Coffee Pot #4 April 2012 8 years [April 1 is Anniv.] and going strong and its for all to chat. Plenty of coffee and sweet ice tea for all. Come and join us and chat. GRITS for the Yankees.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Got news on my mothers condition. No improvement. Not what I wanted to hear.

Well, this is the progress made on the SD27J today. All the air tanks up top have been replaced and moved around a bit just so it's a bit different from anything else out there. Yes, I know the cab is sitting a little high. It won't go down any farther. The loco was badly damaged in a fall last year when the display rack broke and fell off the wall. The frame is slightly warped but it runs OK.

[ChiefEagles]

Afternoon all.  Chilly and fair.  High 30's tonight.  Wifey's beds built and she has started planting.  Off to have ribs with Fred.

Went to CPA.  Prepaid Fed. taxes.  Still have to pay a lot more.   Getting out of hand.  Get back as much from the State as have to pay the Feds.   Something wrong with IRS and Feds. 

Shake and Bake is just bragging.  Got his chest poked out a mile.

Happy Easter.

[Buckeye Riveter]

TGIF

Prayers for your friend Cylinder.

I have been really busy at work.  The state is spending money to fix bridges. I love getting reviews done by people who have never built anything in their life.

Happy Easter to Everyone!! 

[blownout cylinder]

Good Afternoon/Evening

We just got back from the hospital...friend is doing...hooked up to IV for just about everything now...it is MRSA they are dealing with....we are basically taking each day as it comes...

I'm going to need a few  tonight .....

[dbaker48]

Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Prayers for all those in Virginia !!

 

Day 3 – Solo Flight

 

Began the day at Little Toot, trainer decided he was going to ride in the train cars, and let me on my own!  Was I ready for this?  I didn’t think so.  Where I had left off on Little Toot the previous day was I was running the train, but he was next to me.  He was maintaining  the “Dead Man Switch” while I controlled the engine.  As there is minimal space in the cab this worked fine.  After we would get back to the Depot and all was secure, I would nudge his calf to release the Dead man switch.  So first time out, I checked with the previous engineer for status of engine, then checked all my pressures and temps to ensure I was ready.  Waited for ride operator to give me the “thumbs up” and then started.  Blew 2 toots on the whistle, set the bell in motion, increased the throttle, did we move?  NO!!!  Had steam coming out from under the drivers, and nothing happening, quickly checked everything couldn’t find anything wrong.  THEN realized I hadn’t put my foot on the dead man switch!!  Soon as I did we were moving!  Big sigh of relief, then focused on not slipping the drivers.  Managed to maintain a full head of steam, and didn’t slip or stall out on the first grade.  Trip went grate, man was I ever proud!  Thinking, “I can do this”!  Got back to depot and missed my mark by about 3 feet, but did get the passengers all on the platform.  Trainer was pleased with my response and correction to the start-up sequence.

 

The very next trip he told me to do a “Blow Down” while enroute!  (Oh, crap I barely get one thing right, then I’m doing something else!)  Started off better did have a little slippage going out, but minimal.  Note: On C-19 the number of passengers don’t really affect the drag of the train, primarily the number of cars do.  On Little Toot, not the same, both the number of passengers, and their relative density, has an impact!!  Barely escaped stalling out on the grade after leaving the depot, but managed.  My signaling wasn’t it could have been, but it was noise.  So forget about that now, concentrate on Blow Down sequence, to my dismay there was a evening breeze that popped up so couldn’t Blow Down (BD) in desired area, had to wait so the steam wouldn’t blow back on the cars and passengers.  (Wouldn’t have been bad for a couple of them though.)  Ended up blowing down left side first, and had to wait with right side till we turned 90 degrees.  Then all set to do right side and had to wait for painted decorations or plants before BD.  Got ‘er done, just in time for 2 req’d whistle toots.  Then into the “s’s”, which are on a slight grade, and very sharp.  Got through them then started arrival bell, and slowing down was way to fast.  Got speed under control (car brakes), then waving to waiting passengers, and thought I need to throttle back, ended up with too much brake but was committed, ended up stopping train short.  (4 feet).

 

Did about 5 more trips and was really getting to enjoy this.  But, had to go to lunch, and then over to C-19 to relieve the fireman for his lunch.  Had a engineer I had not worked for before, but everything went pretty well until I got back to the depot.  Needed to do an injection of water to the boiler, and started it fine, but closed the water valve before the steam valve, which causes problem for the water valve stem.  Not to mention how much steam I dumped out of the bottom of the engine AT the depot.  Did notice it quick but took a few seconds to recover.  That wasn’t really so bad, but it rattled me a bit, and I began to over think everything and ended up doing same thing 2 more times before night was over. 

Finally, shift was done, and went through the shut down procedure for C-19, and boy was that ever exhaustive!  Even so far as climbing on front of the engine to place a metal trash can lid over the top of the stack.

 

All in all, got compliments from the trainer, AND a couple of engineers.  The trainer asked me if I thought he talked to much, I told him YES!  He then informed me he was using the “distractive” form of teaching, to make sure I could multi-task.

 

Off for 2 days, go back on Sunday afternoon, (Easter, but atleast its pm).  Found out week of 4/16 the Goose will be back in service, looking forward to that!

 

(Think I will change to email posting on this, taking up too much space.)  

[RockIsland52]

It is a sunny but cool afternoon here on Cape Ann Taxachusetts,

Wife is shopping while I am supposed to be cleaning......so I am following SJ's sage advice and am goofing off.  By the way, I am still waiting for SJ to gloat over the Tiger's 3-2 victory over the Red Sox yesterday.  Quite a pitchers' duel, but Verlander continues to be the best in all of baseball.

Chief.......prayers for your church friend's wife.  I can't imagine being in his position, or hers.

Roy.......prayers likewise for your SIL who is still not 100% after last week's trip to the hospital.

Blownout.......also for your buddy.  Hope the fever is down and the Docs have put a lid on whatever was causing it.

Spam again for lunch , and the can says this stuff was distributed out of a place in North Central Illinois. 

KEV........welcome home, and in pretty good time no less.  Guess you didn't hit any moose in transit either.  I hope your better half is feeling better.  You CAN be a pain in the........ 

Wow, Rich, you musta been sitting on pins and needles with two brothers in the first Gulf War.  to your brothers!!!!

JEFF.......what is upstairs for me isn't jumbled or scrambled because I don't have anything much upstairs to get jumbled or scrambled.

We had better keep Don and LAZ far apart or we might have a head to head pileup.

Fife......new drivers licenses for the wifey and me, AND the wife's new bank card arrived yesterday.  But the fraudulent charges are not yet fixed......$1.20 one is remaining.  And by Jimminy I am going to the mat over it.

I almost didn't make it back from Chicago this past Sunday.  TSA issue.  More on the particulars later.  But I suspect they learned I was pals with the Chief and that aroused their suspicions about me.

Later gang.  Gotta make the wifey THINK I have been hard at work.

Jack

[rtraincollector]

hey all not much happening today did get my appointment in the mail for the cardiologist for the 18th thats quick seeing it normally takes about 2 - 3 months.

Just took it easy today and relaxed. the temp a little while ago said it was 58 I thought it felt more like 68 lol.

Talk to you all later have a good easter all

[jeffrey-wimberly]

KRM

Jeffery, lay low.

 

Not much choice on that one. That's about all I have the energy for right now..

 

Got the couplers on the U30EM645 changed out. Found a pair of air tanks from a U25B. Going to try them on top of the SD27J and see how they look. If I like them I'll dig around and see if I can find another pair. I'm toying with the wild hare of an idea of making a set of torpedo tube tanks for one of the SDP40F's. I haven't seen anybody do that yet.

 

[KRM]

ChiefEagles

Good night.  Chilly and rainy.  Yankee raid.   Might have some frost tomorrow night.    What???  With all that is planted and blooming. You mean wilting!!      Kev's fault.  Brought back ND weather to us all.

Chief. Who Me?? It was warmer there than here.

 

 

 

 

What a chatty bunch. Happy Good Friday.

Bright sun and 60 with a breeze.

Got to cut grass and pull weeds.

Picked up 4 Miller cars for my beer train so far and looking at 3 more.

Sandra is down with back pain today so we set her up to see the chiropractor tomorrow. Hope it helps.

Brent congrats on the adoption process the Q and Miss Christinia.

Jeffery, lay low.

Prayers to all in need and gave a blessed Easter weekend.

Kev.

[MichRR714]

Hope everyone has a nice Easter weekend.  Many Blessings to you all!

[cheapclassics]

Good afternoon all,

IIABSDISEI with temps in the 50s.  Quiet night last night.  Good day at work.  RI 52, thank you for the tax "advice".  I also appreciate the offer to take care of my vast train collection as well.  No worries as the federal ones have been mailed and the state will have a direct deposit on Monday.  Brent and the Q, congrats on the latest step in the adoption process.   Don B., a most enter"train"ing set of stories so far.   Trains magazine might be interested in them.  Quite a moving collection of memories from the Gulf War recounted here lately.  As far as Rommel is concerned,  there is nothing to be lost by studying what your opponents did and did not do. 

Just had a conversation with Lucas and his first round of outpatient went well.  On other fronts, he is signed up for the summer classes he needs, and I have a lead for him for some summer work and his future father-in-law may have a job for him when he graduates. 

I had the regular fare on the dining car for breakfast.  TBIL after Good Friday services tonight.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[jeffrey-wimberly]

anjdevil2

Jeff - My suggesetion for you is take the weekend off.  You've earned it.  No chores, just trains, TV and food.  Dr. Mopar's orders.....

Hey, you read my mind! Be careful, there's a lot of clutter in there.

[SPMan]

Morning all,

Warm day ahead and Good Friday mass at noon.

V8 Dennis, re your sister in Virginia Beach, are you from Virginia too?  I grew up not far from Virginia Beach in Portsmouth, Va.

Article in paper today about front man Magic Johnson for the Dodgers, sitting with former hated owner, Frank Mc Court at the season opener in San Diego.  Or to put it another way, doesn't Magic know what this looks like to fans.  The L.A,. fans don't want anything to do with this clown (McCourt) but according to the paper he still has some interest in the property.  They referred to him as a business partner.  Say what?  I mean after spending over two Billion bucks to buy the team and this guy is still around?  I don't get it.

Didn't see much of golf tournament yesterday at the Masters.  English guy is in the lead but not by much.  Tiger and Phil both got lost in the woods but Tiger is only 5 strokes off the lead.  Augusta National folks are at it again this year with their exclusion of women from membership in their good old boys club.  Don't know how they can get away with that stuff in this day and age.

Brent, congratulations for Miss Christinia.

Jeffrey, I think you have done extremely well, considering all the health issues you are dealing with.  Keep up the fight.  You are a brave lad.  I know your folks appreciate all the help you give them.  I always read with interest what you are doing lately on your layout.  You are one HO guy that gets a free pass on this mainly three rail o gauge forum.  Your input is appreciated.  I started in HO myself back in the 60's.  Used to belong to a club with a huge HO layout.  Before that, I ran HO around my living room on home made roadbed before Lionel ever heard of FASTRACK.  Met a friend in the 70's who was a Lionel collector and repair man.  Caught the O gauge bug from him and the rest they say is history.

later,

Ray

 

 

[anjdevil2]

Good Friday.

 

Here at work, it’s in the 50’s and not a cloud in the sky…..NONE!  Here ‘til 6.

Those of you with my facebook account can see me getting beat by my Captain and a boot (new guy) in putting on my SCBA.  Still, 42 seconds ain’t bad, considering the standard is 60 seconds…BTW, those guys did it in 34.

 

V8 – Happy Birthday (belated)

 

Brent – Congas to you the Q and Miss Christina!!

 

– for those ailing…..I’m doing this by memory and that ain’t what it used to be….

Jeff - My suggesetion for you is take the weekend off.  You've earned it.  No chores, just trains, TV and food.  Dr. Mopar's orders.....

 

AF-Ray – Yes REAL major league baseball starts at 2:20 PM today in Tampa…the Quest for 28 continues….

 

Sir J – Devils over the Red Wings – tell the Mrs. I said Hi……

 

I was up and awake for Desert Storm….I had 2 brothers in the fight, one on the beach head (USMC), the other coming from the South (US Army in Saudi Arabia) on the spearhead.  Both got commendations.  The Marine is retired, still in Okinawa (Sgt. Major of the USMC), the other still active duty full bird Colonel. 

 

Don B - Congas --- Great stories....love it!

Not much else here, I’ll check back sometime soon or if I forget something……

[cnw1995]

Aloha from a sunny and cool Crystal Lake where this morning is the time for a reality-check-breakfast with the middle boy. Had one of those conversations with my daughter last night - overdrawn at the bank with more than a few bills coming up. Then my wife has a long list of things (for me) to do. Probably go to church around noon. Gulf One I was in a probably-still-undisclosable location...  Nice ride on the Tardis last night. This might be a personal best three-evenings in a row.

[AF53]

Happy GOOD FRIDAY to all! A day for reflection for sure.

Talking about the first Gulf War I remember watching it from the waiting room at jury duty. Being that this was the first war, I believe, we could watch on tv it was really different. Unlike Vietnam this was live tv action.

Yankee's opening day today in Tampa. Tuff division this year again as is always the case.

Have a good day,

Ray

[Stourbridge Lion]

Happy Friday CTTFans!

Well, we did get some Rain/ Snow mix the other days that made a huge difference.  Sadly the forecast shows another Hot / Dry stretch coming and about 40% of the state is under "Red Flag" warning coming into the weekend.  Snow pack levels they said today are at a 30yr low statewide.

The past few days we had replacement widows put in the ground floor so hopefully this will give us cooler summers and warm winters by having better windows.  The 50yr old old windows with cheep interior storm windows actually kept out more sound; must have been the wider air pocket dampened the sound better.

[Anonymous]

Dennis - what I find disturbing is that Americans had a picture of a loser in their Bradley...

[sir james I]

35 with bright sun. Nothing pressing this morning, A Good Friday service at noon with potluck after. That will be my meal for today. We had a good attendance last night on the Tardis chat. All is well.....S.J.

[dwiemer]

Good morning everyone.  Getting ready to head in.  We do have a big case today, but it is not mine.  Doing the call thing, which will keep me there later.  Hope to be done in a timely manner as I am on camera for the Good Friday service tonight.  We have that young violinist I mentioned some time ago.  Also, Alex Kendrick, the main guy behind the movies will be narrating the Easter Story.  Should be a good time.

RT, thanks for the correction.  I must have been thinking about when they had the explosion on the Iowa in the turret.  A friend of mine's son was on the Wisconcin during the Gulf War.  Sent back some video he took of the first missile away.....which they told him he was not supposed to have taken.  I don't know if he ever got in real trouble.  Perhaps the Wisconcin was the first surface ship that fired ;-)

Joe, it is amazing, the technology and training our side does, how it beat an army that had a fair share of experience.  Still, my favorite quote in regard to an Iraqi general who was captured, sitting in the back of a Bradley wanted to know why the Americans had a picture of Rhommel in their vehicle.  The Sgt. Told him "if you studied Rhommel's tactics, you wouldn't be in the back of my Bradley!"

Time for me to head in.  Please keep in mind the sacrifices that were made for us, one to keep us free, one to save us.

Dennis

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill RR....

It is a sunny but cold 34 degrees. Going up to 54 today with sunshine.

Today is a busy day. I have an errand to run and the usual chores to do. Then, a nap this afternoon.

Baseball....Well,..... I think they should have left the pitcher finish the 9th inning. He was doing great. The reliever blew the game for him. 16 innings ending with a loss. Puke.

Dining car is here with Cheerios for breakfast.

Buckeye & LAZ.... TGIF

Y'all have a great Friday.

Chuck

[laz 57]

Hi GUYZ,

  Happy GOOD FRIDAY!!!!  Say aprayer today.

CHUCK, TRIBE lost in 16.  There goes the season.

Gotta pull weeds again today.  Not much else.

JACK, ya think a 100 yrds on fishing line would give me enough to troll on that boat?

Stay frosty,

laz57

[RockIsland52]

Good Mornin Y'all From A Sunny and High 30s Taxachusetts,

Brent.......... on your latest victory of sorts.  Congratulations on this milestone, for Christina, Susan, and you!!!!!!!!  Time to party!!!!    .

Jeffrey..........hang in there, buddy.  You need to take care of yourself first and foremost.  We all realize how much your folks need you, and I do tease you about them...... like your Mom's shopping activities and furniture escapades, with you serving as chauffeur, or your Dad's projects.  We all admire what you do for them.  I pray your Mom is doing better.

Blownout........glad your buddy is back on the mend.  Prayers continue.

Banks.......glad your Dad's pneumonia has been squared away, and prayers the blood oxygenation follows suit over the next few weeks.  Prayers continue for him.

MikeC........sorry for the teasing on the income taxes, but I figured you could use some smiles along  about this time.  As a parent and a grandparent I have never felt comfortable trying to deal with my family's health care issues because I am too much of a control freak.  This fault of mine can come in handy at times when major decisions have to be made, ones that demand a clear head and critical thinking.  Prayers for Lucas, you, and the family continue.   By the way, give me a holler when you need a good tax attorney......I've got one. 

Don........you should write a book.  Please keep the Knotts stories coming.  They continue to be a hoot and as funny as they seem they get better and better.  You looked pretty "in character" with that one photo in your train duds, but you looked out of place wearing them in your garage standing by your car.  You and LAZ should start your own railroad.  

Time to make some coffee,  let the dog out to empty the tanks, and then feed the dog.

Later, gang.

Jack

[Anonymous]

Mornin' Fellas

Prayers for those in need.

Final Adoption Hearing went off without a hitch. Will have the birth certificate in about 4 - 6 weeks, then we get the SSN. Christina slept through the whole thing.

First Gulf War I as stationed in Germany, it was just after reunification and I was serving in a mobile nuclear capable unit. I can tell you with 100% certainty THAT was NOT a good time in my life. Scariest moment infact. Spent 30 days at a base along the old WG/EG border in a town that was founded in the 1300s. While we were VERY concerned for out brothers-in-arms, we made the best of it. One night we had over 3 ft of snow and a fellow soldier from (sp) Boccaloosa, LA had never seen snow, so we got some of the construction grade plastic from the barracks they were building and went sled riding... he was the first one down the hill... right into a snow bank! Only thing visible of him were his boots! We pulled him out, he gets up, and exclaims "That was AWESOME, gotta do that again!" Great times... also had the best lasagna at a local restaurant there... best snitzel was at a place near (sp) Nienmeggan, WG real small place... ahhh this brings back some memories... sniff sniff.

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

Sunny and 55F today...

It is a really quiet morning out here ...birds singing..Spring clicking away in here...the flowers are out..well...kinda.

Friend seems to be hanging in there..we were there yesterday..did not get back till late in the evening..they suspect MRSA....

to all needing it....

Kev:  I'd be guessing about late 1960's early 1970's? Certainly looks it....

[rtraincollector]

Dennis I was in the first gulf war. I was on the U.S.S. Wisconsin BB-64 Thats the ship the newspapers said fired the first tomahawk missile ( it actually wasn't but was the pic they got and the pic that got printed in just about every newspaper around the world)

Morning all. feeling better today. Still a day of rest. Not to much going on yet need to make some breakfast and see how the day plays out.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 59° and clear. The high will be 78° and it'll be partly cloudy.

Woke up with a headache but the cloud in my head is gone. To give some perspective so you can understand, my aphasia started in 1962 after a bout with meningitis caused significant damage to parts of the brain. My speech and hearing were both significantly effected. My hearing was and still is scrambled. That's never changed. The issues affecting my speech and writing lasted until 1977 then just went away for twenty-three years. In 1984 the speech and writing problems returned for a short period then just vanished again. In 2000 another recurrence that lasted a week. Seven years in the clear then another short recurrence then five more years in the clear. That brings us to 2012 when as you know another recurrence took place. It may be over, I don't know. I hope it is. You have no idea what kind of hell this is. I don't mind telling about this because it's in my records available for anyone to see.

Now, plans for today include working on the SD27J. It still needs two air tanks and there's a part right behind the cab that's missing. I'll have to scratch-build that too. Front handrails are gone, nothing I can do about that. I also need to replace the couplers on the U30EM645. It has those plastic knuckle things that are good for nothing but causing nightmares, uncouplings and derailments!

[Demay]

Konnichiwa,

It's been a busy couple of days at work and with school.  I am caught up for the moment.  I've still had time to have fun with the kids.  We've played some whiffle ball, ran trains, and had some nice long walks/bike rides around base.  The weather has been odd: it will be warm in the morning and then around 1400 it will start getting cold.  It's been that way the past three days or so.  We had an office picnic today so I left work early.  We don't have any plans for this evening.

Dennis - I remember watching the first Gulf War on television.  I was in 11th grade and knew I was going to be in the military one day, but I had no idea I would find myself in Iraq just over a decade later.

I'm praying for all of us in need, especially for those who are ill or have loved ones and friends suffering. 

Sayonara,

Joe

[ChiefEagles]

Good night.  Chilly and rainy.  Yankee raid.  Might have some frost tomorrow night.   What???  With all that is planted and blooming. Kev's fault.  Brought back ND weather to us all.

Wifey and I watched new series on ABC.  Scandle.  Dog gone good.

Got all my records for CPA to do taxes tomorrow afternoon.  Got to start saying no to folks asking for donations.

Sleep tight.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Today got around pickup problem with Atlas U30M-R-EM-645, hmmm, shorten that U30EM645. Did hardwire mu consist with Atlas H24-66. U30 has now eightteen maybe twenty wheel pickup. Both perfect match run well together. Bachmann motor control. DCC address 201, H24-66 cab#. Running three decoders on this. U30EM645 Bmann motor control. H24-66 Bmann motor control Digitrax light control. Digitrax has spinoddle popped motor circuit working lights only MARS front, 2 strobe rear.

Bored everyone enough. Good night.