Merry Christmas.
We had a quiet one this year. Was just my wife, myself, and the dog. Cooked a small rtb roast. Came out well. Not quite as good as what mom used to make, but close. Took notes for next time.
All for now.
Good evening all,
A good day today. Everyone got here and back home ok. Lots of food. Grandkids wanted to play LEGOs more than watch trains and that was ok as well. I hope everyone has a good day.
Keep on training,
Mike C. from Indiana
Merry Christmas!
It is actually Boxing Day (St. Stephens Day) here in Germany today which is a public holiday. Due to all my work travels (was in Africa from 13-20 Dec), Christmas came and went too quickly. Either way, we had a great time yesterday and are thankful for the many blessings we have.
I hope you all had a great day.
Joe
Hey Joe was just thinking of you yesterday when I was on the other forum. Glad to hear all is fine over in Germany. Never made it there. Did make it to England,France,Italy, Spain and a few other places over there.
Morning all. Not much going on here today. Going to build some shelves in my closet I think and then start rearanging some items to make more room up above for all my Train sets.
54* out there right now going up to 60* they say.
Well you all have a good day, talk to you all later.
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
Good morning all. Cloudy and 51 degrees. No rain they say. ????? Going hunting. Return whenever I want to. Not sure. Depends on who is there and what the weather is doing. Also what the deer are doing. Been fun, seen lots of deer but the big guy. May want to stay home and do some Train Box stuff for a change.
Hope Santa brought everything you wished for.Hope all have a great week ahead.
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
Good morning,
Got up to 60 overnight so all the snow is melted and everything is slop.
Temps will fall all day back into the 30s. Good day to try to figure out some issues with my Lionel Blue Stripe passenger cars.
Had a great time at the daughters yesterday along with 26 other people. it was a house full of fun.
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
Good Morning All!
Looks like everyone had a great Christmas, really enjoyed reading all the reports!
Made it back home, safely as well. This trip was totally unplanned, and very unexpected, but the smoothest and on of the best I've ever been on. I will be posting more as things settle down a bit. However, there is one thing I've been thinking about and wanted to see what you guys thought about it. (I did talk with John Fullerton and got his ideas.)
I was approaching Amarillo, and it was shortly after dusk. It was dark. I noticed a string of red lights ahead that were perpendicular to the highway. As I got closer the spacing between the red lights seemed to grow a bit, and was a very long string. Got closer and the line got shorter, but remained perpendicular. Eventually, I thought I would pass them and they would just disappear, as something I passed. Then the road curved slightly and I saw a whole long line of these red lights that were parallel to the highway. As our paths merged closer together, the lights were extremely close. Now, they were not moving but staying with me, (a specific light). And again, it was a very LONG line. I rolled down the window and heard the wheels of a train squealing and rattling of train cars. I was going about 60-65, and the train was moving at the same speed. Began to see numerous crossings, and the crossing gates were down with the red lights flashing. It truly WAS a train on a set of parallel tracks to the highway. And it was not a passenger train! Could not see the specific cars as too what type of car it was, but the only lights were these red lights on the side of the cars. Like clearance lights. I was side by side with a "set" of specific lights for quite awhile, and the sounds were obvious, as the crossing lights. So here was a freight train with clearance lights running down the tracks, and long one at that. Could not find an RR name indication on anything or at a crossing. So have any of you heard of a freight with clearance lights? John and I thought it must have been a "local" dedicated consist for a specific industry in the area. (Really John's idea). So maybe Roy or someone is familiar with such but it sure looked cool.
Considering creating a specific thread to post trip results, so I don't clutter up the Coffee Pot, thoughts?
Don
Good Morning,
Temp around 73 right now, going up to 83 or maybe 84. Maybe a chance of scattered showers.
Still trying to get my 2 MTH Reading Lines T-1 steam engines(PS-2) to work correctly. One(has replacement tration tires) goes over the Ross switch but needs to be going at a good rate of speed and the other one(still has original traction tire) derails after the Ross switch. No other problems with them, just the switch issues. So I tried the MTH Norfolk Southern SD-70 Heritage Engine(Reading Lines, PS-3) and it works great.
Not sure if I mentioned it but I have finished the new shelf, painting, I put up the other day and have trains on it.
Lee Fritz
Morning gang!
Had a great Christmas. We survived and woke up around 10 this morning.
Kids spent the night Christmas Eve. Got up Christmas Day with coffee/mimosas and cinnamon rolls. Opened presents and started cooking for dinner. Watched football, talked, goofed around. Kids had a couple of drop in visiters. As usual, dinner amd pies took 6 hrs to cook, 15 min to eat, and 2 hrs to clean up. It was great and yes a 15 lb turkey can feed 4 people. Kids took lots of leftovers home with them.
Don - the only thing I can guess is if the red "lights" were indeed lights is that was a unit train of refrigerated cars, as freight does not typ have power down the train. There is a RR standard called something like "train line" that provided for electrical down the train for electrically controlled pneumatic brakes (ecp brakes) which act faster than current pneumatic, which could run the 70 volt power down the train. But I do not think that is in common use. Locally I have seen some UP trains with these very efficient red reflectors on most of the cars to help avoid people running into long trains as rural crossings late at night. Those reflectors are very bright. But finally keeping in mind you were in W TX, it may have been a train of space alien equipment which would clearly explain all the moving/glowing lights!
Regards, Roy
Mornin' boys. (well seems like it still...) Damp and 46 along the Patterson Creek cut-off today. Everyone departed an hour ago. Wifey now cleaning, and my job is to stay out of her way. Had a nice first Christmas in our new mountain digs. Eight overnight visitors made for tight accomodations, but we all survived. Fifey was really treated nicely, and specifically has some fundage for the new layout. Got nothing with flanges, but oldest Princess did pick me up a Lefton Blarney Barn (circa 1998) off da bay. It's polygonal in shape, has dancers inside, and is perfect for a foreground structure.
Did have a downer as Fifepup wrecked his car (again...) Thursday, so eliminated coming to WV over the holidays. I pray for better fortune for him in 2017.
Brett's Steelers eliminated the Ravens. Anyone but NE. 62 days til Daytona.
Chief - BRAVO!!! I needed that chuckle. Makes me wonder if flamingo tastes like chicken, or shrimp...?
A belated Merry Christmas to everyone on the coffee pot. I was pretty busy yesterday. Our celebration was divided between two households plus a memory care facility where Helen is. We finally had Christmas dinner at my house which I wound up fixing. My oldest son and his family spent the first part of the day at DIL parents place. My youngest son and I went to Helen's facility for a Christmas celebration and Lunch. His wife being a nurse had to work. We gave Helen a new teddy bear and had Santa Claus present it to her at a get together. There was live music and dancing too. Some strange lady grabbed me and the next thing I know we were dancing. We made a circle out of it to include Helen. She enjoyed it. We finally got together with all of us at my house around 5:00PM. We exchanged gifts and then dove into the dinner. We stayed up late and I slept until 11:00AM. today. Haven't done that in years. Don, maybe those lights were behind the train and winking at you as each space between cars went by. When I worked for the RR we never had lights on freight cars. Amtrak has side lights on their cars to indicate whether or not the brakes are released on each car. They are green when brakes release and yellow when brakes apply. Glad you got home safely. Must have been quite an adventure.
Ray
SPMan
Evening,
Like the various ideas, need to read through them again. The only thing I'm fairly certain of is I dont think they were reflectors, or lights behind the cars. The train and I were tracking parallel to each other for well over 15 minutes. And the cars/lights I was watching were directly opposite of me, so I dont think they were reflecting any light. And the lights were not blinking as would be the case if they were behind the cars. I'm thinking it was a dedicated consist that was not broken up daily. And, MAY have had a couple strings of lights down the cars. Just not sure. Thanks for the ideas. Roy is probably correct, it could have been aliens.
Dang Roy that about the alien train was suppose to be kept silence about that. We don't want to cause a panic you know.
Warm day. Went for a walk outside. Worked on O-gauge railroad tonight. Reached a decision on how I want to lay the track. Should work fine. Just will be using O-31 curves. Slept in today, and took it easy the rest of the day. I hope everyone has a good day.
Hello all
Spent the day helping my nephew install the new lights he got for Christmas/birthday in his car. My brother and younger nephew provided company and assistance. These were whole aftermarket light assemblies. It was entertaining to say the least, but now they look good and work well. This is a Focus SVT. Very neat little car.
Forgot to say earlier - good to hear from you RIJack!
Don - I'm thinking those lights were indicating the train was red-shifted and moving away from you at the speed of light!
Bob
Tucson, AZ (aka the Ol' Pueblo)
Home of the Mt. Graham & Arizona Eastern Boiler Shops
28 heading to 37 with sun,
Heading out to pick up Lexi and Jordan for the day so their mom can work and their dad can get some sleep after getting off his 12 hour shift. That should keep me going today.
LP man just left from filling the pig tank up. It took 210 Gal and was last filled 42 days ago, so that cold spell took it's toll on my contract supply. Only 550 left.
Good morning all!
45 headed to 65 today. Big change for tomorrow from earlier predictions. Will hit 76 Wed and then a front for 50 Thurs. Then it yo-yo's again for the weekend.
Don & RT - I think SubmmBob confirms my diagnosis - alien train - moving at the speed of light
Kev - ouch on the propane...
Shalom Y'all !
A great Christmas Day here with family and extended family visiting.
Don, Good to see everything went well and you made it back safe & sound in spite of watching/pacing a freight train.
Yesterday was Kid's Club Fun Run at the museum, all went well with no pile-ups. Really good crowd yesterday, with the crowd on Friday and yesterday we gave out 800+ candy canes.
We actually had snow in the local mountains down to 2500 feet, needless to say it was a good area to avoid with all the crazy drivers going up to play in the snow.
Forgot what else I wanted to say. Maybe I'll remember later.
Prayers for friends & family in need.
Later all !
Chuckle for the day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9t-slLl30E
Remember the Veterans. Past, present and future.
www.sd3r.org
Proud New Member Of The NRA
Afternoon FellasMeant to post on Christmas Day, but TheQ was under the weather which meant more of the load fell to me. Not a problem. With all she does it doesn't surprise me when her body forces her to relax.No flanges this year. But I did receive a very unique timepiece from TheQ, the band and case are copper tone with real hickory wood for the face, trim, and band trim. Very nice! From a company called Original Grain. Very good quality for a decent price. May have to request a couple more combinations. We've decided the carpet in the living and dinning rooms needs to go, so having new hardwood floors installed in the coming weeks. Can't wait!The big layout deconstruction is about to commense, as soon as the hardwood floors are done. Have given myself 3 months to get it done, then start building the new layout for the kids' Thomas sets, and then the new one for under the tree. I haven't told TheQ yet, but I've decided to finish the rest of the basement as well. This is going to be quite a project as I need to move the Hot Water Tank from under the stairs to next to the furnace (there is a drain pipe there that leads to the sump pump, so good place to go with it). Then extend the area under the stairs a bit to line up with a new passage way I'll be opening in the basement interior wall, move the door to the unfinished space over to under the stairs to make a closet, then remove the work bench and some other stuff out, then I can build the new walls, finish the ceiling, and install new flooring. Haven't decided if I'll put tile down on the cement floor, or put underlayment down first... have to research that.
Hope to have it all done by next Christmas... lol...
https://brentsandsusanspicutures.shutterfly.com/
Hey, Merry Christmas albeit a little late....
Ran fire calls from 9:30 to past midnight, couldn't change or shower for midnight Mass, I was lucky to get there at all. Went from one side of the county to the other. At least I was riding shotgun....
Hope you all got good stuff, I requested NO presents and all went to the Princess, so she could finish off the house as she sees fit. And I am fine with this.
Cataract surgery next Monday to start off the New Year. I may loose my 2nd job because I need to take 3 days off 'cuz I can't lift anything over 10 pounds and the parts I deal with are heavier.....such as it is.
Hope to be back on the other side of the New Year. Much to do before then and hope to sleep most of Friday as I'm off during the day. Night job, still working....
Prayers for all in need!!
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
Good evening everybody. Kind of getting back to normal today if that's possible. Went to have lunch with Helen then back home for a little grocery shopping and an early throw together dinner. I used up an egg plant I had in the frig and added a baked chicken breast I picked up at the market and some left over green beans. Topped it all off with a piece of left over cheese cake from Christmas. The days really fly by this time of year. I get home from Helen about 3:00PM and it's dark by 5:00PM. Watching moonshiners tonight on TV. Wonder if they are some of Chief's neighbors? It's one of those reality shows. the whole thing must be fake or else they would all be arrested by now. Dougnotagrump, good job at the museum. Happy Holidays. Have a good week y'all,
SPMAN ( Ray) my wife's cousin & husband know Digger & Mark personally. Infact her cousins husband use to be circuit court judge there in Newport, TN. Donna got cousin to get a personally signed picture of the two. But I think anyone can get them.
All the grandkids were down today. Ran some trains for them, but they were busy doing other stuff as well. Had a nice visit with older daughter. Did some reading this evening. Wife got me Greenberg's latest edition of Standard Gauge Lionel and 2 7/8. Lots of research. Finally could pinpoint time for my 8E set at around 1926 to 1928. Most of my other stuff is restored so not as exact on the time lines. Sad news about Carrie Fisher. Heck fire, she was younger than me. Makes you think.... I hope everyone has a good day.
Mornin' boys. Partly cloudy and 34 along the Patterson Creek cut-off. Took advantage of the mild temps yesterday to hike the C&O canal from lock 72 to lock 74 and back. Parallels the B&O, and CSX obliged with a short mixed freight. Skimmed through new CTT.
cheapclassics - I think it was a case of Princess Leia having more "mileage" on most of us...put together...
88 - You're a wild man.
anjdevil - good luck with the peepers.
dbaker - You might have been driving along a string of refrigerated boxcars, that have lights amogst their generator controls. Or, you may have just bitten into a Certs with retsin...
Morning Guys, Heavy frost, almost looks liked it snowed. 28 heading to 44 today then down from there.
Some running around and back cracker last visit.
Kids are gone, house is quiet. Jordan has decided he needs to use my work bench in the basement and start his own train, diecast, & toy repair business.
Lubrication on the 2065 Hudson did the trick to rid it of squawking in reverse. I set up a push button where the kido can make a 252 gate and the 145 gateman work at the same time on the workbench. Boy did he like that. Guy thing,,,,all about control.
V8 I log on and off every time I visit this site. I never leave any site logged on. Too risky for me.
As for Princess Leia, she made no bones about the hard ride of life she took and paid for the mileage in the end. She was four years younger than I am Mike, know what your talking about.
Have a good one.
Morning. 54 degrees and sunny. Cooler today. Errands with Wifey. She goes back to work tomorrow. YEPEE. Back to my schedule.
Rich, good luck with the eye thingy.
Ray, prayers.
Glad Shake and Bake home safe and had good trip.
Dennis, enjoy the CA sun.
Have a great week.
Aloha. Looks like a nice sunny day. The oldest daughter and her husband left for home early this am. They're picking up a dog they decided to rescue on their way home. He looks huge. I'm happy for them. I got up early with them to take down anything Christmas. Only took about an hour to get everything down. I usually wait for New Years but the weekend looks busy. When do you take down your Christmas?
I'm sure that was an alien train, Don!
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
Doug, got photos of the "crew". Haven't seen them since they are all grown.
Evenin' boys. Wifey wanted to do some "sploring", so I seized the opportunity to see how long it akes to get from new Fifedom to the top of Sandpatch Grade, in PA. Approximately 30 mins is all. Continued west to Meyersdale then onto the Salisbury Vaiduct (old Western Maryland trestle). These were both shown on my old layout. CSX had an e/b coal drag, with helpers on the rear, so we leapfrogged ahead back up to Sandpatch. Fun to just watch sometimes.
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