulling the Corvair around town. You'll have no money for trains.Buy a Nova! Those are Cool Cars[:D] And you will not be embarrassed as you would be if you owned a Corvair![:I][;)][(-D] Take Care everyone!......................Keith

[dougdagrump]

I wouldn't mind having a Corvair Spyder, they were pretty hot in their day. Would probably still hold their own against todays cars if properly set-up.
Supposedly we shouldn't have rain tomorrow but it is supposed to start again friday thru tuesday. [:(]

[wrmcclellan]

Doug,

Obviously you have weathered the flooding. Saw that Las Vegas is flooding today.

Stay safe.
Roy

[Anonymous]

I'll take a Nova, witha 502... err, make that a 572 =D

[spankybird]

Chris - did you see this thread

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=-1&TOPIC_ID=26661&REPLY_ID=263125#263125

tom

[dougdagrump]

Don't mind the rain coming again on friday, I've already signed up to run at the museum both friday and saturday. No New Years Eve Parties = No hangover so I'll just run trains and have some fun.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !!!!!

[laz 57]

Hi everybody,
Didn't get pics today of layout maybe tomoorow[:I] Me and my wife went to Cabela's for their BIG sale, didn't find anything, was looking for a nice camo orange coat. Mine is a Woolrich red and black of 35 years and seen better days. CHIEF you would have loved[:O] the crowd I'd say 2-3000 people. too crowed for me. Maybe that is what you are use to. Lots o People everywhere!
Welcome BHOLLYFAN [#welcome][#welcome] hope you like this forum. These guys are ALL RIGHT and will help you with lots o stuff.
Hey JIM DUDA is it ok to call you CRASH DUDA with that hat? I had a good laugh with that, you really do pu***he envelope, KEEP IT UP JIMBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hope all is well.
Laz 57

[Anonymous]

Tom,

I did, Those are nifty cars

Now, where can I find a model Monte Carlo....
Chris

[Anonymous]

Hey Laz57,

Dont think we've "met"

Im Chris

[laz 57]

Hi CRIS,
Sounds like by your name you are down the road from me? I live in Millersburg, Pa., about 25 miles north of Harrisburg.
Laz 57

[Anonymous]

Hey Laz,

Lehigh valley, the railroad, not PA.. I am currently stationed in central NJ right now. The LVRR, Ran here as well.

Chris