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DECEMBER COFFEE POT HO HO HO Hot coffee with grits for the good Southerners and oatmeal for the Yanks. Locked

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KRM
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Posted by KRM on Thursday, December 29, 2016 9:45 AM

Good morning, Windy and 33 degrees on The North Bluff.
Nice video Buckeye!! Yes
 Looking over the new CTT and I had to think that at least they could blow the dust off of their cover engine. I remember how they demand a certain level of resolution to publish any layout pictures and then see a dust covered engine on their cover????????????????? Come -on!! SoapBox

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Thursday, December 29, 2016 9:34 AM

Morning all.  Rained.  50 degrees.  Headed east tohunt.  Not that enthused about it.  Season ending.  May stay a few says.  Not sure.  Cold and windy tomorrow so that may be it.

Remember the Ohio car at York.

Oh well, that Ohio car in the video must be a forgery.

Have a good one. 

 

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by wrmcclellan on Thursday, December 29, 2016 9:29 AM

Are those blue lights similar to the red lights Don saw out west?

Love the Acme Roadrunner & Coyote car. I also have one and it is aways a hit when we do train shows.

Regards, Roy

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Posted by fifedog on Thursday, December 29, 2016 8:13 AM

A-dor-a-ble...  That traveling boxcar brought back memories, Buckeye.  I was waiting for the "Carolina Crippler" to wobble into view...

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Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Thursday, December 29, 2016 7:24 AM
As to travel horror stories, I can't keep up with Roy, but the Canadian Immigration one time stopped me and gave me a lengthy quiz as to why I was an Irish gun runner and this was before I had to escape the law in Roseyville. I did stay in a small hotel in Ashland, KY right beside the mainline of the CSX.  I heard every drag freight and the 4:00 am Amtrak like it was in my room. 
 
So you are three years old and someone asks you how long is your train.
Here is the answer:Big Smile

Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum. Smile, Wink & Grin

Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..

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Posted by cheapclassics on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 11:30 PM

Good evening all,

Except for the news about Debbie Reynolds, it was a pretty good day.  Had lunch with my supervisor from the factory days, went to a Christmas tree exhibit at Indy, managed to find two hats at a clothing store at a good price, found out wife's shoe inserts for her feet will be replaced for free under warranty, and had a nice supper at Captain D's.  Weather was mild but had some rain on the way home.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

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Posted by rtraincollector on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 10:34 PM

When Keving said Did you forget you where in Joplin, MO. I thought he was talking about Waffelhouse. then I moved up and saw Don's post. I have had good and bad experinces in Days Inn. Wafflehouses I have either had rude Waiterest or lousey food never both in one place and never good of both in the same place. 

Shocked as I read tonight that Debbie Renolds, Carrie Fisher mother died the next day. I guess the stress on her at her age was just to much. I pray for both as like both. Both where good actresses. 

No real news tonight. I'm going to try and put my interest in a different direction and see how it works. Like I'm going to start buying lumber and wire and tools, I'm going to need to build my train room out of my garage. It's still train related just not trains :) Also need to start saving for York come the end of April. 

 

Life's hard, even harder if your stupid  John Wayne

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Posted by wrmcclellan on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 10:17 PM

Evening all!

Record 82 here today. 50's tomorrow. Back to 60's Sat/Sun.

There is not enough room on this forum's server to hold my domestic and international travel horror stories. Suffice to say some of the more interesting were the time in Bogata when I came back to the hotel one evening and they had my bags packed and told me I no longer had a room or when my passport was pulled by the police in Chile while in the Santiago transit lounge or the hotel in upstate NY with the phone on a telephone pole in the parking lot on the other side of all the idling semis or the Customs agent who looked like a giant Fife on steroids that stopped me at Houston intercontinental wondering how much cash I was carrying as I came in from Venezuela....

Regards, Roy

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Posted by KRM on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 7:54 PM

Don, did you forget you were in Joplin Mo. after all.  Laugh Places like that are all over that state and others in the "south" as well as in Maine and every place as far as that goes. Wife and I have been in some bad ones. I think the worst was stinking Lincoln Maine, when you walked in your feet stuck to the bug spray on the floor.   Surprise

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by dbaker48 on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 7:22 PM

Evening All,

Catching up on all the home activities while I was gone.  Also had a great "late" Christmas, but all is good.

On the way home Christmas dinner consisted of a small can of "Pringles", and 4 peanut butter cookies.  Monday's eating was MUCH better!!  A couple of side notes;

- When I stopped in Joplin for the night checking in the motel was somewhat unique.  It was a Days Inn, and they had two large buildings one right behind the other.  The first room was a "smoking" room, as you approached it there were a set of glass doors in the corrider to quarantine off the smoking rooms.  Entered the corridor and the smell was awful, opened the door to the room and a blue/gray cloud was present with a smell that would knock you down.  Turned around and went all the way back to the front desk for another room.  (Truck was parked at the rear of the second building.)  They gave me room #2, went there and it was just a few doors from where the first one was, but prior to the glass doors.  Went in the room, and no one had cleaned or made it up from the previous night!   Back to the front desk, they gave me room #3, which was in the first building, got to that room there was a "Do not Disturb" sign on the door.  Knocked, no answer, slid my cardkey into the door it unlocked and entered.  Saw an open suit case on the floor and a guy setting on the bed in a T shirt.  Backed out, went back to the front desk!  They gave me key #4 and assured me there would be no problem.  Well there were some guys installing Direct TV at the place, so when I got to that room, it was being used as a storage and "office" area.  So I WENT back to the front desk, and asked them if they could just give me a Master Key and I will find my own room, or at least tell me where the time clock was so I could punch in and finish their inventory.  They then assigned me to their "suite" which was next to the front desk.  It only took 5 attempts to locate a room.  Normally I would have left, but was tired and didn't want to hassle the truck anymore.  Of course, the TV didn't work either, but I had some computer work to do so didn't miss it.

NOW regarding the train, it WAS illuminated and running parallel, for sure!!  I've got it from a very reliable source it may have been some automated hopper cars, which DO have illumination.  Need some more research.

Going to move on and see about dinner, more later.

Don

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 4:11 PM

Gray out and getting dark,

Went to the back cracker for the last time and then to Walmart. Oh Joy,,, Then when I got home I set up the 252 crossing gate from RT and the 145 giant Gateman on a corner of the layout and set it up to work off a push bottom switch for grand-son Jordan. This makes HIM the Gateman. I think he will like it. It is to bad they made it so far out of scale, but he won't care.  Smile, Wink & Grin and I don't anymore, it is about the fun not the perfection.

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by fifedog on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 4:00 PM

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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Posted by ChiefEagles on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 2:28 PM

Doug, got photos of the "crew".  Haven't seen them since they are all grown.

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by cnw1995 on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 10:49 AM

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.

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 10:06 AM

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.

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 8:37 AM

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.

Oh, forgot to say, I swapped out the older 252 crossing gate with another newer one and got them to work much better together. Posted a video on the other tread.

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by fifedog on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 5:44 AM

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...

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Posted by cheapclassics on Tuesday, December 27, 2016 10:13 PM

Good evening all,

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.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

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Posted by rtraincollector on Tuesday, December 27, 2016 9:55 PM

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. 

Life's hard, even harder if your stupid  John Wayne

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Posted by SPMan on Tuesday, December 27, 2016 8:56 PM

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,

 

Ray

 

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Posted by anjdevil2 on Tuesday, December 27, 2016 3:06 PM

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


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Posted by lion88roar on Tuesday, December 27, 2016 11:28 AM

Afternoon Fellas

Meant to post on Christmas Day, but TheQ was under the weather which meant more of the load fell to me. Not a problem. Smile With all she does it doesn't surprise me when her body forces her to relax.

No flanges this year. Sad 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. Smile

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...

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Posted by dougdagrump on Tuesday, December 27, 2016 10:41 AM

Shalom Y'all !

A great Christmas Day here with family and extended family visiting. Thumbs UpThumbs Up

Don, Good to see everything went well and you made it back safe & sound in spite of watching/pacing a freight train. Cowboy

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.

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Posted by wrmcclellan on Tuesday, December 27, 2016 8:53 AM

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  Alien Alien Alien Alien Alien 

Kev - ouch on the propane...

Regards, Roy

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Posted by KRM on Tuesday, December 27, 2016 8:35 AM

Good morning,

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.

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by submmbob on Monday, December 26, 2016 11:01 PM

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

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Posted by cheapclassics on Monday, December 26, 2016 9:54 PM

Good evening all,

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.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

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Posted by rtraincollector on Monday, December 26, 2016 9:43 PM

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. 

Life's hard, even harder if your stupid  John Wayne

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Posted by dbaker48 on Monday, December 26, 2016 9:20 PM

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.

Don

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Posted by SPMan on Monday, December 26, 2016 3:55 PM

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

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