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

[TurboOne]

Good morning all, we finally got the heavy rain they talked about. I got some great video footage of a waterfall off my back patio. As soon as I figure out how to insert pics into thise messages I will put one up.

Jim the planes look cool.

Take care all, have a great day.

Tim

[spankybird]

Hi guys and gals,

Better late than never, work has been busy this morning.

NE Ohio is cool and quite today, temp at 38

Chris, hope you’re feeling better, go to the doctor is good advise

Laz – Chief keeps saying he is going to send us some warm weather also, weatherman say so too, but it never gets here.

Pick of the Day


back to work

all be safe
tom

[Anonymous]

Just got back form the DR.... Busted capilaries in the lungs...(accounts for blood) Servre Bronchituos...

Good thing, I get to stay home and play trains. Oh yeah, Sams bringing me some soup too.

[cnw1995]

Wow, that sounds exciting, Jim. I can't wait to hear how you do.
Try to rest now, Chris. I saw a great shot of the engine in your signature in the Streamliner magazine recently put out by Kalmbach. A fine looking if sooty beast.

[ChiefEagles]

Chris, do as Dr says and don't let that stuff get into pneumonia. If it does, then you are susceptible to have it over and over. I seem to have pneumonia every year now. Got a buddy that does about twice a year. His is a burly guy that is an outdoorsman and looks as if he would never get sick. Stay inside and get well.

[Anonymous]

Hi All, it has been raining here in the desert. Highs are around 60. I've been browsing the web looking at trains. Can't decide which way I should go to start out. Starter set or put one together myself. Some of the K-Line sets look pretty good but I think I want to run Fastrack. Maybe I'll get a Lionel...I don't know. Decisions, decisions.... Not going to get anything for awhile yet so I guess I have time to figure it out.

Larry

[ChiefEagles]

Larry, what did you say you were going to build it on and how big? Fastrack is easy to put together and has a lot of switch options now. Is noisy. Mount it on foam insulation and it will quiten it. Realtrax is about the same and maybe a lot quiter. Some folks fuss about connectivity with Realtrax and others say no problem. K-Line makes a good track too. Think I'm going will Realtrax [I can get good prices on it from my train lady]. Jon and Buckeye have used it and ballasted it to look real good. Find the best price and easiest to acquire.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ChiefEagles

Larry, what did you say you were going to build it on and how big? ....

I will most likely start with a 4' X 8' on plywood. I may expand it later to run the length of my 25' room. I will be doing my buying on-line as there are no hobby stores near me in Michigan. So far the best price seems to be on Fastrack, although I haven't really looked at Realtrax. I am leaning toward Lionel, probably because that is what I had as a kid back in the 1950's. Actually I guess I am still a kid, just an older one. [:D]


Larry

[ChiefEagles]

Larry, like me. Lionel as a kid. Lionel in the late 70's and early 80's. Bought a lot of K-Line track back then and some accessories. Trains were Lionel. Well, times have changed [for our good]. I jumped back in this past winter/spring. I ahd been doing a lot fo talking with Lionel and emailing too. Got on here and found out that there are others jsut as good or better in some ways. If Fastrac is easier to get, go for it. Put a good layer of pink foam insulation under it. You can get a hot knife to cut it. You can also use if form hills and mountains. Get Buckeye or Jon to email you some of their construction pictures [others like use it too]. I think the foam base will quiten it down a lot. Afterall, toy trains are noisy like real trains. [:D]

Found Jon's album http://jands.logicalgeek.com

[Anonymous]

Chief, thanks for posting that link. I enjoyed looking at the pictures. Looks llke a great layout.
Larry

[jonadel]

I have to echo Chief's thoughts about putting down something to quiet the noise. I didn't put anything underneath my RealTrax and for two reasons: I have really thick, ugly (according to my wife) carpet on the floor and a suspended ceiling. For a long time those two items really did soak up the sound just fine but as I added trains and started running them faster it got louder. If I'm running 5-6 trains it can get a bit loud and at this point there's not much I can do about it except to keep the engine sounds turned down. We just finished this layout (our first) and we've learned tons, I'm proud of what we've done but I know that on the next one there will be better work done at the beginning--like doing the backgrounds first and new carpet.

A funny story on my wife. I had all the benchwork completed, track screwed down and the wiring complete---at that point my wife in a very honest look asked if we could change the carpet (it's a dark brown shag, ideal for a basement but ugly), I said in a very nice way that when we rebuild it that would be a better time! It's actually worked out pretty well as we have made some big messes with scenery building so the ugly is OK for now. I think we'll live with this set up and do one more in 3-5 years (hopefully 3) as now I know what I really want.

Jon

[laz 57]

JON,
Our WIVES will do it to us every time. But we still love them and they do give us a hand on the layouts, at least mine does. She even helped do some landscaping on the mountain scenes.
Laz57

[ChiefEagles]

Mine just watched Jon's slideshow. Told her, "See Jon's wife doing...." I told her she would have to do that. She said, "OK" We'll see. She does love to do that type of thing.

[TurboOne]

Chief the website was great, and showing a wife working on it, can't wait til mine see the pics. Thanks guys for the incentive and motivation. Have to drop kids off at cheerleading practice.

Tim

[ChiefEagles]

Turbo, stay away from the mud slides and flooded streets. Heard anything from DougisNOTagrump? Keep seeing bad stuff from the left bank.

[spankybird]

Chief, sound like LA is changing ZIP codes with out having a quike.

[Anonymous]

Posting my profile picture...Maybe

[TurboOne]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ChiefEagles

Turbo, stay away from the mud slides and flooded streets. Heard anything from DougisNOTagrump? Keep seeing bad stuff from the left bank.

I knew I loved the news. They tell us all this bad stuff, and it comes down, but not like the end of the world storm they made out. Its rained heavy at night, but they say less than 2". Don't understand that if you saw my waterfall. It was 3-4 feet wide, coming down like a real waterfall for over 15 minutes. But overall, like today, 60 degress and no rain. We did have a few road wash out, but for San Diego, that isn't bad. And some people had to be rescued, but remember they barracade or river roads, and people will drive around the barracades and then have to be rescued. That is what happened to the lady in LA that lost her baby being rescued. The baby ended up drowning. I hear they are charging her with child endangerment for going around the barracade.

LA is taking a pounding with the rain. San Bernadino which is basically LA inland about 100 miles, has got over 25 inches of rain this last storm. Couldn't even imagine that.

Our mountains here have gotten almost 8 inches. I do feel very sorry for the fire victims from last year, many still don't have their houses yet, and a lot of their land is down the mountain today. Keep them in your prayers, the get hit by the fires, the government bs on regulations, then the rain.

We are supposed to get some more tonight, but LA is due for more.

Haven't heard from Doug, but keeping an ear out.

Take care all, thanks for the kind thoughts chief. How is the sinus' ?? Hope you are getting better, maybe you need more smoke, and longer exposure to cure it. Just tell the wife Doctor Tim says MORE SMOKE. Think she will buy that ?[:D]

Tim, not drown yet.

[Anonymous]

Well, a sleepless night, i took a slew of medication, musnt have kicked in yet...

[TurboOne]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Lehigh Valley Railroad

Well, a sleepless night, i took a slew of medication, musnt have kicked in yet...

Still in our prayers Chris, hang tough, like a good steam engine should.

Take care,

Tim

[laz 57]

Good Morning GUYS,
Chris hope your feeling better. Remember if anyone asks how do you feel? Tell them , With my hands.
Suppose to get freezing rain here today, maybe early dismissal? I hope????
Have a safe one.
Laz57

[spankybird]

Good Morning all,

NE Ohio has been surprised by the weatherman again, it snowing and temp at 31 deg. Can’t wait for Chief to send us some of his warmer weather that he keeps promising to do.

Chris – stay on the med and take care


Pick of the day


all be safe
tom

[jonadel]

Good Morning,

Here we go again, icy sidewalks and icy streets. I would much prefer 6" of snow to ice. The worst part is I want to get to the hobby shop and pick up a new controller so I can take control of my non PS2 locos with my DCS remote. Even with a 4 wheel drive truck it's futile on the ice.

I sat down yesterday afternoon and watched the whole O Gauge Video Guide on DCS again. It's really a good video, if you haven't seen it, you should consider it. I have the DVD version and I enjoy just flipping back to watch certain sections again. I did pick up some more info that I had "forgotten".

I think this afternoon after I get my new controller I'm going to dig out my old Marx set (my first train) and see if I can demolish some Lincoln Logs. I can't believe the abuse I gave that set as a kid, great fun. I hope it still works.

Jon[:)]

[cnw1995]

Wow, Jon, what a great series of pictures - I love being able to see the progression of details. What a wonderful layout. How did you hang the aircraft and blimp - with fishing line or thread? Chief, thanks for posting the link. Slippery here today but not nearly the 'ice storm of the century' the local media said it was going to be... However this being Chicago, I guess it can get worse. But I'm indoors- including teaching tonight - for the next 12 hours or so...

[1688torpedo]

Hello Everyone! Haven't been over to the Library in Three Days to use the computer.Have to go out to Ashtabula for Drivers Ed Students today.Hope the weather will settle down as it is the roads are slushy with some Ice.Spankybird and I might have to build a Ark if we keep on getting hit with more Rain ,Snow,Ice,and slush. the ground is very well saturated and the rivers are running high.We need some warm air to dry out .Can't wait for Summer now. Hope Chris and the Chief are doing much better.Have a nice day everyone!.....................Keith.

[ChiefEagles]

Morning gang. Been on the phone with Home Depot [she finally called me]. Been fighting over wrong installation for weeks now. No one wanted to talk to me. Wife made deal while I was in hospital. I was just out when they installed it [remember, I hid in a bedroom]. Raised the question about too many seams. Installers installed it as they were told but not as agreed by wife and Home Depot. Now they want us to come in and meet with the manager. #1, I think she should come to me. #2 She has never delt with FRANK when he gets mad. [and I am since it ahs taken weeks and calls from me to get a response]. Now to the weather. Sunny and about 60 today [not the 70's as promised the other day]. Warmer until Friday evening. Then YANKEE cold followed by even more colder air. Only constellation is, when we are cold, they are COLDER. [;)] Probably sneaking off to train lady's adn buying the TMCC module and cable today. [:D] Now for my NS diesel to get here so I can run it. [:)] God bless all.

[TurboOne]

Hello and good morning! Bring on the whole pot of coffee. I have a new project today. I have 4 inches of water in my backyard. Haven't seen that in almost 12 years. I sleep right thru the night, never heard it. San Diego had a huge tree fall on the freeway this morning, killed one, injured 3. It was right down in balboa park, by the train museum, but it was 4am, so it wasn't a train person, probably a downtown employee. San Diego came out better than LA, hope all my northern neighbors are doing well. Vic you OK buddy ?

We have great news here. One more storm and SoCal weather returns thru the weekend. 60s and 70s full on CA sun. Looks to be a great day down here.

Tim

[FJ and G]

weather boring here. no wind, snow, cold, rain

Got BB some pigs ears to chew on. Prince at Giants is cheaper than at Pet Store. Only problems are with tics and it's January!

Someone told me that Frontline kills 100% of tics so got me some. We'll see.

Building a spur on RR tonight. One more to go after that and time to add the third rail.

[ChiefEagles]

They are here!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally. After almost a year of waiting.





Now they are hanging on to the back of those trailer train cars you see in back ground. [:D]

Also got TMCC module adn cable. Wired it to DCS. Now my engine ships tomorrow. Lets see how it will work. [:D]

My flat car with long JD trailer and my two GP60's are still due March. [:(][:(!]

[Jim Duda]

Dang it! When will someone make those flats with RED FARMALLs on them? Red and green tractors - the PERFECT Christmas and Holiday train!

We're dyin' to see how you do marrying TMCC and DCS in Rolleyville!