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

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 6:55 AM

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is a cold, frosty 30 degrees. Going up to a sunny 50 today.

Today, I am running errands. Have to leave early and drive up to Cambridge, to pick up some Christmas items. Maybe this afternoon, I will have time to run trains for a few hours. Need some quality time in the train room, working on the layout.

LAZ....That is a nice looking crane. I'd like one like that. Good price.

Buckeye.....Good point. If Chiefie can find Roger's Corners, anybody can.

Well, the Dining Car just rolled in for breakfast. Later.

Y'all have a great Tuesday,

Chuck

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by anjdevil2 on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 7:14 AM

Good Morning, all!  This is my first post here, although I have posted other places before.  Hopefully, you'll allow another transplated Yankee here!

It's about 50 here now with a high of 73.  I'm at work now, doing this and Christmas cards (I actually start at 9)  I finished my Christmas layout with my Pennsy Flyer & passenger add-on, my 2037 and sometimes run my 2020 S-2 on it.

Well, back to the grind!  Have a great safe day (and yes I miss the winter weather for Christmas!)

I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.
I am the venom in your skin  --- Breaking Benjamin


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Posted by csxt30 on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 7:23 AM

Good Morning Everyone !! 

Chuck : hope you have a good trip today, & of course hope their's a hobby shop on your route !!

Laz : the crane sure is nice !! You probably know Gargraves makes a nice piece of track for that to run on !!

Well, here's a picture of my grass that I put down in my little park area !! This picture won't make it on  a calendar though !!  Ha !! LOL !! Laugh [(-D]

 

I have to figure out where to put some trees on it yet. Tell me if the rocks look ok. I don't think the picture shows the color of them too good though !! I made those myself !! LOL !!

Hope everyone has a nice day !!

Thanks, John

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Posted by Jumijo on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 7:30 AM

John,

Nice photo! The rocks look fine. I'd bet they will look even better with some bushes around them. Then you'll have a calandar picture for sure!!!

Jim 

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by csxt30 on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 7:34 AM

Thanks Jim !! That sounds good !! I almost picked up some of that material the other day !!

Thanks, John

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Posted by wrmcclellan on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 8:15 AM

Good morning all!

Cloudy here, cooler, and no rain. Angry [:(!]

Don - I think you are right about that big "rain". BTW - my wife says the same thing - "what aren't you into.." All I need now is a nice big home shop - hmmmm.

Mitch - don't hold back - could you tell us how you really feel?

John - nice job on the park. Needs some people in it - maybe a bum sleeping on the bench.

Chief didn't find his way to Roger's Corners, he was escorted by Buckeye - so the mystery continues!

Major discovery to report from Texas!

After having dug to a depth of 1000 meters last year,
    Scottish scientists found traces of copper wire dating back
    1000 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors
    already had a telephone network more than 1000 years ago.

    Not to be outdone by the Scots, in the weeks that followed,
    English scientist dug to a depth of 2000 meters and shortly
    after headlines in the UK newspapers read:

    "English archaeologists have found traces of 2000 year copper
    wire and have concluded that their ancestors already had an
    advanced high-tech communications network a thousand years
    earlier than the Scots."

    One week later, Texas newspapers reported the following:

    "After digging as deep as 5000 meters in West
    Texas, scientists have found absolutely nothing. They have
    therefore concluded that 5000 years ago Texas inhabitants
    were already using wireless technology."

Have great day all!

Regards, Roy

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Posted by cnw1995 on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 8:28 AM
Good morning from a sunny and cold Chicago where I am in the office for the last day this year. Hurray!

Jim A, how long a video would that CVS disposable take? That sounds like the perfect item for the trip and layout videos. I just have an old VHS camera which is getting to be a real pain as I haven't figured out how to transform all the tapes I already have. 

Nice crane, Laz!

LOL, Roy

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by Jumijo on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 8:35 AM

 cnw1995 wrote:
Good morning from a sunny and cold Chicago where I am in the office for the last day this year. Hurray!

Jim A, how long a video would that CVS disposable take? That sounds like the perfect item for the trip and layout videos. I just have an old VHS camera which is getting to be a real pain as I haven't figured out how to transform all the tapes I already have. 

Nice crane, Laz!

LOL, Roy

It says on the packaging "up to 20 minutes of digital video and sound". "DVD plays on most home computers and DVD players". 

It's not bigger than a pack of cigarettes or playing cards. $29.95. I'm going to buy another one for me so I can shoot some Jumijo action!  

Nice crane, Laz!

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by Dr. John on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 8:39 AM
Good morning from the warm and foggy south!
 
Laz- Great looking gantry crane! I haven't found one yet at twice that price!
 
John - nice park area, the grass looks very realistic.
 
Just a reminder to my fellow REBS - If you are going to visit Roger's Corners or any parts north, be sure to have your passport and that your shots are all up to date. Wink [;)] Seriously, Buckeye looks to have a layout worth visiting, even if it is up in Yankee country.
 
Jim A. - Thanks for the head's up on the CVS video camera. I'll make a run there today.
 
Doug, enjoy your time off! 
 
Our cold weather should return in a day or so along with some much-needed rain. Have a good day, everyone! Smile [:)]
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Posted by dbaker48 on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 8:41 AM

Doug - Check this website out www.adstech.com/products/USBAV-709-EF/intro/USBAV-709_intro.asp?pid=USBAV-709-EF

I picked up one of these DVD Express DX2  units, this past weekend.  They allege that  you can transfer from VHS to DVD.  I have seen it on Tiger Direct for $49.  I will let you know if I get it to work.

 

Don

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Posted by cheapclassics on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 8:51 AM

Good morning all,

It is sunny and cooler in SE Indiana with temps in the 40s today.  I have been away from the forum for the past few days as I have been extremely busy.  Saturday was a "Chief" day as I was on the go from morning to evening.  Sunday was the same way, and I was in class yesterday.  It is nice to be back at work where I can relax a little.  Saturday was spent getting the mower, working the train exhibit at the museum, running Lucas around, going to the YMCA, washing one of the vehicles, and running some trains at home.  Sunday was relatively early church, going to a museum in Indy and a birthday party for the granddaughter, and some more train running.  Traffic was a bear at class and then I had to go to an aunt's house afterward to pick up some items she no longer wanted.  I will try to catch up on all that I missed earlier.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 8:58 AM

Morning all.  CSXJohn, the rocks look great.  Your park looks like Roseyville.  We have rocks that big and bigger in our Main Street Park [across the the street from my house]. 

Dr. John, it is a strange country there [Rogers Corner].  Found it OK but now I know two ways to slip up on the Yank.  Since it is Christmas and you can't tell a lie, he is a pretty good old fellow [unlike his forum actions].  Mrs. Buckeye is even nicer.

Don B, let us know.  I would want one of those if it works good.

Jim A, the leak is because the the wicking is too high in the bowl.  The bowl is solid metal.  The chimneys [has two instead of one like PW] are not tall enough.  As I said on the phone, take the top off.  Put in PINK and pack it down below chimney level.  Then take that wick sock off.  Make sure the element is pushed far enough down to touch the PINK.  Wet it good but don't flood it.   

Got to get going.  Have a good one.  Later

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by dwiemer on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 9:17 AM

Roger, congratulations!  As we have discussed, it is a long arduous struggle to adopt in this country, but worth it no matter where the kids are born.  What a blessing to grow a family and change the circumstances, one life at a time.

Chief, hope you are well.  Sorry I haven't been very active lately.  Just trying to get passed the holidays with all the visiting and preparation.  This is also the time of year when we get very busy as the number of heart attacks goes up and those that have had problems all year, want to get taken care of before the year rolls over for another deductible.

I hope to catch up more often in the next couple of weeks.  Everyone take care and have a very Merry Christmas!

dennis

TCA#09-63805

 

Charter BTTs.jpg

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Posted by cnw1995 on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 9:25 AM
Did anyone see 'Deck the Halls' on the Travel Channel last night?  I stumbled across it while mourning the movement of American Choppers to TLC in the new year. They featured a woman who lives just a few towns over who started up a custom layout building business featured in Neiman Marcus catalogs. She had an amazing home layout that mirrors a sort of idealized C&NW line from Chicago to Barrington...

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by csxt30 on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 9:35 AM

Thanks Roy & Chief, & Jim again !! Just have to get the bushes now !!

Forgot to tell Doug M to have a nice trip !! Wow !! New York City !! Hope you get some good pictures!!

Dennis : Forgot to tell you that the layout I helped my buddy build for his Grandsons were for his two Grandsons that they adopted from Russia. They are very nice little boys & really love the trains ! They got them the Pennsy Flyer set for Christmas !!

Thanks, John

 

 

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Posted by laz 57 on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 9:38 AM

Hi GIZ,

   Cooler today only to get to 48.  Played with trains last nite all working good.  The little conventional Lionel Reading switcher really pulls well for a small engine.  Had it pulling eight military flats with loads,3Shermans,halftrack,jeeps,personnel carriers and a MASH helicopter, all made of die cast.  Not bad for a little engine.

I decorated my front yard last nite,what do ya think?

Have a good one?

laz57

  There's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't stay still; Robert Service. TCA 03-55991
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Posted by dbaker48 on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 9:45 AM

Great NEWS here, I got my ZW - Cab1 problem resolved.  Simply had to recalibrate the xfmr.  It appears the barrell of a spade lug which was connected to the post on the back of the xfmr  had depressed the program button.

Kevin - Close the door, its getting cold here, frost this morning! 

Don

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Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 9:46 AM

Good morning from the Bluegrass State.  I have meeting today in Lexington and Louisville.  Sitting here waiting for the first meeting, a conf. type call. Zzz [zzz]

Dr. John, you are such a breath of fresh air, even though you live way down south.  When you get to Roger's Corners, stop by and you can run the trains, both of them.

Chuck, why is it that people have a very difficult time finding Roger's Corners, even though we have taken a photo of the largest landmark in town.  Both you and the Chief thought the food at the local diner was great.  

Roy, if you are doing robotics, could you work on a little robot that sits in the cab of the engine and runs the train.   I would like for it to look like the Chief.  I'll take care of the setting up the other props for the big train wreck, and I'll give you a share of the profits from the video. Whistling [:-^]

John, if you want to make your park look like Roseyville, you need to find an old beat up model car, tear the tires off of the wheels and set it up on scale concrete blocks.   Some old scale 55 gal drums with oil leaking out of them would be a nice touch to the scene.  A couple bums sleeping in the park would add a human touch.  Also a mugger in the bushes, would..........no, I have a better idea.  You need a pond, with beavers and a guy on shore shooting at them. Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg] Mischief [:-,]

See ya down the tracks,  

Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum. Smile, Wink & Grin

Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..

Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR

TCA 09-64284

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Posted by Wes Whitmore on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 10:23 AM

Yea, that's funny, and I used to know people with that in their front yard...

Does Rogers Corner have a Zip code?

 W

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Posted by thor on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 10:25 AM

Morning all, the title of this post is "I'm a Luddite!" but first, a true story.

My father was a very clever man, he was good with his hands and brain, a mechanical and civil engineer who had a good job as a consultant to foreign countries wishing to build dams, railroads, major infrastructure investments. Dad rounded up the best providers and gave them a choice based on price, quality or variations of both to fit their needs.  There wasn't much he couldn't do so it came as a big surprise to me when, in his late 50's he gave me a rant about stereo equipment and how it wasn't any longer possible to buy a good radiogram (those who dont know what that is, its a piece of furniture that has a multi-band radio and record player)

"All I want" he said "is a tuning knob with a decent spread so its easy to seperate the stations which should be printed up on a glass panel with a big needle, so I can see where I want to go to. I'd like a magic eye and a volume control and a tone control and a deck that will take at least six albums. I do not want shelves full of boxes and wires with tiny controls I cant even see and a rats nest of cables everywhere" 

At the time I thought it was funny and a bit odd that Dad of all people, couldn't handle something as simple as unit audio.  So I enlisted the help of an EE. friend and I built him his radiogram of polished mahogany and we adapted the chosen components so he got what he asked for and he was very happy with it and so were we. It looked really nice and it sounded really good. Took a lot of adapting and circuit and chassis building. We basically did the equivalent of putting a Chevy small block in a Jaguar.

Well Dad, NOW I understand EXACTLY where you were coming from, so I suppose that means I'm turning into an old fogey?

I've been reading all the posts and articles about the ups and downs of command control and frankly I've come to the conclusion that its simply not worth it, for me, that is.  If it means losing the ability to do those clever and useful tricks like operating cranes and programming sequences and getting amazing sounds, so be it. I'll be blowed if I have the patience or interest to go through those aracane button pushing, knob turning gymnastics when something doesnt get the message or loses its mind!

Its not just trains either. I don't and won't have a cell phone unless or until I can find one that is simply a portable telephone with human being sized buttons (better yet a rotary dial - much better)and NOTHING else.

I hate CD's, you can't stop them anywhere to freeze a frame, they seem to get messed up from just sitting around even in their cases and they dont look or sound better than tapes and they arent even that small, a cassette is easier to find room for than a CD case. On my motorbike a CD player wont track, even a jogger type its the V-twin vibes I guess whereas cassettes play and in my opinion sound, better as long as they aren't old.

All in all I'm disgusted with the whole cyber universe thing and I used to TEACH Technology!  Its just too much, too many changes too fast and no advantages that I can see. Just a rip off excuse to force consumers to play catch up. 

Its just MY opinion and relevant only to ME. I'm not putting down anyone else, just presenting my point of view.  I don't think it has anything to do with age either as lots of older men seem to be delighted with all that I loathe.

Feel free though to tell me why I'm wrong!

Thanks for listening - cheers, Mike.

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 10:31 AM
 Wes Whitmore wrote:

Yea, that's funny, and I used to know people with that in their front yard...

Does Rogers Corner have a Zip code?

 W

Yes!!!   66666 Evil [}:)]

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by cnw1995 on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 10:35 AM

(Banging on the table with an empty glass) Hear him! Hear him!

 Good for you, Mike - I agree and still teach technology...

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by Dr. John on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 10:39 AM
Thor, I hear you!
 
I think many of us gravitate to toy trains to recapture a simpler, less complicated time. Command control is a wonderful innovation, but it's not for me. I love the simple transformers with their windings and rollers. I understand how they work. Ditto for the old trains themselves.
 
As a child, we had a "radiogram" as you call it. Ours was called a console stereo. A nice piece of cherry cabinetry that looked something like a side table. It had a place of honor in the living room. The receiver was as you described it - a large glass dial with a huge needle and robust knob. The turntable handled multiple LPs (33 or 78 albums) and had an adapter for 45s. It always got a workout at Christmas. I believe it was a Zenith. My folks bought it back in 1952 or 53 I think. It still operates today. My sister in law bought it from Mom and Dad a couple of years ago. Still sounds great after over 50 years of use!
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Posted by thor on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 11:25 AM

Thanks Doug and Dr. John, I must admit I posted that with some trepidation, half expecting a round of...well, not abuse but either the dreaded 'SILENCE' or chortles of mirth.  You're right about the O gauge too, I didn't choose to get back into trains I felt I'd done that one pretty thoroughly but my kids all clubbed together to get me the Disney set last year and I'm so glad they did!

Doug I would still teach Technology, my way, if I could. What I won't do is act as a shill for those companies that sell canned courses to unimaginative Administrators who, knowing nothing about it, fall for the ring binders and overpriced library carts, hook, line and sinker thereby squandering the funding thats supposed to be used to upgrade facilities WITHOUT throwing the baby out with the bath water, like scrapping perfectly good machine tools and not realising the worth of the old programs which simply needed a bit of spit and polish - don't get me started on THAT!

I was a good Technology teacher, got several awards for producing results from people previously treated as unteachable, I'm not that wonderful its just that I love my subject and thats all it takes to get kids motivated.  Kids love a good nutter!  They might tease you about it but they recognize if you're really into it which is all it takes to motivate them. Its the kids who can pick out the time servers and paper pushers as fakes, they rarely miss. I love kids, they used to give me a hard time but they were loyal and really did their best. What made me resign though, was the scandalous uselessness of the administration. Impossible to speak politely on that subject.  The rare exceptions to the rule shine forth and make the job bearable but in every school system I've taught in, they shove the useless gits upstairs to get them out of the way which is a terrible mistake IMHO.

My hobbies were and are, trains, sailing and boat building and motorbikes, I could and did run entire curricula based on them.  I'm not really a Luddite at all, wrote programs in binary for the Sinclair and Amiga, built my own modem before you could buy them, taught micro electronics to kids by using my trains as the excuse for demonstrating the usefulness of programmable units, which were controlled by Basic this was WAY before the Basic stamp and the whole Lego/Logo thing.

Thanks for the response, nice to know one is not alone.

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Posted by Jumijo on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 11:38 AM

Here's a photo of my kids gathered in front of the layout for our family Christmas card. Since I can't send everyone on the forum a card, this is my next best option. So from all of us at the Jumijo R.R.,
Merry Christmas
and Happy Holidays to all our friends here!

  

 


Jim 

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 11:49 AM

Thanks, Jim.

You have some gorgeous kids. Bet they like trains too.

Merry Christmas to all of you at Jumijo RR

Chuck

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by Jumijo on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 11:57 AM

 

Fortunately, they all look their mother, Chuck!

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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Posted by csxt30 on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 12:05 PM

Jim: There you have another Calendar picture !! What a great family you have & Merry Chritsmas !!

                          

Oh, good news is they have a mile & a half of the street cars running in New Orleans now !

Now a comuter train in Chicago derailed. No on hurt, I looked for Doug, but I don't think he was on it.

Thanks, John 

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Posted by thor on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 12:20 PM

Jumijo = Julie or June, Michael and Joe?    What a lovely group, and happy Christmas to you and yours Jim!  

Mike

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Posted by Jumijo on Tuesday, December 19, 2006 12:22 PM
 thor wrote:

Jumijo = Julie or June, Michael and Joe?    What a lovely group, and happy Christmas to you and yours Jim!  

Mike

 

Very close!

Julia, Michael, and John. 

 

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

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