Coffee Pot #3 MARCH 2013 NINE 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 Yanks.

[lion88roar]

KRM

WOW Brent, and I thought I had problems getting the simple things done. Mr Murphy must of been around.

 Happy birthday to Granny SJ.   

 

Kev - I'm beginning to wonder if anything is 'simple' any more! I really am considering buying a lift when we build the next house. It would make doing any car repair under the chassis 1,000x easier. When you are crawling around on the floor it is next to impossible to free a seized wheel. Just hope the darned things don't reseize before this weekend or you may hear some choice words coming from Northern Maryland!

Probe - don't believe it! The speedo reads 0mph. Did you just sit there and wind the odometer?

[RedfireS197]

Fife, Mike, and anyone I missed,

                                                              Keeping the going.

Brent,

            That's definitely one of those weekends.  Hope your brake job goes easier than mine.  When I set out to just replace the rear pads on the Mustang.  Just the rear pads snowballs into both rear rotors, special tool set to wind pistons back in, front pads, LF caliper bracket, and both rear parking brake cables (cables are dealer only parts).  Don't ask me about spark plugs on that car...

Friday night was interesting for me.  Installed Flowmaster Outlaws on the Mustang around 5:30, then took it out for a drive at 6PM.  Came back after less than 20 miles and took them off.  Too loud and way too much drone.  Sold them Sunday night.

Finally got the Probe over the 200K mark yesterday.  Now, I can relax a bit.

[KRM]

WOW Brent, and I thought I had problems getting the simple things done. Mr Murphy must of been around.

 Happy birthday to Granny SJ.   

[lion88roar]

Mornin' Fellas

Fife - continued prayers for Alexis!

Thanks for the birthday wishes. Was a long tiring weekend.

Started off Friday night by getting my car prepped for a weekend of repairs. First opened the hood and started removing parts for the tune-up. Had to pull the upper and lower cabin filter trays - no big deal. Then needed a T45 socket to remove the upper engine cover (did not have a T45 - tool #1 added to tool list). Found that my spark plug sockets were all bad (tool #2 to tool list).

Got up Saturday the morning and headed to BMW to get parts for TheQ's 5series washer pump replacement project, got the parts I needed, then off to Sears for tools. Ended up getting Torx bit set, spark plug socket set, replacement universal joint set (two of mine were broken and I kept forgetting to replace them), and some tool chest organization supplies.

Got home and lifted the rear end for a brake job - could not budge rims one bit... so lowered car to take to local tire shop for tire rotation and balance (needed to be done). Had to finish tune up first - 30 minutes later it was done... while under the hood TheQ comes into the garage and hands me her cellphone... "Here talk to my brother, our hot water tank is dead".............. Um... OK. Talk to BiL, he is going to come out and help replace the tank. Just have to order a new one and get GatorBite hoses. Back inside, check stock at Lowes, they have everything, call store and CONFIRM INSTOCK STATUS (keep this in mind). Take car to local tire store. Walk in tell them what needs to be done. 'OK, does it have wheel locks?' "OMG! I left the key at home" 'We will need that'... back home and look for wheel lock key... it is no where to be found... "OMG I LEFT IT ON THE WHEEL!" Call store and tell them I think it is lost and will get car later.

BiL arrives and we head to Lowes. Get to Lowes 'No order for you sir, and we don't carry the hoses here. Looks like you ordered from Lowes on other side of town.'... Go to other Lowes. 'We have your hoses, but the tank is a special order item and will be here on April 1st' "You are kidding? If I show up back home without a tank I'll be living in the dead tank." 'Well you can go back and find one you want and bring it up and we will do a price adjustment.' I told the lady about calling and confirming stock status and she said she didn't know what the person was looking at because it isn't in stock. Head back to plumbing... Find the tank I ordered on upper shelf, have guy get it down. Take tank to service desk. Lady sees issue. Same MFG part number, but different Lowes Item Number. Get tank home and installed.

BiL takes me to get car. Pull into parking lot, and there is the wheel lock key ON THE REAR WHEEL! Take key off and put in glove box, take key inside and ask to have work done in the morning.

Wake up Sunday, all going good. Cellphone rings. 'Hello Mr. L. This is local tire place. Your rear tires are worn to near no tread and need to be replaced.' "Dang! I was hoping to get that done in May. The tires are supposed to have 60,000 tread life and only have a little over 45,000 now." 'Well we can give you $30 off per tire and give you the coupon rate for the alignment. $620 out the door." 'OK. Git Er Done'

STILL have NOT done the rear brake job, nor the oil change. Hope to do that this weekend.

Oh - those old spark plugs... had hardly any point left. Guess I got my 98,000 miles out of them!

Hudson John - can you ask your neighbor what code Table 20 2A16 - "Diagnostic Tank Module Leakage - Finest Leakage" means? And how to get it to stop popping up?

[sir james I]

Temp is 26 with a cloudy sky.

No spring weather here at all. I can't find anyplace within a 1 days drive that's warm yet. So here we sit. Tiss granny's birthday and I offered up anything she wanted to do but she has a sore back so a raincheck will be issued. A good group on the thingy last night..S.J.

[ChiefEagles]

Mornng all.  Foggy and warming.  Going into the high 60's today.  ThenYanks get even for us raiding the snow cannon and turning it NE.  Temps dropping the high in mid 40's by Sunday.  Normal high for now is 65.  BURRR

Busy morning after press conference.  Getting calls and doing phone interviews.  Got my Senator on my side.  Probably will not do any good.   Citizens do not know what is fixing to happen to them and their neighborhoods.

KRM

  Wow 40 years ago today I started my job at the Cat house.

Maybe get some Train Box done today.

Later.

 

[Hudson#685]

Good Morning! 39, cloudy / rain.

Kev, Ryan, Bob: I have not had an issue with my 2 Plymouths. The Jersey Central Set I purchased at a meet when thet first came out at the K Line booth. The 2nd one I bought off ebay recently, a PRR, for under $50. It worked fine when I tested it and after reading the posts I have been running it for a while now and it seems fine. My son and I both miss k line. We have quite a few of their engines and only had 1 that had to have some work done to the TMCC.

Jeffrey: Ezra's Exxon looks like a number of old country gas stations that you see in Southern Jersey, where the family lived above the station. A friend of our's grew up in such a station in Forked River. They also rented cabins behind the station. Her parents were founding members of the first aid squad and the ambulance was kept there in the early days before the First Aid (EMT now) Building was built.

Ryan: Kudos for "Recuing the Maiden in Distress" with the Tahoe. I would have done the same.      As for the "Walmartians". I ran into a similar scenario at a WaWa a few years ago. A New Volvo Wagon, Dressed real fine, gold all over and paid with food stamps. 

Bob: When you talk about the "Guests" at the observatory, why does the Big Bang Theory come to mind?

Kev: Prayers for Jerry and the family.

Fife: Continued prayers for Alexis, your Wife, you and the rest of the family. The pup missed his buddy.

SJ: Good Luck with the sugar numbers.

Anybody hear anything from Traindood?

Doray wants me to help her decorate the store for Easter and Spring. I told her why don't you just decorate it for summer, leave it up year round and advertise as "It is summer year round here". It is an Ice Cream Shop. Guess who lost? Be leaving to decorate for Easter soon.

Have a Great Day.

John

 

[cnw1995]

Aloha. Nice ride on the TARDIS last night. As Kev mentioned, it's only 2 out with the breeze. One of the coldest days of the  year so far. Ah well. At least there's a bit of sun. JoeD and Laz, the banner at the bottom of a browser window also goes away when you use Chrome. Just click on the little x. I can't believe it's only a few weeks until the Sox home opener. Ryan, Our kittens like to sit in the window and try to catch the snow when it is falling down. 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

KRM

Jeffery, did you place the house on top of the garage or did it come that way? It looks cool.

You nailed it the first time! It;s a Model Power Cape Cod house on top of a Heljan garage. I saw things similar to it in Europe and simply duplicated it as best I could with what I had. It makes for a very interesting structure.

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is cold in SE Indiana.  Worked on taxes.  Going to get a refund, but it is quite an effort.  Too complicated.  Work should be busy but quiet today.  TBIL and I can drive.  Ryan, good on you for helping that lady.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[KRM]

  Wow 40 years ago today I started my job at the Cat house. There is only one guy left still working there of the three of us that hired in on this day 40 years ago so I sent him an e-mail to say hi. We were just kids then. Bruce was a good partner working with me doing major teardowns on the Cat crawler line on 2^nd shift. We had a lot of good times. 

Word for the day on the North Bluff is COLD. 18 degrees and very windy. Last year today it was 79 degrees.

The future son in law’s grandfather passed on last night around midnight. He was 80 years old. He lost the fight with the BIG C. Jerry will be missed.

Jeffery, did you place the house on top of the garage or did it come that way? It looks cool.

 Where is RIJack??

A trip to town to send off two more boxes of old engine parts and then I am going to set up an appointment to get the daughter’s car worked on before it does what Sandra’s car did.

Other than that, nothing else.

Have a good day.

[Lehigh Valley 2089]

Good morning.

2 hour delay today. But honestly, I think that a full out cancelation would have been a better idea. While the roads are clear, they are still very sloppy. We also just had a mess of wet and heavy snow fall no more than an hour ago. Hopefully everyone makes it in safely.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

submmbob

Jeffrey - wonder if one your eight-legged friends has taken up residence in Erza's garage?

If one has it'll get a heck of a shock if I ever hook the lights back up. The inside of that garage will light up like high noon in Death Valley!

*

*

Good morning. It's 50° with 89% humidity. The high will be 75°.


It'll be nice enough today but looks like we might get some rain tonight. Well today I'll attempt once again to get more of the layout cleaned up. But I know that just as sure as I have both hands full of stuff the  fucockamamy phone is gonna ring. If it isn't my father it'll probably be some loan company wanting me to take a loan with them or a pizza place advertising their newest sale or some other worthless crap. At least I got about six hours of sleep. I'm still a bit tired but I don't feel worn out like I did last night.

Hey! Somebody has a lot of faith in their VW Samba but somehow I don't think this is gonna work out!

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill RR....

It is a sunny 39 degrees. Going up to 46 today with a little sunshine.

Today is a busy day. I have an errand to run and the usual chores around the house. Then, a project to work on.  Lunch and a nap.

Dining car is here with Cheerios for breakfast.

Y'all have a great Tuesday.

Chuck

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

Welcome to another dull drab day here...we saw a tiny little bit of rain/snow/sleet...and a bit of wind..that was it for the big huge blizzard that our weatherguessers had pegged for us...hah!!

Today is a day for indoor stuff though...raw easterly winds are no fun when the temperature sits around the freezing mark

Have a good day!!

[laz 57]

Hi GUYZ,

  TANKS CHUCK!!!!!!  4 more inches of SNO HI OOOOOOO!!!  Spring is tomorrow, right?  Got all PT done and will take dogie for her easy 2 mile walk.  Then call up BOXCAR BILL and start sorting wires on Shay.

JOEY D, I just x out and am done with it.  I'll complain at YORK for this and NO BOXCAR.  Did you and your son have a game of catch or were you playing fastball with box painted on wall and him batting?  We did that all the time in Hazleton back in the 60s.  What great times playing ball back then.

Stay frosty my friends,

laz57

[Zero Export]

Bob, Thanks.   as an electronics guru of sorts my self, I'll take a look at it.  I assumed they used some "House numbered" chip or some other proprietary chip no one can cross reference.   I probably have the regulator in my shop.    (at last estimate, I had over 1 million transistors, TTL / CMOS, Eproms, linears, etc  chips in my personal inventory)

I'll let you know if I have any trouble with it.

 

Thanks

Ryan

 

[submmbob]

Hello all

Engineers and physics types have all gone to bed so it's a bit quieter now.

Going thru my backlog of projects up here. A lot of my trains and old electronic stuff is up here, especially 'current' projects. I have a habit of leaping from one project to another before the first is finished. I nearly forgot about the 2035, operating milk car, and passenger car kit-builds that I had ferreted away

The PA loco for the Amtrak set just got dug out of deep hibernation. Yes, sad to say, it never quite made it to Chicago for a variety of reasons, but hopefully soon. Speaking of Chicago, DougM look for a PM.

There's a couple of electronic projects I'm going to call uncle on and consign to the parts bin. Gives me more spare tubes anyway

I've been spending the last 6 mos or so trying to simplify my life, and so far it is working.

Jeffrey - wonder if one your eight-legged friends has taken up residence in Erza's garage?

Joe - I should have the two cars and the UP bay window caboose later this week. So next time I'm on the hill I'll be able to post some pics of the Santa Fe steam version and the diesel UP version. Unless I find a smokin' deal on a K-line Plymouth in the near future, that will have to wait a bit. Maybe someone going to York can keep their eyes open for one. This will be a repaint so used and slightly worn is good, plus I tend to dislike having the original box for some strange reason It's the same feeling I get when I buy a car w/ non-stock rims. Something that I don't like or need, but continue to stare at

That said, the boxes I did have came in handy when most of the trains recently went into storage.

[Demay]

Konbanwa,

It’s been a few days since my last post; work and school have been keeping me busy.  Fortunately, I have had time to play some baseball with the older boy.  I took off from work the rest of the week to get ahead on some of my schoolwork to hopefully make the remaining 8 weeks go smoother.  I’ve checked the Pot a few times over the past few days and I’m glad to see Alexis making such great progress.

Fife – I’ll continue to pray for Alexis’s continued recovery.

Laz – Maybe it’s the version (IE10) of Internet Explorer I’m using, but after I click on the pop-up banner’s X once, it never comes back during the entire time I’m logged on. 

Happy Belated Birthday Brent!

AF Ray – I did not see the Rivera press conference.  I’m not surprised about the classy way it was conducted; he is that type of guy.  That will be awesome if you get to his last close.

Bob – I’m looking forward to seeing the HO to O recreation.

Sayonara,

Joe

[jeffrey-wimberly]

submmbob

Jeffrey - anything interesting lurking in Erza's garage?

I don't know. I haven't looked in several years.

*

Well due to not much sleep last night I've been running on empty since early this afternoon and really didn't feel like doing anything. I'm hoping I get a good nights sleep tonight. Very little done on the layout today.

Time for me to call it a night. See y'all tomorrow.

[submmbob]

Hello all

Well the MIT invasion has begun. They are upstairs running cable and sending signals all over the place. Should be a fairly quiet night tonight after they all go to bed.

Kev:

'A 1615 showed up at the switch yard today. The yard crew gave it a lube job added a coupler and some lead weight to the tender and put her to work hauling RMT ore cars. '  

Nice!!!

Ryan:

The solution to the voltage regulator issue on the K-line units is to replace the original TO-92 unit w/ a TO-220 unit that is better able to deal w/ the heat. I use an NTE 1960. You have to add extension wires to the circuit board since the pin dimensions are larger for the TO220 unit. Feel free to PM for more info.

Jeffrey - anything interesting lurking in Erza's garage?

DougM, John - I think I will eventually find one of those K-line units and do a repaint on it. DougDG sent me a link to a Santa Fe unit they made, but it is blue. I really like the red and silver paint scheme on the original, but like the lines of the older Plymouth, so I figure it will be a good compromise.

The engineers just tried to do a calibration on the doors (we are closed at the moment) and it didn't work...

[wrmcclellan]

jeffrey-wimberly

submmbob

Jeffrey - must have been a big sale or something at Erza's Exxon

Only gas station and pizza shop in town.

Nothing but the best! Great photos Jeffrey!

Watching Gas Monkey Garage on Discovery. Good show, of course they are Dallas boys!

Long day today. Cooked out this evening. Chicken! 

Secured air fare to BWI for York last night. Good to go!

Ryan - nice. I always carry a tow strap with me, never know when you'll need it. Last time I used it was to help stretch one of those canvas roof tarps at a pavilion at the school down the street when the neighborhood group offered to replace it after some vandals knifed the original.

Temps to drop for the weekend. 50s/30s for Sat and Sun and then I am sending it east!

Have a great evening all!

[ChiefEagles]

Tired. Press Conference went good. Mayor stuff over.  May cancel Town Board for tomorrow night.  One Commissioner is out and the only item is something that I require all Commisssioners to vote on as it is a big change in our sign regs.  Any major changes or major votes or approvals, I think all Commissioners need to be present to ask questions, express their opinion and vote.

TV and popcorn along with rest.

Later.     

[Zero Export]

Kev, I got out one of my other K-Line Plymouth switchers, and it smokes pretty good.  do you remember where  you got the voltage regulator replacements for yours?    Mine was bad outa the box.     not much can be done, as I've been buying this crap for the last 10 plus years, and just now getting them out of the boxes.....

Its a shame K-line went out, so far everything k-line ive ran has been top notch.  

Thanks..........

Ryan

[KRM]

Zero Export

good afternoon every one.   gonna try to post to see if the house computer is functioning ..  had to reset the stupid cable modem. 

we got a good coating of really slippery snow.  The mountain I live on you could see spin outs the whole way up in the snow., but no stuck cars.  Even my GMC 2500 with the new mud tires was having issues keeping traction    My drive way id half way down the other side of the mountain, and all was well, until I crested the top, and there it was    a GMC Tahoe? sticking out of the culvert right at my driveway.   So i stopped, and it was some girl. She was of coarse crying her eyes out, said she saw 20 plus cars go by and no one stopped.   So I told her to relax, That I lived back the lane, and would go get a chain and help her out. 

I got her out.  And I have never seen some one so happy and thankful. she tried to give me money, of coarse I refuses (although a spare 20 would be nice right now)  she must have thanked me 10 times, said  she was glad to see that people do care, etc etc etc.

I gotta say, It felt good to help some one out, that actually was appreciative  for the help.  Unlike the family at Walmart on Saturday that cut in front of me in line, was wearing nicer clothes than I have, and paid for their groceries with food stamps.  that crap just burns me up. 

So as not to spoil my great feelings of helping some one, I'll conclude my post with this:   my retarded cat (he's a few cents short of a dollar. (KEV the "broken One" comes to mind))  was outside rolling around in the SNOW and chasing it, and pushing his face in it, and just plain being silly. I wished I had a video camera.  Just absolutely hilarious 

now lets see if this long post posts,,,,...

Ryan

 

Ryan, nothing wrong here as far as I can see. Cats are cats 

[sir james I]

Temp is 34. We had some morning snow flakes but lite rain most of the afternoon.

Doc appointment went ok, He must be planning a trip cause I think I got every test he could do in his office including a bone scan. Last blood work was good except sugar at 127. So I had to donate some more vials today. Charlie is planning to stop by tonight as I have the new MTH set catalog for him. After you see these little offerings NOBODY should ever complain about a Lionel set catalog again. Banilla will be waiting for the Tardis although I might be a little late...S.J.

[Zero Export]

good afternoon every one.   gonna try to post to see if the house computer is functioning ..  had to reset the stupid cable modem. 

we got a good coating of really slippery snow.  The mountain I live on you could see spin outs the whole way up in the snow., but no stuck cars.  Even my GMC 2500 with the new mud tires was having issues keeping traction    My drive way id half way down the other side of the mountain, and all was well, until I crested the top, and there it was    a GMC Tahoe? sticking out of the culvert right at my driveway.   So i stopped, and it was some girl. She was of coarse crying her eyes out, said she saw 20 plus cars go by and no one stopped.   So I told her to relax, That I lived back the lane, and would go get a chain and help her out. 

I got her out.  And I have never seen some one so happy and thankful. she tried to give me money, of coarse I refuses (although a spare 20 would be nice right now)  she must have thanked me 10 times, said  she was glad to see that people do care, etc etc etc.

I gotta say, It felt good to help some one out, that actually was appreciative  for the help.  Unlike the family at Walmart on Saturday that cut in front of me in line, was wearing nicer clothes than I have, and paid for their groceries with food stamps.  that crap just burns me up. 

So as not to spoil my great feelings of helping some one, I'll conclude my post with this:   my retarded cat (he's a few cents short of a dollar. (KEV the "broken One" comes to mind))  was outside rolling around in the SNOW and chasing it, and pushing his face in it, and just plain being silly. I wished I had a video camera.  Just absolutely hilarious 

now lets see if this long post posts,,,,...

Ryan

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Well as usual my chances of getting any layout work done this morning were doomed. I had only time to take a couple of photos before my father called with plans that seemed like good things to do. I got home a little after 11am and now due to little sleep last night I don't feel like doing anything. I did get a halfway descent shot this morning. It's a side of Ezra's Exxon that's rarely seen.

[Lehigh Valley 2089]

Good afternoon.

Early dismissal today! And apparently I didn't miss out on a whole lot in school. (Phew)

[SPMan]

V8Vega

I just went to buy Amtrak tickets for this Christmas and its $368.90 for senior round trip from Van Nuys Ca. to Portland OR. Its kind of unnerving to buy tickets this much in advance but I have learned you have to to get the lowest price. I was expecting about $244 at $368 I will probably fly even though the airport experience is very stressful. I'll call tomorrow and see why the price is so high.

  

Dennis, that sounds pretty high to me but I haven't traveled much for a long time so I always get sticker shock.  I assume that price includes sleeping accomodations on the train.  I know you like to take the train but at that price, I would take a day trip sometime somewhere on the coast just for fun to get in your train riding and go by air for your Christmas get together.

Ray