Coffee Pot #2 Febuary 2013 SIX 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. Farina for the REB'S

[rtraincollector]

KRM

Hi Guys,

Wild last few days. I now know how and where it is legal to kidnap and hold someone for ransom in the USA. The USA Healthcare system! But I am back home and alive. I had my first ride in a big square red truck with a horn that sounds like a bunch of female cats in heat. My ticker is still doing it’s job. My wallet will be empty when the ransom is paid. The wife got me for Valentines Day. She is no doubt upset.

I will try to catch up tomorrow. Right now all I want is a hot bath and my own bed. It is good to be home!.

Have a good night.

WT been poping in out last couple of days not up to it and your riding around town playing pulling the cats tail. Tell us whats going on don't leave us hanging.

Evening all just got done ordering some parts for my ZW's and other items lol. Smoke unit parts for my 736 need to return it to original with a pill type smoke unit.

Any way been a quiet day even went back to bed this am and I never do that unless I'm sick I was at the desk and just started freezing so went to bed and slept for about 3 hrs got up feeling better. so far doing okay tonight.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Well it's been a busy day for me and I'm wiped out. So I'm calling it a night. See y'all tomorrow.

Old metal Mantua Magnolia tank car.

[8ntruck]

Partly sunny and 40's today.

My wife and I went out for VD dinner last night.  Nice time, and we missed the crowds.  Only thing is, the resturant did not have any death by chocolate dessert.  We went to the store after dinner to get the chocolate and exchanged VD cards - found one that we each liked, showed it to the other, then put them back in the rack.  I stopped by the flower shop at lunch today, got a bunch of dasies and took them to my wife at her work for good measure.

The USPS insurance claim on the damaged GP-7 I got in December is finally processing.  The seller and I have reached a fair settlement, so I can close the book on that one.  Have to get the new couplers on order for this one.

All for now.

[Brutus]

Thanks for the birthday wishes, I'll pass them along.  Not quite ready for the insurance, that's for sure.  We'll see about his license in a while when grades are where we want them.  He has made great improvements and I'm proud of him, but it shows he could have done it the whole time really.  I was probably just the same - I'd ask my folks, but who needs that aggravation

TARDIS is ready, let's go!

[Demay]

Kev,

I'm glad you're home and alright.  I hope it wasn't too serious.  I'll be praying for you.

Joe

[Lehigh Valley 2089]

Good morning. Early dismissal today. May work on layout some.

[wrconstruction]

Kev, thats a heck of a way to get out of Valentines Day activities.

just kidding, hope your feeling better

I thought I was gonna need a ride in a similar vehicle after that massive buffet we went to, holly crap....

I had a prime rib, two filet minions, fried shrimp, corn, maccaroni salad, tuna sald, potato salad, a regular lettuce salad, pork and sourkraut., mashed potatos, peach cobbler, 6 Pepsi's and a blueberry slushie to top it all off

and then there was hour plus drive home...........................................

and I woke up hungery this AM?

Ryan

 

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill RR....

It is a cloudy 32 degrees. Going up to 40 today with rain later.

Today is a busy day. Wife is grocery shopping and I have a bunch of chores to do.  Put groceries away, have lunch and take a nice nap.

Buckeye & LAZ...  TGIF (where ever you are)

Dining car is here with Cheerios for breakfast.

Y'all have a great Friday.

Chuck

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is snowy in SE Indiana with temps in the 20s.  A quiet night at home.  Watched Glee.  Something tells me the next storyline in that show will be rather controversial and not end well.  A quiet day at work today.  On the road to Bloomington this weekend to see grandson's basketball game.  I hope the weather is cooperative.  TBIL and I can drive.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[sir james I]

The temp is 31 cloudy degrees.

Nothing on the to do list today so we are going to take the new car  out for a run. Six weeks and a hundred miles, I guess it's time to do something with it. Don't leave work early today we need that SS money ..S.J.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 46° with 88% humidity and patchy fog. It'll be cloudy with a high of 65°.


No particular plans for today. Just whatever comes up I guess.

[KRM]

Good morning, Bright sun and 26 degrees,

Thanks guys!

RT, Sorry, I just wanted to go to bed in my own bed when I got home last night after 36 hours of insane terrain.

I will try to make this brief. (That will be hard) I am almost embarrassed because as it turns out I am fine or at least they know what did not happen and have not figured out what did.

Tuesday night I went to see the tax guy and pick up my taxes, on the way there my chest felt heavy and I was very tired. My left arm that has had 3 ulnar nerve surgeries was also in pain but then it is a lot of the time. I only staid long enough to pick up my stuff and have one beer then I went home and went to bed.    

 Wed morning I got up and felt fine but by 10; 00 AM it was all coming back. I washed the truck at the car wash came home and laid down in the recliner. Got up read the pot and felt like crud. By now my left jaw and shoulder and heck also hurt. Nothing crushing but troublesome. So I go to the Quacks office and ask if I can get an appt for a check up and they ask me why and I tell them. They say wait here and then call me into the room take my BP 160 over 90 and leave the room. They come back in and tell me they have called for an ambulance and I need to lie down and they were taking me to the hospital. I say WHAT? I will drive myself, nope you can’t do that, but I don’t feel THAT bad! We will call you wife, okay but be sure to tell her I am fine. Don’t freak her out!

KIDNAPED!

Ok here we go, in the red box needles in my hand misses so one in my wrist, Nitroglycerin pills, baby aspirin, oxy, IV, and cats in heat screaming in the background.

HELD FOR RANSOM!

Morris Hospital, Roll me in place electrodes all over my very hairy chest, EGK. More Nitroglycerin pills, another stick in the arm for blood, IV,BP, heart rate, blood oxy sensors, a shot in the gut with something to thin my blood and something that is like draino for my vains, more aspirin, Nitroglycerin patch all hooked up. How do you feel????? Violated that’s how! How do you feel??? Like I made a big mistake! Well everything looks good, fine let me out of here then. Oh no we can’t do that you have to spend the night. We have to monitor you and give you more test and a nuclear stress test in the morning. What???? So I call the wife to tell her I am fine and not to rush to the hospital,, Oh Kevin I am here already I was too nervous to drive so Jenny gave me a ride.. The Dr. office called and told me you were having chest pain and you were on your way to the hospital. WHAT??? Oh! Well I am not dead yet so go get my truck and have Jenny take you back and get you car you two have a beer or something and go home and relax. I am not going anywhere it seems. 

That night,

They have a menu that looks like it is from a five star hotel but I can't have most of the things on it. They come in and say hey one of your electrodes in not picking up,, must be all your hair. We will needto change it. This may hurt.  OUCH!!  this happens 12 more times before the stress test is done and I have 6 shaved sections on my chest by now and 12 very red spots too. After a long sleepless night with people poking me every 2 hours for something or something else they come in say good morning you should have your stress test and be out of here by 12:30 if it is all okay. Great! I called Sandra and told her to come out around 1:00 and I should be done. Longer story short, 5:00 they finally tell my ticker and all of the other stuff is fine. So I ask the question, then what was it??? Well we are not sure but the good news is you heart is fine. Bills will follow! Have a nice Valentines Day. We got home at 5:30.

Sorry this took so long. 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Kev, I know that routine word by word, blow by blow. Been through it twice! The cause both times, to save you from the long string of Latin jaw breakers, cramps in the area of the sternum, left shoulder and left side of the chest. I had no problem with chest hair interfering with the electrodes as I have no chest hair to speak of, just a light fuzz that would make a peach die from embarrassment.

[rtraincollector]

Kev kinda sounds like my story about 6 years ago I woke up one night heart racing it calmed down I went back to sleep this was a Saturday night off next day laid around the house. Went to work Mon day by 10 heart was racing again called office told them I was coming in and had already gotten appointment to see doc he did a EKG nothing but since your trying to loose weight and exercise lets do a stress test on you to be sure well about week later had stress test during stress test I give Dr a stress test as went into lower defibrillation he said I was close extremely close to having the widow maker twice so I went from that hospital to the main hospital 45 miles away so they can do a heart cath ( now remember wife doesn't drive) so had to get friend and wife to come get me as needed to stop and get truck on way home from local hospital ( 15 miles away) any way one month later I have to get to the hospital 45 miles away again to put a defibrillator put in me. and thats an over night stay so needed to be dropped off and then picked up the next day.

[rtraincollector]

Oh by the way glad your fine

[RockIsland52]

V8Vega

Lawson Farms I have read articles in the newspapers where Reverse Mortgages are great for some people and bad for others, I don't remember why but I would google it and try to find the pros and cons.

Pat.........  let me first praise you for asking a question that is on the minds of every person here on the POT looking ahead and wondering how to most effectively set themselves up for retirement, how to best use ALL of the assets and benefits we have bought and paid for and are entitled to.

This topic came up when I noted that my FIL (91) and MIL (89) see their retirement income (pension, SS, and savings/investments) getting annihilated by costs they never dreamed of a half century ago.  Staying in their home is their objective.  Paying the monthly freight to do so while making the nest egg last is their challenge, just like it is for all retirees.        

Most of us more "seasoned" guys were brought up (brainwashed) with the philosophy that you must to pay off all debt (preferably asap) and be debt free when you pass.  Home and property were an untouchable, sacrosanct forced savings.... brick, mortar and dirt you could not or should not spend.  That we owed it to our kids to pass on an inheritance. 

The fact of the matter is, first and foremost, WE DESERVE the benefit, comforts, and peace of mind of the fruits of our labors.  We earned it.  We sacrificed for it.  And we should be placing our children behind us, second on the stack, not on the top of it. 

We are living longer.  The resulting financial pressures later in life, driven by health, our ever-rising overhead, and the tax/ fee burdens have radically changed the game, have gotten worse.  So despite what we were taught, the reverse mortgage can and should be an integral part of our financial planning in our golden years, even if we don't intend to, or have to, tap into this savings.  I suspect many of us will.  We have to live somewhere.  Why not our homes if we can?

Germain to this discussion are home and property values.  They tanked 4-5 years ago.  The trough/bottom has generally been reached in most geographical locations.  And home equity (home and property value) is finally on the slow rise, may take 5+ more years to get back just to where property values were in, say, 2008.  If you graph property values for the past 60 years, you will find that they have over the long haul always increased.  So while you remain in your home, and perhaps drawing down your home equity with a reverse mortgage, you are simultaneously realizing a positive return/offset..... the recovery of your home and property equity status in the real estate marketplace.  

(1)  For the vast majority, reverse mortgages are the real deal.  They do not follow "It is too good to be true" philosophy  You are essentially loaning yourselves (you and spouse) your own money from your accrued home/property equity. 

You don't surrender title to and ownership of your property.  You and your wife remain living in your home.  You (or your heirs) just owe what you borrowed which will become your heirs' responsibility after you are both gone, whether they want to sell off the property or choose to retain it. 

Yes, you are still responsible for maintaining the home, paying the utilities, and paying the property taxes to keep the reverse mortgage terms satisfied.  The cons of a reverse mortgage are few.  With the right up front advice and choices, these can largely be avoided. 

(2)  Read and then read some more.......but gravitate toward the more recent articles and those written by non-profit organizations and for profit national periodicals who have less/no vested interest in mortgages and your decision.  

Banks and loan originators are selling the loans to make a profit while Money magazine, AARP, and like organizations are more interested in providing sound guidance (and readership).  With all of the articles, take what they say as a guideline, not fact.  The folks writing the articles are not necessarily experts at what they write or what they think they understand from their research and interviews.  Oftentimes they just plagiarize what others have written, correct or incorrect.. 

On the first pass, don't let yourself get overwhelmed in the details.  I'd print out some articles, highlight stuff, put question marks if you don't quite understand, with particular attentiion to your (say) top 3-5 wants and needs, short and longer term.   

(3)  Income and estate tax implications:  DO NOT take as gospel truth what is written in the IRS tax code.  The government's income tax code can (and does) conflict directly with the government's own revenue code; and the revenue code trumps the former in tax court.  A tax advisor knows where.  There are reverse mortgage options better suited for your particular situation.   

I would highly recommend that you pay your/a tax advisor for the best way for you to proceed short and long term, and the best timing for you.  Your tax advisor can explain reverse mortgage tax deductibility (who gets the deductions, you or your heirs, when, and how), for the up-front costs (mortgage origination fees, closing costs, and reverse mortgage insurance where applicable), and for the reverse mortgage interest payments (simply deductions from your equity).            

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0192-reverse-mortgages

http://www.smartmoney.com/taxes/income/would-a-reverse-mortgage-affect-my-taxes/

http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/articles/money/financial_pdfs/hmm_hires_nocrops.pdf

http://www.reversemortgage.org/GetHelp/MostFrequentlyAskedQuestions.aspx

I am not a certified financial planner.  I am not a tax expert nor an estate planning expert. 

I determined long ago that tax and estate planning matters were becoming far too complex and were changing too quickly (every year) for me to remotely believe I could or should be the expert in these disciplines.  If I were to try and do this stuff myself, it would be kind of like:  "An attorney who represents himself has a fool for a client." 

Yes, earlier on I moved to filing long form, then graduated from paper and pencil to Turbo Tax software.  But the first year I used a tax expert, he wound up finding me lost money on previous returns (refiled, refunds).  Always saves me more money than I spend on the actual tax preparation, always gives me sound advice on how to prepare for the coming year, and provides considerations for the longer term.    

So I "buy" the expertise I am deficient in.  What I pay to my tax and estate advisors is very short money versus what they save me in the short and longer term.  And they do it knowledgeably and legally.  Plus their services are mostly tax deductible.

Jack

[jonadel]

Kev --  sure glad you are home and had the "pumper" checked out   My situation two years ago when I drove to the Drs. office with a severed tendon, right hand, was similar.  They sent me to the ER and wouldn't let me drive, "your wife is on the way here and she will drive you" but, but, but ......... they have no sense of adventure.  I do hope you can relax now and perhaps take things a bit slower.

Pat -- Reverse mortgages, go SLOW.  My wife is a retired certified financial planner, go SLOW.  You have many options with your farm, be cautious.  Banks like Reverse Mortgages, they make lot's of money.  If you do go that route be sure and get several opinions.  Just my .02

[RockIsland52]

rtraincollector

Oh by the way glad your fine

Kevin........amen to what RT said.  

I read your Cliffs' Notes initial version of events and was wondering what was up, sounded ominous.  To me, this incident may have been the best incarceration, if only to provide you with a thorough baseline going forward with all of the test results. 

You probably will be getting a better explanation as to the what and the why in a week or so when the cardio doc has all of the results in and has had an opportunity to put the pieces together.

Jack

[jeffrey-wimberly]

RockIsland52

What I pay to my tax and estate advisors is very short money versus what they save me in the short and longer term.  And they do it knowledgeably and legally.  Plus their services are mostly tax deductible.

My father and I have our taxes done free by trained volunteers of the AARP My mother worked with them for years.

[Hudson#685]

Kev: Glad that you are OK! Time to get caught up on the Pot.

[KRM]

Hudson#685

Kev: Glad that you are OK! Thanks John!

Time to get caught up on the Pot. You can say that again and I was only gone for 36 hours.

8N,   "We went to the store after dinner to get the chocolate and exchanged VD cards - found one that we each liked, showed it to the other, then put them back in the rack."

 What a great idea  

Waffle House??? Only south of the MD line as far as I know.

Ryan, "Kev, thats a heck of a way to get out of Valentines Day activities." Yeah but it worked.

The nuclear stress test: This was new to me. My only other one was an echo stress test back in 2009.

For this one they injected me with nuclear isotopes and made me wait for an hour while it pumped around in my system. Then I was put into a machine that took 32 pictures over 16 minutes. Then it was on to the tread mill starting out as a flat walk and working up to a very brisk walk at a 14% incline. I needed to make it 8.5 minutes to hit 85% of what is expected for my age, height and weight. At that point I could quit but I keep going till I hit well over 100% something over 11.5 minutes. My BP was 180 over 90 then. At that point they injected another shot of nuclear isotopes and I had to slow down and walk it off till my blood pressure came back down. BP was 131 over 84 and I went back into the machine for 32 more pictures. They say that this test will show all past and present problems and is the very best test for heart functions. The girls said I did great on the mill and my BP looked good but they could not tell me anything else. I should get the results in details from my "general contractor" doctor next week.

I guess you could say they put me through the mill.

 This afternoon I have to pick up the munchkin for the weekend. We will be busy, glad my ticker will be up to it.

 

[Banks]

Hello all,

TGIF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cloudy low 30’s here this AM. Colder with a “Trace” to a couple of inches predicted for tonight.

Where’s LAZ?????????????

Brutus…..congas to your son. As for the insurance………………..

Kev.. glad you’re OK. I had a similar experience a few years ago. All because the BP medication I was on didn’t agree with me.

 Jack………. all very good points. My Dad (always was a sucker for a salesman) has a life insurance policy (from a company I will not name) purchased when he was in his early 70’s. It was a very bad deal. The annual premium is high. The cash value is low. Less than half of what he’s paid so far. The only way for him to recoup the “investment” is to collect the death benefit. If he would have put that money in a solid mutual fund he would be way better off.

 RT…………layout looks good

 Mrs & I had a quiet V day. I bought her a $0.99 Valentine and a $2.00 rose from the dollar store and a $1.99 pineapple upside down cake from the grocery store. Made her day. We dined on Chinese takeout I picked up on the way home and then we watched the two oldest grandkids while their folks went to have their taxes done. I gotta admit I got a good wife. It takes very little to keep her happy.

Mailed my YORK registration this AM. I’m looking forward to seeing some of you there.

This evening starts our Parish’s Lenten Seafood Buffet. For me that means 7 Fridays of frying fish from 4 till 7 PM. Mrs handles the shrimp and clams.

 Mrs made a reservation at a local restaurant for the family to celebrate MOM’s 92^nd birthday Saturday evening. Should be a good time Son was born 32 years ago today.

 Try t' get back over the weekend.

 

Prayers for those in need

[jeffrey-wimberly]

KRM

For this one they injected me with nuclear isotopes and made me wait for an hour while it pumped around in my system. Then I was put into a machine that took 32 pictures over 16 minutes. Then it was on to the tread mill starting out as a flat walk and working up to a very brisk walk at a 14% incline. I needed to make it 8.5 minutes to hit 85% of what is expected for my age, height and weight. At that point I could quit but I keep going till I hit well over 100% something over 11.5 minutes. My BP was 180 over 90 then. At that point they injected another shot of nuclear isotopes and I had to slow down and walk it off till my blood pressure came back down. BP was 131 over 84 and I went back into the machine for 32 more pictures. They say that this test will show all past and present problems and is the very best test for heart functions. The girls said I did great on the mill and my BP looked good but they could not tell me anything else. I should get the results in details from my "general contractor" doctor next week.

I guess you could say they put me through the mill.

Put you through the mill. That's a good one! I've had a couple of stress tests myself. My first one (years ago) involved being wired up for sound then the walk and run on the treadmill and that was it. The second one (last year) was the nuclear stress test. They skipped the treadmill for obvious reasons. You need to be able to walk for that and walking is one of those things I can't do much of anymore. I was still wired up like Tom Swift's Christmas tree though.

[Hudson#685]

Beautiful day in Bayville, NJ. The calm before the storm.

My wife and I went out for lunch yesterday at a restaurant that just reopened after Sandy. The food was excellent. She worked at her ice cream shop last night and I spent the evening with Mom. We dined, at her request on take out pizza. I then serviced a 685 and 6026 tender that I purchased a while ago. A great runner. I purchased a dozen roses and a bag of Hershey Almond Kisses and a bag of Hershey Carmel Kisses for my wife and had them set up before she woke up. Back to #1 hubby. I brought Mom a Big Russel-Stover Heart w/asst. chocalates, her favorite.

Kev, as I said before, glad that you are ok. Did you give the wife the tulips?

Brutus, Jim, Happy belated Birthday Wishes to your Son. I am glad Chewey is doing better.

RT, Congrats on the ebay win. The 2026 should be a good runner. Get well!!!

Refire, Jim, No need to undercoat these new cars. They come rust proofed.

Harold: Been thru having an expert spec a truck! Not just snow plows either!

LV: I hope that you find the right 2055 and tender for the right price. They are great runners.

Mike: Good news about your daughter. I hope your other problems work out.

Chief: Our cat is the same way. She always wants to snuggle with me.

Ryan: Was that Shady Maple that you went to? You and your wife remind me a lot of my wife and me but I had the 6 weeks vacation. Our age difference is 10 also but I am 10 Months older! There is no Motor home in our future or at least just living in one. Good luck with that.

SJ: Tape and plumbing, I had to laugh. Reminded me of my Dad and his fixes. He was a Lineman and everything was fixed with electrical tape. 6 weeks and 100 miles on the new car. Enjoy it!

Fife: I like the General layout idea. My wife loves those 4-4-0 engines. I bought her the Chrome Lionel General set for Christmas in 1982 or 83. I can't recall the number but she loves it.

SubbmmBob: Now you know why we still have the 1984 Ford F150 4x4 with over 300,000 mile here. My 2007 GMC I really like. The part that I found amusing was the front spoiler/air dam they put under the front bumper. It worked like a snow plow and used to stop the truck in deep snow. I cut that off and I think it looks better. I wnated a 4x4 TRUCK, not a sports car!

RI Jack: Glad that you are recovering from the storm. Mack just had his $250 well dog checkup.

Jeffrey: Hang in there and take care of yourself.

Pat: Really look closely and make sure the reverse mortgage meets your needs. I have seen good and bad with co-workers, their parents and friends thru the years. I have seen it cause a lot of family problems later on down the road. Just my 2.

AF53, Ray, 2 packages are here!

Laz must be at the all you can eat line!

ANJDevil: Rich, I hope you and the Princess meet up soon. Greenberg is coming up soon.

Have a Great Day!

John

 

 

[wrconstruction]

KEV, dinner and high dollar roses STILL may have been cheaper, though.

Hudson John, yes, it was Shady Maple.  We eat there at least every other month.  All I can say is that it is for the better we dont live closer.  We try to go when they have the holiday specials, the Valentines Holiday special is by far the best deal.

I highly recomend that place to anyone. not to far from york, either,

Glad Kev survived his almost heart attack

I suffer from something similar, but its from a muscle or nerve contraction in my esophogus (sp?) (lower throat)    this has never been confirmed, because the sympotom (verry much like a weak heart attack) don't last long enough till I get to the hospitle.   It generally goes away after several glasses of Ice Water

Ryan

[sir james I]

Kev, glad your OK, boy we have to watch you all the time don't we. Had the tread mill stress test last summer, everything was fine till I reached the stress point. Needle went crazy, looked like an earthquake. Heart was skipping beats. Maybe need a pacemaker one day. Anyway Hope your feeling better.

Today at a steady 70 MPH the new car showed 30.4 MPG. 4 cyl Ford Escape. Gas was at $3.95 today so selling my P/U might have been a good idea although I miss sitting up high in the truck....S.J.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

The mail carrier has come and gone. I got my 9-oin harnesses for the DH123 decoders I've had here for ages. They can now be of some use. That gives me four Digitrax decoders now. Two DH123's and two DZ125's. Right now I'm looking at one of the recipients of one of the DH123's. A Burlington Northern Roco/Atlas FP7. The other DH123 will go into the Union Pacific Roco/Atlas FP7 after I repair it. Both units will be lubed while I have them opened up. While inspecting the UP unit I could see evidence on it that it was dropped at one time or other as it has a scuff mark on the edge of the top of the shell. It's hard to see even if you're looking for it. As the box is undamaged that means it wasn't in the box at the time or this is another box. That would account for the front truck being broken and some parts missing. I have a gray primered unit coming that I gave $20 for to use as a parts source for the UP unit and it'll provide more project parts. It should be here sometime between the 19th and 27th.

That should give Pinky and The Brain ample time to take over the world!

[cnw1995]

Aloha. Nice to see the sun though it is cold. Picked up the boy at college so he can have a weekend home. Quizzed him about his coursework on the way back. Kev, glad you're OK. It's worth the $ to find out. Bride and I will go out to dinner tonight to celebrate Val Day instead of last night's 'Amateur Hour'.

How 'bout that Russian meteorite? See the videos all over the Interwebs... 

[RedfireS197]

SJ,

         What year did you get?  My dad had a 2002 Escape XLT with the 3.0 V6, and it never gave him any trouble.  He's in the market for an 05 or newer right now. I'd be looking for one to drive every day if I could afford it.

John,

          I really wish I didn't get the undercoating.  I'll really be regretting it next week when I crawl under it to replace both rear parking brake cables.

[fifedog]

Evenin' boys.  Sunny & 58 here in the Mid-Atlantic region.  Hopefully, won't be dodgin' meteors this weekend.  What say you, submmbob?

Laz is fine.  He's just doing laz things.

KRM - Glad there wasn't anything wrong with the heart.

Hudson - That would be either the #8004 Rock Island & Peoria (red w/chrome boiler), or the #8104 Union Pacific (green w/chrome boiler).  The latter is rather rare and came with a display case.

Demay - I will probably pick up the Nutcracker set one day as well.  Wished they sold the engine as a stand alone piece.  It will be interesting to see what technology they cram into the General in future offerings.

-------------------------------

I'm also guessing that technology is what is driving my urge to go simpler in my engine purchases.  I've got approximately six-seven hundred dollars worth of "dead" engines that have to go to the repair man.  That's getting old.....