RT - you are a DEAD MAN! It was sure nice knowing you, brother!
CHUCK - Happy Birthday! Don't let Buckeye swipe all your goodies!
Nice chats tonight with the guys. Read some in my Classic Trains mag about E-Units, very interesting. Local tv news did a special about beer in Saint Louis. A lot of smaller beer companies are doing very well 4 years after the Inbev deal for AB. I know a lot of people have hard feelings about that whole deal, feel they were sold out. 1000 local jobs disappeared that had been good jobs held by people over generations here and suddenly that family decided they would go for the money instead of the community. One of them now has his own brand of beer, Kraftig. I've tried it and it's okay.
TARDIS is ready, Freddy - we have banilla and lemon, so let's get going!
RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.
Chuck!!!
Pat, as far as rental/fleet use cars, IF you go to someplace like Enterprise Car Sales, they take the best of the best and retail them. I ran the recon shop in FLA before my relocation and I was tough on the cars. If I didn't like 'em they were sold to dealers. FYI....Enterprise is the largest buy of GM products in the WORLD, and is in the top 5 on everything else. So the odds are, if you buy from a used car dealer or a used car from a dealer, it probably was a rental/fleet car at one time.
Brent - No if only more of the owners drove their Beemers like it WAS the Ultimate Driving Machine ...Old Saying: Ban Low Performance Drivers, Not High Performance Cars....
I have driven BMWs, Lexus and MB.....they are all nice. MB performance isn't bad, but you can find most, if not all of the architecture under most Chrysler products....The Durango/Grand Cherokee is M class, and the Charger/300/Challenger are E class. Just for the record: I'll take the SRT8 392 Challenger, thanks. If I had to take a V6, I'll take the Challenger Phoenix engine with 305 horses. Thanks for asking....
OK off to bed....work in 7 hours....NYTOL.....
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
Brent,
Really, I don't think anyone can come close to the German/European brands in terms of engineering and quality. A 335i in Interlagos Blue would be nice, but it'd still take a lot to separate me from Ford's 4.6 V8. There's just something about it. This should explain it:
watch?v=G1WORjezj5Q
Vista Blue is similar to Interlagos.
Time for me to call it a night. Stayed off my feet most of the day and never once set foot outside. Have to mow the parents yard tomorrow weather permitting. The weather guesser is calling for a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight and 60% tomorrow morning. It's looking damp. see y'all tomorrow.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Probe - it was about 50/50 parts labor. The kicker is I received an email from the dealer last year that they were slashing their fees to better compete with local shops. I have to find the receipt again and then I will be responding to the service manager's email. I know I could have just paid their $250.00 diagnostic fee and then taken it somewhere else, but since it was water pump and tranny related I didn't want to run the risk that I drive it off the lot and something would blow up... as that would be my luck.I've been stewing over this since Tuesday and receiving his email today just set me over the edge. OH - and trust me BMWs are worth every penny when it comes to their repairs. They simply cannot be beat for luxury and performance. When they say 'we don't build sedans, coupes, SUVs, crossovers. We only build one thing. The Ultimate Driving Experience' they aren't kidding. I drove a brand new Ford Fusion fully loaded last week while my car was being repaired due to a parking lot incident, we drove a Ford Taurus while in FL last August, and we have driven numerous other cars while travelling and BMWs beat them all. I have not driven a Lexus or MB yet - so I will let you know my analysis after I do.
62 now, was nice today but stayed in the 60s. I got a lot of outside stuff done. Cut & trimmed the grass, cleaned the helicopter seeds out of the eaves, the patio is ready for summer and then son-in--law came by and sprayed weed killer on the grass as Scotts+2 was not doing the job. Took a Tylenol 3 and plopped on the couch, A little Banilla and I'm ready for the thingy guys...S.J.
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
Think good thoughts, do good deeds!
Just got my shipping info on my the wife's scale GG-1 and it won't be here till Monday night so I will have to tell her her present is going to be a day late. But she will survive that news fine I'm sure. especially when I tell her I spent almost $200 on her present
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
Happy birthday Chuck.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHUCK
Have a great day Chuck!
Don't post much but still lurking in the background.
Take care,
Mitch
Bob Mitchell Gettysburg, PA TCA # 98-47956 LCCA# RM22839
My sister is a Honda nut. She's owned Honda cars since the late 70's and quickly found that they can be expensive to maintain especially if taken to the dealers garage. That's happened only a handful of times when it was work only they could do. Any other time her car needs work it goes to a private garage not affiliated with the dealer. Fact of the matter is she found that the dealer was charging three to six times what a private garage was charging. I had the same kind of thing when I needed a blown tranny in my Century replaced with a good used one. $1,800 to have the dealer garage do it. Screw that! I took it to a private garage. For slightly less than the same amount of money they changed out the tranny, replaced the motor mounts, rebuilt the entire front end, replaced one of the CV shafts and threw in a couple of new tires. Total was $1,740.
I've heard that BMW's are not cheap in the maintenance dept., but that seems very steep. Most of that is probably labor too.
Jack,
That post about used car dealers hurt. I've been there. Small used car lot run by a slimeball that probably has mob connections. Check. Fail to inspect car and let emotions take over. Check. Sign check for $1280 for 20 year old neglected car. Fail.
My experience buying the Mustang last June was exactly the opposite. Got it from a small lot run by very friendly, honest, no pressure people. No terrifying ride home either.
LawsonFarmsRR Jeffery - A birthday every few month like Buckeye?
Jeffery - A birthday every few month like Buckeye?
Can't believe it has been almost 2 weeks since my last post...I have no idea what is going on in life... except that Buckeye reminded me that today is Chuck's birthday and I am truly happy that he is still with us today!I've been mega busy (yes busier than normal). Last weekend was car trouble from hecht... dropped TheQ's 5 series off for an alignment, then went home to work on the brakes on her Murano - she called BMW about my car's engine temp light coming on and was informed to bring it in NOW, do NOT wait - so stop working on brakes and take my 3 series to dealer... get loaner car, return home and installed brakes. Get call just as finishing up that her 5 series is done, then get call about my car... I WAS NOT sitting down...car needed a new water pump, coolant thermo, coolant expansion tank, radiator flush... $1,700.00OH and the mechanic noticed that your transmission is leaking fluid!You need a new transmission pan gasket, transmission fluid flush... $975.00UGH!!!!so total for the weekend:3 series repairs - $2,650.00 (they gave me a discount)Alignment, tire rotation, balance... $170.00brakes $130.00Then I got an email from the BMW Dealer Service Manager today...
Good morning all,
Happy birthday Chuck
I found out why I needed to replace the power strip yesterday. The circuit breaker trips when you use the toaster. However, no problem with low voltage things like radio and can opener. Toaster works OK on house power without tripping outside circuit breaker so must be the power strip. Have to try a different store to find the one I want.
Fired up the gas bar-b-que again yesterday and cooked a steak. Came out good but I had to watch it like a hawk to keep from burning turning frequently. Grill seems to be either too hot or too cold. Maybe I need to have all the burners on at one time to keep it hot or else keep the hood down longer. I thought just a couple of burners under the meat would be enough.
SJ, thanks for the explanation about the lemon ice cream. Send me some!
Hot weather this week. Need to get out to trainroom/garage soon before it's too hot.
later,
Ray
SPMan
RAY - Is there anything that hasn't gone up substantially since BO became you know what?
CHUCK - I know you only have one each year.
DARREN - Borrow one of CHIEF'S weapons for the rabbet problem. I have the key to his gun safe.
JACK - I would be hesitant about buying a lease turn in or a fleet car. Do those guys take care of them? Change oil, maintain tire pressure, wash off the winter salt,etc?
KEV & SPANKY - Must be nice that your wives take an interest in your trains. My wife never goes out to the train bldg. (Come to think of it, that could be a gook thing.)
Pat
RFD-TV --- Rural America's most important network!
Afternoon all!
Have a great day Chuck!!!!
Regards, Roy
Aloha and Happy Birthday to Chuck. It is a beautiful Birthday for Chuck here in northeastern Illinois where the sun is shining, the birds are singing and I'm trying to figure out if I could work in a quick jaunt to the Illinois Railway Museum where they expect a full-size replica 4-4-0 to run this weekend. Love to see that! Looked for the Tardis last night but must've missed it.
Wow, I never knew SJ is responsible for the popularity of Lemon ice cream!Jack, funny you should muse about used cars. Just had a long conversation with my daughter who wants to buy one she finds cute ... or rather she wants me to... that's not going to happen. I did the due diligence with our van - which I bought used 12 years ago. Still running thankfully (I bought it at a fleet sale).Kev and RT are sure getting their wives nice Mothers Day gifts. How can I top them?Darren, thanks for the coffee on the pot - how about a few donuts next time too?JohnF, I'd love to work on that Markin and European catalog project...
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
Chuck
Kev not mine either think age is getting to laz as mine is exactly one month after his. (he brings the year in I'm the early ground hog )
I bought some train cars off choochoo and figured while I was probably already in doo doo I might as well buy the wife a Williams scale GG-1 from train world I got the more expensive one they had the PRR in Tuscan solid stripe for $149.99 or the 5 stripe for $169.99 in a blow out sale I figured might as well spend the few extra to get the one I wanted for her with the 5 stripes as shes worth it.
Seeing Kev got his wife that swell bobbing horse head boxcar i figured i would go all out. I'll tell her I will add tmcc to it in the near future to make it completely ready.
All for just her seeing sunday is Mothers day
RockIsland52 Jeff........read your post on motor oils and viscosity. My owner's manual for the 2007 calls for 5W30 year round, but that somehow sounds a tad thin in my mind for the heat of the Summer.
Jeff........read your post on motor oils and viscosity. My owner's manual for the 2007 calls for 5W30 year round, but that somehow sounds a tad thin in my mind for the heat of the Summer.
Good morning. It's 73° and sunny. The high will be 85° and it'll be partly cloudy.Nothing much going on today. I plan on mowing my parents yard either today or tomorrow. I want to give the wound on my foot a chance to heal a bit so I'm leaning toward tomorrow. Also I'm a bit bit more shaky today than usual so it's probably best to stay away from any type of vehicle today. That also puts the brakes on most model work. Perhaps a day of watching movies is in order.
Banks Hello all, Pats' back. Where has Jonadel been??
Hello all,
Pats' back. Where has Jonadel been??
JimSP and Brent88 among others also MIA!!!!
Jack
IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.
Happy Happy Birthday Chuck from the Heartlands Hope there are many many more for you !
I had an "oh my gosh" moment yesterday. I was standing the Flag Line for a Viet Nam Vet funeral yesterday, 2nd one this last week -- Agent Orange. Standing in the Color Guard, holding the American Flag was a Pearl Harbor survivor, it was his 3rd Honor Guard funeral in two weeks -- never misses an opportunity to honor an American Hero, It was truly an honor to shake his hand. He is 92.
So you see Chuck, you have more Birthday's to look forward to! Best Wishes.
Jon
So many roads, so little time.
Kevin mayhaps they are thinking you won't make it past Mothers day.
Hey guys, BTW, IT IS NOT MY BIRTHDAY??? Yet. Don't know where that came from? I only have one a year. You will have to wait till August. I did go to Dollar General and got a mother’s day card for a dollar.
Hey guys,
BTW, IT IS NOT MY BIRTHDAY??? Yet. Don't know where that came from? I only have one a year. You will have to wait till August. I did go to Dollar General and got a mother’s day card for a dollar.
I did go to Dollar General and got a mother’s day card for a dollar.
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
It's 48 w/bright sun, a good day to cut grass and get outside. I too have problems trying to use some new web site and for me the checks the thing. The TCA site is a good example tried to pay my dues on line couldn't even get the page I needed. Poached egg, fried spam on 1 toast for breakfast..S.J.
Good Mornin' Ya'll From Rain Soaked Taxachusetts,
The East coast boys like me are getting drenched, but the forecast has it clearing here (mostly) and mid 70s for Mothers' Day weekend. I think KEV said it's just another Hallmark weekend, so services for him should be held shortly thereafter if his wife gets wind of his opinion. If she doesn't get wind of his opinion, his proposed flanged gift to the wifey will still insure his demise. Make your travel plans either way.
to Chuck, Blownout, RT, KEV, Roy, of course Buckeye (again), Rich's Princess, with Jeffrey coming up (early announcement). I am trying to figure out what historically occured at or around this time years back that would have caused this May explosion in birthdays with Jeff's folks slow on the uptake.
We have quite the number of walking wounded. DougM (leg), RaySP (tummy), Jeff (foot +++), RT (leg), DJ (leg). and Blownout (foot). also that Dennis' two adoptions are close to being realized.
Pat and all.....sorry about yesterday's dissertation on used car buying and how our kids don't listen to us. Sure enough, my son's car purchase yesterday got derailed, lack of planning and thoroughness. Who would have thunk? Pat........I too drive our cars to the grave, and I used to have the same concerns buying pre-owned. For me, I love the hunt, love dodging the massive depreciation hit buying new, love driving something a lot nicer for a lot less than I would/could otherwise acquire, and the comfort of extended warranties. Have not gotten burned with a lemon yet! I focus on locating low mileage two year lease turn-ins and dealership executives' cars which are turned over annually when the next model year is released.
JoeyD........why are your sending us all of that floating garbage and debris?
DougDG and all who have had Lasik and the vision-correcting IOL implants following cataract removal......what a boost in the quality of life!!!! Uncorrected 20/20 vision, something I never had. Been thinking about Lasik for what seems like forever.....
MikeC.....did I miss the good news with Lucas? on whatever it is. We need a current insider's update on the Indy events leading up to the 500.
KEV........have you updated your will in anticipation of your demise on Mother's day this Sunday? Are we in it? Your trains need to be bequeathed to guys you trust to take care of them. BTW.......your wifey needs the driveway work completed and the grass mowed before Sunday, so hop to it.
HudsonJohn......your wife has a gift. Wish I lived close by so I could get some of her creations. It is a 9 hour road trip round trip to get down to your place and back.
Rich.......all seems a lot better now. Enjoyable 10 hour work days sure beats the alternative! Princess with you. The joys of parenthood and college expenses in the pipeline. All that seems missing is some Harley weather.
Chief.....do the Bayer products really work well in the lawn on bug control? Safe for the dogs? Do they have to be reapplied? We have a severe tick problem up my way too. Mosquitoes will be the next plague this year.
LAZ.......t-minus 18 days to your new career and LAZ Camp!!!!!! Re your advice on running with one's dog, dehydration, and the pup's propensity to overheat.......your Minnie and Maximus are dark dogs, even worse.
Darren........had to laugh when I read your post on the bunnies. Currently my Maximus the dog is busy defending his compound against chipmunks, rabbits, Canadian Geese, wild turkeys, snakes, snapping turtles, and white cranes. The coyote seem to have moved on. Maximus must have some bird dog mixed in with the Doberman lines.
JohnnyF and V8.........just don't shoot yourself in the foot and join the walking wounded mentioned above.
JimmyT........it must be just about time for you to be looking for some new rear tires on the Mustang GT. No??
Later, gang.
Good Morning CTTFans!
It's 54F and clear heading for the low 80's but needed rain is scheduled to find it's way here on Friday. We are now listed in Stage #1 Drought restrictions which is nothing but does show it's a bit dry around here too.
Well, the bunny came back into the yard yesterday and when the wife spooked us we ran straight for the shed where he hide often during the day. Since they can see ahead the bunny did nit notice the chicken wire I put across to holes and *BANG* head first into it. The wife said he bounce straight backwards about 1 -to- 2 feet and then panicked until he got out of the yard to find another safe spot. Neither of the adult rabbits have been seen since the bunny showed up so I think either the local Fox or one of the Coyotes might have gotten them. They do tend to keep the rabbit population is serious check and even though this baby bunny is cute it is starting to be a pest so it's own it's own to stay safe as I've block it's only safe spot in our yard from access now.
Coffee is on me today...
Darren (BLHS & CRRM Lifetime Member)
Delaware and Hudson Virtual Museum (DHVM), Railroad Adventures (RRAdventures)
My Blog
Good morning guys, Cool sunny and blue sky going up to 70 today. Well not sure but I think we will be doing more gravel today. I have to wait to see if Jim calls. I sent an e-mail out to some of you with a link from last nights Letterman’s monologue. It is for the Chief. The good part starts at the 4 min mark. Hope you like it as much as I did. I have a much better understanding now of Chief. Just kidding,
Good morning guys,
Cool sunny and blue sky going up to 70 today.
Well not sure but I think we will be doing more gravel today. I have to wait to see if Jim calls.
I sent an e-mail out to some of you with a link from last nights Letterman’s monologue. It is for the Chief. The good part starts at the 4 min mark. Hope you like it as much as I did. I have a much better understanding now of Chief.
Just kidding,
Well prayers to all in need and have a great day.
Sounds like the consciences here has me done for after Sunday. Hope not.
Later.
to Chuck. Don't eat to much at the party
Just in case to Buckey too
Clear cool 43 here this AM
SS Fund is shouting here.
Prayers for those in need
Banks, Proud member of the OTTS TCA 12-67310
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