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COFFEE POT #12 December 2010 for all to take a drink and chat. 5+ years and going. Plenty of coffee but also Christmas cookies and grits along with egg nogg and sweet ice tea.

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Posted by cheapclassics on Thursday, December 16, 2010 9:50 PM

Good evening all,

Not a good day.  Stayed home.  Accomplished nothing.  Tried to run Scout set.  Engine is all crapped out.  Called dealer about warranty work.  One time I need receipt I do not have it.  Whole situation soured whole day.  Compared to others' worries this means little, but it just p---es me off.  Not blaming dealer, just mad at myself.  Not been a good month train wise.  Almost did not sign on tonight.  Really really bummed.  Not sure what I am going to do.  May try to return entire set and get refund on it and expansion set.  If I get restocking charge deducted, that will be fine at this point.  I have got almost 200$ into both of them, and parts to replace would be almost 50 to 100 so who knows.  Just venting right now.  Pay no attention to man behind curtain.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

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Posted by dwiemer on Thursday, December 16, 2010 9:15 PM

Good evening guys.  Been another long day.  Had early cases to take care of and then went to the kid's school for daughter's Christmas party.  Took son to Cracker Barrel to place an order and have lunch.  Went to Hobby Lobby... they have several Atlas train sets and individual cars, but they only have them on a small display out front.  The regular area where they kept the trains is all plastic models.  No Lionel anywhere.  Hope they are not dropping O gauge.

Tonight, had a meeting with sales rep to get some special supplies for a most difficult case we have coming up.  This is a rare type surgery and we don't usually keep these types of supplies in house.  Takes up too much space and costs too much to justify when we can order them in quickly.

Chief, how is your "other wife"?  I have not heard you mention her lately.  Hope all is going well for all Y'all up there.  Try to stay warm and safe too.  We had quite the wind storm the last couple of days and now we have rain for the next few days.  Temps had been down in the teens, but are now heading into the 50s.

Hope each of you has a blessed night.
Dennis
PS: Jon, Mr. Feller also has the distinction of being the first major leaguer to put his career on hold for the greater cause.  While many followed, there can only be one first....and he was it.  Also, a girl I dated many years ago...her father pitched for the Reds and left to fight in Korea.  He didn't return to the mound when he got back.

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Posted by rtraincollector on Thursday, December 16, 2010 7:55 PM

Got my PRR GP-9 in today they are beautiful from 1973/74 as paperworks says authorized dealers for 1973-74 on it. They appear and i believe they haven't ever been even test run. The dummy unit still has the dealer remove this insert to display sleeve over the Styrofoam that the engine sits in.

Will display more pics Christmas as wife took once I inspected to make sure all was fine.

Hope all had a good day today.

Talk to you all later gotta run.

Life's hard, even harder if your stupid  John Wayne

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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 16, 2010 5:34 PM

RT,

         Thanks for the email.  I'd buy it, but I blew the AF budget.Wink  The 312AC that I got in November was part of that same cataloged set, but the seller sold me the 312AC separate.  I wish I could've afforded to keep the set together because those cars were just as nice as the 312AC.

I got the 18B yesterday, and I will likely be parting it due to extensive case damage under the right throttle among other things.  It just doesn't seem practical to sink money into a rebuild, so I'll take what I need for the 30B.

Also got what I need to hopefully begin reproducing the whistle gaskets for the 314AW as no one seems to be making them and mine are leaking.  Finally getting started on the actual Christmas layout as well.

 

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Posted by sir james I on Thursday, December 16, 2010 5:31 PM

Good Evening

sun and 25 today. roads are clear but no snow melt. I'm just going to watch TV and grab the banilla on the way out to the thingy...S.J.

"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks 

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Thursday, December 16, 2010 5:07 PM

Well, melting away.  Black ice possible tomorrow morning.  Upper 40's by noon.  Dogs in the house and kitty snug in her bed in the mudroom.  Burg passes through going out and ignores her.  Finn ticks his nose up there and looks.  Mom picks Lucy up and put her in the kitty bed and Lucy and her are buddies.  Another pet for me to look after.  Kitty has not been out since early this AM.  She just eats kitty food in a bowl on the drier and goes back to sleep in her bed on the washer.  Guess when we wash, she gets moved to the chest freezer.  Wifey going ot a concert in neighboring town.  I'll watch White Christmas on AMC.  

OH, we might get snohio again Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Crying

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 jonadel on Thursday, December 16, 2010 12:41 PM

Greetings from the Heartlands!  It's been awhile since I last posted, lots of stuff going on and I'll be relieved when Christmas is over but then that means January.  I absolutely hate January, worst month of the year, at least when we get to February there is "hope".  We lost our electricity last Sat. night  for 12 hours with that wind that wouldn't stop, that's the first time in the 20 years that we've lived in this house.  Fortunately Sharyl was in Denver so it was just me, it got down to 55 just as the juice came back on, we had wind gusts of 67 MPH that night, not so much fun.

Bob Feller -- Van Meter, Iowa was where he was born and went to school.  He went right to the bigs out of HS and gave up his career for 4 years when he joined the Navy, he enlisted the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked and saw heavy action.  He was known in school as "Rapid Robert" and the "Heater From Van Meter".  He always lived in Cleveland but called VanMeter his home town.  I was able to tour his museum in VanMeter a few years ago and it's really cool, VanMeter is only 8 miles from Adel and is well worth going through if you enjoy baseball--it's only 1 mile from I-80.  There's only one other player with his own museum, Yogi Berra.  He pitched 3 no hitters .............

Almost ready for Christmas here, last year Sharyl gave me a Tin Plate Christmas train and it's going great under the tree, I REALLY like Tin Plate and it's probably a good thing I started with O gauge Wink  I'll try and get a picture posted soon.

Hope everyone is well and enjoying this very special time of year!

Jon

So many roads, so little time. 

 

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Posted by rtraincollector on Thursday, December 16, 2010 10:27 AM

Best way to advoid Philly is get on PA turnpike and take it into jersey and get on theres and go from there 

Google directions it usually gives you 2 or 3 options on how to go.

Life's hard, even harder if your stupid  John Wayne

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Thursday, December 16, 2010 10:06 AM

S.J.......Yes, I remember Bob Lemon. He was a good pitcher.  So was Early Wynn.

Chuck

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Posted by AF53 on Thursday, December 16, 2010 10:02 AM

 

30 and cloudy at exit 77 this morning!

Banks - I believe the best way around Philly these days is through it's bullpen! Confused

Ray

Ray

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While you're busy making other plans - John Lennon

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Posted by sir james I on Thursday, December 16, 2010 9:15 AM

Good Morning

10 to start 28 later

Philly, been around it, through it. Depends what time of day. I usually took the pike into Jersey or if we were south, through Chester. Even took the auto ferries years ago, but they were not dependable. Bacon, taters, eggs and 1 toast this morning. First time this week so it's ok. Remember Bob lemon? he was a good Cleveland pitcher too. S.J.

Merry Christmas

"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks 

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Thursday, December 16, 2010 8:21 AM

Blueberryhill RR

Yes, Chief,  Bob Feller was a Cleveland Indians pitcher. I watched him play , when I was a kid in the '50's.  He threw a 107 mph fastball . They have a statue of him outside Cleveland Stadium.

Chuck

Yes, I knew.  My first real baseball glove was a "Bob Feller".  I still have it.  One of the all time greats.

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Thursday, December 16, 2010 7:59 AM

Yes, Chief,  Bob Feller was a Cleveland Indians pitcher. I watched him play , when I was a kid in the '50's.  He threw a 107 mph fastball . They have a statue of him outside Cleveland Stadium.

Chuck

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Thursday, December 16, 2010 7:47 AM

SNOHIO Morning to you all.  Schools closed.  Slicky slidy.  South Main Street covered except for the frozen tracks.  Has changd to rain here which means a nice coat of ICE over the snow and wheel tracks.  Just sitting and watching TV with my cup of coffee.  Kitty is on her bed on top of the washing machine in the mud room and the "gang" just looks and shrugs their shoulders.  Wifey is sitting on the couch with a never ending phone call doing what she does best.  TALK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  While she does that, I am in and out with the gang in the snow and freezing rain. Bang Head  Suppose to be all washed away by noon as temps turn warmer.  

Wasn't Bob Feller a baseball player years ago????

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 cnw1995 on Thursday, December 16, 2010 6:56 AM

Feller - Keller. Uh oh, that's how rumors get started. Aloha to you all. Very warm 18 this morn. Going to get the youngest his dinosaur um lizard today and then try to hide it until Christmas. This should be hilarious. Stick out tongue  Not. My. Idea.   Never been to Philadelphia - sounds like a song title - except once in the bowels of their train station on Amtrak to Wash. Nice, if too brief, chat with SJ and Brutus last eve. Ran trains. No pile-ups. Just musing I need a layout project - everything is working fine. Now that I've said it, something will break. Big Smile

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

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Posted by fifedog on Thursday, December 16, 2010 6:26 AM

Wha...? Tongue Tied  Bob Keller died...?  I didn't even know he was sick.  He looked pretty healthy in BTB33...Sigh

On a related note, we are getting some of that "sunshine state of Wisconsin" weather today.

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Thursday, December 16, 2010 6:22 AM

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is a cold 15 degrees. Going up to 30 today with cloudy skies.

Today is a busy day. grocery shopping. I have the usual chores to do and a few things to leep busy. No time for trains today.

Dining car is here with the usual breakfast.

Y'all have a great Thursday.

Chuck

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by laz 57 on Thursday, December 16, 2010 6:14 AM

RIP,BOB FELLER.

laz57

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Posted by laz 57 on Thursday, December 16, 2010 6:13 AM

Hia GUYZ,

  17 and cold here.  Got tree last nite and put in water, going to decorate friday nite.  Then run trains.  Gotta make a B double E double R UN tonite.

CHIEF, nice shootin DEADEYE!

Stay frosty,

laz57

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Posted by John Bakeer on Thursday, December 16, 2010 4:41 AM

Thanks for the birthday wishes guys.

We normally only see that white stuff on Christmas cards. As a rule by the time your weather systems get across the pond, it has turned to rain. I think this lot must be Russian.

We were driving on the left long before there was a USA. I think you folks just took the wrong side to upset King George.

By the way, What are CHRISTAMS cookies? 

John Baker

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Posted by dbaker48 on Thursday, December 16, 2010 1:26 AM

Evening All !

Got the Christmas tree up, was able to revive it after all the wilting due to the heat.  (Used some artificial tree freshner, worked great!)

Speaking of heat, who ever is setting at the gun sight SURE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING!   Our weather has taken a bad turn!!!  (Bob, its going to be coming your way, probably see it Thur night).  Weather forecast is:

Today (12/15) 30% rain, Thurs 10%, Fri 30%, Sat 60%, Sun 60%, Mon 30%, Tue 30%, Wed 30%, Thur (12/23) 60%,  THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE !!!   Enough with this winter stuff!  I'm ready for spring and summer!  Temps are going down too!  The next week to 10 days is 50's to low 70's.  I'm really worried about Christmas Day, we plan on doing some visiting, and I don't really want to go buy a jacket for those few hours.  Enough with that, it is really depressing.

Got the Beep all modified and working for the friend of mine, he was really happy with it!  Spent some time today with another friend helping him hook up some Ross switches.  Possibly will see a new California guy on the pot.  Hope so, he is really cool. Cool

Helped wife with SECOND Christmas tree in the family room.  It gets the trains around it, put up the Polar Express, and a Santa handcar.  I think Santa developed a bad case of arthritis, he is not doing his share of the pumping.  Opened it up and a small plastic piece of linkage is broke, going to be a real challenge to fix!  Maybe a couple of toothpick splints?

Glad to hear Char is doing well, hope it continues!

Getting late here, so calling it a day.  BTW, saw "Burlesque" with Cher, it was pretty good.

Later

Don

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Thursday, December 16, 2010 12:29 AM

Home from the lake. Crying  Came home for a meeting that has been canceled.  Seems we are to get snohio until mid morning and then turn to rain.  Since the temps have been below freezing, it may stick on the highways.  All the roads have been sprayed with brine.  Schools delayed two hours and that gives them time to cancel if if dows stick.  Blew leaves to dict at lake house.  burned them.  Three times the big piles I blew still on the ground.  Neighbor with zero turn and big vacum on back usually gets them up.  Pay back for me mowing his yard off and on during the summer.  Seems he bought a fifth wheel camper and pulled it to CA to visit his son.  He's back but I bet he does not come up.  His yard looks like carp as tall grass [I did not mow as I thought he was coming up and "mowing" leaves] and lots of leaves [to blow in my yard].  Think I will take bagger up and put on my mower, suck them up, dump them in ditch and burn them [everyone blows theirs to the ditches and burns them].  Pam does not need them for flower beds as we got plenty last year.  Stayed below freezing all day yesterday [well, now it is two days ago, Tuesday] with high winds.  Went to shooting range to shoot in lake house .22 [one I won on Gun Brokers and put scope on].  Took .22-250 and shoot two rounds.  Center perfect bullseye at 50 yds and at 100 yds.  Did not shoot anymore as too cold.  My lake buddy and I went to McDonalds [fanciest thing in Clarksville VA] and got big carmel mocas to warm up.  Came back to lake house and stayed in.  watched hunting on TV and slept.  Lucy and Finn did the same.  Thing is Finn will stay out with no problems due to his thick coat.

Philly, never drove there.  When I was traveling the USA to Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's, I avoided Philly airport if at all possible.  "Worst" [Southern for BAD] airport in the USA.  Always delayed getting in and always delayed getting out.  Horrible terminal.  If you wanted to experience the bad Yankee attitude Whistling, you found it there. 

Why did the CA guy get coal for his Christmas present.  He is always bragging about his warm temps.  I will add Santa Anna winds to those warm temps and a "Spark" and let him brag while the ground trembles. Whistling

Off to bed.  Will sleep late and drink coffee while folks struggle to get to work in Raleigh tomorrow morning.

Good night and sleep tight. 

PS:  I said Char would get to stay home.  Tell her I said, "Good girl."    

 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 8ntruck on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 10:37 PM

Cloudy, 20's today.  Walked out of work to find a little bit of freezing rain - oh goody, goody!


Banks - lots of neat stuff to see in Philly if you have time.  I don't know if it runs in the winter time, but there are busses running between historical sites downtown.  Buy one ticket and spend as much time as you want hoping the busses from site to site.  When I was visiting the mint, a person in front of me in the gift shop paid for their purchase with a large bill.  The checkout clerk asked if they had anything smaller, as she did not have change.  I'm standing there thinking 'but we are in a factory that makes change - what do you mean you don't have change?!'

Driving in Philly - yuck!  Probably double or triple yuck if it is snowing.

All for now.

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Posted by dwiemer on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 9:22 PM

Banks

. My question of all you Jerseyites is what's the best way to get around Philly?

Avoid it at all cost!  I used to think Philly was the dirtiest city I have ever been to....until I went to New Orleans!  It has been a very long time since I was there last.  I think you can take a spur off the Pennsy Pike that brings you north of the city, towards Chester I believe.  Fife or one of the current locals should have a better idea.

Turned out to be a long day.  I had traded times with a guy I work with so he could make a eye appointment.  As they say, "Never let a good deed go un-punished!"  Had a pseudo emergency that I had to take care of and it kept me there late.  Other guy is on call, but with his eyes dilated, I will cover for some time.

On the train front, I recently got some new buys in and have noticed a few deals to be had on line.  Seems a lot of "new old stock" items are coming up.  On another train related note, I tried to get onto the Justrains web site today, but I got a message saying that the site was no longer available.  Hope it was just a computer glitch as opposed to them going out of business.  We shall see.  I will try again later.

God Bless,
Dennis

 

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Posted by Banks on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 8:58 PM

Hello all,

Quick sip on the way to bed.

Got an unexpected trip to Millville New Jersey on Friday to look at a job I'm bidding. My question of all you Jerseyites is what's the best way to get around Philly?

Best get to bed

 

Prayers for all in need.

Banks, Proud member of the OTTS  TCA 12-67310

  

   

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Posted by cnw1995 on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 6:51 PM

RockIsland52

DougM.....how do you manage to concentrate, run trains, hold the martooni glass steady, and film....all at the same time?  Or was your better half helping out by doing one of those?  Laugh

Jack.



It's a gift, Jack, a special talent... Stick out tongue  Actually it was kinda hard to hold the camera uh phone and run the 520 which has to be throttle-jockeyed... the other three can run by themselves.  Off to run them again  Big Smile

 

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Posted by sir james I on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 6:06 PM

Good evening

sun and 25, for awhile this afternoon I could see pavement at the middle of the street. I guess everyone was too cold for banilla last nite so there is still plenty plus A & W.

Brutus the beacon is humming...S.J.

"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks 

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Posted by RockIsland52 on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 4:05 PM

DougM.....how do you manage to concentrate, run trains, hold the martooni glass steady, and film....all at the same time?  Or was your better half helping out by doing one of those?  Laugh

Jack.

IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.

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Posted by navyjack on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 2:54 PM

Big Smilehello guys received the new mth catalog and wish i had a million bucks, they got pretty trains.  doug i liked seeing pictures of your layout.  thanks.  sensors mounted around my property showed the attempted entry of a 210 lb intruder.  i let the dobermans loose and the intruder disappeared.  rt i hope that you enjoy your vacation. anyone know who might be missing?  ha..ha.. jack with the two female dobies, i dont even need a second line of defense.  see heidi and emma do not have the kind disposition that yours does. a henry 30/30 is always ready though.  ha..ha..anyway merry christmas guys.  navyjack     

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Posted by SPMan on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 11:47 AM
Good morning all, Doug, thanks for the layout pictures. Very nice! Good weather is gone now. Rain predicted for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Had events to attend on all three days. TCA Christmas meet is on Saturday but I have been volunteered to go to a Christmas show at our local college the same afternoon. If it's raining, I might pass on the TCA meet cause we already had to pay for the tickets at the other show. Commercial train show at L.A. Fairground on Saturday and Sunday but rain not good for them either and certainly not the outdoor LGB Garden Railway over there. At least it's not snowing yet. Quite a deer story, never heard of a road kill being mounted but if it works go for it. Sorry about the $3500 auto damage. Hope no one was hurt. Glad Char is home. Prayers for continued recovery. Hail to the Chief, where ever you are. Stay warm or frosty, which ever turns you on. Later, Ray (SPMan)

SPMan

              

 

              

 

              

 

              

 

              

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